Hide and Seek: The Mad Girl Sees All novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Lyra slipped from behind the wall and circled around to the Wraiths’ backs, Wraithslayer expanding in her hand the silver blade unfolding. Ten Wraiths in a row, all facing the same direction. She didn’t hesitate-she locked onto the one at the very edge.

“You’re it.”

She pushed off the balls of her feet, body launching upward, Wraithslayer’s blade aimed straight at the base of the Wrath’s left ear.

“Shhk-”

The blade cut in, the ear dropped off, black liquid sprayed, and the Wraith let out a shriek so sharp it cracked into another pitch.

Lyra pulled back and bolted, gravel crunching as she scrambled up the rockery. The sounds behind her weren’t pursuit. They were pounding.

She flattened herself on top of the rockery and looked back. The Wraith she’d de-cared was smashing its scythe down into the ground, over and over, the stone slab caving into a pit, chips flying everywhere.

The other nine moved too. Ten hook-scythes hacked indiscriminately at the ground beneath their feet, the rockery beside them, the canopy overhead. Crushed stone, splinters, and roof tiles filled the air. The whole area got plowed flat.

Lyra slid off the rockery and ducked to the other side of the corridor.

“Stationary indiscriminate sweep?”

She poked her head out for a look. The ten Wraiths were lined up in a row, slashing and walking, leaving nothing standing in their wake. The one she’d taken an ear from-the wound was already starting to heal.

“So the ear isn’t the weak spot either.”

Lyra leaned against a column, shrinking Wraithslayer back down and tucking it into her pocket.

She counted them off on her fingers, neck, shoulder, waist, back, leg, arm, ear. Seven spots. All healed.

Only the head and chest were left untested.

She rubbed her chin. “Forget it. No time. Next round.”

She stepped back, vaulted onto the top of the corridor, and ran toward the hipped gable roof. Behind her, the ten Wraiths were still grinding forward in their indiscriminate sweep, debris flying, the ground gouged into deep furrows.

Lyra climbed up onto the hipped gable roof. Lina and Lydia were still flattened against the right slope.

“You’re back?” Lina looked up.

“Mm.”

“What was that scream just now?”

“I sliced off one of the Wraiths’ ears.”

Lina’s mouth twitched. “And then?”

“Grew back.”

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Lydia listened to the exchange and asked something in Ursarian.

After Lina translated, Lydia’s expression changed. She stared at Lyra for two solid seconds, then gave her a thumbs-up

Lyra ignored her and stretched out flat on the tiles, her chest rising and falling.

“How much longer?” Lina whispered.

“Under two minutes.”

Lina lay down and buried her face in her arms. Lydia sat cross-legged on the ridge, gaze sweeping the distance.

One minute.

Thirty seconds.

One second.

White light fell from the sky, swallowing the entire garden. When her vision cleared, she was standing back at the mission

entrance.

Lydia and Lina were right beside her. “I-Is it over?”

“Mm.”

[Hunt Time ended.]

[This round of Hide-and-Seek is concluded.]

[Surviving Players: 12.]

[Draconia Player: Lyra Vance, alive.]

[Southern Reach Player: Lina, alive.]

[Ursaria Player: Lydia, alive.]

[Belsoria Player: Sergei, alive.]

[Bahtan Player: Hadi, alive.]

[…]

[Congratulations, players, on clearing the Tranquil Garden mission.]

[Game rewards will now be drawn.]

[Players, please note: there are two prize pools…]

“Alive… I’m still alive…”

“I, I made it, I made it.”

Someone burst out laughing. “I’m not dead, I’m not dead!”

“Mom, I made it through, I made it…”

The other survivors, hearing the System’s voice, finally registered that they’d cleared the game. Emotions broke loose all at once-laughter, sobbing, both.

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Some had blood streaking down their calves, some were caked in dust, some were drenched head to toe in blood One was missing an arm.

The Belsorian player Sergei spotted Lydia’s group and walked over. The two of them rattled off a few quick sentences.

Then Sergei turned to Lyra and rattled off something at her.

Lina translated dutifully at her side. “He says thank you-you saved his life twice. He says you’re incredible. He says if it’s all right, he’d like to team up with you next round, and he’ll back you on whatever you need.”

Lina continued: “He also-”

“Stop!” Lyra cut in. “Quit talking, my head hurts. Tell him: if he doesn’t speak Draconian, don’t talk to me

Lina translated it faithfully.

Lydia, meanwhile, was making a quiet vow-once she got back, she was going to study Draconian properly. Clearly Lyra was closest to Lina because Lina could speak Draconian.

Over in the Draconia livestream, the chat had become a flood,

LyraMyldol: [Alive. Alive. Twelve of them. Lyra is forever our goddess.]

NeverAteVeggies: [I’m crying, I’m actually crying. Ten Wraiths and twelve people survived.]

BornToCuss: [Last round five, this round twelve. That’s literally Lyra single-handedly pulling up the survival rate.]

LuckyKoi: [Go check the other countries’ streams-every single one is thanking the player from Draconia.]

AnotherDayAlive: [Lyra herself doesn’t even know how many people she saved. But we know.]

GoDraconia: [Sobbing, Lyra is hurt, her back is still bleeding, my heart.]

In the command center, the technicians clattered on their keyboards as the data refreshed.

“Report! Twelve survivors in this mission. Survival rate: fifteen percent!”

Lana didn’t reply. She watched the twelve figures on the screen, her eyes settling on Lyra-blood on her back, clothes torn, bare feet. “Notify logistics. Prep medical for when she gets back.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

[Players, please make your selection.]

The briefing ended, and everyone who had just been crying, gasping, or sprawled on the ground stood up. Every pair of eyes locked onto the light pillars.

Lydia’s gaze was glued to the personal prize pool. Her strategy-and her country’s strategy-hadn’t shifted: get stronger, stay alive.

Lina clenched her fists and drew a deep breath.

Lyra wavered. Which one to pick? The east side had given her an S-rank last time. Maybe try west this round? Grab a weapon or something? But she already had Wraithslayer.

Lina walked over. “Lyra, did you decide?”

“Nope.

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Chapter 31

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