Chapter 44: Horror Variety (9)

Cheng Zhi Chu stood in the same place for a long time while deeply pondering over what he had done wrong. Clearly, he was the one that was being scared by ghosts but now it had turned into him that’s scaring ghosts away?

Did he say anything scary? The ghost clearly had said that it loved him and had obsessively declared it at the beginning by writing “I love you” all over the walls in blood. But when he asked for it to come out, that guy is actually hiding away like a coward, unwilling to appear.

……..Was it worried about it being too ugly and inferior, so it didn’t dare appear?

Cheng Zhi Chu supported his chin. He felt that this was very possible. He then raised his voice and said: “I don’t care about your looks. Just let me see you.”

There was no response.

“How about this?” Cheng Zhi Chu picked up a cloth from the tea set and covered his eyes. “Now I can’t see anything, and I won’t be able to see what you look like. Can you come out now?”

He waited for a while, but his surroundings were still quiet. He pushed the blindfold up and looked at the floor and walls. There was still no writing on it. It was clear that, even if he said this, the ghost still refused to see him.

Enough is enough!

Cheng Zhi Chu felt frustrated. He no longer expected the ghost to come out. He called out the bear from his bag and held it in his hand. He then pointed at its small nose and said to it: “Pinecone, help me out here. Can you smell the ghost here? I want to find the ghost.”

The little bear’s nose moved slightly as it sniffed the air. It then said in a childlike voice: “Mummy, there are a lot of ghosts here. Which one do you want to find?”

“The most powerful one.” Cheng Zhi Chu now can ignore the bears tendency to call him mummy. “Can you find it?”

“Let me try……”

The bear shook its tail and its ears hung low. With some fear, it let out a small whine. The smell was a very familiar smell. It was something similar to daddy’s………

But since Cheng Zhi Chu wanted to find the ghost, even if it is afraid, the bear still fearfully led the way and led them to the first floor.

Cheng Zhi Chu followed behind the bear and walked around and around the villa. The ghost also seemingly noticed that he seemed to have a way of tracking it, so it also hid around the villa. Sometimes the bear would bring Cheng Zhi Chu to a place only to find nothing as the ghost had already moved to another place.

Rich floral fragrance suddenly filled the air and it spread throughout the entire villa.

The bear revealed a confused expression and it stopped its steps. This floral scent wasn’t an ordinary fragrance. It was used to cover up the ghosts scent causing them to be unable to locate the ghost.

“Sorry, I lost it. I can’t find it anymore……..”

The bear fiddled with its paws and bowed its head as it said this with shame.

“No need to be sorry. I should be thanking you. You have helped me out a lot.” Cheng Zhi Chu lovingly rubbed its head. “When we’re out, I’ll buy you a kilogram of fried chicken.”

“Thank you mummy!” The little bear was elated. It happily shook its tail.

[My master, your loyal servant is always willing to serve you.]

Just when Cheng Zhi Chu didn’t know what other method he could use to find the ghost, the silver coin spoke up.

[As long as you are willing to use my powers, I can help you find ———-]

“I wonder if there is a knife in the kitchen…..”

Cheng Zhi Chu walked over to the kitchen as if nothing had happened while muttering to himself: “If I threaten to cut my wrist and kill myself, would the ghost come out to see me?……..No, maybe it would like that instead? But I should still give it a try…………”

[…….]

[Enough! Can’t you pay me some attention?]

After a short silence, the silver coin spoke up with an aggrieved voice: [Last time was just an accident. It won’t happen the second time! You need my help!]

With a ‘clang’, a silver coloured arc crossed the air. The coin had jumped out of Cheng Zhi Chu’s backpack by itself. It rolled around on the ground for a few moments before revealing a clown’s face.

In an instant, there was the eccentric sound of a clown’s laughter. The air around them became filled with black mist which then transformed into many pure black pigeons with red and icy cold eyes. They fluttered their wings and started to fly around all corners of the villa.

“Thump! Thump thump!”

The black pigeons were very accurate. They rammed against the door panel and, very quickly, they were able to smash out a hole and enter the room. All the birds flew inside the rooms and it didn’t take long for a figure to dash out from a room on the second floor and flee along the corridor.

It must be that ghost!

Cheng Zhi Chu’s heart jumped. He unconsciously activated a teleportation card and instantly transmitted over to the figure. Standing behind the ghost, he pressed down onto its shoulder.

The black pigeons flew over and rested onto the railings on the corridor They tilted their heads and started to coo while blocking the ghosts’ way and preventing it from escaping.

[My master, did you see my power? If you use me, you can attain everything that you have ever wanted………]

The silver coin laid on the floor on the first floor and said this to Cheng Zhi Chu but Cheng Zhi Chu who was on the second floor didn’t give it any attention. He didn’t even have the intention to pick it back up.

“Wu~”

Only the bear looked at the silver coin with a disdainful look. It stepped onto it and then pattered up to the second floor before finally burrowing inside Cheng Zhi Chu’s pant pocket. It even turned around and stuck its tongue out afterwards.

[………]

The coin fell silent.

After a while, a small tear-like bead of water appeared on the coins surface.

………

Cheng Zhi Chu held onto the ghost’s shoulder and said from behind it: “I found you. Don’t run.”

“…………..”

The ghost didn’t move. Cheng Zhi Chu even felt its body stiffening. It was as if it didn’t expect him to really catch it.

Cheng Zhi Chu examined the ghost from the back. Its figure was good, and it seemed to be a little taller than him. It had broad shoulders and a pair of long and slender legs but what was strange was………Why was its entire body covered in bandages?

He couldn’t help but frown. The bandages were not just wrapped around a couple of places, it covered the ghost’s entire body. From head to toe, not even a strand of hair could be seen,

Was it originally wrapped like this? Could it be related to its cause of death?

And it looked like these bandages could be removed so why isn’t it taking it off?

Cheng Zhi Chu held onto its cold wrist and walked to move in front of the ghost. He wanted to kiss it, but he froze when he saw its face.

He suddenly understood why the ghost had been conversing with him with words this whole time and had never made any noise.

It was because its mouth was also covered by the bandages.

Seeing that the ghosts face that was completely wrapped in bandages only revealing a pair of beautiful eyes, Cheng Zhi Chu fell into confusion.

………How should he kiss him?

[……….Don’t look at me.]

While he was still stunned, the ghost gently pulled away from his hold and raised its arm to cover its face while its shoulders trembled slightly. Bloody words appeared on the wall.

[Please. Don’t look at me.]

………

At this moment, Bai Xi Xing was staying in the villa opposite the haunted villa waiting for Cheng Zhi Chu to come out.

When they came out of the villa, the sky outside was already dark and it was already long beyond the time specified by the program.

The fans waiting outside were very upset and, because they had lost communication between here and the recording studio, the studio had sent another staff over to check on the situation. When they tried to enter, they discovered that they couldn’t open the door. They tried to call the staff inside but there was no signal. All contact with the people inside were lost.

Seeing them finally come out, the fans outside breathed a sigh of relief. The staff on the other hand noticed that several people were missing and the immediately asked them what had happened. Xiao Liu and the others who were in the haunted villa however were still shocked and unable to answer his question.

In the end, it was Bai Xi Xing who explained in their stead. He gave the director at the recording studio a call and was fortunately able to calm his anger. The director then subsequently ordered the staff to return so that they could finish recording the rest of the program.

Ji Yun Xiao was worried about Cheng Zhi Chu and was hesitant about leaving. It was only after Bai Xi Xing reassured him that he would give him a call as soon as Cheng Zhi Chu comes out that Ji Yun Xiao was able to reluctantly leave with the other staff.

Bai Xi Xing returned to the other villa and walked over to a window on the second floor. He looked at the haunted villa on the opposite side and watched its lights turn on one by one. He lit up a cigarette and took a drag before slowly spitting out white smoke.

For many years he has not seen another person apart from him enter that villa.

Zhou Luo Chen’s body laid in the courtyard along with the remains of the children killed by him. That villa was like a cemetery and only he held the key to this cemetery that hid bloody secrets.

However, he felt that it was necessary for Cheng Zhi Chu to enter it even if he doesn’t remember anything and he didn’t know what his cousin had done for him.

So, when he learnt that Cheng Zhi Chu was going to be an audience of a variety show, he agreed to lend the villa for the day. He even deliberately waited here for Cheng Zhi Chu and led him into the villa.

However, what he didn’t expect was that a ghost would appear, and it seemed to be closely linked with Cheng Zhi Chu. Cheng Zhi Chu didn’t appear to be surprised by the appearance of ghosts and he even seemed to have the means to deal with them.

Could this have something to do with his cousin?

Bai Xi Xing’s eyes were deep. The cigarette held in his hand suddenly extinguished and fine ash fell to the ground.

He couldn’t help but think back to what had happened that day.

He and his cousin had knocked Zhou Luo Chen out, tied him in a room on the second floor and followed the sound of quiet sobbing to locate the small boy that was kidnapped. The boy was covered in wounds and, seeing them come in, he backed away fearfully and even hid himself inside the closest.

His cousin tried to appease him over and over again and wanted to comfort him, but the boy continued to reject his advances. It was only until his parents came that the boy cried and threw himself into his father’s arms. He then soon curled up in his father’s arms and fell asleep.

At that time, he saw a dangerous and dark look in his cousin’s eyes. He immediately understood that his cousin wouldn’t let Zhou Luo Chen get away with what he had done. When they found the needle and key in Zhou Luo Chen’s pockets, opened the door to the basement and discovered the rotting pile of flesh, he knew that Zhou Luo Chen wouldn’t live until the end of today.

He had never thought that the teacher that he had always respected would turn out to be such a demon.

What’s more, he had also put his hand on the child that his cousin had cherished the most.

He must die.

Perhaps it was because of thought that, when he saw his cousin about to kill Zhou Luo Chen with his own hands, his reaction was very calm. Not only did he not persuade his cousin to hand Zhou Luo Chen over to the police, he had even helped his cousin commit the crime——-

“Hello? Roulin, it’s me.”

At that time, Bai Xi Xing lifted his phone with a hint of a smile at his lips. He spoke to his cousin on the other end of the phone cheerfully.

“Yeah. That’s right. Teacher Zhou said that he wants to get some fresh air and inspiration, so he won’t be back for about half a month. Our class will be on hold until them. Please let everyone know. Let’s all go out and play tomorrow instead.”

“Mmm! Mm—–”

“Okay. I’ll let them know.” His cousin answered on the other end of the phone. “Hey Xi Xing, why do I hear strange sounds from your end? What are you doing?”

“Nothing much.”

Bai Xi Xing glanced over at Zhou Luo Chen who was wrapped in bandages by Bai Yi. Seeing Zhou Luo Chen lying on the ground with his mouth firmly sealed, he stepped onto Zhou Luo Chen’s face with a smile on his face.

“……..Just doing some unimportant stuff. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He hung up and looked down at the bounded Zhou Luo Chen. He smiled and asked: “How is it Teacher Zhou? Having fun?”

“Mmm———-”

Zhou Luo Chen who only had his eyes and nose revealed looked at him with great hatred. He desperately tried to struggle on the floor, but his entire body was covered with a thick layer of bandages causing his movements to look like a worm crawling across the ground. This made Bai Xi Xing laugh in amusement and even his shoulders trembled.

“Is it funny?” Bai Yi asked him coldly. “Help me lift him up onto the chair.”

“It is funny. Why can’t you even let me laugh?”

Bai Xi Xing shrugged. He helped Bai Yi drag Zhou Luo Chen onto a chair: “Hey, I didn’t think that Teacher Zhou would be so heavy despite looking so thin.”

After moving Zhou Luo Chen onto the chair, Bai Xi Xing pressed down onto his shoulder. Bai Yi used a roll of tape to bind Zhou Luo Chen to it. He also glued his feet to the floor to ensure that he would remain seated there until he died.

On the wall in front of Zhou Luo Chen was the boy’s smiling and pure portrait. His light-coloured eyes were slightly curved, and it looked like he was smiling at the monster-like man below him.

“Don’t worry Teacher Zhou. For the next half month, no one will come in here to bother you.”

Bai Xi Xing knelt down next to Zhou Luo Chen and said with a chuckle: “Even if you starved to death, died of thirst and your body slowly rotted away, no one would know. After half a month, we will come back to collect your body.

“Mmm——! Mmm!!”

“Huh? Is Teacher Zhou worried that someone would find out that we have killed you?” Bai Xi Xing tilted his head. He answered with an innocent and pure expression, “It doesn’t matter. Don’t you know? Even if someone finds your body, as long as the Bai family says that you committed suicide, you would be deemed as having committed suicide——-”

He curled up the corner of his lips, but his expression still remained cold.

“Who cares if you’re some famous painter?”

Through the thick bandages, you could still see that Zhou Luo Chen was shaking violently. Bai Yi finished binding him down and then proceeded to pull at Zhou Luo Chen’s head to force him to look up at the painting on the wall in front of him.

The fragrance of roses slowly travelled through the air.

The red sea of flowers and the boy’s glass-like clear eyes were reflected in the man’s eyes.

This would be the last thing that he would see before he turns into a corpse.

“Weren’t you obsessed about this painting?”

Bai Yi leaned down. With a faint smile, he whispered softly in his ear.

“Then look at him like this until you die.”

…………

In the villa, the ghost trembled as it is met with Cheng Zhi Chu’s clear but doubtful eyes. It raised its hand to cover its face and was afraid to face Cheng Zhi Chu.

He didn’t want Cheng Zhi Chu to recognise him. To be more specific, he didn’t want Cheng Zhi Chu to recognise his face.

He knows who he is. He is Bai Yi. That was his name when he was alive.

Because he liked Cheng Zhi Chu, he had killed Zhou Luo Chen twelve years ago. He later buried his body in the courtyard with his cousins help.

After that, there was a large part of his memory missing. He didn’t know if he was already dead. All he knew was that, when he woke up, he had taken the appearance of Zhou Luo Chen.

Perhaps it was a punishment for his crime that he now has the most hateful appearance. No matter how he ruined his face, it would return to its original state the next day and he could only wear Zhou Luo Chen’s face.

And now he had to appear before Zhi Chu with this appearance.

How could he use this face to face Zhi Chu?

The ghost slowly squatted down. It curled up its body and its face was deeply buried in its arms.

So I beg you Zhi Chu…..

Don’t look at me.

Don’t look at me anymore.

****

Bai Yi’s Diary (Part 44)

After Zhi Chu lost his memory of me, I didn’t dare meet him again. I was worried that my appearance would stimulate him and make him remember that man again.

So, I could only watch him from afar.

But from six years ago when I entered the game, I wasn’t even able to see his shadow.

One year, two years, three years, four years…….

I was about to go mad from my own tormenting thoughts and since then I had changed my mind completely.

If I could be given another chance to see Zhi Chu, at that time I would definitely appear in front of him. I would do everything that I can to make him mine.

I won’t let him go anymore.

****

Bai Xi Xing’s Diary (Excerpt)

When I was in my second year of high school, my cousin who was already at A University (That’s right, this university is unsurprisingly in the same city as Cheng Zhi Chu. It allowed him to secretly watch over Cheng Zhi Chu from up close) suddenly called me and asked me to transfer to another school.

I asked him why, but he just ignored me and hung up without giving me a reason.

I thought about it and then talked to my parents about transferring schools. Although the way he said it was very annoying, we are after all close buddies that have killed someone together, so transferring schools was not a big deal.

It was only until the day that the school held the sports carnival that I finally understood why he wanted me to transfer schools. It was because he wanted to peek at Cheng Zhi Chu at the sports carnival.

……..He’s clearly currently in the same city as Cheng Zhi Chu yet he made me come over and had used me as an excuse to secretly watch over the other person.

I was so angry that I transferred back to my original school. I don’t know such an embarrassing relative.