Vol. 3 Chapter 12: Mask Outbreak

Chapter 12: Mask Outbreak

The maskless shadow assassin drew a short blade, found its target, and fiercely stabbed into the car's chassis.

The masked driver screamed as a jet-black blade pierced through the bottom of the car and into his foot on the accelerator pedal. The blade twisted, cutting through the foot and nearly severing it.

The car veered out of control. Another masked shadow assassin threw a dart at the tire of a passing car, puncturing it. The car swerved, causing a chain reaction of collisions. The shadow assassins jumped from the chassis and disappeared into the shadows, with one dissipating into black smoke.

The high speeds on the overpass made it inevitable for several cars to crash, leading to a massive traffic jam that lasted for hours.

For the residents here, the worst part wasn't the car crash but the aftermath. Lu Li now understood what a "mask outbreak" meant. At the crash site, a blood-stained mask floated out, followed by a large, transparent humanoid figure that gradually became more distinct, emitting a roar of resentment.

Not far behind Lu Li, two masked individuals watched the scene with lingering fear, cursing the person who caused the crash. In front of Lu Li, someone sensed the commotion and remarked grimly, "So ruthless, completely disregarding innocent lives."

"Damn it, what did you do to cause such a commotion? Now we have a mask outbreak!" the aggressive paramedic stood up in shock, anger visible on his face, though his feet stayed planted, showing a restrained hostility.

"Heh, no need to worry too much. I was just stopping my pursuers," Lu Li explained with a narrowed smile. "That truck was sent to block me, and more pursuers are behind us. If they catch up, things won't go well."

"Did you think my things would be so easy to take?" Lu Li finished, ignoring the dark looks on their faces, and continued to observe the mask outbreak. The entity didn't seem to affect reality beyond its initial roar. It stood motionless at the crash site, its image growing more solid.

"In that case, there's nothing more to say. We'll complete the transaction, but please never appear before us again," the rational paramedic said, his mask darkening, showing a hint of killing intent before returning to normal. "Notify Ah Hong to speed up and ram that truck if it blocks us again. The mask outbreak will destroy most evidence, so we won't worry about the police later."

The nurse nodded and moved forward to contact the driver. Shortly after, the ambulance sped up, and the truck driver seemed to understand, no longer blocking the way.

As the ambulance passed the truck, Lu Li glanced at the driver. Wearing a duckbill cap, he was prepared, but it was enough. Below the overpass, the shadow mask floated up, and a shadow assassin appeared behind it. Following Lu Li's will, it stepped into the shadows, moving towards its target.

The ambulance quickly reached the city center hospital, arriving about half an hour after Lu Li entered the instance. Judging by his injury, he had about half an hour left to secure a specialist appointment.

"Take this to the registration desk to get a specialist appointment. This is goodbye, and I hope we never meet again!" The rational paramedic handed Lu Li a card and left, clearly disgusted with him. Normally, the ambulance would take Lu Li directly into the hospital, but they left him at the entrance and drove off.

Lu Li soon realized he was in trouble. About seventy or eighty people were blocking the hospital entrance, holding banners and signs, occasionally shouting slogans:

"Heartless hospital, killing people without accountability!"

"Not seeking justice, just compensation!"

Several people with white headbands had set up a shrine with a smiling mask, burning paper money at the entrance, blocking anyone from entering or exiting. Many patients were stuck, unable to get in or out.

Lu Li noticed the commotion and realized the situation was odd. Despite blocking the main entrance, these protesters ignored the nearby VIP entrance, where well-dressed individuals with wealth walked through unimpeded. Security guards at the VIP entrance pretended not to see the protesters.

Weighing his options, Lu Li considered getting a VIP card to use the VIP entrance or pushing through the protesters. He lacked money for a card and didn't want to risk crossing the shrine. His enhanced soul sensed a chilling presence around the shrine's mask, hinting that crossing it might trigger something bad.

Understanding the instance's mechanics, Lu Li knew he had to pay a price at each stage to survive. He scanned the area for other players, particularly the one who arrived before him or those from the east side, but found no obvious targets.

Deciding he had no other choice, Lu Li moved towards the hospital entrance, ready to confront whatever came next.