"Hehehe—brat, you know more than I expected! That’s right, these Wraith Husks are my creation. They were useless lunatics to begin with—dead weight for society. So I turned them into something like zombies: Wraith Husks. They’re faster and stronger than normal people, and they love attacking humans! Now, enjoy their special welcome party! Keh—keh—keh—" A chilling male voice echoed through the air, speaking Mandarin but with a thick foreign accent.
"Crap—he’s Japanese! It’s a trap—everyone, stick close to me, we’re heading upstairs!" Shawn Young shouted, suddenly remembering that controlling and enslaving Wraith Husks was one of the Nine Chrysanthemums Society’s signature spells. Clearly, the mastermind manipulating these Wraith Husks was a top expert from the Nine Chrysanthemums Society!
Before Shawn Young and the others could regroup, the male patient who’d turned into a Wraith Husk let out a freakish howl—"Gaa—"—his body shuddered and lunged straight at Fiona Nangong, who was standing next to Shawn. He looked wild and ravenous, clearly targeting Fiona because she was a woman—easy prey, in his twisted mind.
"Ah—!" Fiona Nangong shrieked at the monster’s terrifying face, clutching Shawn Young’s arm so tightly she forgot she wasn’t exactly helpless herself!
Bang! Before the Wraith Husk could get close to Fiona Nangong, Shawn Young shot out his right foot like lightning, kicking the creature square in the gut. The force sent it flying over ten meters, crashing into the metal stair railing with a heavy clang before tumbling to the ground.
But the Wraith Husk only struggled on the floor for a moment before crawling right back up, still snarling and howling as it staggered toward Fiona Nangong. It was obvious—she was its chosen prey!
"Ugh—why is it always after me!?" Fiona Nangong cried out, totally exasperated.
"You’re a woman—your meat’s tastier! He’s a guy, of course he’s chasing you!" Shawn Young grumbled, as Fiona clung to his arm, her soft, bouncy chest pressing against him and making it very hard for him to concentrate on fighting off the Wraith Husks.
"Pfft—aren’t you a man too? How come you’re not chasing me nonstop!" Fiona Nangong shot Shawn Young a fierce glare, then pinched his waist in retaliation.
"Whoa—Miss, can you not just squeeze me like that? I really don't have time to talk about this right now! That thing's coming up again!" Shawn Young complained to Fiona Nangong, exasperated.
The Wraith Husk stopped about two or three meters away from the group, suddenly throwing its head back and splitting its mouth open, letting out a series of shrill, chilling screeches: "Gaa—gaa—"
"Gaa—gaa—gaa—" Instantly, the entire hospital main building echoed with these eerie croaks, like frogs after a rainstorm. Immediately after, the Wraith Husks surrounding the area surged forward like a tidal wave, encircling Shawn Young and the others. Drool dripped from their mouths, their gray-and-white pupils rolled unnaturally, and their bony, claw-like hands flashed with sharp, dark nails. Their pale tongues flicked out as if they already saw Shawn and his friends as a delicious feast!
"Everyone, be careful! Back to back now—don't let them grab you! Follow me, get ready to move upstairs!" Shawn Young called out urgently to the group.
Immediately, everyone followed his instructions and formed a defensive circle. Fiona Nangong, realizing how dire things were, pressed her back against Shawn Young's, striking a ready pose. Her right hand in front, left hand stretched behind—she was unmistakably using the classic Wing Chun starting stance.
"Awoo—" Suddenly, a Wraith Husk nearest the group leapt at them. Jack Chen, who had already gathered his inner strength, saw the creature lunge, its chest wide open. He instantly raised his leg and swept out a powerful 'Black Dragon's Tail' kick.
"Thud—" With a muffled sound, Jack Chen's kick hit the Wraith Husk square in the chest, sending it flying seven or eight meters back without suspense. It crashed into several other eager Wraith Husks behind it, toppling them all to the floor in a tangled heap, their weird cries of "Waa waa—" filling the air. The scene was bizarre and chaotic.
"Ha! These Wraith Husks aren't so tough after all! Hit them right and they fly just the same!" Jack Chen, pleased with his successful move, laughed loudly from the edge of the fray. Looking at the pile of flailing Wraith Husks, he felt a surge of confidence—they weren't as scary as Shawn Young made them out to be!
"Watch out!" Ethan Zhao suddenly shouted, seeing two Wraith Husks dart forward at lightning speed—one from the left, one from the right—lunging straight at Jack Chen, who had left the group.
"Uh—take this!" Jack Chen was startled but didn't lose his cool. He sprang into the air, legs apart, and unleashed a stylish 'Double Flying Kick'—"Bang! Bang!"—landing both blows squarely on the charging Wraith Husks, sending them tumbling across the floor like rolling gourds!
"Hmph—nice try!" Jack Chen landed another hit and his confidence soared. He felt these Wraith Husks weren't much different from normal people—except they felt no pain and had zero fear of death.