Chapter 050: We work to survive, not to live.
Despite Ghost Face's frantic, albeit futile resistance, Chi Shen pinned him to the table and pressed the play button on his phone.
The moment the video appeared on the screen, Ghost Face ceased his struggles, captivated by the content. Slowly, a sinister and eerie grin, similar to the one he wore when he first encountered Chi Shen, crept across his face.
The video depicted a person drowning, or more specifically, someone being forcibly submerged in a bathtub. The footage zoomed in on the perpetrator's malice and the victim's underwater agony.
Without a doubt, this was exactly the type of scene Ghost Face relished in — witnessing the torturous struggles of someone on the brink of death by drowning.
What Chi Shen had found was a clip from an award-winning thriller. The person being submerged in the bathtub was said to be a celebrated actress with a real-life experience of near-drowning.
As it turned out, the actress's genuine experience made her portrayal exceptionally realistic, deeply immersing the drowned spirit, Ghost Face, in the scene.
"Let him watch; we're off to visit some friends," said Chi Shen as he looked up at the sky. The sun had set, casting vibrant colors across the horizon, but without a trace of sunlight. It was the time for spirits to roam.
When Chi Shen found Bai Wan, she was holding her own spirit tablet, sitting on the rooftop, gazing at the clouds.
The sunset was indeed breathtaking today. However, Bai Wan missed its peak radiance because the sun hadn't yet set, and she couldn't emerge. Only when the sun was completely gone, leaving a horizon painted in shades of lavender and dark red, could she sit atop the roof.
This was the first time in centuries that Bai Wan had witnessed a sunset. Previously, a hungry ghost guarded her entrance, and her door was covered in protective talismans. She couldn't leave.
Chi Shen joined her on the roof. They sat together for a while, conversing. He inquired if Bai Wan wanted to join him in his new home. She happily agreed, saying all he needed to do was carry her spirit tablet, and she would follow.
As the last hint of red turned to black, Chi Shen left the roof, ready to visit the next friend.
He pondered on something. According to Yuan Yiping, if a malevolent spirit's obsession fades, they would disperse into the cosmos. The night Bai Wan confronted her tormenting parents, her wounds vanished. It was likely because her obsession with her parents had faded, hence the pain of the gaping hole in her chest disappeared.
As to why Bai Wan hadn't vanished, something must still tether her to the mortal realm. Perhaps it was resentment towards her husband and sister, or maybe something else.
"I should ask Bai Wan when I get a chance," Chi Shen thought as he knocked on the door in front of him.
Suddenly, there was a sound of something falling inside, then silence. No one came to open the door, nor did anyone invite Chi Shen in.
After waiting a bit, Chi Shen knocked again. Still, there was no response.
Suspecting that this house was occupied by spirits with social anxiety, Chi Shen pushed the door open himself. He searched under tables and in drawers, eventually finding some friends who gave a vehement shake of their heads when asked about leaving.
"Are you sure you don't want to leave? Don't you want to experience modern society? It's a whole different world out there," Chi Shen politely persisted, holding two spirits in his hand.
The spirits frantically shook their heads in his grasp. One nearly had its eyes pop out, making its reluctance crystal clear. Seeing their determination, Chi Shen regretfully released them, placing them back under tables and inside drawers, then moved on to visit other friends.
Chi Shen spent the entire night touring the old mansion. Apart from Bai Wan and a few in his own quarters, no one wished to join him. He even made an effort to visit the main house's residents but received no reply.
This setback was discouraging for Chi Shen. He had thought he was quite popular in the old mansion, yet only a few spirits were willing to accompany him.
However, Chi Shen was resilient. Within ten minutes, he had regained his composure and checked on the progress of his plan to help the spirits pass on.
On the table, a phone was connected to a power bank, still playing a drowning scene. But the spirit, Gui Lian, was nowhere to be found.
Chi Shen laughed with delight, "Has he been successfully guided to the afterlife?"
It seemed there were still good things to come this evening.
No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw the red-clothed female ghost malevolently pull a ghostly face from behind the door, presenting it to Chi Shen with a smirk: "He tried to escape!"
Chi Shen stroked his chin, pondering, "Not working for you? Didn't you enjoy watching it? Why flee?"
The ghostly face, now caught by the red-clothed female ghost, looked miserable and lamented, "I felt nauseous from watching so much. In the past, I'd only make someone experience drowning once a night, and never for more than thirty minutes. It would take months to find another victim. Now, watching for hours on end is just unbearable!"
Chi Shen made a mental comparison; indeed, having the same meal every day could become tedious for a human. "Perhaps it's too monotonous," he considered. "I'll find you a variety of similar videos."
Chi Shen acted promptly. Before bed, he sourced a dozen or so video clips, arranged them neatly, and set them to play on a loop.
To ensure the ghostly face didn't attempt another escape, Chi Shen instructed the red-clothed female ghost, "Keep an eye on him. Remind him that a bright and painless future awaits him. The present monotony will all be worth it in the end."
The red-clothed female ghost eagerly agreed, while the ghostly face muttered skeptically, "Is this some kind of ghostly version of the college entrance exam?"
Chi Shen remarked, "Both are significant life-changing moments: the college entrance exam for the living, and the transition for the ghosts. There's not much difference."
The ghostly face pondered, "That does make sense."
With everything arranged, Chi Shen went to bed, leaving the ghostly face to his video viewing. To not disturb Chi Shen, the ghostly face, the red-clothed female ghost, and the phone were moved into a cabinet. The ghostly face's occasional inclinations to flee were thwarted, making him confront the challenging transitional process toward a brighter future.
As the lively weekend came to an end, Monday rolled around.
The first thing that crossed Chi Shen's mind as he woke was, "Why must humans work?"
Ah, to survive.
And to provide for his spectral friends in the new house, basking in the sunlight on the large balcony.
With that thought, Chi Shen rose swiftly, pulling the red-clothed female ghost from the twisted blankets and checking on the ghostly face's progress. Unfortunately, it seemed to be stagnant. The ghostly face now lay in the cabinet, foaming at the mouth as he stared at the phone screen.
"This batch of ghosts is truly disappointing," Chi Shen thought with regret, before getting ready for work.
Work was relatively pleasant that day. Li Xu didn't acquire any new ghostly companions, keeping the office atmosphere light. Ma Caijin seemed to have reassured herself that the horror fighting game was just that — a game. If Li Xu said it was okay, it had to be!
During lunch break, Chi Shen was checking the route to the new house on his phone, planning to head there straight after work.
As Ma Caijin sat down to eat, she glanced at his phone and casually inquired, "Looking for a place to rent?"
With no intent to conceal, Chi Shen smiled, "Yes, indeed."
Ma Caijin, ever so helpful, offered, "I'm quite familiar with the housing scene around here. Need some advice?"
Chi Shen chuckled, "I've already picked a place. I'm meeting the landlord after work to check it out."
Ma Caijin nodded, tearing open his takeaway package, "Whereabouts? Places near here aren't cheap. Even a single room starts at two thousand a month. Consider getting a place near the suburban bus terminals or metro stations. You can get a one-bedroom flat for just a thousand. It's a good deal."
Chi Shen glanced at the address on his phone, "Tongfu Gardens, quite close to our company."
Ma Caijin paused in his meal unwrapping, furrowing his brows in thought, "Tongfu Gardens... sounds familiar... Oh, I remember now! Wasn't that the site of a family massacre a couple of years back?"
Ma Caijin stared at Chi Shen in shock, "You didn't get a haunted flat, did you?"
With a steady smile, Chi Shen responded nonchalantly, "Perhaps, but the rent's pretty affordable."
Ma Caijin exclaimed, "…This is no time to be penny-pinching!"
Chapter 050: We work to survive, not to live.
Despite Ghost Face's frantic, albeit futile resistance, Chi Shen pinned him to the table and pressed the play button on his phone.
The moment the video appeared on the screen, Ghost Face ceased his struggles, captivated by the content. Slowly, a sinister and eerie grin, similar to the one he wore when he first encountered Chi Shen, crept across his face.
The video depicted a person drowning, or more specifically, someone being forcibly submerged in a bathtub. The footage zoomed in on the perpetrator's malice and the victim's underwater agony.
Without a doubt, this was exactly the type of scene Ghost Face relished in — witnessing the torturous struggles of someone on the brink of death by drowning.
What Chi Shen had found was a clip from an award-winning thriller. The person being submerged in the bathtub was said to be a celebrated actress with a real-life experience of near-drowning.
As it turned out, the actress's genuine experience made her portrayal exceptionally realistic, deeply immersing the drowned spirit, Ghost Face, in the scene.
"Let him watch; we're off to visit some friends," said Chi Shen as he looked up at the sky. The sun had set, casting vibrant colors across the horizon, but without a trace of sunlight. It was the time for spirits to roam.
When Chi Shen found Bai Wan, she was holding her own spirit tablet, sitting on the rooftop, gazing at the clouds.
The sunset was indeed breathtaking today. However, Bai Wan missed its peak radiance because the sun hadn't yet set, and she couldn't emerge. Only when the sun was completely gone, leaving a horizon painted in shades of lavender and dark red, could she sit atop the roof.
This was the first time in centuries that Bai Wan had witnessed a sunset. Previously, a hungry ghost guarded her entrance, and her door was covered in protective talismans. She couldn't leave.
Chi Shen joined her on the roof. They sat together for a while, conversing. He inquired if Bai Wan wanted to join him in his new home. She happily agreed, saying all he needed to do was carry her spirit tablet, and she would follow.
As the last hint of red turned to black, Chi Shen left the roof, ready to visit the next friend.
He pondered on something. According to Yuan Yiping, if a malevolent spirit's obsession fades, they would disperse into the cosmos. The night Bai Wan confronted her tormenting parents, her wounds vanished. It was likely because her obsession with her parents had faded, hence the pain of the gaping hole in her chest disappeared.
As to why Bai Wan hadn't vanished, something must still tether her to the mortal realm. Perhaps it was resentment towards her husband and sister, or maybe something else.
"I should ask Bai Wan when I get a chance," Chi Shen thought as he knocked on the door in front of him.
Suddenly, there was a sound of something falling inside, then silence. No one came to open the door, nor did anyone invite Chi Shen in.
After waiting a bit, Chi Shen knocked again. Still, there was no response.
Suspecting that this house was occupied by spirits with social anxiety, Chi Shen pushed the door open himself. He searched under tables and in drawers, eventually finding some friends who gave a vehement shake of their heads when asked about leaving.
"Are you sure you don't want to leave? Don't you want to experience modern society? It's a whole different world out there," Chi Shen politely persisted, holding two spirits in his hand.
The spirits frantically shook their heads in his grasp. One nearly had its eyes pop out, making its reluctance crystal clear. Seeing their determination, Chi Shen regretfully released them, placing them back under tables and inside drawers, then moved on to visit other friends.
Chi Shen spent the entire night touring the old mansion. Apart from Bai Wan and a few in his own quarters, no one wished to join him. He even made an effort to visit the main house's residents but received no reply.
This setback was discouraging for Chi Shen. He had thought he was quite popular in the old mansion, yet only a few spirits were willing to accompany him.
However, Chi Shen was resilient. Within ten minutes, he had regained his composure and checked on the progress of his plan to help the spirits pass on.
On the table, a phone was connected to a power bank, still playing a drowning scene. But the spirit, Gui Lian, was nowhere to be found.
Chi Shen laughed with delight, "Has he been successfully guided to the afterlife?"
It seemed there were still good things to come this evening.
No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw the red-clothed female ghost malevolently pull a ghostly face from behind the door, presenting it to Chi Shen with a smirk: "He tried to escape!"
Chi Shen stroked his chin, pondering, "Not working for you? Didn't you enjoy watching it? Why flee?"
The ghostly face, now caught by the red-clothed female ghost, looked miserable and lamented, "I felt nauseous from watching so much. In the past, I'd only make someone experience drowning once a night, and never for more than thirty minutes. It would take months to find another victim. Now, watching for hours on end is just unbearable!"
Chi Shen made a mental comparison; indeed, having the same meal every day could become tedious for a human. "Perhaps it's too monotonous," he considered. "I'll find you a variety of similar videos."
Chi Shen acted promptly. Before bed, he sourced a dozen or so video clips, arranged them neatly, and set them to play on a loop.
To ensure the ghostly face didn't attempt another escape, Chi Shen instructed the red-clothed female ghost, "Keep an eye on him. Remind him that a bright and painless future awaits him. The present monotony will all be worth it in the end."
The red-clothed female ghost eagerly agreed, while the ghostly face muttered skeptically, "Is this some kind of ghostly version of the college entrance exam?"
Chi Shen remarked, "Both are significant life-changing moments: the college entrance exam for the living, and the transition for the ghosts. There's not much difference."
The ghostly face pondered, "That does make sense."
With everything arranged, Chi Shen went to bed, leaving the ghostly face to his video viewing. To not disturb Chi Shen, the ghostly face, the red-clothed female ghost, and the phone were moved into a cabinet. The ghostly face's occasional inclinations to flee were thwarted, making him confront the challenging transitional process toward a brighter future.
As the lively weekend came to an end, Monday rolled around.
The first thing that crossed Chi Shen's mind as he woke was, "Why must humans work?"
Ah, to survive.
And to provide for his spectral friends in the new house, basking in the sunlight on the large balcony.
With that thought, Chi Shen rose swiftly, pulling the red-clothed female ghost from the twisted blankets and checking on the ghostly face's progress. Unfortunately, it seemed to be stagnant. The ghostly face now lay in the cabinet, foaming at the mouth as he stared at the phone screen.
"This batch of ghosts is truly disappointing," Chi Shen thought with regret, before getting ready for work.
Work was relatively pleasant that day. Li Xu didn't acquire any new ghostly companions, keeping the office atmosphere light. Ma Caijin seemed to have reassured herself that the horror fighting game was just that — a game. If Li Xu said it was okay, it had to be!
During lunch break, Chi Shen was checking the route to the new house on his phone, planning to head there straight after work.
As Ma Caijin sat down to eat, she glanced at his phone and casually inquired, "Looking for a place to rent?"
With no intent to conceal, Chi Shen smiled, "Yes, indeed."
Ma Caijin, ever so helpful, offered, "I'm quite familiar with the housing scene around here. Need some advice?"
Chi Shen chuckled, "I've already picked a place. I'm meeting the landlord after work to check it out."
Ma Caijin nodded, tearing open his takeaway package, "Whereabouts? Places near here aren't cheap. Even a single room starts at two thousand a month. Consider getting a place near the suburban bus terminals or metro stations. You can get a one-bedroom flat for just a thousand. It's a good deal."
Chi Shen glanced at the address on his phone, "Tongfu Gardens, quite close to our company."
Ma Caijin paused in his meal unwrapping, furrowing his brows in thought, "Tongfu Gardens... sounds familiar... Oh, I remember now! Wasn't that the site of a family massacre a couple of years back?"
Ma Caijin stared at Chi Shen in shock, "You didn't get a haunted flat, did you?"
With a steady smile, Chi Shen responded nonchalantly, "Perhaps, but the rent's pretty affordable."
Ma Caijin exclaimed, "…This is no time to be penny-pinching!"
