The Fishman's Second Evolution!
The school was silent in the dead of night.
*Drip.*
*Drip.*
"Hmm…?"
"What's that noise?"
Chu Yang groggily opened his eyes. The dorm room was quiet, his roommates all sound asleep.
*Drip.*
*Drip.*
Wet footsteps echoed faintly from the hallway.
After a moment of drowsy listening, the sounds suddenly stopped.
"Yaaawn…"
Chu Yang yawned and was about to collapse back into bed when a hoarse, distorted sob pierced the silence.
*"Wuuu… wuuu… aghnn… wuu…"*
Chu Yang frowned. *Who the hell is crying in the middle of the night?*
Wait—**crying**?
He jolted upright. "Weird sobs… wet footsteps… Am I even awake right now?"
"If this isn't a dream…"
He clamped his hands over his ears.
*"Wuuu… wuuu…"*
The sobs grew louder, closing in.
"Too late—it's already here!"
**Run!**
Chu Yang threw on clothes and shoes, leaped off the bed, and lunged for the door—
"No, **wait**!"
He spun around and bolted for the window instead!
*Crack!*
The dorm door creaked open behind him.
**"FOUND… YOU!"**
A putrid fish-stench flooded the room. Chu Yang didn't need to look back—the bone-chilling malice confirmed it.
**002!**
No mistake.
Gritting his teeth, Chu Yang yanked the window open and jumped!
Second floor—survivable. He rolled on impact and glanced up.
A hulking figure in a black raincoat stood motionless by the window. Then—it vanished.
"Gone?"
A cold sweat dripped down Chu Yang's temple. *Did it leave? Chase someone else? Or… is it already behind me?*
Like a spider unseen, fear spiked. He stole a glance backward—
A shadow loomed.
Chu Yang twisted mid-air, fist flying before his body turned!
*Thud!*
His punch slammed into the figure's gut, forcing it back. Chu Yang spun, leaping with a knee aimed at its temple!
*Snap!*
A gloved hand caught his knee—the rubber split, revealing hooked claws and green scales.
Chu Yang jerked his leg free, pivoted, and uppercut the creature's jaw!
*Crack!*
The hood and mask tore away, exposing a bulbous fish-head with jagged teeth and glowing yellow eyes.
**"Holy crap, it really is 002!"**
A monster from *that game*—now in real life? **Impossible!**
*"Wuu… aghh! Dead… wuuuaaagh!"*
The Fishman wailed, pouncing!
Chu Yang backpedaled. "Hey—I don't even eat fish! The bones choke me!"
"I avoid beaches too! If you hate humans, start with *those people from the island nation with the rising sun flag*!"
The Fishman ignored him, eyes locked on Chu Yang.
Cornered against a wall, Chu Yang kicked off the bricks, launching a flying strike!
The Fishman staggered but roared louder, dropping to all fours. Its spine contorted, muscles coiling like a spring—
**It's going to leap!**
Chu Yang charged. The Fishman lunged—
**Now!**
Chu Yang pivoted sideways, hands slamming the ground as his legs flipped overhead!
*Crash!*
The Fishman smashed into the wall. Chu Yang didn't look back—he sprinted toward the classrooms.
---
Hiding in a dark room, Chu Yang panted. "In the game, I beat 002 with items. Here? No respawns. One life."
*Drip.*
*Drip.*
Footsteps returned. Chu Yang held his breath and covered his ears.
*"Wuu… agh…"*
The sobs echoed. He froze—even muffled, his enhanced hearing caught the sound.
*"Wuu… AGH!"*
The cry erupted **behind his ear**.
Chu Yang whirled—two glowing yellow eyes stared inches from his face.
**"DIE!"**
Claws slashed his hand as he dodged a throat strike. Blood dripped from the Fishman's talons.
The air thickened. Chu Yang's breath quickened, pain searing his torn flesh.
"Why… me?"
The Fishman's neck twisted, limbs scuttling spider-like across the floor.
Chu Yang hurled a desk—shattered mid-air by claws—and fled.
The Fishman clutched its face, wailing: *"Wuuu… Chu Yang… can't escape!"*
---
Chu Yang ran, sobs haunting his steps. "This damn crying's cheating!"
Zombies track breath—this thing uses **sound**?
He jammed in earbuds, blasting music. The sobs faded.
At a corner, his mind raced. "If noise blocks its tracking… ambush it here."
A black raven suddenly landed nearby.
**"001?!"**
The bird startled and flew off. Before Chu Yang could ponder, footsteps approached.
**Now!**
---
Darkness erupted as Chu Yang tackled the Fishman!
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Fists pummeled its skull—the weak spot. Scales flew. Blood—his or the monster's—smeared his hands.
Finally, the Fishman lay still. Chu Yang yanked a rusted bar from the railing and stabbed its chest.
*Squelch.*
The creature spasmed, then fell silent.
---
Police arrived later. Officer Yang Yan noted blood and scales. "Sixth fishman case. You're the first survivor."
At the station, Chu Yang spun a tale of "self-defense via Bajiquan lessons from the guard."
Yang Yan played a recording—the same wail. "We'll form a paranormal unit. Help us?"
Chu Yang agreed. If monsters were real, backup mattered.
---
Meanwhile, in a shadowy café, a raven-girl dragged the Fishman's near-corpse inside.
"Master Os! Save 002!"
The cloaked owner, Chen Ye, poured a glowing potion down its throat. The Fishman convulsed, regenerating.
"Who did this?" Chen Ye mused. "That boy from earlier…"
He ordered the raven: "Film their next encounter. I want that kid **alive**."
---
Dawn broke. The Fishman awoke—stronger, evolved.
The raven smirked. "Round two. Don't die again."
The Fishman clenched scaled fists. "No mistakes this time."