Chapter 159

But Elara and Ashley's plan didn't go as smoothly as expected. As they made their way downstairs, they heard James' piercing scream, followed by a horrifying sight. Daylight streamed through the shopping center but failed to reach the shelves in the lounge area, which remained shrouded in darkness. There, something had pierced through James' shoulder. That side of his shoulder, including his entire arm, shriveled rapidly like plastic warping under intense heat. A long, narrow mouthpart was embedded in him, rhythmically pulsing as it drained his blood. Ashley was the first to notice. Her body reacted faster than her mind, and she swung the boning knife with full force at the creature's mouthpart. However, the thing was terrifyingly flexible and couldn't be severed. Then, something even more horrifying played out. When the towering shelves collapsed under their own weight, countless writhing, human-like figures swarmed out like a disturbed anthill. They surged forward like a tid