Qiu Shiliu felt that her current line of sight wasn’t as obstructed as before, so she moved closer to the crack to examine its interior more carefully.
At that moment, her eyes widened slowly, and her mouth even gaped slightly.
Before her lay a massive, crimson, pulsating structure—a towering building made entirely of flesh and blood.
The flesh seemed to have bones within and blood vessels winding along the exterior, shaping it into the form of a high-rise. Dark blue veins stretched across its surface, causing the entire structure to pulse faintly as if it had a life of its own.
Every spot that should have been a window was instead covered by a white membrane, making it look more like some kind of living organism.
“Jiujiu… Jiu…” Qiu Shiliu tried to speak, but her words seemed trapped in her chaotic mind. Instead, she raised the “door” in her hand and swept it upward, scanning the monstrous building.
Bai Jiu frowned as she peered into Jiang Shi’s left eye. The sight was indeed horrifying, but the view she could see was too limited to grasp the full impact Qiu Shiliu was experiencing firsthand.
“What is this thing?” Bai Jiu asked, her voice hoarse.
“I want to see too…” Jiang Shi, noticing Bai Jiu’s expression, grew curious about what was in his left eye. “Jiu-jie… What did Sixteen see?”
*”It’s a building…”* Qiu Shiliu finally snapped back to reality, her voice emanating from Jiang Shi’s left eye. *”Jiu-jie, it’s a building made of flesh and blood…”*
“No… This thing is too bizarre…” Bai Jiu said. “Get away from there now. We don’t know what kind of space that is… You could end up somewhere completely unknown.”
“I want to see too!” Jiang Shi said urgently.
*”Alright… Jiu-jie… This place really is too strange. Maybe I should—”*
Before she could finish, Qiu Shiliu let out a startled *”Aiyo!”*
Bai Jiu looked closely—whether the crack was unstable or Qiu Shiliu had exerted too much force, the edge she had been holding onto had crumbled again, breaking off another fragment.
Now, more of the scene inside became visible.
It was only then that Qiu Shiliu realized this wasn’t just a “flesh-and-blood building”—it was an entire *”flesh-and-blood world.”*
Behind this monstrous high-rise stood countless other buildings of the same grotesque material, roads paved with bones, and motionless figures standing in the distance.
Moans began to rise from all directions, and deafening roars echoed from the sky.
***BOOM!***
Something massive and indescribable seemed to collide in the air, the sound so overwhelming that Qiu Shiliu stumbled back half a step.
Moments later, she heard something land beside the crack, but her limited view made it impossible to discern what it was.
Soon, a faint voice murmured two words from within the crack—*”Absurd.”*
Before Qiu Shiliu could process what was happening, a mass of flesh began rapidly expanding around the crack, threatening to seal it shut.
“W-Wait…”
Completely baffled, Qiu Shiliu instinctively reached out, trying to hold back the encroaching flesh.
What the hell was going on?
Was there someone on the other side?
Were they in danger, or fighting something?
“Hey! Who are you?!” Qiu Shiliu shouted into the crack.
The opening had now shrunk to the size of her palm, barely allowing her to glimpse the flesh building anymore.
Determined to make one last attempt, Qiu Shiliu stuffed the “door” into her pocket and began tearing at the flesh with both hands. The slimy texture made her nauseous, but this was her only chance to uncover the truth.
Yet the more she tore, the faster the flesh regrew. Chunks of meat fell from the crack, vanishing into the abyss below.
About a minute later—
A pair of ice-cold hands suddenly seized her wrists.
Qiu Shiliu screamed in shock.
*”Sixteen! What’s wrong?!”*
“Jiu-jie… There’s someone inside the crack! They grabbed me!!” Qiu Shiliu forced herself to stay calm as she relayed the situation.
*”Forget it! Just get out of there!”* Bai Jiu urged.
Qiu Shiliu yanked her hands back—and to her surprise, the grip was weak, easily broken. But why had they grabbed her in the first place?
By now, the crack was almost entirely sealed by flesh, yet the stranger’s hands remained protruding, making it look as though the flesh itself had sprouted limbs. The sight was deeply unsettling.
Looking down, Qiu Shiliu saw the hands were pale and slender—likely belonging to a woman.
Before she could dwell on it, the flesh between the hands began to churn violently, as though something was trying to force its way out.
Realizing the danger, Qiu Shiliu immediately withdrew her hands and pulled the “door” from her pocket, aiming it at the crack.
“Jiu-jie! Something’s coming out of the crack. If something happens to me, remember this: It’s a city of flesh and blood, and people might be living there. I heard fighting… and cries of despair, but none of the voices were clear.”
*”Sixteen, retreat to the door behind you. If things go south, escape through it immediately.”*
“Got it.” Nodding, Qiu Shiliu began backing away while keeping the crack in view, using the “door” to transmit the scene to Bai Jiu.
Then—
The flesh burst open in a spray of blood as a human head pushed through between the hands.
It was a logical progression, yet it sent chills down her spine.
Logically, the hands should be attached to a body—so why was this person forcing their head through?
A closer look drained all color from Qiu Shiliu’s face.
Could this even be called a “human head”?
Long hair, adorned with a cute hairpin. Golden highlights at the tips. A shirt printed with anime-style designs…
But there was no face.
Just smooth, featureless skin where facial features should have been.
The hands frantically clawed at the flesh, widening the gap as the figure struggled to pull its upper body through—then its entire form emerged.
Qiu Shiliu’s heart pounded wildly. She had no idea how to react.
Then she heard the “girl” make a sound—
A muffled, indistinct whimper.
It was as though something was covering her mouth, suffocating her, silencing her.
She was struggling.
But before Qiu Shiliu could speak to her, the girl, now free from the crack, suddenly plummeted downward like a falling corpse.
A choked gasp echoed from below as she vanished from sight—gone before Qiu Shiliu could utter a single word.
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