Chapter 16 The Feast of the Dead

"Chu Jiu!"

Jiao Tailang picked up the painting from the ground, his fingers trembling. He took one last look at the door that separated life and death before him, gritted his teeth, and ran downstairs.

The long period of torment had exhausted him both physically and mentally, but he dared not give up, nor could he give up.

He couldn't die. He had to live on with this hope, for Chu Jiu, for Xu Yi, for all the dead...

The moment he rushed out of the building, the light and shadow before his eyes shifted. He knew that Chu Jiu had completed her task.

What appeared before him were three dark buildings.

Ping An Apartments.

But unlike what he had seen before, the current Ping An Apartments were shrouded in an eerie atmosphere. Dark clouds were pressing down extremely low, as if they were about to crush the buildings.

There was no sound inside the apartments.

He slowly walked towards the apartments. When he passed Building 1, he stopped briefly for a few seconds, standing below and looking up. He felt completely different.

Before, he had only felt it was dilapidated and desolate, but now, in his eyes, the building was pitch black, like a huge, upright coffin.

Occasionally, a little light was reflected from an unknown window, like half-opened eyes, staring unkindly at the approaching living person.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his gaze, staring at the empty hall. Jiao Tailang felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

It seemed that as soon as he walked in, he would be swallowed by this building, which had already come to life.

The next second, a black shadow flashed quickly in the hall.

"Tailang!" Weng Qing appeared like a gust of wind in front of the Building 1 hall. She seemed to be restrained by something and did not step out of the door.

She looked very anxious, and her eyes were full of concern as she looked at Jiao Tailang.

"Sister Qing!" Jiao Tailang's eyes lit up. Just now, he was worried whether the changes in the instance dungeon would cause harm to Sister Qing.

He ran over in a few steps. "Sister Qing," he said anxiously, "What's going on?"

Weng Qing pulled him inside, seemingly more nervous than him, "Don't stand outside like an idiot." Weng Qing quickly said, "Come in first."

Weng Qing couldn't pull Jiao Tailang the first time. The second time, after confirming Sister Qing's expression, Jiao Tailang followed her into Building 1.

"Tailang, I remember, I remember everything." Weng Qing looked at him, the fear in her eyes almost materialized, "A terrible guy created us. He lives in..."

"Building 3, Room 808."

"That's right, and he has no name. His name is a taboo here. He calls himself Wu (Nothingness), everyone... everyone has awakened, they are all awake!"

Jiao Tailang looked at Weng Qing's nervous eyes and couldn't help but feel touched. He naturally knew who Weng Qing was talking about.

They were ghosts.

New urban legends derived from the people who had been killed.

Just like Liu Guo, who was eliminated by Sister Qing.

"Don't go out. You'll lose your life if you go out!" Weng Qing grabbed Jiao Tailang's hand and pleaded, "Just stay in my house and don't go anywhere. They can't come into my house. I won't let them hurt you!"

"Thank you, Sister Qing." Jiao Tailang shook his head and said in an unquestionable tone, "I have to find the others."

After several attempts to persuade him, Jiao Tailang reached out and hugged Weng Qing, "Please take care of yourself." After saying that, he turned and ran towards the door.

He was going to Room 808. It would be best if he could find Hao Shuai and the others along the way. If he couldn't find them, then he would hand the painting over to Lin Chen himself.

To awaken the kindness she once had when creating Wu.

But the next second, a voice rang in his ear, "Tailang." It was Weng Qing's voice, "Forgive me, I can't watch you go to your death!"

Immediately afterward, Jiao Tailang felt his body lighten, and then he was carried on Weng Qing's shoulder and ran upstairs.

"Tailang, I won't harm you. Even if you go, you'll only be courting death. No one is his opponent." Weng Qing completely ignored Tailang's struggle. After all, in her eyes, human strength was extremely small.

"Okay." Finally, Jiao Tailang compromised, "Maybe you're right, but this thing was exchanged for my teammates' lives. I can stay, but they need this thing."

Weng Qing's eyes lit up, "What do you want to do?"

"Hang this painting at the door. If they're still alive, they'll take the painting away." As Jiao Tailang spoke, he put the painting in his backpack and handed it to Weng Qing, "Sister Qing, I'm counting on you."

Looking at Jiao Tailang's determined eyes, Weng Qing nodded, "Don't worry, Tailang."

The two returned to the door. Holding the bag, Weng Qing finally felt relieved. The importance of this painting to Jiao Tailang was self-evident.

Although she didn't want to do this either, especially when she saw Jiao Tailang's gradually dimming eyes, Weng Qing felt very uncomfortable.

But she knew that if she let Tailang go, he would have no chance of survival.

"Tai... Tailang." Weng Qing was interrupted by Jiao Tailang as soon as she opened her mouth, "Sister Qing, there's no need to say anything. I know you're doing this for my own good."

Pressing her lips together tightly, Weng Qing nodded, then looked around and changed her tone, "Where should we hang the bag?"

"There, I guess." Jiao Tailang pointed to a spot.

It was a little far from the two of them.

"Okay." Weng Qing nodded and walked towards it. Although Weng Qing thought that Jiao Tailang was just seeking psychological comfort.

Perhaps... perhaps those people were already dead.

But she didn't point it out. She didn't want to see Tailang disappointed.

She secretly thought that after a while, she would find a chance to go out and then come back and tell Tailang that his companions had survived because of the painting he sent out.

Maybe that way, he would feel better.

"Is it okay to hang it here?" Weng Qing tiptoed, wanting to hang the bag higher, so it would be more conspicuous.

There was no sound behind her.

Weng Qing's eyes paused, and she immediately turned her head. Where was Jiao Tailang's shadow behind her? About several dozen meters away from the door, a figure was running wildly towards Building 3.

Tearing open the backpack, it was empty.

Jiao Tailang ran desperately, not daring to look back. He was worried that Sister Qing would catch him back, and he was also worried about seeing Sister Qing's anxious and helpless face because she was worried about him.

But the result was about what he expected. He only heard Sister Qing's shout.

From not long ago, everything here had changed. All the living people had disappeared, and the whole world had become a feast for the dead.

And that building was Sister Qing's restriction. She couldn't leave.

Touching the painting in his pocket, Jiao Tailang's eyes became firm. Through the pocket, he could even feel the warmth of the painting.

"Wait for me." Jiao Tailang looked at the approaching Building 3, and there was light flowing in his eyes, "Hao Shuai, Jiang Fugui, you must hold on, we must... live together!"

The next second, he jumped onto the steps in front of Building 3.