Chapter 89: Artwork!

Since we have to go in anyway, let's pick a relatively safe place to explore.

This is what everyone except Cheng Shuili thinks.

Among the buildings in the Service Area, the convenience store is undoubtedly the most dangerous place.

Everyone present personally saw Qi Yue being dragged in by the monster; maybe that's the monster's lair.

Cheng Shuili, on the other hand, wanted to go into the convenience store to have a look; the more dangerous a place, the higher the chance it hides a secret, and she even felt that the hidden endpoint was inside the Convenience Station!

After so many days of surviving on the highway, Cheng Shuili had also figured out a bit of the system's mischievous taste: the places players dare not go are where it likes to put things.

The remaining few people had already started shoving responsibility onto each other.

"Splitting up to go in is fine; I won't investigate the convenience store."

"I'm not going to the convenience store either; I really have trauma, and I almost died. Besides, I count as a wounded member, right? I don't want special treatment either—just don't assign the Convenience Station to me."

Yang Yunsheng's expression didn't change, but he had no intention of listening to Cheng Shuili's assignments; he wanted to take back the initiative.

"Let's not decide where to go first; I'll assign the people first. I'll pair with Pangzi, Sis Cheng, you pick one, and the remaining three will go together."

Yang Yushu glanced around; he had originally planned to pair with Cheng Shuili himself, but that would surely not be agreed upon by the others, so he had to settle for the next best choice—picking Pangzi, who looked like the stronger fighter.

Zhang Yueying wanted to say something after seeing him speak, but after hearing him finish his words, he closed his mouth again.

If Yang Yunsheng said he wanted to team with Cheng Shuili, he would definitely be the first to object! Everyone knows following Cheng Shuili is safe; why should he take all the benefits?

Everyone had no objection to his assignment, except Pangzi, who was staring at Cheng Shuili, waiting for her to make a choice.

Cheng Shuili naturally pointed without hesitation to the one standing silently beside her—Wan Yi.

"What's your name again?"

Zhang Yueying couldn't help asking that question; this person's presence is too low, or rather too calm, never showing panic from start to finish.

While they were fleeing for their lives, this person seemed to be on an outing.

Now everyone's face bears some negative emotion—either anxiety or worry—but this person, like a frozen face, has shown no special emotion from beginning to now!

This person is either a big shot or an idiot!

Is this why Cheng Shuili chose her?

Yang Yunsheng and Pangzi exchanged a glance, both clearly seeing what the other was thinking; they would maneuver Cheng Shuili to the Convenience Station, then split the remaining two spots between themselves.

After confirming that Zhang Yueying was asking her, Wan Yi once again gave that fake name.

"Lin Wan Yi, I remember I said that once."

The following sentence was quite fierce.

Cheng Shuili thought about Wan Yi's muscles; she felt confident, and as soon as she narrowed her eyes, she saw the calculating looks of Yang Yunsheng and Pangzi.

How could she not know what little schemes those two had in mind?

Rather than let them scheme back and forth, it would be better for Cheng Shuili to speak up proactively.

"I'll go to the Convenience Station with Lin Wan Yi; you two pick the remaining two spots, and after you decide, we'll all go in together."

Having said that, the rest naturally had no objections.

The group lingered at the entrance for a moment, and Cheng Shuili stepped into the Service Area first.

As soon as Cheng Shuili's toes crossed that invisible boundary, her whole body's muscles tensed.

She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up one by one, as if countless eyes were staring at her from the darkness.

Wan Yi followed closely behind her, her breathing so light it was almost inaudible.

The convenience store's glass door had long been shattered, leaving only a dark, gaping entrance.

In the thick dust on the ground there was an abrupt straight line—that was the trace left by Qi Yue just earlier.

Cheng Shuili pointed at the ground, indicating Wan Yi should watch for broken glass; the two moved like cats, lightly passing through the doorway and disappearing into the darkness.

From behind came faint footsteps; the other groups also began to move.

Cheng Shuili didn't look back; her entire focus was on the darkness ahead.

The interior of the convenience store was larger than imagined, with over half of the shelves collapsed and goods scattered everywhere. The air was filled with a strange, foul odor, like rotting meat mixed with disinfectant.

Wan Yi suddenly grabbed Cheng Shuili's sleeve and pointed to the left.

Cheng Shuili was startled, her whole body jolted; fortunately she instinctively clenched her mouth shut, making no sound.

Wan Yi gave an apologetic smile and pointed again at that spot.

Cheng Shuili followed her finger and, behind the collapsed shelves, faintly saw a patch of dark red stain.

She nodded, and the two carefully went around it.

With each step, Cheng Shuili's heart beat a little faster.

Her fingers never left the dagger at her waist, ready to respond to any possible danger; the passage between the shelves was narrow, forcing them to turn sideways to get through.

Wan Yi's backpack brushed against a metal shelf, emitting a faint "creak."

Both froze at the same moment.

In the darkness, it seemed something had moved slightly.

Cheng Shuili held her breath, her eyes fixed tightly on the direction the sound came from.

Several seconds passed, and nothing appeared. She slowly exhaled and gestured to Wan Yi to continue forward.

The further they went in, the darker the light became.

Unable to see anything clearly, Cheng Shuili felt as if she had stepped on something; her whole body froze in place, already planning to pull out her assault rifle and fire a burst…

Just then, Wan Yi grabbed Cheng Shuili's arm fiercely, with such force that she almost cried out.

Cheng Shuili turned her head, saw Wan Yi's face deathly pale, eyes wide open, and followed her gaze—Cheng Shuili's blood instantly froze…

In the shadow behind the cash register, half a human body was twisted in an impossible pose.

A sliver of light happened to shine through the door crack onto that monster; from the clothing one could tell it was the upper half of Qi Yue.

His eyes were still open, his face frozen in an expression of extreme terror.

Not far away, Cheng Shuili saw the details clearly; Qi Yue's chest cavity was completely hollowed out, his ribs flipped outward like petals.

This… this wouldn't be the 20‑point monster the system mentioned, would it?

One person dies, one appears?

That's… too… cruel, isn't it?

Cheng Shuili forced herself to look away.

Yet she forced her fear back and turned her gaze back; the Abyssal Ring's Insight can be used three times a day, so even if there are other monsters, she still has one chance of Insight.

It can be used.

【Insight Activated】

【Name: Ruptured Bone Form】

【Origin】: Made from Sound-Devouring Saliva, the Sound-Devouring Saliva is obsessed with twisting living creatures into a "bursting" posture, using flesh as the core and bones as petals, carving a twisted artwork in pain!

【Weak point】: Stab the head, stab hard; if one strike doesn't kill, stab a few more times.

Cheng Shuili: "???"

Is it that simple and brutal?