TDU Chapter 100: Han Yimo's Concerns

Chapter 100 Han Yimo's Concerns

"Ah…" Han Yimo's eyes began to fill with panic. "Aren’t those holes full of harpoons?"

Upon hearing Han Yimo's words, Qiao Jiajin resolutely set down his table shield and approached the wall, peering into the ominous holes. Ignoring them was one thing, but once he gazed inside, astonishment gripped him. "Fucking hell!" he exclaimed, instinctively recoiling. "They really are harpoons! The holes are packed with harpoons {being drawn back}!"

Everyone erupted into chaos, their shouts and cries echoing all around. 

Meanwhile, Qi Xia maintained a complex expression as he regarded Han Yimo. "Did you already know there were harpoons inside?" he asked.

"No… I just happened to see them earlier…" Han Yimo's gaze kept darting away, he was clearly lying. 

"Could it be that you also…?" Qi Xia fixed his eyes on Han Yimo, yet in the end, he swallowed the words that lingered on the tip of his tongue.

Han Yimo too remembers. 

Cognizant of the truth he had concealed. 

On a related note, it seemed that those who had retained their memories had all received a warning card from Mortal Goat.

Unaware of the consequences that could arise from revealing their memories, Qi Xia decided against confronting Han Yimo about it. Instead, he shifted his focus, his expression turning solemn. "There’s no need to be afraid," he reassured, locking eyes with Han Yimo. "This time, the harpoons won’t pierce you."

"B—But, Qi Xia…" Han Yimo faltered, his expression conflicted. If Qi Xia read him correctly, he was on the verge of saying, {I was pierced last time}.

"Let’s change our formation this time. You should stand between me and Officer Li," Qi Xia instructed, scanning the group. "If there are no gaps beside you, the harpoons can’t possibly reach you."

Han Yimo glanced at Qi Xia with a hint of gratitude, nodding vacantly.

As soon as everyone calmed down, Qi Xia reorganized their placements. He aimed to have a man beside each girl and then created a protective barrier around Han Yimo. After all, as a {Reverberatee}, his life was worth preserving.

"I also need to set up a contingency plan, so everyone come over," he instructed. "In case someone’s table becomes difficult to stabilize…"

With everything arranged, Qi Xia called for the group to position themselves, aligning the table segments into a resilient pointed cone. The individuals inside the pointed cone stood back-to-back, engulfed in complete darkness, with not a sliver of light to be seen. Qi Xia discerned the constant trembling of Han Yimo beside him, indicating a deep-seated anxiety that the arrangement had failed to alleviate.

"I’m sorry…" Han Yimo murmured, aware of the attention he was drawing. "I’ve always suffered from claustrophobia; I’ve been afraid of confined spaces and darkness since childhood."

Upon hearing this, Qi Xia experienced a sudden epiphany. Han Yimo had suffered the piercing of a harpoon in the suffocating darkness of the pointed cone, then faced a giant sword's attack in the muted light of dawn. Might there be a connection to his {claustrophobia}?

Without warning, a colossal whoosh of wind reverberated around them.

"It’s coming!" At Qi Xia’s urgent warning, the group instinctively shifted their weight, bracing themselves against the table shields before them. After all, the strategy Qi Xia had devised appeared foolproof; their foremost concern now was maintaining the stability of the cone formation. A deluge of harpoons cascaded upon them like a violent storm, sending painful shocks through their hands. Luckily, this time, the nine were well-prepared, and the cone stood resiliently, showcasing remarkable fortitude.

"THUD!!" 

A thunderous noise erupted before Xiao Ran as the table segment in her grasp was violently jolted askew. A blinding light surged through the gap, and Qi Xia was engulfed by a foreboding sense of danger. After all, directly behind Xiao Ran stood Han Yimo; should a harpoon pierce through that opening, it would undoubtedly cost Han Yimo his life. 

"Turn!" Qi Xia shouted loudly.

Upon receiving the command, the group swiftly turned the table segments to the right. The entire structure resembled a spinning top caught in a downpour, angling itself to meet the harpoons while continuing its relentless rotation, keeping at bay those that attempted to penetrate its seams. 

After two revolutions, Doctor Zhao lent his support to stabilize Xiao Ran’s shield.

"Stop!" Qi Xia’s commanding voice rang out again, prompting the group to stabilize the table, their stance as steadfast as spring bamboo rooting itself in the rain. As the sounds of collisions near the table began to fade, the assault of the harpoons slowed. After another half-minute, the impacts were completely silenced.

"Is it over?" someone asked.

"Let’s wait a minute longer," Qi Xia said, his tone steeped in caution.

The others offered no objections, and in the deep silence of the cone, they patiently waited for another minute to pass.

With deliberate caution, Qi Xia lifted the table segment, surveying the now-safe room. He placed a comforting hand on Han Yimo’s shoulder, reassuring him, "You see? We have emerged unscathed."

Han Yimo remained visibly shaken, but he nodded in gratitude. "Is it over...? Still, I can’t shake this nagging feeling that..."

The rest of the group lifted their table shields, only to be struck dumb by the scene before them. The two corpses on the ground resembled hedgehogs, pierced through with harpoons, blood splattered everywhere—a nightmarish tableau of horror.

"Hmm? What do we have here?"Officer Li exclaimed dramatically as he retrieved a harpoon from the ground. "It seems to have some writing on it." 

With a resigned shake of his head, Qi Xia acknowledged the difficulty of expecting Officer Li to partake in such theatrics.

Seizing the moment while Officer Li led the examination of the harpoons, Qi Xia assessed Han Yimo. Despite the visible fear in his expression, he seemed to be faring much better than before. "Han Yimo, I’ve assured you that this time, you will be unharmed."

Han Yimo let out a rueful chuckle. "Thank you, Qi Xia… but I can’t help but feel that those harpoons have a way of finding me."

As Qi Xia prepared to speak, a nagging unease settled over him. Somewhere in the room, the faint sound of chains echoed ominously. 

Could there be additional harpoons concealed in this room?

A spark of realization ignited in Qiao Jiajin’s eyes as he spotted an unusual detail. A rope, taut and resolute, floated ominously at the heart of the room, emanating a sense of foreboding. "What’s happening here?" he inquired, his curiosity intensifying. Unlike the chaotic ropes securing the harpoons, this one’s ends vanished into shadowy recesses, entirely devoid of any harpoon at its conclusion.

Qi Xia felt a stir of confusion as well. Why were both ends of the rope anchored in the holes? Where was its harpoon?

Qiao Jiajin approached and lightly brushed his fingers over the rope, discovering it was faintly vibrating. "How strange..." He tried pulling the rope, only to find that it could be easily drawn out.

A fleeting moment of confusion passed over Qi Xia as he grasped the reality. That was not a {rope hanging in midair}; it was a harpoon that had mistakenly pierced a hole in the wall, entangling another harpoon.

"Qiao Jiajin, don’t touch it!"