Chapter 80

Arima Kisho, who was at the very front, began to retreat slowly, while simultaneously making a gesture for silence.

Su Xiao was not a dead weight; after nodding at Arima Kisho, the three began to retreat step by step.

The reason the three of them were like this was because after passing that corner, a large open space appeared in front of them.

In this open space, at least a thousand monster ghouls were entrenched.

The reason they were called monster ghouls was because their appearance was very strange, even terrifying.

These ghouls' skin was pitch black, as if they were charred by fire, and their skin was extremely rough.

Unlike ordinary ghouls, these ghouls' kagune were all in an externalized state, and they were all tail-type kagune, as if they had an extra tail behind them.

These monster ghouls had no red eyes; to be precise, they had no eyes at all.

Their eyes must have degenerated, and a layer of gray-white hard shell was attached to the surface of their eyes.

The three of them were already exposed to these ghouls, but the ghouls hadn't noticed them.

After the three retreated a certain distance, Arima Kisho let out a long sigh of relief.

"I've seen this type of ghoul once before. They hunt by relying on hearing and are extremely difficult to deal with. If we disturb a ghoul swarm of this scale, we are no match for them."

Sure enough, Arima Kisho knew some of the secrets of the 24th Ward.

At least in the original work, Su Xiao had never seen primitive ghouls or these eyeless ghouls.

"What do we do now?"

Yuna looked at Arima Kisho; it seemed she regarded him as the backbone.

"Change routes."

Su Xiao didn't speak, and Yuna had no objections.

The three began to look for other routes, but two hours later, they discovered something.

Except for the location where those eyeless ghouls were, the other four routes were all dead ends.

According to the compass, that direction was the only way out to the surface.

The three sat in a circle in a tunnel and began to discuss countermeasures.

Su Xiao had a notebook in his hand, and he also had a pen.

"Here, here, and here—we haven't been to any of these places. From the map I hand-drew, the 24th Ward is somewhat similar to a funnel shape."

The direction leading deeper into the 24th Ward is the large end of the 'funnel,' and the one leading to the surface is the small end. Precisely because of this, the situation where one could walk out of the 24th Ward once a fixed direction was established occurred.

From the 17 dead ends I led us into earlier, this is the only way out."

After Su Xiao wrote and drew on the notebook, a detailed map appeared on it.

The map was even marked with latitude and longitude, as well as a scale.

Yuna looked at Su Xiao with a face full of admiration.

"How did you do that? Did you remember all the routes we walked before?"

Not only was Yuna, this neurotic girl, shocked, but Arima Kisho also looked at Su Xiao in surprise.

The carbon pen spun rapidly in Su Xiao's hand.

"My previous 'profession' was a bit special. Many times, I would infiltrate a certain place to find a specific person; this is a professional habit."

Yuna thought for a moment.

"Sounds like a killer."

"The nature is the same, the beliefs are different."

Su Xiao looked up at the two of them.

"Well, are we waiting for the next terrain change in the 24th Ward, or are we taking the risk to try and pass through that dangerous area?"

Arima Kisho and Yuna considered it for a while.

"Our supplies won't last until the next terrain change in the 24th Ward."

Yuna and Arima Kisho were carrying enough food and fresh water for only four days. They could hold out until the next terrain change if they starved, but their combat effectiveness would plummet if they did.

Su Xiao had enough supplies, but he didn't want to be trapped here forever; the time spent in a derived world was precious.

"As long as we don't make any sound, those special ghouls won't notice us."

Arima Kisho spoke; it seemed he wanted to take the risk.

"Then, let's take the risk."

Arima Kisho and Yuna stood up.

"Since we've decided to take the risk, I have a plan."

Su Xiao spoke suddenly.

"What method?"

"Since those ghouls perceive sound, we can set up a sound source here on the map, and then we wait at this position on the map. Once the sound source goes off, it will attract the attention of those special ghouls, and we can take the opportunity to pass through."

Su Xiao didn't want to fight those eyeless ghouls head-on; judging by Arima Kisho's attitude, those eyeless ghouls were definitely not easy to deal with.

"Fine. I've used a similar method before, and the effect was significant."

"Where will the sound source come from?"

Su Xiao smiled and took out a mobile phone, pressing the screen with his thumb and operating it rapidly.

"The time is set for five minutes; that's enough."

After saying this, Su Xiao placed the phone on the ground, and the three of them ran forward quickly.

Soon, the three arrived at a dead end, located very close to the position of those eyeless ghouls.

"Doo, doo, doo~, doo..., aracchacchachabiribariri..."

A cheerful piece of music came from afar. Yuna, this neurotic girl, actually began to twist her body, her hands swaying rhythmically in front of her.

"It's actually my favorite Levan Polkka."

Yuna's sudden change in style left Su Xiao speechless, and Arima Kisho also turned his head to the side.

A few seconds after the music started, a sound of rapid running came.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

It was as if an army of thousands was galloping; the three of them heard it even though they weren't far away.

Not long after, the sound of footsteps moved away, and the three looked at each other and sprinted toward the only way out.

Time was short; who knew if those eyeless ghouls would suddenly return.

The speed of the three was very fast; Arima Kisho took the lead, Yuna was in the middle, and Su Xiao brought up the rear—the same formation as before.

In just over ten seconds, the three ran to the previous corner.

Arima Kisho stopped suddenly, holding one hand behind him, his palm facing Su Xiao and Yuna.

Su Xiao stopped immediately and looked at the large open space behind the corner.

In this open space, some eyeless ghouls were still lingering; these eyeless ghouls still had some remaining and hadn't all been lured away.

"What do we do?"

Yuna lowered her voice to the limit.

"Don't make a sound; pass through slowly."

Arima Kisho walked forward with steady steps, and Yuna followed behind him.

Su Xiao stood where he was and didn't move. Arima Kisho looked at Su Xiao with some confusion.

Su Xiao pointed behind him, then pointed at the two of them, and gestured forward.

The meaning was clear: the three of them moving forward together would make a louder sound, and it was unclear when the ghouls behind would return; the two of you pass first, and I'll bring up the rear here.

Arima Kisho nodded and made a gesture to be careful.

Yuna gave a thumbs up and also stood where she was, waiting for Arima Kisho to pass first.

Su Xiao doing this wasn't because he was self-sacrificing; the three of them were now grasshoppers on the same rope, and the behavior of a dead weight could absolutely not be tolerated.

Arima Kisho's steps were not fast, but they were very steady. This open space had a span of about two hundred meters; it wasn't long, but it definitely wasn't short either.

In less than three minutes, Arima Kisho passed through the open space without any danger.

"Roar~."

A low roar came, and the bodies of the three stiffened. It turned out to be an eyeless ghoul sleeping on the ground, woken up by a companion's kagune.

That eyeless ghoul rudely pushed aside the kagune and continued to sleep.

Yuna had already traveled to the center position, with four or five eyeless ghouls by her feet; her movements were extremely careful.

Su Xiao, bringing up the rear, pressed his ear close to the ground to sense the sound on the ground.

It was very safe; those eyeless ghouls lured away by the sound source hadn't returned yet.

Su Xiao began to move forward slowly, every step extremely careful.

PS: (Updating early today. I deeply realize that the behavior of ending on a cliffhanger is wrong, but the word count reached that point. Next time I encounter this situation, Feiwen will just post a combined double chapter, so please don't withhold your votes from me.)