The school was deep in the night.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  “Hmm…?”

  “What’s that sound?”

  Chu Yang drowsily opened his eyes. The dorm room was silent, his roommates fast asleep.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  Wet footsteps echoed in the hallway.

  Chu Yang waited, but the sounds suddenly stopped.

  “Yawn…”

  He was about to lie back down when a hoarse, eerie wail pierced the silence.

  “Wuwuwu… Wuuu, ah… Wuu…”

  Chu Yang frowned. Who’s crying in the middle of the night?

  Wait—crying?

  He jolted upright. “Footsteps… crying… Am I dreaming? If not…”

  He clamped his hands over his ears.

  “Wuwuwu… Wuu…”

  The sobs grew louder, closer.

  “Too late—it’s already heard me!”

  Run!

  Chu Yang scrambled into his clothes, pulled on his shoes, and leaped from his bed. He lunged for the door—

  “No, wait!”

  He spun around and bolted toward the window instead.

  Click.

  The door behind him creaked open.

  “FOUND… YOU!”

  A rancid fish stench flooded the room. Chu Yang didn’t need to look back—the bone-chilling aura confirmed it.

  002!

  He gritted his teeth, yanked the window open, and jumped.

  Second floor—survivable.

  Chu Yang hit the ground, rolled, and sprang up. He glanced back at the window.

  A hulking figure in a black raincoat stood motionless. Then—it vanished.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Gone?”

  Cold sweat dripped down his temple. Did it leave? Chase someone else? Or… is it behind me now?

  Like a spider unseen—terrifying.

  Chu Yang’s palms slicked with sweat. He glimpsed a shadow materializing behind him.

  Wham!

  He threw a backward punch, striking the figure’s gut. It staggered. Chu Yang pivoted, driving his knee toward its temple—

  Snap!

  The figure caught his leg. Its black glove split, revealing hooked claws and green scales.

  Chu Yang twisted free, then landed an uppercut under its jaw.

  Crack!

  The hood and mask flew off, exposing a bulbous fish head with jagged teeth and glowing yellow eyes.

  “Holy shit—it’s really 002!”

  The game monster… in real life?

  “Wuu… AHHH!”

  The merman wailed, pouncing. Chu Yang backpedaled.

  “Hey! I barely eat fish! Never even go to the beach! If you’re mad at humans, start with the Japanese!”

  The merman lunged. Chu Yang kicked off a wall, launching a flying strike.

  It reeled back, then dropped to all fours, skittering like a hyena.

  This stance—it’s going to leap!

  Chu Yang charged. The merman coiled, then sprang—

  Now!

  Chu Yang dropped sideways, hands braced, flipping backward.

  Crash!

  The merman smashed into the wall. Chu Yang didn’t look—he sprinted toward the教学楼.

  Minutes later, Chu Yang hid in a classroom.

  “In the game, I beat 002 with items. Reality? No respawns. One life.”

  Drip. Drip.

  The footsteps returned. Chu Yang held his breath, ears covered.

  “Wuu… Ahh…”

  The cries echoed. He froze.

  Wait—even muffled, I can hear it. Enhanced hearing’s a curse!

  “Wuu… Ah!”

  The wail suddenly boomed in his ear.

  Chu Yang whirled—yellow fish eyes glared inches away.

  Slash!

  Claws ripped his hand. He recoiled as the merman swiped at his throat.

  Blood dripped from the hooked talons.

  “Huff… Huff…”

  Too close.

  “Why target me?!”

  The merman scrambled forward. Chu Yang hurled a desk—

  Crunch!

  It split the desk, but Chu Yang was already gone.

  The merman clutched its head. “Wuu… Chu Yang… can’t escape!”

  Chu Yang ran, the wails haunting him.

  “Damn cries defy logic! Zombies track breath, but this thing uses sound?!”

  He jammed in earbuds, blasting music. The cries faded.

  At a corner, he plotted: If noise blocks it, I’ll ambush…

  A black raven landed beside him.

  Raven? Here?

  “001?!”

  The bird startled, then flew off.

  Footsteps approached. Chu Yang tensed—

  Now!

  He exploded from the shadows, fist crashing into the merman’s skull.

  Thud! Thud! Thud!

  A flurry of punches. Scales flew. Blood—his or the merman’s?—splattered.

  Finally, the merman lay still.

  Chu Yang yanked a rusted rebar from the stair rail and impaled its chest.

  Squelch.

  The merman spasmed, then fell limp.

  Chu Yang dialed 911.

  “Hello? I was attacked by a merman at Erzhong High…”

  Silence. Then a male voice: “Stay put. We’re coming.”

  Thirty minutes later, police arrived.

  “I’m Officer Yang Yan. You reported a merman?”

  Chu Yang nodded. “It… disappeared.”

  Yang inspected the bloodstains and scales. “Sixth case. You’re the first survivor.”

  At the station, Chu Yang recounted his story, crediting a security guard’s Bajiquan training.

  Yang played a recording—identical wails. “Victims never survive. We’re forming a Paranormal Unit. Assist us?”

  Chu Yang agreed.

  Meanwhile, in a café…

  A raven girl burst in with the dying merman. “Lord Os! Save 002!”

  The owner, Chen Ye, administered a glowing potion. The merman convulsed, then healed.

  “Who did this?” Chen mused. “That boy from earlier…”

  He ordered the raven: “Film their next encounter. I want him alive.”

  Dawn.

  The revived merman flexed newfound power.

  The raven smirked. “Lord Os wants round two. Don’t die again.”

  The merman growled. “Never.”