Black Mist 03
Where had the classmates and teacher gone?
Cen Shishi did not answer this question, instead turning to face Tian Xiao.
Earlier, Tian Xiao had already felt that Cen Shishi looked strange, and this movement made her seem even more peculiar.
Cen Shishi was like a puppet in the hands of the Black Mist, controlled by it to move.
Her head was slightly lowered, her eyes devoid of any extra light.
She shifted her gaze, her eyes falling upon Tian Xiao, yet it seemed as if she was looking past him at something else.
Even though her face showed no extra expression, Tian Xiao felt…
Cen Shishi was crying.
The scene before him was too bizarre; perhaps retreating for now was a good choice.
But Tian Xiao did not.
Tian Xiao stepped into the classroom.
Only after he entered the classroom did he see the full extent of the Black Mist behind Cen Shishi.
The last time Tian Xiao saw the Black Mist was the day before yesterday.
Back then, compared to the first time he saw it, its volume had shrunk a bit.
The shrunken part had naturally gone into Mom's stomach.
At first, the Black Mist still had some designs on Tian Xiao, but later it completely avoided both Tian Xiao and Mom.
But the Black Mist before him now…
If not for its unchanged aura, Tian Xiao would have almost thought it was a different entity.
It had grown larger.
The spreading black mist enveloped the entire ceiling of the classroom.
It had also become more solid.
Beneath the pitch-black mist were a considerable number of ink-colored tentacles, each one rooted into Cen Shishi's back.
It was through these tentacles embedded in Cen Shishi's back that the Black Mist controlled her movements.
Even more tentacles drifted within the mist, blending seamlessly with the dark fog.
"…It hasn't been that long since we last met, and you've gotten stronger."
The first time Tian Xiao saw it, it was just a mass of mist; now it even had tentacles—it really had gotten stronger!
Since it's stronger, Mom will definitely find it more chewy when she eats it, right?
Tian Xiao, who was genuinely concerned about Mom's meals, unconsciously let such a thought drift through his mind.
The next instant, a thick tentacle swung toward Tian Xiao.
With a thunderous crash, the ground cracked.
As the tentacle that had smashed into the floor moved away, there was no sign of Tian Xiao beneath it.
Instead, a hand reached out from the side and poked the thick tentacle.
"It's become more solid, and it feels elastic to the touch," Tian Xiao, who had somehow appeared standing to the side, offered his tactile assessment of the Black Mist's tentacles. "But it feels strange, not like it's solid?"
Perhaps Tian Xiao's speed and actions also surprised the Black Mist, as it paused for a moment before launching a new attack against him.
One tentacle after another swung toward Tian Xiao.
The entire classroom was instantly filled with dust and debris.
Although Tian Xiao's body had shrunk, reducing his strength and endurance, his combat experience from after the Apocalypse was not lacking in the slightest.
Tian Xiao always managed to find an "escape route" amidst the chaotic tentacle attacks, even making his way to Cen Shishi's side.
"Hey!" Tian Xiao called out to Cen Shishi.
Cen Shishi showed no reaction.
Tian Xiao reached for the tentacles on Cen Shishi's back, grabbing one and trying to pull it out.
But the tentacle was rooted too firmly; Tian Xiao couldn't budge it at all.
It was as if they had grown together.
Although Tian Xiao failed to pull out the tentacle rooted in Cen Shishi, the Black Mist was greatly provoked.
All the Black Mist spreading throughout the classroom began to surge.
As the Black Mist surged, Tian Xiao found himself unable to touch its tentacles.
Just like when he first encountered the Black Mist, he could see and hear its presence but had no way of making physical contact.
Not being able to touch it was one thing, but the Black Mist’s tentacles would regain solidity the moment they could strike Tian Xiao.
This shifting between intangible and tangible states made the Black Mist’s tentacles more agile during attacks, and Tian Xiao found it increasingly difficult to dodge.
Unable to hold back, Tian Xiao dodged while pondering what to do and complained, "You can’t win a fight, so you have a second phase?!"
The Black Mist also seemed somewhat unfamiliar with its second phase.
After a brief period of adaptation, it quickly managed to move along with Tian Xiao’s movements within the classroom.
Tian Xiao could intuitively sense that his opponent had become more difficult to deal with.
If it were the Tian Xiao from his previous life, he wouldn’t have spent so much time thinking about what to do—he could have sent the Black Mist back to where it came from with a single punch. But now… the Black Mist wasn’t without its flaws.
After all, there was still Cen Shishi here, who hadn’t shown any Vanishing Ability!
Thinking this, Tian Xiao leaped toward Cen Shishi, who was suspended in mid-air by the Black Mist. As he jumped, he shouted to her, "Cen Shishi, grab my hand!"
Cen Shishi, who had shown no extra reactions and seemed as though even her soul had vanished, was visibly stirred upon hearing Tian Xiao’s call. She raised her eyes to look at him and instinctively reached out her hand.
And then…
And then Tian Xiao didn’t grab her hand but instead seized her wrist.
Tian Xiao held on tightly, and at the same time, he flashed a big smile at Cen Shishi.
For a moment, as Cen Shishi gazed at Tian Xiao’s smiling face, her dull eyes seemed on the verge of igniting with new light.
But before that new light could fully kindle, Cen Shishi, along with the Black Mist rooted in her back, was flung out of the classroom.
Yes, Tian Xiao used Cen Shishi’s presence to hurl the Black Mist out as well.
Thanks to the Black Mist’s efforts, the classroom wall had already been punched through with holes, and Tian Xiao threw them out through one of those openings.
The Black Mist’s tentacles indeed possessed considerable force when solidifying to attack, but when it turned intangible and untouchable, it became very light.
Tian Xiao flung it out effortlessly.
After tossing both the person and the Black Mist out, Tian Xiao naturally followed them out.
Without giving the Black Mist time to react, he grabbed Cen Shishi’s wrist and swung her around like a windmill.
Open ground was much better for maneuvering.
While swinging her, Tian Xiao also tried to wake Cen Shishi up, calling out to her several times in a row.
But this time, no matter how much Tian Xiao shouted, Cen Shishi showed no reaction whatsoever. Meanwhile, the surrounding Black Mist grew thicker and denser.
During this time, the Black Mist opened its mouth toward Tian Xiao multiple times.
To say it opened its mouth was more like it split open a gap.
Through this gap, Tian Xiao finally saw where his classmates and teachers had gone.
Not just his classmates and teachers, but also some people Tian Xiao didn’t recognize—all of them were inside the Black Mist’s mouth.
They looked as though they were asleep, each one quietly nestled within the Black Mist’s body, with only their heads exposed.
Tian Xiao glanced at the increasingly dense Black Mist, then at Cen Shishi, who showed no reaction whatsoever. After a moment's thought, he suddenly released his grip and actively crawled into the mouth of the Black Mist.
……
"Wah wah wah…"
"Stop crying."
"Wah wah wah wah…"
"I said stop crying."
"Wah wah… gag…"
"Why are you crying so hard you're about to throw up?"
"…I feel so dizzy."
Cen Shishi, looking utterly miserable with both eyes swollen from crying, lay sprawled on the ground, hands pressed against the floor, seemingly wanting to stand up but too dizzy to move.
Tian Xiao stood nearby, feeling a bit embarrassed.
That Cen Shishi was this dizzy was undoubtedly because Tian Xiao had spun her around like a windmill.
But Tian Xiao hadn't expected that after voluntarily entering the Black Mist's mouth, he would find a crying, dizzy Cen Shishi instead of anyone else.
"Is there any water here? I'll get you some."
"No."
"Alright," Tian Xiao scanned the pitch-black surroundings, "this place doesn't look like it has water anyway."
Cen Shishi remained silent, just lying uncomfortably on the ground with her eyes closed, tears still falling.
Completely unsure how to deal with children, Tian Xiao had no choice but to squat down beside Cen Shishi and simply watch her cry.
After watching for a while, Cen Shishi stopped crying and opened her swollen, walnut-like eyes to look at Tian Xiao.
"Feeling better?" Tian Xiao asked her.
Cen Shishi spoke dryly, "Don't you hate me? Why are you concerned about me?"
"Hate you?" Tian Xiao was puzzled by her words, "When have I ever hated you?"
Cen Shishi stared at Tian Xiao without speaking.
Tian Xiao: "…I like tall, strong, powerful, and capable fighters, but that doesn't mean I dislike those who aren't tall or strong, right? By that standard, wouldn't I hate not only you but everyone?"
So far in this new world, Tian Xiao hadn't met anyone who matched his aesthetic preferences.
Children were incomprehensible creatures.
Tian Xiao didn't know what was wrong with his statement, but Cen Shishi's attitude seemed to soften considerably.
Seizing the opportunity, Tian Xiao asked, "Where is this?"
Cen Shishi hugged her knees as she sat on the ground, "Inside the monster's stomach."
"Of course I know we're inside the monster's stomach. I meant… why? Why did things turn out this way? What does it have to do with you?"
Cen Shishi fell silent again.
Tian Xiao stood up and began pacing around the pitch-black space, searching back and forth.
Cen Shishi lifted her head, her eyes fixed on Tian Xiao. After watching him for a while, she said, "You don't seem scared."
"Being scared won't solve anything at a time like this," Tian Xiao replied.
"But it's already too late. There's no way to fix things now."
"Too late? What's too late?" Tian Xiao stopped walking and turned to look at Cen Shishi. "Tell me about it. Let me see if it's really too late."