Deep Within the Living

Chapter 34: Pseudo-Corner Space

"Pseudo-Corner Space"

A disguise that has endured for a significant period.The ability to fully achieve "fear manifestation."Completion of most demands made through Corner Whispers.Once these three criteria are met, the anomaly is essentially "complete" or mature.

The "Corner of Thought" present in their pituitary gland begins to manifest physically, with their gland’s surface showing a "Corner Rift." This not only affects their own physical body but also influences a small area of reality, creating their unique pseudo-corner space.

This space possesses the following characteristics:

"Difficult to Form"Creating a pseudo-corner space isn’t something that can be achieved overnight.It requires the individual to be deeply familiar with the area, with traces of prolonged habitation or activity. Only then can the Corner of Thought project onto the environment, gradually altering the space's form."Not a True Corner"The anomaly remains a type of impersonator, not a true denizen of the Corner.They cannot enter the actual Corner and would not survive if they somehow did.Within the pseudo-corner space, they still adhere to the National Corner Safety Law and typically avoid creating physical corners."Extension"To some degree, the space stretches reality itself, expanding beyond its original physical dimensions.However, this might not be genuine spatial extension but rather an influence on the intruder’s perception."Nest"Inside this self-created environment, the impersonator is in their element and becomes far harder to deal with, demonstrating more complete fear manifestations."Disguise"Like impersonators themselves, the pseudo-corner space can "turn on" or "turn off."When off, it’s indistinguishable from a normal space.When activated, the space mutes all internal activity, with minimal sound leaking outside. Only specialized detection equipment can pick up faint signals near the space."Complete Lockdown"Once trapped inside, escape is almost impossible unless the impersonator willingly lets the person out.The only way to break free is to severely injure the impersonator’s core, the "Corner of Thought," destabilizing the pseudo-corner space. Killing the impersonator will naturally dissolve the space....

The class leader analyzed the situation rapidly:

"From the start, this woman already had a backup plan. If her stealthy hunting failed, she would use a chase to force us into the pseudo-corner space on the third floor.

Trying to climb down the building is impossible; she’s skilled at scaling walls and will catch us.

That means the staircase is our only escape route, and it inevitably leads here, into her trap.

So, the only option is to enter the room. Luo Di, come on!"

The class leader, ever cheerful despite their dire circumstances, kept his usual demeanor. Standing at the staircase's corner, he waved his hand quickly.

When Luo Di caught up, the class leader pointed at the overhead light in the hallway.

"We need to take that down and use it as a light source. I’m not Anna, so I doubt I can carry you~ How about letting me step on your shoulders?"

"Alright."

Barefoot since he hadn’t had time to put on shoes, the class leader dusted off his feet and stepped up lightly.

Luo Di easily held him up as the leader retrieved the bulb from inside the light fixture.

Because of the importance of light sources, all public areas used rechargeable lamps. In emergencies like this, where danger cut off access to power, these lamps could be used for survival. The small incandescent bulb, designed for handheld use, had enough stored power for 24 hours of illumination. Its tube was reinforced to resist typical impacts.

Light in hand, the class leader jumped lightly down the stairs. Luo Di glanced at his companion, who wore borrowed clothes but no shoes, and said, "Shoes and weapons are essentials during an expedition. If your feet get hurt, your mobility will take a huge hit."

The class leader sighed helplessly. "What can I do? Who expects an impersonator to break into your home in the middle of the night, especially in a locked-down complex? Let’s check for suitable shoes inside the room later and grab a kitchen knife while we’re at it.

"By the way, what if we just stayed here in the stairwell until morning?"

"Not an option," Luo Di replied, pointing to the upper stairs, where strands of black hair were spreading downward like a slow tide.

The leader’s expression fell. "My fault, my fault~ If I hadn’t come to find you tonight, maybe none of this would’ve happened."

"Survive, and it’ll be fine."

"Got it."

Both turned their attention to the third floor—the only hope for escape.

The weathered yellow wooden door exuded a sense of age, with a slightly askew 福 (Fu, meaning “blessing”) character pasted on it. The door couplets on either side had been torn away, leaving behind unsettling red traces.

Just as they approached,

Creak~ Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

The wooden door swung open on its own, revealing a gap precisely the same width as when the class leader had knocked earlier in the day. It seemed as if an eye might peek out from within at any moment.

Luo Di prepared his Cornerized Tool, using the shroud cloth to wrap both the knife handle and his hand tightly, preventing it from slipping during combat. Over the past six months, the shroud had absorbed Yin energy from the zombies it encased, further enhancing the bond between Luo Di and the blade.

Holding the knife, Luo Di approached the wooden door and peered cautiously through the gap.

Luo Di could vaguely make out the dim red glow of a lamp and the outlines of old furniture inside, but there was no sign of the anticipated eye peeking through.

Creak~

Using the blade as leverage, he fully pushed the wooden door open. A large red lantern hung just inside the entrance, its crimson light spreading through the room, revealing its general layout—a dated, traditional Chinese interior.

At the entryway stood a weathered shoe cabinet, its surface peeling and riddled with patchwork iron nails. The floor was covered in red-and-white checkered tiles, some cracked, with small spiders occasionally crawling out of the crevices. Dust coated the floor lightly.

The white paint on the walls had largely flaked off, and cobwebs stretched extensively across the ceiling.

The class leader followed closely, stepping cautiously into the eerie room. He carefully opened the long-sealed shoe cabinet, which, despite its spacious interior, held only two pairs of shoes: a pair of embroidered women's shoes and a pair of cloth men's shoes, both precisely matching their sizes.

Luo Di, already wearing a pair of slip-on shoes suited for outdoor activity, found no need for a replacement. The shoes fit snugly and comfortably against his feet.

But the class leader desperately needed a pair.

"Hold on~"

Luo Di picked up the embroidered shoes, lightly grazing the surface with his machete wrapped in zombie skin. The shoes showed no signs of corpse poison corrosion, and the pituitary core within the blade remained unresponsive, indicating they were safe.

"No issues," he confirmed.

"Thanks," the class leader replied.

As he slipped on the well-fitted embroidered shoes, a chilling laugh echoed from deep within the house. It felt as though the woman had been waiting for them all along.