Chapter 23: Breakdown

Chapter 23: Breakdown

A tense silence befell the entire room at Ruan Nanzhus words. Although his playful tone made it seem as though he was trying to lighten the mood and joke around, no one in this situation could laugh. Having already suffered so many ordeals, everyone couldnt help but believe that this light-hearted comment would surely come true; after all, even their wildest imagination could come true in this torturous nightmare.

Xiao Yis corpse had inexplicably vanished. They had been here for three days, and there were only four days left until the birthday party. Xiao Yi had been met with such a tragic death yesterday, and at the time, her mother wept so outrageously, to the point that even others found her reaction a bit too exaggerated; and yet, not even a full day had passed, before she seemed to have already recovered from her deep grief. While repeatedly muttering that it was time to prepare the birthday cake, she scurried back into the kitchen. No one knew what exactly she was up to; they only heard loud crashes, shrill noises, and rushed footsteps echoing from within the kitchen as she busied herself.

The atmosphere was dark and complex. Everyones hearts were heavy, and a bad premonition kept haunting the back of their minds, but at this very moment, no one could put a finger on the emotion they were feeling, or why they were feeling this way; they just subconsciously knew that something dreadfully ominous was approaching.

Tang Yaoyao believed that the old grandmother and the youngster living downstairs were especially vital to solving this mystery, so she and Zhang Xinghuo both headed back downstairs to discreetly gather more information from the two of them. Ruan Nanzhu, however, didnt bother joining them. Instead, he and Lin Qiushi began discussing some matters in the room. Accompanying them as they conversed were a pale and haggard Xu Xiaocheng and Zeng Ruguo. Unable to endure any more of this terrifying nightmare, the pair of dazed individuals just remained seated, huddled into a ball, completely frightened out of their wits.

Amongst all the rustling noises coming from the kitchen, there was one distinct sound they couldnt turn a deaf ear tothe mother humming a tune to herself. Her eerie voice pierced their ears, causing their blood to run cold.

The bedroom doors were shut tight, and the two surviving identical little sisters were hiding somewhere in their room, doing God-knows-what.

Zeng Ruguo, who drank too much water because of nervousness, announced that he wished to go to the bathroom. As he said this, he slowly swept a pitiful upward glance at Lin Qiushi, the pleas shining in his wide eyes couldnt be any more obvious.

Whats up? Seeing that sad puppy dog expression on a fully-grown male like Zeng Ruguo made Lin Qiushis hair stand on edge. Feeling awfully disturbed at being stared at by the other like that, Lin Qiushi cautiously withdrew, then asked, Why are you looking at me like that? What are you trying to say?

Big brother1 Yu Ummm, thats Zeng Ruguo seemed rather embarrassed. But he soon gritted his teeth and, throwing his pride away, he begged, Can you go with me? Im a little too scared to go alone.

There was only one public bathroom available, and it was the same public bathroom where Lin Qiushi spotted that deformed babys corpse. Seeing the fear and worry on Zeng Ruguos face, Lin Qiushi gave a brisk nod and responded, Sure. To be honest, I just had an urge to go to the bathroom too, so how about we go together?

Beyond ecstatic, Zeng Ruguo energetically bobbed his head in agreement.

Thereupon, the two headed off to the bathroom.

Before they knew it, it was already afternoon. Although it was only about three oclock, it might as well have been dusk, for pitch-black shadows were already enveloping the skies outside. There was a window beside the toilet, allowing one to view the outside scenery through the glass. Before Lin Qiushi went to the toilet, he gazed outside the window, only to be faced with curtains of dense fog concealing the world. He couldnt see anything past that dark fog; in fact, he might as well have been trying to see with both of his eyes closed.

Lin Qiushi quickly finished his business. After noticing Zeng Ruguo was urinating in one of the innermost stalls, he said to the other, Ill wait for you outside.

Okay. Zeng Ruguo let out an awkward chuckle.

Lin Qiushi walked to the doorway and began waiting for Zeng Ruguo there. He fished out his mobile phone and looked at it, only to strangely discover there was actually signal on his cellular phone. After pondering over it for a while, he didnt dare make any callshe was afraid of what freakish things in this godawful place might end up answering his call.

Lin Qiushi had originally thought Zeng Ruguo would finish up soon, but even after waiting for four to five minutes, there werent any signs of him coming out of the bathroom; as a matter of fact, there werent any signs of movement inside, not a single sound could be heard. Suddenly, an unpleasant sense of dread struck Lin Qiushi; that bad gut feeling tormented the pit of his stomach, causing every nerve in his body to tense. It wasnt long before the faint scent of iron assaulted his nostrils. Lin Qiushi was awfully familiar with this metallic smell, as hed smelled it countless times before. At once, he knew what it wasthe smell of blood.

Zeng Ruguo!!! Lin Qiushi didnt charge directly inside. Rather, he loudly shouted Zeng Ruguos name from the door.

There was no response from the bathroom, only an unsettling silence that was all but reassuring.

Lin Qiushi hesitated for a moment; he then lifted his foot and entered the bathroom once again. But the moment he stepped foot into the bathroom, he caught a sound that was difficult to describe with mere words.

Lin Qiushi had never heard such a sound before. It he had to describe it simply, it was like someone was smashing an extremely hard object in one strike with all of their might. Again, and again, and again But presumably, that hard object wasnt particularly sturdy, because Lin Qiushi clearly heard a resounding crack, as if something just shattered into numerous fragmented pieces.

By now, a thin layer of cold sweat coated Lin Qiushis back; his voice trembled ever so slightly as he tentatively called out, Zeng Ruguo, you still there?

Yet, there still was no response. Lin Qiushis instantly heart sank in his chest. He knew it with certainty, Zeng Ruguo had definitely been met with wretched misfortune. Through the small crack in the stall, Lin Qiushi looked at the spot Zeng Ruguo shouldve been located, only to see bright crimson liquid painting the floor, flowing endlessly. His gaze followed the trail of the blood that was slowly trickling along the ground, running down the crack in the ceramic floor tile. Seeing that the blood was about to touch his feet, Lin Qiushi swiftly hopped back, quickly evading it.

Zeng Ruguo, are you still there? Once again, Lin Qiushi called out to the other. But he soon noticed that the blood on the floor seemed to have come to life. As if they were twisted hands trying to seize his shadow, they writhed around and began to reach out, relentlessly pursuing him and trying to catch his steps. At first, the speed at which the blood flowed towards him was slow, but gradually, the speed increased; it was growing even faster and harder to avoid. Lin Qiushi had just barely managed to escape being stained with blood.

Upon witnessing this, Lin Qiushi didnt dare stay in the bathroom any longer. He frantically ran out of the bathroom and rushed back to the room, Bad news, you two, this isnt good. Something terrible has happened to Zeng Ruguo.

Ruan Nanzhu and Xu Xiaocheng immediately stopped talking. They both turned their heads around and looked up. Whats the matter?

Between his shallow pants, Lin Qiushi gasped out, I was waiting for him outside, but because I didnt hear anything for a while, I decided to go back in and check. When I entered the bathroom again, all I saw was blood on the ground. He knitted his brows, the corners of his lips curled downwards. The blood just kept flowing towards me, it seemed to be chasing me, as if it wanted to catch me. I didnt dare stay there any longer. I just left the bathroom as fast as I could.

Ruan Nanzhu asked, Blood? Did you get any on you? It hasnt touched you, right?

Lin Qiushi shook his head no.

Oh, then its fine. Ruan Nanzhu said, Come, lets go take a look at it together now. Besides, its not like we can just avoid going to the bathroom for the next few days.

Xu Xiaochengs expression began to distort and her complexion turned paler, the more she listened to Lin Qiushis account. According to Ruan Nanzhu, Xu Xiaocheng was a very popular celebrity in reality, and this also wasnt the first time she had entered the door world. But whether she was truly terrified or merely pretending to act scared was something Lin Qiushi could never figure out for the life of him; he just stood there blankly, lost in his thoughts, trying to guess if her reaction was genuine or not.

What are you thinking about? asked Ruan Nanzhu upon seeing his distracted appearance.

Lin Qiushi shook himself out of his daze. Nothing.

Youre getting used to this. Ruan Nanzhu commented. Your ability to adapt is quite remarkable.

Ruan Nanzhu walked ahead of the group. His face didnt contain the slightest trace of fear or shock; it was as though hed already anticipated the death of Zeng Ruguo. But if he had to be honest, Lin Qiushi also felt the same as Ruan Nanzhu; although he didnt know exactly why he thought this way, he just had a hunch that Zeng Ruguo would be the very first to die.

Ruan Nanzhu headed for the bathroom and strolled right inside. He glanced at the ground and warned the others, Dont step on the blood.

But within a few minutes, the bright red blood before their eyes coagulated into a thick, black liquid, as if it had long been dried up.

Ruan Nanzhu stepped over the blood and caught sight of Zeng Ruguos corpse. He softly clicked his tongue and announced, Dead.

At his words, Lin Qiushi shuffled forward to observe the situation in the stall. Zeng Ruguo was indeed dead; in fact, he couldnt have been any deader.

His whole body lay strewn across the cold tiled floor, and his head seemed to have been bashed in by some instrument. Foul blood surrounded chunks of bone and macerated flesh meshed together, creating a noxious stage of grotesquerie.

Xu Xiaocheng covered her mouth and began dry-heaving, once again.

Lin Qiushi, on the other hand, was too distracted with other thoughts to feel the need to vomit; he recalled that strange thwacking sound he heard at the entrance of the bathroom. As of this very moment, he finally realized what that noise wasthat sound obviously couldnt be anything other than someone smashing Zeng Ruguos head in with a hammer.

Hmm Ruan Nanzhu tilted his head as he mused on something. Dont you guys think theres something missing?

Lin Qiushi wondered, Whats missing? But after examining the scene carefully, he finally discovered what exactly was missing. Hishis brain?

Ruan Nanzhu: Mhm, its as gone as him.

Lin Qiushi fell silent.

Zeng Ruguos skull had been cracked like an egg. It was nearly impossible for Lin Qiushi to recognize its original shape, and the others brain, which shouldve been smearing and bespattering the tiled floor like the pieces of fragmented bone and putrid flesh that were scattered across the ground before them, was nowhere to be found.

Fucking hell. As it eventually registered in his head, Lin Qiushi, who rarely cursed before experiencing these incidents, spit out a string of unpleasant profanities. Dont tell me were the eggs?

Lin Qiushi remembered what Ruan Nanzhu had once said. He recalled how a conflict broke out between Zhong Chengjian and two of the triplets, and reckoned that something would happen later tonight.

It could be that I made a mistake. Perhaps the condition of death I guessed is incorrect. Ruan Nanzhu, who was lying down right next to Lin Qiushi, knew what the other was thinking, and he comforted him. Your heart is too soft. In this world, its necessary to abandon some things.

Lin Qiushi didnt speak at the moment and, instead, sighed softly, I could have done something; I could have prevented it

Ruan Nanzhu: You dont have to be responsible for any of their lives.

Lin Qiushi smiled wryly upon hearing this, Just who exactly is taking responsibility? I just dont want any more people to die. His own life was being protected by Ruan Nanzhu, so, naturally, he wouldnt be arrogant enough to believe he could heroically protect and save the lives of everyone.

Well. Ruan Nanzhu hummed. In the end, life and death are ruled by fate, and we cannot do anything about it; those destined to die will pass on, and those fated to live will continue to live until death comes around for them. However, if Lin Qiushi couldnt care any less about the lives of others, if he was just a cowardly and selfish good-for-nothing, Ruan Nanzhu also wouldnt treat him as he did now; in fact, he wouldnt even spare the other a glance.

Some things were just inherently contradictory.

The dim lights scarcely brightened up the narrow room. Lin Qiushi pressed the switch and the room was submerged in darkness.

Because of what happened the night before, they changed sleeping locations and didnt dare rest their heads near the corridor wall.

Ill be counting on you tonight. Ruan Nanzhu straight-forwardly stated before going to bed. Im like a pig when I fall asleep. I cant hear anything, unless someone wakes me up.

Lin Qiushi: For the first time, he felt that his acute sense of hearing was such a pain. It wouldve been nice to be like Ruan Nanzhu, not hearing anything and being able to sleep through the night peacefully until dawn.

Both of them thought that Zhong Chengjian would die tonight, but the result was that no incidents broke out that night. Which is why when Zhong Chengjian arrived at the table to eat breakfast the next morning, everyone turned their heads in his direction, fixing their attention on him and staring at him strangely.

Why are you all looking at me like that? asked Zhong Chengjiang, perplexed by the abnormal looks he was receiving.

No one replied to his question. They simply bowed their heads and continued eating the meal in front of them.

Todays breakfast was bland porridge and dry bread. Having eaten like this for a several days in a row, Lin Qiushi really didnt have an appetite when he laid eyes on that tasteless bread, but he still had to eat.

Zhong Chengjian took a seat and picked up the bowl of porridge. He raised it to his mouth and began slurping on it. However, he barely took two sips from the bowl, when his body stiffened and he suddenly stopped moving. Thats when his expression changed greatly. He instantly put a hand over his mouth and began hacking violently, as if thick phlegm was lodged in the back of his throat, choking him, unable to be removed despite his sharp wheezing and gagging.

Whats wrong? Tang Yaoyao, who was sitting right next to him, was surprised at his sudden bout of coughing.

Cough, cough, cough! What the hell is this Zhong Chengjian coughed up what he just ate, only to see that the porridge he just spit out onto the floor was dyed red with his blood. He then thrusted his hand into his mouth, and using his fingers to dig inside his throat for a while, he finally pulled out a thin object.

Everyone who saw what he just retrieved from the inside of his mouth sucked in a cool, startled breath, utterly shocked at the sight before them, for what that object actually turned out to be was a thumb-sized needle, sharpened at both ends and stained with crimson blood. Fortunately, Zhong Chengjian did not swallow it directly, or else he surely wouldve died if it lacerated his esophagus. Nevertheless, even though he discovered the needle sooner, he had still been injured by it, and the thick blood continuously dribbling down the side of his mouth was proof of this.

Motherfucker! Pure rage consumed Zhong Chengjian, and he wrathfully threw the needle to the ground. Who the fuck put this in my bowl!

Not a single person uttered a sound. Fraught silence filled the air, straining everyones nerves.

That woman prepared the porridge. Tang Yaoyao finally spoke. It was already set up before we arrived at the table. We all just randomly took a seat.

No. Ruan Nanzhu disagreed. Zhong Chengjian is usually the one who arrives the latest. Because he was normally the last to sit down at the table, everyone habitually left the outermost position for him. This persons target was Zhong Chengjian.

So youre saying the woman put in the needle in his bowl? Tang Yaoyao asked in disbelief.

Ruan Nanzhu gazed at the bloodstains on the ground. Maybe.

Trembling all over in sheer fury, Zhong Chengjian rushed into the kitchen to find the woman and demand an explanation from her.

The woman didnt even bat an eyelid at being confronted by a raging Zhong Chengjian; her face was expressionless. Donning an apron and with a cooking spoon in hand, she told him, I dont understand what youre saying.

Did you put a goddamn needle in my bowl? Zhong Chengjian quickly demanded, simultaneously pointing at his bloodied mouth. Are you trying to kill me?

The woman looked at him indifferently, unsympathetically, as if all she was staring at was a mere carcass.

One after another, everyone chased after Zhong Chengjian into the kitchen and urged him not to act so rashly. Zhang Xinghuo gently tugged him back and openly advised him to not start a fight with the woman head-on.

Youre all cowards! Zhong Chengjian completely lost his cool. The toxic fear and anger that he suppressed in his heart ever since he arrived in this world finally erupted. No one couldve imagined that his next action would be to run towards the cutting board and pick up the knife the woman often used when preparing the meals. Fuck it! What ghosts, huh?! Gods or demons, just kill them, and itll all be over; theyll all be gone!!! With the swing of his arm, he aimed at the woman directly in front of him, cutting her down.

Everyone was paralyzed on the spot at this unexpected scene. Ruan Nanzhu was the first to react. In that split-second, he grabbed ahold of both Lin Qiushi and Xu Xiaocheng, who stood in front of him, and swiftly retreated, dragging them back, as well. Tang Yaoyao, who was still in shock, didnt react, and her entire body was splashed in warm blood.

Ahhhh!!! As the woman was being sliced and hacked to death, she emitted the most miserable screeches. At long last, her body limply flopped to the ground, and it was in that very moment she took her last breath.

Die! Ill kill you! Ill kill you! Pure insanity and evil clouded Zhong Chengjians blood-red eyes. As if he were possessed, he stabbed the woman again and again, relentlessly chopping her up even after she no longer resembled a human.

It wasnt until exhaustion overcame him and he sat on the ground, panting heavily, that the madness in his eyes gradually faded away, leaving behind a strange sense of emptiness and devastating panic. The quivering of his weak voice revealed how unstable the man was. I-II killed a person?

Zhong Chengjian, are you mental?! Youre a fucking psycho!! Tang Yaoyaos shrill voice rang in from all sides of the room. Do you have any idea what youve done

I killed someone? Zhong Chengjian sounded as if he was on the verge of sobbing; his voice cracked, words got caught in his throat, and mournful cries seemed to be threatening to bubble up from within.

The point isnt that you killed someone, but whether that certain someone you killed was a person in the first place. Although Tang Yaoyao soon backed away, her body was still stained with blood. Fuming, she glared at Zhong Chengjian and hissed, Can you be so sure she wont come back for you tonight?

Zhong Chengjian slowly heaved himself up off the ground. He looked as if his mind and spirit had long collapsed. He lifelessly chanted, I killed someone. I killed someone, then released the knife in his hand, allowing it to fall to the floor.

And this is exactly why I hate rookies. Ruan Nanzhu leaned his chin against Lin Qiushis shoulder, snuggling into the crook of his neck. He grumbled, Their nerves are as thin as hair. A person who cant keep themselves in check, who doesnt tread cautiously and meaningfully, will almost always run into danger.

Lin Qiushi asked, What happens if someone kills an NPC.

Ruan Nanzhu whispered back, Well, one can assume nothing good will come out of that, obviously. He then paused, In any case, its all death in the end. The only difference is that the manner in which they die may be slightly more tragic than the rest; but other than that, theres nothing more to it.

Lin Qiushi:

Authors Comment:

Ruan Nanzhu: His nerves are way too thin; hes no good. Do you like them thick or thin?

Lin Qiushi: No questions asked, I prefer them thick.

Ruan Nanzhu: Hehehe, well youre in luck, cause Im extremely thick.

Lin Qiushi: .

1Here he used (Xiao Ge). Ge or Gege means big brother and is normally used to address blood-related older brothers or males older than you (as seen with how Cheng Qianli address his older twin and RNZ). However, Xiao Ge is used by those who know they are older than a younger person, yet still want to kiss up to/flatter the younger one by calling them Big Bro (as seen with ZRG calling LQS Big bro, despite clearly knowing that LQS is much, much younger.)