Chapter 8 The Dying Man
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Lin Zhaohe conducted a thorough research and discovered that losing a t*sticle would be classified as a significant disability, earning him a disability certificate. It made sense since, as a man, losing such a vital part would clearly leave him incomplete. The other party held the moral high ground, leaving Lin Zhaohe with no choice but to reluctantly agree.
Acting upon Qi Ming’s suggestion, Lin Zhaohe decided to leave work early that day and return home to move. In this world, encountering characters reminiscent of horror movies was exceptionally unfortunate. Hence, it would be wise to purchase a train ticket and distance himself from it all.
Despite having already made the decision to move, Lin Zhaohe couldn’t help but feel a sense of attachment to his previous residence. His parents had purchased this apartment when they were still alive and had even visited, commending him for being a capable son. However, circumstances had changed after they tragically passed away in an accident. Just the thought of it caused a lump in Lin Zhaohe’s throat as he observed the strange surroundings, murmuring something resentful under his breath.
Upon closer calculation, Lin Zhaohe realized that he had been living in this fused world for nearly three years, but he still hadn’t completely adjusted.
When he arrived home, the sun had not yet set, and its rays painted a warm, golden light on the apartment’s white walls, creating a sacred ambiance. Lin Zhaohe saw Uncle Chen sitting in a rocking chair, half-dozing. After a moment’s consideration, he decided to greet him, “Uncle Chen.”
Uncle Chen’s eyes were half-open, unsure whether he was asleep or awake.
“Uncle Chen, I’ll be moving out,” Lin Zhaohe said. “I’ll leave the keys for you on the doorknob. Please remember to take them.”
Uncle Chen ignored Lin Zhaohe.
“I won’t disturb you any further. Have a good rest,” Lin Zhaohe said.
Still met with silence, Lin Zhaohe turned and walked away. Unaware of it, Uncle Chen, who appeared to be deep in slumber, suddenly opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on Lin Zhaohe’s fading figure until it disappeared around the corner, only then closing his eyes once more.
Lin Zhaohe had only a small amount of luggage, so he packed up quickly. He decided to find a hotel for the night and search for a nearby house tomorrow.
Just before leaving, he glanced at the ceiling and noticed an annoying water stain that was still there, silently lying in place.
“Goodbye,” Lin Zhaohe waved his hand and left, pulling his luggage behind him.
The hotel charged 300 yuan per night, similar to prices in the real world. Feeling tired, Lin Zhaohe took a shower and lay down on the bed, quickly drifting off to sleep. He unintentionally left the TV on and faintly heard someone talking. It seemed like a young woman whispering near his ear, her mouth almost touching it, and her breath gently caressing his ear.
The woman’s speech became increasingly rapid, as if she was engaged in an argument. Her voice grew sharper, eventually turning into a mournful cry. Lin Zhaohe was abruptly awakened by the noise. However, when he attempted to open his eyes, he realized his body was completely immobile. Something was weighing him down, preventing any movement.
The woman’s strange sobbing became more palpable, as if she was right beside him. Lin Zhaohe could even sense the cold, sticky sensation of her lips against his ear.
Lin Zhaohe broke out in a cold sweat, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move his body. He felt a pair of icy hands touching his cheek, slowly moving up from his chin and ultimately resting on his eyes.
Lin Zhaohe was lost in his thoughts when he suddenly felt the touch of those cold hands, attempting to pry open his eyes… With no strength remaining, his eyelids were gently forced open, and his vision was immediately filled with the scene before him. He found himself gazing at a white ceiling, with the familiar stain still there—surprisingly, he was lying in his own apartment.
The overwhelming fear sparked an unexpected surge of determination within Lin Zhaohe. His previously motionless body sprang up from the bed, moving in a frenzied scramble. In a swift motion, he rushed towards the door.
Thankfully, the sky had already brightened by this time. Lin Zhaohe squatted at the entrance, his body soaked in perspiration as he struggled to catch his breath. He wiped the cold sweat off his face and glanced up at the door number—17-2, confirming that it was indeed his former home.
Although he had stayed at the hotel, he had somehow returned here. Lin Zhaohe’s instincts sensed impending trouble. He swiftly grabbed the keys and raced to the company building.
“Qi Ming, Qi Ming!” Lin Zhaohe urgently called out, searching for Qi Ming in a state of agitation.
Qi Ming was taken aback by Lin Zhaohe’s appearance. “What’s happened to you?”
Lin Zhaohe expressed his pain, “After saving Zhang Xiaoxiao, can you also save me?”
Qi Ming showed understanding, “Did the move not go as planned?”
“Exactly,” Lin Zhaohe said, “I had a close call in my own house.” He quickly described the events of the previous night, ensuring that no detail was left out.
“Ah, I think I understand,” Qi Ming, a true horror movie enthusiast, exclaimed, clapping his hands. “I think I’ve seen that movie!”
“You’ve seen it?!” Lin Zhaohe asked, surprised. “Which one?”
“It’s called something like ‘Ghost Stain’,” Qi Ming scratched his head. “It’s a foreign film, quite old. I can’t remember the plot clearly, but don’t worry, we have it in our company’s collection. We can look for it and find out.” Then, he led Lin Zhaohe to the company’s archive.
The company’s archive was located in a separate building nearby, containing physical and digital copies. Lin Zhaohe often admired his boss for their impressive collection of works from the 2D world.
Qi Ming confidently made his way to the horror archive room on the third floor and started searching. However, as he flipped through the materials, his once confident expression gradually turned uncertain. “This is strange…”
“What’s the matter?” Lin Zhaohe, wearing his pajamas and sporting messy hair, stood beside him, feeling anxious.
“Hold on a moment,” Qi Ming said, turning to find a computer and typing away. Soon, a terrifying webpage appeared on the screen. It depicted a woman in a white dress, lying on the ceiling with her head twisted unnaturally, gazing at the bed below the ceiling. Qi Ming pointed at the page. “Take a look. Is this the one?”
Lin Zhaohe’s skin prickled as he saw the image. It reminded him of the dream he had the previous night, resembling the ghostly woman in the picture. Lin Zhaohe was actually quite afraid of such things. He rubbed the goosebumps on his arms and asked, “Wha-what about the plot? Is there a solution?” Finding clues about the plot of the horror film was now the most important thing. Horror films could be categorized as closed or unresolved. If it was unresolved…
“I don’t know the plot,” Qi Ming sighed with a hint of helplessness.
“You don’t know??” Lin Zhaohe was taken aback. “But we’ve found it, haven’t we?”
“Yeah, we found the webpage, but there are no links to watch it or any downloadable resources. It’s strange because someone seems to have taken the company’s discs… Really strange.”
Lin Zhaohe remained silent, wearing a troubled expression.
“It’s really strange,” Qi Ming repeatedly expressed his confusion. “I’ve never come across a situation like this before.”
Lin Zhaohe felt utterly frustrated. They had finally located the film, but now they couldn’t find its source?
“I can’t understand it,” Qi Ming pondered. “Even if we exclude online resources, what about the discs in the company? Could someone have borrowed them? I’ll go and ask.”
The two of them approached the administrator to inquire about the issue. However, after checking the rental records, the administrator shook their head, stating that no one had ever borrowed those discs. It seemed like there might have been an issue during the initial data entry.
“That’s a problem.” Faced with this outcome, Qi Ming could only look at Lin Zhaohe with sympathy. “I can only remember a few fragments of the plot…” Having watched countless horror films, he couldn’t recall the details of lesser-known and less memorable movies.
Lin Zhaohe wore a pained expression and asked, “What do you still remember?”
“Basically, there’s a cursed house where people who move in start experiencing water leakage from the ceiling. When the water stains eventually form the shape of a person, a ghost emerges and starts killing…” Qi Ming explained. “What’s the current situation with the water stains in your house?”
Lin Zhaohe responded, “They’re almost due to give birth to the third child.”
Qi Ming: “……” He sighed and gently patted Lin Zhaohe’s shoulder to provide comfort.
Living in this perilous world, people encountered all sorts of strange things. Sudden death didn’t seem entirely unimaginable. Lin Zhaohe often reflected on the challenges he faced to survive until now, realizing that his journey through the 2D world was nearing its end.
“What’s the film’s ending? Do you recall anything?” Lin Zhaohe struggled in his final moments.
“Not much…” Qi Ming replied. “But you know, it’s a ghost film, not a zombie film. About 80% of ghost films don’t have a favorable ending.”
Lin Zhaohe: “…”
Qi Ming inquired, “Have you considered purchasing company insurance?”
Lin Zhaohe fell silent once again, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with that statement, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
“You don’t have to worry too much,” Qi Ming reassured. “In the next few days, accompany me in resolving Zhang Xiaoxiao’s issue first, and then we can focus on your matter. If you’re genuinely scared, you can sleep at the office at night. I’ll keep an eye on you… I mean, ensure your safety. Let’s see who can separate us!”
Touched by his words, Lin Zhaohe nodded, thinking it would be even more reassuring if Qi Ming didn’t refer to his body as a corpse.
“Don’t worry, I know my way around horror films,” Qi Ming said confidently. “Look, I’ve been working at this company for three years and I’m still alive, right? Once we’re done with your task, I’ll go back to my hometown and get married…”
Lin Zhaohe raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Was Qi Ming doing this on purpose?
Unaware of the potential misunderstanding, Qi Ming took out his phone and called Zhang Xiaoxiao, asking him to bring the client along for dinner to discuss future plans.
Lin Zhaohe adjusted his teddy bear pajamas and said, “Do you have any other clothes? It doesn’t seem appropriate for me to meet clients dressed like this.”
Qi Ming replied, “No worries, we’re all mortal beings. Why fuss over such things?” Realizing his statement could be misinterpreted, he quickly added, “I wasn’t referring to you, I meant the clients.”
Lin Zhaohe: “……” He remained silent, recognizing that he had no right to judge others, especially considering his own encounters with supernatural incidents.
___
[A/N]
Bad news: encountered a ghost
Good news: it’s a domestic film
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
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