Realm of the Night God

Chapter 22: Unprecedented Fear

Decaying Corpse Granny had no physical form, yet she appeared lifelike, even able to speak. To ordinary people, this would seem utterly impossible, but the reality was just that.

As for why this was happening, who knew?

It was akin to nobody knowing why there were humans or why the myriad things existed in the world. The logic was the same.

Existence was rational; there was no need for so many questions.

At this moment, Yang Haoran naturally wouldn't dwell on how Decaying Corpse Granny could speak. He was thoroughly frightened by the scene before him, his legs trembling.

At this moment, Yang Haoran wouldn't even think about how Decaying Corpse Granny could speak. He was too scared by the sight before him, his legs trembling.

All he could think of now was to escape, to flee from here as far as possible!

Unfortunately, his legs wouldn't obey him. His body seemed beyond his control, leaving him helplessly watching Decaying Corpse Granny crunching fingers before her.

Having finished one finger, Decaying Corpse Granny seemed unsatisfied, as if not satiated. So, she bit into other fingers, the sight resembling someone devouring spicy chicken feet.

Yang Haoran could swear that in his entire life, even with all he had witnessed, he had never experienced such terrifying scenes. Even though he was used to this kind of life, what he was witnessing now was unprecedented. His face was filled with terror, swinging the kitchen knife in his hand like a madman, slashing fiercely at Decaying Corpse Granny.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Without exception, the sharp kitchen knife pierced through Decaying Corpse Granny's body, causing no harm. Instead, each strike landed on the wall, producing a despair-inducing sound.

This kitchen knife, which could have given him some sense of security, had last night been used to chop up a duck. It was so sharp. Yet now, it seemed as powerless as a child's toy knife in the face of the terrifying Decaying Corpse Granny.

Watching Yang Haoran screaming like a madman, Decaying Corpse Granny was delighted. The wide arc of her mouth grew even larger, seemingly enjoying seeing her prey in such a state of panic and hysteria, screaming in terror, which brought her immense joy.

"Hehehe, young man, Granny hasn't had enough fingers to eat. What should we do? How about eating your fingers?"

Decaying Corpse Granny's words greatly stimulated Yang Haoran. Under his gaze, the old lady opened her blood-stained mouth so wide that some maggots even fell from her face into her mouth. Yet, she seemed completely indifferent, allowing the maggots to wriggle inside!

It was truly a gaping maw, capable of swallowing a basketball whole. Its sharp teeth gleamed coldly, moving toward Yang Haoran's head to bite. It seemed as though she intended to swallow his entire head in one gulp!

Though it was agreed to eat fingers, Decaying Corpse Granny now had her sights set on Yang Haoran's head. Under normal circumstances, Yang Haoran would have cursed the old lady for speaking with a forked tongue. But now, he didn't even bother.

Yang Haoran screamed again in terror. Even though he knew the kitchen knife in his hand was useless against Decaying Corpse Granny, he still instinctively accelerated the speed of his swings.

At this moment, he displayed a strong desire to survive, much like a drowning man struggling desperately, trying to grab onto any existing straw for salvation.

However, such actions not only changed nothing but also made his inner fear grow even more intense!

Just as Decaying Corpse Granny's gaping maw was about to envelop Yang Haoran's entire head, suddenly, a black light appeared from his chest!

Under the moonlight, this black light was not conspicuous, yet it was undeniably real. Decaying Corpse Granny, for some reason, let out a sharp scream, a hint of fear in her voice. She not only retracted her gaping maw but also floated backward, putting some distance between herself and Yang Haoran.

Though terrified and panicked, Yang Haoran hadn't completely lost consciousness. He observed Decaying Corpse Granny's reaction, which filled him with both fear and curiosity.

His gaze fell on Decaying Corpse Granny, who was staring at his chest with an ugly expression, her eyes revealing a hint of dread.

Yang Haoran was startled. He seemed to suddenly remember something and hastily threw away the kitchen knife, anxiously retrieving something from his chest.

It turned out to be a Death God pendant, identical to the one he lent to Jiang Zhenzhen. However, this Death God pendant was not the one he lent to Jiang Zhenzhen but one he obtained when he prayed at the Death God Temple.

He lent his previous Death God pendant to Jiang Zhenzhen, and Jiang Zhenzhen must still be using it for some time. Without the Death God pendant on her, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Therefore, when he prayed, he simply requested another one and had it blessed by the temple, then wore it around his neck.

At this moment, the Death God pendant no longer emitted black light, becoming mundane. However, Decaying Corpse Granny still locked her gaze onto the pendant in Yang Haoran's hand, a fact he observed clearly.

She feared the Death God pendant!

Yang Haoran wasn't completely terrified. Decaying Corpse Granny's reaction made this point clear to him!

To confirm his speculation, he tore the Death God pendant off his neck and thrust it forward with both hands!

Decaying Corpse Granny's expression changed as if she had seen something terrifying, involuntarily drifting backward!

She did fear the Death God pendant in his hand. Yang Haoran was certain of this.

This discovery filled Yang Haoran with immense joy, like a drowning man grasping a lifesaving straw, unable to express his excitement, almost on the verge of tears.

However, Yang Haoran didn't become complacent. Though excited, the fear instilled by Decaying Corpse Granny hadn't diminished. He remained anxious and afraid.

The pendant, once held with one hand, was now tightly gripped with both hands. He feared it might suddenly disappear from his grasp, the sense of security it provided far stronger than the kitchen knife he had discarded.

His body, frozen in place, seemed to regain mobility at this moment. Yang Haoran tightly held the Death God pendant, simultaneously praying inwardly, slowly retreating towards the door.

He monitored every move of Decaying Corpse Granny, not missing a single expression. If there were any signs of her lunging towards him, he would turn and run, fleeing at the fastest speed.

Whether he could successfully escape was up to fate.

The distance between the door and Yang Haoran was just a step away, a result of his earlier forceful entry. Normally, he could easily rush out with a kick, but now, every movement felt like crossing a vast distance, a torture to his mind.

Large beads of cold sweat dripped from his face, shattering as they hit the ground. Some droplets even reached his eyes, causing discomfort, but he dared not wipe them away or even blink, allowing tears mixed with sweat to roll down his cheeks.

The scene he feared the most didn't occur. Yang Haoran's trembling body gradually reached the door, and Decaying Corpse Granny showed no signs of lunging at him. Instead, she seemed resentful. Several times, she seemed about to pounce, but ultimately gave up.

Yang Haoran didn't relax. As long as he hadn't left this place, he couldn't let his guard down. His nerves remained taut, his feet still slowly retreating!

Slowly, one of his feet stepped out of the door. Once he withdrew the other foot, he would have left this terrifying death trap.

Under the tense atmosphere, Yang Haoran withdrew his other foot from the room. Decaying Corpse Granny still didn't attack. Yang Haoran felt a mixture of relief and apprehension, about to turn and flee.

However, when his gaze fell on Jiang Zhenzhen, his body, ready to turn, involuntarily paused.

Jiang Zhenzhen lay on the floor, her life hanging by a thread. If he ran away now, what would happen to her? Would it mean death?

Though not certain, Yang Haoran felt it was highly probable. Judging from Decaying Corpse Granny's actions, she not only wanted to kill Jiang Zhenzhen but also him. If not for the Death God pendant in his hand, it was uncertain if he would still be alive.

Jiang Zhenzhen was still young, only twenty-one. Her life was still ahead of her. It would be a great pity if she died at such a young age.

If Jiang Zhenzhen were a stranger to him, Yang Haoran might not care about her life or death. But she wasn't. Despite not being friends yet, Jiang Zhenzhen was his client. Furthermore, Decaying Corpse Granny was entrusted to him by Jiang Zhenzhen for handling. Facing this situation, as a "master", he had an undeniable responsibility.

Yang Haoran wasn't a saint. Responsibility was his, and he would bear it. If it wasn't, he would turn a blind eye. Since he had an irrefutable responsibility in this matter, he must bear it. If he ran away alone, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.

His body, which had turned halfway, hesitated under Yang Haoran's control, trembling. He didn't run away but instead stepped back into the room.

He wasn't fearless. His trembling body clearly showed that he was filled with fear at this moment. Because what he was doing now was almost the same as seeking death. It would be strange if he weren't afraid.

However, compared to death, there was something else that terrified him even more, and that was guilt.