[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-adventures-of-hulim":3,"chapter-the-adventures-of-hulim-the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-323":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Adventures of Hulim",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1882467,2498,"Chapter 323: The Curse","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-323",323,"\u003Cp>“Hey! Ha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard, the children were practicing the combat techniques Cassim had taught them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat dripped from every forehead,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but none dared to slack off—they refused to disappoint Teacher Cassim, so each doubled their efforts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ow, that hurts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy with long black bangs fell to the ground, his wooden sword flying from his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grisa is totally useless~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him, a girl stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding her wooden sword, shaking her head in mock disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? It’s not my fault—Lina’s just a brute......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina grabbed Grisa by the collar and hauled him to his feet,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>fixing him with a dangerously sweet smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grisa, what did you just say~?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! N-Nothing! I didn’t say anything!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grisa waved his hands in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp rap on the head later, Grisa was on the ground again, clutching his skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That hurt! Lina, you’re way too rough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph~, serves you right for calling me a brute. And it’s not my fault you’re so scrawny—don’t blame me for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not scrawny! It’s you who’s—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children, training time is over~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim’s voice rang out across the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time for your injections~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the children stopped practicing and replied in unison......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an infirmary-like room,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the children—fresh from training—lined up to receive their shots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim, why do we have to get these injections so often?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the needle pricking his right arm, a young child asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim smiled gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I want you to stay healthy. Humans get sick so easily—even a small illness can take a life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But with these injections, you’ll never have to fear sickness. And they’ll make you stronger too. Don’t you want to be as powerful as me~?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? I can be like Teacher Cassim?! Then I want injections every day! I want to get stronger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, what a good boy~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After administering the injection, Cassim pulled out the needle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All done. Next~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um, Teacher Cassim...... I’m scared of pain......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next little girl stared at the needle, her face pale with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be afraid~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim comforted her softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This pain is only temporary. Think of it this way: this small pain will make you strong. And once you’re strong, nothing in the world can hurt you anymore~, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I...... I’ll try my best......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright~. If everyone is brave enough to endure the pain today, I’ll make fruit pies for dinner tonight, how about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fruit pies? Yay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim is the best!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children cheered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emboldened, the little girl tremblingly held out her arm and squeezed her eyes shut tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please go ahead, Teacher Cassim.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a brave girl~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint smirk tugged at Cassim’s lips as he slid the needle into her arm......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It hurts...... it hurts so bad...... Teacher Cassim......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cage, a boy’s body was covered in grotesque veins as he moaned in agony. His muddled mind made him call out instinctively to the person he trusted most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other children stood outside the cage, staring at him in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim approached,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>standing silently before the cage and watching the boy inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Cassim’s presence, the boy stretched out his right hand toward him, his voice weak:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim...... it hurts......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone was his usual warmth—his eyes hid a cold indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other children asked anxiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim, what’s wrong with him......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with their worried gazes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim spoke solemnly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s contracted a curse from the outside. Children, you must be careful—don’t touch him, or the curse will infect you too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children believed him, stepping back in alarm,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>their faces filled with even deeper fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim, is he going to die......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there any way to save him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will we get cursed too......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their anxious voices filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim’s expressionless face broke into a gentle smile, his usual warmth returning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s alright~, children. Go back to your rooms now. I’ll take care of this—you have nothing to worry about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just keep training hard and take your injections obediently, and the curse will never touch you~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Really? That’s all we need to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay! We’ll work even harder from now on......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the children had left,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassim turned back to the boy in the cage,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his gaze cold and alien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This test subject has failed...... No matter. I’ll have to be more careful from now on—can’t afford to lose too many of them halfway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy with long black hair squatted in the corner, holding a stray black kitten in his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another friend got cursed......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unease clouded his face as he stroked the kitten repeatedly, as if the touch could calm his racing heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke to the kitten in his arms,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What even is a curse, anyway?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow~.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kitten let out a soft, affectionate mewl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Yeah, you’re just a cat. You wouldn’t understand what I’m saying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down at the kitten and scratched its chin gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim says you’re a mutated shadow cat—super dangerous. He told me to throw you away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kitten purred happily and licked his finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......But you’re just a regular kitten, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy smiled helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have to be careful, though. Don’t wander off. If Teacher Cassim finds out I’m hiding you, we’ll both be in trouble, okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kitten nodded its head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? You can nod? Do you understand what I’m saying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meow~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow! You’re so smart, Sphinger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the underground facility,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim, why are we stuck here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s so dark!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m scared!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher Cassim, please let us out......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The children’s cries echoed through the deep, well-like room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only window was covered with iron bars—and it was over twenty feet above the ground, set into smooth, unscalable walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With their current strength, escape was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>",1000,"2026-06-10T06:36:37.917Z",1,"novelbin.me","45e9249637fcaef4c78f37784e84142394393952b80c8c6580a812554ec6fffd","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-366","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-322",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-adventures-of-hulim-cover.jpg"]