Chapter 056: Agony.
Chi Shen had once collaborated with a surgeon, assisting him, mainly by piecing together various body parts and stitching them up, evaluating if they would function again.
He also helped a child filled with dolls in her room by mending her torn dolls so that they could keep her company. Eventually, that child turned into a doll herself, forever staying with her favorite toys.
Now, seeing the driver in such a hard situation, still working despite being in pieces, Chi Shen felt the need to help, to stitch him back together.
Although the driver appeared resistant, Chi Shen believed it was because he hadn't come to terms with the state of his body. No worries; Chi Shen would help him adjust.
The driver's ashen eyes widened as Chi Shen approached, starting by sewing his head onto his body. As the needle and thread pierced through the flesh, joining the wounds on his neck, he felt a horrifying clarity in the sensation, though, surprisingly, without pain.
The feeling compelled the driver to flee. Ji Xing Chen and Ghost Face helped retrieve his limbs, and Chi Shen methodically reattached and sewed them.
With astonishing speed, Chi Shen finished assembling the driver in less than thirty minutes. Observing the driver's astonished eyes, he said, "Try walking?"
Reflexively, the driver moved his stiff body.
"Now, jump?" suggested Chi Shen.
The driver awkwardly hopped.
Nodding with satisfaction, Chi Shen said, "You won't fall apart now. Get in the car."
The driver promptly clambered into the vehicle, finding solace within its confines.
Despite the hiccup, Chi Shen's relocation went smoothly. He and the group of ghosts embarked on the journey to their new home.
Outside the old mansion, a young man crawled out of a tent, looking around.
After days of surveillance, these young men from the Bai family had brought tents, essentially camping out to avoid nightly exposure.
Nothing much had happened in the past few days. With Chi Shen adhering to his early-to-bed, early-to-rise regimen, they had never seen him active after midnight. Consequently, their surveillance grew lax, mainly focusing on the mansion and not Chi Shen. If something happened at the mansion, the disturbance would undoubtedly be significant. Holding onto this belief, they began to slack off.
They observed Chi Shen leaving at night but didn't think much of it. Only one individual, who had taken a bribe from Bai Xi Ming, paid closer attention. When he saw Chi Shen carrying a suitcase, he grew tense, only to relax when Chi Shen returned with an even bigger case. Thus, everyone returned to their tents, including the one who'd taken the bribe.
The car lingered unusually long, which struck them as odd. As they approached to investigate, they were chilled by the ominous aura emanating from it, and they quickly retreated to their tents, chanting protective prayers.
Only when they heard the car's engine start did someone peek out from a tent. Seeing the vehicle drive away, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
The person who had received a favor eventually dozed off while chanting.
Now, nearing three in the morning, the car journeyed from the remote old mansion. The roads were deserted, with only this eerie black sedan traversing the night.
It wasn't long before blood began to trickle from the driver's head. The head, precariously perched on the neck, wobbled as the red threads binding his body strained and stretched. Blood oozed from where the stitches held, and just when the red threads seemed about to snap, a dark ghostly energy surged from them, tightening the seams and preventing the head from dropping.
The driver lifted a hand, touching his neck with relief, "Fortunately, it didn’t fall off."
The last time his head had fallen off mid-drive, a passenger had panicked and jumped from the car, nearly causing a fatality. Worst of all, he hadn't paid.
Then, he heard the young man behind him speak: "Is the view outside pleasant?"
It was clear the question wasn’t for him. Glancing in the rearview mirror, the driver saw the young man pull out a wooden plaque from a backpack. The most unsettling part was the two bloody handprints on the plaque!
At the same time, a faint smell of candle wax reached him. He remained motionless and silent, keeping his gaze fixed ahead, pretending to see nothing, and pressed the accelerator, eager to reach their destination quickly.
Chi Shen picked up the plaque and placed it beside the car window. Although Bai Wan did not manifest, he could still sense the happiness radiating from the plaque, and he too began to smile.
The sudden surge of Bai Wan's spiritual energy seemed to disturb something in the trunk. A violent and bloody aura erupted from it. Chi Shen subtly leaned back, using his body to shield the driver from this malevolent energy; it wouldn't be good if the driver was disturbed.
As the aura touched Chi Shen, it rapidly withdrew, retreating back into the suitcase in the trunk.
The remainder of the drive was uneventful. Upon reaching Tong Fu Garden, Chi Shen paid the previously agreed-upon tip. He wanted to chat with the driver, but the man sped off as if possessed, soon disappearing into the night.
Chi Shen was a bit puzzled. He had intended to ask about the driver's earnings, but since he had fled, that would have to wait for another time.
Dragging his hefty suitcase, Chi Shen entered the residential complex. The security guard at the entrance was nodding off, oblivious to the oddity of someone moving in the middle of the night.
The complex was eerily empty. Chi Shen thought he heard a child's laughter but paid it no mind, proceeding directly to Building 4, Unit 4, and then to the 13th floor.
It was past three in the morning. Chi Shen, now quite weary, slowly unlocked his apartment door and entered, luggage and backpack in tow.
The moment the door opened, the apartment seemed to come alive: footsteps echoed in the living room, weeping emanated from the kitchen, faint tortured sounds emerged from the bedroom, and even the bathroom faucet began to drip.
Unfazed, Chi Shen closed the door behind him.
A ghostly figure, trailing fresh blood, slowly crawled out from the kitchen doorway, and an eyeball appeared on the chandelier, intently watching Chi Shen.
"Leave…" The blood-soaked figure on the floor pointed at Chi Shen, uttering coldly, "This is my home, get out!"
A pair of blue-black severed hands reached out from under the sofa, inching closer to Chi Shen, about to grasp his ankles.
Chi Shen turned on the living room light and unzipped his black backpack, first taking out Bai Wan's memorial tablet.
The bloody palm print on the tablet twitched, and an eerie aura poured out from the backpack. The terrifying atmosphere it emitted instantly silenced the entire room.
Chi Shen placed the tablet on the coffee table, and then took out a paper phone and a broken bowl, placing them beside the table.
Once again, faint sounds echoed in the room. The blue severed hand quickly and cautiously retreated under the sofa. The eye on the chandelier vanished in haste, and the specter from the kitchen, glaring resentfully at Chi Shen, began retreating backward.
"I forgot to introduce myself in the rush earlier," Chi Shen said, dropping his backpack and looking around the room with a smile, "My name is Chi Shen, and I'm your new roommate. I hope we can get along well."
The ghostly figure in the kitchen vanished around the corner, and all the strange sounds ceased, including the dripping sound from the bathroom.
Receiving no response, Chi Shen wasn't discouraged. He knew that good cohabitation required effort from both sides. Perhaps his roommates had social anxiety, but that was okay. He was sociable, and there'd be plenty of time to interact with his new roommates.
After putting down his backpack, Chi Shen dragged his black suitcase into the master bedroom.
His primary concern was how to keep the corpse, which resembled Ji Xingchen, in the apartment without alarming the neighbors.
After politely inviting the blue-faced ghost hiding under the bed to leave, Chi Shen gazed at the suitcase contemplatively. Ji Xingchen helped him close the bedroom door and asked, "Are you planning to keep him in the bedroom?"
Chi Shen unzipped the suitcase, and an overwhelming scent of blood mixed with a consuming murderous intent filled the room. He replied, "This should be the safest place."
Ji Xingchen didn't ask what he meant by "safe." Amidst this overwhelming aura, he stood still, looking at the man inside the suitcase, unfazed.
Under the light, the corpse, which bore a striking resemblance to Ji Xingchen, appeared peaceful and pale, contrasting starkly with the emotion it emanated.
"We should give him a name, constantly referring to him as 'the corpse' doesn't feel right," Chi Shen pondered, "How about Ji Xingchen Number 2?"
He was seeking Ji Xingchen's opinion, who replied calmly, "I have no objections."
"Next, we should consult the opinion of 'Xingxing' himself," Chi Shen squatted down, staring at Ji Xingchen Number 2, and gently touched the chain on his chest.
The blood that seeped from the chain had soaked several talisman papers. Chi Shen thought to himself, it was fortunate he had brought Ji Xingchen Number 2 here quickly. Otherwise, if the talismans were fully soaked and started leaking from the suitcase, wouldn't it look like a crime scene?
Ji Xingchen's lips twitched, seemingly puzzled by the rapid naming transition from Ji Xingchen Number 2 to Xingxing, but he held back any sarcastic remarks. All he said was, "Alright."
Chishen lifted Jixingchen No. 2 from the ground and placed him on the bed, using a tattered garment, torn by Jixingchen No. 2, as bedding beneath him.
Under the soft glow of the light, the pallid corpse on the bed seemed oddly serene and even visually pleasing.
"You may awaken now," Chishen whispered as he gazed upon the man on the bed.
The scattered emotions of agony in the room suddenly coalesced, freezing in place.
The man on the bed didn't open his eyes, but everyone knew he had awakened.
"What's your relationship with Jixingchen?" Chishen glanced at Jixingchen, voicing the question that weighed heavily on his mind.
The air stilled for a moment, then bloody characters manifested in midair:
—— He is my torment.
Chapter 056: Agony.
Chi Shen had once collaborated with a surgeon, assisting him, mainly by piecing together various body parts and stitching them up, evaluating if they would function again.
He also helped a child filled with dolls in her room by mending her torn dolls so that they could keep her company. Eventually, that child turned into a doll herself, forever staying with her favorite toys.
Now, seeing the driver in such a hard situation, still working despite being in pieces, Chi Shen felt the need to help, to stitch him back together.
Although the driver appeared resistant, Chi Shen believed it was because he hadn't come to terms with the state of his body. No worries; Chi Shen would help him adjust.
The driver's ashen eyes widened as Chi Shen approached, starting by sewing his head onto his body. As the needle and thread pierced through the flesh, joining the wounds on his neck, he felt a horrifying clarity in the sensation, though, surprisingly, without pain.
The feeling compelled the driver to flee. Ji Xing Chen and Ghost Face helped retrieve his limbs, and Chi Shen methodically reattached and sewed them.
With astonishing speed, Chi Shen finished assembling the driver in less than thirty minutes. Observing the driver's astonished eyes, he said, "Try walking?"
Reflexively, the driver moved his stiff body.
"Now, jump?" suggested Chi Shen.
The driver awkwardly hopped.
Nodding with satisfaction, Chi Shen said, "You won't fall apart now. Get in the car."
The driver promptly clambered into the vehicle, finding solace within its confines.
Despite the hiccup, Chi Shen's relocation went smoothly. He and the group of ghosts embarked on the journey to their new home.
Outside the old mansion, a young man crawled out of a tent, looking around.
After days of surveillance, these young men from the Bai family had brought tents, essentially camping out to avoid nightly exposure.
Nothing much had happened in the past few days. With Chi Shen adhering to his early-to-bed, early-to-rise regimen, they had never seen him active after midnight. Consequently, their surveillance grew lax, mainly focusing on the mansion and not Chi Shen. If something happened at the mansion, the disturbance would undoubtedly be significant. Holding onto this belief, they began to slack off.
They observed Chi Shen leaving at night but didn't think much of it. Only one individual, who had taken a bribe from Bai Xi Ming, paid closer attention. When he saw Chi Shen carrying a suitcase, he grew tense, only to relax when Chi Shen returned with an even bigger case. Thus, everyone returned to their tents, including the one who'd taken the bribe.
The car lingered unusually long, which struck them as odd. As they approached to investigate, they were chilled by the ominous aura emanating from it, and they quickly retreated to their tents, chanting protective prayers.
Only when they heard the car's engine start did someone peek out from a tent. Seeing the vehicle drive away, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
The person who had received a favor eventually dozed off while chanting.
Now, nearing three in the morning, the car journeyed from the remote old mansion. The roads were deserted, with only this eerie black sedan traversing the night.
It wasn't long before blood began to trickle from the driver's head. The head, precariously perched on the neck, wobbled as the red threads binding his body strained and stretched. Blood oozed from where the stitches held, and just when the red threads seemed about to snap, a dark ghostly energy surged from them, tightening the seams and preventing the head from dropping.
The driver lifted a hand, touching his neck with relief, "Fortunately, it didn’t fall off."
The last time his head had fallen off mid-drive, a passenger had panicked and jumped from the car, nearly causing a fatality. Worst of all, he hadn't paid.
Then, he heard the young man behind him speak: "Is the view outside pleasant?"
It was clear the question wasn’t for him. Glancing in the rearview mirror, the driver saw the young man pull out a wooden plaque from a backpack. The most unsettling part was the two bloody handprints on the plaque!
At the same time, a faint smell of candle wax reached him. He remained motionless and silent, keeping his gaze fixed ahead, pretending to see nothing, and pressed the accelerator, eager to reach their destination quickly.
Chi Shen picked up the plaque and placed it beside the car window. Although Bai Wan did not manifest, he could still sense the happiness radiating from the plaque, and he too began to smile.
The sudden surge of Bai Wan's spiritual energy seemed to disturb something in the trunk. A violent and bloody aura erupted from it. Chi Shen subtly leaned back, using his body to shield the driver from this malevolent energy; it wouldn't be good if the driver was disturbed.
As the aura touched Chi Shen, it rapidly withdrew, retreating back into the suitcase in the trunk.
The remainder of the drive was uneventful. Upon reaching Tong Fu Garden, Chi Shen paid the previously agreed-upon tip. He wanted to chat with the driver, but the man sped off as if possessed, soon disappearing into the night.
Chi Shen was a bit puzzled. He had intended to ask about the driver's earnings, but since he had fled, that would have to wait for another time.
Dragging his hefty suitcase, Chi Shen entered the residential complex. The security guard at the entrance was nodding off, oblivious to the oddity of someone moving in the middle of the night.
The complex was eerily empty. Chi Shen thought he heard a child's laughter but paid it no mind, proceeding directly to Building 4, Unit 4, and then to the 13th floor.
It was past three in the morning. Chi Shen, now quite weary, slowly unlocked his apartment door and entered, luggage and backpack in tow.
The moment the door opened, the apartment seemed to come alive: footsteps echoed in the living room, weeping emanated from the kitchen, faint tortured sounds emerged from the bedroom, and even the bathroom faucet began to drip.
Unfazed, Chi Shen closed the door behind him.
A ghostly figure, trailing fresh blood, slowly crawled out from the kitchen doorway, and an eyeball appeared on the chandelier, intently watching Chi Shen.
"Leave…" The blood-soaked figure on the floor pointed at Chi Shen, uttering coldly, "This is my home, get out!"
A pair of blue-black severed hands reached out from under the sofa, inching closer to Chi Shen, about to grasp his ankles.
Chi Shen turned on the living room light and unzipped his black backpack, first taking out Bai Wan's memorial tablet.
The bloody palm print on the tablet twitched, and an eerie aura poured out from the backpack. The terrifying atmosphere it emitted instantly silenced the entire room.
Chi Shen placed the tablet on the coffee table, and then took out a paper phone and a broken bowl, placing them beside the table.
Once again, faint sounds echoed in the room. The blue severed hand quickly and cautiously retreated under the sofa. The eye on the chandelier vanished in haste, and the specter from the kitchen, glaring resentfully at Chi Shen, began retreating backward.
"I forgot to introduce myself in the rush earlier," Chi Shen said, dropping his backpack and looking around the room with a smile, "My name is Chi Shen, and I'm your new roommate. I hope we can get along well."
The ghostly figure in the kitchen vanished around the corner, and all the strange sounds ceased, including the dripping sound from the bathroom.
Receiving no response, Chi Shen wasn't discouraged. He knew that good cohabitation required effort from both sides. Perhaps his roommates had social anxiety, but that was okay. He was sociable, and there'd be plenty of time to interact with his new roommates.
After putting down his backpack, Chi Shen dragged his black suitcase into the master bedroom.
His primary concern was how to keep the corpse, which resembled Ji Xingchen, in the apartment without alarming the neighbors.
After politely inviting the blue-faced ghost hiding under the bed to leave, Chi Shen gazed at the suitcase contemplatively. Ji Xingchen helped him close the bedroom door and asked, "Are you planning to keep him in the bedroom?"
Chi Shen unzipped the suitcase, and an overwhelming scent of blood mixed with a consuming murderous intent filled the room. He replied, "This should be the safest place."
Ji Xingchen didn't ask what he meant by "safe." Amidst this overwhelming aura, he stood still, looking at the man inside the suitcase, unfazed.
Under the light, the corpse, which bore a striking resemblance to Ji Xingchen, appeared peaceful and pale, contrasting starkly with the emotion it emanated.
"We should give him a name, constantly referring to him as 'the corpse' doesn't feel right," Chi Shen pondered, "How about Ji Xingchen Number 2?"
He was seeking Ji Xingchen's opinion, who replied calmly, "I have no objections."
"Next, we should consult the opinion of 'Xingxing' himself," Chi Shen squatted down, staring at Ji Xingchen Number 2, and gently touched the chain on his chest.
The blood that seeped from the chain had soaked several talisman papers. Chi Shen thought to himself, it was fortunate he had brought Ji Xingchen Number 2 here quickly. Otherwise, if the talismans were fully soaked and started leaking from the suitcase, wouldn't it look like a crime scene?
Ji Xingchen's lips twitched, seemingly puzzled by the rapid naming transition from Ji Xingchen Number 2 to Xingxing, but he held back any sarcastic remarks. All he said was, "Alright."
Chishen lifted Jixingchen No. 2 from the ground and placed him on the bed, using a tattered garment, torn by Jixingchen No. 2, as bedding beneath him.
Under the soft glow of the light, the pallid corpse on the bed seemed oddly serene and even visually pleasing.
"You may awaken now," Chishen whispered as he gazed upon the man on the bed.
The scattered emotions of agony in the room suddenly coalesced, freezing in place.
The man on the bed didn't open his eyes, but everyone knew he had awakened.
"What's your relationship with Jixingchen?" Chishen glanced at Jixingchen, voicing the question that weighed heavily on his mind.
The air stilled for a moment, then bloody characters manifested in midair:
—— He is my torment.
