Silent Crown

Chapter 100 Fight to the Death

It was finally falling dark. The night sky was shrouded with black clouds. It was a lightless night. Everything was enveloped in darkness. Somewhere in the complex downtown, Ye Qingxuan curled into himself inside of a shoddy hut, breathing painfully.

His leg felt like it was broken. He could not run at all, but he was still surrounded by coldness. That feeling was called…fear. Grinding his teeth and swallowing blood, the beast paced in the darkness, following the prey’s trail.

Ye Qingxuan did not know if he had really escaped. The cursed singing was still in his ears, making it impossible for him to relax.

"God, please give me mercy. I kneel in the river of souls, attempting to wash away the dirtiness! God, please give me salvation. I am waist-deep in curses. Can you hear my pleas?

"God, please give me your blessing. I am neck-deep in blood. I beg for relief…Lalala, lalala!, lalala…The god in the song, take me back to heaven…lalala…"

The demonic song sent shivers down his spine and he could not stop trembling.

How much time had passed? He did not know. He did not even have time to think about how long the ridiculous hunt had gone on for. The moment he saw the beast, he realized that every unbelievable story in the files and records were true. Only something so terrifying could leave behind those stories. Why did something so messed up exist in Avalon? And why would it want him?

As heavy steps sounded nearby, he stopped breathing. He had been trying to get rid of the creature for the entire afternoon to no avail. Whether he charged into a crowd of people, jumped into the sewer, or hid inside an abandoned factory, nothing could get rid of the creature on his tail.

A bloody trail would be left from the crowd of people. When he snuck out of the sewer, he heard the scary song that followed like a shadow. When he ran into the abandoned factory, it was like he had stepped into the beast’s hunting ground.

He tried everything to kill the beast with frost arrows, fire hand. He had even fired a military bow and arrow at the beast, but nothing had worked.

He had hit the mark. The arrow had buried into the beast’s chest completely. But the creature had methodically sawed open the wound, plucked out the arrow in his stomach, and tossed it onto the ground. That was when Ye Qingxuan understood that the beast was a beast because it could not be killed!

--

In the darkness, the pacing footsteps finally faded. But the song was still ringing in his ears, and he could not relax. Panting, he felt the gaping wounds on his body. Just getting scraped by the bone saw would be enough to turn him into a bloody pulp. If he did not grit his teeth and freeze the wounds, he would have died from blood loss long ago.

The beast had had multiple chances to kill Ye Qingxuan throughout the afternoon, but it kept toying with him, making him run along the line between life and death as if playing with food on its place.

"F*ck," he muttered, clenching his fist in anger. But before he could finish cursing, familiar vibrations thudded in his chest and he looked down reflexively. Then he heard a shattering sound. Behind him, the hut was being demolished by the bone saw!

Everything in the saw’s path was split into two. If Ye Qingxuan had not lowered his head, he also would have been demolished.

In the darkness, the voice sang and blood flowed. A ghastly light shone down from somewhere, illuminating the angry shadow. No matter where Ye Qingxuan ran, he would be under the beast’s shadow with nowhere to escape.

"Motherf*cker, I’m going to fight you!" He suddenly stood still and glared at the beast. "What’s the point of chasing me? Kill me if you can!"

The beast seemed to be shocked by his courage and froze in it’s spot.

Eyes full of anger, Ye Qingxuan quickly began to chant. Shimmering aether gathered from the sky. A blurry rune sharpened in his heart. He secretly pressed the button on the Double Snake Time Meter in his pocket, activating the power within. In an instant, his sense of aether had doubled, and the aether in his hands grew restless.

As the aether grouped, the youth clenched his fist and charged toward the beast with a roar. As if applauding his courage, the Bloody Butcher did not move.

The eerie song became clearer. The creature raised his bone saw, waiting for the youth to run to his death. But Ye Qingxuan suddenly halted and threw something at the beast.

Under the mask, the Butcher’s eyes squinted, blinded by the sudden brightness. As the aether left Ye Qingxuan’s hand, it had finally formed a rune. Rubbing against each other, the aether radiated gloriously. Increased efficiency application—Light! "Fight? Watch me throw all my runes at your face!" Ye Qingxuan thought.

The Butcher reflexively shielded his eyes with his hand, but the youth stayed where he was. He raised his hands and frantically began to chant again. Instantaneous rune—Mirror!

Staggered mirrors appeared out of thin air. Grouping together, they created a matrix surrounding the Butcher. The explosive light magnified, shooting down. There was nowhere for the Butcher to run!

Roaring, the Butcher swung his saw. As the mirrors shattered, the light source also disappeared. But when the light dimmed, the youth was gone. He escaped?!

His proud laughter still rang in the air. It felt so f*cking good to pretend to be powerful and then run away!

The Butcher roared and swung the saw crazily, obliterating the hut. After a long time, the beast finally calmed down. He walked soundlessly into the shadows, and followed the faint trail of breathing straight in the direction of the youth. The maze-like downtown was his hunting ground, and there was no way a lost youth could escape! But as he followed the smell of blood and finally tracked the youth, his steps halted.

--

The Butcher stood outside a cluster of abandoned buildings, looking at the ground. Under his feet were meandering cracks like something left behind by the chaotic slashing of knives. Blood seeped from within the cracks. A tinge of sweetness snaked into the air.

At a glance, there was nothing special about the cracks. But the Butcher bent down to study it. Regret flashed through his eyes. It was a mark.

Like beasts marking their territory, the creatures of Avalon did the same. This was the sign of the predators. Once past it, it would be a fight to death.

The Butcher straightened and left. His scratchy sigh floated in the wind, as if pitying the youth who had voluntarily jumped into hell. The Butcher may have prefered to eat quickly, but there were some creatures that liked to carefully prepare their meals.

--

In the rubble, Ye Qingxuan collapsed onto the ground panting, unable to get up again. He had used all of his strength. If the creature caught up to him again, he would not have the energy to run anymore. He would probably just give up.

Lowering his head in despair, he closed his eyes and waited for death. But after a long time, the Bloody Butcher had still not arrived. He prepared himself to see the beast right in front of him when he opened his eyes. But when he opened them, there was nothing before him. The Bloody Butcher was gone. He had escaped?

Unable to believe it, he froze. After a while, he could not resist the urge to laugh. It was seriously like a joke. He had gone to buy marbles, but somehow run into a gang war, somehow been chased, somehow was carrying a hidden treasure, somehow was chased by a beast for so long. "What the f*ck even is all this?"

Restraining his anger, he pushed himself up with difficulty and walked, holding the wall. No matter what, it was over. But reality quickly slapped him in the face. Over? Keep dreaming!

In the deep night, he gazed around at the rubble all around him, trying to find out where exactly he was. And then came an eerie sound. His footsteps halted and he turned back, listening carefully.

Carried by the wind, it sounded like crying, full of sadness and pain. The cries spread in the darkness, wrapping around him like strands of hair. Staring into the direction of the cries, Ye Qingxuan decided quickly to stop. He turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction. F*ck cries! He had had enough!

Gradually, the crying disappeared, but his steps also slowed. In the end, he could not even raise his foot. Was it really good to leave like this? Shouldn’t he at least go take a look? Even though that was how characters died in horror stories. Why was someone crying with the lost souls in this empty place so late at night?

He stood wordlessly in the darkness, looking back. It was empty and silent behind him.

"If I die, it’s going to be because I’m stupid." Ye Qingxuan scratched his face in frustration and kicked over some garbage while screaming. He turned toward the direction of the cries.

The painful cries sounded again. Closer and closer. Closer and closer. Ye Qingxuan held his breath as he crept nearer. Flattening himself against the wall, he peered out from the corner at the source of the cries. The ground was covered in blood.