The communication ended, and Long Er and the others looked serious.
The Electro-Arc Youth looked down the corridor and said, "Defense alone isn't enough. We need to prioritize confirming whether the BOSS is still on this floor, which will also ensure the safety of the base."
"Alright."
Long Er nodded, making a decisive resolution, "Everyone, follow my lead."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
In the silent corridor, there were only heavy footsteps and the suppressed breathing of everyone.
"Wait!"
A hoarse voice rang out, tinged with nervousness and uncertainty.
Everyone's steps faltered.
It was a young Martial Artist who spoke.
"What's wrong?"
Long Er turned to look.
This young Martial Artist was his junior, nicknamed Xiao Hei.
"I think I heard laughter?" Xiao Hei's expression was grave, his gaze fixed on the half-collapsed doorway ahead. "Didn't you hear it?"
"Laughter?"
Everyone held their breath and listened carefully.
But besides the drumming of their own heartbeats, they heard nothing and shook their heads.
"Let me."
Long Er raised his spear, but the next second, he remembered the tactic the Doctor had set.
Control, not kill.
His thunderous strike might kill the host in the room.
"I'll go."
The Electro-Arc Youth said calmly, "Among us, my Mental Energy is the strongest. If there is a BOSS, only I should be able to detect it."
"Be careful." Long Er nodded.
The Electro-Arc Youth led the way, with Xiao Hei following closely behind.
One step... two steps....
Only three meters from the doorway.
Just as the Electro-Arc Youth's mental perception was about to probe the room....
"Whoosh--!"
An extremely subtle sound of air being torn rang out.
Damn it! It's from behind!
The Electro-Arc Youth's internal alarm bells blared, his hairs stood on end. He sharply turned his head!
What met his eyes was Xiao Hei.
His face, illuminated by the red alarm light, appeared incredibly unfamiliar due to distortion.
Xiao Hei's lips curled into a stiff and eerie smile, his eyes devoid of any human emotion, only cold, inhuman malice remained.
Too fast, too close!
Completely unprepared, completely unexpected!
"You!"
The Electro-Arc Youth only managed to utter one word before his voice twisted and deformed from intense pain.
"Puff!"
A cold short blade, incredibly precise, plunged into the Electro-Arc Youth's soft ribs, the entire blade disappearing inside.
"Whoosh!"
Xiao Hei slashed horizontally with the long blade, almost splitting the Electro-Arc Youth in half.
"You bastard! I'll tear you apart!"
Long Er was furious, his giant spear transforming into a black lightning bolt that tore through space, striking towards Xiao Hei's head.
Xiao Hei showed an eerie smile, with no intention of fighting back.
"Brother Long, stop!"
Almost simultaneously with Long Er's attack, the Windbreaker Woman waved her hand, and a violent surge of Mental Energy erupted.
Long Er's attack, powerful enough to pierce steel, was forcefully shifted slightly at the last moment, grazing Xiao Hei's shoulder as it blasted past.
"Heh...."
To everyone's surprise, Xiao Hei did not flee.
"So, who's next?"
The eerie smile on Xiao Hei's face became clearer as he slowly raised the short blade that had just killed the Electro-Arc Youth....
The blade was held against his own neck.
His cold eyes swept over everyone, a silent mockery on his lips.
"Puff."
The blade cut into flesh.
The force was so great that it almost severed half his neck, and blood gushed out!
Xiao Hei's body trembled, and he collapsed beside the Electro-Arc Youth's body.
Dead silence.
Everyone held their breath, a cloud of death hanging over them.
It has begun!
Who will die next?
Fear, like cold vines, tightly wrapped around the hearts of every survivor.
Death could arrive at any moment.
Even powerful Martial Artists could die at any time.
The BOSS could appear beside anyone, disguised as the most trusted companion, revealing its deadly fangs when they were completely unprepared.
The feeling of being watched, like a thorn in their backs, was almost driving everyone mad.
"We can't stay together anymore!"
A Martial Artist's voice trembled, his panicked eyes sweeping over each companion, "Gathering together only increases the risk of being attacked by the BOSS."
"Yes, we must separate!"
Another Martial Artist roared, quickly putting distance between himself and those around him.
Despair spread rapidly.
And the Martial Artist who spoke first had an eerie smile on his lips.
But no one saw it.
Long Er touched his earphone and said in a deep voice, "Doctor, do you have any suggestions?"
A moment later, a voice came through the earphone:
"Still observing....."
"Now, you're on your own."
Hearing this, Long Er sighed helplessly.
"Then let's separate." Long Er said, "Everyone keep a certain distance, maintain communication at all times. Besides me and Xiao Zi, anyone who approaches you will be considered an enemy. Notify us immediately."
"Alright." Everyone nodded.
But there was no morale in their voices.
Everyone scattered like startled birds, choosing different places to stay.
Some went into rooms, some stayed at the end of the corridor, some leaned against corners.
Oppressive silence enveloped the scene.
Even so, no one chose to leave.
Because the BOSS was still there, and no one knew if their departure would take the BOSS away from this base.
Once the BOSS left, all efforts would be in vain.
Long Er touched his earphone and said:
"Can everyone hear me?"
"Yes."
"Can hear."
Everyone's voices came through one after another.
"Good, that's it then. No one is to approach each other!" Long Er said, "Xiao Zi and I will patrol to ensure everyone's safety, waiting for the Doctor to find a solution."
Time passed, and Long Er's forehead was covered in fine sweat.
He glanced at his phone, only to find that just a few minutes had passed.
"Are we just going to do this? Do nothing?" The Windbreaker Woman raised an eyebrow.
"No choice." Long Er sighed, "We can only wait, both for the BOSS to reveal a flaw and for the Doctor to find a solution."
....
"Someone died!"
The calm did not last long, a sharp scream came from afar.
Long Er and the Windbreaker Woman exchanged glances, then quickly rushed over, rounded the corner, and appeared at the source of the scream.
The sight before them made both of them frown.
A Martial Artist was already dead.
He lay like a collapsed statue on the cold floor.
His head was twisted at an eerie angle, a full one hundred and eighty degrees, his cervical spine completely snapped, and a trace of shock was frozen on his face.
The sound came from a woman in the distance.
Long Er looked at the female Martial Artist and asked, "Who killed him? Has the BOSS possessed someone again?"
"I don't know."
The female Martial Artist shook her head repeatedly, "I was originally in Room 16. I just came out to look and found him dead."
Long Er touched the neck of his dead companion and murmured, "His neck was twisted by immense force."
"Brother Long, what's wrong?"
A few figures appeared not far away.
Although they were more than ten meters apart, they could see where the dead person was.
Long Er did not answer.
Now everyone could be the BOSS.
"What should we do?"
The Windbreaker Woman asked in a low voice.
Long Er shook his head, "No choice. You keep an eye on things here, especially our companion who screamed. She's the closest right now and most likely to be possessed by the BOSS."
"I understand." The Windbreaker Woman nodded.