Chapter 554: [A Godless World] (22)
[That look in Ember’s eyes... is he judging Adrian’s height?!]
[Hahaha, poor innocent Adrian is still smiling so brightly.]
[I’m just glad Adrian hasn’t noticed.]
"Oh? You guys haven’t moved out either?"
Just then, a woman’s voice suddenly called out from ahead.
Looking up, they saw a young woman carrying a little boy who couldn’t have been more than two years old. Behind her, a man was carrying several bags of fresh groceries, as though they had just returned from the supermarket. At a glance, they looked like an ordinary family.
Adrian set Ember down and smiled at them.
"That’s right. It’s not easy finding a new place these days, and the penalty for breaking the lease is just too expensive. We’ll probably have to wait until the lease expires before moving."
Apparently, the family in front of them was facing the same dilemma. Hearing that, the woman smiled wryly.
"Exactly. Luckily, things aren’t nearly as bad as the rumors make them out to be."
In reality, many residents had already moved away, but just as many had chosen to stay at Lotus Park. Some, like Adrian, couldn’t afford the cost of breaking their lease. Others were elderly and didn’t want the hassle of relocating. And some simply believed those strange incidents would never reach them, convinced that the outside rumors were greatly exaggerated.
With a conspiratorial look, Adrian lowered his voice and continued,
"I heard the building manager has hired people to renovate the central area in preparation for an exorcism ceremony..."
"The central area? You mean the corridor connecting the two buildings?"
Adrian smacked his right fist into his left palm and exclaimed, "That’s right—"
But before he could say anything else, the man grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her away, his face full of annoyance.
"Why do you keep listening to all this superstitious nonsense?"
As he spoke, he shot Adrian an irritated glare before dragging his wife away.
Adrian merely shrugged, looking completely innocent.
Only after the couple had disappeared from sight did he turn to Ember and ask softly,
"Why don’t I remember there ever being a corridor connecting the two buildings?"
Ember frowned but said nothing.
Adrian figured it was probably because the neighboring building had been under construction the whole time, so neither of them had paid much attention to it.
Meanwhile, the family of three quickly returned to their apartment. The moment the door shut behind them, their skin suddenly began to melt all at once, like candle wax held over a flame. In an instant, their bodies collapsed into indistinct, pulpy masses before rapidly seeping into the floor, vanishing without leaving the slightest trace.
Time once again began to flow in an irregular, unpredictable manner.
Even with the naked eye, Adrian and Ember could tell that the closer they drew to the corridor connecting the two buildings, the more the light faded away. The clear blue sky gave way to roiling black clouds, while peals of thunder and flashes of lightning rumbled overhead.
The gale howled so fiercely that every tightly shut window groaned under the pressure.
Squinting against the wind, Adrian said with a hint of exasperation,
"I know we’re practically walking to our deaths, but does the weather really have to celebrate it this enthusiastically?"
Ember looked at him, utterly speechless.
Just then, a sudden sound echoed from up ahead.
John had his back to them, yet the head on his shoulders was twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees, staring at Adrian and Ember with a hint of displeasure.
Ember frowned and stepped in front of Adrian.
At the same time, John slowly turned around. The smile on his face looked forced.
"So, you two found this place as well?"
He let out a dry chuckle.
"Strange, isn’t it? It’s like this place suddenly appeared out of nowhere. We searched every corner before, but somehow we never investigated here."
Peeking out from behind Ember’s back, Adrian gave a mocking smile.
"Really? Because judging by your expression, I’d say you’re not happy to see us here at all."
John’s expression turned cold, but he said nothing.
Adrian turned to Ember again.
"So... we’re really going in? The boss could be waiting inside."
His eyes narrowed, yet he didn’t look frightened in the slightest.
"Either we defeat that thing and walk out together... or we’ll die here forever."
Hearing Adrian say that, John instinctively shuddered.
As for Ember, who was standing face-to-face with Adrian, he merely frowned.
He had already survived three dungeons and had long since formed his own understanding of what it meant to face a boss. During those times, of course he wanted to live—but if he died, then so be it. Wouldn’t that simply be another way for the nightmare to end?
Yet now, standing before Adrian, he found himself unable to say those words.
Adrian, however, didn’t give him much time to think.
He reached over and patted Ember on the shoulder. Lifting his chin confidently, he declared,
"Don’t worry. We’ll definitely make it out alive."
Then he winked.
"After all, I’m not going to let you die."
Watching them, John suddenly laughed.
What a grand ideal.
But the outcome of this battle had already been decided from the very beginning.
Other than him, none of them were meant to leave this place alive.
Ember simply brushed Adrian’s hand away and took the lead.
"Cut out the cheesy lines. I don’t need anyone protecting me."
But the real reason he couldn’t bring himself to meet Adrian’s gaze was much simpler.
That strange voice had begun echoing through his mind once again.
[You hesitated just now.]
[Are you afraid of moving forward? Because you’ve realized you’re still too weak to protect anyone?]
[Just trust me. You and your companion will both survive.]
[Haven’t you failed to protect others countless times before? Yet none of those failures were enough to break you... were they?]
[Do you think this time will be no different?]
[If so... then your little friend is truly pitiful.]
Ember’s expression grew darker and darker.
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned bone white.
He was doing everything he could to stop himself from punching his own head. His mind repeated the same warning over and over again, yet nothing could silence that voice.
In the end, all he could do was mutter through gritted teeth,
"Shut up... and get the hell out of my head."
"I don’t believe in God."