The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 196: Pray

All speakers in the school crackled for a brief moment before a song started to play. Violins, nylon guitars, oboes, and pianos composed a quaint, melancholic melody, accompanied by the hums of a soprano.

The rune corpses became anxious and excited, and they followed the music and dashed toward the speaker closest to them.

“Now!”

From the broadcast room on the fifth floor, Gray Bear opened the door and led the charge, followed by Black Sparrow and Xiuyi.

Xiran, Ronnie, Can, and Yellow Butterfly were in the middle, and Nine Frost, Gao Yang, and Old Joe were in the back.

Most rune corpses in the corridor had rushed to gather under the speaker outside the classrooms, leaving only two seriously injured rune corpses dragging themselves along the floor.

The cool morning dew dampens the black tuxedo.

A fog descends upon the pebbled path, the father murmurs in prayer.

Cruel is the resolution made in resignation.

It’s all to pave the way leading to the sanctum.

As the music played, Gray Bear and Black Sparrow each approached the two rune corpses from the back. After an exchange of glances, they pounced on the rune corpses and grabbed their hair, slamming their heads to the floor.

Soon, the two rune corpses stopped moving.

Gray Bear and Black Sparrow immediately stood up and waved their companions over, signaling them to catch up. They went to the stairway and rushed downstairs.

Stubborn fog obscures all intentions.

To whom does the halted pacing belong?

Before tears can fall,

A bullet shoots through and drains the warmth.

They rushed to the third floor at once before suddenly, Gray Bear and Black Sparrow halted in the lead. They reached out to stop their companions.

The others looked over and saw a rune corpse on the stairs. Covered in bites, its thighs had almost been chewed to the bones, and having lost the ability to walk properly, it crawled on the floor.

Its now twisted face had lost its chin, and the familiar fake smile was gone.

Its empty eyes glowed with flickering red as it swung its arms around, like it was trying to grab something.

Dark Li.

The sight was heartstopping.

“Dark Li...” The name escaped Yellow Butterfly’s mouth. Xiran quickly muffled her.

Hearing it, Dark Li flailed around madly in an attempt to grab the prey before it, croaking out unintelligible sounds.

Thud.

A wooden stick with a sharp end pierced through its right eye and straight into its brain.

We are all guilty,

Guilty of different sins.

I decide who is right,

Who is to enter a slumber.

The fight will not stop.

During the neverending night,

Sealing your mouth,

That is the only grace.

Nine Frost yanked the wooden stick out. A small amount of blood splattered on his face, and a look of vulnerability flashed through his eyes.

He then turned around and gestured at the others: move!

The ten of them kept going and safely reached the first floor. The main hall was now the only thing separating them from the exit.

A few dozen rune corpses gathered around in a cluster, swarming into the corner and struggling to reach the speaker installed high on the wall.

Squashed by the rune corpses behind it, one rune corpse was lifted higher and higher off the ground, almost reaching the speaker.

Gao Yang immediately pressed himself to the wall and gestured at the others.

They quickly followed suit and inched their way to the door, keeping as much distance as possible while moving around the swarm of rune corpses.

Those blocking in the front are guilty.

Even when they feel regret, there is no way back.

Judged in the name of thy father.

The feeling cannot be put into words.

Like laughing while crying,

Like staring into the deepest black.

Tragedy to stop tragedies.

I’m lost in it.

If not for the fact that only a few lines had been sung, Gao Yang would’ve thought that a long time had passed.

They moved along the walls, but they might as well be walking on high wire.

Finally, Gray Bear at the very front reached the front door of the teaching building. Things seemed to be going well. In thirty seconds, they would be out of the door in a quiet and orderly manner.

Clack.

But then in the opposite corner of the main hall, the rune corpse that had been lifted to the top managed to grab the speaker and tear it off the wall.

The music stopped. Although the other speakers in other places were still playing the song, the sounds weren’t loud enough to hold the rune corpses’ attention.

The air was still for two seconds.

Then the rune corpses stopped swarming to the corner, regaining their keen senses. They seemed to have heard a faint sound. One after another, they turned around, their ears shifting sensitively as they dragged their feet toward Gao Yang and the others.

The ten of them stopped breathing for a moment, their faces ashen.

“Run.” Gao Yang ordered decisively.

Everyone moved away from the wall and dashed toward the door like they had just woken up from a dream. At the same time, the rune corpses growled and lunged at them.

Lower the head and kiss my left hand,

In exchange for a promise of forgiveness.

The old pipe organ stands in the corner,

Keeping up the accompaniment nonstop.

Wind rustles the black curtain.

Sunlight quietly shines through

On the monster I have tamed.

“Ah!”

Gray Bear grabbed the announcement board for the students on duty and turned back to rush to the rune corpses, attempting to use it as a riot shield like earlier to buy his companions time. However, the board was too brittle, and the two sides broke off in less than a second, leaving only a small piece for Gray Bear to protect himself.

Most rune corpses forewent Gray Bear and rushed toward the prey behind him.

Charging at the front, Nine Frost kicked one rune corpse in the chest, twisting his body in the air while making another kick at another rune corpse.

That was the best he could do as a regular human.

The moment he landed, yet another rune corpse lunged at him. Gao Yang showed up just in time with a metal dustpan he had found somewhere. And clang! It hit the rune corpse in the head, sending it flying. He saved Nine Frost at the last moment.

Nine Frost’s eyes flashed with gratitude.

But more rune corpses were already coming.

Gao Yang and Nine Frost were close to the exit. If they ran without looking back, they should be able to escape on their own. However, there were more companions behind them.

No one could be completely rational. They could not simply make the most optimal choice after weighing the pros and cons.

Most of the time, people were driven by instincts and their beliefs of right and wrong.

“Out of the way!”

There were noises coming from behind them. Gao Yang and Nine Frost turned to see Xiran and Ronnie pushing a prop piano over. Gao Yang and Nine Frost jumped to the sides.

The prop piano hurtled into the fray of rune corpses, knocking them off balance, but the prop piano itself broke down.

At the same time, Black Sparrow and Xiuyi had lifted a pot of sago palm and hurled it at the rune corpses. The rune corpses toppled like dominoes, and the moment of chaos bought them a few precious seconds.

“Run! Hurry!” Gao Yang urged.

They rushed toward the door, but came to a sudden halt after taking a few steps. Outside, about a dozen rune corpses were swarming their way after hearing the commotion.

Nine Frost shouted, “We can’t leave this way! Go back! Upstairs!”

They turned back. A few rune corpses rolled down the stairs and quickly picked themselves up before rushing at them. Behind them were even more frenzied rune corpses.

Their way back was blocked as well.

It felt as if all the rune corpses in the building were rushing into the main hall. Strangely, Gao Yang couldn’t hear the growls of the rune corpses at that moment, nor could he hear his companions’ voices. The faint song alone monopolized his hearing.

Silently yell, silently yell.

The lonesome feeling permeates,

Mocking me nonstop.

Memories burn.

Images of innocence lost

Surface cruelly and gently.

Time of vulnerability arrives.

Let us pray together.