Horror Game Designer

Chapter 42: The Mysterious Family of the Strange Household

As the nosy neighbor left her door ajar, she observed Gao Ming and his companion departing from the fifth floor of Building B with an unwavering gaze.

“Why are there ghosts in Building B? I thought the supernatural occurrences were confined to Building A?” Zhu Miao Miao, looking visibly shaken, asked. The recent unsettling encounter with the nosy neighbor had left her deeply frightened.

Gao Ming, with a tone of sadness, replied, “Sister Fei seemed perfectly normal earlier today. It’s likely that after we left, she fell victim to a ghostly attack.” He paused, then added, “But it’s not just a simple case of her being killed. It seems she underwent a transformation into something more sinister and unworldly.”

Gao Ming examined the talisman in his hand, which remained unscathed. Based on Uncle Wu Bo’s explanations, this was a significant observation, as it implied that both Sister Fei and the nosy neighbor weren’t inherently evil spirits.

Opting for caution, they decided not to directly enter Building A, the heart of the mysterious disturbances. They chose instead to explore the surrounding areas first.

As they descended the stairs, Gao Ming heard footsteps. A young man with striking yellow-dyed hair and earrings, dressed in black with blood on his fingertips, wandered the corridor. He appeared to be in search of something, his gaze lowered.

Gao Ming, preferring to avoid confrontation, tried to pass by unnoticed. However, the young man suddenly grasped his wrist. Gao Ming tensed, ready to defend himself, but the young man simply examined him and made no further move.

“What do you want?” Gao Ming inquired.

The young man chuckled, letting go of Gao Ming’s hand, “I saw your black bracelet and thought you might be an escapee from the market.”

Gao Ming realized he was talking about the Black Ring of the Investigation Bureau, a sign recognized among fellow investigators.

The young man, revealing a gruesome scar on his forehead and bloodstains at the corner of his mouth as the wind blew his bangs aside, commented, “Those wearing black bracelets like yours are different. They’re marked by their transgressions.”

Gao Ming, trying to keep the conversation light, asked, “Should we remove our black bracelets to prevent misunderstandings?”

The young man revealed his arm, adorned with bloody black rings, and replied, “No need. We can tell them apart by their distinct aura. I just enjoy collecting these.” He then proceeded upstairs, walking under a bright red lantern but casting no shadow.

Zhu Miao Miao, recalling a past incident, shivered, “Remember the young gang member murdered in Building A’s stairwell at Sishui Apartments twenty years ago? They called him ‘Ghost Kid.’ He was viciously stabbed for stealing from his boss. I think he’s connected to that nosy neighbor.”

Ever cautious and aware that this was no game, Gao Ming suggested, “Let’s go to the first floor,” and advised Zhu Miao Miao to remove her black ring.

As they made their way down the staircase, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao were greeted by an unusual sight. Scattered paper money littered the ground, a fire basin was tucked away in a corner, and a subtle scent of incense wafted through the air. It was clear that the residents of the apartment complex were engaged in rituals, likely as a means to safeguard their homes against unseen forces.

The first floor corridor of Building B presented a peculiar scene. All the windows were covered with wooden boards, and each was adorned with protective talismans. Zhu Miao Miao murmured, “Paper to separate us from the living, mountains to shield us from the spirits. But when ghosts roam both within and without, who are these barriers truly meant to repel?”

As they progressed towards the corridor’s end, Gao Ming’s attention was drawn to a figure engaged in the act of burning paper money. He approached cautiously, stopping a short distance away.

The person tending to the fire was a gaunt, elderly man. His body was thin and frail, his skin tightly stretched over his skeletal frame. Despite his delicate appearance, he bore an enormous burden: a grotesque baby strapped to his back. This child, possessing the head of an adult, was incessantly biting and kicking at the old man. Each time the elder attempted to dislodge the baby, it clung more fiercely to his weakened frame.

“Don’t go any further,” a voice warned Gao Ming from a door he had just passed. The room beyond was engulfed in darkness.

Using his lighter to pierce the gloom, Gao Ming observed a small rented room. In it, there was a mound of earth resembling a grave, upon which sat a portly middle-aged man dressed in simple attire. His feet were buried in the earth, and his hands were obscured behind a tombstone.

He spoke again, this time to Gao Ming and his companions who had paused, “That’s Zhou Ji, a man dogged by misfortune. Despite his advanced age, he’s burdened with the care of his son. The son is unemployed and even compels Zhou Ji to feign illness for welfare money.”

“These people are like parasites,” Zhu Miao Miao commented under her breath, confused as to why they continued to endure hardship even in their ghostly state.

The middle-aged man, seemingly agitated, proposed, “I can’t bear to watch this any longer. How about we join forces to free him from that monstrous baby? Just lure Zhou Ji into this room.”

“Alright,” they agreed.

“First, close the door so he doesn’t grow suspicious,” the middle-aged man suggested, trying to sound nonchalant.

As Gao Ming reached for the door, he abruptly pulled back his hand. Numerous arms, like tendrils, reached out from the narrow gap, grasping at the air.

Withdrawing his hand swiftly, Gao Ming noticed a stark transformation in the middle-aged man’s demeanor. His face no longer bore a look of kindness or empathy; instead, it was drained of blood, turning ghostly pale. His body slowly sank into the earthy mound as more arms began to emerge from different parts of the room.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind forcefully slammed the door shut, trapping the reaching arms inside.

“Are you here to view the apartment?” a chilling voice inquired. Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao spun around to see an elderly woman standing behind them. Her face was deeply wrinkled, and in her hand, she clutched a yellow talisman.

The elderly woman calmly placed the talisman on the door, effectively quieting the disturbing noises emanating from within. “All the desirable rooms in this building are securely locked. Any door that swings open unbidden is likely harboring malevolence.”

Once the talisman was in place, the old lady let out a cough and rattled her keys, her gaze lifting. “Are you looking to rent a room?”

Her eyes were a milky white, and her face was deeply wrinkled, resembling the scales of a dragon. Despite her seemingly fragile frame, she radiated an aura of formidable strength, more akin to a mighty creature than a frail elderly woman.

“What should we address you as?” Gao Ming asked, intrigued.

“They all refer to me as Granny,” she answered, moving past them with a steady pace. As she neared the fire basin, the bizarre baby affixed to Zhou Ji’s back ceased its crying and gripped him more tightly.

“If you keep crying, I’ll take you to the temple,” she warned sternly, and the baby immediately fell silent.

Granny then guided them towards a room situated at the end of the corridor, close to the communal bathroom. This room, known for its strong Yin energy, was one of the most spiritually charged in the building.

“Granny, may we enter your room?” Gao Ming asked cautiously. Granny’s room was distinctive, filled with earthen sculptures of deities and walls adorned with an array of ghostly talismans.

“If you’re here to look at rooms, stay outside. But if you seek guidance to find your way back, then come in. Some discussions are not meant for public ears,” Granny stated, sorting through her collection of talismans. After a moment of contemplation, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao stepped inside.

The enigmatic happenings on Sishui Street had escalated into a realm of bizarre and haunting stories, enveloping the area in an atmosphere of disquiet.

“Granny, why does everyone in this building behave so oddly?” Gao Ming questioned, his mind returning to Zhao Xi, who had remained in his post-mortem state as the stories recounted.

“What seems true may be false, and what appears false may be true,” Granny replied, offering reverent bows to a deity figure. “What looks normal might be illusory, and what seems distorted could be the truth. Perhaps what you’re witnessing now is their actual nature.”

After lighting a candle and placing incense, Granny settled down and said, “Soon, you too will undergo a transformation, just like the others who have come here. You’ll reveal your true selves, and by that time, it’ll be impossible to leave.”

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