Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared-Chapter 1699: Different Hearts, Facing Adversity Together

Chapter 1699: Chapter 1699: Different Hearts, Facing Adversity Together

The group was led into a building within the abandoned town. Since the building hadn’t been maintained, it was overgrown with weeds, and the smell was unpleasant.

"Stay together, no one is allowed to wander off," the boss barked, swinging his gun in a threatening motion at the group.

At this point, no one dared to act recklessly. Nobody wanted to encounter the unknown creature, and some even felt these desperados might be their best chance for protection.

Though these desperados might seem fearsome when bullying the weak, now, faced with an unknown creature, the fear gnawed at their resolve.

Outside, the building remained eerily quiet. The unsettling silence only heightened everyone’s anxiety, their hearts pounding furiously.

Gu Fan raised his hand and cautioned the group. Previously, he’d heard strange noises before the unknown creature launched its attack. He warned everyone to stay vigilant if they heard anything unusual.

The boss nodded silently, and everyone perked up their ears, straining to listen to their surroundings.

Time passed, but no sound emerged. Some wondered if the creature was intimidated by the sheer number of people and decided to back off.

The fear remained, however. Gu Fan couldn’t shake off his unease. He had a gut feeling that the creature wouldn’t give up so easily. Blocking off the tunnel and trapping them here—that had to mean...

Suddenly, Gu Fan acted on impulse. He dropped to the ground, pressing his ear to the floor to listen for movement.

Everyone held their breath, tension thick in the air.

Gu Fan’s eyes widened abruptly. He shot to his feet, a look of terror washing over his face as he scanned the surroundings.

The boss noticed something was wrong and immediately demanded, "What’s going on? What did you hear?"

"Something is approaching us," Gu Fan uttered. At those words, the air turned to ice. Everyone recoiled instinctively, fear gripping their hearts.

Old Five and Old Six positioned themselves at the front with shaky hands clutching their guns, struggling to maintain steady breaths.

Gu Fan and Old Three once again pressed their ears to the ground, trying to pick up any noises. Both heard the faint sound of something drawing nearer, but then, it abruptly vanished.

"What’s going on?" Old Three was baffled.

Gu Fan speculated, "Maybe it’s waiting for the right moment or gathering strength."

The boss turned to look at the group huddled tightly together. Their terrified faces were unmistakable, and some had even pushed students to the front, losing all semblance of adult composure.

"What the hell? Since when did it become our job to protect these people?" the boss muttered in frustration. He had initially planned to get rid of everyone, and now, suddenly, he was playing protector. The role reversal was maddening.

At that moment, amidst the group’s collective retreat, someone was unknowingly pushed close to the window.

A guttural growl pierced the air, followed immediately by something reaching in through the window. It grabbed the person’s collar and yanked them outside with tremendous force.

A blood-curdling scream erupted. By the time the group rushed over, the person had already vanished beyond the shattered window frame.

Terror gripped everyone. They scrambled away from the windows, now viewing the broken, jagged frame as the gaping maw of a demon.

"Stay away from windows and doors!" the boss shouted urgently, and everyone quickly complied.

Time passed, and once again, silence fell. The oppressive stillness felt torturous, as cold sweat trickled down their faces, and fear gnawed at their minds, driving them toward the breaking point.

Gu Fan swallowed hard and glanced at the pale-faced Li Shi beside him. She was utterly frozen in fear, though Gu Fan himself was no better off.

Someone broke the tense silence, exclaiming, "What do we do? We can’t just sit here forever!"

The boss shook his head. "Hold on a bit longer. Maybe things will be better when it’s daylight."

Hearing this, the group clung to the faint hope that the creature couldn’t act in daylight and that they might find safety then.

But Gu Fan wasn’t optimistic. The only tunnel into the abandoned town was blocked, and even if they survived until morning, they’d still be trapped. Come nightfall, it would be another cycle of relentless terror.

With no viable solutions, they forced themselves to stay alert, unwilling to close their eyes even for a moment.

Time crawled forward. The group huddled together, leaning on each other for support, keeping constant watch as they waited for the sky to lighten.

A low growl echoed faintly from afar, immediately setting everyone on edge.

The boss raised his trembling gun in the direction of the sound. His fear was no less intense than anyone else’s.

The other desperados grouped around the boss, aiming their firearms, bracing for a desperate fight.

Before long, the growling subsided, as if the creature realized it didn’t have an opportunity and retreated temporarily.

But everyone knew the danger had not passed. Until the creature was eliminated, no one could truly escape or feel safe.

Finally, amidst the excruciatingly slow suffering and fear, someone’s mental state broke entirely. They lost control and began wailing uncontrollably, "I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!"

The group panicked, instinctively moving away from the person causing the disturbance.

"Shut up!" the boss growled angrily, pointing his gun to intimidate the hysterical individual.

"I don’t want to die! I really don’t want to die! I need to get out of here!" The person, consumed by terror, was deaf to reason, their cries becoming increasingly frantic and unsettling.

Unable to bear it any longer, the boss prepared to shoot.

Suddenly, the person bolted like a man possessed, heading straight for the exit. The moment they stepped outside, an unseen force snatched them away. A piercing scream followed, then silence.

"Oh my God!" someone exclaimed, realizing the creature had been lurking outside, waiting for the perfect moment.

What now? Were they truly trapped here, destined to be picked off one by one?

Gu Fan glanced at the other students. Their faces were pale with despair. In retrospect, they couldn’t help but regret agreeing to join Gu Fan and Li Shi on this trip. If they’d just stayed home...

Panic spread like wildfire. Even the desperados were affected by the breakdown of the individual earlier, their mental fortitude nearing collapse.

But the boss, after all, was the boss. He shouted, "Don’t be afraid! Just hold out a little longer. Daylight is almost here."

Hearing this, everyone looked toward the window. The sky did seem to be getting lighter.

Gu Fan took out his phone to check the time—only an hour remained until dawn. He believed they could hold on.

If only... if only he could make a call, even just one. Gu Fan’s chest tightened with desperation. He, too, desperately wanted to survive and return home.

Li Shi crouched nearby, trembling uncontrollably. She glanced at Gu Fan, and he looked back at her. Their eyes locked, both filled with sheer terror. Neither could comfort or draw strength from the other.

"We’ll survive. We *have* to survive," Gu Fan said, summoning his courage. He gripped Li Shi’s hand tightly, sending the silent message: You’re not alone.

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