The pen-shaped baton in Su Zimoâs hand was lighter than the lightest foil he had ever used, and it looked similar to a telescopic pointer. <sup>1</sup> Not only was it completely non-lethal, it was also easily broken.
But itâs such a âweaponâ that whenever it touched the pale ghost students with the strange smiles, itâs like a breaking up a solidified body of fog â there are no wounds or blood, but it can hurt the ghosts that humans canât normally touch!
This is the power of the pen!
Before this, Su Zimo had seen Zheng Mingâs wooden stick in the first nightmare world, and Gao Yangâs standard dagger in the second. Those were weapons that allowed humans to harm ghosts, but Su Zimo had seen through them. Their text boxes marked them as weak, flimsy, and fragile.
At the sight of the ghost students swarming in front of him, Su Zimoâs stick stabbed with flexibility. Because it wasnât a normal round of fencing, it was easy to occasionally turn his wrist freely and land a few flat cuts.
âHuââ
Because Su Zimoâs attacks were all in the direction of Wu Qingâs escape route, he had to deal with enemies rushing at him from one direction, and also be aware of any surprise attacks from behind him.
After advancing three or four meters, Su Zimo felt that his body was starting to tire.
After all, his body hadnât moved much in four years.
What made Su Zimo feel most powerless was that he had been in the nightmare world for over an hour, but hadnât even found a pack of paper towels to sell. It was too bad. Annoying dream umbrella.
And⊠Su Zimo rubbed his sore wrists, then looked at the ghost students whose bodies were slowly dissipating after being smashed with the baton, suddenly feeling that Wu Qing was right to get off at this station.
Although the number of ghosts on this platform was strangely high, judging from the feeling of knocking them down, Su Zimo felt that these werenât very powerful ghosts. They could probably even be called very weak.
Maybe thatâs why Wu Qing, who opened the black umbrella, was able to pass through them smoothly.
This platform put all the dangers into the light. After a while, one could think of breakthroughs and countermeasures to survive. But if the other trainers chose to get off at another platformâŠ
Su Zimo recalled the platform he had been on when he arrived in this world. He remembered that although it was well lit, there was no one but him.
Although the empty platform looked safe, Su Zimo felt that there was an unknown danger hidden in it.
The unknown is always more dangerous than the known.
Thinking of this, the ghosts students in front of Su Zimo suddenly became fewer and fewer. He squinted his eyes and used all of his strength to wave the pen-shaped baton in his hand, exerting himself to make it even bigger.
âLet me through!â
When Su Zimo opened his eyes all the way again, he found that he had broken out from the ghost group. In front of him was the empty half of the platform beyond the swarm of ghosts. There were no more to be seen.
Su Zimo turned around and looked back, only to find that the pale ghost students in school uniforms had all turned their backs. They had even rearranged themselves out of their chaotic and disorderly appearance like obedient children, looking directly at the empty railroad ahead as if waiting for the next group of guests to arrive.
Seeing such a scene, Su Zimo was convinced of his own judgement. The ghosts of this platform were indeed the easiest to break through.
The most unusual thing was that even if you donât have a weapon that can defeat the ghosts, as long as you could find a way to break through the swarm of students, they would no longer attack you. The trainers could smoothly survive two hours to clear the task.
Thinking that most of the trainers he met this time were newcomers, Su Zimo felt that the clearance task of this nightmare world wasnât difficult.
âTap-tap-tap-â
Su Zimo stepped lightly on the station floor tiles under the light, trying to let out as little sound as possible while searching through his surroundings. He was trying to find Wu Qing, who had hidden there somewhere.
He thought it wouldnât be easy to find the umbrella thief.
But what Su Zimo didnât think of was that, after he had just walked along the empty metro signs to a deserted area, he would hear a small voice.
After determining the direction the voice came from, Su Zimo stopped at a corner of the station and probed outwards. He saw Wu Qing, still holding the umbrella, crouching next to a pillar and trying to stuff his entire body into the large black umbrella.
âWhat should I do⊠what should I doâŠâ Wu Qing muttered to himself. âTell me, what should I doâŠâ
It looked like he wanted the umbrella in his hands to talk to him.
[Sorry, can you please return the umbrella to its original place? If the child finds out that the umbrella is lost, he will cry sadly.] The voice Su ZImo heard before in his dream rang through the empty station. The tone was cold and lingering, but not too serious.
That was the voice of the black umbrella.
âItâs mine, itâs mine. I got it!â It seems that it wasnât Wu Qingâs first time hearing the voice of the umbrella. He quickly shrank himself underneath it. âItâs mine, itâs mine! Just wait a little longer, just wait a little longer. Itâs mine!â
It was probably because Wu Qing was trying to curl himself up under the umbrella, but he couldnât see the the other side of the pillar he was lying on. He didnât know that a man whose face wasnât clearly visible had appeared holding a black umbrella.
Instead, Su Zimo, who was off to the side, saw the figure from his dream lift the umbrella up enough for him to see the corner of his mouth rising. This Mr. Black Umbrella seemed to be in a good mood. He didnât know if it was because he saw Su Zimo chasing after him.
[Give up, Iâm not some random umbrella. Not everyone can hold me.] Mr. Black Umbrella spread his hands, [If they donât like it, people and umbrellas cannot be forced together. Give up?]
âAre you a ghost in an umbrella? Or a demon in an umbrella?â Wu Qing didnât give up, he instead placed himself in some inexplicable plot. âNo matter the cost, as long as I can get power, Iâll pay any price!â
This time, Mr. Black Umbrella paused, tilted the umbrella, and asked: [Is it okay to pay with your remaining life?]
ââŠâŠâ
There was a moment of silence in the empty station, and Wu QIngâs breathing gradually became heavy.
Without waiting for Wu Qing to speak, Su Zimo walked over, expressionlessly grabbed the black umbrella, and lifted it directly from Wu Qingâs hands.
At that moment, Wu Qing, who had lost his âtreasure,â lifted his head that had been curled up. After the dizziness from the bright overhead lights faded away, he looked at Su Zimo, who had appeared out of nowhere, in a panic.
[Ai, what can you do?]
The voice of the black umbrella sounded.
[Although you have good eyes for a human, you still canât get an umbrella.]
Footnotes
<ol>A foil is a type of sword used for fencing. Itâs long, thin (almost cylindrical), and pointy and the blade guard is usually round. I think for aerodynamic reasons, but idk.</ol>