Senior Luo and Senior Zhang had spent over five years in various departments of Yecheng University, and had lived in this city for more than seven years, having visited the bustling Yecheng night markets countless times.
They both had a vivid memory of one particular time when, on the street, they saw a tightly wrapped cotton ball that swayed softly as it moved, causing dizziness just from watching it.
Unexpectedly, today they saw it again.
“Junior, don’t get so excited. Although none of us really know what you’ve understood,” Senior Luo said, “calm down, don’t get too worked up, it’s bad for your heart.”
Senior Zhang agreed: “Exactly, exactly. With a chest like yours, you must feel pressure on your heart already. Your emotions shouldn’t be too intense.”
Bai Xiaonuo blinked blankly, then looked down to see that it was Tuantuan moving.
More precisely, it wasn’t the bundle moving, nor was it her heart beating — it was her ancestor tossing and turning inside… but why? Was she trying to warn me of something?
…………
Outside the door, the interrogation by the department flower and her friends had stopped, stunned into silence because Wang Meng’s body was undergoing a terrifying transformation.
Wang Meng’s arms and torso showed numerous visibly bulging veins beneath the skin, twisting and winding like tree roots.
Her skin had taken on the texture and color of bark.
Her face was completely hidden beneath long bangs, concealing her eyes and features, while thick black aura swirled through her hair.
What was even more horrifying was that a third hand seemed to have sprouted from her shoulder — a withered, wooden-looking hand.
The two girls clung to each other in panic, thinking, “It’s over. We shouldn’t have spoken so harshly earlier. The monster is retaliating. We have to run fast…”
“Bai Xiaonuo, it’s all because of you. You fools who’ve been deceived by her appearance, today I’ll show you whether she still has a pretty face after I tear her apart!”
Wang Meng’s voice was like an old bellows, creaking and broken.
Then she raised her right arm and swung it violently at the door of the counseling room—
Boom!
“Bai! Xiao! Nuo!”
The two girls looked at each other, confused… She didn’t come at us?
“Let’s call the police first…”
Outside the door, it was a miracle they were still alive; inside, it was a pure horror scene.
Bai Xiaonuo finally understood what her ancestor was trying to warn her about.
Just looking at the inhuman thing at the door, roaring her name like a hellish demon demanding a soul, she was dumbstruck.
It’s coming for me!
There was a window nearby, and without hesitation, Bai Xiaonuo jumped out to escape.
Luckily, it was only the second floor, and she landed safely.
But before she could catch her breath, she heard her ancestor’s voice:
“Run!”
It was chasing after her!
The mutant Wang Meng landed far more violently than Bai Xiaonuo, with a thunderous crash that cracked the floor, as if she had jumped from the sixth floor.
There was no time to think; the sight was too terrifying.
All Bai Xiaonuo could think of was — mental shock!
The mutant shook her head and let out a roar, seemingly unaffected.
“She’s lost her mind,” the ancestor said, “She can’t break through. Run.”
Hearing that, Bai Xiaonuo didn’t dare to linger and sprinted away as fast as her legs could carry her.
…………
The emergency call was made, but after hearing the description of the monster, and according to recent directives from higher-ups, the case was immediately handed over to “professionals.”
The man Bai Xiaonuo had met days ago at the teahouse, during his conversation with Mayor Chen, was the nominal captain of this “professional team.”
“Report: one mutant at Yecheng University. Should we send people to clean it up immediately?”
“No rush. Wait half an hour before going,” the Grey Suit Man said leisurely. “Let Mayor Chen fully experience what she’d do without us handling these matters.”
…………
Bai Xiaonuo ran with the monster chasing her through almost half the campus.
Every student they passed turned pale with fear; some were so terrified they fell to the ground and couldn’t get up.
Fortunately, mutant Wang Meng’s eyes were fixed only on Bai Xiaonuo, completely ignoring everyone else.
Only when a brave campus security guard stepped forward to block her did she casually slap him.
He was sent flying instantly, though thankfully without serious injury.
But this scene enraged Bai Xiaonuo to no end.
When they ran into a deserted corner, she stopped abruptly, hands on hips, panting, and shouted, “Stop! Just stop for a moment!”
The monster really stopped—not out of obedience, but to look for an opening to attack.
“I have to ask, we have no grudge, no enmity. Why are you chasing me?”
“No grudge, no enmity?”
The bellows-like voice rang out again: “You dare say we have no grudge?”
That line left Bai Xiaonuo dumbfounded.
“Yes, no grudge. Do we have any… no, who the hell do you think you are?”
“I’m your classmate, Wang Meng,” the mutant growled through clenched teeth, “and people like you, high and mighty, don’t even know my name!”
Bai Xiaonuo blinked, naturally: “Of course I don’t know. Do I have to remember the names of every classmate? I only remember one name in the whole class.”
What was it?
Cheng Cheng?
No other reason, mainly because she was pretty and sang well.
I don’t know the others; why bother remembering the names of nobodies?
But that only made Wang Meng angrier: “You can’t even remember their names, yet they’re willing to lick your boots, but I…”
Bai Xiaonuo slightly opened her mouth, as if understanding something.
“Is that the issue? Seriously? You can’t even figure this out, and you come to me to talk? What’s your name again?”
“Wang Meng.”
“Wang, Wang, Li, Li—whatever. You truly live up to your name, living in a dream. Let me ask you one thing: brother, what’s your cup size?”
Before Wang Meng could reply, Bai Xiaonuo glanced at her and sneered coldly: “So you’re a small B cup!”
Wang Meng’s body trembled, the mutation accelerating.
Bai Xiaonuo didn’t care and continued standing on the high ground of the pretty girl, pointing and lecturing:
“You look average, your chest is small, so why should anyone lick you? People need self-awareness. If you want to make friends, communicate properly. Don’t compare yourself to me. To put our differences in perspective: if you’re a nobody, I’m the ocean of hearts. Do you think you deserve it? No way!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Wang Meng completely lost it, transforming into a monster.
The two hands on her shoulders grew out, longer than her original ones, like withered wooden vines swinging toward Bai Xiaonuo.
Bai Xiaonuo shrank her head.
The wall behind was heavily damaged, punched into a large hole.
Geez, that was some force.
Not daring to think further, she took advantage of Wang Meng retracting her arms and bolted, climbing the stairs and rushing toward the gym club’s activity room.
After retracting her arms, Wang Meng stood still for a moment.
Her body’s mutation completed, she looked like an old, crooked tree uprooted from the ground, walking with creaking sounds.
Her speed was even faster than before.