The Haunted House - Chapter 6

“What if I know about a third way?”

Li Qian looked at Bai Qingqing with a puzzled expression. “A third way? How could you possibly know about a third way?”

“Whoever told you about those two paths-they are entirely impassable, pure deceit. But I firmly believe that we can escape from here. I have a strong intuition about it! Although intuition isn’t always reliable, for some reason, this time it feels overwhelmingly real. What I’m trying to say is, if someone deceived you, then they must be trying to hide something. And if we consider uncovering what they’re hiding as the first step to leaving this place…”

Bai Qingqing paused, because she saw Li Qian deep in thought. Yes, Li Qian was thinking about Wang Chenxi, someone who hadn’t had the heart to kill him but had still imprisoned him here. It had to be Wang Chenxi-he was the only one with enough motive to deceive him. As the realization struck, Li Qian said, “There’s only one hidden secret in this place. I’ve only been there once, and it was terrifying.”

Li Qian turned and began walking, saying, “I’ll take you there. I hope you’re right.”

Bai Qingqing followed behind Li Qian, weaving through the small, confined secret room. Before long, Li Qian stopped and said, “This is it.”

Bai Qingqing looked at him, confused. “Aren’t we back where we started?” Li Qian didn’t respond. At that moment, he looked tense, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. He asked, “Are you ready? Those things in there are truly horrifying.”

Bai Qingqing replied firmly, “No matter how terrifying, we have to try. Or would you rather spend the rest of your life here?”

Li Qian took a deep breath and said, “Alright, let’s get started.” As he spoke, his eyes shifted from green to white. Bai Qingqing watched curiously, reminded of Wang Chenxi’s snowy white eyes from before, and seemed to understand something. Li Qian, noticing her confusion, explained, “Don’t be surprised. This is a normal reaction for people like us when using our talents. Although my talent isn’t as strong as others’, it comes in handy here since I have a knack for mechanics! So no matter how strange the challenges, they can’t stump me.”

Just as Li Qian finished speaking, an invisible door appeared and began to slowly open. Bai Qingqing seemed rooted to the spot, unable to believe her eyes. It was indeed the dream he had described! The grass, the stream, and the endless cherry blossom forest! The image of that bloody, twitching hand surfaced again in Bai Qingqing’s mind. But it was too late to say anything now, as she and Li Qian were already standing in front of the cherry blossom forest.

Bai Qingqing’s voice trembled as she asked, “How did we end up here? How can we get out?” Li Qian replied, “For now, I have no solution, but when the time comes, we will naturally find our way out without any specific method. The only thing we can do now is to try our best to preserve our lives before we can escape!”

It was clear that Li Qian had been here before. He had deeply experienced the horrors of this place and knew even more about it than Bai Qingqing.

Just then, a bloody hand emerged from the ground, grabbing Bai Qingqing’s ankle. Staring at the gruesome hand, her fear peaked, and she stood frozen for a long moment before letting out a terrified scream.

Though Li Qian was scared, he appeared much more composed and ruthless than Bai Qingqing. He grabbed the bloody hand and tried hard to pull the fingers apart, but despite using all his strength, he could only pry two fingers loose. What about the remaining three? They couldn’t afford to just wait it out here. Finally, Li Qian bit off the remaining three fingers with his sharp teeth. As blood slowly dripped from the corner of his mouth, Bai Qingqing’s eyes widened, unsure of what to say. Li Qian looked at her and said, “You still haven’t adapted to our world, huh? This is nothing; the cruelties that lie ahead are far worse. I hope you can endure them.” As he spoke, a decapitated head, eyes still open, fell at Bai Qingqing’s feet. Before she could recover, Li Qian shouted, “Get to cover!” As soon as his words faded, countless heads, hearts, and limbs rained down on them like a torrent, each impact creating a massive crater. Any of these could be fatal. Some items whizzed past Bai Qingqing, others landed near her feet. Hiding, Bai Qingqing trembled nonstop, having never imagined this place could be so terrifying. As a chunk of gore hurtled towards her face, she didn’t know how to dodge, but a force pushed her to the ground. When she regained her senses, she saw Li Qian leaning against a tree root, blood continuously flowing from his mouth. At that moment, all Bai Qingqing could do was cry helplessly, saying, “I’m sorry, I, I…”

“Anyone who sees such a bloody scene for the first time would react just like you did. But you need to stay focused now because it’s only going to get worse from here. I might not be able to take care of you anymore.” Bai Qingqing nodded tearfully, unaware that her tears had already become somewhat cloudy. However, Li Qian saw it clearly. He didn’t say anything, just gave a bitter smile, which seemed to foretell something.

Covered in blood, Bai Qingqing lay on Li Qian’s lap as he leaned against a tree trunk and asked, “Are you okay?” Looking up at the dim sky, Bai Qingqing said, “Are we going to die here? I thought coming here would help us find a way out, but it seems we might die sooner than expected. Will you blame me?” Li Qian sighed with a smile, looking at Bai Qingqing, “I’ve wanted to die many times because death seemed like a release to me. But for the most important person in my life, it used to be my sister, now it’s you. My friend. I forgot to tell you, I used to write novels, the kind I enjoyed. It made me happy.” Bai Qingqing excitedly said, “Me too! It’s just that I haven’t been as lucky as you; my novels don’t bring me happiness.” She looked at Li Qian’s closed eyes and laughed, “Can you still sleep? You’re such an oddball.” But her smile, which lingered at a perfect, slight upward curve at the corners of her mouth, froze because Li Qian had collapsed. Bai Qingqing sat up suddenly, grabbed Li Qian’s arms, and shouted loudly, “Li Qian! Li Qian! What’s wrong with you? Wake up!” But no matter how much she called, the sleeping Li Qian did not wake up again. Bai Qingqing looked at him with lifeless eyes, tears of sorrow streaming down her face. It was the first time she realized how much she depended on him, much like she had always depended on her father’s hands as a child. It seemed she could see her father’s hands; she slowly got up, trying desperately to grasp those hands that were moving further and further away, but ultimately, those hands disappeared without a trace. She collapsed to the ground again, nearly breaking down, feeling as if everything was moving further and further away from him. Only one thing was slowly approaching her, a thing called loneliness, endless loneliness.

Suddenly, Bai Qingqing felt a pair of hands patting her shoulders. She spun around desperately, like someone clutching at a life-saving straw, hoping to grab hold of those hands. But to her surprise, it wasn’t who she expected-it was Li Xian.

“No need to be sad,” Li Xian said softly. “None of this is real. It’s all just an illusion, and they’re all still here. I’ll get you out of this.” With that, Li Xian closed her eyes. After a moment, she abruptly opened them, her once normal eyes now a piercing white. She shouted loudly, “Illusion, break!”

Bai Qingqing felt the world around her spin in a haze. When she regained her senses, she realized she was back in the secret room. She looked around, and the first thing she saw was Li Qian. He was seated on the ground, looking battered and bruised, but otherwise unharmed.

Li Qian spoke first. “You know what? I just saw my sister. I’m not sure if you saw her too-her name is Li Xian. When I saw her, even for just a moment, I suddenly felt like all the pain and suffering I’ve endured was worth it. I still remember the time when we…”

Bai Qingqing didn’t say a word. She simply stood there, quietly listening as Li Qian recounted his story.

After what felt like a long while, Li Qian finally said, “You should hurry back. Dawn is coming soon. But there’s something I really need to warn you about. If you do have a way to get out of here, don’t hesitate-leave as soon as possible. You’re slowly being assimilated into this place, and you don’t have much time left. Haven’t you noticed that you can now see clearly, even in complete darkness? That’s the most basic ability people like us have.”

Snapping out of the warm but strange comfort she’d been feeling, Bai Qingqing asked nervously, “Assimilated? What do you mean?”

Li Qian gave her a bitter smile. “The process of making you one of us isn’t complicated. It just takes time. That’s why you’re running out of it. Once you’re fully assimilated, there will be no chance for you to return to your old life.”

Bai Qingqing tiptoed back to her room, her mind racing. The sky outside hadn’t yet brightened, but she realized-horrifyingly-that she could see everything in the room as if it were broad daylight. This newfound ability sent a chill through her. She eased herself onto the bed, but her thoughts were in complete turmoil. What was she supposed to do next?

She had come here hoping to find a way out, but now it seemed like any escape would rely solely on luck and instinct. Was she truly going to be assimilated, little by little, until nothing of her old self remained?

No! I can’t let that happen, Bai Qingqing thought desperately. I have to get out of here. I can’t stay in this place and become something that’s neither human nor ghost! I’m running out of time! But where is the problem? Where’s the way out?

“Li Xian.” From a distance, Wang Chenxi spotted the girl standing in the cool autumn breeze, waiting for him. His face lit up with a warm, boyish grin as he called her name loudly and jogged over. When he reached her, his tone softened. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you cold?”

Li Xian blushed slightly, responding only with a shy smile and no words. She knew Wang Chenxi liked her, just as she liked him. But in those days, when love was a tender, bashful thing, it wasn’t something a girl would boldly declare, not even in her sweetest daydreams. She couldn’t just blurt out “Wang Chenxi, I like you!” Instead, she found herself quietly waiting, hoping he’d finally gather the courage to say the words she longed to hear.

She’d also grown used to his clumsy, almost laughably awkward attempts to woo her. Wang Chenxi always seemed to fumble hopelessly, as though romantic gestures weren’t wired into his brain. Sometimes he left her torn between frustration-wanting to scream in exasperation-and the secret delight of his goofy sincerity. Through all this, Li Xian played along quietly, indulging him without showing too much. And yet, it seemed Wang Chenxi was entirely oblivious to her subtle cooperation.

Their dynamic was endearingly chaotic. A shy girl and a hopelessly inept boy stumbling through the tentative steps of their shared affection. Five years had passed this way, and still, they remained stuck in the same place. Nothing monumental had changed, but neither had they drifted apart.

Today, however, Wang Chenxi seemed different-bolder, somehow. His dark eyes held a glint of excitement as he said, “Let me take you somewhere. It’s exciting but cozy at the same time.”

Li Xian tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. “Where?” she asked.

But Wang Chenxi grinned mischievously, refusing to reveal his surprise. “You’ll see when we get there,” he said, the air of mystery thick in his voice. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m by your side, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Li Xian was taken aback. It was the first time she’d ever heard such sweet, reassuring words come from his lips. The sudden rush of joy was dizzying, clouding her focus and making her heart flutter uncontrollably. In that moment, she wasn’t concerned about where he was taking her or what was waiting for her there. Just as Wang Chenxi said, with him beside her, what was there to be afraid of?

Li Xian had no idea how she ended up there. She only remembered that they had spent a long time in the car, followed by a rather lengthy walk, before finally arriving at a remote location. There was a field of pristine grass and a sky untouched by industrial pollution. Wang Chenxi led Li Xian to a gray apartment building. Smiling brightly, he said, “I saw this in a newspaper. It’s available for free rent, offered to dispel the rumors that it’s haunted. This will be our first step toward establishing ourselves here.”

Li Xian wasn’t afraid of ghosts or anything of the sort. As the saying goes, “A clear conscience fears no midnight knock,” so they had no mental barriers when it came to this apartment.

They knocked on the door of the apartment, and it was opened by an elderly man with a kind smile and a beard speckled with white. Upon seeing them, the man said, “You’re here. Come on in.” Wang Chenxi asked politely, “May I ask, sir, how we should address you?” The old man’s seemingly kind smile twisted into a sinister grin as he replied, “Actually, I am a devoted practitioner of Buddhism. My only remaining purpose is to guide lonely ghosts toward their next reincarnation. So, they call me the Guide to the Underworld!” With that, he left, abandoning them in the apartment where they would go on to spend countless years of their lives.

Time passed peacefully, so gently it was like a breeze brushing against their skin. When Li Xian woke up, it was already midmorning. Groggy and disoriented, she walked out of her room to find Wang Chenxi sitting at the table, a full meal laid out in front of him, waiting for her.

Li Xian teased him, “Usually I’m the one cooking for you, and you barely acknowledge me. What’s gotten into you today?”

Wang Chenxi smiled warmly and said, “Because it’s your birthday. Did you forget? You even slept in this late.”

Li Xian suddenly remembered and exclaimed, “Oh! I did forget.” She sat down and, without hesitation, began to enjoy the meal. With no concern for decorum, she ate heartily, feeling a warm sense of happiness.

However, Wang Chenxi didn’t seem to share Li Xian’s appetite. He sat there staring at her, his lips parting as if to speak, but hesitated. Finally, he mustered the courage to say, “Li Xian, I… I actually…”

Wang Chenxi had imagined this moment a thousand times in his mind. He had prepared endlessly for this, picturing exactly how he would confess his feelings. But now that the moment had arrived, he found himself at a loss for words.

Unaware of what Wang Chenxi was about to say, Li Xian continued eating, her mouth full of food as she said, “What is it? Hurry up and spit it out before the food gets cold.”

“I like you!”

Wang Chenxi finally managed to utter those words, his face flushed with embarrassment. It was obvious that Li Xian was completely caught off guard. She froze mid-bite, her mouth slightly open and her chopsticks suspended in mid-air. She had never expected Wang Chenxi to confess his feelings so suddenly, at a moment when she was totally unprepared. Like him, she had imagined countless times how she might react if Wang Chenxi ever confessed to her. But reality had its own plans. Was this truly an accident? Or was it somehow destined? For a brief moment, silence fell between them.

Then, Wang Chenxi spoke again. “I know I’m not good enough right now, but please believe me, I’ll do everything to make you happy. I won’t let you stay in this rented apartment forever. Will you wait for me?”

Li Xian started to panic. She couldn’t let this self-doubting, overly modest guy keep talking. If he went on, she feared, he might not even leave her a chance to respond. Realizing this, she quickly interrupted him, saying, “We can work toward it together!”

Wang Chenxi looked confused. “What do you mean?” he asked innocently, his head tilted slightly in bewilderment. His question pushed Li Xian to the edge of exasperation. She jumped out of her chair, shouting at him, “I mean I’m willing to be your girlfriend, you idiot! You coward!”

But before Wang Chenxi could even begin processing his joy, Li Xian suddenly collapsed to the ground. Startled, Wang Chenxi rushed to catch her and desperately called out, “Li Xian! Li Xian!” But no matter how loudly he shouted, she didn’t respond. Panicking, he tried to take her to the hospital, but the old man who had greeted them earlier was now standing in the doorway, blocking his exit.

“You’re not going anywhere,” the old man said calmly. “You’d better stay right where you are.”

“I need to take her to the hospital! Get out of the way!” Wang Chenxi yelled, his voice filled with urgency.

The old man shook his head, as if in exasperation. “Don’t you understand? You can’t go back anymore.”

In that instant, the old man’s eyes turned pure white. A wave of dizziness swept over Wang Chenxi, and everything in his vision began to blur together. Before he could figure out what was happening, he found himself in a completely different place-a world filled with lush green grass, sparkling streams, and a forest of cherry blossoms. Everything around him radiated an otherworldly beauty.

When Wang Chenxi came out of there, he was mentally shattered, kneeling helplessly on the ground. The old man said, “You should understand now, right? The real world is like this, unbearable.” Wang Chenxi clung to the last shred of his sanity, glaring at the old man with eyes filled with hatred, gritting his teeth and saying, “Don’t dream! You killed Li Xian! One day, I will take my revenge!” After hearing this, the old man smiled and said, “You have no choice, but to ensure you work hard for me, I’ve decided to give you a little reward.” He paused and added, “I can let Li Xian continue to live in this apartment, but you won’t be able to see her until you complete the tasks I assign you.” After finishing, the old man turned around and walked away before Wang Chenxi could respond. Wang Chenxi shouted at him, “What should I do?” Without looking back, he replied, “Those who come here should be killed or spared as necessary!”

Wang Chenxi stood by the window, staring at the dead leaves and the cold winter that he had grown tired of long ago, for he knew that through this window, all he could see was the endless cold winter. He murmured to himself, “Xian, can you hear me? I want to tell you that today is the last day. That innocent person will be completely assimilated today, and then I will be able to see you. I’m a sinner with a dirty soul. But for you, I don’t care!” Wang Chenxi’s eyes, filled with hatred, suddenly became incredibly determined and cold.

As days passed, Bai Qingqing still had no clue about everything. She became increasingly convinced that the way to leave here must be hidden within that dream, and this feeling grew stronger. Yet, Bai Qingqing did not want to rely solely on this unfounded intuition for her only chance to escape. So she kept thinking. But the more she thought, the messier her mind became. She frantically searched for something on the table, oblivious to the fact that books had fallen to the floor and water from her cup had spilled across the table. When she attempted to turn on the computer that hadn’t been used for a few days, she shouted, “Damn it!” No matter how many times Bai Qingqing pressed the power button, it would not respond. In her fury, she smashed the keyboard against the monitor, again and again, until the computer was unrecognizable. In that instant, Bai Qingqing’s pupils widened in fear. The blood that oozed from her hand was no longer red but – white! Bai Qingqing had gone mad! She screamed frantically, “No! This is not my blood! This is not my blood!”

“No-” Bai Qingqing shouted with all her might. But it was too late; her eyes had already turned white! She had been completely assimilated. In that moment, Bai Qingqing saw the way out, though it was blurry, it was enough. Bai Qingqing finally realized that it wasn’t just a premonition, but an innate ability-a seer. Bai Qingqing almost crazily dashed out of the room, but as she did, she saw Wang Chenxi’s evil smile. He said to her, “Please go back to your room and don’t challenge my temper, as I am far more terrifying than you can imagine!” As he spoke, Wang Chenxi’s eyes turned white again. However, this time Bai Qingqing was able to control her thoughts and break free from his gaze. She shouted, “Your ridiculous ability no longer works on me. If you don’t step aside, I won’t hold back!”

Wang Chenxi sneered and said, “Not holding back? It seems you won’t listen until you see my true strength.” The moment he finished speaking, Bai Qingqing dashed out at lightning speed. She didn’t know what terrifying abilities Wang Chenxi possessed, but she had gauged the window of time before he used his powers! So, she took that opportunity to escape. Wang Chenxi had no idea how Bai Qingqing figured it out; he didn’t have time to think, as he needed to catch up with her.

“Li Qian, go! I know how to get out! Hurry!” Bai Qingqing shouted as she rushed into the secret room. Li Qian dashed out, and without a second thought, he took off running with Bai Qingqing in the secret room. As they ran, Li Qian opened his white eyes, and Bai Qingqing anxiously asked, “How much longer?” Li Qian repeated in urgency, “I need time, I need time.” Bai Qingqing shouted in panic, “He’s coming! Hurry! Hurry!”

“Alright, let’s go!”

Wang Chenxi was still a step too late; he furiously shouted into the secret room. But soon, he laughed, “You can’t escape because you still don’t know how terrifying my abilities are.” With that, he turned and calmly left the place.

They saw the beautiful cherry blossoms once again. Li Qian asked, “Are you sure we can get out from here?” Bai Qingqing replied, “This place used to be terrifying for me, but now we can leave unscathed because I am like you now.” Li Qian didn’t seem surprised by this outcome. He said, “So what?”

“My ability is seer, so avoiding the obstacles here is as easy as breathing.”

They finally set foot on the road to leave, but once again, they encountered Wang Chenxi! With an evil grin, he said, “You leave before I’ve even finished speaking. Isn’t that a bit rude? Actually, I possess two powers – authority and shadow clone.” Bai Qingqing felt an overwhelming fear toward Wang Chenxi and asked, “But why can’t I see anything about you?”

“Because you’re still a newcomer.”

Wang Chenxi looked at Li Qian and said, “You want to run away too? This time, I won’t forgive you again. I told you, no one can stop me.”

Wang Chenxi raised his hand, palm up, and in an instant, all the cherry blossom petals detached from the branches, floating in the air. “The authority I’m talking about isn’t just aimed at you; it’s directed at all living beings! Every petal here can kill you.” He looked at Bai Qingqing and said, “Your ability must be something like prophecy, right? So, do you see right now if you can escape the incoming rain of cherry blossoms that will pierce your body? What a beautiful scene that would be.”

The petals moved! They flew rapidly towards Bai Qingqing and Li Qian, leaving them no place to hide. At that moment, there was nothing they could do but wait for death.

“Illusion, break!”

Thousands of cherry blossom petals instantly stopped in front of Bai Qingqing and Li Qian, then slowly began to fall. When Bai Qingqing opened her eyes, they were already outside the apartment!

Wang Chenxi looked at Li Xian in disbelief and said, “I’ve imagined countless death scenarios. But the one thing I never considered is that the person who would kill me would be you!” As he spoke, emerald green tears soaked his shirt. Li Xian lay not far from Wang Chenxi and said, “I broke your illusion, but I saw you. The curse has finally come true. We will both die. But I am willing. Because I truly do not want you to bear any more burdens, haven’t you realized that after all these years? I just want to end everything here. But please remember, I still love you. That will never change.” Wang Chenxi tried hard to crawl over, wanting to hold her hand, and tell her that his love for her ran deep in his bones. He was close, so close, but for the first time, he felt that the distance was so far, far enough that he could not touch her. He grasped her hand.