What do verbs missing their -る mean?


When I read a light novel, sometimes I see some weird verb that does not have
る like it's supposed to. For example, I see 越え instead of 越える, or 抱え instead
of 抱える.

From the first page of 生徒会探偵キリカ:

> クラブの数は三百を **越え** 、体育会系も文化系も全国大会常連クラスの部をいくつも **抱え** 。




This usage is called 連用中止法. It is used when a sentence follows without being
completed. And a verb before comma changes to continuous form. For example,
彼はそのパーティで歌を歌い、踊りを踊った(He sang songs and danced).

