Split Zone 13

Volume 5

292 Don’t Turn Around

Those words scared me.

You’re telling someone who had been ostracized and who ended up in the Split Zone that she is heading for a place with no one else around where she would not really be living but where she cannot die either. She can’t escape from there and that she’ll be trapped there forever. That wasn’t just cruel, it would be pure torture.

“What should I do…” I was antsy. I couldn’t see Li Qing at all. I couldn’t actually confirm that the person talking to me was her nor affirm that this wasn’t just another illusion.

However, my gut told me that I should be listening to this individual. It’s a woman’s instinct.

“Listen well. I don’t have time to repeat this a second time. Don’t forget it.

“I’m using the space under the sea to communicate with you and no one else will be able to enter this space, not even your living weapon, Piercer. However, Scorpion Ray is able to enter this space because I gave it to you, and it is part of what I’m about to share with you.

“You’ll enter another dimension in the illusion shortly, and I can’t predict what you might see there. But remember this, don’t believe anything or anyone no matter what you see. Don’t trust anything there. I believe you’re able to do that. Lastly, this is the most important. You might make a mistake here. Once you enter that dimension, don’t turn around no matter what happens, even if someone is calling out to you. Don’t turn around until you see Scorpion Ray glow on your wrist.

“Just continue going forward and you don’t have to pay any attention to anyone who tries to obstruct your way. There’s also no need to avoid anyone who tries to attack you, because nobody would be able to hurt you as long as Scorpion Ray is with you.

“You can move freely once Scorpion Ray starts glowing, and you’ll be able to walk out of that illusion and find me shortly after. I’ll then tell you how to work together with me to break this illusion. But before that, don’t stop for anyone or anything else, and don’t turn around for anything. You have to remember this. If you don’t, your consciousness will end up in that crack in space and you’ll wander like a homeless soul for all eternity…”

“Okay, I get it.” I felt chills down my spine as I heard all that, and a bright light appeared before me right after I answered.

All the water was gone suddenly.

I was on a narrow path with no one else around.

There was no end in sight, it was just a murky gray ahead of me. Though I was afraid, I stepped forward slowly.

There was absolutely nothing in the eerie silence except for this endless road that looked like a cobblestone path. It was flanked by dark gray fog on both sides and the path led into nothing but more gray fog in front.

As I walked, I called out softly, “Li Qing…”

There was no answer.

An immense pressure seemed to weigh down on me in this absolute silence. I could feel my brows knitting together and my temper rising.

I didn’t understand why I had to be the one going through such a terrifying experience.

How unlucky could I be that I could end up in this dark and creepy place after being in an intense battlefield? I didn’t know when this path would end. Who did I offend to deserve something like that?

It was also the first time that Li Qing spoke to me so seriously. I wondered how frightening the encounters would be for her to use such an extreme method to get me to continue moving forward.

This was difficult to bear.

I knew that something terrifying would happen, but I was in a position where I could not do anything about it. I couldn’t anticipate it nor could I change the situation. The best option was to continue on this path while fearing the possibility of having my life taken at any moment.

This was just like being aware of the fact that a ferocious ghost would be coming after you, and you were waiting for certain death, but you wouldn’t even know who it was who would be taking your life.

Waiting was all you could do.

Waiting for the unknown source of fear, waiting for the day when the entire truth comes up to the surface.

Even though I tried to console myself, I ended up being rather bored of walking on this path all by myself.

“What would appear? Why don’t they just all appear at once? I might just go insane here before I reach the end of this path.” I talked to myself in frustration. No one could hear me anyway.

“When have you started talking to yourself?”

After mumbling to myself for quite some time, I heard a voice coming from in front of me.

I snapped my head up, expecting to see something horrific. But the person who was obstructing my way was none other than Jiao S…

That can’t be the real Jiao S. I decided that she was just an illusion and ignored her.

She’s not the real Jiao S and it’s an illusion anyway. I’ll just keep quiet and ignore whatever she says. I won’t do anything even if she attacks me.

I was prepared to act like a corpse if she really attacked me, but things were rarely this straightforward.

Those empty eyes of the Jiao S opposite me were exactly like those of the real Jiao S. “Why are you here, Ah Shen?”

Stunned by her question, I was speechless. Should I say that I’m here to expose you as an impostor…?

Calm down, calm down, calm down. I didn’t hear it, I didn’t hear it, I didn’t hear it…

I pretended not to have heard the question.

After calming myself, I continued mumbling to myself that I didn’t hear the question and walked forward, towards Jiao S.

I shouldn’t avoid it if Jiao S really attacks me now. Li Qing wouldn’t hurt me. If she said Scorpion Ray can help me, then it definitely can. All I need to do is to go forward no matter what happens. Whatever happens, I’ll just continue walking. With Scorpion Ray’s protection, I might just be able to go through Jiao S like how I passed through Pomelo’s figure earlier.

The road was very narrow, and she was right there in the middle obstructing the entire pathway.

Plucking up courage, I continued walking towards her. I thought she would attack me, but Jiao S simply stood there, unmoving.

Unease crept up on me as I was about to reach her. Her figure looked just like Pomelo’s… If all else fails, I guess I’ll just have to pass through her…

While thinking, I lifted my head slightly.

I regretted my actions immediately.

The Jiao S in front of me had her eyeballs hanging out from her eye sockets, and they were still connected with tissue. She looked like a monster from the depths of a well.

“What the hell. Does it need to be that terrifying…” I shouted in shock.

Right after I said that, the figure in front of me turned back to look exactly like Jiao S without those horrific, drooping eyeballs. She stared at me blankly with that empty gaze of hers.

I was already right in front of her, but I was in a dilemma if I should just try and walk through her. Firstly, this was Jiao S. Secondly, I was really afraid that her face would change like it did just now and that would just give me a heart attack.

Well, I didn’t actually have a heart now.

I was suddenly reminded of what Li Qing said, to continue walking forward no matter what happens. With gritted teeth, I took large steps forward, attempting to just walk through Jiao S’s figure.

I had to take a gamble. I believe that I could pass right through her just like how it was in the cartoons where the monsters were impaled.

My theory was proven right as I stepped through her figure. However, I heard her speak in a creepy tone just as I was about to pass through her entirely.

“Do you think you’ll be safe after you get out of this dimensional illusion?”

What was terrifying about it was that this voice did not belong to Jiao S at all… It sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had heard the voice.

I recalled Li Qing’s words just as I was about to turn around and ask this Jiao S what was going on. Li Qing said that I shouldn’t turn around no matter what happens.

I stopped myself from turning back, but I ended up freezing in my tracks. I wanted to slap myself at this moment.

Isn’t this just a dimensional illusion with demonic energy infused in it? Would it be that difficult to go past it? Even if the illusions looked hyper-real, there’s really nothing to turn back for.

Just as I wanted to continue on my path at a quicker pace, the Jiao S behind me spoke again.

“Don’t you want to know why Nie Zun left you?”