Chapter 23: The Crimson Skull

Compared to Yu Ge’s furious cursing, even Lin Maozhi, witnessing the scene, was utterly shocked.

Heaven bears witness—he’d only spoken offhand, never expecting that terrifying red figure to actually change its target. Now, as he considered whether to call that dreadful apparition back, the words stuck in his throat and he cowardly withdrew. The sensation of being chased by that horror was far more terrifying than his mother pursuing him to return home and inherit the family fortune.

His fear was so complete that even his plump head seemed ready to retreat into his belly, making him resemble a timid little quail, round and squat.

He thought to himself: all he could do was offer Yu Ge his spiritual support from afar; after all, Yu Ge was in better shape and able to run faster.

Yu Ge, cursing silently, did not believe for a moment that the red figure’s change of target was solely due to that fat man. From beginning to end, he felt the monster’s gaze linger on him more than on anyone else. Its pursuit of others seemed mere play, a casual diversion.

Yet even as a diversion, the deaths of several people were enough to make his heart race with fear.

Yu Ge even wondered if he was cursed, if some strange fate always ensured that when he made bold moves, something would rise up to disrupt them.

His barrage of inner complaints, of course, had no effect.

Behind him, the red figure hovered briefly above the ground, its form shifting like a phantom, gliding across the grass with no apparent support, moving swiftly toward him.

At this speed, the distance between them shrank rapidly, visible to the naked eye.

Yu Ge, moving three times faster than an ordinary person, light as a swallow, covering meters in every stride—yet even this was powerless before the red figure.

Sweat soaked his back, every muscle taut, the chill behind him creeping closer like a maggot clinging to bone.

He gripped the hilt of his long blade so tightly it seemed to sink into his flesh, yet he never considered stopping to resist; the gap between them was simply too vast, making all resistance feel futile.

Such was the despairing reality.

The red figure drew nearer, and Yu Ge sensed the icy chill spreading along the ground, seeping into his feet, then winding up his body like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

A shiver ran through him, the cold at his back threatening to plunge him into eternal ice.

Then, a rush of wind swept past, the figure closed in, and his heart clenched tight.

Damn it, all or nothing!

Feeling the suffocating presence almost upon him, Yu Ge gritted his teeth and spun around suddenly.

At that moment, his previously ordinary right arm erupted without warning, swelling like an inflated balloon, filling his sleeve in an instant.

His entire sleeve bulged visibly, stretching to its limits.

With several tearing sounds, his once whole sleeve split into countless narrow strips, fluttering wildly in the wind.

Such a waste of a sleeve, he thought with a sigh—then realized the absurdity of worrying about clothing at a time like this.

Quickly, he focused on the vivid red figure before him.

Only now did he notice that, at some point, the red figure was standing just a few meters away.

The oppressive aura nearly suffocated him.

In this moment, Yu Ge finally saw the monster’s true face.

Its entire body was composed of exposed red bones—a mountain demon’s form, skin and bones, but in this case, not even skin, just a skeleton laid bare.

The skeleton was fiery red, as though blood shone from its surface.

Within the bones was a dark reddish body, not human, but reminiscent of the deep soil underfoot—like something that had rolled through the earth, oozing with some mysterious fluid.

Despite his terror, Yu Ge’s gaze inevitably locked onto the figure’s eyes—black flames flickering in hollow sockets.

The wasteland vanished.

Those two black, cavernous eyes grew larger in his vision, and suddenly, an endless tide seemed to engulf him, bringing a chilling cold that swept over him.

It’s over!

Shocked, Yu Ge forced himself to wrench his head aside, nearly twisting his neck, just to escape the gaze that threatened to drown him.

The red tide receded, and the wasteland returned.

But in his peripheral vision, he saw the red skeleton, driven by a gust of wind, appear before him in an instant.

Within arm’s reach!

So close!

The overwhelming sense of danger triggered an instinctive reaction—he slashed out with his blade.

With doubled strength, the blade’s edge was fierce, striking the red figure’s arm without hesitation.

A metallic clang reverberated, shockingly loud, scattering the surrounding wild grass.

The red skeleton did not move an inch, while Yu Ge was thrown back by a tremendous force, landing several meters away.

He glanced back at the spot where his blade had struck, finding not the slightest mark.

Yu Ge was stunned.

From afar, Lin Maozhi watched in awe.

He was astonished not only by the red figure’s speed and power, but also by Yu Ge’s unexpected transformation.

Suddenly, Yu Ge’s right arm was monstrously thick, veins bulging, muscles exaggerated beyond belief—what on earth had caused this?

“How many times has he used that right hand?” Lin Maozhi stopped, shaking his head in disbelief.

He felt the passage of time keenly.

Nearby, Chief Li, observing Yu Ge’s abnormal state, heard Lin Maozhi’s odd remark, veins popping in his own hand, nearly tempted to cut down the fool beside him.

Anyone could see that such a transformation had nothing to do with repeated use!

Scowling, Chief Li g