361 The Dead (1/2)
”Torre, help...” Glen rushed out of the corpse's belly and fell to the ground, screaming for help. However, the giant corpse suddenly bent over and swallowed him again. It started to chew wildly. After a few snaps, the dull screams disappeared, leaving only a curved sword poking out of the corpse's mouth, hanging on the face like a strange strand of hair.
Casper bared his teeth. His muscles pulled taut, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He wanted to pounce but Torre grabbed him and turned away without hesitation. No one knew what was going to happen while fighting with demons here. He was already aware of the strange aether fluctuations coming for him.
Just around the corner ahead, a faint aether wave suddenly emerged.
Torre did not stop but his voice suddenly turned gentle. He chanted soundlessly, playing a silent movement in the stillness. The music theory was being constructed in his hand, ready to be sent.
In an instant, two figures met in the corner. Coldness flashed in Torre's eyes, but the other person jumped back and raised his hands to protect his face.
”Wait!” The white-haired young man exhaled when he saw it was the Hauser brothers. ”Torre, it's me, Ye—”
But Torre continued without hesitation. He pressed his palm down and the other person froze. Crimson blood boiled under his skin. His face distorted. Then, an invisible giant head descended and bit. The flesh and blood burst. Soon, the flesh disappeared without trace. It was just a phantom.
In the distance, Ye Qingxuan's figure appeared. He looked at them, full of vigilance. ”How can you do that? It's me, Torre, what's wrong with you?”
Torre narrowed his eyes and watched him for a while. His taut body finally relaxed.
”Sorry, I'm too nervous. I thought you were an enemy in disguise.”
Ye Qingxuan's face twitched a bit. He sighed helplessly. ”Forget it. I understand. What's your next step?”
”Look for other people first. The more people who gather together, the bigger the possibility of survival,” Torre said. ”I wonder what is going on with the Masters.”
”I'm afraid we can't worry about them.” Ye Qingxuan walked forward with Torre. ”I did not expect that those dark musicians are so rampant. They even...”
Boom! Behind him, Casper rampaged. Layers of huge mouths shrouded Ye Qingxuan's back. Ye Qingxuan's expression changed. He tried to roll forward but found his feet were anchored to the ground. The air around him was solid like a lock, tightly clamping him in. The next moment, the flesh and blood burst. The phantom dissipated and a hideous, hollow head rolled to the ground.
Torre smashed the head with his foot expressionlessly and lightly said, ”Play such a trick before discipline musicians? Are you kidding me?”
In the silence, someone coughed behind the corner not far away. ”Well...” Under two sharp gazes, a white-haired youth came out, holding his hands high with a complex expression. ”If I said I'm real, would you believe me?”
Torre paused for a moment and glanced at Casper. Casper looked as he had before. He glanced at Ye Qingxuan then looked away, continuing to hang his head. Casper never recognized people by their face, temperament, feeling, breath, or fluctuation. Beasts only judged beasts. As the result of the animal genetics, he could sniff the beastly nature hidden in one's mind. Almost no camouflage could cheat its eyes.
Seeing Casper's such reaction, Torre sighed softly. ”You're real.”
”So can I come forward?” Ye Qingxuan took a step cautiously. Then after another step, he stopped and thought for a while. He stepped back to his original spot and smiled. ”Or I just keep being like this. This will also be more convenient for us to escape.”
”…” Torre was speechless. In the end, he just sighed. ”Whatever. Do you have any advice?”
”Just do as you discussed with the previous 'faker.' Find the others. At the very least, figure out what's going on.” Mercury threads spread from the youth's body and melted into the hellish crimson wind and flew into the surroundings. At the same time, his face slacked. He looked back to the collapsing burning house. His smile stiffened.
Torre followed his eyes but could not sense the breaths of any living creatures. ”What's wrong?”
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a while. He whispered, ”Can you ask your brother to help lift the wall up?”
Torre looked at Casper. Casper growled and the wall was flipped by some unknown force. There seemed to be an invisible giant beast scratching; even the flames were extinguished. The body under was revealed.
When Torre saw the clothing of the corpse, he soon understood something. He lowered his eyes.
Ye Qingxuan bent over to sweep the dust off the deceased's face. The dead looked grim and full of anger as if he had suffered an incredible betrayal.
”It's you.” Ye Qingxuan lowered his eyes, sighing sadly. He put a holy emblem in the palm of the deceased and folded his fingers so he could firmly hold it. Thus, in the ashes, the dead's angry expression faded and his eyes closed.
”Dust to dust, earth to earth.” Ye Qingxuan gave him one last glance. ”Goodbye.”