Chapter 111.1 Merfolk Shore
After waiting for a while without receiving a response from Wen Shi, Jian Qingrong keenly sensed that something was amiss.
“You…”
A foul-smelling black water quickly seeped in through the gap of the blocked door, covering a big area in an instant. Wen Shi snapped back to his senses. “Contact me later.”
Over the phone, Jian Qingrong wondered whether to ask the Wandering Corpse for information. Wen Shi and the Wandering Corpse hadn’t talked, but the latter seemed to know what he was going through.
Not knowing what Jian Qingrong was thinking, Wen Shi hung up the phone right away and turned to the closest girl by the back door. “Shut the door!”
He didn’t need to say it. The other person had already used a desk to block the back door.
Shortly after moving the table, there came a knocking sound from outside. The old wooden door couldn’t handle such hitting, and it quickly cracked open with a big gap. A grayish eye looked in through the crack
The petite girl blocking the door was trembling as she stared at the eye, the stench of rotten fish making her vision darken.
Just when her hands were struggling to hold the table, Wen Shi’s low voice came from behind.
“Focus its attention while I slip out through the front door.”
“……” Is that something a human can even say?
Thankfully, Wen Shi followed up with something comprehensible. “It’s after me. Once I leave, that merfolk will definitely follow. This is your chance to escape.”
As others doubted the truth in his words, the merfolk’s gaze shifted beyond the girl, fixating on Wen Shi. In the small area not covered by scales, a blush appeared.
“Come.” The enticing voice made it easy to overlook the ugly appearance. “Come quickly.”
He was trying to lure Wen Shi.
Wen Shi recalled the library’s map. Running out through the front door would lead him smoothly downstairs, but there was only one hallway. It meant passing by the first self-study room, and he had no idea what was happening with the players there.
The worst scenario was them coming out to intercept him.
As he prepared to sprint, Wen Shi did a final analysis. The merfolk traits manifested by the players were also the vulnerabilities of merfolk—they wouldn’t be able to move too quickly on land.
The door kept getting hammered, now blocked by three people. The last one left questioned Wen Shi, “Are you leaving or not?”
Wen Shi stood still, unfazed, continuing his rapid thinking. They were in the study because the teachers mandated it. Having taught at the academy for so long, it was unlikely that they were unaware of what might happen here.
Their information had definitely been given in advance to this subpar merfolk. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be mistakes like “twenty-two” in the lyrics.
Jian Qingrong hit the nail on the head—the academy wasn’t just searching for real merfolk, they seemed to be attempting to create them.
According to the book’s description, there were many benefits to consuming merfolk flesh.
“Subpar merfolk…”
Thinking of the specialized term from the game, Wen Shi’s gaze darkened.
The academy wouldn’t just let these tainted students roam around the library. They were surely sending people to collect their “meat.”
He turned off the study room’s light and quietly moved the table blocking the front door in the darkness. “Just a reminder—if you encounter any teacher, hide if you can.”
The moment the front door opened, Wen Shi dashed forward without looking back. As he passed the study room, he indeed encountered an obstruction. The face was contorted and rigid, making the once refined features appear hideous.
This level of being wasn’t even up to the standard of a subpar merfolk. At most, it was a fishkin.
From the glass of the back door, Wen Shi saw the scene inside the first self-study room. People had varying constitutions and willpower, so their current conditions differed. Only a very few showed notable changes in appearance.
The pursuing merfolk from behind had caught up. Wen Shi poured the blood Jian Qingrong had given him over himself. The current source of contamination originated from the deep-sea monster imprisoned in the sanatorium, which was a true sea king. Jian Qingrong had grown by consuming its flesh and blood since childhood. The contamination in his blood emitted a deterrent aura for ordinary marine creatures.
The few players blocking his way instinctively backed off a bit. However, this intimidation had its limits. For the subpar merfolk behind, driven by mating urgency, its disproportionately-sized legs never ceased to move.
Amid the chase, Wen Shi glanced back. The distance between them was still safe. The merfolk had a small head, and it was hard to tell its gender. Its gill plates were opening and closing, occasionally squeezing out strange fluid—clear signs of being in heat.
“……” Just go die!
Wen Shi dashed to the ground floor, seemingly leaving the subpar merfolk behind. However, trouble had just begun.
Like a living person breaking through a horde of zombies, the first challenge was to prove he hadn’t been contaminated.
Evening study had ended. If he encountered a school administrator or a teacher coming to catch fish, Wen Shi was confident that these beings, capable of defeating merfolk, would surely find a way to eliminate him.
【One Strike Flattens All】consumed too much energy, risking the hidden balance between the school and the merfolk. Assuming the merfolk lost their restraint, the students were not far from death.
“Need to come up with a plan…”
He had to prove he wasn’t a merfolk, otherwise, even if he escaped tonight, he’d still be a prime target.
Thinking of the merfolk’s weakness, Wen Shi made a decision and opened his attribute panel.
“You have spent two hundred points to activate ‘Reanimated Corpse.’ Please select the desired effect for this use.”
There were three options. Wen Shi didn’t hesitate. “Wild Dash!”
Before the words faded, he shot out like a motorcycle revving, rushing forward.
•
On the dimly lit path, two ghostly figures were nearing the library. One held a harpoon, its barbed tip hinting at strong attack power.
Moonlight illuminated this strange blood-red harpoon, making even shadows look menacing under the streetlight.
The two with harpoons were Ms. E and the headmistress, both of whom constantly consumed merfolk flesh. Their slender figures were in stark contrast to their incredible strength.
Consuming merfolk meat excessively led to addiction. Only two bald and fat school administrators showed restraint. The others had significant cravings for merfolk meat.
“It’s a shame we can only get our hands on subpars,” Ms. E licked her crimson tongue over her lip. “I heard the principal and a few instructors have tasted genuine merfolk meat.”
Genuine top-quality merfolk were scarce now, and the school only had a small supply of deformed remnants.
Just as she was about to say a few more words, a dark dot appeared ahead, rapidly approaching. As the distance closed, the person’s features became clearer.
Thanks to her exceptional eyesight from eating merfolk meat, she recognized the person. “Student Aaron.”
Ms. E remembered this student. He was the first one she called on to answer a question today.
The harpoon in her hand reflexively tightened, ready to strike, but she was quickly shocked by the terrifying speed. One moment, he was a hundred meters away, the next he was by her side.
“Hello, Ma’am.”
Because the speed was too fast, all she could catch were a couple of mumbled syllables.
Covering a distance of five miles in just two minutes, Wen Shi resembled nothing less than an over-speeding sedan. The wind from his swift movement stung her skin. Ms. E swallowed, not due to a craving for food, but because of the saliva released in response to the surprise. Her first thought was, “Merfolk can’t be this fast.”
The headmistress’ meticulously pinned-up hair was ruffled by the strong wind, a few strands coming loose. She coldly pointed out, “……Human beings can’t be this fast either.”
The two exchanged a glance—what exactly was he then?
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