Chapter 273: A Deep Corruption
By the third day that purified spot 13 had laid in their defenses, roughly 80 percent of the teams had made it back. Their base was swelling with numbers.
Still, there was a worry that hung over them like a dark cloud. This would be their first encounter with a Heavenly Disaster Class.
There were also many students who had their seeds of corruption exposed upon their return. Each time, a wave of panic arose, leaving a sickly and lingering fear in the air even after it was dealt with.
It was a powerful engine of paranoia. One moment, you were laughing with a trusted teammate. The next, their laughter would turn to an evil cackle, and they would be ready to gouge your eyes out.
This Heavenly Disaster Class was far more sinister than any Disaster Class that the third years had come across before.
Li Luo and Jiang Qingāe kept a close watch on the purification towers, and they saw that they were going dim in a line.
Getting ever closer to the purified spot.
The Heavenly Disaster Class Other was coming.
A terrifying truth to accept.
There was nothing else they could do but fortify the purified spot and pray for reinforcements.
One day, news came that Duze Honglianās squad had shown up outside the purified spot.
Li Luo and Jiang Qingāe immediately hurried over to the entrance. They had been very interested in their movements. Duze Honglianās squad was the second strongest, right behind Black Swan. Their presence in the purified spot would be a welcome infusion of strength.
And alsoā¦
Duze Honglianās group had been pushing in the exact opposite direction as the line of dimmed purification towers.
Which meant that if they had been bold enough, they might have encountered that terror in the flesh. Which was not good news.
Just the traces it had left behind were already enough to cause widespread panic and turn students. A face-to-face encounter? They had best be wary against Duze Honglianās group.
As they drew close to the gate, they heard raised voices between the student guards and Duze Honglianās group.
Both sides ceased when Jiang Qingāe showed up.
āWhatās going on?ā she asked, her quiet voice radiating with power.
āSenior Jiang, theyāre trying to barge in and not pass the Vile Smile Mirror!ā one of the guards protested.
Vile Smile Mirror was the nickname that had emerged among the students. Despite its silly name, everyone respected the importance of the test. If Duze Honglian ignored it, she was risking all of their lives.
Jiang Qingāe turned her cool gaze to the incoming squad. āThey want us to waste time grinning here like idiots? What nonsense,ā they said defensively.
Jiang Qingāe looked closer. Beneath their righteous bluster, there was fear lurking in their eyes.
Ye Qiudingās eyes were hooded as well.
Jiang Qingāe examined each of them carefully, noting that Duze Honglian was being carried by another member. Her face looked pale as death.
She had remained silent all this while, but she returned Jiang Qingāeās scrutinizing gaze defiantly.
āYouāre badly hurt.ā Jiang Qingāe walked around until she was close to Duze Honglian. āYou met the Heavenly Disaster Class, didnāt you?ā There was a knowing look in her golden eyes.
The students around them gasped and took two inadvertent steps backwards.
āNone of your damned business!ā Duze Honglian hissed.
āOrdinarily, it isnāt. But the thing is coming here, and soon. We have to make sure thereās no corruption in our ranks,ā Jiang Qingāe said calmly. āDuze Honglian. Tell me: are you corrupted?ā
Duze Honglian looked away.
The golden eyes swept across the incoming members again, calculating, assessing, judging.
āPut her down,ā Jiang Qingāe suddenly said.
The student hesitated, but they eventually set the girl down gently. She was weak from injuries and pain, and her legs buckled under her. Jiang Qingāe caught her before she hit the floor.
Duze Honglian slumped helplessly against the golden-haired girl. āJiang Qingāe, what are you doing?!ā Jiang Qingāe ignored her, instead running a finger lightly across the girlās back. She sensed a slight, prickling pain in her own finger.
Eyes widening, she ordered female students to form a circle for privacy, with Duze Honglian in the middle.
Ignoring Duze Honglianās protests, Jiang Qingāe ripped her shirt off, and she grimaced at what she saw.
The female students screamed and ran away.
Right in the middle of Duze Honglianās back was a sinister face, grinning and moving.
Jiang Qingāe quickly put the shirt back on Duze Honglian. This was not good. It seemed almost branded on her back, a much deeper mark than the other seeds of corruption they had seen so far.
āGreedy for school points, you wanted to clear the empty purification towers behind the Heavenly Disaster Class. But you ended up tangling with it?ā Jiang Qingāe guessed.
Sullen silence.
āThe corruption is deep, very deep. Before too long, it will start eating you from the inside out. You will then become a puppet for that Other.ā
Jiang Qingāe reached out a hand to pat Duze Honglian on the waist. āThis beautiful thing will soon be pulp.ā
Now Duze Honglianās fear showed on her face, mixed with despair and a desperate craving for life.
She reached out to grab Jiang Qingāeās wrist in a vice-like grip, swallowing her pride.
āJiang- Jiang Qingāeā¦ help me!ā
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