AnalogHorror: Rule Kaidan 4016
Chapter 207 - 96 Art Building Lobby_2

Chapter 207: Chapter 96 Art Building Lobby_2

Occasionally, a wisp of candlelight flickering in the wind would twist through the mist and land on their palms, their claws, casting a hissing smoke and, in pain, recoiling back into the darkness.

Mao Feiyang’s heart was involuntarily seized by a surge of intense fear as those twisted figures pursued his trail like a viscous, pitch-black pool of corrupt blood. It was as if a pair of hands were gradually overtaking him from the shadows behind, attempting to throttle his throat.

At last, the light projected from the Watchtower was shrouded by the thick mist and could no longer illuminate him. The faint candlelight left on the Stone Bridge offered little protection. He took a deep breath and charged toward the archway that was a blend of Gothic and Baroque architectural styles.

As he dashed through the arch, the mottled silhouettes cast by the glass windows enveloped him. Grotesque and mysterious ancient totems seemed to resonate with the incessant stars hidden in the deep night, severing the mist’s invasion of the castle.

The rolling mist could no longer advance an inch; only the moaning sea breeze, carrying the cold chill, continuously lashed against Mao Feiyang’s back, pricking his skin.

"Is this the occasional gust mentioned in the rules?" Mao Feiyang tucked away two copies of the rules close to his body, rubbed his palms together, and hissed out warm breaths.

"First, let’s find the Art Classroom..." he murmured.

Passing through the archway was a quiet corridor bathed in dim candlelight.

The corridor was very spacious. Mao Feiyang, mindful of the movement methods mentioned in the rules, cautiously moved within the areas lit by the candles.

Lin Yi was observing the overall environment.

Regardless of whether the rules specifically marked "castle" as "Art Building," he had no doubt that this place was originally a castle and had been transformed later on for certain reasons, with the new name "Art Building" bestowed upon it.

The stone walls of the corridor were not smooth, but rather rough with uneven marks. Despite the candlelight, there was a natural coolness about the place.

Most old castles, especially those built by the sea, were extremely cold in most areas. It was the inner chambers lined with fireplaces and wool blankets that actually provided warmth.

As he walked a long distance in the corridor, Lin Yi suddenly felt an eerie sensation, as though some unseen entity lurked within the darkness of the expansive corridor.

As this thought crossed his mind, a sense of discomfort, as if being watched, suddenly descended on him, making him feel uneasy.

"It seems there is something in the darkness..."

"Is it those things crawling under the Stone Bridge?"

"Or something else?"

Lin Yi felt somewhat distressed; even in a dream, this dark and oppressive environment subtly induced discomfort.

And, previously unnoticed until now, the whole atmosphere instantly made him restless upon realization.

But soon, Mao Feiyang safely traversed the corridor and entered a grand hall adorned with candelabras and chandeliers, magnificent and spectacular.

The tall spires and complex vaulted ceilings were decorated with fine patterns and carvings, exuding a mysterious and majestic aura.

In the center of the hall stood a massive oak tree, so large one could not discern whether it was still growing. It appeared dilapidated, as if it had suffered a cataclysmic blow during growth and had been frozen in an eternal moment.

It was surrounded by a hazy mist that might have existed for many years, wrapping around it like an invisible field.

It was like a perfect piece of art, simultaneously capturing both the vitality of growth and the posture of decay.

In front of it stood an equally massive stone platform, which once seemed to have held something, but now only the base remained.

Atop the platform, there was an ancient and damaged emblem, its intricate lines and carvings resembling a pattern formed by the blending of weaponry and the moon—somewhat similar to the designs found on tarot cards or those even older ceremonial symbols.

Time had almost completely smoothed out the pattern, yet Lin Yi could still sense the glory and brilliance emanating from it.

Looking up, huge stained-glass windows were set between the walls, through which sparse moonlight emitted a cold and colorful glow. The light fell on a giant oak tree, filtered through its branches and leaves, and finally enveloped the base on the platform, where it was unknown what had originally been placed.

The murals on the walls around the hall seemed to depict legends of followers and deities. The intricate and damaged symbols were no longer traceable to their origins or era, becoming one of the signatures of the Art Building that exuded an artistic breath.

In this space of tranquility and sanctity, Lin Yi felt as if a serene and transcendent power enveloped his mind and soul.

However... whenever a sea breeze blew through the corridor into the hall, the flickering candlelight twisted the play of light and shadows, and the atmosphere, originally peaceful and holy, became instantly eerie. As if some sort of curse had descended upon the spacious hall...

Suddenly, Lin Yi’s pupils contracted sharply.

He suddenly realized... there were actually a few massive and damaged sculptures in the hall all along.

On the rounded walls of the hall, mysterious symbols formed ancient murals. Amid those murals were sculptures, interspersed throughout, though they were so badly damaged that it was impossible to discern their details.

From the remaining parts of these sculptures, it appeared that none of them belonged to humanoid species...

Fortunately, these sculptures were genuine sculptures, distinctly different from those undefined existences labeled as "sculptures" that Lin Yi had encountered in Tian Bufan’s dream earlier.

However, as he surveyed the sculptures and murals, he suddenly spotted one sculpture after another in the dark, cramped corners of the hall, shrouded from the candlelight.

The sculptures crouched in corners like living beings, maintaining a sneaky pose as if peering out from the darkness, both longing for and fearing the light, ultimately hanging there without any excess movement.

At this moment, Mao Feiyang was also marveling at the grandeur of the hall, unable to help but admire the brilliance of the so-called "Artistic Journey."

But Lin Yi noticed that when Mao Feiyang turned his back to the sculptures, they began to shift and twist from their still postures. Their movements seemed to be slowed down countless times, so they just watched Mao Feiyang from afar, attempting to move cautiously in areas where the light couldn’t reach directly.

The sculptures had no pupils, just stone orbs for eyes, but Lin Yi could feel a chilling horror emanating from them, as if without the candlelight, they would swarm out like insects and engulf Mao Feiyang.

At this point, Mao Feiyang, having surveyed the hall, furrowed his brow as he gazed at the static sculptures before him...

"Just now... weren’t they in a different pose?"

Mao Feiyang shuddered violently, a sense of doubt rising subconsciously—how could sculptures move? That’s just absurd.

This thought transferred immediately to Lin Yi’s perception. Lin Yi’s hair stood on end, and he quickly yelled, "Fuck, Maozi, don’t mess around! The rules! Remember what’s written in the rules!"

Fortunately, the bewilderment in Mao Feiyang’s eyes flashed by, and his clarity returned: "That is so, that is so... don’t panic, don’t panic, sculptures are supposed to move, yes, they are meant to move..."

He exhaled, unaware that his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

After scanning the area, he found a wooden post filled with signboards at a fork in the corridor behind the giant oak tree.