Infinite sword light filled the surroundings.
Xiao Mengyu suddenly stepped forward, disappearing along with her sword.
“Block!”
The man shouted through gritted teeth.
A crescent-shaped sword light slashed toward him, but in an instant, all the corpses rushing out from the surrounding walls threw themselves in its path.
The crescent light vanished as it sank into the wall of corpses.
Xiao Mengyu reappeared, sheathing her sword and stepping back.
The wall of corpses and the man froze in place.
Boom—
Endless sword light exploded from the corpse wall, manifesting into a blazing sun, sending layered sword shadows slashing in all directions.
The man’s clothes were torn away by the sword aura, revealing a blood-colored chainmail underneath.
A ferocious crack split across the armor, slicing it open.
The strike had been blocked!
Even so, the man was sent flying several meters back, spitting blood as he roared:
“You won’t kill me that easily!”
Blood-red runes surfaced beneath his feet.
At the same time, every corpse in the hotel let out a simultaneous howl, chanting an eerie incantation.
The sound surged like a tidal wave!
As the incantation grew in intensity, a deep crimson shadow emerged behind the man.
Xiao Mengyu’s expression tensed.
That last strike—she had used almost all her strength, unleashing that technique in an unprecedented state.
Yet, he was still alive!
No, he wasn’t just any assassin.
Who was he, really?
The man curled his lips into a cruel smile and whispered:
“Let me show you my true finishing move. Once you see it, you’ll have no regrets kneeling before me—”
“Of course, by then, you’ll already be dead.”
He waved his hand, forming an eerie hand seal.
The crimson glow intensified, and the shadow behind him solidified—just as another deafening voice echoed from the hotel’s first-floor lobby:
“Ladies and gentlemen, do any of you know how to sing ‘Happy Birthday’?”
All incantations ceased instantly.
The dead eagerly responded:
“Yes!”
“Of course!”
“Who doesn’t know ‘Happy Birthday’?”
“I know it too!”
The same voice continued:
“Wow, the voices of our dear departed friends are so loud.”
“Looks like everyone really does know it!”
“Well then, let’s sing it together! How does it go again?”
“3, 2, 1—”
“—Everyone, sing!”
With this bizarre exchange, every blood magic chant disappeared.
“Happy birthday to you,”
“Oh wow, oh wow, so happy!”
“Cut the cake and blow the candles, little cutie!”
“……”
A grand chorus, worthy of a stadium, erupted.
The intense crimson glow around the man dimmed, and the terrifying shadow behind him blurred, losing its former might.
Without sufficient incantation power, his ultimate move couldn’t be unleashed!
He stood frozen.
At the other end of the corridor, Xiao Mengyu’s face was similarly grim.
But if one looked closely, they’d notice her slender figure trembling slightly.
Even though she was hailed as the strongest of the new generation of swordsmen, accustomed to grand battles—
Even though she knew this was a life-and-death fight, where distractions were inexcusable—
At this moment, she was using all her strength just to hold back her laughter.
The man, however, could hold it in no longer. Furious and humiliated, he roared:
“Damn it! I’ll kill you for this!”
He stomped the ground, shattering the floor, and charged straight toward the first-floor lobby.
Xiao Mengyu’s heart sank.
According to her investigation, Shen Ye wasn’t a fighter!
The fact that he turned and ran earlier proved it—
His abilities weren’t meant for direct combat!
“Open!”
Xiao Mengyu shouted.
As sword energy cleaved through the floor, she leaped down in pursuit.
The man moved like a lightning bolt, breaking through multiple floors in an instant and landing in the first-floor lobby—
Where he immediately spotted Shen Ye.
That’s my assassination target!
—He hesitated for a moment.
Xiao Mengyu had met him, yet he had fully recovered from his wounds.
Several of his mission team members had died while trying to assassinate him.
Could it be…
He possessed abilities beyond imagination?
The situation deviated too much from expectations, making the man cautious enough to halt his advance.
Shen Ye had already heard the commotion. Now, leaning against an office door at the side of the lobby, he raised a microphone and called out loudly:
“Everyone, follow my lead!”
“Do you remember the songs you once sang? Sing them one after another!”
The corpses started singing all sorts of songs.
—This would take a long time, meaning the man could no longer receive the support of the dead’s incantations.
With that done, Shen Ye tucked the microphone into his coat, gripping a pistol in one hand and a Nightfall Dagger in the other, assuming a battle-ready stance.
“Are we really fighting?” a large skeleton asked nervously.
“You’ve got to be kidding—if he moves, I’m running,” Shen Ye replied.
Crash!
Xiao Mengyu landed, positioning herself in front of Shen Ye. She shouted quickly:
“Run! I’ll hold him off!”
“Alright! I’m counting on you!” Shen Ye responded without hesitation.
Yet, the man’s gaze remained fixed on Shen Ye.
It was only when he saw him actually start to run that he let out a sigh of relief, then burst into laughter:
“So, you’re my assassination target—”
“Listen up, kid. If you dare run, I’ll capture your parents and kill them.”
Shen Ye stopped in his tracks, turning back to give the man a deep look.
Xiao Mengyu shouted:
“Don’t listen to him! If you die, nothing else will matter—just run!”
Shen Ye gave a slight nod. Instead of heading through the door, he sprinted toward the staircase.
The man immediately lunged after him.
Xiao Mengyu had anticipated this and blocked his path, her sword erupting with countless afterimages.
The man had no choice but to stop and fight her.
Still, he shouted toward Shen Ye:
“My dear little boy, I will wipe out your entire family, remember that!”
“And before I kill you, I’ll eat your parents alive!”
“Then it’ll be your turn!”
Shen Ye didn’t look back, dashing up the stairs and disappearing from sight.
On the second floor, he reached a guest room door, placed his hand on it, and said:
“Door.”
A new guest room appeared.
Shen Ye stepped inside, re-entering the nightmare world’s hidden passage.
He paced back and forth.
“Look, man, I get that you’re pissed,” the skeleton said cautiously. “But let’s be real—you’re not trained for combat yet. If you jump into this fight, you’ll just get killed. That whole ‘Whisper of the Abyss’ thing was a fluke. Don’t overestimate yourself.”
For some reason, even without facial expressions, the skeleton seemed genuinely worried.
Worried about what?
It didn’t even know.
Shen Ye suddenly stopped.
“You’re right,” he said.
The skeleton sighed in relief.
“But if it were you, could you beat him?” Shen Ye asked.
“Obviously! This level of fighting is child’s play. If I were at full strength, I could crush him with one hand!”
“Alright then, let’s talk about something else.”
“Like what?”
“We have a contract, don’t we?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“I recall you saying something once—’Using a special incantation, you can materialize a sacrificial altar, imprison a group of spirits or living beings, and extract their power to restore yourself.’”
Shen Ye continued calmly:
“I just proved that necromantic spells can counteract his blood magic.”
“Now, I’ll help you recover your strength.”
“And in return, you’ll deal with him for me.”
“What do you say?”
The skeleton froze.
Wait… when did I tell him that?
Ah…
Right, during a discussion about healing methods.
He actually remembered!
And in this moment—
The skeleton suddenly shuddered uncontrollably.
That’s right.
The entire hotel was filled with corpses!
With their souls trapped, it was the perfect opportunity for an advanced power extraction.
If it could regain its strength—
The skeleton’s voice trembled:
“But I lost my power—I can’t force the corpses to chant the ritual.”
“I’ll handle that.”
“I don’t have the materials or hands to form the binding seal—”
“I’ll ask them nicely.”
“This will take time. If he notices, he’ll do anything to stop you.”
“I’ll stall him.”
“You really want him dead, huh?”
“Are you scared?” Shen Ye said flatly.
“Scared? I crave my power back—deal!”
Shen Ye glanced back.
A note appeared on the door:
Party A: Shen Ye.
Party B: Faerun (true name).
Party A restores Party B’s strength. In return, Party B must fight against the human known as ‘The Skinner.’
Contract established.
—Success!
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