Chapter 147: Moon Wolf and Doll

Everyone, hurry into the cafeteria!

Moon Wolf!

In the flash of lightning and sparks, Liang Shaoguang let out an angry roar and directly transformed into a silver-white moon wolf, charging toward the boy.

Its thick wolf claws grabbed the child who still didn't know what was happening.

The wolf's legs were bent, its fur standing on end, somewhat similar to Zhang Tie's bear transformation.

Lin An also reacted in the instant the woman died.

He kicked the still-dazed Zhang Tie in the back, then picked up Gao Tian and rushed toward the cafeteria.

At the same time, the fire-system Awakened One behind him, linked spiritually, quickly commanded:

"Take the others and return to the bus! Withdraw immediately ten kilometers!"

Lin An's following the thirty-plus people ahead into the cafeteria was not reckless.

From the woman's words before her death, combined with his past life's memory.

In that instant he also inferred a lot of useful information.

After someone is killed, all locked-on targets can act briefly.

Although I don't know why this group didn't scatter and flee, but instead hid back in the cafeteria.

But Lin An couldn't worry about that anymore.

The wolf-transformed man before him obviously knew a lot of information.

The key to the mission is very likely on him.

"Bang!"

The door was tightly shut.

Liang Shaoguang saw Lin An and the two others rushing into the cafeteria together, a flicker of unusual color crossing his face.

But he had no time to say more, merely directing the others with an anxious expression.

"Quick, check again to see if any spot isn't sealed!"

"We must absolutely not let the monster see us!"

Lin An stared thoughtfully at the swiftly moving moon wolf, his expression enlightened.

Indeed, the man knew some information.

Not letting the doll see it is indeed a key point from his past life's memory.

Just...

Could the doll not rush in?

Or is there some kind of restriction?

He suppressed the doubt in his heart.

Lin An looked around, carefully observing the environment.

Inside the cafeteria only a table in the corner remained; everything else had been torn out.

All windows were covered with black tape, even the gaps sealed tightly.

The cafeteria was pitch dark, only heavy, hurried breathing could be heard.

However, Lin An discovered an anomaly.

Among the thirty-four people hiding in the cafeteria, seven were noticeably calmer than the others.

One middle-aged woman was especially calm; from her spiritual energy fluctuations she was clearly the second Awakened One.

Her gaze had been fixed on Lin An, seeming wary.

"Captain Lin, that woman just now was really pitiful.."

"Actually I really wanted to intervene..."

Zhang Tie couldn't help rubbing his buttocks, his voice low and somewhat desolate.

He couldn't bear to see such a scene.

But he also didn't dare.

He still had Youwei to protect; if he died, Youwei's world would collapse...

Lin An heard the sound, let out a light sigh, and merely shook his head slightly.

He had seen this kind of thing many times in his past life.

Indeed, only parents are willing to sacrifice themselves for their children.

Like everyone present, at most they just feel a bit reluctant.

If you asked them to voluntarily sacrifice themselves to save the child, it's almost impossible.

"Boss Liang, everything's checked. No gaps!"

"Huh-"

As the voice fell, everyone in the cafeteria instantly felt like they'd survived a disaster, many plopping straight down onto the ground.

"That monster... how did that monster come again..."

"Xiu Mei died... what do you say this amounts to..."

The dark-skinned man covered his face and softly sobbed, appearing to have been on good terms with the woman just before.

Boss Liang let out a deep sigh, didn't reply, and in the night his glowing wolf eyes stared doubtfully at Lin An and the two others.

"Little Liuzi, go light the candles and bring some food to entertain these few friends."

However he didn't say much more, his tone actually quite enthusiastic.

Having said that, he curiously asked Lin An:

"This brother, I don't think you're ordinary, and the one beside you isn't either? Or maybe you three..."

Liang Shaoguang spoke hesitantly, noticing Lin An's rushing-in speed; that speed so fast it made his heart startled.

In an instant he rushed in with someone, as if teleporting; he had no doubt that if Lin An attacked him, he wouldn't even have time to react.

As for Zhang Tie...

Lin An's kick was extremely fierce; in his perception, it could probably break a steel plate, but the big bald head in front showed no reaction, just rubbed his butt and was fine.

Undoubtedly, only Awakened Ones could withstand it.

Lin An heard the voice, slowly nodded, and pondered for a moment.

"That's right, we three are all Awakened Ones."

"The woman behind you is also an Awakened One, right?"

Lin An didn't hide it; he directly pointed out the middle-aged woman hidden behind Liang Shaoguang.

The crowd let out a gasp, everyone curiously looking at Lin An and the two others.

Awakened Ones from outside?

I don't know whether Liang Lao Da or they are stronger...

"Whoa-"

The candles were lit one by one, illuminating the dark restaurant.

Liang Lao Da gestured to the man named Xiao Liu to pass the brought water and food to Lin An, hesitated a moment, then asked:

"I don't know what business you three have? Are you here to refuel?"

"I guess you brothers have been running a long way; why not eat something first?"

His tone was enthusiastic, he seemed like an easygoing person, the sincerity in his eyes not feigned.

"Are you from the nearby town?"

Liang Shaoguang spoke with an accent, trying to sound a bit refined, like in the TV dramas he'd watched, but after holding it in for a while he still didn't know how to say it properly.

"You three might be out of luck; we estimate we'll all be trapped here..."

"That monster isn't fast and can't jump; I originally wanted to block the surroundings, but I didn't expect it to catch up so quickly..."

He let out a soft sigh to himself, his eyes showing some pity.

Sigh, there are a few more poor souls like me...

"You shouldn't have come; if you'd come earlier it would've been fine, that monster hadn't found this place before."

Lin An's eyes flickered.

Can't jump? Can't break the door?

No wonder these people think hiding is enough; the sandbags piled outside look like they're meant to guard against the monster.

Trapped? Seek?

Indeed, these people had previously dealt with the dolls, and survived to escape here.

After pondering a moment, Lin An spoke directly:

"We indeed came to refuel, didn't expect to run into this. But you seem to have dealt with the outside monster?"

"You were previously trapped? Then how did you escape?"

"What exactly is that monster? Why is it looking for you?"

Lin An asked four key questions in one breath, then waved his hand to refuse the bread Xiao Liu brought.

He didn't ask again about hiding in the restaurant; it seems these people had already considered the possibility of the monster coming to them.

The dolls probably can't enter any enclosed building.

Seeing Lin An not eat the bread offered, Liang Shaoguang took it himself and took a bite.

The original transformation effect also faded on its own; he habitually squatted on the ground, looking like an old villager.

Lin An's questions were too many; he hesitated a moment then slowly spoke, the woman behind him also simply stood at his side, eyeing him warily.

"I won't hide it from you; we did indeed encounter the monster before."

"At that time we were trapped in the town; later, for some unknown reason, the monster left on its own, and we escaped."

"You might not know..."

Liang Shaoguang lifted his head to glance at the woman's hand resting on his shoulder, then continued:

"Anyone seen by that monster will die; it will keep following you."

"That '321' is the dead's movement; when it chants that, you can't move. Unless someone dies, you can only move for a few seconds."

"Poor Xiu Mei..."

"She actually counts as having saved us.."

"We can't leave for a short while; we have to wait for the monster to leave on its own."

When Liang Shaoguang spoke of the woman, he looked extremely distressed; the surrounding crowd unconsciously began to advise him.

Lin An slightly frowned, obviously feeling that Liang Shaoguang's answer was problematic.

It seemed to answer his question, but actually gave no information.

Don't know if it was intentional or not...

He seems easy to get along with, and has no ulterior motives.

Lin An repeated the most crucial question:

"Doll."

"Why chase you?"

This time Liang Shaoguang didn't speak; instead, the woman behind him, Zhou Da Shen, calmly replied:

"No particular reason; just that the monster saw us."

"Then someone among us died, we took the chance to hide, and afterward that monster somehow ran off."

We were so frightened we hurriedly fled, and we ended up here.

The woman spoke while stroking a little boy's hair.

The little boy looked about five or six; he fearfully clutched Aunt Zhou's apron, and he actually looked somewhat like Liang Shaoguang.

The team's internal voice.

Gao Tian looked at the mission information shared by Lin An, then couldn't help but ask:

"Brother Lin, I always feel their explanation is off..."

"But I also can't find anything wrong."

"Should we take action? Force them to tell the truth?"

Since being cheated once at Shang Cheng, Gao Tian no longer trusts others' words as he used to.

Especially, Lin An had told him the mission would surely provide clues; if there were none, it meant someone was lying or the real clues hadn't been found.

Lin An heard the voice and slowly shook his head, merely gazing at the children inside the restaurant.

Three children, all boys.

One belonged to the woman outside, one looked like Aunt Zhou's, and the other belonged to a young couple.

Dolls, toys, eye contact, pursuit....

Vaguely, Lin An seemed to have figured out some clues.

He made casual small talk with Liang Shaoguang in a desultory way:

"I heard them call you Liang Lao Da, right? I don't know Liang..."

Liang Shaoguang took out a wrinkled cigarette from his pocket, smiled and handed it to Lin An, then waved his hands repeatedly.

"Just call me Lao Liang! Liang Lao Da is just a random nickname this bunch of brats gave me; I'm no boss."

Lin An nodded, took the cigarette, then gestured for Gao Tian to chat with the remaining people, especially that couple and the few relatively calm individuals.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

"Lao Liang, how old are you? I see the aunt next to you is your wife?"

Liang Shaoguang took a pleased puff of his cigarette, narrowed his eyes, smiled, and replied:

"Big brother, you haven't said your name yet."

Lin An lit the cigarette, gave a slight smile, and did not answer.