Jiang Zhimin and Jiaojiao fled from the rooftop, their faces pale with terror.
As they ran down the stairs, Jiaojiao tripped over Jiang Zhimin and tumbled down the stairwell.
Though it hurt, Jiaojiao couldn't afford to tend to her injuries.
All she knew was that a horrifying, white-clad specter was chasing them.
She had to escape, to avoid being caught by the monster at all costs.
With this thought, she scrambled down on all fours, continuing to roll down the stairs.
She descended faster than Jiang Zhimin could run, crashing into her and sending her face-first onto the stairs. Yet, neither dared to curse the other, enduring the pain that spread through their bodies as they desperately fled downwards.
Screams of panic erupted intermittently during their escape.
After what felt like an eternity, Jiang Zhimin and Jiaojiao finally reached the bottom, still tumbling.
Bruised and battered, they collapsed on the concrete floor, too exhausted to move.
As they lay there catching their breath, they looked up and saw the chilling, eerie specter from the rooftop tilting its head, observing them.
Behind its mask, it was sinister and terrifying, as if contemplating how to devour them.
"Ah—"
"Ah—"
Two more ear-piercing screams echoed, followed by Jiang Zhimin and Jiaojiao scrambling into the pouring rain.
They would rather stand in the downpour than shelter beneath the department store.
To them, the white-clad specter beneath the department store was more terrifying than the storm.
Meanwhile, Chen Jiakai, who should have been in the rain, had vanished. The next time he appeared in the downpour, he held a retrieved knife and brought it down on his still-burning arm.
Due to a slight miscalculation in force and placement, the knife struck but didn't sever his hand.
However, it cut down to the bone, and blood gushed forth.
Chen Jiakai bit down hard on the towel in his mouth, his body convulsing in pain, nearly collapsing to his knees.
Enduring the physical agony, he looked at the white-clad specter standing beneath the department store, gritted his teeth, and swung the knife again.
*Thud.*
*Clang.*
With all his might, Chen Jiakai severed half his arm in this strike.
As the arm separated from his body, blood spurted out, drenching the pale faces of Jiang Zhimin and Jiaojiao.
Overwhelmed by pain, Chen Jiakai staggered and knelt in the rain. With his good hand, he tore off a piece of clothing to staunch the profusely bleeding wound, needing to stop the hemorrhage.
Otherwise, even if he prevented himself from being burned to ashes, he would die from blood loss.
With this thought, Chen Jiakai, still facing the specter standing safely beneath the department store, shakily rose to his feet. He turned his back to the specter and walked towards another building.
When they first arrived in Xuyang City, he had noticed a pharmacy in that building.
He would find what he needed there!
As he turned to leave, Chen Jiakai picked up the knife that had fallen to the ground for self-defense.
Although Jiang Zhimin and Jiaojiao were startled by the series of events, they quickly followed Chen Jiakai as he left.
They couldn't bear to look at the severed arm, still burning in the pouring rain.
It was too bizarre. Water was supposed to extinguish fire.
Yet, this ghostly flame was not subdued by the downpour; instead, it burned even brighter.
The scent of roasting meat wafted through the air, making the two women feel a pang of hunger. Several times, they were tempted to pick up the limb and satisfy their appetites.
At the entrance of the department store stairwell.
The specter, the one that haunted Chen Jiakai and the two women's eyes, stood there watching them leave.
The specter stretched, covered its mouth behind its mask, and yawned. "Mmm."