Revised

Jiang Luo struggled to look at the Mirror.

The voice laughed again, brimming with amusement. 'What a fascinating story.'

Why was Chi You appearing now, of all times!

Jiang Luo's feet were already off the ground. He barely kept his toes on the floor, hands clawing at his neck, trying to wrest more oxygen from the mist. After repeated failures, his expression darkened completely.

The mist couldn't form a human shape, writhing ceaselessly behind Jiang Luo. That eerie, terrifying voice was still humming the tune Jiang Luo had just hummed, the cheerful melody turned sinister, the cute melody turned cold and twisted.

Logically, Chi You shouldn't have the ability to manifest at all right now. Even on his Head Seventh Day, he shouldn't be able to return.

The oxygen in Jiang Luo's lungs and heart grew scarcer. Sweat glued his hair to his skin, a faint bluish tinge coloring his face. Even in this wretched state, the beautiful young man was stunning. He struggled, fighting against the formless mist with all his might, like a fragile, pitiable flower bud.

Watching such a flower bud lose its life in one's own hands would stir pity in most people. But for a very select few, this was precisely their method of appreciating beauty.

Anything beautiful is most captivating in the moment it faces death.

Chi You was one of those few.

His faint, drifting hum grew more pleased. The grey, churning mist tightened its grip, and Jiang Luo had one foot already over the edge of death.

Chi You really would kill him.

What a fucking lunatic. Clearly interested in him, yet wanting to kill him even sooner than in the original story.

Jiang Luo strained to look at the Mirror. His mind became exceptionally clear in this moment, even exceptionally calm. He remembered what Ye Xun had said: mirrors have reflective properties, belong to Yin, and toilets are inherently unclean. The mirror in a toilet carries excessive ill fortune. Add to that the fact it was now Zi Hour, with Yin Qi at its peak—perhaps this was precisely why Chi You could manifest.

If he destroyed the mirror, would Chi You disappear along with it?

This idea was a gamble, and the gamble was far too dangerous.

But staying still meant death too.

Jiang Luo absolutely refused to believe this malevolent ghost, who had just revealed his true nature, would suddenly take pity and let him go.

The square Mirror captured this tense, horrifying scene. Jiang Luo lifted one leg onto the sink, his body curving from spine to long leg into a beautiful, taut bow.

His black hair swept over his shoulders, the strands he'd just tidied becoming disheveled once more. Beads of sweat slid down Jiang Luo's jaw. He managed to leverage a sliver of oxygen, then suddenly flashed a sweet smile at the Mirror.

His face, flushed red from lack of oxygen, looked intoxicated, as if drunk. Jiang Luo narrowed his eyes, the shadow of his lashes falling on his lower lids like flickering candlelight, ambiguous yet suffused with cloying, lingering affection. 'Chi You…'

He mouthed the words with difficulty, soundlessly: 'You love me so much. Look, you even came to find me specially.'

The smile was lingering, but the expression in his eyes was full of mockery and provocation.

The story Jiang Luo had fabricated was only to fool the other living people who didn't know the truth. Of course he knew he couldn't deceive Chi You.

He hadn't even intended to try to deceive Chi You.

Facing Chi You, Jiang Luo revealed his purest malice. Looking at this malevolent ghost, the smile at the corner of his mouth grew wider. 'Everyone knows how much you love me.'

The excitement in his blood began to boil uncontrollably, to stir, clamoring to suppress Chi You, to make this malevolent ghost bow his head and admit defeat.

This thought came with such ferocity and speed that it immediately shattered any other plan Jiang Luo might have had. It was like a basin of cold water poured over his skull, a shiver spreading through his entire body in an instant.

Play weak? Play what weakness?

And pretend to be what innocent?

Even if he hadn't killed Chi You, now that he had become the original host, he would shoulder everything the original had done, good or bad.

He couldn't be bothered to play the pitiful little victim in front of Chi You anymore.

Since Chi You and he understood each other perfectly, since Chi You had taken an interest in him yet still wanted to kill him, why not take things to the extreme?

You're a dead man. You can't speak right now.

Even if you hate me, in others' eyes, you're the image of someone who loved me but couldn't have me.

If you want to kill me, countless living people will stand in front of me to protect me.

A look of arrogance once again colored the beautiful young man's face, bold and unrestrained. The classical beauty was shattered, replaced by a layer of eye-catching, troublesome thorns.

The mist's laughter stopped, as if puzzled.

Jiang Luo flashed another brilliant smile at the Mirror, then, using the strength he'd gathered, spun around violently and kicked at the Mirror.

—If this strike failed, his neck would be snapped by Chi You's hand.

Crack!

The shattering of glass was sharp and piercing. Lu You and Ye Xun instantly rushed in from outside. 'Jiang Luo!'

Jiang Luo crashed heavily amidst the glass shards. Lu You ran over to help him up, while Ye Xun stood protectively in front of them both, expression grave.

Jiang Luo shook off the glass fragments and stood up. Lu You asked worriedly, 'What happened?'

Jiang Luo's shoulders trembled. Lu You thought he was crying, but Jiang Luo lifted his head with a laugh, cheeks flushed as if slightly tipsy. He touched the terrifying blue-purple marks on his neck and said in a dreamy, ethereal tone, 'Chi You just came to see me.'

Lu You's eyes widened. 'What?!'

Ye Xun whipped his head around to stare intently at Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo's fingers slowly stroked his neck, smiling as he said, 'He said he missed me. He wants me to go keep him company.'

The wounds on his neck couldn't be faked. Lu You was dumbfounded, stammering, 'R-really?'

Jiang Luo blinked at him playfully. 'Really.'

The happier Jiang Luo seemed, the heavier Lu You's heart sank. He couldn't believe it, feeling like his mental image of Chi You had shattered into pieces. 'This is too absurd…'

'The living and the dead walk separate paths,' Ye Xun said sternly, casting a warning glance at Jiang Luo. 'Once a person dies, they can never come back to life. The living cannot be with the dead. That is the law of Yin and Yang.'

Lu You repeated Ye Xun's words dazedly. 'Right, Ye Xun is right… How could Chi You-ge do such a thing…'

Chi You-ge was so gentle and easygoing, how could he do this?

Lu You felt his head was about to explode. They walked out of the bathroom. Ye Xun, as if afraid Jiang Luo might do something rash, deliberately turned on the TV and found a positive, socially uplifting channel, wanting Jiang Luo to understand the preciousness of life.

The TV played on in silence. Each of the three was lost in their own thoughts. After an inspirational interview with a construction foreman finished, Ye Xun turned off the TV, handed the doll to Jiang Luo to hold, and stood himself before the altar table.

Jiang Luo looked up at the clock. 11:15.

Zi Hour had arrived.

Ye Xun lit a stick of incense, held it upright with one hand, and inserted it straight into the bowl of White Rice, pushing it all the way to the bottom. The incense stood straight before the Mirror. After lighting it, Ye Xun deftly picked up a Yellow Talisman, brought it close to the long incense to ignite it, and placed the half-burning talisman into a bowl filled with clear water.

Jiang Luo vaguely made out the Yellow Talisman—it was a Ghost-Seeking Talisman.

Miraculously, the talisman, still aflame, continued to burn even after being placed in the water. By the time the Yellow Talisman had burned out, the clear water had turned into a bowl of murky, grey-black water.

Ye Xun respectfully held the murky water with both hands and poured it into the bowl of White Rice, then fixed his gaze on the incense smoke.

The long incense smoke drifted ethereally, swaying gently upward.

Just as the three of them were highly tense, a knocking suddenly came from outside the door.

The Old Lady's aged voice sounded. 'Are you asleep?'

Lu You was sweating profusely. He ran over to open the door. 'Grandma, do you need something?'

The Old Lady outside smiled timidly, holding up a tray. 'I was afraid you big lads might get hungry at night, so I brought you some food.'

Lu You took the tray, inhaled deeply the aroma of the food, and felt so blissful he could cry. 'Thank you so much.'

The Old Lady chuckled, looking at him, then glanced into the room and urged, 'Go to sleep soon. Don't stay up late.'

Lu You nodded repeatedly. Just as he was about to see the Old Lady off, he suddenly said, 'Oh, Grandma, how long have you lived here?'

The Old Lady thought for a moment, then said slowly, uncertainly, 'About a month.'

Lu You asked, 'Have you noticed anything strange?'

The old woman shook her head, but halfway through, as if remembering something, she stopped shaking her head, her expression turning hesitant.

Seeing there might be something, Lu You immediately pressed, 'Grandma, tell me about any strange things you've encountered?'

The old woman slowly looked left and right, hesitated, glanced at Lu You again, and whispered, 'My daughter-in-law is a bit… off.'

Lu You was taken aback. 'Off how?'

The old woman took two steps forward, covered her mouth with her hand, and rambled on, 'She won't let my grandson eat… Just this past month, her temper has gotten much worse. She often gets angry at my son, and she hits my grandson.'

'I… I'm a bit scared of her when I see her…' the Old Lady said.

Lu You frowned, thanked the old woman, brought the food back to the room, and told Jiang Luo and Ye Xun about his conversation with her.

Ye Xun pondered for a long time. 'A month ago… The time when the three girls disappeared was a month ago.'

Lu You said, 'That's too much of a coincidence.'

Ye Xun concluded decisively, 'We'll go see the Madam Owner tomorrow.'

The old woman had sent noodles. The bowl contained two poached eggs and fragrant shredded potatoes stir-fried with vinegar and chili. Jiang Luo wasn't hungry, but he was tempted enough to eat a bowl of thin, watery noodle soup.

'Even their stir-fried potato strips are delicious,' Lu You said, his resentment palpable as he ate. 'What kind of crap do we eat in our School cafeteria?'

'Our School is too poor,' Ye Xun said. 'You're so rich, why don't you have your family donate a cafeteria to the School?'

'Am I rich?' Lu You looked up at them blankly, fiddling with the name-brand watch on his wrist that cost at least six figures. 'I don't know. I have no interest in money.'

Ye Xun: '…'

Jiang Luo: '…'

Jiang Luo nearly spat in Lu You's face. At the critical moment, he glanced at the incense on the altar table and his expression changed. 'The incense has changed!'

The previously straight-rising incense smoke suddenly became chaotic, then began drifting toward the door of the room.

Ye Xun and Lu You immediately stood up. Ye Xun washed his hands, picked up the bowl of rice with the incense stuck in it, and walked out. Lu You pulled Jiang Luo into the middle position and took up the rear himself.

But as soon as they stepped out, the incense smoke split into two streams, one going left, the other right.

Ye Xun looked left, then right, and was silent for a moment. 'Which way do we go?'

Lu You said casually, 'Left.'

Ye Xun asked, 'What if left is a trap set by the ghost?'

Lu You said indifferently, 'Then right.'

Ye Xun asked, 'What if right is a trap set by the ghost?'

Lu You: '…'

Jiang Luo suggested, 'Then split up?'

Ye Xun was silent for a long time, then shook his head. 'Forget it. Let's go left first.'

Jiang Luo turned and asked, 'Does Ye Xun have decision-making anxiety?'

Lu You nodded with a complicated expression. 'A word of advice from someone who's been there: never go shopping with him.'

The Corridor lights were bright in the middle of the night. As they walked down the long Corridor and followed the incense smoke upstairs, they heard a 'thump-thump' sound.

It sounded like a ball rolling down the Staircase, bouncing up once, then hitting the ground again. Hearing such a sound in the dead of night, the group halted.

But suddenly, the lights in the Staircase went out.

Pitch-black darkness engulfed them. Lu You said in a trembling voice, 'Ye Xun? Jiang Luo?'

Ye Xun calmly replied, 'Mm.' Jiang Luo said, 'Here, here.'

Lu You felt slightly reassured. 'Why did the lights go out all of a sudden—'

His words cut off abruptly.

Because the ball sound that had been echoing upstairs suddenly stopped. After a brief silence, it began approaching them at a speed two or three times faster than before.

Thump, thump-thump, thump-thump-thump.

The ball rolled down rapidly, the sound growing more and more urgent.

Lu You was terrified. He involuntarily grabbed Jiang Luo's clothes. Jiang Luo chuckled. 'Lu You, you're even more of a coward than I am.'

Lu You shivered. 'I'm afraid of the dark.'

Jiang Luo: '…' Fine.

While they talked, the ball sound had reached the Staircase just above them. Jiang Luo, infected by Lu You, felt his own heartbeat quicken. Just as he braced himself, the sound suddenly vanished.

Silence returned.

But this kind of silence was no different from the calm before a storm, making one shudder with dread.

Ye Xun suddenly said, 'The incense smoke is drifting back.'

Lu You asked, 'You can see it?'

Ye Xun said, 'I can smell it.'

That meant something had just passed right in front of them.

'Let's go back,' Jiang Luo said, licking his dry lips and staring into the darkness. 'I remember the main circuit breaker is in the Staircase. Might as well check if it tripped.'

The three of them turned around and cautiously made their way back.

The main breaker was indeed in the Staircase. Jiang Luo had a good memory and was familiar with design structures. He felt around and said disappointedly, 'It didn't trip. There's just no power.'

The three stood there contemplating life for a moment. Jiang Luo's ears suddenly twitched, and he said sharply, 'What's that sound!'

The jangling ring of a telephone sounded from the far end of the Corridor.

Lu You: 'Fuck!'

They looked toward the source. Pitch black, an impenetrable darkness. Staring at it too long, it seemed as if danger and monsters lurked within, ready to devour them at any moment.

Ye Xun walked over first, calm as ever. 'Someone answer the phone. I'm holding the incense, I can't.'

Jiang Luo was pushed forward by Lu You. He helplessly picked up the phone. 'Hello?'

The Hotel owner's voice came from the other end. 'Hello, hello? Is this Jiang?'

Jiang Luo instantly felt like he'd returned from the Underworld to the world of the living. 'It's me, boss. Our building has lost power.'

'Right, I was just about to tell you that,' the owner said apologetically. 'Forgot to mention it during the day. They're repairing the roads around here lately, so the power grid is unstable. Sometimes the power goes out. Our Hotel's backup generator is in the Workshop. Just flip the backup power switch on.'

Jiang Luo rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. 'Alright, got it.'

Jiang Luo still remembered the location of the Workshop. They cautiously felt their way toward it. Afraid of not seeing clearly and tripping over each other, the person in the back grabbed the hem of the person in front's clothes. Jiang Luo felt the person behind him—Lu You—pulling harder and harder, almost tearing his clothes. 'Lu You, ease up a bit.'

Lu You agreed readily. 'Okay, okay, okay.'

A few seconds later, Jiang Luo still felt uncomfortable. 'Did you really understand what I meant?'

He turned his head back and accidentally stepped on the foot of the person behind him.

Jiang Luo instinctively wanted to apologize, but Lu You, as if feeling nothing, said indignantly, 'How didn't I understand? Didn't I ease up?'

All of Jiang Luo's words stuck in his throat. Cold sweat suddenly broke out on his nose. 'Lu You, doesn't it hurt?'

Lu You said strangely, 'Hurt what?'

Jiang Luo fell silent. After a moment, he said, 'Lu You.'

Lu You: 'Hmm?'

Jiang Luo said, 'Between us… there seems to be an extra person.'