《HORROR WORLD》 Chapter 1 : Birthday? No, Death Day August 11th, the day after the final exam, marked William''s birthday. The Williams family gathered around the dinner table, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of the candles atop the cake. They sang the familiar birthday song, and William closed his eyes, making a heartfelt wish for his 18th birthday. "I hope Mom and Dad are healthy. I wish our family remains safe and happy forever," he whispered as he blew out the candles. "The years have flown by; our ''pet'' has turned 18," his mother remarked with a gentle smile, reaching for the knife on the table. "Let me cut the cake, Mom," William offered, attempting to take the knife, but she declined with a shake of her head. She moved slowly toward him, wearing a peculiar expression. "Indeed, the meat is most delectable when the animal comes of age," William''s father muttered, his gaze fixed on his son. Confused, William asked, "Dad, what are you talking about?" Ignoring his son''s question, his father continued, "Hurry up, Mom. I can''t wait to taste it." As his father''s mouth watered, William said, "Dad, I know the cake is good, but you''re exaggerating." "I''m not talking about the cake," his father replied, shaking his head. "I mean you, William." "Me?" William was baffled. "William," his mother''s soft voice called out. Before William could react, a searing pain pierced his chest. The knife, originally meant for the cake, was now embedded in his heart. "Happy birthday, William," his mother said with a smile. ... "Happy birthday to you, happy every day, happy always!" echoed the voices of his parents. William awoke abruptly, the familiar refrain of the "Happy Birthday" song ringing in his ears. His eyes scanned the room, landing on the cake, his parents, and the knife on the table. A jolt of terror coursed through him as he recalled the events of the previous moment. He reached for his chest, his heart pounding, only to find it intact. What had happened? Why was the knife back on the table, and why had his mother seemingly killed him on his birthday? If his mother was the culprit, why was he standing here unharmed? Were the events prior merely a figment of his imagination? The memories felt so vivid that William could recall the pain of the knife plunging into his chest. "William," his mother inquired, noticing his distress, "why are you so sweaty? Are you feeling unwell?" "No... No," William stammered, struggling to find his voice. "In the blink of an eye, our ''pet'' turns 18," his mother remarked once again, sending shivers down William''s spine. His mother rose, her smile unwavering, and reached for the knife on the table. "Mother, let me cut the cake," William quivered, extending his hand toward her. "Gollum," his father, sitting nearby, swallowed audibly. "The meat is at its best when the animal comes of age. I can''t wait to taste it," his father said, saliva dribbling down the corners of his mouth. Their words and actions mirrored those from the previous moment. Was it all just a bizarre coincidence? William remained frozen, consumed by fear. His mother, closing in, whispered, "Happy birthday." Her words ignited William''s dread. He began to back away, clutching the knife, and exclaimed, "No, you''re not my parents!" "Who are you, then?" William demanded, his voice trembling. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Despite his words, he silently prayed that it was all a prank, but the unfolding scene did not align with his hopes. "Oh, it seems he''s realized," his mother''s smile abruptly stiffened. "It''s strange that he didn''t figure it out after all these years. Why now?" his father, too, rose from his seat. "This is unfortunate. Fear tends to sour the flesh," his mother continued, quickening her approach. "Stop! Don''t come any closer!" William cried out in nervous desperation. "William, don''t be afraid," his mother whispered as she neared him, her smile returning to normal. Though the person before him was not his mother, when he looked at her smiling face, he couldn''t help but recognize her as William. "You''re correct, William. We''re not your parents. We are your owners." "Nothing tastes better than the meat on the day the animal comes of age," his father chimed in, growing increasingly agitated. His body started to swell, and his familiar visage twisted grotesquely. William stood there, horrified by the sight before him. Something else lurked within his father¡ªa pitch- black entity, covered in a heavy carapace. Monstrous compound eyes protruded from beneath his skin, and barbed tentacles sprouted from his belly. "What... What is this?" William gasped, feeling suffocated. "William, don''t be afraid," his mother assured, reaching out to touch his head. "It''s quick, and it won''t hurt at all." "Ahh!" Fear overwhelmed William, and he recoiled in terror. Clutching the knife, he thrust it forward, but the blade shattered upon contact. The knife had pierced his mother''s skin, revealing the same black carapace as his father beneath. "You disobedient creature," her smile faded, replaced by an icy indifference. William felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and glanced down to find something piercing his body. A black tentacle emerged from his mother''s waist, penetrating his abdomen. The barbs dug into his flesh, and the acrid scent of blood filled the room. Yet, his parents'' faces were lit with perverse excitement. "It smells delightful," his mother''s face contorted as the creature inside her yearned to break free. "Indeed, young animals are the most delicious!" his father exclaimed, rushing toward him. His jagged maw clamped onto William''s neck, eagerly savoring his blood. "Happy birthday, William." ... "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." As the song echoed in William''s ears, he snapped awake, screaming, "No! Stop!" The singing abruptly halted, and every eye in the room turned toward him. "I''m not dead? I''m alive?" Horrific memories flashed before William''s eyes. He examined his body, still unharmed. "Where am I?" he questioned, bewildered by the surroundings. "KTV," the room''s fluorescent lights created an unwelcoming glare. William squinted, trying to make sense of the situation. "William, what''s wrong?" The person beside him was his classmate Kelly. Observing William''s perplexed expression, Kelly leaned in and asked, "What do you mean, ''no''?" "Why am I here?" William''s confusion deepened. He recalled being at home just moments ago; how had he suddenly ended up at a karaoke joint? "Weren''t we going to come here and sing after dinner?" Kelly reminded him. "After singing, we''re supposed to head to the all-night graduation party." "Dinner? Singing? A party?" William was stupefied. "Didn''t we do that yesterday?" "Yesterday?" Kelly puzzledly inquired. "Yesterday, after the exam, we went home." "After the exam?" A realization began to dawn on William. He grabbed his phone and glanced at the screen, revealing the date: August 10th. "Am I... Am I back to yesterday?" William couldn''t fathom the surreal turn of events. "What''s the matter with you, Willem?" Kelly, a fellow student sitting beside William, noticed his pale complexion and asked, "Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?" "No, there''s no need," William replied, standing up abruptly. He felt bewildered and desperate to escape, to find a quiet place where he could collect his thoughts. "I just remembered that I have something to do at home, so I need to leave." William hastily exited the karaoke room. The city streets were still bustling with activity, even in the late hours of the night. William walked aimlessly, his thoughts in turmoil. William was too afraid to return home, terrified by the idea that his parents might be monsters. He couldn''t pretend that everything was normal, not with those two creatures lurking in his house, waiting to devour him. Returning home now would likely mean discovering that his parents were indeed monsters, and he feared he wouldn''t live to see another day. But William couldn''t help but question his own existence. If he had been killed, why was he suddenly alive again? And why did he seem to have traveled back in time? As he pondered these mysteries, a flood of questions inundated his mind. When had these two creatures replaced his real parents? And where were his biological parents now? Were they still alive? William felt lost and didn''t know what to do next. Should he call the police? But he doubted they would believe his bizarre story. His mind was in chaos as he reached the school without realizing it. "William?" His head teacher, Mr. Colleen, approached him. "Mr. Colleen," William greeted him, relieved to see a familiar face. "What are you doing here? I heard that you were at the karaoke place. Didn''t you have plans to go to the all-night graduation party?" Mr. Colleen asked. "I..." William didn''t know where to begin. ¡°ÄãÔÚ¿¼ÊÔÖбíÏÖ²»¼ÑÂ𣿡± ¿ÆÁÕÏÈÉú¼ÌÐø˵µÀ£¬Â¶³öÒ»¸öÁîÈË·ÅÐĵÄ΢Ц¡£¡°²»ÓÃÌ«µ£ÐÄ¡£ÄãÒѾ­Íê³ÉÁË¿¼ÊÔ£¬ËùÒÔ·ÅËÉһϡ£ ¶ÔÍþÁ®À´Ëµ£¬¿ÆÁÕÏÈÉúÒ»Ö±ÊÇÒ»¸öÉÆÁ¼¶øÓа®ÐĵÄÈËÎï¡£ËûÖ§³ÖËûµÄѧÉú£¬²¢ÔÚËûÃÇÓÐÐèҪʱÉì³öÔ®ÖúÖ®ÊÖ¡£Òò´Ë£¬ÍþÁ®¾ö¶¨ÏòËûÇãËß¡£ ¡°¿ÆÁÕÏÈÉú£¬ÎÒ·¢ÉúÁËÒ»¼þ¿ÉŵÄÊÂÇé¡£¡± Chapter 2 : Know people, know the face, do not know the heart. "Take your time and tell me slowly," Mr. Colleen said, sensing William''s unease. He moved closer to offer comfort."Mr. Colleen, you might not believe this," William began, his voice trembling, "but I don''t know what to do.""Trust me, William," Mr. Colleen reassured him, "go ahead and share your concerns. I''ll do my best to help.""Mr. Colleen, my parents..." William hesitated and then continued, "No, they''re not my real parents.They''re monsters. They killed my real parents and took on their identities.""Monsters?" Mr. Colleen paused for a moment, his expression changing."I''m not lying, I swear," William insisted anxiously. "It''s the truth.""Are you sure they''re monsters?" Mr. Colleen''s face grew serious. "Willem, you can''t joke about something like this.""I''m not joking. I saw them with my own eyes," William affirmed."Describe what the monsters looked like," Mr. Colleen instructed.William nodded. "I remember.""They were horrifying. Their skin was like beetle carapace, impenetrable by a knife. And they had these repulsive tentacles on their bellies, covered in barbs," William recalled."Yes, they had¡ª" William was about to elaborate, but he noticed that Mr. Colleen''s demeanor had changed.Mr. Colleen, typically short and thin, seemed to have grown taller and bulkier."William, the monsters you described..." There was an unsettling smile on Mr. Colleen''s face.His mouth slowly opened, tearing at the corners without stopping. Jagged mouthparts emerged from his mouth, followed by enormous compound eyes.His abdomen began to writhe, and barbed tentacles burst forth."Is that what they looked like?" the transformed Mr. Colleen inquired.William''s mind went blank, realizing he had failed to consider that the Mr. Colleen before him might be an equally horrifying monster.By the time William regained his senses and attempted to flee, the revolting tentacles had ensnared him. They constricted, tearing through his clothes and embedding themselves into his flesh."Help... Save... Help..." William screamed...."Ding, ding, ding, ding..."The sound of William''s phone alarm jolted him awake, and he sat up abruptly. He found himself in his own room, surrounded by familiar surroundings."I... I''m not dead?" William was drenched in sweat, as if he had just endured a terrible nightmare.He quickly grabbed his phone and saw that it was still August 10th. However, the difference was that it was now the morning of August 10th."Time has reversed itself? But why?" William wondered. "Do I return to the past every time I''m killed?""Are you awake, Willem?" His mother''s voice came from outside the door. "I heard your phone alarm.""It''s just my alarm clock. I''m already awake!" William was astonished."Come on in, Mom." William''s heart raced, as he feared that his mother might sense his fear if she came in."You''ve been raised by me; where haven''t I seen?" His mother chuckled. "I won''t come in. I left your allowance on the table."His mother''s gentle tone momentarily eased William''s anxiety. How he wished that everything had beena dream¡ªa nightmare he could simply wake up from.However, the vivid memories in his mind reminded him that it was all too real."I understand." William took a deep breath, doing his best to compose himself."Before I was killed, the monsters mentioned that the first day of adulthood was when someone was most delicious," he mused. "So, as long as you turn 18, you become their target.""In other words, anyone under the age of 18 is safe from them.""But I can''t face these monsters alone..." William thought, a plan forming in his mind.With the support of his classmates, he might have a chance to confront the creatures and find a way to stop them. Thinking of this, William glanced at his phone, specifically the class group chat.Aside from Arthur, who was repeating a grade and already 19 years old, all of his classmates were younger than 18."There''s strength in numbers," William reasoned. "If I inform them, maybe together, we can figure out asolution."To avoid the class teacher, Mr. Colleen, and Arthur discovering his plan, William decided to create a new class chat group and add his fellow students to it."Why is there a new class chat group?" a classmate inquired."William is the admin of this group," another student replied."William, why did you add us to this new chat group, and where''s Arthur? I''ll add him to this one," a student offered."No, don''t!" William quickly responded."Listen, everyone," William typed,his fingers moving rapidly. "Don''t tell anyone about this¡ªneither your parents nor your teachers, not even Arthur. Keep this secret among us!""What''s going on? Why all the secrecy?" one student asked, puzzled."At 10 a.m., we''ll meet at the abandoned factory building in the back hills," William instructed. "I have something important to share with you, and you need to be prepared. Remember, don''t tell anyone.""What''s so mysterious about this?" another student inquired."Just trust me, class," William typed urgently. "I''ll explain everything when we meet. Be ready for anything."With the message sent, William felt a sense of responsibility weighing on him. He hoped that his classmates would heed his warning and gather at the abandoned factory as planned.However, his phone rang suddenly, displaying an unknown number."William." Seeing the unfamiliar number, William hesitated but answered the call."Don''t go," a muffled voice pleaded before abruptly hanging up."Don''t go?" William was taken aback. He considered calling back to get more information, but the number couldn''t be reached.Checking the time on his phone, he realized it was nearly 9 a.m. The abandoned factory was a 30-minute taxi ride away, and he needed to arrive early.In order to convince his classmates of the impending danger, William had prepared a trap. He had set up a rope behind the factory gate, hidden from view.Arriving early, William positioned himself behind the factory gate, waiting for his classmates to arrive. He believed that showing them a real monster would be more convincing than any words he could muster.William didn''t ask his classmates in the group chat to inform Arthur. Instead, he contacted Arthur directly and requested his presence after 10 o''clock.As the footsteps drew nearer, William began to sweat nervously."Huh? You''re all here," Arthur''s voice emanated from outside the door. He entered and found his classmates gathered in the abandoned factory.William pulled a rope, and a stone dropped from above, striking Arthur on the head. With a thud, Arthur fell to the ground."Ah!" Ina let out a startled scream at the sudden sight."William, are you crazy?!" Ada jumped up from the floor, momentarily discarding her weariness. "Willem, why are you doing this?" Ina furrowed her brow, gazing at William in disbelief."Listen to me!" William exclaimed loudly. "Arthur is not a man; he''s a monster!""You''re insane, Willem. You''re truly insane." Ina began to back away, as if fearing that William might attack her too."Call an ambulance, quickly!" Ada picked up her cell phone to dial emergency services. "I can prove it!" William shouted as he picked up a sharp stone from the ground.Approaching Arthur, he used the stone''s point to cut Arthur''s skin."Ah! The pain roused Arthur, and without hesitation, William grabbed another stone from the ground and struck Arthur."He really is a monster. Despite his appearance, he''s a creature in human skin," William proclaimed to the class."Madness, Willem, you''re truly mad." The sight before them terrified everyone once more, and they scattered in all directions, terrified of becoming the next victim.William stood there, trembling uncontrollably.But Arthur lying on the ground was no monster; there was no black carapace beneath his skin. "Why?" The stone slipped from William''s hand, and he sat on the ground, feeling powerless. The acrid scent of blood filled his nostrils, and his clothes were stained with blood.All the students in the abandoned factory had fled, leaving only William, the lifeless Arthur, and Ina, the class monitor."Why is this? Why isn''t he a monster?" William couldn''t comprehend it. He kept muttering, "Why isn''t he a monster at 19?""Well, Willem, it seems you''ve made a grave mistake," William heard Ina''s voice in his ear. Willem looked up, unsure when Ina had approached.Ina appeared unfazed by what she saw. She crouched down and smiled at William."How did you find out, William?" Ina inquired with a smile. A revelation? What had she discovered?Ina''s words sent shivers down Willem''s spine. He looked up, fear in his eyes. "You... You are..." "William, you''ve made a terrible mistake," Ina whispered calmly.Her voice was melodious, but to Willem, it sounded like the whisper of the devil. "The feeding time of an animal is determined by the preferences of the eater.""Just as some people prefer their steak medium-rare, some creatures are consumed at birth, and others as adults.""By the way, would you like to guess how many other beings like you are left in our class?" Familiar tentacles emerged from Ina''s belly, enveloping William tightly. Stolen novel; please report. Chapter 3 : All men are monsters Ina approached slowly, extending her tongue to lick William''s face, an intoxicated expression on her face. "Truly delicious, indeed. Animal flesh is the most exquisite." She opened her mouth and bit into William''s throat. William struggled, but he couldn''t free himself from the tentacles constricting him. Gradually, his consciousness began to fade, and he knew he was dying again. ... "When the exam concludes, please stop writing immediately." William awoke with a start as the announcement blared in his ear. When he opened his eyes, he saw the exam paper in front of him¡ªthe paper from the final exam¡ªand he was back, once again back in time. August 9th, the last day of the exam. "This student, the exam has concluded; please stop writing immediately." Observing that William still held a pen, the proctor approached. "Classmate, can you hear me?" the invigilator asked. "Shut up..." William''s hand trembled, clutching the pen. "What did you say?" The invigilator was taken aback. "I told you to shut up!" William sprang to his feet. He hurled the pen to the ground and screamed hysterically. Looking at his shaking hands, he envisioned himself killing Arthur. It wasn''t a monster he had killed; it was a human being. All the people in the examination room stared at William, but now he didn''t care. "You must all be monsters," William cried with a bitter smile. "I know. Don''t pretend. You''re monsters, all of you!" "What''s wrong with you, classmate? Are you feeling unwell?" the invigilator inquired with concern. "Get away! Don''t come near me!" William retreated hastily. Yet, as William saw everyone in the classroom gazing at him, a tingling sensation prickled his scalp, as if something were stuck in his throat. "Why? Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?" William couldn''t believe it. "What is real? What is real?!" William''s headache intensified, and it felt like he was going insane. Tears welled up in his eyes as he broke down, shouting, "Give me back my life, give me back my mom and dad..." In a daze, William sensed someone approaching. "I''m sorry, teacher. He''s my classmate. Perhaps the exam pressure got to him because he didn''t perform well," a voice suddenly intervened. William recognized the voice; it sounded familiar¡ªthe voice of the person who had called him from an unknown number. William looked up, and though he could only see him from behind, he immediately recognized the man. "Carl?" William paused. The call from that strange number on August 10th ¨C it was Carl''s voice. He kept his voice low, but William recognized it. "Is he really okay?" The proctor peered past Carl at William. "He doesn''t seem right." The invigilator''s gaze took on an unsettling edge, not one of concern, but more akin to a predatory hunger. "What if I take him to the office for a rest?" "No, sir." Carl moved to the side, blocking William from view. "You understand how crucial the college entrance examination is for us," Carl said, his voice tinged with sympathy. "Sometimes, when things don''t go well in the exam, it can be quite distressing." Carl glanced back at William, his expression a mix of understanding and reassurance. "William, apologize to the teacher." This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. William stood there in a daze, unsure of who was human and who was a monster. "What are you staring at?" Carl''s voice remained calm and collected. He gently pulled William closer and whispered, "Apologize to the teacher, you''ll feel better." Carl discreetly pinched William''s waist. Although the pain was far from the agony of facing a monster, it was enough to snap William back to reality. Carl had repeatedly come to his aid, so maybe he wasn''t a monster after all. Carl''s presence brought a welcome sense of relief to William''s troubled mind. "Excuse me, teacher," William mumbled, head still lowered. He couldn''t meet the invigilator''s gaze, afraid his fear would be exposed. He bent over and whispered, "I shouldn''t have lost my temper earlier. I apologize." The proctor remained silent, his eyes locked on William for a moment before shifting a curious glance toward Carl. "Are you certain he doesn''t need a break?" The invigilator''s countenance remained cold, suggesting he was far from convinced. "No, sir," Carl replied politely. "His parents should be waiting for him outside the school." "I see." The proctor''s smile returned as he reached out and patted William on the shoulder. "You''ve finished the exam. Go home and get some rest." William''s instinct was to dodge the proctor''s extended hand. The panic of being discovered threatened to overwhelm him, but Carl''s steady presence kept him grounded. "It''s alright, William," Carl reassured him. "Whether you did well or not, nobody will blame you." "Could you thank the teacher for his concern?" "Thank you, teacher," William replied woodenly. He breathed a sigh of relief as the invigilator turned away. When he looked up, he realized the other candidates in the classroom were still staring at him. William couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread. Had he been exposed? Were all these people staring at him actually monsters? Were his parents monsters? Were his teachers and classmates all monsters? How many monsters lurked in this city? "William, come on," Carl urged, turning and heading out of the classroom. William hurriedly followed, but just as he was about to exit the classroom, the invigilator called out to him. "Student, wait a moment." William shuddered. What should he do now? Should he ignore the invigilator''s calls and make a run for it? But wouldn''t that be too conspicuous? Should he stay? Staying meant risking being discovered by these monsters. William''s heart raced at the thought of being captured and devoured. The pain, the suffocation, the despair ¨C he never wanted to experience that again. "Stay calm," he heard Carl''s voice. "If you don''t want to die." William took a deep breath, turned slowly, and asked softly, "Is there anything else, sir?" "You left your belongings," the invigilator said with a smile, pointing to William''s stationery on the exam table. "Thank you, teacher," William replied, walking over to retrieve his things. "You''re welcome." The invigilator watched William as he left and added, "Remember to rest well once you get home. The test is just a test, it doesn''t define you." Those final words sent a chill down William''s spine. He remembered his parents saying the same thing to him. His parents didn''t really care about his grades; they didn''t care about him at all. To them, he was merely food. No one concerned themselves with the test scores of food. "Let''s go," Carl urged as they left the school. They didn''t leave immediately; instead, Carl led William to the rooftop. "When did you find out?" Carl asked coolly, making sure they were alone. "I..." William hesitated. Should he tell Carl that he had discovered the truth on his birthday, June 10th, when he was attacked by the monster? Would Carl believe him? "Well, it doesn''t matter," William finally said, gazing down at the students emerging from the building after their exams. "We need to leave early. Staying too long might expose us." "They..." William looked up. "You mean the monsters?" Carl''s expression grew serious. "There are no monsters," he said firmly. "From now on, there are no monsters." "You know nothing, and to survive, you must pretend to know nothing." "I can''t do it," William admitted, shaking his head. The thought of pretending that nothing had happened filled him with dread, not because he felt weak, but because he knew he was scheduled to be devoured on his upcoming birthday in just two days. "Carl, do you know anything?" William asked. "What''s happening to this world? Why are these monsters infiltrating us, posing as adults? Are my parents already..." "I don''t know more than you do," Carl sighed. "But one thing is clear to me: you were not raised by your real parents from the very beginning." William froze, recalling the words his mother had uttered on August 11th when she had attacked him. "We''re not your parents," she had said. "We''re your feeders." "Feeders..." William whispered. "Feeders?" Carl snorted. "That''s an apt term." "Real humans have become domesticated animals, and the man-eating monsters have become the masters." "When the livestock is grown, they''ll be consumed by these damned monsters." "Yes, that''s what the monsters call us!" William said. "The monsters call us ''animal people.''" At this, Carl''s face hardened. "Animal people?" "How do you know what those monsters call us?" Carl asked, looking at William with a hint of suspicion. "Have you had contact with them? Have you seen them for what they truly are?" William nodded. "I''ve seen them. I''ve witnessed it myself." "My parents, Teacher Colleen, and Monitor Ina ¨C they''re all monsters," William revealed. Carl''s expression changed abruptly. He rushed up, grabbing William by the collar and hissing through clenched teeth, "Why didn''t you say something like that earlier? Are you trying to get us both killed?" Chapter 4 : Williams worth William was surprised by Carl''s enthusiastic response. He asked, "What''s going on with you?" "These monsters have their own rules, and unless the people who breed them discover what they really are, other monsters are not allowed to be sold," Carl explained with concern. He checked the time on his phone and hurriedly headed for the stairwell. "I''ve been in contact with the monsters, and I''ve seen them for what they really are. It means I''ve been exposed, and anything can happen to me," Carl continued. "I helped you in the classroom, so they''re going to come after me. I can''t die. I can''t leave my sister alone. I have to live. I have to protect her," Carl confided in William. "Sister? You have a sister?" William was taken aback, realizing that he didn''t know much about Carl. They were classmates, but Carl had always been withdrawn and had little interaction with others. Now, William suspected it might be because Carl had already recognized the people around him as monsters and chose not to engage with them. "No," William stopped Carl, "I''m not exposed." "It can''t be!" Carl exclaimed. "These monsters don''t reveal their true forms easily, and they only shed their disguise if they''re discovered. I really wasn''t exposed... Well, not exactly unexposed, but they don''t know that." William struggled to find the right words to explain, so he decided to share his own story. "I''ve died three times," he admitted. "What?" Carl was shocked. "I said I''ve died three times... Well, technically, four times," William clarified, a hint of sadness in his voice. It was difficult for him to accept that his own parents, with whom he had lived for so long, were actually monsters who intended to harm him. He began recounting his experiences. "On August 11th, which was my birthday, monsters disguised as my mom and dad killed me. They killed me twice," William explained, his voice heavy with sorrow. William was overwhelmed by the thought that the people he had loved and trusted the most were actually monsters plotting to harm him. He continued, "It was devastating to realize that my parents, whom I had lived with for so many years, were monsters who wanted to eat me. And then, on the evening of August 10th, I encountered Miss Colleen at school." "After I shared my suspicions with her, Mr. Colleen killed me again," William revealed. "Then, on the morning of August 10th, I tried to inform my classmates about the monsters. I called them to meet on the back hill," William continued. "But I never imagined that my classmates were monsters too." "I received a phone call from you that morning, warning me not to go, but I didn''t pay attention," William said, acknowledging Carl''s previous attempt to protect him. "What are you talking about? It''s only August 9th," Carl countered. "I know you won''t believe me," William said with a sense of frustration. "I don''t know why, but whenever I''m killed by a monster, I wake up unharmed." "And I can also travel back in time," William added. "I''ve been killed four times, but each time, I wake up again." Carl, bewildered by these revelations, asked, "Travel back in time? How is that possible?" "I don''t know," William admitted. "It''s like I have this ability. I remember the phone call you made to me on June 9th." Carl, who had always been cautious, was taken aback. He had a phone number that no one else should know except him. William continued, "I told you about it earlier, the strange number you called me from on June 9th." "I remember that number. How do you know it?" Carl asked with growing confusion. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "I told you, you called me from that number on June 9th," William replied. Carl, unable to explain how William knew his secret number, decided to trust him. "I believe you," he said. Surprised by Carl''s sudden change of heart, William asked, "You believe me? Just like that?" Carl shrugged and replied, "It could be your ability." "Abilities?" William was intrigued. "What do you mean?" "I don''t know," Carl admitted. "It''s possible that people bred by these monsters have developed unique abilities. Maybe it''s a gift from God to help us fight against the monsters. But your ability... it doesn''t sound very powerful." William agreed with Carl. If his ability was indeed the ability to return to the past after being killed, it seemed limited in its usefulness. "If you knew the power..." Carl began but was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Carl turned toward the stairwell door and said, "Someone''s coming." "Monsters, to be exact," Carl said with a serious expression. "Monsters? Coming here?" William was filled with fear. Carl nodded. "Don''t you think... Are we exposed?" William asked, his anxiety growing. "Probably not," Carl replied, sniffing the air in the direction of the stairwell. He continued, "That monster smells like you. It''s coming for you." "For me?" William''s fear deepened. "It''s too late to run," Carl shook his head. "Remember, William, if you don''t want to die, you have to act like you don''t know anything." "But... but I''m going to be killed on June 11th, my birthday, the day I mentioned earlier," William lamented. "That''s still two days away," Carl said urgently. "Right now, the most important thing is to survive. We can discuss the rest later." As Carl spoke, the stairwell door swung open, revealing a familiar figure¡ªWilliam''s mother. "What are you doing on the roof?" William asked nervously. His mother maintained a soft smile as she approached him. "I''ve been waiting outside for a while and couldn''t find you." "How did you know I was here?" William inquired, his unease growing. "I came looking for you, and your classmates told me they saw you on the roof," his mother replied gently. William hesitated as he struggled to find words, but the sudden arrival of his mother didn''t give him time to stabilize his emotions. "Auntie, William is feeling down," Carl chimed in, his demeanor calm and composed. His mother gazed at William and said, "It''s okay, one exam won''t define your worth." "Let''s go home," she suggested, and her words carried a deeper meaning for William. As William rode back home with his mother, fear consumed him. He couldn''t help but cast suspicious glances at her as a million thoughts raced through his mind. "Should I take off my coat and strangle her?" William pondered. But he quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that these monsters might have protective shells. "Or maybe poison her food?" he considered, but then worried that they might be able to detect the poison. William''s anxiety continued to grow. He didn''t know how many monsters existed in the world. Even if he could kill the monster in front of him, what about the others? Would he have to live in a world filled with monsters? His mother''s voice from the driver''s seat interrupted his thoughts. "Why aren''t you talking, William?" Startled, William stammered, "I didn''t do well in the exam. I don''t feel well, so I don''t want to talk." His mother''s voice softened, but it only made William feel more nauseous. "Grades aren''t important, William. Mom and Dad won''t blame you if you didn''t do well." William couldn''t help but think sarcastically, "Of course you won''t blame me. After all, you''re planning to eat me in two days. My grades are the least of your concerns." His mother then mentioned that she had heard from William''s classmates about him losing his temper with the proctor during the exam. She also asked about William mentioning something about "monsters." William realized that he was probably being watched. He had disclosed too much information, and now he was being tested by the monsters. He decided to confirm his suspicions and said, "Yes, I saw the exam paper turn into a monster, along with all the questions and words on it. I had practiced those questions, but during the exam, I couldn''t answer them." His mother slammed on the brakes, and the car came to a sudden stop. She turned to him, her voice dark, "William, when you say ''monster,'' is that what you mean?" William nodded, fear coursing through him. He knew he had to be careful with his words. The car resumed moving, and his mother didn''t look back. She reassured him not to put too much pressure on himself and that grades weren''t everything. William realized that maintaining his best condition was essential to making his meat more delicious to these monsters. When the news bulletin on the radio mentioned an ongoing manhunt for someone named Alex, a slaughterhouse owner, his mother expressed concern about the situation in the city. She even suggested that he stay home for a few days, emphasizing that it wasn''t safe outside. William found her comment ironic. It wasn''t safe inside either, as his home was filled with monsters. He managed to convince his mother to let him attend his graduation dinner with classmates the next day, promising to stay home afterward and rest. Chapter 5 : Just me and you Once inside the elevator, William encountered his upstairs neighbor, Tasha, holding a baby. He knew the truth¡ªthese babies weren''t Tasha''s grandchildren; they were simply their next meals. "I''m sorry," William repeated silently to himself. Back in his room, William contemplated his next move. He couldn''t guarantee his own safety, let alone that of others. He was trapped in a world filled with monsters. His mother visited his room several times, and each time, William pretended to be asleep with his eyes closed, aware of her watchful gaze. Late at night, the doorbell rang. William thought it might be his father returning home, but it turned out to be Carl, looking distraught. "William, something''s wrong," Carl said, his eyes red from crying. William, relieved to see his friend, asked, "Are we exposed?" Carl shook his head. "William, I''m sorry." Suddenly, a searing pain shot through William''s abdomen, and he looked down to see Carl holding a knife, its blade buried in his flesh. "Why... why would you..." William''s voice trembled. "I''m sorry, but I had to do this because... it''s the only way," Carl choked out as tears streamed down his face. The announcement over the radio jolted William awake. As he opened his eyes, the test paper lay before him, a haunting reminder of that fateful morning on June 8th. "Ah..." William gasped. He had made the choice to survive, only to meet his end once again. This time, it wasn''t a monster that killed him, but rather his fellow human, Carl. "Dear examinee, please refrain from speaking loudly in the examination room." The invigilator approached, and the other students in the room turned their attention to William. "Get out of here!" William shouted loudly as he leaped from his chair. Turning around, he saw the familiar figure. "Chow¡ªKay," William muttered as he grabbed Carl by the collar and hoisted him up. "What are you doing?" Carl appeared baffled. "This examinee, please cease this at once," the proctor tried to intervene. "If you continue, I''ll have to disqualify you." "I''m turning in my paper!" William glared at the proctor. Even though he now knew the invigilator in front of him was a monster, he felt no fear at this moment. Monsters wouldn''t attack unless their true nature was revealed, at least not until August 11. "He''s turning in his paper too!" William declared as he dragged Carl out of the classroom. "Let go of me!" Carl tried to pull William''s hand away. "What''s gotten into you?" William leaned close, whispering into Carl''s ear, "If you want to save your sister, come with me." Carl''s expression darkened. William didn''t stop; he turned decisively and exited the classroom. "This examinee, are you in some kind of trouble?" The invigilator inquired. "Can I assist you?" Carl shook his head and said, "No, sir, I''ll turn in my paper as well." Carl hurried after William. From the rooftop of the school building, William watched the stairwell intently. When he saw Carl entering, he didn''t hesitate to rush over and throw a punch. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Unfortunately, the punch missed Carl. Carl turned out to be much more agile than William had anticipated, easily sidestepping the attack. "Don''t dodge!" William steadied himself. "Stand still and let me punch you. You owe me that." "Why did you call me here?" Carl''s expression grew heavy. "What''s happened to my sister?" "Just wait until I''ve punched you in the face!" William disregarded Carl''s questions and lunged again. His fist was caught by Carl, who then executed a swift leg sweep, sending William sprawling to the ground. "Carl! Damn you!" William cursed, struggling to get up but failing to break free. "So, to save your sister, you wouldn''t hesitate to kill me?" Carl questioned. "On what grounds? I summoned the courage to survive the monsters, only to be killed by your hands!" "What did you say?" Carl''s face darkened. "What do you know?" William gritted his teeth and recounted what had transpired between them. "Why couldn''t you just say something? Hand me a knife out of nowhere. Do you have any idea how painful it is to be stabbed? I could''ve stabbed you!" William vented, feeling wronged. Carl released his grip and regarded William with suspicion. "Are you saying that my sister is going to be killed by a monster this afternoon?" "How should I know?" William got up from the ground. "That''s what you told me when you stabbed me." "You said that after the exam this afternoon, you returned home and found that your sister had turned into a monster. You told me to relay this message and said you had to save your sister." "How did you know your sister had become a monster? Did you witness it yourself?" Carl frowned and said, "By the heartbeat." "Heartbeat?" William was puzzled. "What do you mean?" "Monsters and humans have different heart rates," Carl continued. "My ability is sensory enhancement. I can detect if someone is a monster by listening to their heartbeat." William recalled the time before when Carl had been on the rooftop with him. Carl had managed to identify his mother going up the stairs and even detected William''s scent on her. That''s why Carl had called William on August 9th, advising him not to go to Back Hill, because Carl knew that William was human, while the other students were monsters. "So, when you got home this afternoon, you could tell from your sister''s heartbeat that she was no longer your sister?" "That''s not entirely accurate," William found it perplexing. "Before I was killed... she told me that monsters who eat people have their preferences." "Some prefer to feast on children, while others target adults." "If your sister was devoured by a monster, it means they favor individuals of her age group. Then shouldn''t you be the first to be devoured?" Carl shook his head and explained, "I''m not like you. Monsters posing as your parents raised you, but I grew up in an institution." William paused for a moment, realizing that he knew very little about the current Carl ¨C not his family background, not his personality, only that he was introverted. Now, there was one more piece of the puzzle ¨C his sister. It occurred to him that if William had known Carl better, he might not have stabbed him to death. "If it was a welfare home..." William pondered for a moment before asking, "How do the monsters in welfare homes consume people?" "For these monsters, the welfare home serves as their hunting ground," Carl explained. "I discovered at a very young age that I possessed unique abilities." "Through this ability, I discerned the existence of monsters and realized that every time someone came to the institution to adopt a child, they were actually monsters." "Their intent wasn''t to adopt children; it was to select their next meal." At this, William recalled Tasha holding a baby in her arms. Perhaps that was how she had brought the baby back. "So, how have you managed to survive all this time?" William looked at Carl with admiration. After all, William only had to contend with his monstrous parents, but Carl, raised in the welfare home, had to face a batch of monsters. "Whenever a monster came to the Welfare Court to choose a child, I would secretly switch my sister and me with another pair of children and then hide with my sister for a while." "It wasn''t that difficult, given my abilities," Carl explained. "Once the monsters who had selected children departed, I would quietly return the swapped children to their original places to avoid detection." "Why didn''t you take action against the monsters sooner?" William was puzzled. "Action?" Carl questioned with a wry smile. "How? Do you have any idea how many monsters exist in this world?" "Let''s not even consider other places; let''s just focus on our class. Except for you and me, everyone else is a monster! That''s just one class, let alone everywhere else." "When those monsters devour people, others take their place. Of course, not everyone is replaced ¨C some people die and are done away with." "No one remembers that they were eaten by a monster, disappearing from this world forever. It''s as if they never existed." "Wait a minute." William furrowed his brow. "That can''t be true." He thought for a moment before saying, "Apart from you and me, there should be one more person in our class who isn''t a monster." "Impossible," Carl shook his head. "How can that be? Arthur is," William asserted. "Arthur? No, he''s a monster too." Chapter 6 : Escape plan "It''s not that I won''t participate, it''s that we won''t participate together," Carl explained. "Besides, is the exam more important than my sister''s life?" "I... They?" William stared. "Do you mean I have to go with you?" "On what grounds?" "Don''t you want to live?" William reminded him. "If I recall correctly, you said you were going to be killed on August 11th." "There''s only one way to survive ¨C to escape." "To where?" "You mentioned how many monsters there are in this world. Even if we escape from here, we''ll still encounter monsters." "As long as the monsters here don''t find out." "We''ll run to a place where no one knows us, and as long as we continue to pretend we haven''t seen these monsters, they won''t harm us. After all, they don''t know us, so they won''t know if we have ''owners.''" William contemplated this and decided that Carl had a point. "But..." "Don''t be indecisive." Before William could continue, Carl interrupted, "Death is the only other option, so we might as well fight. Are you willing to be devoured by those monsters?" "I''m not resigned to that," William replied, shaking his head. "I want to live and, if possible, find my birth parents." "In that case, it''s settled," Carl said. "I''ll give you an address. Go back and pack your things at noon, and come straight here this afternoon. I''ll meet you there." "Don''t bring any clothing or belongings. It''s too troublesome. Bring money if you have any." The announcement signaling the end of the test sounded, and students in the building began leaving the examination room one after another. Carl hastened to speak, "Remember, the monsters must not notice." After reaching an agreement, the two of them left the school building one after another. Noon passed quickly, and it was almost four o''clock in the afternoon when William arrived at the designated meeting place. "Why did you take so long?" Carl furrowed his brow when he saw William''s late arrival. William didn''t reply immediately, his gaze fixed on the girl standing beside Carl. The girl had a braid in her hair and big, innocent eyes. As if aware of William''s attention, the girl smiled shyly, revealing dimples on her cheeks. "Is this our sister?" William asked. "Do you want to die?" Carl scowled. "I asked you a question. Why are you so late?" "It''s easy for you to say," William muttered, pouting. "The monster escorted me to school and didn''t leave until he saw me inside." "I was afraid to leave through the school gate, so I hid in the restroom and sneaked out through the back wall after the afternoon exam started." "The afternoon exam starts at three, and you''re far away, so it''s early for me to be here." "The monster? What kind of monster?" Lucy asked, curious. "Games," Carl quickly interjected. "He said it was a game," Carl said as he moved William aside. "Did you tell your sister about the monsters?" William asked. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Carl shook his head and replied, "No, she''s still young, and I didn''t want to scare her. Besides, my sister is quite simple, and if she knew, I''m afraid she wouldn''t be able to pretend she didn''t know, making it easier for the monsters to discover her." "She''s not that young," William looked back at Lucy. "Where are you looking? Do you want me to gouge your eyes out?" "No, I wasn''t looking at anything," William quickly redirected his attention. "So, where are we going now? Are we taking a train?" "No, no cars," Carl responded. "It''s too conspicuous and can be easily tracked." "Why not take a train?" "We''ll go on foot." "On foot?" William paused. "Are you kidding? Walking out of here on our own two legs?" Carl nodded and explained, "Ever since I discovered the existence of monsters, I''ve been exploring safe routes out of here whenever possible." "I''ve scouted almost all the areas around here. We''ll walk through the Sifang Mountains, and on foot, we can reach the city in about five days. Once we''re in the city where no one knows us, we''ll take the bus." At this point, Carl suddenly raised his head and gazed into the distance. He turned to look at William and whispered, "Someone''s coming." "Did the monsters find out about our escape so soon?" William tensed at Carl''s words. But Carl shook his head and reassured him, "It''s not a monster; it''s a human." "You scared me," William sighed with relief. "You wouldn''t be afraid if you were a human." "No," Carl''s expression grew serious. "This place is remote, and it''s far from any road. Almost no one comes here." "Carl..." Just then, Lucy approached from the side. Lucy didn''t understand why her brother suddenly wanted to take her away, but she trusted him unconditionally. However, she remembered that she had an afternoon appointment with her classmates to go shopping, and she wanted to buy a gift for her brother. "Should I wait here?" Lucy whispered to Carl. "Go ahead and meet your classmates. We''ll catch up later," Carl whispered back. While Lucy waited, Carl and William had a tense conversation. "Carl, could that be one of your sister''s classmates coming over?" William asked, his voice low. "Maybe," Carl replied, but his expression turned sour. William noticed the change in Carl''s face and inquired, "What''s wrong with you?" "Behind that man, there''s a monster following," Carl revealed. "A monster?" Lin Hang was taken aback. "How did you not notice it earlier?" "My range of perception is limited," Carl explained. "I can only sense targets within an 800-meter radius." "800 meters?" William realized the gravity of the situation. "So the monster is very close to us now?" Carl reassured him, "Not necessarily. They might not be coming for us." But then Lucy tried to call her classmate, and the phone of the man who was approaching rang. William connected the dots. "Wait a minute! In the timeline I''ve experienced before, you said you went back and found your sister among those monsters." "That means your sister was killed while we were taking our exams," William deduced, a grim expression on his face. William checked the time on his phone and added, "We should be taking the college entrance examination in the examination room right now. Could it be that the time when your sister was killed is now?" Carl realized the urgency of the situation. "Cloud, let''s go!" he urged, grabbing Lucy and turning to run. William followed suit. Lucy, however, suddenly remembered something. "Brother, I suddenly remembered that I have an appointment with my classmates to go shopping together in the afternoon," Lucy whispered to Carl. "Because my brother''s college entrance examination is over today, I want to buy a gift for you." "Where were you supposed to meet?" Carl asked softly. Lucy explained, "My classmate said she would pick me up on her electric bike. The location of the welfare institute is hard to find, so my classmates and I agreed to meet here." However, when Lucy tried calling her classmate, there was no answer. "Strange, why isn''t anyone answering the phone?" Lucy wondered aloud. Carl''s expression grew serious. "That man who was coming here... he''s following a monster!" "What? How did you not find it earlier?" Lin Hang was surprised. "Why is that...?" William noticed the change in Carl''s face. "Behind that man... a monster is chasing him!" Carl exclaimed. "You... what''s wrong with you?" William questioned Carl. "Lucy, don''t be afraid. I''m here," Carl assured his sister, positioning himself between Lucy and the approaching monster. However, when the electric bike arrived, it was Lucy''s classmate who had come to meet her. She was terrified and said, "Lucy, there''s a monster! A monster is chasing me!" William heard a faint gasp, and then, a monstrous figure appeared before them. It had six long worm- like legs, sickle-shaped forearms, barbed tentacles on its belly, and large compound eyes. Its appearance was grotesque and eerie. Lucy was frightened, and Carl stood protectively in front of her. William, however, noticed that something was off about this monster. "Carl, the appearance of this monster... something''s not right," William whispered. Chapter 7 : Theres no escape Faced with the monstrous creature in front of him, William refused to flee. There was a simple reason for this ¨C he couldn''t outrun the monster, so he resolved to stand his ground and fight. A mix of fear and determination coursed through him. After all, even if they were killed, they would only return to the past, the prospect of starting anew. This newfound resolve bolstered William''s spirits. He realized that his abilities might not be as feeble as he had initially believed. But observing Carl''s fierce battle with the creature only made him envious. "That''s impressive," William sighed, watching Carl engage the monster. The beast was incredibly agile, its six insect-like legs propelling its large body with uncanny speed. Its sickle-like forearms swung relentlessly, accompanied by writhing tentacles on its belly, making it a formidable adversary for any ordinary person. However, Carl seemed to be on par with the monster. It was evident that he had been honing his combat skills since first encountering these creatures. In addition, his enhanced senses gave him an edge over the monster. Carl''s heightened vision enabled him to swiftly discern the movements of the creature''s tentacles. His enhanced hearing allowed him to anticipate the monster''s forearm strikes by detecting subtle changes in the wind. The augmented sense of touch made him more adept at wielding his knife. But despite Carl''s valiant efforts, the knife in his hand couldn''t pierce the monster''s sturdy carapace. "Its carapace is too tough, the knife can''t harm it!" William shouted. "Don''t just stand there shouting, come and help!" Carl yelled back at William, evading another assault from the monster''s forearms. William nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and responded, "Brother, don''t forget that I''m not you. If I had your abilities, I''d have joined the fray this morning." "You''re our only combatant here," William continued, casting a wary glance at the relentless monster. "Focus on its eyes, Carl! It doesn''t have a carapace protecting its eyes!" It wasn''t that Carl was unwilling to target the monster''s eyes; rather, he was unable to get close enough to do so. A constant growling sound emanated from the monster, a noise that William couldn''t comprehend, as if the creature was irritated by Carl''s constant evasion. "This isn''t working," William frowned, scratching his head. "Carl has limited physical stamina, but the monster doesn''t." "In case Carl gets exhausted, we need to switch roles," William declared, determination shining in his eyes. "I must do something about this monster. I refuse to die at their hands again," William declared with unwavering resolve. He swiftly removed his backpack and rummaged through it. The monster''s sickle-like forearms were indeed sharp, but they were relatively easier to evade. On the other hand, the creature''s flexible and numerous abdomen tentacles posed a more significant threat, making hiding a daunting task. Carl, while continuing to dodge the monster''s tentacles, sensed something and turned his attention to William''s location. He discerned William''s intentions and comprehended his plan. "Hey, Ugly, over here!" Carl shouted, luring the monster''s attention away from himself. He persistently attacked the creature''s carapace with his knife, despite knowing that it couldn''t penetrate the armor. "Hey, Ugly, look this way!" William''s voice echoed through the darkness as he took action. William stood upright, clutching a bottle in his hand. The bottle''s opening was stuffed with thin strips of cloth, thoroughly soaked in the wine it had contained. William had secretly purloined this bottle from his home''s wine cabinet before setting out on their journey. He had brought it for two reasons: to fortify his courage in times of peril and to have a means of disinfection should injuries occur. He never anticipated that this bottle of wine would be repurposed as an improvised incendiary device. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Seeing the monster turn towards him, William ignited the soaked cloth and hurled the bottle at the creature, shouting, "Ugly, meet your end!" However, William''s aim fell short, and the bottle soared too high, nearly clearing the monster. Suddenly, the monster raised one of its forearms and sliced downward, bisecting the bottle cleanly. The spilled wine ignited instantly as it made contact with the burning cloth, and fiery drops fell upon the creature''s eyes. One of the monster''s eyes was set ablaze, eliciting a guttural scream of agony. "Run!" Carl seized this opportunity to attack the monster repeatedly with his knife, even though he understood that the blade couldn''t penetrate the beast''s carapace. Afterward, he rapidly retreated and headed towards William. "We can''t kill this monster; let''s escape before its eyes recover!" Carl shouted. "Lucy, come quickly!" He grabbed Lucy and sprinted as fast as his legs would carry them. William glimpsed the howling monster and hastened to follow. "Where are we running to?" William gasped. "Toward the mountains, of course," Carl replied. "Stay close to me; we can''t head for the main road. It''s too crowded, and if people see the monster chasing us, they''ll intervene." "Brother, about this monster¡­ What is it?" Lucy appeared to have pieced together some information. "Is it the reason we''re suddenly fleeing from here?" Carl nodded but didn''t have time to elaborate. "Lucy, it''s a complicated story; I''ll explain later." They sprinted with all their might, but the relentless monster was unrelenting in its pursuit. Although the flames on its eye had been extinguished, one eye was still functional. "We need to run faster; the monster is closing in," Carl warned, hearing the creature''s heartbeat. "This is my top speed!" William strained to keep up. They continued to flee, but the monster remained hot on their heels. "Brother, I can''t keep running," Lucy panted, her strength waning. Gradually, William began to lag behind, his stamina dwindling. "Can''t you think of any way to shake it off?" William gasped. "This way, into the alley!" Carl shouted, lifting Lucy onto his back as he darted into the narrow passage. However, their respite was short-lived. Carl abruptly halted within the alley. "Why have we stopped?" William inquired, bewildered. "Did we lose the monster?" Carl scowled, clenching his teeth, and disclosed, "We''re surrounded." "What?" William was shocked. "There''s another one ahead." "No way," William muttered, scanning the area for any makeshift weapons to defend themselves. Yet, upon close examination, he found nothing suitable. "Is this the time to bring out the bottle again?" William grappled with the situation, struggling to devise a plan. He gritted his teeth and made a grim decision: "Carl, if it comes to it, kill me." "Huh?" Lucy was taken aback by William''s words. "If there''s no escape, you must do it," Carl affirmed, his grip firm on the knife. "And next time, you must tell me what happened earlier." "It''s the only way we can evade the monsters and reach the Sifang Mountains safely." "You don''t have to explain," William sighed. He had hoped to survive this time, yet it seemed he couldn''t evade the inevitable fate of being killed. As he prepared for the worst, William contemplated that the next resurrection would likely return him to August 8. In hindsight, running away on that fateful day might have spared him from encountering this ravenous monstrosity. "Just do it," William murmured with his eyes closed. "Make it quick." Carl raised the knife, poised to act, when an unexpectedly familiar voice echoed from the front of the alley. "William? Carl? What on earth are you doing here?" "Arthur?" Carl''s face darkened as he observed the people emerging from the corner of the alley. "Why are you here?" William asked in surprise. He couldn''t understand why Arthur, who should have been taking the exam, was here. He was certain that Arthur wasn''t a monster, as he had killed him in a previous iteration, and he had been human. "I''m going home," Arthur replied, looking puzzled. "Home?" William furrowed his brow. "Aren''t you supposed to be taking the exam right now?" "What time is it? The exam has long since ended." William checked his phone and realized that it was nearly six o''clock, confirming that the afternoon exam had indeed concluded. "What brings you here?" Arthur asked as he approached. "Stop! Don''t come any closer!" Carl quickly positioned himself in front of jLucy, raising the knife in his hand. "Carl, what''s going on?" Arthur was alarmed by Carl''s actions, especially when he saw the knife pointed at him. Chapter 8 : Select "Don''t pretend. I know you''re a monster," Carl gritted his teeth. "Strange... a monster?" Arthur looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?" "Carl, did you mean Arthur when you mentioned the monsters surrounding us?" William suddenly had a realization. Carl didn''t respond with words but nodded affirmatively. "You had me worried there," William sighed in relief. "He''s not a monster." "Are you role-playing or something?" Arthur asked, puzzled, as he took a step closer. "I don''t know how you managed to deceive Willem, but you didn''t fool me." "Carl, what''s gotten into you?" Arthur inquired. As they spoke, the sound of footsteps from the mouth of the alley grew closer. Though William couldn''t see anything, he knew that the monster was approaching them. "Carl, trust me," William urged. "Arthur really isn''t a monster. Let''s run, it''s not safe here." "I only trust my ability," Carl said, his expression unusually serious. "His heartbeat is just like a monster''s." "You''re being paranoid," William argued. "If Arthur were really a monster, he wouldn''t need to pretend to be human to get close to us. If he had been a true monster and worked with the one behind us, we would already be dead." Carl furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He had to admit that William''s logic made sense. Just as Carl was starting to reconsider, Arthur suddenly reacted. "Oh my God!" Arthur pointed to the ground nearby, trembling. "What is that thing?" They turned around to see the monster quickly closing in. William had thought the narrow alley would limit the monster''s movements, but he hadn''t anticipated that the creature could crawl swiftly along the walls, making it even more agile in tight spaces. "Run!" William shouted urgently. Carl clenched his teeth, pulling Lucy with him as they continued running. "Willem, what is that thing?" Arthur stared intently at the approaching monster. "Your role-playing skills are really... top-notch." "Damn it!" William ran past Arthur, yelling at him, "That''s a real monster! Run!" "A real monster?" Arthur suddenly snapped out of his confusion, took another look at the monster, and was horrified. He hurriedly followed the others. The narrow alley twisted and turned, but Carl had hoped that it would slow the monster down. Unfortunately, it only ended up injuring them. The monster climbed the wall, leaped off the top of the wall, and swung its sickle-like forearm toward them. Though Carl reacted in time, Lucy couldn''t dodge in time. Carl shielded Lucy with his back, watching as the monster''s forearm neared them. Just then, Arthur rushed forward. "Run!" Arthur yelled, forcing Carl and Lucy away just as the sickle thrust through Arthur''s body. "Arthur!" William watched as blood flowed from the wound that pierced Arthur''s body, recalling the previous iteration when he had killed Arthur. "Why, Carl, why did Arthur try to save you?" Carl couldn''t comprehend why Arthur had sacrificed himself. "I don''t know why," Arthur''s voice weakened. "It could have been... a knee-jerk reaction..." He gazed at William and Carl, trying to smile but unable to control his facial muscles due to the convulsions. William didn''t know much about Arthur since he had joined their class in his senior year as a repeat student. But in William''s eyes, Arthur had always been like an older brother¡ªkind-hearted and always ready to help his classmates in need. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Quick... Run..." Arthur''s voice grew fainter as the monster''s tentacles ensnared him. The creature''s jagged jaws clamped onto Arthur''s neck, greedily draining his blood. Arthur''s sacrifice bought them some time. The monster ceased its attack and began to consume its "meal." Carl hoisted Lucy from the ground, his emotions a jumble as he watched Arthur being held captive by the monster. "Let''s go," Carl said, his voice determined. "You go on." "We can''t defeat the monster. We can''t save him." "But we can save him," William declared, his eyes resolute. "I can save him." "Are you...?" Carl instantly understood what William was suggesting. "Even if you can save him now, then what? Do you plan to use your powers to go back in time every time someone dies?" Carl asked again. "I don''t know what will happen after that," William admitted, unwavering. He took the knife from Carl and advanced toward the monster with determined steps. "But right now, I have to try. Because... I owe him," William explained earnestly. "Willem, you¡ª" Carl began, but William interrupted him. "You go ahead. If my powers fail, at least you and your sister will still be alive." Carl hesitated, glanced at William, who was resolutely approaching the monster, then took his sister''s hand and turned away. "Hey, you ugly creature!" William shouted at the approaching monster. "Let him go!" When the monster ignored him, William gripped the knife and thrust it forcefully toward the monster''s abdomen. William was clever enough not to aim for the carapace covering the monster''s body but instead targeted the creature''s unprotected belly, which was covered in tentacles. However, dealing with these tentacles alone was no easy task for William. Before his blade could reach the monster, the tentacles wrapped around him, lifting him into the air while the creature fixed its remaining compound eye on him. "Die, you beast!" William shouted angrily, flinging the knife from his grasp. The blade pierced the monster''s compound eye, causing the tentacles ensnaring William to writhe wildly as he was thrown violently. The excruciating pain felt like every bone in his body was breaking, and his internal organs seemed to be crushed. Six insect-like legs pounded on the ground, stomping on William''s body repeatedly. "Ha... Ha..." William, feeling the intense pain, suddenly wanted to laugh at the monster''s frustration. "You beasts... One day... I''ll kill all of you..." His consciousness gradually faded, and everything around him grew darker. ... "Ding... Ding..." "Now, please proceed to answer the questions..." William opened his eyes to the familiar announcement. Looking at the exam paper in front of him, he knew William felt a heavy weight pressing down on him. It was akin to playing a video game for three days and nights, believing you were on the brink of victory, only to discover that you hadn''t even left the novice village. He couldn''t help but shoot a disdainful glare at the invigilators seated beside the lectern. Part of him yearned to rush up and confront them right then and there. Frustration boiled within William, and he gripped his pen so tightly that its tip sliced through the exam paper. Taking a deep breath, he wrestled his emotions under control and began to formulate his escape plan. William had prior knowledge that Carl''s sister would face the monster on August 9. However, he couldn''t be certain he could evade it. When the monster''s identity was still concealed, fleeing the following day could lead to another encounter with the same creature. So, the optimal time for their escape was today. William knew that after the exam, his mother would come to pick him up. If he ran away now and his mother didn''t find him walking out of the school gate, she would become suspicious, jeopardizing their escape plan. Perhaps an excuse after dinner could work? But, with the final day of the college entrance examination looming tomorrow, not returning home in the evening would raise red flags with his parents. The most opportune moment was tonight, after his parents had fallen asleep. This way, even if the two monsters at home discovered their absence, they''d be long gone. As he contemplated this, William became aware of a figure standing beside him. Looking up, he couldn''t help but shiver. Unbeknownst to him, a proctor had approached and was scrutinizing William''s blank exam paper with a furrowed brow. The sheet was devoid of any answers; William hadn''t written a single word. "What are you staring at? I can''t afford to fail any of these exams!" William snapped. The invigilator teacher seemed momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting such defiance from a student who hadn''t even attempted to answer a single question. After the proctor moved away, William hastily filled in the answer sheet. Submitting a blank paper would undoubtedly arouse suspicion, after all. He focused on the subject he had already answered. Finally, fifteen minutes before the exam''s conclusion, William handed in his paper early. Before leaving, he approached Carl and whispered a few words. "What are you two up to?" The invigilator chimed in. "Submit your papers as you leave and no whispering during the exam." Carl promptly stood up. "Teacher, I''m also finished." He handed in his paper and followed William out of the exam room. With their familiarity of the rooftop, William recounted their plan to Carl, who had disclosed the truth about the monsters. He explained it all in detail, particularly emphasizing the significance of Carl and his sister''s safety. This transparent disclosure left no room for doubt. Carl, however, expressed some astonishment upon hearing that Arthur had saved both William and Lucy. "I never would have imagined... Arthur saving me," Carl admitted. "Arthur has always had a kind heart," William casually remarked. "Besides, sometimes, kindness can be found where you least expect it." Chapter 9 : Lets go home. "Without Arthur''s intervention, you might have met your demise, never knowing he wasn''t a monster." "But his heartbeat is just like those monsters," Carl mused, still perplexed. "Perhaps everyone''s physiology is different," William speculated after a brief pause. "Some individuals have their hearts on the right side." "Let''s not dwell on that," William cautioned. He glanced at his phone; the exam was drawing to a close. "Tonight, don''t forget, Arthur will be with us. And you mustn''t refer to him as a monster." Through their shared experiences, William had learned to interact with monsters naturally, even in the presence of Carl. Evening soon descended upon them. William ensured that the two monsters residing at his home were fast asleep before making his discreet exit. At their designated rendezvous point with Carl, they were slightly ahead of schedule. "William, is it true what Carl just told me? That the people around us are monsters?" Arthur inquired, rushing over upon seeing William. Carl had exposed the monsters to Arthur, and while Lucy had faith in her brother''s words, Arthur''s expression was one of eerie disbelief. "Are we truly escaping from here?" Arthur hesitated. "Is it also true, as Carl mentioned, that you once sacrificed yourself to save me?" Arthur harbored numerous questions and an intense desire to pour them all out. "William, will you genuinely go back in time when you die?" "It''s all true," William affirmed, nodding. "Furthermore, we have no reason to deceive you." William recognized that Arthur wouldn''t accept these revelations immediately. Without multiple brushes with death at the hands of monsters, he might not have believed in the existence of such creatures. "We''ll discuss this on the way," Carl chimed in, holding Lucy''s hand as they approached. "After you told me about tomorrow''s events, I noticed on our way back that there indeed seemed to be a monster near the welfare home," Carl said to William as they walked. "It was an elderly beggar who seemed somewhat delirious, wandering around and pleading for a drink." "The monster we''ll encounter tomorrow may be him." William briefly conveyed this information, assuaging any doubts Carl might have harbored. However, Carl found it somewhat surprising to learn that Arthur had saved both William and Lucy. "I never thought... that Arthur would come to my rescue," Carl admitted. "He''s always had a kind heart," William commented casually. "Sometimes, kindness can emerge from the most unexpected places." "If it weren''t for Arthur, you might have perished, never realizing he wasn''t a monster." "But his heartbeat is just like those monsters," Carl pondered, still baffled. "Perhaps everyone''s physiology is different," William postulated after a brief pause. "Some people may have their hearts on the right side." "Let''s not dwell on that," William cautioned. He glanced at his phone, noting that the exam was drawing to a close. "Tonight, don''t forget, Arthur will be with us. And you mustn''t refer to him as a monster." Thanks to their shared experiences, William had grown accustomed to dealing with monsters, even in Carl''s presence. Evening soon descended upon them. William ensured that the two monsters residing at his home were fast asleep before making his discreet exit. At the rendezvous with Carl, they were slightly ahead of schedule. "William, is it true what Carl just told me? That the people around us are monsters?" Arthur inquired, rushing over upon seeing William. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Carl had exposed the monsters to Arthur, and while Lucy had faith in her brother''s words, Arthur''s expression was one of eerie disbelief. "Are we truly escaping from here?" Arthur hesitated. "Is it also true, as Carl mentioned, that you once sacrificed yourself to save me?" Arthur harbored numerous questions and an intense desire to pour them all out. "William, will you genuinely go back in time when you die?" "It''s all true," William affirmed, nodding. "Furthermore, we have no reason to deceive you." William recognized that Arthur wouldn''t accept these revelations immediately. Without multiple brushes with death at the hands of monsters, he might not have believed in the existence of such creatures. "We''ll discuss this on the way," Carl chimed in, holding Lucy''s hand as they approached. "After you told me about tomorrow''s events, I noticed on our way back that there indeed seemed to be a monster near the welfare home," Carl said to William as they walked. "It was an elderly beggar who seemed somewhat delirious, wandering around and pleading for a drink." "The monster we''ll encounter tomorrow may be him." William briefly conveyed this information, assuaging any doubts Carl might have harbored. However, Carl found it somewhat surprising to learn that Arthur had saved both William and Lucy. "I never thought... that Arthur would come to my rescue," Carl admitted. "He''s always had a kind heart," William commented casually. "Sometimes, kindness can emerge from the most unexpected places." "If it weren''t for Arthur, you might have perished, never realizing he wasn''t a monster." "But his heartbeat is just like those monsters," Carl pondered, still baffled. "Perhaps everyone''s physiology is different," William postulated after a brief pause. "Some people may have their hearts on the right side." "Let''s not dwell on that," William cautioned. He glanced at his phone, noting that the exam was drawing to a close. "Tonight, don''t forget, Arthur will be with us. And you mustn''t refer to him as a monster." Thanks to their shared experiences, William had grown accustomed to dealing with monsters, even in Carl''s presence. As night descended upon them, William made certain that the two monsters back at his house remained sound asleep before embarking on their journey. "It''s not a monster," Arthur whispered upon hearing the shouting. He was puzzled, pushing William and saying, "Willem, it''s not a monster. It''s your mother." "Don''t speak," William snapped at him, motioning for silence. "But you said you left without being seen," Carl questioned as he peeked out from the bushes and looked at William. "They were asleep when I left," William replied, equally perplexed. William had sneaked out of his house, double-checking that the two monsters inside were asleep before leaving. "Willem, why didn''t you respond to your mother?" William grew increasingly anxious as his mother''s voice drew nearer. Carl was doing the same, tightly clutching the knife that had been in his bag. "William, come out, dear. Mother''s here to take you home." "It''s cold in the mountains at night. You might catch a cold. Mother would be worried." "Yes, and if you''re sick, the meat would taste bad," William muttered to himself, clenching his teeth. "Willem, we''re sure we''re not going out?" Arthur questioned, seemingly shaken by the concern in his mother''s voice. Sensing something amiss, William frowned and said, "Something''s not right. If the monster had caught me sneaking out, why wait until now?" "Wouldn''t it have been better to stop me on my way out or to attack us when we met?" William contemplated. "Could it be... someone gave us away?" Carl pondered, eyeing Arthur. Both of them turned their gaze toward Arthur, prompting him to deny any involvement. "Why are you looking at me like that? I swear I didn''t tell anyone, and I don''t even know your parents'' phone number." "My bro¡ª" Lucy suddenly tugged on Carl''s sleeve and cautiously whispered, "The footsteps seem to have disappeared." Lucy''s warning sent a shiver down William''s spine, for it wasn''t just the footsteps that had vanished, but also his mother''s voice. The silence was eerie, as if his mother had never been there at all. "Gone?" William wondered. "Did they give up because they couldn''t find me?" But that thought didn''t sit right with William. If the monster had truly departed, he would have heard the fading footsteps. The abrupt silence of the footsteps and his mother''s voice disappearing indicated that the monster was still nearby. As he contemplated this, William noticed that Carl''s expression had grown extremely grave. With a trembling hand clutching the knife, Carl slowly raised his head and looked up. Following Carl''s gaze, William also looked up, and a chill ran down his spine, causing goosebumps to erupt all over his body. "Willem, your mother has found you," Arthur uttered in disbelief, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice quivering, "Willem, why does your mother''s abdomen have so many octopus legs?" William''s mother hadn''t left. Instead, barbed tentacles erupted from her belly, coiling around a tree above William and the others. His mother, sporting a peculiar grin on her face, hung upside down overhead, staring directly at William and his companions. "Willem, disobedient boy, not a good boy," she chanted. His mother''s body began to expand, and six insect-like legs burst through her skin, slowly spreading out. Bright red blood trickled down from the ruptured skin, and sickle-shaped forearms extended. "Run!" Chapter 10 : Alex the Butcher William yelled as he watched, unable to think further. He darted away from the bush. Carl pulled Lucy along, trying to follow, but he turned back and saw Arthur still frozen in place. It was the first time Arthur had seen a real monster, and he was momentarily overwhelmed by the sight. However, the monster in the forest was surprisingly agile, retracting its tentacles and propelling all six legs off the tree trunk, landing in front of William in an instant. Yet, the monster didn''t attack William directly; instead, it glanced past him at Carl and the others behind him. "Mother knows you''ve brought these bad people with you, hasn''t she?" "Don''t worry, Willem. Mother will deal with them. Then you''ll still be Mother''s boy." With a swift swing of its sickle-like arm, the monster attempted to strike those behind William. "Take Lucy!" Carl''s expression darkened as he shoved Lucy toward William. The scythe descended, but Carl watched William closely. "Willem, get down!" Carl had sensed something. His eyes conveyed anxiety. William instinctively crouched down upon hearing the warning. At that moment, something flew overhead, heading straight for the monster. Following the object''s trajectory, William realized it was a sharp filleting knife! "A knife? Where did that knife come from?" William felt a jolt of fear as he witnessed the peeling knife hurtling toward the monster. Had Carl not detected the knife approaching from behind and swiftly ducked, it would have struck him down. Before William could investigate further, a roar erupted from the monster a short distance away. Looking up, he saw that the tentacle ensnaring Arthur had been severed by the peeling knife. To William''s astonishment, the knife didn''t plummet after striking the monster; instead, it remained suspended in the air, as if imbued with life and continuing its assault. Carl acted swiftly, pulling Arthur away while the monster grappled with the peeling knife. "How''s Arthur?" William rushed over to help Carl move Arthur out of harm''s way. "I''m not sure," Carl replied, shaking his head. "He''s still breathing, though." "Brother, are you okay?" Lucy rushed over, her eyes filled with concern as she examined Carl. "Don''t worry, I''m fine." With those reassuring words, Carl turned his gaze toward the peeling knife. His expression grew more serious as he looked at it. "Someone is coming." "Is it a person or a monster?" William inquired. "People," Carl confirmed. Following Carl''s gaze, a man emerged from the moonlit darkness, moving deliberately toward them. The man was shirtless, his physique robust, and a bandage wrapped around his waist with a faint trickle of blood seeping through. The man appeared fierce, his calm countenance fixated on the monster with blazing eyes that harbored deep resentment. "That man..." William found something oddly familiar about the man''s face, as if he had seen it somewhere before. He pondered for a moment and then realized, "I remember! It''s Alex!" "Alex?" Carl looked puzzled. "Yes, he''s the owner of a slaughterhouse, An Sung-do, a fugitive wanted by the police!" William recalled news reports about him on TV. "So, to evade capture, he''s been hiding out in the Sifang Mountains?" "Is that knife..." William pointed back at the peeling knife, "his?" Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "That''s right," William confirmed. "That peeling knife is the same one he uses for butchering." "Brother, look!" Lucy exclaimed from behind them, her voice tinged with surprise. As they turned to see what had caught her attention, they noticed several objects circling around Alex as he approached. One, two... Those spinning objects were butchering tools. Three bloodletting knives, three boning knives, two cleavers, a meat cleaver, and a crimson bone- chopping knife. Alex''s brow furrowed, his eyes emanating an air of menace. Even from a distance, William could sense an intimidating presence surrounding him, making him feel uneasy. As the crimson bone-chopping knife floated before him, Alex seized it and lunged at the monster. "Die, you beast!" Alex growled lowly, his voice reverberating with a chilling intensity. Raising the bone-chopping knife, he swung it towards the monster with force. As Alex struck, William saw something he hadn''t expected ¨C fear in the monster''s eyes. Its sickle-like forelimb was raised high, poised to strike at Alex. However, two boning knives flashed with cold precision, piercing the monster''s forelimb. "Why are his knives so sharp?" William was taken aback. He hadn''t anticipated the monster''s tough carapace being pierced so easily. "It''s not his knives." Carl''s keen eyes noticed more details. "It''s where his knives are striking ¨C at the monster''s joints." "Joints?" William was initially surprised but then understood. "Yeah, why didn''t we think of that earlier?" "The monster''s exoskeleton is undeniably strong, but no matter how sturdy it is, it can''t fully cover its joints to allow for movement." "Even if we had thought of it, it would have been extremely challenging to execute. Monsters are stronger and more agile than us. Coupled with their tentacles, it''s a formidable task to target their eyes, abdomen, or joints." "It''s nearly impossible for us to land a clean blow at a joint, given the limited gaps between their carapaces." Alex''s assault continued, and as the boning knife restrained the monster''s forelimb, several other knives joined the fray. As though guided by their own intelligence, the knives began attacking various parts of the monster''s body. Three bloodletting knives aimed for the monster''s three insect-like feet, piercing through their joints. Two bone-splitting knives cut through the insect feet pinned by the bloodletting knives, severing both limbs instantly. Alex, now standing directly in front of the monster, raised his bone-chopping knife and hacked at the remaining limb that had been impaled by the bloodletting knife. "Ah!" A piercing scream emanated from the monster''s maw as the tentacles from its abdomen lunged toward Alex. The peeling knife and bone-chopping knife moved in tandem, while the other knives followed suit, slashing at the flailing tentacles. "Kill you! I''ll kill you!" The relentless setbacks only fueled the monster''s rage further. "Oh no, get out of there!" Carl, with his heightened senses, seemed to anticipate the monster''s next move and urgently warned Alex. The monster launched itself recklessly at Alex, seemingly attempting to crush him with its massive body. Alex heard Carl''s warning, yet he didn''t retreat. Instead, he clenched his knife in his right hand and shifted slightly to the left. As the monster drew nearer, Alex channeled force from his lower back and swung his bone-chopping knife toward the monster. With a resounding "clang," the bone-chopping knife struck the monster''s carapace, generating a cascade of sparks. While the knife failed to penetrate the monster''s carapace, it did leave a deep indentation. "This guy... He''s incredible," William marveled. He knew firsthand how formidable these monsters were and had witnessed their immense strength and resilience. Facing such a formidable monster, Alex not only exhibited no fear but also managed to halt its advance with his bone-chopping knife. "He''s more like a monster than the monster itself," William mused with a sense of awe. "Those knives swirling around... Is that his power?" William looked enviously at the knives engaged in the aerial assault. This ability not only demonstrated precision but also had a cool visual appeal. "I believe so," Carl responded casually. However, his expression soon grew concerned as he noticed that the bandage around Alex''s waist was completely soaked in blood. The encounter with the monster had caused Alex''s waist wound to reopen, and blood was now seeping from it as he exerted himself. "AHAHAHAH!" The monster appeared to have detected the scent of blood in the air and grew even more agitated. It had also noticed Alex''s lower back wound, and the few remaining tentacles in its abdomen lunged fiercely toward it. Alex and the monster were now in dangerously close proximity. If the flying knives were unleashed, they could potentially harm the monster, but they might also injure Alex in the process. Alex attempted to retreat, but the monster seemed to sense his intentions, and it was too late to evade its charge. "Uncle Butcher! Up there!" William shouted urgently, realizing that the situation had taken a perilous turn. With a burst of inspiration, he sprang into action. William grabbed a nearby bottle and hurled it high above the creature. In a split second , the Molotov cocktail arced through the air, flames flickering atop it. Alex, in the midst of the battle, caught sight of the fiery projectile descending upon the creature. A bone knife soared skyward, guided by Alex''s precision. The bottle collided with the knife with a resounding " bang, " shattering upon impact. The wine inside burst into flames, creating a blazing shower that rained down upon the monster''s head. Chapter 11 : Between life and death One bottle of wine was not enough to burn the monster, so William resorted to throwing bottle after bottle at the creature in his bag. "Uncle Butcher, there''s more!" William shouted urgently. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Carl joined in to assist. Three cleavers and a meat cleaver levitated above the monster''s head, shattering the wine bottles that William and Carl had thrown. The highly flammable white wine in William''s bag spilled and ignited, the flames rapidly spreading across the monster''s body. The creature writhed in agony, and its remaining tentacles rose in a futile attempt to extinguish the fire. But Alex wouldn''t give it that chance. With precision and determination, the boning knife stabbed the few remaining tentacles, while the peeling knife followed suit, swiftly severing all of the monster''s appendages. The monster swung its three remaining legs as it attempted to escape its fiery torment. Alex leaped into action with his bone-chopping knife, targeting the joints and swiftly severing two of them. The last remaining insect leg was impaled at the joint by the bloodletting knife, rendering it immobile. Deprived of all means of attack, the monster lay on the ground, writhing in pain, torn between attempting to extinguish the flames on its body and the struggle for relief. "William, William..." In the midst of the flames, the monster slowly lifted its charred face, its jagged mouthparts pressed against the ground. "William, help me, help me." "You''re not my mother!" William roared with anger. "I am your mother, I am!" The monster wriggled as it tried to inch closer to William. "I raised you for eighteen years. I was your mother." "Hurry... save your mother, your mother is in pain, save your mother!" Eighteen years... The monster''s words ignited a furious rage within William. His teeth clenched in a strange mixture of emotions. "Yes, you did raise me for eighteen years. But that also meant I was separated from my biological parents for 18 years!" "It was you, you monsters, who kept me from my birth parents for eighteen years!" "I don''t even know who my real parents are, and I don''t know what they look like!" Carl placed a reassuring hand on William''s shoulder, his gaze fixed on the monster on the ground. "Don''t get lost in anger here. I think deep down, you know why you want to keep William." "You know who my real parents are, don''t you?" William shouted hysterically. "Tell me, who are my real parents? Where are they? Are they still alive?" "William, don''t go over there," Carl warned, pulling William away from the monster. "William... William..." The monster''s voice grew weaker, and soon, it lay motionless on the ground. "Is she... dead?" Lucy asked, her gaze averted, unable to bear the sight of the monster''s charred remains. "Dead," Carl confirmed, noting that the monster''s heart had ceased to beat. "Ah!" William raised his head and let out a primal shout, as if he needed to release the pent-up frustration and anguish within him. "We''ve survived," William declared, taking a deep breath. After venting his emotions, his heart was filled with a glimmer of hope. "We''ve survived the monster, for once!" Indeed, for William, who had faced death repeatedly, this victory over the monster was a significant milestone, even if it was just the beginning. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. However, as William reveled in the moment, Carl''s expression suddenly changed. A faint, almost imperceptible sound reached Carl''s ears, and he instantly realized the source¡ªit was the monster''s heartbeat. "No! It''s not dead!" Carl shouted urgently, but before he could react, the monster began to stir. The monster''s charred facial features turned to ashes, scattering on the ground. Its jagged mouthparts pressed into the earth. With a surge of strength, the monster sprang up, jaws wide open, aiming to bite William with its razor- sharp mandibles. Inexplicably, William seemed frozen, unable to react to the imminent threat. By the time he snapped back to reality, the monster was mere inches from him. In that moment, all he could think was, "I can''t die!" Defeating a monster was no easy feat, and the brief euphoria had given way to the harsh reality that danger still loomed. William felt his body heat up, and just as he thought the monster was about to strike, it froze in mid-air. William''s confusion deepened. It wasn''t just the monster that had halted; everything around him had frozen in time. The knives suspended in mid-air, Carl''s open mouth in the midst of shouting, Alex poised with his bone- chopping knife, Lucy frozen in panic, even the fallen leaves in the distance¡ªall were motionless. The entire world had fallen into eerie silence, as if time itself had come to a standstill, with the sole exception of William. Before he could make sense of the situation, William''s body began to shake uncontrollably. He felt an overwhelming sense of dread, and his heart raced. The sensation of suffocation gripped him, causing his consciousness to blur. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground. In that instant, everything returned to normal. "William!" Carl called out urgently from behind. William''s sudden fall had thwarted the monster''s last-ditch attack. "Animal!" Alex roared, his bone-chopping knife raised high, and he brought it down on the creature''s neck, severing its head in an instant. "William! How are you? Are you alright?" Carl rushed to William''s side. William remained silent, his mind reeling, and he gasped for breath. "No injuries," Carl finally confirmed after examining William''s neck, letting out a sigh of relief. "How did you react so quickly just now?" Carl pondered, looking back at the scene. Even with his heightened senses, he couldn''t comprehend what had transpired. He vividly remembered the moment when the monster lunged and was about to sink its jaws into William''s neck. Yet, in the blink of an eye, William had ended up on the ground. Carl continued to watch William, but he couldn''t discern how William had evaded the monster''s attack. "The monster... the monster..." Arthur, who had regained consciousness, suddenly stood up from where he had fallen earlier. He appeared to recall the events leading up to his fainting. "Monster! William, Carl, run!" Arthur shouted, but when he looked in the direction of the commotion, all he saw was the mutilated remains of the monster and its detached head. "The monster... dead?" Arthur hesitated for a moment before noticing Alex approaching. "Are you... alright?" Carl inquired, still surprised by Alex''s presence. "I''m fine," Arthur replied, shaking his head. He glanced at Alex nearby and asked, "Who is this, Uncle?" Arthur was unfamiliar with Alex but noticed the blood-soaked bandage around his waist. "Uncle, you''re injured!" Arthur was about to inspect Alex''s injury, but as he raised his leg, a boning knife suddenly materialized in front of him. Simultaneously, knives flew before William on the ground, Carl at the side, and even Lucy''s lifeless body. Each knife was poised threateningly, and the message was clear: any sudden movement could lead to instant death. "What are you doing?" Carl asked, his brow furrowing with concern. Alex remained silent, his gaze icy and unwavering. Gradually, William regained his composure as he lay on the ground. His mind became clearer, and he began to breathe more steadily. When he saw the knife suspended before his eyes, he realized that the man who had defeated the monster was indeed a fugitive. In that tense moment, the feeling of security that had briefly settled in William''s heart was abruptly disrupted once more. Alex advanced towards William with an eerie calmness, his eyes still reflecting the earlier bloodlust. Blood from his waist wound had soaked through the bandage, tracing a morbid path down his leg, transforming him into a nightmarish apparition. "What''s your connection to this ''alien''?" Alex''s chilling voice pierced the air. William pondered for a moment. Just because Alex had killed the monster didn''t mean he wouldn''t harm them. To a fugitive like Alex, the distinction between killing people and monsters might be insignificant. "This monster..." William''s voice was tight, and he reluctantly admitted, "It was my captor." "They treated me like livestock, fattening me up for the slaughter. I had planned to escape tonight while they slept, but this monster discovered me and pursued me." Alex remained silent, his gaze locked onto William''s eyes, searching for any sign of deception. William didn''t flinch, meeting Alex''s gaze with unwavering determination. He was not ready to die. After defeating a monster, he couldn''t bear to return to his former life because of Alex''s actions. As William recounted his ordeal, Alex suddenly lurched and collapsed onto the floor. His fall sent the suspended knives clattering to the ground. "Is he... dead?" Arthur''s voice trembled with fear. "No," Carl shook his head, indicating that he could still hear Alex''s faint heartbeat. "He''s not dead; he just passed out due to blood loss." Carl helped Lucy to her feet, urging, "Let''s leave before he regains consciousness." "Leave?" Arthur looked surprised. "Are we just going to abandon him?" He glanced at the unconscious Alex on the ground and continued, "If we leave him like this, he''ll die here." Chapter 12 : Suspend the plan "Why should we care if he lives or dies?" Carl''s brow furrowed. "Arthur, first and foremost, we can''t ensure our own safety, so what''s the point of worrying about him?" "Moreover, do you even know who he is? He''s a wanted murderer on the run! You saw what happened. If he hadn''t passed out, it could have been us!" Arthur opened his mouth to respond, but William beat him to it. "We can''t just leave." William''s eyes remained on Alex''s motionless form. "Are you insane?" Carl exclaimed. "Don''t forget, Willem, if I hadn''t intervened in time, that monster wouldn''t have been the first to die; it would have been you." "I understand," Willem nodded solemnly. "But have you ever considered something peculiar?" William continued, "The city has been buzzing with news of Alex''s pursuit." "But what if most of the people in the city are monsters in disguise? Isn''t it possible that the individuals he killed were monsters from the start?" William vividly remembered the mix of hatred rather than surprise in Alex''s eyes when he encountered the monster. Coupled with Alex''s remarkable control over his abilities, it suggested that he had prior knowledge of these monsters. "I always had the feeling that he knew more about these creatures than we did. Perhaps we can gain valuable insights from him." Carl clenched his teeth, realizing that William had a point. "Let''s halt the bleeding first," Carl suggested, eyeing Alex''s wound. Arthur promptly sprang into action, using his own clothing as a makeshift bandage since he had nothing else. Carefully removing the makeshift bandage from Alex''s waist, William''s scalp tingled as he beheld the wound. It was a deep cut, and although it had been stitched, it was evident that Alex had performed the stitching himself. "He was running a fever," Arthur remarked as he tended to the wound. "This suggests that he may have an infection, given that he''s been hiding here with an untreated wound." "Do you have any anti-inflammatories?" William inquired, scanning their limited supplies. Arthur shook his head, revealing his lack of any such medication. William rummaged through his backpack and proposed, "What if we disinfect the wound with wine? I discarded all the wine I brought earlier, but I still have toilet water and wind cream in my bag." Carl shot William an incredulous look. "Are you trying to save him or kill him?" William, undeterred, responded, "If we want to save him, it may be our only option..." Carl abruptly stopped mid-sentence, raising his head to peer in the direction they had come from. William understood what Carl meant and added, "That might be our only recourse." "I know of a 24-hour pharmacy nearby," William explained. "There are still a few hours until dawn. I''ll go there and return quickly. You all wait here." "I''ll accompany you," Carl said, intercepting William''s path. "It''s not safe for you to go alone. With two of us, we can handle any situation." Carl affectionately tousled Lucy''s hair and instructed, "Lucy, stay here and remember not to wander off. If anyone suddenly approaches the mountain, make sure to hide." He then turned to Arthur, saying, "Arthur, you remain here as well and assist me in looking after my sister." "Rest assured," Arthur affirmed, his tone resolute. "Let''s go," William urged. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The two of them left Sifang Mountain and headed for the nearest pharmacy. To err on the side of caution, Carl ventured inside alone, while William kept watch from across the street. The streets lay tranquil in the dead of night, appearing as familiar as ever, yet for William, they carried an eerie undertone. As he sighed, his gaze veered toward the pharmacy. Carl emerged after completing his errand. William had intended to approach him, but a vehicle suddenly pulled up and halted before him. When the window slowly descended, William''s apprehension grew as he recognized the driver. William recognized the driver, and how could he not? This man was his father, the other monster in the family. His father remained seated in the driver''s seat, not stepping out of the car. He fixed an intense gaze on William, a slow, malicious sneer curling on his lips. "William, why are you out so late when you should be at home sleeping?" his father inquired with a taunting tone. William shivered. He couldn''t fathom why this monster, his father, was there. Just like his mother before him, these monsters always seemed to find him. He quickly composed himself, pretending to be nonchalant, and replied, "These two days of exams have been so stressful. Tomorrow, I have two exams, and I couldn''t sleep with all the anxiety. So, I thought I''d take a break, clear my mind, and prepare better for tomorrow." "I see," his father sneered, his expression darkening. "You''ve been out for quite a while. Your mind should be clear now. Get in the car, and I''ll take you home." Home? To be devoured by you? "No, I can walk back by myself," William tried to decline, but the moment he said it, his father''s face turned menacing. "Don''t play games. I know you''ve figured it out," his father''s words sent a chill down William''s spine. He clenched his teeth, contemplating fleeing from this dire situation. However, his father''s next words dissuaded him from that notion. "Don''t even think about running. You can''t escape." Something seemed to wriggle under his father''s skin, like insect legs or barbed tentacles. His eyes gleamed with hunger, and even drool trickled down the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "Besides, we wouldn''t want to disturb the entire neighborhood with a commotion at this late hour, now, would we?" He didn''t say it explicitly, but William understood. Carl had once told him that once a human discovered a monster''s true nature, they were no longer exclusive prey for that monster. Any monster in the city could target such a person. His father realized that if William tried to escape, he would face not just one monster, but potentially a horde of them. Willem knew he couldn''t escape, not now. He decided to buy time. "I''ll be turning 18 the day after tomorrow," he quickly said. All he had to do now was stall. He remembered the last time when this monster had feasted on him; it had been right after his 18th birthday. His father didn''t respond immediately, but the wriggling under his skin gradually subsided. "I''ve been looking forward to turning 18. I want to have a big birthday cake and celebrate happily," William pretended to sound somber. The monster raised an eyebrow, and William continued, "I''ll be devastated if I don''t celebrate my 18th birthday. If I''m too sad, the meat might not taste as good." "Indeed, you''ll be of age soon," the monster mused. "The meat is at its best when the prey has matured. A day''s difference can affect the taste significantly." "Moreover, I''ve heard that one''s emotional state can influence the taste," William added, recalling the monster''s words from their previous encounter. "I''d be so heartbroken if I couldn''t celebrate my 18th birthday. The meat might not taste as delicious." "Anyway, after all these years, you''ve waited patiently. What''s a day or two more?" William continued, doing his best to convince the monster. The wriggling under the monster''s skin ceased entirely. It reverted to his father''s appearance, though his eyes had lost their humanity. "Go to bed early, William," his father said, his lips moist. William felt a wave of disgust but knew he had to suppress it. He couldn''t afford to provoke the monster at this point; everything depended on buying time. Once in his room, William rushed to the window, looking downstairs for any sign of Carl. "Did Carl notice I was taken?" William worried. But he quickly dismissed the thought. Carl had a nose better than a bloodhound''s, so if he had followed the monster, he would have been alerted. Besides, when he peeked out the window as he got into the car, Carl, who had exited the pharmacy, had vanished. It indicated that Carl had gone into hiding. "Take your time," William reassured himself. "It''s still early, and if Carl wants to save me, he''ll have to devise a foolproof plan. If he tries now, he might not only fail to rescue me but also fall into the hands of this monster." Carl had always been cautious, so he was likely somewhere scheming a way to save William. Nevertheless, worry still gnawed at him. There was one other aspect William couldn''t comprehend. The two monsters in the house had an uncanny ability to pinpoint his location. His mother had gone to Condastre Mountain, and his father had driven to the pharmacy. If it wasn''t for Arthur risking his life to rescue him, William would have suspected that he had inadvertently revealed his location. William even patted himself down, wondering if the monsters had planted a tracker on him. He considered his cellphone, suspecting it might be bugged. With this thought, he refrained from contacting Carl using his cellphone. If there was a GPS tracker on his phone, there could be something else as well, like eavesdropping. Chapter 13 : A Close call Carl had chosen a phone for the elderly and even found a cellphone card with a fictitious name. William had to admit that Carl''s caution had been effective. That night, in bed, William tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next day, his father didn''t leave the house; he remained, patiently waiting. His actions clearly indicated that he wouldn''t leave until he had consumed William. William had thought that this was the day Carl would take action, but as night fell once again, there was still no sign of him. Time continued to pass, and soon it was the night of June 9. At 11:54 PM, the door to William''s room was flung open. His father entered, rubbing his hands together. "William, it''s almost midnight," he said. "In just a few minutes, it will be your eighteenth birthday. Do you have any idea how long I''ve been looking forward to this day?" Willem knew the driver. How could he not? After all, this guy was his dad and the other monster in the family. Dad sat in the driver''s seat and did not get out of the car. He stared intently at William, a slow sneer creeping over his face. "Willem, what are you doing out at this late hour, when you''re not asleep at home?" William shuddered. He could not understand why the monster was there. Not just him, but my mother before me. They always seem to be able to locate William. William soon calmed down, pretending to be nonchalant, said: "These two days of exams are so stressful, the thought of tomorrow there are two exams, I can''t sleep." "So, in order to face tomorrow''s exam in the best condition, I thought I would take a break and adjust my mood." "I see." Dad sneered and then said, "You''ve been out for so long, your mood should be adjusted." "Get in the car and Daddy will take you home." Going home? To be eaten by you? "No, I can walk back myself." William tried to say no, but as soon as he said it, his father''s face darkened. "Don''t pretend. I know you''ve found out." His father''s words made William''s heart sink. He gritted his teeth and wanted to turn and run away. But his father''s next words put William off the idea. "Don''t try to escape, you can''t escape." Something seemed to be wriggling under Dad''s skin, whether it was the insect feet or the barbed tentacles. His eyes were eager, and saliva even ran down the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "Besides, it wouldn''t be good to wake everyone sleeping in the neighborhood so late." "You don''t want to stir things up and draw everyone here, do you?" His father did not say so, but William understood. Carl had once told William that once a human discovers the true nature of a monster, then the human is no longer the exclusive food of a monster. At that point, any monster in the city can attack this man. So it was clear to Dad that if William tried to escape, he would face not one monster, but a pack. By one monster, or by a group of monsters? Willem frowned. He thought. He opened the door and got in. "Very good." Dad smiled and said, "That''s my William." This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. With a furtive glance through the window, Carl, who had left the pharmacy, was nowhere to be seen. William was relieved to get into the car because he was afraid his escape would insinuate Carl. Besides, as long as Carl isn''t found, he still has a chance. There were few cars on the streets at night, and William was soon taken home. "Now, no one bothers us." Dad closed the door and the wriggling under his skin became more intense. A small sound came from him, like the sound of joints stretching, like the sound of skin tearing. Dad opened his mouth, and the jagged parts seemed to come out the next second. ''Wait a minute! Willem shouted. "I know you''re in a hurry, but don''t be." Willem knew what to expect when he returned. This monster was different from the one before him. He was stronger and more greedy. He didn''t care when Willem found out, he didn''t even care why the other monster didn''t come back. His eyes, only appetite. "I''ll be 18 the day after tomorrow." William said quickly that all he had to do now was buy time. The only way Carl can save him is if he doesn''t get eaten by this monster right away. "How about... Eat me after my 18th birthday?" William knew the monster would say yes; after all, he remembered the birthday when it happened. Dad didn''t answer right away, but the wriggling under his skin gradually stopped. "I''ve been looking forward to turning 18. I want to have a big cake and have a happy birthday." William pretended to be sad. The monster frowned and whispered, "Indeed, you will soon be of age. The meat is the best when the animal is grown up, and even if it is a day off, the taste will be much worse." "Also, I''ve heard that mood can affect taste." William heard the words from the monster''s mouth, and hastened to follow his words. He remembered what had happened earlier, on August 11th, when the monster had said before he killed him that fear would make the flesh sour. William then added: "I''ll be very sad if I don''t have my 18th birthday. If I''m too sad, it''ll taste a lot worse." "Anyway, after all these years you have waited here, it is not bad for this day or two." "After waiting for so many years, isn''t it a pity if we can''t have the most delicious meat?" "Don''t worry, I won''t run away this time. You may lock me in my room." "Even if you want to run, I can find you." The monster sneered, and the crawling under the skin stopped completely at that moment. The monster in front of him returned to his old father''s appearance, but his eyes were no longer like before. "Go to bed early, Willem." Dad licked his lips. William was filled with disgust, but he could not show it. He could not provoke the monster at this time, or everything he had done would be destroyed. Back in his room, William walked quickly to the window. He looked downstairs and saw no sign of Carl. "Karl didn''t notice I was taken, did he?" William was worried. But when you think about it, Carl''s ability to smell better than a dog, so if he followed the monster away, he''d know it. Also, William peeped out the window as he got into the car, and Carl, who had come out of the pharmacy, was gone, indicating that he had gone into hiding. "Take your time." William comforted himself in his heart. "It''s early. Even if Carl wants to save me, he''s going to have to come up with a foolproof plan." "If he tries, he will not only fail to save me, he will also fall into the hands of this monster." "Carl has always been cautious, so he must be somewhere plotting a way to save me." That said, the worry has not diminished. There was one more thing that William could not understand. For some reason, the two monsters in the house always seem to be able to pinpoint William''s location. The mother who went to Condastre Mountain, the father who drove to the pharmacy. If it wasn''t Arthur who risked his life to save him, William really wondered if he had secretly revealed his whereabouts. William touched himself. Did these monsters put a locator on him? William thought of his mobile phone. If you really have a locator on your body, it''s most likely hidden in your phone. With this idea in mind, William was afraid to contact Carl on his cell phone. If there''s a GPS on the phone, maybe there''s something else, too. Like listening in. No wonder Carl prepared a phone for the elderly, and deliberately found a mobile phone card without a real name. I have to say, Carl''s caution did work. That night, lying in bed, William tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next day Dad didn''t go out and stayed out. His behavior has made it clear that he will not leave until he has eaten William. Had thought that this day Carl must do something, but until night fell again, William still did not wait for Carl to appear. Time passed by minute by second, and soon came to the night of June 9. At 11:54, the door to William''s room was thrown open. Dad came in rubbing his hands. "William, it''s 00:00." "After one o ''clock, it will be your eighteenth birthday." "William, do you know how much Dad was looking forward to this day?" Chapter 14 : Narrow escape Watching the approaching monster, William became even more anxious. He couldn''t figure it out. It was only 5 minutes until 00:00, and he was about to be eaten by the monster. Why hadn''t Carl appeared yet? What was Carl doing all day long? Could it be that Carl had given up on him? After all, Carl knew that even if William died, he would only return to the past, so why not save him? William wanted to cry, he really wanted to cry. Although he could survive in the past time after being killed, the pain of being killed was unavoidable. William still vividly remembered how excruciating it had been when he was killed. "Wait... wait," William shouted, trying to halt the monster''s relentless approach. "We agreed that you''d eat me tomorrow. It''s still almost an hour until it''s officially tomorrow. And what about the cake? For my birthday, you should at least prepare one cake for me." "I don''t like desserts," the monster licked its lips, sneering, and the grotesque movements under its skin continued. "It''s not for you to eat!" William shouted, desperation driving his voice to new heights. He continued, "Even if there''s no cake to eat, let me blow out a candle and make a wish." The monster ignored William, its body expanding, the human skin twisting as if the monstrous entity inside was about to burst forth any moment. "I can''t die, I don''t want to die!" William gritted his teeth, his mind racing through the events that had unfolded on Yin Mountain. He vividly recalled the moment when the monster had assumed the guise of his mother, ready to devour him, and how time seemed to stand still. Could it be that this time manipulation was his own ability? If he could make time stand still, maybe he could escape this monster. With newfound determination, William shouted in his mind, "Time, stand still!" But the monster paid no heed, continuing its relentless approach. William felt a growing sense of despair. Maybe shouting in his mind wasn''t enough; he needed to shout out loud. So, with every ounce of strength he could muster, he opened his mouth and yelled, "Stay still! Stop!" "Dad" continued to approach, his grin widening to reveal serrated mouthparts within. His abdomen bulged, and his writhing tentacles threatened to burst forth from beneath his skin. As a human livestock, being eaten by the owner was supposed to be a joyful experience, a blessing. But William had a different view. "Luck? Forget it! Do you really want this ''blessing'' for yourself?" "William, it''s midnight," Dad''s voice sounded, dark and gloomy. "The last five minutes have passed. It''s officially August 11th. Happy birthday, William." The monster''s saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth, and it stretched its hand, expanding itself further, as if the human skin it wore was about to burst open any second. William gritted his teeth and made a fateful decision. Although he knew he wasn''t a match for the monster, he preferred to fight to the death rather than be devoured. Even if he couldn''t ultimately escape his fate of being eaten, he was determined to revolt against this monster in his final moments. He retreated toward the desk, gripping a chair tightly, ready to use it as a weapon when the monster pounced. Then, suddenly, a doorbell rang outside the room. Hope surged within William. "Someone''s coming!" William exclaimed, glimpsing a potential savior. The monster, however, remained unperturbed. "Don''t worry," it dismissed. "There''s nothing more important than eating you." The doorbell continued to ring insistently, and the visitors outside, perhaps realizing the doorbell wouldn''t suffice, began to pound on the door. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "You should go and see who it is," William suggested in response to the relentless knocking. "If they don''t leave, the noise might wake up the neighbors. If you attract other monsters in this building, you won''t get to enjoy your meal alone." "Ugh, fine!" The monster growled irritably and reverted to its father''s usual appearance. "William, you better stay here quietly. I''ll be back soon." With that, Dad glared at William and turned toward the door, heading to investigate. Seizing the opportunity, William''s mind raced. He couldn''t go through the main entrance, guarded by monsters. Their apartment was on the 13th floor, so jumping out of a window wasn''t a viable escape either. William had contemplated these options before, and if they were truly viable, he wouldn''t still be in this predicament. Gritting his teeth, he gazed up at the window. There had to be a way. "If all else fails, I might as well gather all the monsters in this building," William mused. His plan: once all the monsters had converged, he would leap from the building and end his life. He might as well die on his own terms, and before he did, he would make sure to thoroughly revolt against this monster. As William approached the window, ready to open it, a familiar voice sounded from outside the room. "Hello, Uncle. I''m William''s classmate. My name is Carl." "Carl?!" William exclaimed, relief washing over him upon hearing Carl''s voice. "Could you have come any earlier? If you were a bit later, I might not have been here anymore." "What are you doing here at this hour?" William''s father''s voice was stern and unfriendly. Carl, ever calm, responded, "Uncle, here''s the situation. William missed the exam the day before yesterday and skipped the graduation dinner yesterday. Our classmates are worried about him, thinking he''s sick. So, they sent me as a representative to check on him. Uncle, is William okay? Is he really sick? Did he go to the hospital? William has always been among the top in our class, and it''s a shame he gave up on this crucial exam." Carl continued to chatter away outside the door, while William inside the room grew increasingly bewildered. Wasn''t Carl here to save him? Why was he engaging in small talk with this monster? What was Carl''s plan? His father''s impatience was evident in his tone as he questioned Carl''s purpose. "Is something wrong with your ears, Uncle?" Carl replied, maintaining his deliberate pace. "I''m just concerned about William''s well-being, that''s all." William couldn''t fathom Carl''s intentions. Given Carl''s cautious nature, he wouldn''t have confronted the monsters without a solid plan. Yet here he was, discussing unrelated matters with the monster. What exactly was Carl up to? As William pondered, a muffled sound emanated from the room, followed by slow footsteps drawing closer to William''s room. William froze, a cold shiver running down his spine. Had Carl been killed? Was the monster so bored that it had decided to kill Carl? No, Carl''s ability was sensory enhancement; he wouldn''t fall prey to monsters so easily. But why had Carl''s voice suddenly gone silent? If Carl was still alive, why wasn''t he speaking? William clenched his teeth, his heart heavy with regret. Carl had sacrificed himself to save him, and now he felt compelled to do something for Carl, who had come to save him. He couldn''t let Carl''s efforts go in vain. "Ugly monster, I''ll fight with you!" William exclaimed as he grabbed the chair and rushed toward the door. He was determined to confront the monster head-on. Even though he knew he was no match for it, he couldn''t stand idly by. But just as he reached the door, a familiar figure appeared outside. It was Carl, standing there calmly, watching William, who was wielding a chair in confusion. "What are you doing?" Carl asked, his tone perplexed. "Are you planning to fight the monster? Why did you take so long?" "You... you''re not dead?" William stammered, his surprise evident as he looked at Carl standing before him. Carl raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I''m not dead. What made you think I would be?" "But I heard it clearly just now..." William trailed off, uncertainty gnawing at him. Carl frowned. "Heard what?" William slowly lowered the chair he had been clutching. "I thought the monster had killed you. I heard a muffled sound from the room, and then your voice disappeared." Carl''s expression softened, and he explained, "I just dropped a heavy book accidentally. There was no need for me to confront the monster; I had a different plan in mind." Relief washed over William as he processed Carl''s words. Carl hadn''t fallen victim to the monster, and he had come with a plan to save William. As they stepped out of the room, William saw the monster lying motionless at the door. It was evident that Carl had indeed taken care of the threat, but how had he done it? Amidst his surprise and gratitude, William noticed something familiar wrapped around the monster''s neck. It was a necklace¡ªa necklace that held a significant clue. Chapter 15 : Missing Cows and Sheeps William recognized the object wrapped around the monster''s neck immediately¡ªit was Alex''s knife. "Did you just use these two knives to kill the monster?" William asked, his surprise evident. Carl shook his head and replied, "You give me too much credit. Most of the residents here are monsters, and to avoid waking them up, any attack must be quick, precise, and preferably fatal with a single strike. I couldn''t manage to kill this monster instantly." As they both looked down at the motionless creature on the ground, it was clear that the monster had been killed swiftly, long before it could reveal its true form. William couldn''t help but wonder, "Alex?" Carl nodded in confirmation, "Yes, Alex." A faint sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, and Alex walked into the room with a stern expression. He was clad in an ill-fitting sweater that looked oddly similar to Carl''s attire. Strapped to his back was a bag specifically designed for holding knives, and he casually glanced down at the lifeless monster on the ground. Two bone splitters emerged from the creature''s neck and returned to the bag on Alex''s back. William couldn''t contain his curiosity. "How did you manage to bring Alex here?" Carl replied, "Do you think I could have rescued you from the monster without Alex''s help? To eliminate a monster swiftly and with precision, one must have an intimate knowledge of its anatomy. Alex has slaughtered many monsters before; he knows them better than anyone else I know." Alex, who had been silently observing the scene, finally spoke. "I overheard your predicament, William. You mentioned you were going to be consumed by a monster on August 11th, so I rushed here." Carl chimed in, explaining further, "When Carl saw you being taken away by the monster, he knew that his powers alone couldn''t save you. After some thought, he remembered Alex, who was living in the shadows. Carl hurried back to Silver Mountain, treated Alex''s injuries, and explained the situation. Alex agreed to help save you without hesitation." William turned to Alex with a sense of gratitude. Before he could express his thanks, Alex grabbed the car keys from the shoe cabinet and said curtly, "The person is saved. Now come with me to the slaughterhouse." "The slaughterhouse?" William hesitated. "What are we doing there?" William exchanged a puzzled glance with Carl, who shared his confusion. Alex explained, "Things have changed from our original plan. We agreed to rescue you and then head straight back to Silver Mountain for your escape. But without the key, you won''t be able to leave the city." "Key?" William asked, incredulous. "What key are you talking about?" Alex responded, his tone stern, "The key to leaving this city." "This city is far more complex than you can imagine," Carl added. "Do you think you can escape just by heading towards Yinshan Mountain? It''s not that simple." William was bewildered. "City? Key? What does all of this mean?" Alex continued, "If you want to understand, come with us. There''s much you need to know." The trio made their way to the parking lot, where they found William''s father''s car. Alex took the wheel and drove them to the slaughterhouse. "Uncle Alex, can you please explain now?" William couldn''t contain his curiosity any longer. "I want to know what''s going on." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Alex began to recount his experience discovering the monsters. "A few years ago, I owned a ranch in the suburbs where I raised cattle and sheep. These animals were meant to be slaughtered and sold in the city. Everything was going smoothly until three months ago, when my ranch suffered significant losses. Cattle and sheep started disappearing." "Did the monsters eat them?" William asked. Alex shook his head and continued, "No, it wasn''t monsters, but a peculiar device located at the city''s outskirts." "A device?" William was taken aback. "Yes," Alex confirmed. "Without a key, attempting to leave this city is fatal. You die instantly." William found it hard to believe. "That''s impossible! What about people who have graduated? They leave the city, right?" Alex asked in return, "Have you ever seen anyone who left the city return after graduation?" William was momentarily silenced. He suddenly recalled the elderly neighbor upstairs, who had mentioned that his son worked in another city. However, William had never seen the son return for Christmas or New Year''s. Alex continued, "As I mentioned earlier, this city functions like a breeding ground. Humans are the domesticated livestock, and monsters are the owners. To maintain a constant supply of livestock, the city has specific entry and exit routes for the monsters to conduct their trade. These routes are inaccessible to humans.But monsters can distinguish real humans, and without their companions, it is impossible to leave the city through the ''main gate.'' " How did you know about these things?" William inquired of Alex. Alex began to reply, "When I was looking for cows and sheep, I found a skeleton. Next to that skeleton, there is¡ª" Before he could finish speaking, Carl''s expression suddenly turned grim, and he interrupted Alex with a sense of urgency, "Oh no, we''ve been caught." Seeing the slaughterhouse ahead, Carl suddenly grew nervous. "Quick! Turn around!" Carl shouted anxiously, urging Alex to leave immediately. "What''s going on?" Alex frowned, questioning. While William didn''t understand why Carl had suddenly become so nervous, he trusted Carl''s abilities and knew he must have noticed something important to react this way. "Monsters," Carl gritted his teeth and said, "There are many monsters headed our way." "Monsters?" Alex glanced out of the car window. The street outside appeared quiet, showing no signs of monsters. "Alex, you can trust us," William hastily interjected. "If you don''t leave now, it may be too late." William remembered that Carl''s ability allowed him to sense objects within an 800-meter radius, so the monsters Carl mentioned must be dangerously close. "It''s already too late," Carl frowned, gripping the car''s armrest tightly. "Hold on!" Carl shouted. Soon after, the sound of a car approached from behind, colliding with their vehicle at an alarming speed. With a loud crash, William felt a violent jolt as the collision continued, with cars behind them seeming to try to overturn their vehicle. Alex cursed and quickly rolled down the car window, releasing a bone scraper. A series of noises followed as the bone-cutting knife pierced the tire of the car behind them. "And another one!" Carl exclaimed, "On the left...on the right...and ahead!" Several more cars appeared, surrounding them. "Why have these monsters discovered us?" William couldn''t comprehend the situation. The two monsters that had raised him had already perished, and only these two monsters could detect the pheromones on him. So, why had so many monsters suddenly emerged? "These monsters are coming for me," Alex said calmly. "These cars contain police officers who are after me. They must have guessed that I would return to the slaughterhouse, so they''ve been ambushing nearby for days." "When we drove by, they must have spotted me, which is why they''ve shown themselves," Alex continued, his eyes darting between the front and rearview mirrors. "These sudden cars are getting closer, and they must be planning to block our way," William said urgently. "If we don''t get out of here soon, they''ll put us in a dangerous situation." "Stay put!" Alex shouted and floored the gas pedal. There was a loud noise, accompanied by a violent jolt, as he accelerated the car forward. He drove straight toward the slaughterhouse, crashing through its doors and coming to a stop inside. "Get out!" Alex quickly opened the car door, and as they exited, knives from their bag flew out. Alex gripped the dark blue bone-chopping knife while the other knives continued to circle around him. "The key is hidden under the tiles in the left corner of the second-floor bathroom," Alex said angrily, his eyes filled with determination. "Smash it open, and you''ll find everything you need to know inside." Alex''s face grew more intense. "Leave once you''ve grabbed your things, and don''t hinder the operation of the slaughterhouse." Chapter 16 : Besieged on All Sides The surroundings were now filled with cars, and the occupants, though still appearing human, were undoubtedly monsters, as William knew all too well. "Alex, you''ve been surrounded," one of the monsters outside shouted. "Give up your resistance." "If you want to kill me, come over here!" Alex cursed. "Stop the nonsense!" His bone-splitting knife flew out first and, without waiting for the monster outside to react, it plunged directly into the talking monster''s neck. "Quick kill!" William exclaimed, surprised by Alex''s swiftness. Although he had heard of Alex killing monsters in his family this way, witnessing it firsthand was something else. "Why aren''t you leaving?" Alex whispered. "I can''t," Carl''s face contorted in worry. He scanned the surroundings and picked up a knife from the slaughterhouse floor, gripping it tightly. "We''re completely surrounded by monsters, both upstairs and downstairs. There''s no way out." "What?!" William was taken aback. "Monsters upstairs too?" "Yes, several monsters are guarding outside the windows," Carl explained. "If we try to go up, they''ll break the windows and rush in to attack us." "Damn it," William clenched his teeth. "I must have led these monsters right to us." "Idiot!" Alex muttered. "Stay close to me; I''ll get you out." The knives swirling around Alex halted momentarily, and then, in the next instant, they flew outward, towards the monsters surrounding the butcher''s shop. "Follow me!" Alex yelled, wielding the bone cutter and charging out. "Kill him!" the monsters outside the slaughterhouse shouted. They knew how formidable Alex was, and at that moment, all the monsters began to transform, their human disguises shedding to reveal their true forms. "Go to hell!" one of the monsters near the butcher''s shop raised a sickle-like forearm and swung it at Alex, who had rushed out. A cold glint flashed, and a bloody knife pierced into the joint of the monster''s forearm, limiting its movement. Alex made a powerful leap, wielding his bone-chopping knife, and beheaded the monster swiftly. "That''s incredible," William couldn''t help but admire. He knew how powerful these monsters were, but Alex''s prowess was still astonishing to witness. "Why don''t you guys leave?" Alex muttered, facing the remaining monsters. "I can''t leave," Carl''s face grew darker. "Up there!" Carl suddenly shouted, sensing something. The monsters that had been lurking outside the second-floor window sprang into action, revealing their true forms as they jumped down from above. Three bone-cutting knives shot upwards, stabbing the monsters'' insect-like legs. However, their numbers were overwhelming, and even Alex couldn''t defeat them all. Alex managed to dodge the second monster''s attack, but he couldn''t avoid the third monster''s assault. Its sickle-like forearm pierced Alex''s chest from behind as it fell. "Alex!" William wanted to rush forward and help, but the knife he had picked up when leaving the butcher''s shop was no match for these monsters. "Damn creature!" Alex seemed unaffected by the pain, swinging his bone-chopping knife towards the monster. However, this time, he missed. Alex''s old wounds had not fully healed, and coupled with the blood loss he had suffered earlier, he was now at his limit. His movements grew slower, but he continued to grit his teeth and fight on. "Carl, look out!" William warned as he saw the monsters approaching Carl. In this dire moment, it seemed like there was no way out for them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Don''t come over!" Alex growled, as if sensing William approaching. "Get out of here! Old man... it''s not your turn to save a little fart," Alex added, gritting his teeth and raising his hand. The peeling knife flew over, cutting off the tentacles that were reaching towards him. The bone-splitting knife pierced into the joint of the monster''s forearm, and the meat cleaver cut along the blade, instantly severing the monster''s forearm. "Hurry up and get out! Don''t get in the way here!" Alex roared. Two bone cutters flew behind William and Carl, piercing them from behind their clothes and dragging them forward. The other sword guards were in front of both of them, constantly attacking nearby monsters to clear their path. "Son of a bitch! Come on, come on!" Alex shouted from behind, and at that moment, he burst out laughing recklessly. "Aren''t you always trying to kill me? Come on, everyone. I tell you, if you can''t kill me today, I will definitely kill you all one by one. As long as I''m alive, you won''t get better. Sooner or later, I will kill all of you damn beasts." Alex''s words completely enraged the group of monsters, who ignored William and Carl and rushed towards Alex one after another. At about 500 meters, the dragging force disappeared, and the knives protecting William and Carl also fell one after another. "Alex..." William seemed to understand something as he looked at the knife that had fallen to the ground. "Not yet," Carl shook his head. "Alex is still alive, but... his heartbeat is getting weaker and weaker. His abilities should be the same as mine, with a certain range limit, or... he no longer has the extra strength to control these knives. We need to go back and save him!" William wanted to go back and help but was caught by Carl. "You wake up a bit!" Carl cursed, "What can we do when we go back? Can we die? Alex can''t even deal with these monsters, what can we do? He told us the hiding place of the key, hoping that we could come back alive and take the key the next time. Hurry up!" Carl urged, "Those monsters saw what we looked like, and the monsters around us also heard the noise. If we don''t leave now, we really can''t leave. Let''s go back to Yin Mountain and hide. After this matter subsides, we''ll come back and get the keys." William was pulled away by Carl, and at that moment, he suddenly realized how useless he was. When chased by monsters, he couldn''t resist. When taken away by the monster, he couldn''t escape. When surrounded by monsters, he could only watch Alex sacrifice himself. William felt oppressed, as if something was blocking his throat, making him feel extremely uncomfortable. "If only we had discovered these monsters earlier," William said to himself. "If we had known there were monsters lurking around here earlier, we wouldn''t have come over, and Alex wouldn''t have died. If only my abilities could also help." When William thought of this, he suddenly felt a dizzy sensation in his mind. The scenery in front of him seemed to be twisting, the sky flickering, and the entire world seemed to be spinning. "William, what''s wrong with you?" Carl''s voice came to his ear, but William couldn''t hear clearly. "William... William... William!" "William, what''s wrong with you?" The dizziness gradually dissipated, and William, who had regained his senses, saw Carl standing in front of him. "Did you hear what I just told you?" Carl looked at William with a puzzled expression on his face. "Pheromone, because you have pheromones left by monsters, so..." "Is this... my home?" Seeing where he was, William froze. Familiar places, familiar decorations, and the body of the killed monster on the ground. "What are you crazy about?" Carl looked at William. "Aren''t your brains already eaten by this monster? Where else can this be if it''s not your home? I''m here to save you." "I''m back?!" William couldn''t figure it out. Why did he return to the past this time when he was clearly not dead? Moreover, this time he did not follow the previous pattern back to August 8th but instead returned to two hours ago when the monster disguised as William''s father had just been killed. "Nonsense, you won''t forget that you were captured by that monster, did you?" Carl said. As they spoke, footsteps came from outside the door. William looked back, and sure enough, Alex walked in. He glanced at the monster on the ground, and the bone splitter on its neck flew back. Then he saw the car key on the shoe cabinet and grabbed it in his hand. "The person has been rescued. Now come with me to the slaughterhouse." "Cannot go to the slaughterhouse!" William quickly shouted. "Keep your voice down!" Carl, who was beside him, was startled and couldn''t help but rush up to cover William''s mouth. "Do you want to wake up all the monsters in the whole building?" Carl glared at William and turned to Alex, "This is not what we agreed upon -" Before he could finish speaking, William snatched him over and said, "I know there are keys hidden in Alex''s slaughterhouse, but you can''t go." "Key?" Carl looked at William in confusion. Without waiting for him to continue asking, Alex''s face darkened, and the bleeding knife in his bag flew out instantly and stopped in front of William. "Why do you know there are keys hidden in the slaughterhouse?" Alex asked coldly. "Who the hell are you?" Carl is very clever, and Alex''s reaction means that William is right. So, he quickly guessed why William said this: "William, do you mean... you''re dead again?" Chapter 17 : Strategy "Dead?" Now it''s Alex''s turn to wonder. "Isn''t he living well?" "I didn''t die this time, but I don''t know what the situation is," William replied. He really didn''t know why he went back to the past without dying. "However, if we go to the slaughterhouse now, Alex will die." "What do you mean?" Alex frowned and asked. "William, what happened in the following time?" Carl continued. "The time after that?" Alex thought for a moment and asked. "Can you predict the future?" "Almost," William replied casually, and then explained what would happen in the future. After listening, Carl and Alex didn''t look very well. "These monsters won''t easily let me go," Alex gritted his teeth, his emotions so excited that even the knife in his bag began to tremble. "According to your statement, we cannot leave this city without a key," Carl said with his head lowered. "The key is hidden in the slaughterhouse, and there are a large number of monsters lurking near the slaughterhouse. Once we approach the slaughterhouse, these monsters will surround us. Isn''t it certain that we will die in this way?" "Not necessarily," William seemed to have thought of a way. He looked at Alex and continued, "I''ve come up with a way. If everything goes smoothly, I should be able to get the key." "The person those monsters want to catch is Alex, so as long as Alex doesn''t go to the slaughterhouse, it''s okay," William said. After William finished this sentence, Carl looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Do you hear what you''re saying?" Carl gave William a blank look. "Even if Alex doesn''t go to the slaughterhouse, will the monsters lurking there leave? Those monsters will still be there, even if Alex doesn''t go, and if we go to the slaughterhouse to find the keys, they will still find us. Do you think they won''t suspect us? Two students going to the slaughterhouse at night ¨C do you think they won''t catch us?" William lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "But what if Alex appears elsewhere?" Upon hearing this, Carl immediately reacted. "What do you mean... we''ll give these monsters a game to lure them away?" William nodded and said, "That''s what I meant! Those monsters are waiting for prey, so we''ll lead them away. Let these monsters see what human intelligence is!" William suggested. Carl thought for a moment, feeling a bit uncertain, "However, even if Alex appears elsewhere, the monsters guarding the slaughterhouse may not all leave. Even if we leave one or two monsters, we won''t stand a chance," Carl analyzed. "It''s very simple, we''ll fight guerrilla warfare," Carl''s concerns were already on William''s mind. William had also thought of a solution to this point. "Tonight, we''ll create a big scene," William continued. "Alex will drive around the city and use his abilities to attack a few monsters every time he goes. Remember not to get caught up in the fight; just wake up these monsters, and then William will drive away. During this period, I will constantly send messages to my class chat group." "Class group chat?" Carl paused for a moment. "What are you doing sending messages to the class chat group?" "Causing chaos," William explained. "Those monsters in our school must also know about Alex. I will send false information in my classmates'' chat groups. I believe these monsters in the school will pass the message on to other monsters. At the same time, I will keep making emergency calls, causing more chaos." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "But in this way, won''t all the monsters in the entire city come out?" Carl was a bit worried. If all the monsters in the city were to flood out, they would not only have no way to escape but would also die tragically. "No," Alex shook his head. "This city is like a breeding ground, and unless necessary, the monsters here won''t pour out. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have lived to this day. Speaking of this, I''ll put in a word," William looked at Alex and then said, "I''ve always thought it''s strange. Since most people living here are disguised as monsters, why don''t they show their true colors and insist on appearing like humans?" Carl was also curious and looked towards Alex. "I don''t know," Alex shook his head. "However, if we can escape from this city, perhaps we can find the answer somewhere else. Let''s talk about it later," Carl brought the topic back. "The top priority is to solve the current problem. Without the key, everything is just empty talk." William nodded and continued, "Alex and I are responsible for attracting the attention of the monsters. In order to catch Alex, I think the monsters near the slaughterhouse will definitely rush over immediately. At this moment, Carl, it''s your turn to unleash your abilities." "Me?" Carl paused for a moment and then understood William''s meaning. "That''s right, my ability can sense the location of the monster," Carl said. "Entering the slaughterhouse without being noticed by the monster, I''m afraid only I can do it." "Since that''s the case, what are we waiting for?" William seemed to see hope, with a hint of excitement in his tone. "Hurry up and take action. Alex, protect yourself. After all, you still have injuries. Don''t confront these monsters head-on. If you attract too many monsters, run quickly. We each complete the assigned tasks and finally gather at Yinshan. Let''s go!" Having decided on the plan, the three of them quickly went downstairs. Alex drove away in the opposite direction of the slaughterhouse. Carl immediately rushed to the slaughterhouse, waiting for the opportunity to take action. William''s task was relatively flexible, mainly to distract the monsters'' attention, create false information, and prevent the monsters from immediately finding Alex. Upon seeing Alex and Carl leaving one after another, William quickly sent a message in the class chat group, and @ everyone with the following message: "The murderer suddenly appeared and made bold statements, slaughtering the city tonight!" William continued to send the message. More and more messages appeared in the group, and the monsters in the school started chatting with each other. William did not immediately send out the wrong location; he had to wait for Alex to start. As for the two messages just now, they were also meant to arouse the curiosity of these monsters. William temporarily exited the chat interface and began making emergency calls, saying, "Hello? Help! Murderer! I see the murderer. Yes, it''s the one reported in the news these days. I just saw him riding a motorcycle towards the city center. I don''t know what he''s going to do, but his appearance looks terrible. Ah! By the way, Mincheng Hospital is near the center of the city. That murderer doesn''t want to go to the hospital to kill, does he? It''s so scary." William ran towards the nearby park as he spoke. Before leaving, William deliberately brought the last few bottles of wine from home. When he arrived at the park, he poured the wine into the trash can, flower bed, and then lit it with a lighter. Normally, William would never do such dangerous and illegal things. But now, he has to face monsters, and talking to monsters about the law is itself a ridiculous thing. After finishing all this, William quickly left. After waiting for a moment, William called another emergency phone number and said, "No good! I saw the murderer setting fire in the park! It''s terrible, come on, the fire is burning!" This night, the city was destined to be unstable. But what does this have to do with William? He just wants to survive from these monsters. William turned off his phone, looked at the time, and felt that he could rush towards Yinshan. But just as William turned around and was about to leave, a voice suddenly came from behind that surprised him. "William, what are you doing here so late?" The sudden sound caught William''s attention, causing his eyebrows to furrow. Turning around, he saw Ina, his monitor, approaching slowly. "Monitor, it''s quite late. What brings you here?" William adjusted his demeanor quickly and answered calmly, "I couldn''t sleep, so I thought I''d take a walk." Ina smiled, replying, "I couldn''t sleep either." As Ina drew nearer, William made an effort not to show any unease. Any hint of resistance in his expression might raise Ina''s suspicion. William couldn''t help but regret that someone he had once liked was actually a monster in human guise. Chapter 18: Facing the Monster Alone "William, I heard you missed the exam the day before yesterday, and you didn''t attend the graduation dinner yesterday," Edna inquired with concern. "Is there something wrong with your family? Your classmates have been sending you messages for the past two days, but you haven''t responded." William had indeed received many messages, but during that time, he was trapped at home by monsters, consumed with thoughts of how to escape, and had no time to respond to them. "An emergency?" William scolded himself mentally. "Even if there was a real crisis, it''s none of her business." "The only thing happening to me is that I''m uncertain about this year''s exam, so I decided to give it up and repeat the year," William quickly thought of an excuse to deflect her concern. "Really?" Ina didn''t seem entirely convinced. "Absolutely," William nodded. "Monitor, it''s quite late now. I need to get going." "You should head home too. I heard that the police are still searching for that murderer, Alex, who recently resurfaced," Ina cautioned. "Be careful." "I should get going," William said. He didn''t want to waste any more time with this monster. However, as soon as he turned around, Ina stopped him again. "William, let me walk you home." "Huh?" William paused. The monster back at his home was still lying behind the door. If Ina followed him, she would definitely see it. So William promptly declined, "There''s no need for that, I can manage on my own." "It''s quite late, and it''s not safe to be out alone at this hour. Let me accompany you," Ina insisted with a smile. "You wouldn''t leave a girl alone at night, would you?" William thought to himself, "What ''girl'' are you talking about? The ''girl'' you''re calling is nothing more than a female monster." But he replied, "Let''s not." William shook his head. He didn''t want to walk through the night with a monster. "People might get the wrong idea if they see a man and a woman out together late at night," Ina added. "If you''re concerned about safety, you can always call a taxi for yourself." "I really need to get back now, or my parents will worry," William said. "Monitor, I''ll be on my way. Goodbye!" With that, he turned and began to walk away. He quickened his pace, not wanting to be followed by this monster. Occasionally, a police car passed by, prompting William to hide in an alley. "It looks like the plan is working," William muttered. "These monsters have been drawn away by Uncle An. By now, Carl should have obtained the key." William couldn''t help but wonder why he had encountered Ina, the monster, on this particular night. "I must be really unlucky," he thought. "I need to get back quickly. If I run into another monster, I''ll be in serious trouble." "You''ve figured it out, haven''t you?" Just as William was about to leave, he heard Ina''s deep voice from above. William froze in place, his eyes widening as he looked up slowly. Above him, Ina''s lower body had vanished, replaced by six slender insect-like legs. She lay prone on the wall, staring directly at William. William had been cautious, but he had forgotten that these monsters could climb walls. He also hadn''t expected Ina to have followed him all this way. "Now that you''ve discovered me, there''s no need to hold back," Ina''s skin began to tear, revealing a black exoskeleton. She opened her mouth, revealing saw-toothed mouthparts, and her huge compound eyes. Her abdomen was covered in barbed tentacles that swayed as if eager to pierce into William''s body. "Don''t... don''t come any closer!" William stammered nervously. At this moment, he couldn''t help but admire Carl''s abilities. If he had Carl''s power, he would have detected this monster following him. William thought about what had happened at the slaughterhouse in the previous timeline. If he could go back to that moment without dying, would things be different now? "Go back! Go away!" William shouted desperately. Unfortunately, time didn''t reverse itself as he wished. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Why does this ability work inconsistently?" William wanted to cry. Compared to the abilities of Carl and Alex, his own abilities seemed far less reliable. Ina leapt down from the wall. In his panic, William grabbed a brick from the ground and hurled it at Ina. There was a loud thud as the brick struck Ina''s forehead. William stared in amazement. Bricks had left a shallow dent on Ina''s forehead. "Huh?" William wondered. Weren''t these monsters'' shells supposed to be tough? How did a brick manage to dent it? As he looked at the transformed Ina before him, William began to sense that something was off. William had encountered many monsters before, especially during the timeline where the butcher shop was surrounded. However, compared to those monsters, Ina''s body seemed much smaller. Even her tentacles and six insect-like legs were thinner than those of the other monsters. After some quick thinking, William began to understand. He recalled the time when Ina had killed him in the abandoned factory. He hadn''t seen her entire form then. It seemed that Ina was still an immature monster. Only when these monsters fully developed did they grow larger, with thicker tentacles and invulnerable exoskeletons. Faced with this immature monster, William believed he might stand a chance in a fight. With this realization, William began to form a plan. Ina had no idea what was going on in William''s mind. She was quite angered by the brick''s impact. Her six insect legs stamped the ground, and she pounced toward William. "Wait a moment!" Seeing the monster approach, William shouted. He knew how these monsters were driven by greed and wouldn''t willingly share their prey unless forced to. "Are you planning to devour me right here?" William asked. "Even though it''s nighttime, other monsters might pass by due to the ongoing search for the murderer. If they see you eating a human, they might come and demand a share of the feast. You won''t have my delicious flesh all to yourself." "If you really intend to eat me, I know a place where you can enjoy your meal in peace," William raised an eyebrow, continuing, "After all, even as food, I still deserve some dignity." William knew he stood no chance against Ina in a fight within the confines of the alley. He lacked a weapon and making noise would likely attract other monsters. So, he leveraged the greed and selfishness of these creatures to suggest an alternative location. William dared not go to the butcher''s shop, uncertain if Carl was still there. If other monsters were lurking nearby, they would know that William had discovered their true nature if they saw another monster following him. Once a fully developed monster set its sights on William, he would be in grave danger. William also ruled out Sifang Mountain as it was too far away. If other monsters spotted him on the way, his situation would become even more precarious. After careful consideration, William settled on the abandoned factory on the hill behind him. In his previous experiences, William had set a trap in that very abandoned factory to eliminate Arthur. He had arrived there early and spent considerable time exploring the area, gaining extensive knowledge of the factory. Moreover, it was seldom visited at night, making it the ideal place to confront monsters for William. This marked the first time William had chosen to face a monster on his own. As they made their way to the abandoned factory, he was filled with a mix of fear and excitement. "Abandoned factory?" Ina questioned as they approached. "Yes, this is it," William confirmed calmly. "There are few people in this area, so you don''t have to worry about other monsters trying to steal your meal. Besides, there''s no need to clean up afterward. You can simply wipe your mouth. It''s clean and hygienic." Ina remained silent, seemingly content with the choice of location. The surroundings outside the abandoned factory were eerie in the dead of night, with the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind adding an unsettling atmosphere. Once they entered the abandoned factory together, Ina raised her forearm, and the tentacles in her abdomen began to writhe eagerly, signaling her intention to consume William. Unbeknownst to her, William had other plans. William swiftly picked up a stone from the ground and turned to hurl it at Ina just as she was about to make her move. Compared to the narrow alley, the abandoned factory was filled with stones, making them readily available weapons for William. He could attack without concern for the noise drawing other monsters. "Son of a bitch!" William cursed, "If you want to eat me, you''ll have to prove you''re capable of it!" William continued to hurl stones at Ina, although they couldn''t penetrate her exoskeleton, they did manage to further enrage her. Her jagged mouthparts emitted a harsh, low hum, and her six insect-like legs stamped on the ground as she charged at William. Having encountered numerous monsters, William remained calm when faced with this creature, which was not much larger than himself and still in the process of development. As Ina closed in on him, William scrambled on the ground, recalling his previous time at the factory setting traps. He remembered that there was something in this vicinity that could serve as a weapon. He soon felt a cold object in his hand¡ªa steel bar connecting broken cement stones. It was the perfect makeshift weapon. William raised the steel bar, mimicking Alex''s stance for dealing with monsters, and swung it at Ina. Chapter 19: Only You Are Dead The swing appeared smooth, but upon impact, William realized how much more powerful Alex was. The cement stone hit Ina''s waist, leaving a shallow dent in her carapace but failing to deter her. Instead, William''s hands went numb, and he dropped to the ground due to the force of the impact.Ina''s tentacles snaked around the steel bar, prompting William to release his grip to avoid being pulled toward the monster. "Is this the best you''ve got?" Ina scoffed. Though her carapace wasn''t as tough as that of an adult monster, the fall from the top floor wouldn''t harm her."You think too highly of yourself," William retorted. He swiftly regained his footing and rushed up the stairs, with Ina in pursuit."You can''t escape," the enraged Edna declared, deciding to toy with William before devouring him. "However, since you want to play, I''ll indulge you."William sprinted as fast as he could, occasionally grabbing stones from the ground and hurling them at Ina behind him. Ina, however, remained unfazed, believing the roof to be a dead end. In her eyes, William''s actions were merely a futile struggle before his imminent demise.But as they reached the roof, William made a sudden turn and charged toward Ina. Her reaction was delayed, and by the time she realized what was happening, William had already embraced her."Go to hell, you dog!" There was no protection on the top floor of the abandoned factory. With all his might, William leaped off the roof, taking Ina with him. "Do you want to die with me?" Ina''s expression revealed incredulity as they descended. With a sharp "chi" sound, she looked down and saw a rusty steel bar piercing her abdomen.William had chosen this specific location for their descent because he remembered a section of steel bar protruding from that spot. Falling from that height was certain to pierce through Ina''s underdeveloped carapace. Gazing at the monster on the ground, William couldn''t help but laugh. "As I said, only you are dead."Ina let out a painful roar as she writhed in agony, desperately struggling to rise. However, the steel bar piercing her back kept her pinned to the ground, making escape impossible. Her movements caused the steel bar to shift within her body, and the tentacles in her abdomen swiftly wrapped around it. She attempted to pull the steel bar out, but it remained lodged firmly. So, she resorted to dragging her body slowly, trying to climb over the steel bar.William, realizing her intent, refused to give her the chance to escape. He climbed back up to the roof using the rope, his waist aching with every movement. He grabbed a stone from the ground, raised it above his head, and hurled it downward at the struggling monster without hesitation. With a loud thud, the stone missed her body but struck one of her worm-like appendages."Ah!" Ina roared in pain. "William! I''ll kill you! I must kill you!""I''m going to skin you and break your bones one by one!" she continued, her threats growing more desperate."You won''t get that chance," William retorted, his teeth clenched. "Because I''ll always remember how you killed me right here."Ina froze, confusion in her eyes. "I... killed you?" she asked, her tone filled with disbelief. "William, what do you mean? I never intended to harm you!""You don''t need to know," William sneered. "As long as I remember."He continued hurling stones at the monster below, relentlessly. When he exhausted the stones on the roof, he descended to the next floor to gather more ammunition. In the abandoned factory, stones were his most precious resource. William kept throwing them until Ina stopped struggling, until the monster breathed its last, and until the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn.Exhausted, William slumped to the ground, as if he had drained every ounce of his strength. He gazed up at the sky and let out a triumphant laugh. Ina had killed him here, and now he had taken his revenge.At that moment, all the pent-up emotions inside him found release. Even though he had defeated an underdeveloped monster, it was a significant step forward for William."Wait!" William suddenly shouted. "One day, I''ll kill all of you grotesque creatures!"His declaration was interrupted by the sudden ringing of his cell phone, causing him to jump. Hechecked the caller ID¡ªit was Carl''s number. "Hello?" William answered."William, pick up!" Carl''s anxious voice came through. "Where are you?" "Houshan.""Houshan?" Carl sounded puzzled. "What are you doing up in the back hills?""Do you know what time it is? Alex has returned. Why haven''t you come back?" Carl asked, concern evident in his voice."I thought you might have been captured by those monsters again," Carl continued, asking a series of questions that touched William''s heart. While he didn''t know his biological parents, at least he had a few friends."Almost, I ran into Ina," William replied."..." There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by Carl''s inquiry, "It''s not going to reopen again, is it?""Not really," William reassured him with a smile. "I took care of it.""What?" Carl sounded surprised. "You managed to kill a monster all by yourself?""Let''s discuss it when I get back," William said. He realized it wasn''t the time to relax yet, and he needed to return to Yinshan as soon as possible to plan their next move.After ending the call, William glanced down at the fallen Ina. "Goodbye, Monitor."...When William returned to Yinshan, Arthur rushed over. "William, are you okay?" Arthur asked anxiously, inspecting William to ensure he had all his limbs intact. "I was worried when Carl told me you encountered a monster.""He''s just impulsive," William replied, "he rushed to the back hills looking for you."Carl joined them, his gaze scanning their surroundings to confirm that no monsters were trailing them. He then said, "Your boy got lucky. He not only survived but also killed a monster.""Did you get the key?" William asked.Carl nodded. "I''ve got the key, and there''s something else too.""Come on, let me show you," Carl added. Near the cliff, they found Alex, who had awakened from his sleep as they approached."Alex," William greeted him, but Alex ignored him and lay back down.Beside Alex lay an iron box and a file folder. "The key is in the box," Carl said, picking it up and handing it to William. William opened the box and saw its contents, prompting a bewildered reaction.He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was mistaken. "Is this... the key?" An iron box the size of his palm held a diamond-shaped crystal. Upon Carl''s nod, William realized that his perception had been challenged."I know what you''re thinking," Carl said. "I felt the same when I first saw it. After all, this thing is nothing like the keys we expected.""Yeah, I thought it was a mistake when I saw it. It looks more like a crystal," Arthur added."It''s less of a key and more of a jamming device," Carl explained. "Remember when Alex mentioned those invisible devices around the city? This should interfere with them and allow us to pass safely." William couldn''t help but comment, "The world just keeps getting stranger."Carl handed over the file folder. "You might want to read this. You can be surprised later."Taking the file folder, William discovered papers pieced together inside. As he began to examine thecontents, he was met with a row of striking words¡ªHuman Ranch 798#."Alex found these materials near the skeleton," Carl continued. "The skeleton might have uncovered the monsters'' true nature before his death and attempted to escape. However, I can''t figure out what happened exactly, leading to a person with a key dying there.""Could it be that the monsters discovered him, chased him down, and killed him?" Arthur suggested. Carl shook his head. "If that were the case, we wouldn''t have access to these materials.""It''s a shame these materials were torn when Alex found them. Although he managed to piece them back together somewhat, the information he could extract was limited," William remarked, taking out the contents of the folder. The documents had been pieced together and glued back, but numerous fragments were missing. Nonetheless, they could still glean some information from them."It contains instructions on how to use the key," Carl pointed to one of the pages. "When you''re near the city''s edge, the key''s center will begin to glow red, gradually spreading until the entire key turns red, allowing you to leave.""In addition to that, there''s a sketch of information about the monsters on this page," William added, flipping to the back and finding a sketch. It depicted the monsters William had encountered¡ªcreatures with mantis-like forearms, octopus-like tentaclescovered in barbs instead of suckers, insect-like feet, two large compound eyes, and serrated mouthparts. These bizarre and horrifying creatures were a strange amalgamation of various animal features Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Chapter 20: Heterotypic "Heterotypic name: Touching Beetle, Wingless Subclass, Medium Intelligence Species..." read the information below the sketch."Predatory creatures, armed with sickle-like forearms, prominent compound eyes, and abdominal tentacles used to ensnare prey. They have flexible necks and serrated mouthparts..." Carl read aloud from the document."Touching Beetle? Are these the names of these monsters?" William questioned. Carl shrugged. "That''s what the file indicates."William couldn''t help but feel that this world was growing increasingly bizarre. "If there''s information about the appearance and characteristics of these monsters, that means someone has studied them. Could it be that if we find someone who has studied these creatures, we can find a way to defeat them?""Even if we could defeat them, do you think the city would cease to be a human pasture?" Carl sighed, his gaze shifting to Lucy, who was beside him. "I hope Lucy can grow up safely and lead a simple life," he said, gently patting her head. "That''s all I''ve ever wanted."Carl''s perspective was clear: he wanted to coexist with these monsters peacefully, even if he knew that everyone around him was a monster. He simply wanted to live and protect his sister.However, William held a different view. He harbored deep resentment toward these monsters, who had separated him from his biological parents. If possible, he wanted to uncover the truth about this world and find a way to rid it of these monsters."Do you really believe these monsters will leave us alone if we just want to survive?" William argued. "To them, humans are nothing more than food.""They don''t care about the food, they don''t care if the food they''re about to consume has dreams or aspirations. All they care about is opening their mouths and devouring their prey," William continued. "Carl, we can''t just run away from this," William stated."I ran away," Carl responded simply. He glanced at the information in William''s hands, took out the last page, and placed it at the top. He pointed to the handwritten note on it. "As long as we go here, we can survive."Following Carl''s gesture, William''s eyes fell on the faintly written words in pen. It was a neat line that read, "Far North Land? Peach Blossom Garden? The last hope for humanity?""What does this mean?" This was the only portion in the materials that had been written with a pen. If William''s hunch was correct, it might have been written by the skeleton before his demise."North," Carl explained. "Once we leave this place, we head north. There may be a place that belongs solely to humans, devoid of monsters. That''s what they call the ''Peach Blossom Garden.''""Suppose we go there; we might be able to live peacefully," Carl added."Are you insane?" William was taken aback. "This line was clearly written later, and it has a question mark at the end.""How can you know if you don''t go and find out?" Carl maintained his determination. Just as they were debating, Alex, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly sat up. Three bloodletting knives from the bag hovered in front of him. Alex fixed his gaze on William and the others and calmly stated, "You can''t go anywhere."Before William could even turn around, three bloodletting knives suspended in front of Alex shot up with a "ceng" sound. William was startled. He hadn''t expected Alex to move so quickly. It was too late to evade. One of the bloodletting knives hovered perilously close to William''s forehead, poised to strike at any moment. Arthur found himself in a similar predicament, with another knife pressed against his neck, ready to pierce his skin with the slightest movement.Carl, on the other hand, managed to avoid the flying bloodletting knife due to his enhanced sensory abilities. However, in his haste to dodge, he slipped and fell. The bloodletting knife that Carl narrowly avoided came to a halt in front of Lucy."Don''t harm her!" Carl urgently got back on his feet and pleaded with Alex, his eyes fixed on the bloodletting knife threatening his sister.Alex glanced at them coldly and sneered, "I told you that you can''t escape." "Why?" William protested, refusing to back down."Don''t speak!" Carl barked at William, deeply concerned for his sister''s safety. He then turned to face Alex and asked, "What do you want from us?" Alex slowly rose from the ground, his eyes fixed on William as he walked over to pick up the key box from the ground. "Even if my knives couldn''t touch you, how far do you think you can get once you leave this city?" He continued, his tone disdainful. "Rather than letting you die at the hands of monsters outside, I might as well end your lives here. At least that way, you''ll die as humans, with some semblance of dignity."With those words, the bloodletting knives that had been suspended menacingly in front of William and the others flew back, returning to their sheaths in Alex''s bag. Alex then sat down on the ground, clutching the key box."You think killing a monster makes you great?" Alex looked up slightly, glaring at William. "Who wouldn''t talk big? You want to eliminate them. Who do you think you are? You''re just a helpless rabbit without fur.""Do you believe that all humans in this world are as powerless and foolish as you?" Alex''s words left no room for argument. Although William was displeased, he had to admit that Alex had a point. William desired to rid the world of these monsters, but was he the only one with such aspirations? If eliminating these monsters were as straightforward as it seemed, the city wouldn''t have become a human pasture. "You." Alex turned his gaze to Arthur. "Your limbs are underdeveloped, and you''re rather simple- minded. If you had remained blissfully unaware of the existence of these monsters, you might have survived a few more years. But now that you know, you won''t last three days outside."Arthur, with a resigned expression, nodded in agreement. "And you." Alex glanced at Carl, who was standing protectively in front of Lucy. "Your ability is quite convenient. It allows you to detect monsters and evade most attacks.""But where does that leave your sister?" Alex continued, his voice cutting. "Can you always be by her side? Moreover, you''re not strong yourself. Even if you''re with her all the time, the inevitable outcome will be witnessing your sister''s death at the hands of those monsters.""Is this little trick enough for you to leave this place? And what then? You''ll just die somewhere else. If you want to die, you might as well do it without the involvement of those monsters," Alex concluded. Although his words were harsh, they struck a chord with William and the others."Alex, we were mistaken," Arthur admitted quietly after a brief pause. Alex paid them no mind, closing his eyes as if to rest.William gazed at Alex, who was seated on the ground. His mind was in turmoil. After a night spent under the shelter of a large tree, William had reflected upon many things. At dawn the following day, he stood up and approached Alex, seemingly with something to say. But before William could speak, Alex opened his eyes."What is it?" Alex asked without looking up."Alex, I have a request," William began, crouching down to meet Alex''s gaze. "You''re incredibly powerful, and not even those monsters can challenge you. I want to ask you to teach me." Alex raised an eyebrow. "You''re not planning on leaving?""I will leave eventually," William replied firmly, "but not right now. You were right, Alex. I''m not prepared to face those monsters. If I were to leave this city now, I''d only meet my demise.""I want to become strong," William continued, his tone serious. "I want to reach a point where, when I encounter a monster, my first thought won''t be to run away, but how to defeat it." William didn''t share Carl''s aversion to monsters, so he knew he would likely face them more often than Carl did. He didn''t want to flee in fear every time he encountered a monster outside the city. If the world beyond the city was also teeming with monsters, where could he possibly escape to? He remembered the sight of Alex confronting a group of monsters in the previous timeline. If it weren''t for Alex''s injuries and the burden of protecting William and Carl, those monsters might not have stood a chance against him. William aspired to be like Alex."Me too!" Arthur''s voice chimed in from the side. He swiftly rose from the ground and joined William, saying, "Alex, please teach me as well.""Over these past few days, I''ve been utterly useless," Arthur continued. "I don''t want to see my friends in danger while I can''t do anything to help them."Alex didn''t immediately respond. Instead, he turned to look at Carl, who was not far away, tending to Lucy. "And you, Carl? What are your thoughts?" Alex inquired.Carl glanced at Lucy, who was still asleep beside him. Though she hadn''t spoken, she stood resolutely by William''s side. "I''m in," Carl declared. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Chapter 21: The Wind and Rain Desire "Very well," Alex stood up, revealing a rare smile. His abrupt actions the previous day were meant to prompt William and the others to reach this realization. Witnessing the unwavering determination in the eyes of the three teenagers, Alex was ready to begin their training.In the days that followed, Alex devised a comprehensive training plan for the trio. Unlike William and Carl, Arthur possessed no special abilities, so he began with physical conditioning. Arthur''s daily regimen involved mountain climbing and running. Thankfully, Arthur had an indomitable spirit, enduring physical exhaustion with grit and determination. His resilience seemed boundless, as he always bounced back energetically after a night''s rest.Carl''s training plan was relatively straightforward. His cautious nature and sensory-enhancement ability made him an elusive target for monsters. Consequently, Carl''s primary goal was to synchronize his body''s reaction speed with his enhanced perception. This would enable him to respond swiftly to threats, even if he detected them with his enhanced senses. Additionally, Carl took on the role of procuring supplies from the mountain and providing early warnings of potential monster incursions.As for William''s training plan, Alex had some initial doubts but eventually devised a plan tailored to his needs.Considering the different characteristics of William, Carter, and Arthur, Alex developed distinct training plans for each of them. Arthur''s training regimen was straightforward yet demanding. Unlike William and Carter, who possessed special abilities, Arthur''s focus was solely on enhancing his physical fitness. His daily routine included activities such as mountain climbing, running with weighted packs, and rock climbing. Arthur understood that strengthening his physical endurance was essential for facing the monsters head-on during World War I. He didn''t complain about the monotonous and tedious training, realizing its importance. Even if he couldn''t defeat the monsters, Arthur wanted the physical strength to protect his friends or make a quick escape.Carter''s training plan was more intricate due to his exceptional perception abilities. To harness his full potential, Carter needed to synchronize his body''s reaction speed with his rapid perception. Each morning, before dawn, he climbed Yinshan Mountain to train, focusing on improving his coordination between body and perception. As the sun rose, he practiced adapting to changes in his vision.After a short break, Alex engaged in training exercises with Carter. He blindfolded Carter, using his own abilities to send blades flying and creating noise through collisions to disrupt Carter''s concentration, thereby honing Carter''s hearing. The goal was for Carter to accurately catch stones thrown amid the clamor, enhancing the coordination between his body and hearing. Carter''s heightened senses were both a boon and a challenge. For instance, even a faint scent of cologne from William could make Carter uncomfortable, making it difficult for him to discern the presence of monsters by smell alone. To address this, William introduced various strong odors during training, forcing Carter to adapt and locate targets amidst pungent smells.Additionally, Carter ventured down the mountain for supplies every three days, using his abilities to avoid encounters with monsters and reduce unnecessary risks. This practical training proved valuable. They had sufficient funds, as Carter had taken all the money from the butcher shop when they left.However, William presented a challenge. While he possessed great determination, his physical endurance lagged behind. The same training that left Arthur energized left William fatigued and with aching muscles. Unlike Carter, William hadn''t grown up understanding his abilities; he''d discovered them only after being attacked by a monster. Thus, he struggled to control and master his power.Alex, unable to help William directly with his abilities, focused on physical training, offering him half of Arthur''s training regimen. Half a month passed, during which Lucy''s careful nursing helped Alex recover significantly from his injuries. Although not completely healed, the wounds no longer hindered their progress.Arthur remained dedicated to his training, consistently showing boundless energy each day. Carter''s mastery of his abilities improved, extending his perception range from 800 to 1000 meters. While his body''s reaction speed still trailed behind, he managed to catch three or four out of every ten stones Alex threw at him.However, William struggled to understand and control his abilities. Despite half a month of effort, he made little progress. Thankfully, the physical training had significantly improved his endurance.One day, Carter returned from a supply run with troubling news. "I heard a rumor thatthose monsters are planning to search Yinshan.""Search the forest?" Arthur questioned. "Why the sudden interest in the mountains?""They''ve been looking for us for a while now," Carter replied. "It''s not surprising they''d decide to search the mountains. We''ve been hiding out here.""I doubt they''re searching Yinshan just for me," Alex chimed in. "I don''t think they''re entirely focused on finding me."William added, "Remember the first few days when our classmates from the group chat kept asking about us?""Yeah," Carter recalled. "They were inquiring about why the three of us gave up on the college entrance exams and missed the graduation party.""Exactly," William continued, "and there''s that monster that disguised itself as my father, lurking behind that door. Our schoolmates may have figured out our secret."Their situation grew more perilous as monsters would never tolerate humans who knew their true identities. Fearing exposure in the city, they''d decided to hide in the mountains."We don''t have many mountains nearby," William said with concern. "They might find us soon.""Maybe that''s a good thing," Arthur said determinedly. "We can catch them off guard in the mountains." Alex intervened, maintaining a calm demeanor. "You''ve all improved significantly these days, but it''s still too early to confront a group of monsters. Let''s pack up. We''ll leave tonight and get out of here."They embarked on a journey that would take about five days to cross Yinshan Mountain and reach the neighboring city. During this time, they continued their training. They''d set out before the monsters initiated their search in Yinshan Mountain, and their journey had been smooth thus far. However, when they finally reached the outskirts of the city, an unexpected development awaited them.William found himself standing at the edge of the city, gazing at the dense woods ahead. After five long days of travel, they had finally reached the city''s outskirts. Beyond this forest lay the mountains of the neighboring city, their next destination. William knew nothing about the world beyond their city''s limits. However, due to the existence of those aliens, he expected the outside world to be vastly different from what he had seen on TV. It might be teeming with all sorts of monstrous creatures, even more terrifying and cruel than he could imagine."Are you all ready?" Arthur''s sudden shout broke the silence, as if he needed to muster courage for himself and motivate everyone else. Lucy clung tightly to Carter''s sleeve, her expression nervous but resolute. Car''s eyes were unwavering, and he comforted Lucy with a reassuring touch. Meanwhile, William glanced back at the path they had taken. Although the city''s buildings were no longer visible, everything that had happened felt like it had occurred just yesterday."Goodbye," William whispered silently to himself. He was bidding farewell to the city he had called home for 18 years and to his former self."Let''s move forward," Alex announced as he produced a key.As they ventured into the woods, the crystal in Alex''s hand began emitting a faint red glow. Arthur couldn''t contain his excitement. He pointed at the key and exclaimed, "Look, the key is responding!"As they continued forward, the red light within the crystal intensified. William thought to himself, "If this thing is as described in the data, once the red light fills the key entirely, we can leave this nightmarish place."Finally, the red light enveloped the entire crystal. Just as they were preparing to leave with newfound confidence, William suddenly felt dizzy. His head throbbed, and the world before him began to blur. It was as if something were tearing at his very soul. He tried to warn the others, but his body wouldn''t respond. Panic surged within him."What''s happening?" William''s thoughts raced. "Why? Have those monsters caught up to us?" "No, if there were any monsters nearby, Carter would have sensed them.""Damn it! Damn it! We were on the verge of victory, and now this?"William''s consciousness grew increasingly hazy. In his dazed state, he seemed to see two familiar figures sitting in front of him. They wore warm smiles and clapped their hands as they spoke. The candlelight flickered, and a cheerful song filled his ears. It was a song he had heard every year, a song that had once brought joy but was now the beginning of his nightmares: "Happy birthday to you, happy every day and happy forever! Happy birthday, William! Blow out the candles!"After a momentary trance, William snapped back to reality. The two people sitting before him were his parents, the same parents who had been ruthlessly killed by Alex."William?" his mother called out. "William, what''s the matter with you?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 22: Strange Cycle The shock of seeing his parents alive and well made William''s scalp tingle."My... birthday?" William realized he had been transported back to his 18th birthday, August 11th. "Yes, William, today is your birthday," his father affirmed, making William leap up from his chair in alarm. He backed away, nearly stumbling over a nearby chair."You... why are you still alive?" William couldn''t believe his eyes."Why have I returned to my birthday?" Memories flooded his mind, reminding him of the edge of the city and the impending departure. Yet, inexplicably, he had been thrust back to August 11th. "Maybe... I''m dead again?" William contemplated his situation.Shaking his head, he couldn''t recall any monsters or the circumstances leading to his death. Could it be that his ability had triggered on its own, as it had for Alex in the butcher shop?Frustration welled up within him. He had spent over two weeks in the mountains, finally reaching the point where he could leave, only to be thrown back to the starting point in the blink of an eye. If none of his efforts could change anything, what had it all been for?"William, what''s wrong with you?" his mother asked, concerned.In his perplexity, William admitted, "I know you''re monsters." Today was August 11th, his birthday, and the day he had been devoured. There was no use hiding the truth.But the reaction from his parents surprised him."Monsters?" his mother paused, appearing puzzled. "What do you mean, monsters?""I don''t know," his father shook his head, bewildered. "Is William referring to a computer game he''s been playing?""What''s happening to you, William?" his father questioned with a furrowed brow. "Is it the pressure of upcoming exams or the relief of finishing them that''s affecting your mind?""Hospital!" his father suggested after some thought. "William, come on, I''ll take you to the hospital for a check-up.""Yes, the hospital!" his mother echoed. "William, everything will be alright. Mom and Dad are here with you. You''ll be fine."William paused, unsure of what was happening. Why was this scene different from his previous experiences? He had revealed the existence of monsters, yet his parents hadn''t exposed their true nature. Why hadn''t they attacked him, as they had before?"Car keys, where did I put the car keys?" his father mumbled, looking worried."On the shoe cabinet, like you always do when you come home," his mother reminded him."Yes, on the shoe cabinet," his father confirmed as he went to fetch the keys. "I''ll drive, and we''ll head to the hospital right away.""William, I''ll take you to see the doctor," his mother assured him. "Don''t worry; you''ll be fine."No, no, no! William''s mind was in turmoil. What was going on? Were his past experiences mere illusions, and was this current reality genuine? Or during this latest journey through time and space, had something changed that he hadn''t yet realized?William began to recall the whole process of entering the forest, but as he thought about it, he found nothing strange."William, come, Mom will take you to the hospital." It seemed that William''s pale face had not gone unnoticed, and his mother''s voice had become cautious. She helped William, and they soon reached the parking lot.William had remained wary of his mother throughout, but she never transformed into a monster or tried to harm him. Dad started the car but didn''t move right away."The monster you mentioned..." Mom and Dad suddenly changed their tone of voice. The once-worried tone now turned strangely indifferent. The lights in the parking lot started to go out one by one, leaving only the car''s interior lights illuminating Mom and Dad in the front seats.They both turned around slowly, their faces starting to shed their human-like appearance, revealing the features of the monsters they truly were."Is that so?" This sudden transformation left William in shock. He wanted to open the car door and escape, but he remembered that it was locked. Mom and Dad, now monsters, didn''t make any move to harm him. Instead, they began to laugh, producing a harsh, nerve-wracking sound that sent shivers down William''s spine.This laughter caused William intense pain and a splitting headache, as if something was tearing at his very soul. It became unbearable, and William eventually lost consciousness...."Are you ready?" Arthur''s voice snapped William back to reality as they stood at the edge of the forest outside the city."Let''s go." Alex took out the keys and was about to enter the forest when William stopped them abruptly."Wait a minute!" William appeared flustered. He grabbed Carl and urged, "Carl, please, check for any signs of monsters around us.""Are those monsters catching up with us?" he continued, "Or are they lurking in these woods, waiting to trap us?""William, what''s wrong with you?" Arthur noticed the panic in William''s eyes and grew concerned. "Brother William, are you alright?" Lucy chimed in, her worry evident."Come on!" William ignored their questions and continued to press Carl for answers. Carl frowned, then glanced at William, finally understanding what he was getting at.Carl nodded and started to use his abilities to sense the surroundings. After a moment, he shook his head. "There are no monsters around us," he confirmed."Impossible!" William couldn''t accept that. If there were no monsters around, then why had he returned to the past? His ability only activated after he died. If there were no monsters, why had he died? "William, calm down," Carl urged. He then asked, "Tell us, what happens when you enter the forest?" "Has your ability activated again?" Alex asked, seeing William''s distress. "After entering, we will die," William replied with a furrowed brow, recounting the events that had transpired earlier. But after he was done, Carl found something peculiar."Something isn''t right," Carl mused, "Even though we don''t know the exact nature of your ability, judging from what happened, the time you return to after your death seems inconsistent.""If we were killed by monsters after entering the woods, then you shouldn''t have returned to August 11th," Carl continued. William initially hesitated but then agreed that Carl''s analysis made sense. "Before, I thought that the past you returned to would gradually shift backward in time, from August 11th to August 10th, and then to August 9th," Carl elaborated. "But in the butcher shop, you only went back a few hours.""So even if we were killed by a monster after entering the woods, you should have gone back either to August 8th or, as it is now, just a few hours ago.""However, this time, I did return to August 11th." William was sure of this. He remembered it vividly ¨C the cake and knife on the table, his parents sitting across from him, the familiar birthday song, and... Thinking about this, a sense of doubt began to cloud William''s thoughts. "Yes," he mumbled to himself, "what happened on August 11th this time is different from the previous August 11th."William couldn''t fully grasp the meaning behind these changes, but one thing was clear ¨C he had indeed died. "Just to be on the safe side," Alex spoke up, "I''ll go in first." He looked at the forest in front of him. His knife emerged from his bag and circled around him. Alex held his blade firmly and added, "Our knowledge of these aliens is limited. It''s possible that there are monsters hidden here that we don''t know about.""Anyway, it''s always better to be cautious," Carl agreed, patting William on the shoulder. "If something feels off, I''ll let you know."This time, as they entered the woods, William proceeded with even greater caution. But when the red light on the key filled up once more, he felt the same inexplicable dizziness and soul-tearing sensation returning. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.