Chapter 125: Knock, Knock, Knock
Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Knock, Knock, Knock
"Shouldn’t you be at home, kid? What are you doing out here, causing trouble for me again?"
Once Chu Zhengxiong got a clear look and saw that the ’Black Impermanence’ was Lin Yi, he finally calmed down a bit.
Lin Yi smiled. "Brother Chu, you’re the captain of a Demon Hunting Squad, after all. Are you really scared of Black Impermanence?"
"Of course! Are specters and demons the same thing?"
"Alright, what are you doing here?" Chu Zhengxiong asked, his face grim.
He seemed to be trying to hide his one and only weakness.
Lin Yi glanced back toward the residential complex. "A classmate from my Martial Arts Hall seems to have something following him. I was worried, so I came to take a look."
"That’s when I discovered that shadow-like thing."
"Brother Chu, that Phage you mentioned, what exactly is it?"
Lin Yi didn’t know much about exotic beasts.
There weren’t any detailed records about them in the Old District, either.
So, when it came to exotic beasts, Lin Yi was a complete blank slate.
Chu Zhengxiong’s brow furrowed. "The Phage is one of many types of exotic beasts. It has no fixed form, just like the shadow you saw."
"Their method of attack is to devour a person’s soul and forcibly occupy their body."
"The one you just saw is a Phage that hasn’t found a host body yet..."
"If it’s really targeting your classmate, then chances are it has its sights set on his body and wants to possess him."
After Chu Zhengxiong finished, Lin Yi frowned. "In that case, isn’t that thing just like a specter?"
"Not exactly. There are still some differences."
"If specters really existed in this world, they could go anywhere at night."
"Besides, there are plenty of ways to subdue a specter. A single talisman would do the trick."
"But a Phage is different. Before finding a body, it can only exist in darkness. It can’t even move into a lit area..."
Recalling the Phage he’d just seen, Lin Yi realized it was true that it could only be seen in the shadows.
The Phage’s form was invisible under the light.
This was a major difference from the specters of legend.
So, the Phage wasn’t a specter, but a type of exotic beast.
Just as they were talking, a scream suddenly echoed from inside the complex.
Chu Zhengxiong and Lin Yi quickly glanced toward the complex.
They saw a security guard running toward the complex exit, his face contorted in terror.
Seeing this, Chu Zhengxiong’s expression shifted.
"You head back first. Don’t worry your cousin."
With that said, Chu Zhengxiong dismounted his motorcycle.
An expandable baton appeared in his hand, and he strode into the residential complex.
When Chu Zhengxiong reached the complex gate, the panicked security guard was fumbling with his keys, trying to get it open while constantly glancing over his shoulder.
It was as if something was chasing him.
"Don’t rush. Take your time opening the gate."
Just then, Chu Zhengxiong approached.
The security guard looked up to see a tall, burly man wearing a pink helmet.
He was in no state to care about such details now, however.
The sight of Chu Zhengxiong calmed his nerves considerably.
His trembling hands finally found the key.
He managed to open the gate and immediately bolted out.
"What happened in there, to scare you into this sorry state?"
"H-h-he... Wang... Wang Zhi’s gone mad! He... he’s gone mad..."
The security guard pointed into the complex, trembling as he spoke.
Clearly, the Wang Zhi he was talking about must be his colleague.
Chu Zhengxiong’s face darkened. ’Looks like the Phage has already found a host.’
"Go wait outside."
With that, Chu Zhengxiong headed into the complex.
He hadn’t gone far before he saw a uniformed security guard lying in a pool of blood.
His neck had been viciously torn open, and fresh blood pooled on the ground.
He showed no signs of life.
Seeing this, Chu Zhengxiong’s face grew even more grim.
He swapped the expandable baton in his hand for his giant blade.
He pushed deeper into the complex, searching for any sign of the Phage.
...
「Back at home.」
Sun Tao had only just started to calm down.
He had just finished washing up and came out of the bathroom.
The living room lights were off, and his parents had already gone to their room to rest.
He was about to head to his own room to sleep.
But the events of the evening still left him feeling deeply unsettled.
’What in the world is targeting me?’ he wondered. ’And this isn’t the first time.’
’I’ve had this feeling for the last few days.’
’It was especially strong today. It feels like whatever is following me can’t hold back anymore and is about to make its move.’
If he hadn’t hitched a ride from the Martial Arts Police Station today, he feared he might not have made it home at all.
This filled Sun Tao with a growing sense of dread.
Especially with the recent string of family massacres in the city over the past couple of days.
His concern for his parents far outweighed any fear for himself.
Just as he was about to head to his room to rest, suddenly...
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
A sudden knock echoed through the apartment.
Sun Tao’s body jolted.
A wave of fear made his expression turn grim.
He glanced sideways, looking toward the entrance hall.
His body felt as if it had turned to stone.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
The knocking sounded again.
It was louder this time.
Sun Tao’s heart began to pound. The feeling of dread intensified.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
The sound of knocking became loud and urgent.
It was as if the person outside was desperate to break down the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
...
At this point, his parents, who had been asleep, came out of their room.
Seeing Sun Tao standing there, they asked, puzzled, "Tao, who’s knocking at the door?"
"Dad... don’t go over there!"
Sun Tao saw his dad about to go and open the door.
He quickly stopped him. "Dad, have you forgotten about the family massacres in the news recently?"
At his words, Mr. Sun’s expression changed instantly. He quickly lowered his voice. "You don’t think the person outside is..."
Sun Tao suppressed his own fear and nodded slightly.
"It’s already unsafe at night," he whispered. "Who would be knocking at this hour with good intentions?"
"You and your mother go back to the room. I’ll go see what’s happening," Mr. Sun said.
After he finished speaking, Mr. Sun told his wife to go back to the bedroom first.
He, on the other hand, stayed in the living room.
’If it’s really some criminals out there, or even some kind of demonic beast... I’m the man of this house, the pillar of this family. I can’t just hide behind my son.’
"Tao, come here. Let me go look."
Mr. Sun hurriedly walked closer and pulled Sun Tao back.
By now, the knocking outside had lost all rhythm.
It sounded like someone was desperately trying to break in, hammering on the door nonstop.
And amidst the pounding, they could faintly hear growls that sounded like a wild animal.
This only confirmed Sun Tao’s certainty that whatever was outside meant them harm.
Mr. Sun walked to the entryway and flipped open the cover of the peephole.
He saw the motion-sensor light in the hallway flickering on and off.
As he leaned in toward the peephole, the knocking stopped abruptly, and the motion-sensor light went out with it.
He looked through the peephole for a long time but couldn’t see what was outside.
The hallway plunged back into darkness.
After waiting for a moment, just as Mr. Sun was about to let his guard down and close the peephole cover...
Suddenly, a horrifying, ferocious face, covered in bulging veins...
...slammed into view in the peephole.
"AHH—!"
The sudden scare made Mr. Sun cry out and stumble backward.
The next moment, the frantic pounding on the door started again.
It was as if the thing outside now knew for sure that someone was inside.
It began to slam and pound against the door, trying to break in...
Fortunately, the Sun family’s front door was made of blast-proof material.
No matter how hard the thing outside slammed against it, the door couldn’t be easily broken.
But this couldn’t go on forever. It wasn’t a solution.
Sun Tao quickly said, "Dad, quick, call the Martial Arts Police Station! Call the police, right now!"
Even in his terror, Sun Tao managed to keep a sliver of his wits.
Having been reminded, Mr. Sun nodded quickly.
Trembling all over, he fumbled for his phone to call for help.
Just as the whole family was consumed by panic, they suddenly heard voices from outside the door.
Immediately after, the knocking stopped again.
The hallway once again fell into an eerie silence...