"So those are things from the Blood-Colored City?" It was extremely rude to call the first "person" you met a thing, but after seeing what happened to
Crying and chewing sounds rang out in everyone's ears. Before they had even caught sight of their forms, many of the ghost school students had already begun to feel afraid.
"Chen Ge, this isn't good. The ghost school's will has split apart. These students alone probably can't hold out for long." Ying Hong knew the Haunted Ghost School inside and out. "The gate draws in the desperate souls of children and lingering obsessions. Some of them are wandering spirits, while others still have bodies in the real world — only their wills have been locked behind the gate. Those students are extremely fragile. They're also the foundation and the lowest tier of the ghost school."
Chen Ge understood what Ying Hong meant. The ghost school's will was, after all, an existence above Red Cloths, and there were many things at that level that they simply couldn't comprehend. He shouldn't underestimate the Blood-Colored City, but neither should he underestimate the ghost school's will.
"Don't underestimate the ghost school's will, but don't underestimate the Blood-Colored City either." A top-tier Red Cloth was already terrifying enough — as for what lay beyond Red Cloth, Chen Ge could barely imagine. He had a feeling that although the ghost school's will had fractured internally due to Chang Wenyu and the Painter, it definitely still held cards he knew nothing about.
"Even without a Gatekeeper, this gate has grown into a colossus. It couldn't possibly place all its hopes on those children alone."
"But..."
"Find Chang Gu first. Everything else comes after." Chen Ge kept
Blood-red fog poured into the ghost school, and black plants like desiccated arms clawed through broken windows into the buildings. The entire ghost school now resembled a heart covered in countless necrotic veins.
Students in the corridors fled in every direction. The children hiding in classrooms were in no better shape — the black things pounded against the glass, and more and more cracks spider-webbed across the panes.
"Anyone who doesn't want to die, follow me!" Chen Ge rescued students along the way, folding them into the group where he could, but this couldn't change the bigger picture. The screams of remnant souls and shattered obsessions echoed throughout the ghost school. What had once been a sanctuary for wandering spirits had become a cage wrapped in thorns.
The three Red Cloths carved a path forward, charging straight through, and Chen Ge and the others reached the first floor of the teaching building at full speed.
Blood-red fog surged in through the shattered front doors. From here, its presence was even more overwhelming.
"Found them!" At the corner of the first-floor corridor leading to the school infirmary, Ying Hong blocked the "doctor" and Chang Gu.
Chang Gu's left eye was bleeding, his body covered in wounds, barely clinging to life.
"A living person opened the Ghost Gate — even if he doesn't die, he'll lose a layer of skin." Chen Ge fixed his gaze on the doctor and the Chang Gu in his arms. "Put down Chang Wenyu's brother, and you're free to go."
Chen Ge didn't beat around the bush. He stated plainly what he wanted.
"Are you the other card she prepared?" The doctor was drenched in blood. Having withstood a direct attack from the school's will, his condition was far from good.
"If you're not willing to go, you can stay too." Chen Ge's stance was clear — he would stop at nothing to secure Chang Gu.
"I'll pass. I just hope Chang Wenyu honors her promise." The doctor tossed Chang Gu onto the corridor floor, but his eyes drifted to Bai Qiulin behind Chen Ge. "That mirror your friend is carrying on his back looks familiar to me."
"Would you like to take a look?"