[Chapter 224: Have You Seen My Daughter Sharon?]
Daniel led Megan out of the ward, the wire mesh floor beneath their feet creaking sharply with each step. The walls on both sides pulsated faintly, covered in writhing flesh and tissue, dark red liquid dripping down streaked rust stains.
Megan gripped the corner of Daniel's jacket so tightly her knuckles turned white. The unease in her voice was clear as she whispered, "Daniel, what kind of place is this? It feels like those walls are breathing."
Daniel answered casually, "The Inner World."
Megan frowned, confusion clouding her face. "The Inner World? What's that? Is this still the same world we came from?"
"It's a realm that exists between being and not being -- a place you can't really explain," Daniel said evenly.
Though baffled, Megan sensed it was wiser not to ask more questions.
They pressed on down the long corridor. The stairwell ahead was thick with the acrid smell of burning.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from up ahead, followed by a woman's scream and the sharp scrape of metal on metal.
"Help! Get away! You monsters!"
Daniel's eyes narrowed. He pulled Megan close and quickened his pace, turning the corner within moments.
In the hall, a white woman wearing a dusty green jacket sprawled on the ground, her face smudged with grime. Around her were a dozen short, shadowy figures -- Grey Child monsters, the same kind Daniel had slain many of before.
"Save me!" The woman's eyes brightened when she saw them. She cried out hurriedly.
"Break, go!"
Daniel's voice rang out as the Sovereign Yearblade suddenly shattered in his hand. The 365 consecrated copper coins transformed into razor-sharp little swords, slicing through the air.
Puff, puff, puff--!
The three Grey Children at the forefront were instantly pierced by swarming copper coin blades, exploding into ash clouds.
[Ding! Killed an F-Level Monster, gained 1,000 merit points.] X3
The System announced the kills, though this time no skill rewards followed.
Daniel's fingers quickly formed hand seals. The copper coins wove into a massive strangling net, sweeping across the hall.
The Grey Children didn't even have time to scream as the copper swords tore through them, disintegrating them into piles of grey embers.
In ten seconds, the hall was clear.
"Return."
With a wave of his hand, the coins swept back and reformed into the copper coin sword in Daniel's palm.
...
On the ground, Rose sat slumped, panting heavily, staring dazedly at Daniel.
"Th-... thank you. Wh-who are you?" she asked.
Daniel gave a subtle nod, and Megan released his jacket, stepping over to help Rose up.
"I am Daniel Cross. This is my girlfriend, Megan Fox."
Rose steadied herself, wiping cold sweat from her face. Then, clutching Daniel's sleeve with desperate urgency, she said, "Mr. Cross, have you seen my daughter Sharon? We got separated. I heard her scream here!"
Daniel looked down at her. Fear and exhaustion had drained her face pale, her hair sticking damp to her forehead. Her eyes pleaded.
"I haven't seen her yet," Daniel answered flatly, sheathing the copper coin sword. "But I can help you find her."
It wasn't kindness filling his heart, but practicality. This Inner World of Silent Hill was easy to enter but tough to escape.
Without confronting that cult priestess, even Daniel's powers wouldn't guarantee an exit. By contrast, finding Sharon -- and her other side, Alessa -- would be a more straightforward path.
Since he had to head to the church anyway, bringing Rose along was merely convenient.
A spark of hope lit Rose's eyes. "Really? You know where she is?"
"Just follow me. Let's get out of here."
Rose hesitated, then nodded quickly. "Okay."
...
The three moved toward the entrance of the abandoned hospital. As they walked, the darkness began to recede like a tide pulling back.
The blood-red walls cracked and peeled rapidly, reducing to grayish-white ruins.
Above, thick blackish-gray 'snow' began to fall.
Silent Hill had shifted back to the Fog World.
"Let's go. The timing's perfect," Daniel said, striding out into the mist. Megan and Rose hurried after him.
The three walked along the fog-shrouded street. Visibility dropped below thrity feet. The shops on each side were dilapidated, their signs creaking as they swung gently in the cold breeze.
"Stop! Put your hands up!"
A stern female voice cut through the mist.
Daniel halted. A white policewoman in uniform, gun trained on them, stepped forward nervously.
Cybil.
The righteous cop from Silent Hill.
She had come here chasing Rose, a pragmatic skeptic who refused to believe in the supernatural.
In the original story, she died tragically, burned by cultists while protecting Rose.
"Cybil!" Rose cried out.
"Hmph!"
Daniel snorted coldly, his gaze sharp and penetrating as it locked onto Cybil.
Her face went pale, shocked and shaken as if struck. The gun in her trembling hands slipped to the ground, and she gasped for breath.
"You..." she whispered, eyes wide.
Rose quickly explained, "Cybil, this is Mr. Cross. He means no harm; he's helping me find Sharon."
After a moment, Cybil steadied her breath, but shock still lingered on her face.
Daniel's voice was uninterested but firm, "Put the gun away. It's useless here."
Before Cybil could respond, a tapping noise grew closer from the darkened alley.
"Clack, clack, clack..."
A cluster of naked, skinless, twisted monsters-- heads and chests fused grotesquely -- crawled out. The Lying Figures had returned.
"Fuck!" Cybil spun and fired.
Bang! Bang!
The bullets struck the monsters' torsos, briefly slowing them before they pressed on relentlessly.
Bang, bang, bang -- the volley continued.
One monster finally fell, but more surged forward.
Cybil's face drained of all color.
Daniel snorted, "Step back."
He moved forward. "Lend me the power of this land."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Daniel unleashed powerful blasts of Geomantic Energy that ripped the nearest five Lying Figures into shredded flesh.
[Ding! Killed a G-Level Monster, gained 500 merit points!] x5
Cybil froze, staring at Daniel in disbelief. Her hand trembled as she held her gun loosely.
"How... how did you do that?"
"I told you. Bullets are useless."
Daniel glanced toward the distant clock tower. "Let's go if you want to see Sharon soon."
Rose hastened to follow.
The four moved toward the central square along the shadowed street.
Fog thickened, and heavy dragging sounds echoed from the darkness on occasion.
Daniel led the way, sensing the Inner World's restless will stirring violently.
Suddenly, the fog ahead surged wildly, as if something massive was about to emerge...
*****
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