Chapter 22: 2.6

Sure enough, the little dumpling was very good. Forget three days, barely a few hours had passed before the boy had warily tiptoed into the room again making Jia Hyson laugh. Maybe it was because he was a child and was more sensitive to these things, the little boy froze when he chuckled, as if he had heard something.

"H-hello? I'm, I'm back.. um," he fishes out some brightly colored balls and scurries to place them on the oak desk, "I brought some candy, I, I didn't know which one you liked so..."

Jia Hyson stuffed his metaphorical fingers in his metaphorical mouth as he tried not to squeal like a little girl meeting her idol. Ah, this kid was so cute! Was kids always this cute? Those pudgy cheeks! The naturally pouting face! That small slight chubby body!! He wants to squeeze the child until he suffocates and pull his adorable limbs off his body one by one! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

Bebe: '...Bebe is going to go apply for a free therapeutic code okay? It's only for Hosts on the verge of mental breakdowns but Bebe believes the overseer for the class will understand.'

Jia Hyson: '...' How rude. Clearly he wasn't being serious. Well. He might not have been completely joking, but he really wouldn't have done it!!!

...but pinching the boy's cheeks should be fine right? (∩❛ڡ❛∩)

Jia Hyson materializes one of his hands and glances at it. His nails were black and while they weren't very long, it was undeniable that they were sharp and pointed, perfect for tearing flesh and piercing bones.

...damn, is he allowed no pleasures in the afterlife?

His three loves, sex, wi-fi and food couldn't be indulged. Well, with Bebe he could technically use the universal wi-fi but apparently he only had the Noob Plan which only gives him 1GB a month. Jia Hyson hadn't been aware of this since his previous world was a beautiful place with free hotspots everywhere, and Bebe used most of this month's data for information gathering.

Bebe: QAQ Bebe has been a good hardworking system so why does Bebe feel hostile intent?

With his corporal hand, he picks up a pen and writes, 'Grape flavor,' in an elegant, of somewhat shaky scrawl. The boy watches the faint pale hand move the pen in wide-eyed awe. Li Guiren couldn't help but feel like it was a very pretty hand, like it had been carved from jade. Subconsciously he reaches out to touch but before he could even get close the hand disappeared and the pen dropped back onto the desk.

Li Guiren felt both a sense of relief and disappointment.

However, seeing that the ghost seemed to be friendly, Li Guiren felt emboldened and smiled excitedly. After all what kid didn't want to have a ghost friend?

"I- I also like grape flavor!" He stammers, "But I will give it to you," he quickly gathers up all the other candy save for the purple one and stuffs it back into his pocket before watching intently at sacrificed sweet.

Jia Hyson's lips twitch, such a silly boy. He reminds him a little of Drake. The thought of having a resemblance to his past lover unknowingly further improved his impression of the child in his mind and his previously bemused yet detached attitude became a little more indulgent. Picking up the candy, he makes a show of unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth, making his mouth tangible enough to hold the sweet in but without compromising his transparent state. While he cannot eat nor taste it, to the boy's eyes it would look like an invisible person had swallowed it down.

Since the candy and the ghost could not be seen, Jia Hyson retreated to subtly spit out the candy behind the platform his doll vessel sat on. Absentmindedly he noticed that the sweet wasn't affected at all, no stickiness from saliva or anything. It was in the exact same state as when he took it out from the wrapper. He shouldn't have been surprised but he was. It really brought home how he truly was no longer part of the living world here.

The melancholy however was short-lived as the little dumpling opened his mouth once again, "Did you like it? Was, was it good?"

Such sweet words of innocent concern, like eating a bad piece of candy was one of the worst things the world could offer, made Jia Hyson's heart itch. He felt like a soft cat paw was rubbing his chest. Even Bebe was melting. Their only source of human interaction was the crazy Professor Shen and each other. One was a doll pervert, crazy cultist-murderer, one was a regular pervert murderer turned crazy ghost and the last one was an asshole spicy chicken system with no confirmed kills. It was truly a beautiful situation that one couldn't find anywhere.

Bebe: 'QAQ lets keep the dumpling here forever okay?'

Jia Hyson, pulling out his evil ghost claws: 'I agree. Such a cute little dumpling doll would probably give this space some positive Feng shui for once,' ψ(｀∇´)ψ

Bebe: ..Fuck this is why we never get nice things isn't it? _:(´ཀ`」∠):_

Jia Hyson's hand reaches out to draw a simple smiley face and rubs the little boy's hair, making him shriek and giggle I'm delighted surprise. Jia Hyson's hand quickly retreated at the sharp, bubbly noise, feeling a little lost and unsettled. It had been a while since he's heard such happy laughter. Which was an incredibly depressing thought in itself.

'Name?' Jia Hyson wrote.

"My name is Li Guiren!" Li Guiren begins to easily volunteer his personal information in a manner which made Jia Hyson feel like this kid would never make it as a spy, "I am six and a half years old, my birthday's the start of summer but I like spring better, my favorite color is red, my dad plays the drums and my mum... she is like you! Except, well, dad says she went somewhere else which was much better than here." He bites his lip a little, eyes dimming for a moment before he moves his attention shyly to the desk with the piece of paper. "What about you? What's your name?"

With some thought Jia Hyson decides to be truthful to some extent, he doesn't want the kid to go all junior detective and solve his death for him. That mystery is for the protagonists to discover. Or the police. Whoever figures it out first he's not picky. Also, the kid seems like a bit of a dumbass, better not accidentally make him seek death.

'Call me Wei,' he finally writes, 'I am a doll spirit.' There, that's rather tame.

Li Guiren of course easily accepted it. If he was older maybe he would be a little more suspicious. After all, in stories, spirits formed from objects like dolls were usually made from being dearly loved and would take soft and gentle forms to reflect that. Jia Hyson's hands, while beautiful, clearly had demonic attributes more suited to an evil spirit.

The little dumpling's face scrunched up and surveyed the countless rows of dolls in the room. There really was an absurd amount, from European-style to Japanese the collection was neither lacking in quantity or quality. However, of course there was only one doll that could stand above the others, literally. Only his vessel stood alone and sat on a pedestal. Professor Shen likes to take time to dress up his body and his pedestal so this time he was posed to sit languidly on a golden lounge chair with pale green and white ancient Chinese robes. The pedestal was covered in flowing light blue fabric that gave the impression of sitting by a flowing river. It's slanted peach blossom eyes that had been painted to always look like it was on the brink of tears, while his long black hair was strewn artfully down his shoulders, reaching almost down to his legs.

It was hard for the eyes not to be drawn to Bai Li Wei, even in doll form. Jia Hyson had to admit whoever molded him was very good, it was realistic without being too Stepford Housewife, and the doll seemed to natural exude a mysteriously enticing yet at the same time frightening and unnerving aura thanks to the spirit that haunts it. Li Guiren was no exception and quickly plods toward where his body sat. Not like it was a trek to get there, only a step or two away from the desk. Professor Shen likes to look at him while he works.

Fucking pervert.

Bebe: '... 눈_눈 You should talk.'

Jia Hyson: 'Dude, Σ(°△°|||) I told you about my kinks in the safe space. The. Safe. Space. You're not supposed to judge me in my safe space.'

Bebe: 'Ohohoho you really misinterpreted what the safe space was for then you damn freaky nympho.' (ꐦ ´͈ ᗨ `͈ )

Jia Hyson: 'Wuwuwu where's Fishball? I miss Fishball!' ಥ_ಥ

Bebe: 'Fuck Fishball!!'

Jia Hyson: ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )

"This is you?" Li Guiren stares at the doll with wide eyes. The more he looks the more sure he is. "You're so beautiful!" He exclaims.

Jia Hyson: '...'

Bebe: 'Hahaha! You're blushing! My shameless host is blushing because of a five year old! Let Bebe record this data fluctuation!'

Jia Hyson: 'Shut up! You're blushing! Your whole family is blushing!'

Bebe: 'Oh now we have to keep the kid now!'

And they did.

...

For the next few days Li Guiren visits the doll room to chat with Jia Hyson. At the beginning he would bring a bunch of scrap paper to exchange words on but by then end he instead smuggled in his sketchbook, making it easier to save their conversations together.

Jia Hyson learnt that Shen Wan hasn't been the best substitute mother to Li Guiren. Don't get him wrong, she isn't abusive or anything, just a little neglectful and selfish. The type who has trouble remembering there's a second smaller person in the house and finds the telly as the best free babysitter one can find. Li Guiren was used to being more or less self-sufficient so he hasn't been actually suffering or anything, but it was clear from the way he speaks that the kid is desperately lonely.

Jia Hyson could use this.

Bebe: 'You sound more and more like a predator grooming your prey every day.'

Jia Hyson: '...' he has nothing to say to this.

Now Jia Hyson wasn't really fond of kids in his original life. However that could not be said to be the same for kids. He remembers being forced to babysit or take charge in watching over tiny tots and chatty children during family gatherings or when his parents invite friends or business partners over. Jia Hyson had been unfortunately born in that awkward time where no one in the family or the family's social circle were the same age as him, they were either eight years older or eight years younger with the exception of his own brother who was two years his junior. Unfortunately, his brother was a lot more serious and mature than he had been so most adults at that time would invite him to the adult table to speak about, ugh, politics, leaving Jia Hyson to listen intently to the CEO's three-year old try explain what she was drawing.

It wasn't that he disliked them per say. They were cute, easy to entertain and admittedly his own rather... creative mentality was very compatible to their wavelength.

Bebe: 'Childish. The word you were looking for is childish.'

Jia Hyson: 'Shut up and let me monologue you bitch.'

However the reason why he isn't very fond of them is quite simple. It's because they aren't very interesting to him.

The fact that Jia Hyson had only gotten a little bored of the sticky child by the fourth day was already a miracle in itself. Jia Hyson theorizes that it was because of the extenuating circumstances of living for months in a negative filled doll hellhole with only his system for good company and that Li Guiren was a cute little fucker. Still, despite that, Jia Hyson was quickly finding Li Guiren a little too tiresome. Another problem with kids was that once they found someone they were comfortable with, they were reluctant to let go. He's probably had more kids cry on him begging him not to leave than he's had lovers do the same. The only difference is that one is only around for a few hours and the other for a few weeks.

To face the same kid for four straight days was a little... like, there is only so much nodding and 'Uh-Huh'ing he can do okay? Taking care of Maddy and Monroe was fine, Maddy was chatty sure but since she was older she was at least more eloquent and is more aware of when Jia Hyson feels less inclined to talk or socialize. Monroe had been even better, a polite boy with little words and no rebellious teenager phase. He was probably a quiet, shy boy when he was younger, the type that would be sticky but not talkative, choosing instead to sit by your side with a picture book.

Drake would probably be like Li Guiren though, chatty and needy but hard to hate.

Maybe that's also a reason why Jia Hyson lasted this long. Ah, love was really harder to shake off than he had thought. He couldn't help but feel jealous toward all the couples that still have a living significant other now that he was a dead single dog.

...Now there's a thought.

Bebe: '...Please don't use your status of being a vengeful virgin ghost to kill off happy couples.'

Jia Hyson: 'Aiyah you never let me do anything I want,'

Bebe: 'When have I- tell me one thing you've wanted to do that you didn't get to while on a mission!'

Jia Hyson: 'Not die.'

Bebe: '...' ┻━┻ ヘ╰( •̀ε•́ ╰) You got Bebe there.

Meanwhile in reality:

"-and then, and then, Police-detective Xi came in through the window and punched the bad guy!"

'What next?' Was what was written in response. This along with various renditions of 'How interesting' and 'Tell me more' has been repeated constantly on the white paper. Even as a professional award-winning writer, after three days of this he was running out of different ways to say the same shit. Occasionally he'll intersperse it with actual questions to show he was listening to the boy to throw any of his suspicions away. It's a tried and true tactic that works with anyone Jia Hyson has found.

Thankfully, by the fifth day Professor Shen arrives and Jia Hyson was confident that he had already had a decently large place in Li Guiren's heart. Enough to sway him against the adults at least, possibly even his father. It was a bit pathetic but a child's mind was filled with complex problems and relatively simple solutions. To an outsider Li Guiren was a bright lively bear child with a handsome, caring father and kind stepmother. It would be difficult to figure out he has abandonment issues, intimacy issues and a need for an older role model. However once the issues were found, Jia Hyson could solve them fairly easily. Given a few more weeks of paying attention and doting on Li Guiren and he would be eating out of the palm of his nonexistent hand.

Jia Hyson: 'Oh damn, I am grooming him.'

Bebe: 'Bebe told you!'

When Li Guiren told him Professor Shen was coming back earlier than expected with a gloomy tone Jia Hyson immediately told the child to break every single doll in the room apart from his own. It wasn't hard to convince him to do so, Li Guiren already had a pretty terrible impression of the Professor which only dropped further when he saw the doll room. Which, fair enough. By truthfully telling the boy that Professor Shen was one of the evil people responsible for trapping him in the doll and that he just wanted to scare him a little in revenge by destroying his precious doll room, how can this kid who thinks the world of him say no?

Watching each doll shatter or rip into pieces was honestly more satisfying than sex at that moment. Jia Hyson gives Li Guiren, this naughty bear child, 2333 likes when he brings out Professor Shen's golf clubs. While it wasn't as good as doing it himself, this little black heart of his was satisfied living vicariously through the child for now.

[Ding, ding! Malevolent Intent has increased to Level 7!]

Both Bebe and Jia Hyson were pleasantly surprised at the notification. It seems that not just negative emotions can be absorbed but also the catharsis of revenge will also do.

To feel so good without even exerting his own energy and collecting some bonus skill points along the way... this was, this wasn't too bad as well.

Jia Hyson: 'The child can be my hands and legs, and in return I will satisfy his heart. This sort of exchange can last for a long time until he is an adult, very good, very good. It seems I've found a good golden dumpling to play with.'

Bebe: Ah, my Host has finally stooped to finding the benefits of child labor, this rich capitalist pig has finally outdone himself *clap clap clap*

Afterwards Jia Hyson tells Li Guiren to off the lights, lock the door and put the key back where he found it before going to hide in his room and read. He emphasizes that the book should be one he's read before and that he should be caught reading at around the end of the story to make it seem like that he's spent the whole time engrossed in the narrative. Even though his family's dumpling seemed quite intelligent, he was still a child in the end and Jia Hyson has spent some time carefully instructing him the basics of lying.

So when Professor Shen arrived in the evening, he didn't notice much amiss. The only difference was that his sister was a little paler than usual, occasionally glancing at him with an odd expression on her face. However, Professor Shen didn't really see his sister on the same standing as his own and had dismissed her gaze filled with complicated thoughts as well as her strange attempt to try worm out what exactly was in his secret room. In fact, he had lashed out at her, the conference hadn't gone too well and there were rumors floating around about Bai Li Wei's disappearance that made him feel even more on edge.

That two-faced slut may have liked to play the quiet wallflower but he really had too much of a good face to not pay attention to, many of his admirers have been wondering where he had gone. No one suspected him yet but as one of his closest professors the suspicion would eventually land on his lap one way or another.

Of course because he had lashed out at Shen Wan, and inadvertently at Li Guiren as well who had been passing by to get some milk, neither were willing to speak to him anymore and hint at the strange sounds in the doll room. It made for a particularly awkward dinner that night with only Li Du being somewhat lively. His band had secured a decent gig at some club the night after or something. Li Du had completely ignored the tense atmosphere to brag about it.

If Jia Hyson had enough energy to leave the doll long enough to watch this, he would say one thing: This family... really can't stand to look at them. A psycho, a flighty layabout and a self-centered drummer. His family's dumpling is guaranteed to go rotten under these people's care.

Of course he couldn't see this, he was saving up his energy to frighten the old man to death. Instead he waits patiently and chats to Bebe.

Jia Hyson: 'Should I move my doll? Or would it be creepier if I just keep it where it is?'

Bebe: 'Maybe you could hide yourself? Like you fell behind the pedestal? That way Professor Shen will not throw you out in fear immediately,'

Jia Hyson: 'Peh, that old bastard can try! I'm not leaving this shithole until he dies!'

As expected, Professor Shen flipped his shit once he unlocked the doll room and flicked on the lights.

As expected, Jia Hyson derives immense pleasure from it.

It was like the reaction one would have when someone suddenly throws a bucket of ice water on you. First there's a second of pure shock at the stimulus, then there's the brain trying to process it, finally the sensation kicks in and the body starts to tremble, instinctively taking a step back to escape as the rush of freezing cold soaks straight into the bones, refusing to let go. Professor Shen's face of horror, confusion and fear was priceless.

[Ding, ding! Malevolent Intent has increased to Level 8!]

[Ding, ding! If Looks Could Kill (Active) has increased to Level 2!]

[Ding, ding! Cruel Caress (Active) has reached Level 3!]

He didn't know if it was Professor Shen's emotional upheaval or his own glee over it but the skill points he earned because of this were not few.

"Wha-how-" he stammers before his eyes finally land on Jia Hyson, his fear palpable and delicious. "No, this-that's-it- it's impossible!" He still denies but they both know that he knew.

Professor Shen's eyes redden, "It's impossible!" He roars, slamming his foot forward like a fierce old lion even as his arms betray him, hugging himself tightly in terror. "Who, who, who is there?! Show yourself!"

Like a wild animal shoved into a cage, the old man paces around the room frenziedly as he tries to find someone that wasn't there. Finally, with harsh, uneven breaths he turns to the last perfectly intact doll in the room. Professor Shen sucks in a deep breath as he realizes Bai Li Wei's beautifully painted face was staring straight at him. Was it always facing this way? Fear and anxiety clouds his mind and the doubt begins to grow even more.

[Activates If Looks can Kill level 2]

The eyes that were so chillingly beautiful to him just a few days ago had become just plain chilling. Like, they were looking into Professor Shen's soul. And they wanted to strangle it.

It was just a doll but inexplicably Professor Shen could feel the emotions roiling off it, the rage, the joy, the killing intent. Despite the fact it was made of porcelain and couldn't change it's face he could feel it smiling at him. Cold sweat poured out of his skin as his trembling increased under the gaze of a toy. He felt like he was losing his mind.

[Ding, ding! If Looks Could Kill (Active) has increased to Level 3!]