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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 88: The Mystery of the Deep Alley - Continuation (Three)
Seeing Shen Shoucai's interest in what I had briefly explained, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. However, after considering it further, I realized that this idea could not be implemented. Shen Shoucai was the Azure-Headed Ghost, and he could only reincarnate if he encountered a Willing to Sacrifice Her Untouched Maiden Body. Although that would be quite a hassle, it was also a shortcut.
If I were to rely on accumulating Yin De through arduous cultivation to exchange for a reincarnation opportunity, that would take an eternity. Not wanting to expose my master's carefully laid plans, I elaborated on the issue that Shen Shoucai had mentioned just a minute ago.
I recounted how I had seen the old man sweeping and then disappearing in the bathroom, as well as my encounter with the Addict. The Addict had asked for a cigarette, which I refused, but he insisted on telling me something important before the bizarre death case on Fruit Street unfolded.
Shen Shoucai fell into deep thought, seemingly contemplating the matter seriously. I swallowed half a bowl of rice and was about to get up to wash up and sleep when he suddenly asked, "Do you think the Addict knew about the Fruit Street incident and was hinting at you?"
"Isn't it possible?"
"It could be a coincidence as well. Do you want me to help you investigate?" The Azure-Headed Ghost could only attack wandering spirits if he hadn't found a maiden to target within a short period; he relied on absorbing ghostly energy to enhance his own power.
I couldn't let Shen Shoucai go out like that. I refused his offer, and he had no choice but to stay put in his original spot in the room.
After tidying up, I remembered to call Qin Jian to check if he had arrived home safely. However, when I picked up my phone, I discovered it was dead. I had drained the battery using my Mobile Flashlight in the Fruit Street bathroom. Unable to contact Qin Jian, I decided to charge my phone and then call him. When I dialed his number, it went straight to voicemail! It seemed he was in the same situation as me—his phone was dead too. The difference was that he had turned his off while charging, whereas mine was still on.
Sleeping—lying in bed felt so comfortable. My mind involuntarily wandered to Mi. Mi, I miss you. I hugged my pillow, imagining it was Mi's face, her chest, her hands. Mi and I were entwined together; she kept burrowing into my embrace.
Suddenly, I truly felt someone in my arms. She was cold and lacked warmth; my hand brushed against equally cold hair. Then she began to move slowly—her dark hair parted to reveal a pale face.
I was terrified!
She wasn't Mi; her blood-red eyes dripped with blood as she glared at me with resentment and said, "It's all your fault for not saving me." Damn! This was terrifying; I woke up with a start from an overwhelming sense of guilt combined with the sight of that face—I opened my eyes without realizing it.
What I saw wasn't my sleeping place but a foul-smelling bathroom. I curled up on the floor. No wonder even under thick blankets I still felt cold; it seemed I'd been lying on the ground all along—in the bathroom.
But this bathroom wasn't from my own place; the familiar stench and flickering light about to go out made it clear that I lay in the very bathroom where the incident on Fruit Street had occurred.
I slowly got up, and the light flickered once before going out completely. Darkness engulfed me in an instant. I heard the sound of footsteps, and I whispered, "Who?" My voice sounded weak and pale in the small bathroom.
The footsteps abruptly ceased. I stood still, reaching out to feel around, only to realize that I was in my pajamas and Eighteen Cubes was nowhere to be found. With no other choice, I decided to take a risk and try the spell my master had taught me.
“All Laws Return to Origin, fire follow me, return to heart, gather at my fingertips, Urgent Command!” A faint blue flame burst forth from my fingers, flickering weakly as if it could extinguish at any moment. In that moment, illuminated by the dim blue flame, I caught sight of a slender figure.
A woman was upside down, one hand dragging her along the ground, while the old man was not an old man at all but a robust man. Just as quickly as it appeared, the faint blue flame extinguished with a puff. I hadn’t seen the man's face clearly when a sharp pain pierced my chest.
It hurt too much; this was the consequence of using Purgatory Flame with insufficient cultivation. I curled up on the ground as a chilling sensation invaded my bones. The combination of pain and cold made me feel like I was losing consciousness, and then everything went black.
After a brief unconsciousness without any other anomalies, I finally heard a sound resembling knocking at the door. When I opened my eyes again, I thought to myself that someone might be coming in to use the bathroom since nearby residents often did so.
But to my surprise, when I opened my eyes, the scene before me was not Fruit Street, but my own home.
The floor was smooth and shiny, and on the wall hung a picture of a row of sexy women in swimsuits. The moon, stars, and Earth hung from an old chandelier left by the landlord. The person knocking at the door couldn’t possibly be Shen Shoucai.
“Master Ma, your phone.”
My phone was charging by the TV outlet in the living room. Once I confirmed that I was indeed at home and not in the bathroom, I got up. My head felt heavy and dizzy, my legs were weak, and even more strangely, my feet were dirty as if I had walked a long distance; there was fine sand-like mud on the soles.
This was something that could only stick to your feet on the road and required water to wash off. Looking at my shoes, I saw one pair neatly placed beside my bed before I went to sleep. Did I go out last night? As I pondered deeper into this thought, it felt like my head would explode from pain.
Had I lost my mind? Asking myself this question, Shen Shoucai stared at me with a confused expression: “Master Ma, didn’t you sleep well last night?”
I looked up at him feeling quite unsettled and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”
“Just go look in the mirror.” Shen Shoucai filled the room with a fragrant porridge smell. His words sounded serious; instead of checking what for breakfast, I headed straight for the washroom.
The mirror quietly stared back at me. For the first time, I felt a sense of dread facing my reflection. What did Shen Shoucai mean by his earlier words? Had a bunch of pimples suddenly appeared on my face overnight? Impossible, I was no longer a teenager; I shouldn't be breaking out anymore.
So what could it be?
Finally, a version of myself appeared in the mirror, looking haggard and pale, with a lifeless expression, as if I had been drained by a ghost last night.
Qin Jian had called me early in the morning, but I didn't answer. Shen Shoucai didn't dare to pick up my call either. He had already hung up. I washed my face and rubbed it vigorously with my hands, trying to make my complexion look better; right now, I looked as if I had liver disease.
Not only that, but I also noticed that my eyes were bloodshot. This was the consequence of using Purgatory Flame without sufficient cultivation. I took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily at the mirror, causing it to fog up. Behind the mist, my complexion seemed a little less terrible.
Reluctant to wipe the mirror clean, I stepped out of the bathroom and decided to contact Qin Jian first. The call connected quickly. Qin Jian asked why I hadn't answered earlier, and I told him I hadn't fully woken up yet. Then he asked, "Want to grab breakfast outside?"
"Is that why you called me?"
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