Frightening Joke: Above the Mist
Chapter 382: Encounter

Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Encounter

In the corridor, footsteps coming from the ship’s bow gradually revealed a human silhouette.

Is that person... Xu Zhifei?

Bai Yanliang looked at the white dress shimmering faintly under the hazy moonlight.

To be honest, Xu Zhifei’s appearance was not much different from a ghost.

But... is it really her?

Could the ghosts of this Fog Gathering take on the appearance of others?

Questions swirled in Bai Yanliang’s mind, along with some indescribable "feelings" he had never experienced before, brewing in his chest.

He thought of the phone call he made in the future.

Everyone’s numbers had become dead lines, except Xu Zhifei’s, which was answered by a little girl.

Out of a strange unease, Bai Yanliang immediately hung up the call.

But at this moment... when he was forcibly summoned back by the Fog Gathering, those feelings reconnected.

This feeling is truly hard to explain.

However...

When Bai Yanliang saw Xu Zhifei’s condition, those unfamiliar suspicious "feelings" and doubts about her identity were temporarily set aside.

Because at this moment, Xu Zhifei was covered in blood.

"Tap—"

"Tap tap—"

Xu Zhifei staggered, her arms hanging weakly, dripping blood from her fingertips.

She saw the figure in the shadow of the corridor but didn’t recognize it as Bai Yanliang.

Instinctively retreating, she turned around, attempting to flee.

This action confirmed her identity to Bai Yanliang.

"It’s me."

Bai Yanliang quickly stepped out of the shadow.

Upon hearing this voice, Xu Zhifei sighed in relief, leaning against the wall and panting shallowly.

After reaching her, Bai Yanliang quickly checked her injuries.

There were two long, narrow wounds on each of Xu Zhifei’s shoulders, continuously dripping blood.

She was clearly attacked, but with both arms rendered useless, how did she escape?

Moreover, she was bleeding all along the way; whether attacked by a human or ghost, it’s impossible for the assailant to lose track of her with such obvious traces.

She had also considered turning back, which indicated that in Xu Zhifei’s perception, going back wasn’t very dangerous or at least not as unsettling as being here in "the shadow".

Bai Yanliang didn’t say much further, at least allowing her to catch her breath first.

This woman was practically holding herself up with a single breath, now that she relaxed, she went weak all over and couldn’t walk for the moment.

Bai Yanliang also began treating her wounds.

For a moment, the corridor was silent, with only the dim moonlight casting a misty glow over everything.

"Where have you been?" Although it was an inappropriate time, Xu Zhifei couldn’t help but ask.

After Bai Yanliang disappeared, she searched almost every corner of Ye City, though certain his last appearance was at the Eighteenth Middle School. That abandoned school left no trace of human presence.

If not for finding a little black cat there, Xu Zhifei might have continued her search elsewhere.

Now, Bai Yanliang had appeared.

But only temporarily, as the power of the Fog Gathering had forcibly brought him back. Where exactly was he now?

If they couldn’t determine his location, he would disappear again once the Fog Gathering ended.

Bai Yanliang, who was bandaging her wounds, remained silent for a time.

Dr. Zhou’s warning still echoed in his ears.

That bizarre man, who not only cloned him but also altered his identity.

Anyone he knew could potentially be Dr. Zhou’s clone.

The existence of the Time-Space Gap... Bai Yanliang was not ready to share with anyone just yet.

To him, it was the last resort.

If the Fog Gathering breaks, and the final key materializes... once the Nine Prisons descend entirely, when things become irreversible, it would serve as a refuge for everyone.

He had no desire to experience the helplessness of watching loved ones die again.

Bai Yanliang never lied, but at this moment, he decided to fabricate a lie.

"In the world of the Dark Abyss key, I was trapped by a Dark Abyss member, but I’ll be free soon. It’s fine."

Xu Zhifei was very clever, and it was hard to deceive someone smart like her.

Bai Yanliang could only weave a lie by mixing in some information Xu Zhifei already knew.

After all, the Dark Abyss was indeed acting more frequently, and the attacks targeting him weren’t unprecedented.

As for the Dark Abyss inexplicably taking the blame, that was unimportant.

Xu Zhifei listened quietly, only speaking after Bai Yanliang finished and stopped talking, "Sounds quite believable."

Bai Yanliang’s hands paused.

"You shouldn’t lie," Xu Zhifei said calmly, "You bandaged too slowly just now."

Bai Yanliang’s hand stopped again, suddenly realizing that he had overestimated himself and underestimated those around him.

Concealing only breeds misunderstanding; though Dr. Zhou Tian’s words were startling, there was no concrete evidence to fully trust him.

Would he choose to conceal the truth from those he had known for so long because of Dr. Zhou’s warning?

He truly was... acting foolishly.

"I entered the Time-Space Gap from Eighteenth Middle School, went to what might be a future world, and am finding a way back."

Bai Yanliang explained everything to Xu Zhifei.

Xu Zhifei finally raised her head to look at him.

The moonlight shone through the corridor window, casting on her eyes; even her dark, ink-like eyes gained some sparkle.

"Alright," after treating her wounds, Bai Yanliang asked, "And you?"

As he spoke, Bai Yanliang also looked at her.

In the instant their eyes met, Xu Zhifei quickly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.

"This ship is a huge living creature."

Xu Zhifei said softly.

"I woke up on the ship and couldn’t find you... any of you."

She moved her fingers, strength returning.

"I went to the captain’s cabin to find information about the ship."

"Everything was normal until just now when the ship shook violently, and rows of teeth appeared on the ceiling of the captain’s cabin; it bit me."

As Xu Zhifei spoke, the wounds on her shoulders healed faster; the lighting was poor, so Bai Yanliang did not notice the wrinkles forming at the corners of her eyes as her wounds healed.

"The captain and crew vanished, I broke free from the restraints, the ship’s shaking subsided, and the teeth disappeared. Then, I was on the way back and met you."

She briefly recounted her ordeal.

Bai Yanliang’s expression changed as he looked at the paintings hanging on the corridor walls.

"I understand now..."

Xu Zhifei looked at him curiously, "Understand what?"

Bai Yanliang helped her up, heading back the way they came.

"A ship sails under the moon, people perish in the water."

"If this isn’t a ship, then where are we?"

Bai Yanliang said:

"We encountered a woman in a gothic dress, and Song Que said that woman has a paintbrush."