Chapter Two: The Tapir and the Ubume
1179 Words
Starting with the Ubume, Chapter Two: The Tapir and the Ubume This is definitely not human!
As Li Yan's thoughts raced, the hideous monster unleashed a fierce whip strike. Like a black lightning bolt, it struck Li Yan's head.
Li Yan instinctively raised his arm to block, but the immense force sent him flying sideways.
Before Li Yan could stand up, a domineering black shadow crashed down on him. He couldn't dodge in time and was kicked in the right shoulder. His entire arm went numb and tingling. Then, a blur flashed before his eyes, and a poisonous shoe tip came hurtling towards his face.
This barrage of attacks came like a sudden downpour. He had no way to avoid it; if this kick landed, Li Yan would either die or be crippled.
Without thinking, he met the flying attack from the crew-cut man with both hands. His left hand silently slashed at the man's knee flank!
"Snap!"
"Thump."
The crew-cut man's right foot struck Li Yan's elbow, but he fell to his knees with a thud.
His mangled face was directly facing Li Yan.
In a flash, Li Yan, who had been the one taking the beating, grabbed the crew-cut man's shoulder, jerking him backward. The crew-cut man's upper body involuntarily lurched forward!
A flash of malice crossed Li Yan's eyes. He then flipped over, grabbing the man's neck with his right hand. A cracking sound rang out as the crew-cut man's arm was ripped off!
Next, he pressed against the crew-cut man's lower back, grabbed his other arm, and with a clean, decisive pull and rip, ignoring the agonizing sound of breaking bones, kicked the man's shin with his right foot. The kick was both fierce and precise, dislocating the crew-cut man's shin and twisting it irregularly outward.
He finally stood up, looking down at the bald man struggling on the ground, his gaze lingering on the rotting skin of his face.
Seeing the bald man unable to get up, Li Yan let out a long breath and turned to reach for his phone. But then, incredibly, the man on the ground suddenly sprang up! He bared his pale teeth and lunged at Li Yan's crotch!
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Li Yan twisted his waist and delivered a spinning kick, his right foot whistling through the air, striking the man's crotch viciously.
The bald man's neck was snapped by that kick! His head, like a broken spring, twisted at a full ninety degrees, hanging at a bizarre angle from his neck. The gruesome sight was indescribable.
Li Yan gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of water:
"Still trying to bluff."
His fierce eyes swept back and forth across the man's body, his icy aura, thick with the smell of blood, radiating an untamed power. Where was the mild-mannered demeanor of the video store owner? "Wow, truly amazing! Tan's 'Single Spreading Ears' technique emphasizes continuous momentum. Once he gains the upper hand, the opponent has virtually no chance of turning the tide. I never expected him to be defeated by such a fierce and unexpected 'White Horse Turns Over.' Everyone says the Li family of Hejian is unparalleled in both spear and sword, but their grappling skills are also incredibly sharp."
He looked up at a short, fat man standing in the doorway.
The man wore a white tank top, flared shoes, and slippers. His hair was greasy and unkempt. The term "die-hard otaku" perfectly described him.
But Li Yan keenly noticed that behind the fat man was complete darkness. There was no moon, no neon lights, no barbecue smoke, and no car roars outside; only a thick, terrifying blackness.
"Where is that person?"
Li Yan stared at the fat man before him.
"Excellent catching ability, top-notch hands and reflexes, very good."
Sensing Li Yan's increasingly hostile gaze, the fat man smiled and pointed to the ground.
Li Yan glanced around, only to find the man on the ground had vanished!
Only the overturned sofa and the mess proved that everything that had just happened was true.
"Was I dreaming?"
Li Yan rubbed his forehead. Perhaps nothing had happened. He had drunk three cups of hot water and fallen asleep on the sofa. There were no leather shoes, no man lying on his face, nothing at all.
"I have no connection with those two people. The only thing we have in common is that we are both very interested in you. Don't worry, I just used that buzz-cut man's thought to greet you, that's all. They know nothing about it."
Li Yan remained silent, waiting for the fat man to continue.
"Well, let me introduce myself. Oh, what's my name again?"
The fat man reached into his pocket and rummaged through a bunch of things: crooked vitamin wrappers, a hair salon discount card with a ** drawn on it, used tissues of unknown origin, and so on. Finally, he pulled out a filthy ID card.
It clearly showed the three large characters "Wang X".
"Anyway, you and I are Wang, but you can also use another name for me."
The fat man smiled strangely.
"Mo"
Li Yan glanced at him. He chuckled.
"Demon, want some dumplings?"
Wang was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter, his laughter growing increasingly manic.
"You, haha, you're so funny. Hahaha..."
Li Yan narrowed his eyes. He could swear to his great-grandfather that he really wanted to smear his leather shoe into this greasy fat man's face, provided he could actually do it.
"I can save your life." The fat man suddenly stopped smiling.
Li Yan stared at him and asked, "Do you have a matching bone marrow donor?"
"That's child's play," Wang shook his head. "I can give you something better."
Li Yan lowered his hands. He remained silent for a long while, until Wang grew impatient.
"What can I do for you?"
Wang shrugged.
"You'll know once you try, but it's a one-way street..."
"Sounds much better than waiting to die."
A cold glint flashed in Li Yan's eyes.
"Come on, tell me."
The fat man grinned, his face turning unusually dark and solemn: "Then, come on."
Behind him, a black wave like an abyss surged forth, engulfing the horrified Li Yan completely.
...
At that moment, Li Yan felt himself falling, darkness enveloping him, countless bizarre and unbelievable scenes appearing before his eyes.
A black chain stretched across the sky; a majestic palace cast from tens of millions of pounds of green bronze; golden-red albatrosses swirling in the heavens; dense, blue-purple lightning bubbling within the dark, heavy clouds; and within the palace, countless colossal divine figures watching him.
The intense heat burned Li Yan's vision until it turned crimson. Through his bloodshot eyes, he made out one of those colossal divine figures…
Eighteen wings joined at varying lengths, nine heads that appeared ferocious and grotesque, a neck dripping with blood…
"Awaken, my path."
"Who are you?"
Li Yan could not utter a sound, only cry out in his heart.
Cold, dark.
- Writer
