Kamen Rider ZZZ from the American comic book world

"Have a drink, teacher." Li Ai handed over two bottles of drinks, then looked at Jessica and comforted her:

Hopefully, a free drink will make you feel better.

"Thank you," Jessica replied. She wasn't about to get angry at Li Ai, but she was definitely not in a good mood.

"Alright, Jessica, you should rest for a bit. The rest of us teachers will discuss when to return to New York tomorrow," Ashley said after treating Jessica's wound.

"For injuries as severe as yours, there will be insurance compensation and psychological treatment."

"Insurance? I hope they keep their word." Jessica pouted, looking rather skeptical of American Insurance, but if she could get some compensation, it would be some consolation.

"Alright, I'm going to help the other injured students. You all take care and get some rest." Ashley took Li Ai's drink with her before she left.

Then, in order to get information from Jessica, Li Ai took the initiative to ask, "Can I see your camera?"

"You can fix cameras?" Jessica asked.

Li Ai confidently stated, "Considering the possibility of accidents in low-temperature environments, I brought a set of tools with me, and I do indeed know a little about it."

"Anyway, we definitely can't follow the itinerary tonight and will have to stay in the hotel. Could you come and keep an eye on things for me when you have time?" Jessica thought that if all else failed, she could just use that old camera again, so she decided to let Li Ai give it a try.

“Now, I’ll go get the tools, and then you’re going to fix it here?” Li Ai asked.

"There are too many people in the lobby. It would be better to find a quieter place," Jessica suggested, frowning slightly.

"You don't need to worry about my temporary roommate. Her boyfriend is also traveling in this hotel and won't be back for long."

"it is good."

The two then left the hall together. Li Ai went back to her room to get her tools and saw Firth lying on the bed.

"What bad luck! I should have been on your team. First, we ran into a madman driving a truck on the trail, then there was a landslide, and I even got a cut on my forehead. If my girlfriend finds out, she'll be heartbroken."

Seeing the man's constant complaining, Li Ai's eyes flashed with a smile, and she comforted him:

"You're doing well. Get some rest and wait to go back to New York tomorrow."

“That’s true,” Firth agreed, then noticed Li Ai taking a toolbox out of her bag and asked curiously:

Are you going to fix something?

"Go fix the cameras for our photography group," Li Ai said briefly, then asked:

"So, what was going on with you guys? How did that truck driven by a lunatic even show up?"

"First we heard a piercing horn, then the teacher told us to get out of the way, and then, not long after that, we encountered a landslide. We were so unlucky!" Firth pounded his mattress, looking frustrated.

Li Ai felt that the sudden appearance of the old truck and the landslide were the work of the demon lurking in the shadows, and were definitely not accidents.

"Did you hear or see anything while you were running away?" Li Ai asked.

According to the records in the New York Sanctum Sanctum Library, some people see supernatural things when attacked by demons. These things that look like hallucinations may actually exist. If such people survive the demon attacks, their mental strength will also be enhanced.

But some people are completely oblivious, and they won't notice anything strange until they are killed by the demon. Flynn was one of those people; to put it bluntly, he had no talent.

Flynn frowned and thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook his head and denied it, saying, "No, I only heard other people screaming and the sound of a landslide. By the way, why do you want to ask that?"

"Have you ever seen any urban legends online about disasters being caused by some supernatural creatures?" Li Ai asked rhetorically.

“Urban legends? I see, you share the same hobby as those guys from the Mysterious Paranormal Phenomena Group?” Flynn’s eyes lit up.

The Mysterious Paranormal Phenomena Group is not actually a club recognized by Midtown High School. Instead, it is a group of students who spontaneously formed a research organization for mysterious phenomena. They even have to use the classrooms secretly, without the teachers' knowledge.

“I’m not as obsessed as they are, I’m just curious,” Li Ai said, half-jokingly.

“It’s alright, I’m not making fun of you. Actually, my girlfriend is a member of theirs too. If you really want to participate in their secret ceremony, I can recommend you. They should also welcome a photographer,” Flynn replied.

"Let's talk about it later. I'm going to fix someone's camera."

Li Ai quickly said goodbye to her temporary roommate and knocked three times on Jessica's door.

A short while later, Jessica opened the door. She looked at Li Ai, who was carrying a toolbox, and made way for her, inviting her in:

"Come in. This isn't my home. There's nothing I can't show you."

"Okay." Li Ai walked into the room and saw the camera placed on the desk.

"There's not much damage to the exterior, but the screen won't light up," Jessica explained.

Li Ai then began repairing the camera.

Jessica's camera wasn't in serious trouble. Li Ai didn't need to secretly distract her to use the recovery capsule; in less than ten minutes, the camera was working again.

“It’s not a big problem, it can still be used now, but you’ll have to figure out how to fix the damage to the casing.” Li Ai handed the camera to Jessica.

Jessica took some pictures of the scenery outside the window to make sure the camera was working properly, and her gloomy mood immediately improved.

"You're amazing, Li Ai!" Jessica exclaimed excitedly.

Seeing that the other person's mood was starting to improve, Li Ai brought up the question she had previously discussed with Flynn.

“A strange place…” Jessica pondered for a long time, and just when Li Ai thought there was no breakthrough here, she suddenly said:

"I think I heard someone say something during the landslide, something like 'the smell of fear'? I didn't hear the rest clearly."

Chapter 49 The Storm (1/4) Requesting monthly votes and continued reading

Boom—

As soon as Jessica finished speaking, a clap of thunder sounded outside the window, the whole sky turned dark, and a torrential downpour began.

The dim sky combined with the rain reduced visibility significantly.

The two were drawn to the sudden downpour.

"Luckily we got back early," Jessica said, looking out at the heavy rain.

“Yes,” Li Ai replied casually, though he felt something was off, but he remained calm and said:

"I'll go ask the teachers how they're planning dinner, and whether we should end the trip early because of that crazy guy driving a truck in the scenic area."

"Okay, I want to rest for a while too." Jessica rubbed her temples and prepared to lie down on the bed to rest.

Li Ai left the room and returned to the lobby on the first floor to ask the teachers in charge of the group what the next steps should be.

Ashley, who was in charge of the photography team, answered his question.

“We might be returning tomorrow at noon,” Ashley said with a troubled expression. “This trip will have to end early.”

Although only one group of people was in danger, the threat posed by the madman driving a truck was too great, and no one at the scene could afford to risk the students being hit and killed by the truck.

The teachers leading the group even planned to return to New York after dinner, but due to a sudden downpour that made it inconvenient for the driver to drive, they decided to return tomorrow.

The teachers from Midtown High School also spread the word, and teachers from other schools in the hotel were also considering whether to continue their trip.

"I understand." Li Ai nodded.

At this moment, another male teacher from the sculpture club said to him, "You can just stay in the hotel. We have already called the police, and dinner will be delivered to the hotel."

"Don't worry about that madman. Is he going to drive his car into the hotel?" the art club's leader said optimistically.

"Don't talk nonsense." The female teacher who had taken a photo with Ashley earlier glared at the man, then said sternly to Li Ai:

"Don't even think about going out. We will discuss with teachers from other schools and take turns guarding the lobby on the first floor. No one is allowed to leave!"

After receiving the next arrangements from the teachers in charge, Li Ai went back to her room and told her temporary roommate about it.

"Leaving tomorrow?" Flynn rubbed his dyed red hair and complained, "This is my first time here!"

"Do you still want to face that crazy guy who hit people with his car?" Li Ai asked rhetorically.

“Then forget it…” Flynn replied weakly. He turned to look at the torrential rain outside the window, his eyes lighting up as he suggested:

"By the way, doesn't the situation outside look a lot like a 'locked room mystery' from a detective novel? A group of people are trapped in a building because of a sudden disaster. Playing a board game like Miller's Hollow Werewolf would be perfect for this. Do you want to come?"

The rules of the Miller Valley werewolves are roughly the same as those of the later werewolf games.

"Games? Forget it, I'm not interested. Maybe next time," Li Ai politely declined.

"Alright, if you're bored in the room by yourself, just watch TV." Flynn didn't insist; he simply got up and went to find other people to play games.

After his temporary roommate left, Li Ai finally got busy. He temporarily set up the bathroom door as a portal and went to the combat room to retrieve his equipment.

Silver ghost, sensors, passes, cell phones, helmets, special operations suits...

Li Ai first hacked into the hotel's surveillance system to take control of the situation inside the building. Due to the heavy rain, visibility was very low for the external surveillance, so he had sensors attached to the hotel's exterior walls to patrol and trigger an alarm if a heat source was detected.

After making some arrangements at the hotel, Li Ai prepared to leave and search for traces of the demon at the place where Jessica and the others were attacked.

The hotel entrance is definitely off-limits; teachers are stationed on the first floor in shifts to prevent students seeking thrills from leaving.

So, Li Ai went to the hotel rooftop, intending to climb out.

As soon as the security door leading to the rooftop was opened, a torrential downpour hit Li Ai. He braved the rain, stepped over the security door, and reached the rooftop.

Just as Li Ai was looking around, searching for something he could use, he noticed a layer of blood-red mist appearing above the hotel.

“It’s exactly the same crimson aura I saw on Jessica and the others. Has that guy already set his sights on this place?” Li Ai looked up at the sky, his expression gradually becoming serious.

This means he doesn't need to go out to search to find the demon, because the demon has also set its sights on the hotel.

Defending a hotel is no easy task, especially with dozens of people there, which puts the defender at a disadvantage.

With this in mind, Li Ai turned and went back inside, wary of the demon that might launch a surprise attack at any moment.

After the security door was locked again, keeping out the torrential rain, Li Ai took out his ZZZ phone to check the hotel's internal surveillance footage. His gaze flickered across several monitors before finally settling on the one leading to the electrical room.

In the video, a sluggish male figure is walking toward the power distribution room, carrying a fire axe in his hand.

"Not good!" Li Ai shouted, his figure transforming into an arrow released from a bow, running towards the power distribution room.

On the hotel's basement floor, outside the electrical distribution room, the figure carrying a fire axe had already opened the door and, after a search, located the power switch.

Destroy that thing, destroy that thing...

A voice kept repeating in his ears that even if the violent electric current would kill him first when he swung the axe, he would still do it.

He raised the fire axe high, its blade gleaming coldly under the light. Just as the power switch was about to be damaged, the axe stopped firmly at its highest point.

The figure turned his head stiffly and saw a figure that could control his movements with just one hand.

"Teacher, you should be keeping watch in the hall."

Looking into the other person's lifeless eyes, Li Ai recognized him as one of the team leaders. Then, she suddenly exerted her strength and snatched the fire axe from his hand.

The male teacher, seemingly controlled by some force, staggered, then took out two sharpened dinner knives from his pocket and brandished them like a wild beast.

The electrical distribution room was cramped, with little room to dodge, so Li Ai took the initiative and, after dodging the knife's slashes, grabbed the other person's wrists.

"I'm sorry, teacher," Li Ai said softly as she exerted her strength.

With a 'click', the male teacher, who was being controlled by the demon, dislocated both of his hands, and the kitchen knife fell to the ground. Li Ai stepped forward and used a chokehold to subdue him, causing the demon-controlled male teacher to suffer from oxygen deprivation and gradually reduce his struggling strength.

Soon, a wisp of black smoke drifted out from the male teacher. Li Ai immediately let go, laid the unconscious teacher flat on the ground, and took out the recovery capsule.

【Recovery!】

The recovery capsule rotated, and a green light quickly enveloped the opponent, repairing the damage caused by the previous fight in the blink of an eye, and showing signs of awakening.

Li Ai left before the male teacher regained consciousness.

Chapter 50 Who is the Prey? (2/4 Requesting monthly votes and continued reading)

Meanwhile, in the air above the hotel, the stalker was observing his prey. He had a pair of bat wings on his back, which allowed him to soar and hover freely in the sky.

The Stalker had used the manipulation of mentally unstable humans to cause destruction within groups many times before. He didn't even need to get close; he could remotely control a puppet by simply reciting a spell and observe its prey through the puppet's vision.

Others have tried to break this trick before, but those tricks became his most prized possessions, and the Stalker believes that this black-haired boy is no exception.

This black-haired boy wasn't his primary target, but with two more of the twenty-three prey remaining, the stalker was quite happy to make him the last one.

Based on past experience, these prey are confident because of their strength, but the fear that arises after their confidence is shattered is also the most delicious.

The stalker decided to enjoy the hunt. He smiled with satisfaction. The old truck parked in the shadows started automatically and headed towards the hotel. Then, with a flap of its wings, it transformed into a black meteor and crashed into the hotel.

Boom—

Two loud bangs, one above and one below, shattered the tranquility inside the hotel, causing the entire hotel to shake violently.

The entire hotel's faculty and students were thrown into a panic.

The students who were chatting and playing board games in the lobby on the first floor were startled by the loud noise. The heavy rain poured into the room, and the strong wind mixed with the rain made them shiver.

"An earthquake?"