Chapter 738: The Ghost
Chapter 738: The Ghost
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After the sun set in OX city, there was not a single hint of light anywhere. The streetlamps were all off and rows of houses were shrouded in darkness, as if the whole city had been engulfed in darkness. A suppressive feeling that was difficult to articulate emanated from that darkness.
Thunder and the rest casually took some wooden materials from the supermarket and lit them with a lighter to start a simple bonfire.
As the fire was lit, the crowd subconsciously exhaled in relief.
However, the surroundings beyond the glass windows of the supermarket seemed to turn even darker. It was almost pitch-black outside as if the whole area was shrouded in thick black smoke. Even the street right in front of the supermarket could not be seen clearly.
Thunder sighed and said, “For these past few nights, OX city seems to have turned darker and darker. Those ghostly things are about to come out soon. Everyone gather closely around the fire. Do not go around alone.”
The rest nodded as memories from the past few nights haunted their minds. Their experience these past few nights were obviously deeply etched in their minds. They were unable to resist the fear that surrounded them as it seeped into their bones.
“It is pitch-dark outside now and those dirty things are hiding somewhere out there. It’s very dangerous.” Thunder stared at Zhao Yao as he continued, “The other units would not act rashly under such pitch-dark conditions. Let’s stay here for the night and wait for them to come.”
Just as the crowd stared at the world outside turning even darker and more oppressive, Zhao Yao took out a ball of light from nowhere. That ball was Fish Ball, who was emanating light with Roly Poly’s powers keeping him invisible.
Zhao Yao walked towards the door of the supermarket with Fish Ball in his hand as he said, “Everyone calm down! I have prepared a super efficient, 360 degrees searchlight. There’s no need to fear. No matter how dark it is, you can even give people directions to their paths.”
Everyone stared in astonishment at Zhao Yao as the ball of light in his hands glowed brighter and brighter as if Zhao Yao had brought the sun with him as he stepped out of the supermarket. The whole street lit up in an instant and looked just like it was daytime as the white light shone towards the sky, illuminating half of the city.
“So bright.”
“I don’t feel so scared now.”
As Zhao Yao was taking out the ball of light, he communicated telepathically with Fish Ball and said, “Are you done serving customers? Come here and help me for a while.”
Fish Ball said in annoyance, “There are still people calling for me. I’m really popular now.”
“Okay okay, take it. As you’re working overtime, I will pay you double,” Zhao Yao replied as he stopped in his tracks and turned to the people behind him and said, “I will put the ball of light here. Is that okay?”
Thunder and the rest nodded their heads blankly as they felt the difference in the atmosphere around them compared to the previous nights. Everyone would have been huddled together around the bonfire too scared of the ghastly things in the dark to fall asleep.
Thunder could not help saying, “This won’t attract the attention of other apostles right?”
“I will kill them if they come,” Zhao Yao said, “Look at the dark eye circles under your eyes. You guys haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a long while right? Quick, go to sleep. I will keep watch for the night.”
After a few minutes, Thunder and company watched as Zhao Yao leaned against the entrance of the supermarket sitting down, his eyes shut as he drooled and snored in deep sleep. Everyone else exchanged glances with each other.
OX city was still in danger after all so they did not dare to go into deep sleep. Hence, they all woke up after being startled by a loud snore from Zhao Yao.
Dong Zi said in a small voice, “I think he fell asleep.”
Thunder hesitated, “I don’t think so? I heard of a kind of vigilance which only the aces in the army were capable of. It is when the person can enter a deep sleep but once they sense something wrong they will wake up. Maybe the Headless Horseman is in such a state now.”
At that moment, Zhao Yao suddenly laughed, “Hahahaha, remember to visit us again, Boss.”
Dong Zi said exasperatedly, “I think he’s dreaming.”
Thunder shook his head. “Forget it, I will keep watch for the night. You all can sleep first.”
Dong Zi complained, “He’s snoring too loudly. I can’t sleep like this.”
At that moment, the bright light suddenly disappeared and the whole supermarket became shrouded in darkness once more. The bonfire earlier on had extinguished long ago as no one tended to it with the presence of the light from Fish Ball replacing the need for a fire.
As the light suddenly vanished, everyone was shrouded in darkness and could not see anything around them at all.
The sudden darkness made everyone nervous and anxious. Thunder screamed, “Don’t panic! Everyone stay where you are!”
However at that moment, footsteps were heard running across the supermarket. Thunder was enraged and bellowed, “I told you all to stop moving! Stay where you are!”
However, the footsteps did not stop running in the dark. Thunder was about to shout again when Dong Zi’s voice spoke eerily from the side, “Boss, that is the sound of leather shoes. None of us are wearing leather shoes.”
Hearing Dong Zi’s words, the tapping sound of the leather shoes stopped. Everyone held their breath at once.
Thunder panicked when he heard the tapping sound of the leather shoes stop somewhere near him.
Thunder gripped the gun in his hand tightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The surroundings became silent as only their heavy breathing could be heard in the darkness.
“Wait, this doesn’t sound right, we did not exert ourselves in any way so who’s breathing so loudly?” Thunder got a shock as he realized that the breathing sound was getting louder as if it was right beside his ears.
Chills were sent down his spine right into his bones as he immediately raised the gun in his right hand. However, just when he raised his gun, the tapping sound of the footsteps were heard again and it was moving away from him.
As the footsteps rang out again, a second pair, then a third then many other footsteps were heard. It sounded as if there were more than 10 people wearing leather shoes and running around them.
However, this supermarket was just like a convenience store, there was not enough space for more than 10 people to run around.
In the pitch-dark environment, the sound of the footsteps running around in the silence sent chills down everyone’s spines.
“They’re ghosts!”
“The ghosts are here.”
“Everyone huddle together! Don’t be captured by them!”
Just as everyone started to panic, the bright light returned and illuminated the supermarket at once. As the light returned, the footsteps retreated as if they had disappeared into the darkness outside.
At the entrance to the supermarket, Zhao Yao was slapping Fish Ball as he scolded angrily, “Didn’t I tell you to be on duty today? Why did you fall asleep?”
Fish Ball drooled as he said, “I am already awake Xiao Yu, I will get up after lying down for a while.” As he said that, the light on his body dimmed and was about to go out again.
Zhao Yao immediately shook him and Fish Ball lit up again. He scolded Fish Ball as he shook him and said, “Useless thing, even a light bulb is stronger than you.”
Fish Ball was angered from all the shaking. “Enough, Zhao Yao, I’m warning you now! Stop shaking me or else I will...”
Zhao Yao scoffed and shook him even harder turning Fish Ball into a ball of shadows.
Fish Ball shone even brighter as Zhao Yao shook him. After a while, he screamed and vomited. Even the stuff he vomited shone brightly.
Zhao Yao shook the invisible Fish Ball and glanced towards Thunder who felt slightly awkward as he said, “I wasn’t asleep just now. I was feigning it. I looked like I was asleep but once there’s some movement or if I sense something evil, I will wake up. Trust me, I’ve practised this before.”
Zhao Yao was referring to the power of his five cats. It was true that if he sensed an evil aura coming towards him or the slightest commotion he would wake up just like cats when they take naps.
Thunder nodded awkwardly. “I trust you.”
Zhao Yao looked at all the apostles that had awakened and was surprised, “Why are all of you awake? Oh, did those guys disturb your sleep?”
As he said that, his eyebrows twitched as he stared in the direction where the footsteps disappeared to and scolded saying, “Why are you all making so much noise in the middle of the night. Don’t you know that people need to sleep? They have work tomorrow! Get your asses over and apologize!”
Bam! The next moment, a formless wave rushed out from Zhao Yao’s body, creating ripples in the air as it pounced towards the sound in the darkness. Where it had passed, a chilly wind swept over that was cold enough to freeze the surrounding air.