The Nightmare Beast

Simon once again activated the "Peering Sigil," focusing on the massive creature slowly climbing upwards. This time, a stream of information emerged in his mind.

"Name: Nightmare Beast. Level: Unknown (unable to discern due to insufficient rank). A leader-level monster known for hunting and collecting human corpses, it has a particular affinity for human blood. Rather than killing its captives immediately, it keeps them alive in its lair, draining their blood with its tentacles whenever it needs to feed. For humans, it is a nightmarish existence. The eye on its abdomen can emit a combined ultrasonic and infrasound wave attack, though after each use, it requires a cooldown period. If slain, there is a fifty percent chance to acquire 'Ultrasonic Attack' or 'Infrasound Attack.'"

Understanding the information, Simon realized why the balcony and the corpse ship seemed to explode as if hit by an invisible force—the eye on the Nightmare Beast's abdomen could unleash a powerful ultrasonic wave.

The most startling revelation was that Simon's rank was too low to determine the creature's specific level. How powerful could it be? According to the information, it not only hunts and collects human corpses but also keeps living humans in its lair, slowly draining their blood. The horror of this was unimaginable.

Seeing the Nightmare Beast climbing closer, Simon immediately stepped back, whispering, "This creature is called the Nightmare Beast. It hunts humans, and we are its targets..."

At that moment, the upper body of the climbing Nightmare Beast reared back. Dozens of tentacles with suction cups clung tightly to the wall, exposing the large eye on its abdomen. In the next instant, the window glass in front of them shattered with a loud crack.

"Get down!" Simon shouted, realizing the danger. He reached out with both arms, grabbing Milly and Long, and dove to the side.

A shocking scene unfolded: the windows, glass, and walls of the corridor seemed to be struck by an invisible force. The glass shattered, the window frames twisted like pretzels, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the walls.

"What is this?" Long and Milly, knocked to the ground by Simon, stared at the terrifying changes, faces filled with horror.

This invisible force was something they could not possibly contend with.

"This creature can unleash ultrasonic attacks. Run!" Simon growled as he leapt to his feet. He had a grim premonition that their survival was not due to luck, but rather because the Nightmare Beast intended to keep them alive.

The previous ultrasonic attack had shattered an entire balcony on the thirtieth floor, and these walls couldn't possibly withstand such force. However, the current attack was much weaker, suggesting that the beast was toying with them. Its true intent was not to kill, but to capture them alive.

The horrifying prospect of being captured by this creature made Simon think that instant death might be a preferable fate.

Simon had already dashed back into the building, with a shell-shocked Long following closely behind. 

"Let's lock the door, maybe…"

Before he could finish, Simon reappeared, dragging Lily with him.

"Hiding won't work. Follow me!" Simon, clutching Lily's hand, sprinted down the corridor towards the stairs.

Suddenly, tentacles shot through the corridor windows, shattering the glass. These tentacles, like spears, pierced into the hallway with terrifying speed.

Long and Milly dodged frantically. Milly, after avoiding a tentacle, swung her machete at another. To her dismay, the blade sank into the tentacle, which was surprisingly soft, and then rebounded. Her full-force strike couldn't even damage a single tentacle.

Her scalp tingled with fear as she realized that such a monster was beyond their ability to fight. Compared to it, they were insignificantly weak.

Simon, dragging Lily, ran at full speed, with Long and Milly close behind. They had no idea what Simon's plan was; their minds were solely focused on escape, as far away as possible.

The colossal creature had climbed up, with dozens of tentacles extending through the corridor windows, wreaking havoc. Then, a massive claw smashed into the hallway wall, creating a gaping hole.

Long glanced back, horrified, understanding why Simon was fleeing. Even if they had hidden and locked the door, it would have been futile against this monster. They would have been sitting ducks.

"The only option is to escape by boat or jump into the water. Maybe the creature will focus on the building and not chase us. This is our only chance," Long said as he ran, sharing his desperate plan. Despite his reluctance and the heartbreak of abandoning a room full of supplies, he knew they had to flee immediately.

"Damn it, we've encountered many monsters in the past few days, but nothing as terrifying as this Nightmare Beast. It's like a living nightmare."

Milly glanced back and saw the Nightmare Beast's massive form sliding along the corridor towards them. Her face showed pure terror. "It's locked onto us; there's no escape."

Long's face also betrayed fear and a hint of despair. He understood that if the Nightmare Beast had truly targeted them, pursuing them relentlessly, it wouldn't matter if they hid in some corner of the building, boarded a raft, or jumped into the water. The outcome would be inescapable death.

This monster was far too powerful for them to contend with. Being caught by it would be tantamount to a death sentence.

Simon, having burst into the stairwell, suddenly clenched his teeth and pushed Lily towards Milly, who was close behind. "You all run downstairs and find a kayak to escape. I'll lead this beast away. Give me your weapons!"

As he spoke, he extended his hand, grabbing Milly's machete and Long's steel shovel, then dashed up the stairs towards the rooftop.

"Simon!" Long called out anxiously, hearing the continuous sound of shattering glass behind them. The Nightmare Beast's tentacles were smashing through the corridor windows, breaking the glass as they advanced towards them.