92. Chapter 92: Even the Deepest Darkness Will Disappear Because of the Faintest Light
As the Mirror Space shattered, the blackened Xia Shang looked up at the boundless shadow figures. In an instant, his body fragmented like porcelain, gradually disappearing before Xia Shang.
Of course, those shadow figures were indeed Xia Shang's most terrifying desires, not mirror images generated after infection. At the same time, they represented Xia Shang's determination to curb his desires.
"Desire is like an insatiable abyss..." Xia Shang murmured softly.
Although he lost the growth potential of his ability, Xia Shang didn't feel it was a loss. At the very least, it provided good tempering for his will. The physical body is ultimately just a shell; if an ability is strong but cannot be controlled, it's no different from rootless duckweed. At least, that's how Xia Shang saw it.
......
When Xia Shang returned to Green Home Apartments, Lee Eun-hyuk in the Monitoring Room picked up the broadcast microphone and spoke over the apartment broadcast: "Attention all residents, please prepare food, medicine, and weapons and come to the first floor. The first floor is currently safe. Staying together will increase your survival rate. Those of us who are alive must stick together."
While he was speaking, Park Yoo-ri, the kindergarten director who had previously given the stinky fish to The Security Guard, was preparing to seize the opportunity to open the Iron Door. Her greatest desire at that moment was to find her daughter who was outside; this was her only hope.
"Look quickly, there are clearly no monsters outside anymore. Maybe those monsters will die if they encounter light." Park Yoo-ri tried to persuade everyone to open the door, but the terrifying scene from the day before yesterday was deeply etched into everyone's minds.
Although some people suggested leaving with Park Yoo-ri, the majority were against it.
"Please open the door. I'll come back as soon as I find my daughter." Everyone watched Park Yoo-ri plead desperately, and their hearts softened.
But before everyone could agree, Park Yoo-ri ran into the Security Office and pressed the switch for the Rolling Iron Door.
Afterward, Park Yoo-ri began to move the obstacle blocking the door. Everyone wanted to stop her, but she raised her mobile phone and showed them the real-time location screen on it. "Look, my daughter is nearby. If we just open the door, I can let her in."
Seeing this, the people around exchanged glances and stopped trying to block her.
When the door was completely opened, Park Yoo-ri wanted to rush out directly to meet her daughter, but the people nearby, worried about danger, stopped her.
"Look quickly, it's my daughter!" Cha Jin-ok screamed hysterically.
Just then, a girl appeared around the corner not far away. The girl was running and calling out to Cha Jin-ok. At this moment, Lee Eun-hyuk, who had put down the broadcast microphone, had a bad feeling.
"Shouldn't we do something?"
"I'll go." The soldier wearing a camouflage uniform ran out, wanting to meet the girl.
He extended his arm. The moment he was about to touch the girl, a thick tongue shot out from a concrete pipe, directly piercing both of their chests. The man lowered his head, staring blankly at the tentacle in his chest.
He died... died trying to save someone.
Just at this moment, Xia Shang came down from upstairs and witnessed this scene firsthand. Thinking back now, he indeed hadn't devoured the Tongue Monster last night. The main reason was that the creature, trying to hide from him, had concealed itself among a pile of concrete pipes. Xia Shang found it troublesome and didn't actively seek it out.
He didn't expect this guy could really lay low. Several hours had passed, and it was still in the concrete pipe.
Cha Jin-ok watched as her daughter's heart was pierced by a long tongue, and that tongue lifted her daughter into the air, constantly sucking blood. At first, her expression was shock, followed by disbelieving bewilderment. It wasn't until her daughter was drained of blood and fell to the ground that she let out a trembling scream.
"It's a pity that even now, she still doesn't understand that her daughter's death was caused by her own hands." Xia Shang looked at the grief-stricken Park Yoo-ri and silently shook his head. If she hadn't given the dead fish to Uncle, Uncle wouldn't have been completely infected, and wouldn't have locked the Iron Door.
If the Iron Door hadn't been locked, Park Yoo-ri would have had plenty of time to get her daughter. All of this, the rise and fall, was predestination. Lee Eun-hyuk pursed his lips. To protect everyone's safety, he reached out and closed the door, then pushed the iron cabinet in front of it.
However, just then, a tentacle lunged at him, but Xia Shang kicked and broke it. Lee Eun-hyuk looked at Xia Shang, still shaken, and subconsciously swallowed before saying, "Thank you."
"Why? Why are you so strong, but you didn't save my daughter? Why?"
Unexpectedly, this scene instantly provoked Park Yoo-ri. If the people nearby hadn't held her back, she might have lunged at Xia Shang to fight him desperately.
"It's not Doctor Xia's fault. He didn't seem to be here just now." Some reasonable people tried to persuade her.
But Park Yoo-ri couldn't care less about that anymore. She had to find someone to vent her resentment on.
"Shut up, or I'll feed you to it." Xia Shang's expression was cold. He bent down and grabbed the long tongue under his foot. Perhaps the Tongue Monster outside the door recognized Xia Shang, because its tongue was unusually docile and didn't move around randomly.
Seeing that everyone was too scared to speak, Xia Shang turned to look at the concrete pipe. "Good boy, you know your place."
With that, he released his hand, letting the long tongue retract on its own.
Meanwhile.
After Yoon Ji-su and Jung Jae-heon finished eating at Uncle Han Du-sik's place, they prepared to go check out the first floor. After all, according to Lee Eun-hyuk, the first floor was currently a safe zone, so they planned to scout it out first.
"Is it really okay to trust that crappy broadcast?"
Yoon Ji-su said somewhat sheepishly, "But we can't keep bothering you. At least we have to try."
Jung Jae-heon, standing nearby, looked at the shield Uncle had made himself and said gratefully, "Thank you for the provisions and the shield. May the Lord bless you."
Uncle Han Du-sik replied, "I believe in Buddhism."
As the atmosphere became slightly heavy, Yoon Ji-su made a promise to him: "If the first floor is really safe, we will definitely come back for you."
But Han Du-sik didn't trust Yoon Ji-su. In his opinion, their departure this time might be goodbye forever.
"Someone once said that even the deepest darkness will disappear because of the faintest light." Yoon Ji-su showed a gentle smile. After hearing this, Cha Hyun-soo decided to go to the first floor with them to check the situation. He then turned and promised Kim Young-soo and his sister that he would definitely come back.
Meanwhile.
In the Power Distribution Room, seeing that the Spider Monster had left, Seo Yi-kyung struggled, wanting to break free from the restraint of the spider web.
Unexpectedly, she actually succeeded. She took off her clothes and jacket, leaving only her undergarments. Judging by the obvious muscle definition on her abdomen, even among firefighters, Seo Yi-kyung's physique was outstanding.
She climbed onto the iron frame on the ceiling with her hands and reached the ventilation duct. While the Spider Monster hadn't returned yet, she opened the entrance cover of the ventilation duct and immediately crawled inside.
(end of chapter)