Nightmare Shuttle

Chu Yi looked around faintly, the tension in the building was like a heavy weight that pressed against the hearts of all the players. They could sense the oncoming bloody storm and each day the players faces only got uglier and uglier. This was the last week, the players carried through with the normal process and walked into the dining hall apprehensively. The room was basked in oppressive silence, broken only by the soft clanking of metal hitting the trays and the sound of silenced breathing. It was as if there was a lump in their throats that prevented them from speaking. 

Amongst the players, there was only vigilance and hostility left; after several rounds of infighting and targeted attacks, the scattered and distant groups present in the room was the only thing left. 

Chu Yi rested his face on hand and lightly brushed away the strands of hair that masked his vision, red eyes were lazy and dazed, a far cry from the tension and worry that pulled against the heartstrings of the others. Red lips curled into a teasing smirk and the eyes he used to look at the others, resembled a uninvolved bystander watching a comedy skit. With a slender hand poking softly at the lump of meat in the tray, his eyes wandered to Mu Fang's group on the side, amongst the dark and gloomy air, Mu Fang was like a breath of fresh air. 

After deliberately dressing in a white robe and carrying the long scepter in his hand, Mu Fang had become the poster image of a Messiah. He turned away, the greasy look of kindness and reliability was really a pair of dog eyes. Chu Yi continued to look around, noting indifferently that some of the players continued to sneak looks his way, although no one brought it up, It still couldn't dispel the suspicion and strangeness surrounding Chu Yi. The persons who had been injured in previous events had doubled and they huddled together in the corner, glaring intently at the door as they waited impatiently for the nurses to distribute the pills for today.

It was just as he suspected before, subconsciously, the pills had become synonymous to life and the most disadvantaged group here would undoubtedly be desperate to find sustenance in this crisis-ridden place. 

There had been several more attacks this past week from players suddenly deteriorating and losing control, notably however was the fact that most of these attacks were from the pink group. The previous rejection of the red group seemed to be an unwarranted act caused by paranoia but whether unintentionally or not, Mu Fang had made several hints that the red group was outsiders amongst them. Therefore even if the situation had changed, there was still a faint air of rejection towards them.

Red eyes squinted like a lazy cat, and lightly glanced at the translucent red scales that traveled up his arm like glass coating. The pink shell of his fingernails would create slices into anything as long as he wasn't careful and his lower body would occasionally spasm and be filled with a itchy weakness that would send him stumbling. However, Chu Yi concluded that his alienation still wasn't complete, he was still 'human' in a sense, however long that would be.

He turned back to the two sitting opposite and his eyes narrowed further, when he woke up the sharp smell of sulphur and blood was still lingering at the tip of his nose and the several bruised mark's at Tang Shun's neck seemed out of place in the ominous tension. He didn't deliberately hide it, therefore several players had noticed these marks and the atmosphere had tuned subtle for a while.

Tang Shun didn't care and even seemed to be a good mood. 

Chao Bin on the other hand, seemed a little flushed and his eyes refused to meet Tang Shun's but Chu Yi couldn't be sure whether he had been thoroughly eaten dry yet. 

He scanned the entire room and assessed the player base at this moment, everything seemed premeditated.

The sudden shaking from underfoot caused him to glance down, his fingers tapped faintly.

Although mutual suspicion and hostility was the general consensus in every copy, it still didn't warrant such high degree of resentment and fear. It was like a cloud of negativity and darkness had descended onto the players, influencing them, instigating and planting the seeds of negativity and using the filthiness as nourishment to make it grow. Like an invisible hand, held the puppet strings and casually directed this ostentatious and corrupted play. 

Sometimes the human heart can be even uglier than monsters.

Chu Yi thought of this and slowly grinned, red eyes flashing with cruel excitement, it seemed that the true mastermind was finally ready to begin the closing act.

The players waited for a long time, even until after breakfast had finished but the nurses had still not appeared.

The air instantly sunk gloomily, tensed discussion immediately erupted in the room.

The players bodies were stiff and their eyes shifted agitatedly, as they stared nervously at the door, hoping it was just a small error by the nurses. No one suggested leaving, still holding onto the false hope that something would change but even after an hour had passed, the doors were still unopened.

By this time, the players face had turned green, even if they couldn't quite tell the effects of the pills, they had at least inferred that without them they weren't far from dying!

Some players directly turned red and bulging and from the tight muscles in their body, they could tell that these players were very fearful of death.

Chu Yi exchanged glances with Chao Bin and Tang Shun and subtly shook his head, the meaning behind the nurse's actions were evident. The voices of the others were slowly increasing in volume as panic and fear quckly set in!

The pills represented life, if they didn't know what the pills were for and just took them everyday, then when the nurses stopped handing them out it wouldn't cause such an uproar, but in this regard, since they did know, the players who were undoubtedly fearful of death would instantly be sent into a frenzy– like headless chickens, looking towards something else as a spiritual anchor.

As long as it could give them a direction to go in.

As if on cue, Mu Fangs solemn voice echoed in the room, he stood amongst them like a white crane amongst ducks. 

His entrance quickly brought all the players attention to him, and although his lips raised triumphantly, Mu Fang still made an effort to get them to calm down but it was like adding fuel to the fire. A little out of his expectations, instead of logically listening to him and following his orders, the players only seemed to get more erratic and loud, the scarlet eyes was if their was something influencing their behavior.

".....!"

This wasn't in the initial plan.

Mu Fang's face suddenly turned stange, staring at the players before him, he could feel that the subtle connection between him and the others was being forcibly expelled by an unknown force.

Who–

As if liberated, the angry players thoughts slowly became clearer, the gaze they used to look at Mu Fang lost its usual respect and worship.

They were arguing heatedly and gradually it became out of control.

Chu Yi looked at the loud players and seemed to think of something, his eyes flashed darkly and pale fingers tapped lightly against the table in thought. A sharp yelling suddenly came from the side and shook him out of his reverie, when Chu Yi lifted his head he actually saw that one of the players suddenly stood up and smashed a powerful fist into Mu Fang's incredulous face—

There was a heavy crack.

Unable to hide the shock in his eyes, Mu Fang looked at the player blankly.

The players stopped yelling , even Chu Yi was a bit surprised, even though he was disgusted with the routine, he admittedly understood that such savior persona was usually the easiest to manipulate. 

The air sunk into an embarrassing silence, bright red blood slowly drained from Mu Fang's crooked nose and splashed onto his white robe.

Chu Yi raised his brow interestedly, from beside him Chao Bin yelled happily under his breath, that punch was truly refreshing.

The chest of the player who attacked him heaved but he still insisted on raising a finger and pointing it towards Mu Fang, " You're brains must be full of shit, you think I don't know you– he hesitated for a while but still continued, "You're just a useless piece of trash that has had his consciousness eaten by a dog! I've tolerated you long enough, what kind of thing do you think you are! Who doesn't know that you only relied on a prop to get to this stage?! Don't pretend to be a good person here!"

"Want one of us to go and find the nurses, isn't that just sending us to our death! Do you want me to tell everyone how your day group of lackeys here died–"

The players eyes were strangely bulging and scarlet and the muscles on his arm burst with winding red capillaries, the man's face was hideous.

Chu Yi couldn't help but sit up straight, red eyes glinting playfully, although he still has the idea to deal with Mu Fang later, it still did not stop him from appreciating his embarrassment here.

He recognized the player who had attacked, it was the man that was first to criticize Mu Fang at the first stage of exploring when he suggested going out ah night.

Now it seemed that this man knew something.

Mu Fang abruptly woke up and tried to speak but because his nose was broken, immediately after raising his lips, the pulled muscles immediately sent sharp pangs shooting into his nerves.

The embarrassment and humiliation was like ants gnawing at his heart, he was almost unable to hide the angry hatred that burst from his eyes, the players seemed to forget the ongoing crisis and just stared between two players curiously.

Mu Fang took a deep breath and activated a healing talisman, there was only a flash of bright light and his nose was fixed but he didn't know if it was illusion but it always seemed more crooked than before.

The players behind him, seemed to wake up from a long dream and immediately started cursing at the opponent, the silence that had briefly descended was instantly shattered and emotions were slowly raising high.

Mu Fang shook his head at the player and seemed to want to give a helpless smile but Chu Yi could sense the raging undercurrent tossing in his mind, lips rose into a sneer, and he looked away. 

Boring.

Tang Shun turned towards him, and pushed up his glasses faintly, his voice was cold and callous, "Are you ready?" 

Chu Yi smiled and glanced towards the door, the sound of his heart seemed to be infinitely magnified in his ears and Chu Yi could feel the faint smell of roses becoming thicker and deeper every second, a faint rumbling appearing from underfoot. 

He cracked his head lightly and waited, when as the players yells became louder and more heated in his ears, even as the shaking increased and the fragrance of roses slowly engulfed the entire room! The darkness in the shadows moved slightly and he could hear faint screeching and roaring in the distance.

The red scales on his arms shimmered and he could feel a rising heat in his body but he still didn't move, the red eyes gradually ignited into dark red flames, as if waiting for something.

Some of the players started changing, their eyes were unnatural and crazy, their limbs started moving abnormally and a greedy hunger burst from their eyes. Those who understood, immediately stood up. The shaking spread to the walls and the screeching from underfoot the ground became louder and louder.

Chu Yi counted the time silently in his heart, his tongue slowly licked his lips and the lines of his muscles quietly tensed. His intent gaze never moved from the door.

All the players stood up, the tension in the room rising, apprehension and fear quickly churning.

Da–Da–Da.

Chu Yi's eyes suddenly shifted. From outside the door, there was the sound of sharp, high heels.

The footsteps seem to be walking on their hearts and the players felt as if they were being grasped by the neck and hung helplessly in the air. 

Then the footsteps stopped.

The players held their breath–

From the door came a brief knock, slowly knocking against their hearts strings like a cat teasing a mouth. As if it felt that this was enough, the door to the dining hall was pushed opened with a loud creak!

The players tensed anxiously, before the familiar cold, corpse like face appeared, the only vibrant thing on her face was the bloody red lips that stretched widely on her face. Yellowing uniform seemed to be splashed with a trace of blood and her eyes were completely pitch-black. 

She stared at them and slowly licked her lips, unable to disguise the vicious greed and hunger in the glare she used to stare at them, the entire Institute seemed to be shaking and Chu Yi could feel the creatures in the building slowly awakening.

The nurse paused and looked around gently before grinning heavily at the heavily breathing distorting players behind them, her vision turned to them and gradually the corner of her lips widened as if it was about to tear her entire face!

From her lips, a shrill and jarring voice like nails against a chalkboard slowly rang in their ears.

Tang Shun pushed up his glasses, narrowing his eyes to hide the cold light in his pupils.

"Let's begin the final test everyone, to become good residents of the Federation, there's only one requirement."

Her heels tapped harshly against the floor as she moved towards them, her lips slowly stretching across her entire face!

"Survive–"