The 3 cigarettes left behind by the landlord were unique blood red items. According to the item description, the 3 cigarettes were placed before the manager’s memorial plaque by his 3 children after his death. After some closer examination, Han Fei noticed all 3 cigarettes were curled with Yin energy. He had no idea what would happen if he lit one up. It might cause the Yin energy to infiltrate into his body, it might trigger an event related to the manager or even summon the landlord’s 3 kids.
“When I was at the orphanage, the volunteer told me that if I run into supernatural threats, black dog’s blood, pee of a virgin or a cigarette can neutralize it, I wonder if it’s true or not…” Han Fei only had 3 cigarettes. Holding the bowl with one hand, and the unlit cigarettes in the other, cowering in the night and cold, Han Fei resembled a strange version of the Little Match Girl. He dangled one cigarette in his lips and took out the lighter he sought from Room 1044’s kitchen. He started a countdown in his mind. There was no one around him. The street and the stores were quiet. He waited for a full 8 minutes and there was still no sign of Xu Qin. Even the blood stain on the wall had already disappeared.
Finally, the landlord’s ring started to chill. Han Fei looked around with alertness. When his head turned downwards, he noticed there was a pool of blood on the ground. ‘It moved?’ The blood stain was like a mobile person crawling on the ground. Whenever Han Fei turned away and went back to it, it appeared closer to Han Fei. When it reached the 9th minute mark, the blood stain was already resting before Han Fei’s feet. ‘Theoretically speaking I have all the reasons to fear it but that won’t change anything for me. It won’t let me go because of it.’
A lick of flame appeared in the night. Han Fei lit the cigarette. A trail of Yin energy appeared as the cigarette burned. Han Fei felt a sense of déjà vu. The talisman given to him by Meng Si contained other people’s Yin energy too. ‘Each cigarette is as powerful as a talisman? No, wait, the Yin energy contained within the cigarette is much more powerful than the one inside Meng Si’s talisman. They’re not even on the same level.’ The cigarette smoke distorted the scene around Han Fei. The Yin energy was still pooling! ‘The landlord’s kids are so powerful? Just a cigarette can relay such intense Yin energy?’
Han Fei believed the Yin energy would dissipate once the cigarette stopped burning so he needed to move fast. The smoke unspooled around Han Fei. While the cigarette was still burning, Han Fei was protected from outer threats. The cigarette smoke was meant for Han Fei’s protection but the man had his own way of using it. He studied the blood stain which had stopped moving and the edge of his lips curled. “Why did you stop?”
The sound of the burning cigarette calmed Han Fei. With the cigarette dangled on his lips, Han Fei stepped on the ‘head’ of the blood stain. A cold draft blew but it did nothing to lighten the cigarette smoke around Han Fei. Han Fei stared at the blood under his feet and growled, “You wanted to reach me, didn’t you? Well, here I am!”
Han Fei blew a smoke ring at the stain. The human-shaped stain did not anticipate this. Even though he was exposed to such great humiliation, he did not dare to make any drastic move. The cigarette had already burned halfway. Han Fei knew the protection would disappear once the cigarette finished burning but the enemy did not know that. “You better show yourself before this cigarette stops burning...” The threat was real.
Oppressed by the overwhelming Yin energy, the blood stain started to hesitate. Before it could make its move, Han Fei already did. 2 seconds after he made his threat, Han Fei placed the cigarette between his left fingers and extended his left hand to the ground. The power level between them was so terrifyingly at odds that the blood stain did not even try to resist. Through the usage of Soul-Depth Touch, as Han Fei’s hand came into contact with the blood stain, the pool rippled. Then Han Fei found himself holding a broken human head. Resentment, pain, madness but also anxiety and fear, Han Fei sensed many emotions from the blood stain. It was in fear.
Putting the cigarette back into his mouth, Han Fei gripped the human head by its hair and yanked it out from the pool. The human head was disfigured from a car accident. Its facial feature was mangled beyond recognition. However, holding the bizarre thing, Han Fei’s eyes glowed with excitement and joy. “You like to make people lose their way home but you’re the one who is really lost.” Licking at his lips, Han Fei’s expression was chilling, “It’s about time someone leads you home so why don’t you come with me? We shall be family from now on.” At the beginning, the blood stain was confused by what Han Fei said but when it heard Han Fei wanted to be its family, it knew something was wrong. “Our home is somewhere without pain and despair, it’s for family only.”
The cigarette had almost reached its end and the Yin energy was at its thickest. “Don’t be afraid, it’ll be over soon. We’ll soon be family.” A deep cruelty hid behind Han Fei’s smile. His finger tickled the head’s smashed chin. His eyes softened with kindness. Han Fei turned towards his menu and used Resurrection on the blood stain!
The night was torn apart as the gates of hell opened. The menu leaked with blood before it shattered. The sea of human faces gushed forward. An endless sea of blood appeared behind Han Fei. The human stain appeared to have sensed something. When it looked behind Han Fei, its deformed face almost cracked from sheer fear. It fractured the chin which Han Fei was holding and slipped away. At the same time, the environment around Han Fei changed. The cigarette dropped to the ground and the robotic system echoed in his mind. “Failure to locate any wandering soul! Resurrection failed!”
Ignoring the system notification, Han Fei turned back to look. The way back had returned. Xu Qin stood in the shadows of the Happiness Neighbourhood.
‘It feels like 10 minutes have passed but perhaps in reality, it was much shorter. The blood stain has sensory deprivation ability, it’ll be a strong ally. I should be on the lookout for it.’ The human-shaped pool had disappeared but Han Fei noticed his hands were still stained somewhat. ‘The thing appeared to have abandoned half of its face just to escape.’
The blood on his hands was soon consumed by the ghost tattoo. Han Fei did not waste anymore time and continued with his mission. The human-shaped stain was the strongest ghost at the junction, but now that it had disappeared, other entities turned their focus onto Han Fei. When the cat is gone, the mice come out to play. ‘Just crossing the street can get so dangerous, it’s really not easy to survive in this city.’
Clearing his mind, Han Fei focused on his mission. He avoided several wandering ghosts and side-stepped some rudimentary traps before he reached the other side of the street.
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve completed Grade G Main Mission—4-way Junction! Obtained 1 Free Skill Points! Obtained item reward—The Groom’s Boutonniere.
“The Groom’s Boutonniere (Grade G Blood Red Item): It was supposed to be the happiest day of his life but when he passed this junction, his car was crashed into by a speeding van. Since that day, he wandered around the junction, waiting for his missing bride. Unable to enjoy his own bliss, he envied it on others.”
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