Chapter 127: An Evil Hound

    Ba-thump!

    Time seemed to freeze for a fleeting moment. The steady drumming of rain abruptly halted, the piercing wind came to a standstill, and the laughter that hung in the air dissipated. A colossal crack tore through the overcast sky, allowing darkness to seep in like an invisible hand had rent it asunder. The shadow engulfed the sun, as if day and night had been inverted, and those who dared to gaze upon it would relish their darkest nightmares.

    Ba-thump!

    Time resumed its flow, and the world stirred to life once more.

    "T–The Nightmare! Fuck, it’s really the Nightmare!"

    Anna screamed on top of her lungs and prostrated herself to the ground. Gone was the exuberance she showed earlier, as her slender figure now quivered in dread and terror. "Mercy... please have mercy!"

    A chorus of anguished cries echoed from the far distance, coming from beyond the gate of the afterlife where mournful spirits on the murals wept tears of blood, staining the walls crimson. The same agonizing wail reverberated within the temple, where tormented souls lamented their cruel suffering. Such bone-chilling cacophony pierced the players’ minds like daggers, further exacerbating the mental pollution that plagued the Cycle.

    Making them felt as though light had been swallowed by unyielding darkness, and all hope was replaced by suffocating despair.

    Ba-thump!

    Caught off guard by the Nightmare’s presence, Wind’s concentration scattered and the wind tornado slowed down, but that split second of inattention was already enough for Jiang Shun to act.

    Blood flowed from Jiang Shun’s nose and mouth, yet he leapt towards Wind like a fearless leopard, wielding his dagger and bellowing, "I WILL KILL YOU!"

    Startled, she swiftly evaded his attack, but the dagger grazed her chest, reopening the wound and drawing more blood. She suppressed a pained groan as the two of them became locked in a ferocious battle of life and death.

    Xinxin fought to rise to his feet, trying hard to hold his breath. His chest was searing in pain as though he had been thrown into a burning cauldron, scorching him inside out. Despite the agony, his eyes gleamed in determination. He could not fall here. Just a little more... just a little more and they would be able to get out of this Cycle!

    Wiping the blood from his lips, he turned around just in time to hear Shen Nianzu exclaim in shock, "Jin Jiuchi!"

    Ba-thump! Ba-thump! Ba-thump!

    The presence of the Nightmare faded into the background of his mind as Shen Nianzu desperately tried to support Jin Jiuchi, who had suddenly collapsed to his knees. He grabbed Jin Jiuchi’s face, forcing him to look up, only to be met with a contorted expression of agony. Animalistic features began to surface on Jin Jiuchi’s face, and his breaths came in ragged, heavy gasps. Shen Nianzu was shocked by the searing heat radiating from Jin Jiuchi’s body, as if he were holding onto a burning charcoal.

    Struggling to focus his vacant eyes on the jade doll before him, Jin Jiuchi whispered, "N–Nian..."

    A sudden realization jolted Shen Nianzu, and he urgently asked, "Your SAN Value, how much is it now?!"

    Jin Jiuchi’s trembling lips parted, "Thirteen... ten..."

    Shen Nianzu’s expression sank.

    "Can’t..." Jin Jiuchi gasped and clutched his violently beating chest that was going to jump out of his ribcage at any moment, his elongated nails tearing through the resilient fabric. "I want... I..."

    "What?!" Shen Nianzu asked, but another cough racked his body, spraying his lips and chin with specks of blood.

    Witnessing this, Jin Jiuchi’s pupils contracted into slits and a shroud of darkness descended upon his mind, drowning his thoughts in a chaotic haze. One second he was still kneeling on the ground, then the next second his body convulsed, his bones cracking and reshaping beneath his skin. All of a sudden, he found himself towering over the temple, while the players appeared as mere ants, their features blurred in his sight. A surge of feral energy surged through him, untamed and malevolent. He threw his head back and let out a long primal howl, causing the entire Cycle to tremble.

    The world around him blurred as he was driven solely by insatiable hunger for destruction and chaos. He had never experienced such overwhelming emotions before; rage, sorrow, despair, and savagery...

    — Brother, is this you? Is this how you’ve been feeling all this time?

    "W–What the fuck is that creature?!"

    Too shocked by the sudden appearance of the monstrous beast, Wind and Jiang Shun ceased their fight and focused on running away, as the dark creature obliterated the temple with a single swipe of its paw. It was colossal, almost blotting out the sky, adorned with sleek obsidian fur and serrated fangs. Its golden pupils gleamed with a predatory intensity as it shifted its attention to the fleeing players.

    Only Shen Nianzu remained rooted in place as he stared at the terrifying creature that was once Jin Jiuchi. "An evil hound..." he breathed shakily.

    In the next moment, his small body was seized by Xinxin, who continued to flee while carrying him along. Shen Nianzu’s eyes widened as he began to struggle. "Wait, let go of me! I have to...!"

    With a resounding howl, the creature managed to disperse the poison in the air. Each step it took shook the ground, making it difficult for Wind to run with her current injuries.

    Soon, she was left behind, gasping for breath. She turned around and her expression morphed into horror when she saw the creature right behind her, its golden eyes fixed on her.

    "A—AHHH!!!" Wind screamed at the top of her lungs as the colossal hound swatted her to the ground with its massive paw. Its scorching breath wafted over her face, carrying the stench of impending death. She scrambled to activate her skill card and used her offensive props, yet all of them landed on the beast’s body akin to a mere tickle, not having an effect whatsoever.

    Her face paled, and fear convulsed through her entire body. Staring into the beast’s eyes, she seemed to see the end of her tragic fate. "No... please..." Tears streamed down her face as pleas spilled from her lips. "Please let me g—" Her words were abruptly silenced when the beast opened its jaws and tore her head from her body, blood gushing from the severed stump like a crimson fountain.

    Jin Jiuchi spat out the disgusting head in his mouth, a growl forming low in his throat. He felt a nagging sensation like he had forgotten something important, but he could not remember it, for his mind was layered in a crimson fog.

    Not enough... he wanted to destroy more...

    He wanted to destroy everything!

    Abruptly, he turned his gaze skyward, where the crack in the sky grew wider and wider. The cryptic gaze fell on him with a fervent intensity, fueling his rage and impatience. ’Stop looking at me like that!’ he shouted inside his frenzied mind. ’Stop staring at me with your repulsive eyes!’

    Horror etched across Shen Nianzu’s eyes as he witnessed the scene unfolding before him — the huge midnight creature confronting the Nightmare, baring its teeth as if unafraid of death. At that moment, Jin Jiuchi truly seemed as though... belonged here, in the Cycle where all creatures of grotesque monstrosities gathered.

    Shen Nianzu’s breath hitched, and with a determined push, he leaped from Xinxin’s arms and rushed back toward Jin Jiuchi without a trace of hesitation.

    He felt like he had gone back to the previous Cycle, where he had risked his life just to drag Jin Jiuchi out of that collapsing apartment. But now, he did not even question his actions or weigh the potential risks anymore.

    Only one thought consumed his mind — no matter what, he had to bring Jin Jiuchi back!