This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 383 - 267: Already Lost at the Start (4000 words)_2

Chapter 383: Chapter 267: Already Lost at the Start (4000 words)_2

If he could make contact, that would certainly be good, but even if he couldn’t, as he walked along the road, he might run into Nakano Youko... or even Nakano Youko’s corpse.

Thus, Beichuan Si stepped out the door without hesitation and ran towards Nakano Youko’s house.

...

She was really exhausted.

Recently, the variety of things that had been happening had left Nakano Youko feeling deeply fatigued.

Ghosts... dreams...

These things made Nakano Youko feel utterly powerless and overwhelmed, and they also brought her a sense of weariness.

Especially when, under the interference of these affairs, she still had to follow the school’s arrangements and forcibly participate in some club activities, she felt even more mentally drained; she wished she could just collapse and fall into a deep sleep.

But the thought of sleeping made Nakano Youko shiver and she quickly shook her head.

The last time she had dreamed about the tired woman, had she not been awoken in time, who knows what might have happened? How could she possibly go to sleep and rest under such circumstances?

Even with the Mouchi Stone Chain on her wrist, she didn’t dare be the slightest bit careless, fearing that she might dream of a tired woman suddenly appearing and finishing her off.

"However... Mirai’s bracelet really is quite effective," Nakano Youko couldn’t help but caress the Mouchi Stone Chain.

She had initially thought it was just a placebo bracelet from Shen Gu Mirai, but ever since she had worn it, Nakano Youko had rarely had dreams lately, and her sleep had tended towards peace—

But she still dared not sleep.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and she could straightforwardly go discuss the next steps with Beichuan Si and others.

It was essentially like clinging to a strong thigh, but Nakano Youko didn’t mind at all.

Nakano Youko fiddled with the smooth stone beads of the bracelet on her wrist as she walked step by step in the direction of her home.

Gradually... the flow of people around her dispersed, the path ahead was empty, and the path behind stretched out...

It was a scene no different from usual.

It was a place exactly as calm as always.

Walking on this calm path, Nakano Youko felt slightly exhilarated.

She was almost home.

Would today also be a stable and peaceful day?

Would there be no more of those terrifying urban legends to haunt her?

Everything... was it still the same as usual?

Nakano Youko couldn’t help but ponder, looking forward and then looking back.

There was no one...

Although this small path was usually not very crowded, there was still a sense of the bustle of Tokyo.

But today, this path gave Nakano Youko a distinctly different feeling.

It was as if the path had been abandoned by the world, as if it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the next second, she died here.

Die here... it wouldn’t be surprising?!

Nakano Youko realized something.

She steadied herself, scanning around with urgent breaths.

This was already a very unsettling feeling.

But why did she feel it so naturally?

As if something had silently merged into her mind, repeatedly modifying the common sense in her head.

Nakano Youko trembled as she raised her hand, looking around.

Quiet...

Too quiet...

The sounds of people from afar... the sounds of birds flying high... the sounds of cats in heat...

None of these sounds could be heard.

It was already an abnormal level of quiet!

Nakano Youko clenched her backpack, her heart beating rapidly.

What on earth was going on?

I should not have fallen asleep yet, should I?

Why would something like this happen?

Indeed, Nakano Youko had recently been resting well; she shouldn’t be suddenly fainting like what happened in the family restaurant—

Pat-ta...

There came footsteps from behind.

Although they should have been a soft sound, in Nakano Youko’s ears, they sounded like thunder.

She hastily turned around to look.

Then her eyes widened sharply!

Beneath Nakano Youko’s gaze, a huge, twisted figure of a Faceless Woman stood at the street corner of the small path behind her.

Its skin was pale white, and bluish powder occasionally fell from its body.

That faceless head was pointed directly at Nakano Youko, as if sizing her up.

Inside, something snapped...

The terrifying appearance of the tired woman overwhelmed Nakano Youko’s ability to suppress her fear, and with a piercing scream, she frantically dashed toward another street corner.

Just to get out of this place... just to get out of this alley... she would be able to...

But—

Under Nakano Youko’s eyes filled with utter horror, the road ahead seemed to grow increasingly farther, farther and farther, the harder she ran, the more distant the intersection became.

Compared to the elongating street ahead, Nakano Youko had discovered, to her trembling fear, that the tired woman was closing in on her, getting closer and closer, until she was only a mere few meters behind!

Nakano Youko gritted her teeth forcefully, hurling everything in her backpack at the tired woman, and when she saw it was of no use, she extended the Mouchi Stone Chain from her wrist toward the steadily approaching figure.

If this chain genuinely has the power to ward off malevolent spirits, then please act quickly!

It must be said, human desires are always the ladder pushing progress forward.

Beneath Nakano Youko’s face of astonishment and terror, multicolored radiance flickered on the surface of the Mouchi Stone, eventually wrapping around the tired woman’s body.

The ribbon-like radiance moved Nakano Youko’s mouth slightly, she couldn’t believe what was happening right in front of her.

A shrill scream rang out, the radiance from the Mouchi Stone completely enveloped the Faceless Woman—

A foul stench of decay wafted out, almost causing Nakano Youko to vomit!

But with the foul stench dispersing, the scenery around her also began to shift.

It was still the same street, still deserted.

This time, the street corner was a mere five or six meters away from Nakano Youko.

Just a few steps across these five or six meters, and she would be completely free from the alley and ascend to safety.

Nakano Youko wiped the cold sweat from her face, clutched the Mouchi Stone bracelet tightly, and took a deep breath, her expression that of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster.

It must be said, if not for the bracelet temporarily given to her by Shen Gu Mirai, she would probably be a corpse right now.

Now, just five or six meters, and Nakano Youko would be clear of this damned street.

How could she not feel thrilled?

She really should thank Shen Gu Mirai properly.

Nakano Youko thought so.

She clenched her fists, felt the sensation of being alive, and moved forward—

Snap.

Something had touched her shoulder.

Nakano Youko’s body stiffened.

Something was behind her...

Something was watching her...

Something—

Don’t worry!

Maybe it’s just a classmate or a neighbor coming to say hello?

Nakano Youko comforted herself inwardly, desperately hypnotizing herself.

But the tears still fell uncontrollably.

She sobbed, turning around with a face of absolute despair—

Nothing was behind her.

Empty.

From here, she could see the other side of the street.

This long, eerie street...

"Sure enough... there’s nothing," Nakano Youko finally sighed in relief.

It was all just her imagination; she was just too sensitive, unnerving herself over nothing, making even walking a chore.

Nakano Youko thought this easily, and then turned her head back—

She froze.

Before her was a patch of pale white skin.

Delicate... skin that kept flaking off like cement...

It was the other’s head.

The reason it was said to be the other’s "head" was because it lacked any facial features at all.

Just this smooth, plane-like head, quietly and bitterly staring at her.

Nakano Youko clenched her fists tightly, then released them feebly, her completely relaxed face revealing a strained and bitter smile.

"Yes... an illusion... my escape to safety... was just an illusion..."

The environment around her morphed back.

Nakano Youko was still standing at the end of the street, actually looking at the street beginning.

She hadn’t stepped off the path.

From the very beginning... Nakano Youko had already lost.

A twisted, enormous hand reached out, pulling the standing Nakano Youko into the shadows.

Then there was a chilling sound of breaking bones.