Chapter 23 Reality Check: A Shared Cryfest
Zhu Ming blinked her elaborately made-up eyes. “Don’t you like my loving breakfast? It might be microwaved convenience store food, but I pressed the buttons myself!”
Yun Zouchuan quickly shook her head. “No, it’s just… you like this… it’s terrifying. And strange.”
“How mean!” Zhu Ming poked her forehead playfully and twirled around, her skirt flaring like a flower. “But I think this outfit looks great! Don’t you think it’s pretty?”
It was pretty. The bright pink floral dress, though a little worn, complemented Zhu Ming’s fair skin perfectly. Her hair was in a bun, her face made up, and a friendly smile played on her lips. She looked years younger, radiating youthful energy and beauty.
But… Yun Zouchuan watched her warily, feeling like she had been possessed. “It looks good, but it’s not your usual style.”
Zhu Ming clasped her hands together, basking in the morning sun, a beatific smile on her face. “People should always try new things. It helps us embrace a new life.”
Yun Zouchuan wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but Zhu Ming had already twirled away.
Throughout the day, Yun Zouchuan was subjected to a series of shocks. Zhu Ming not only hummed cheerfully while cleaning but even showed empathy for the weeds she was pulling in the garden:
“Little weeds, it must hurt when I pull you out, doesn’t it? Don’t worry! It won’t hurt anymore once you’re dead!”
Yun Zouchuan couldn’t take it anymore. Seeing Zhu Ming heading to the kitchen to prepare lunch, she grabbed her bag and the letter, and ran outside. “Boss, I missed a few tutoring sessions while I was trapped in the instance. I’m going to catch up on my homework! You… be careful! If you blow up the kitchen, call 119!”
A stingy, violent boss was one thing, but a sweet, caring boss was unbearable.
Yun Zouchuan spent the rest of the day catching up on her studies.
Unable to contact the outside world while in the Dark Realm, she had missed several tutoring sessions. She took her studies seriously and contacted all her teachers, explaining the situation and asking for the assignments she had missed.
It was 9 p.m. by the time she finished all her homework. She sent the assignments to her teachers online and bought two takeout meals from a small restaurant to bring back.
She had no expectations of Zhu Ming making edible food. As long as she didn’t blow up the kitchen, that was progress.
When she returned to the studio, only the streetlights were on. The living room was dark and empty.
Yun Zouchuan found it strange. Zhu Ming shouldn’t be asleep at this hour. She placed the takeout containers on the table and went upstairs to find Zhu Ming. The door to her room was closed.
Unusual.
Not just now, but all day, Zhu Ming had been acting unusual.
Yun Zouchuan knocked on the door. “Boss, I brought you food. It’s on the table. Eat when you’re hungry.”
There was no response. Pressing her ear against the door, she heard faint music. She shrugged and went to the gym to work out. After a while, she looked up at the ceiling.
The building was old, and sometimes water leaked from the floor above. This spot… the leak was coming from Zhu Ming’s bedroom!
As the boss, Zhu Ming occupied the largest room in the building. Remembering some of Zhu Ming’s past antics, Yun Zouchuan stomped upstairs and knocked on the door again.
“Boss! Boss! Your floor is leaking!”
Still no response. Yun Zouchuan tried the handle. Thankfully, it was unlocked.
She walked in. Loud rock music blasted from the speakers, almost deafening. She turned off the music and looked around. The bathroom door was open.
They were both women, so Yun Zouchuan didn’t think much of it and went to the bathroom to find Zhu Ming.
The bathtub was full of water, two wine bottles floating on the surface. Zhu Ming, still wearing her pink floral dress from that morning, was lying in the tub, slowly sliding down. Every movement sent water sloshing over the edge.
She was clutching a half-empty bottle of red wine. The other half must have spilled into the tub, staining the water red. A few empty bottles, red and white, were scattered on the floor. The bathroom reeked of alcohol.
Afraid her boss would drown and no one would pay her salary, Yun Zouchuan quickly pulled Zhu Ming out of the tub.
The water was ice cold. She knew Zhu Ming’s habits. Having a high body temperature wasn’t comfortable. Zhu Ming tolerated heat but preferred cooler temperatures and often added ice to her bathwater.
The woman, who had been as still as a corpse, suddenly came to life, thrashing around. Yun Zouchuan’s dry clothes were soaked, and Zhu Ming, wet and slippery, was difficult to hold. It took considerable effort to prevent her from sliding back into the tub.
Then Zhu Ming started acting drunk, wrapping her arms around Yun Zouchuan, giggling and babbling incoherently, making Yun Zouchuan so exasperated she almost shoved her back into the tub.
Finally, Zhu Ming quieted down, having spilled most of the bathwater on the floor. Yun Zouchuan pulled the plug to drain the tub. Zhu Ming clung to her neck, no longer yelling, but murmuring unintelligibly,
“Shhh, Azou. Do you hear it?”
After the water drained, Yun Zouchuan wrapped a towel around Zhu Ming, soaking up the excess water. Beneath the towel, Zhu Ming giggled softly and said, “Crackle, crackle… do you know what that sound is?”
Yun Zouchuan sighed. “Are you having auditory hallucinations again? Boss, you never told me what you heard before. How would I know?”
Zhu Ming burst into laughter, a loud, hysterical outburst that ended abruptly.
Her eyes closed, her body went limp, and she fell asleep against Yun Zouchuan.
…
The next morning, Yun Zouchuan cautiously looked towards the stairs, fearing her boss would appear in another shocking outfit.
Thankfully, Zhu Ming looked much more normal today, shuffling down the stairs in slippers, wearing a black T-shirt and pants, and flopping onto the sofa with a listless air.
Or rather, melting onto the sofa. Zhu Ming played with her phone, instructing Yun Zouchuan to make her oatmeal.
Yun Zouchuan breathed a sigh of relief.
But over the next few days, she gradually realized that Zhu Ming still wasn’t quite right.
She was too quiet, too… listless. Her boss had always been lazy, but she had never been this apathetic. She seemed mildly interested in her phone, but not really. It was just something to fidget with. She would put it down and stare into space for long periods.
She no longer nitpicked, no longer asked about Yun Zouchuan’s homework. She seemed… to have lost interest in everything, languid and spiritless.
When had things started to change?
It was… when she had met Zhu Ming at the foot of the mountain after leaving the instance!
Yun Zouchuan remembered now. Before they split up, her boss had been normal, but after descending the mountain, something had shifted. Zhu Ming’s expression had been strange, like she wanted to laugh but couldn’t. Her eyes had been unsettling.
They had left the instance late at night and gone straight to bed. Zhu Ming had started acting strangely after waking up.
Something must have happened before Zhu Ming came down the mountain, but Yun Zouchuan hadn’t been with her and had no idea what it was. She tried to ask, but Zhu Ming just shrugged, watching videos of cats and dogs, claiming nothing was wrong.
Yun Zouchuan decided to call someone.
“Atu-jie! Help! My boss has lost it!”
A bright, cheerful voice answered, “Is she dead?”
“Not yet.”
Wenren Tu replied, “Then what are you panicking about? I’m not even panicking, and I just found out my girlfriend cheated on me! I don’t want to live anymore!”
Yun Zouchuan: “But she’s getting there.”
Wenren Tu: “Huh?”
Yun Zouchuan looked at the woman sprawled on the sofa and sighed. “It’s like this. A few days ago, my boss suddenly changed. She started wearing makeup, dressing up, even wore a little floral dress, and then…”
After listening to Yun Zouchuan’s description, Wenren Tu was puzzled. “There has to be a reason, right?”
Yun Zouchuan replied, “Definitely, but I don’t know what it is. I almost forgot to tell you, the change started in a place called the Dark Realm…”
This time, Wenren Tu listened patiently. After hearing the whole story, her voice turned serious. “So you were in the Dark Realm too. It seems I need to pay you a visit.”
“Atu-jie, you were there too?”
“Yes. Not just me, but many others.” Wenren Tu said, “The Bureau is investigating. It’s complicated, a widespread phenomenon. Wait for me at the studio. I’ll be right there. We’ll talk in person.”
…
An hour later, the glass door of the Little Fire God Paranormal Investigations swung open.
“Where’s Zhu Ming? Big sister is here!”
A woman with short, blue-and-purple streaked hair, wearing a baggy T-shirt with a large skull print, strode into the studio, a smile on her face. Her features were delicate yet sharp, her bangs clipped back to reveal her forehead. She wore thick, black bracelets on both wrists.
It was Wenren Tu, an intern at the Paranormal Affairs Bureau. Despite being an intern, her family head, Wenren Bai, was the director of the Bureau. The Wenren clan was the leading family in the Spirit Realm, so they were always the first to hear any news.
Besides her official titles, Wenren Tu also had another important identity: she was Zhu Ming’s best friend.
She was here to ask about their experience in the Dark Realm and also to check on her friend. She was a busy woman. She sat down opposite Zhu Ming. “Zhu Ming, let’s go to a bar!”
Zhu Ming glanced at her languidly, saying nothing.
Wenren Tu placed something on the coffee table. “Look! It’s the blade you’ve been wanting to play with! I brought it for you!”
The Wenren clan possessed an ancient blade called Haojin, renowned for its power and menacing aura. The blade was rarely used, only wielded by the family head. The Wenren clan had crafted several replicas of Haojin for their members, each possessing considerable power but forbidden to outsiders. Wenren Tu had brought hers.
Zhu Ming showed a flicker of interest, reaching out to touch the blade. “Oh.”
Wenren Tu frowned, turned to look out the window, and exclaimed, “Oh my god! A money truck just crashed!”
Zhu Ming retreated further into the sofa and resumed playing with her phone.
Wenren Tu, looking like she had seen a ghost, pulled Yun Zouchuan aside. “Tell me everything. How you entered the Dark Realm, what happened inside, and what happened after you came out. Every detail.”
This wasn’t normal. What had gotten into Zhu Ming?
Yun Zouchuan recounted everything without reservation, but there were too many things she didn’t know. Even after discussing it, they couldn’t make sense of it.
Wenren Tu decided to talk to Zhu Ming directly. She sat beside her. “Zhu Ming, I got dumped.”
Zhu Ming finally showed some interest, slowly looking up at Wenren Tu. “What a coincidence.”
Wenren Tu sat up abruptly, stunned. “No way! You got dumped too?! When did you even have a girlfriend?!”
A wave of sadness washed over Zhu Ming. “I wasn’t even in a relationship! I just realized today that she never loved me!”
Wenren Tu choked back a sob. “Me too! She said she mistook our friendship for love, that she’s realized she’s straight and wants to get married now! Bullshit! I’ll never fall for a straight girl again!”
“Why do you always fall for straight girls?”
“Why are you still hung up on your ex after seven years?”
They dissolved into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Yun Zouchuan: “…”
This wasn’t why she had called Wenren Tu. She put on her headphones, blocking out the wails of misery.
Half an hour later, they finally calmed down. Wenren Tu blew her nose and said, “Okay, I have serious business to discuss.”
Zhu Ming, her eyes red and puffy, burrowed further into the sofa. The crying seemed to have helped, though she was still listless, at least she wasn’t as apathetic as before.
Putting aside her heartbreak for now, Wenren Tu said, “Serious business, serious business. Since you’ve also encountered the Dark Realm, I need to tell you a few things.”
Working at the Paranormal Affairs Bureau, Wenren Tu had access to more information than the average Awakened. She shared the details with Zhu Ming and Yun Zouchuan.
The Dark Realm was an independent dimension whose location was currently unknown. It seemed to be divided into countless smaller spaces, each independent of the other, what the participants called instances.
It had appeared at least three months ago, affecting Awakened individuals worldwide. Once they entered, the only way out was death.
Those who died in the Dark Realm vanished from the real world. The Bureau suspected their bodies and souls remained trapped within the dimension.
The criteria for being chosen to enter an instance were still unclear. They only knew that the elements within an instance were often related to the participant’s past experiences. The time between instances varied from one to three months, heralded by the appearance of an invitation.
There was also a special rule: if Awakened individual A received an invitation but B didn’t, B could press their fingerprint on A’s invitation, increasing their chances of receiving a similar invitation, allowing them to enter the same instance.
Wenren Tu said, “The Bureau is swamped. Not all Awakened can protect themselves. If we let these instances run rampant, the casualties will only increase. We’ve deployed many teams to clear instances, trying to ensure the safety of all participants. But we’re severely understaffed. God knows how many instances there are.”
And rarely were two instances identical. Even if the story and location were the same, the details and rules often changed, preventing participants from developing foolproof strategies. Experience was helpful, but relying too heavily on it could lead to carelessness and death.
Wenren Tu continued, “Azou told me about your instance in detail. Good, we have another piece of intelligence. Did you encounter any noteworthy Awakened individuals in that instance? Like, you know, the murderous, arsonist type?”
Zhu Ming stared at her blankly. Was that a dig at her?
Wenren Tu chuckled nervously. “We need to be wary of enemies from within.”
Zhu Ming thought for a moment. “There was a strange girl in that instance. Her name was Xiao Xue…”
Xiao Xue, who stayed in room 2006, next to 2007, couldn’t have been completely oblivious, given her intelligence. She always spoke at the right time, never offending anyone, never taking the spotlight, but always accurate.
This girl gave Zhu Ming a strange feeling. When she suspected Xiao Song, she had also considered Xiao Xue as a possible traitor, but it turned out not to be her, making her even more suspicious.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away from the Little Fire God Paranormal Investigations…
The sun was shining, a gentle breeze blowing. It was a beautiful day. A young woman in a white dress rode a shared bicycle, weaving through the crowd.
She reached an intersection. Ding! She stopped in front of a small supermarket.
“A bottle of water, please. And can I borrow your phone?”
“Sure. Two yuan. Here’s the phone. The password is 123456.” The shop owner, engrossed in a TV drama, carried a small stool to the back of the store to continue watching.
Bai Lianxue unlocked the phone and dialed a number.
“Ring, ring, ring—”
“Sister, the instance I entered hasn’t been cleared yet. There are only two people of note. One is called Zhu Ming. I don’t know the other person’s name, but she’s very strange…”
A moment later, Bai Lianxue hung up, deleted the call log, put the phone down, and left two one-yuan coins on the counter.
The wind chimes at the entrance jingled as the young woman in the white dress rode away.
The shop owner, still engrossed in his drama, suddenly heard a voice yelling, “Hello! Shopkeeper! Is anyone here?”
A group of students had come to buy snacks. He jumped up and hurried over to ring them up. After they left, he looked at the phone on the counter, a puzzled look on his face.
Strange. Why had he suddenly decided to watch TV? And he had been so engrossed he had even forgotten to take his phone back.
Meanwhile, back at 126 Ping’an Street, South Huadu District, inside the Little Fire God Paranormal Investigations…
After listening to Zhu Ming’s description of Xiao Xue, Wenren Tu asked, “Anything else?”
A flicker of conflict crossed Zhu Ming’s face. “There’s also… Yin Yu.”
Wenren Tu knew the name. Zhu Ming had told her a little about their past. Because of the Wenren clan’s close ties to the Paranormal Affairs Bureau, they had even used the Bureau’s system to investigate the name, but found nothing.
Zhu Ming had been hesitant to search for Yin Yu, still clinging to the hope that what she had heard that night wasn’t the whole truth.
She had been young and terrified by those strange events, instinctively seeking help from the police.
After leaving Yin Yu, Zhu Ming’s abilities had suddenly awakened. She suspected it was related to the agonizing pain she had experienced that night, that perhaps Yin Yu hadn’t truly intended to harm her… but she couldn’t find Yin Yu to confirm her suspicions, and she was also afraid of finding an answer that would only bring disappointment.
This was why she still felt a flicker of unease around Yin Yu, afraid that her choices had been wrong, that Yin Yu had her reasons and she hadn’t given her a chance to explain. If that were true, she would be the one who caused the hurt.
But now, Yin Yu had reappeared, and Zhu Ming had heard those words directly from her: I don’t love you. It wasn’t a misunderstanding.
Perhaps this was a good thing. It was time to let go completely, to erase Yin Yu from her world, to finally say goodbye to that naive, heartbroken version of herself.
So she said, “We couldn’t find anything on her before. I just encountered her in the instance. If she doesn’t appear in the real world, there’s not much we can do.”
As long as Yin Yu didn’t reappear, their paths wouldn’t cross, and her schemes would have nothing to do with Zhu Ming.
Wenren Tu shrugged. “I’ll make a note of it. If anyone from the Bureau encounters her in an instance, we won’t let her off easily. Azou, you should also be careful. Not all Awakened are good people, and not all participants are teammates. Be vigilant.”
Yun Zouchuan nodded. “I’ll remember that.”
Besides the disturbing information, the Bureau had also discovered some good news: instances could be permanently closed.
The method was simple: destroy the instance’s core. But few were capable of doing so.
Yun Zouchuan asked, “What happens to the participants who haven’t completed the mission when the time runs out?”
Wenren Tu replied, “That involves the Dark Realm’s reward and punishment system. Did you notice anything different after you left the instance?”
Yun Zouchuan said, “Yes. My ability seems to have improved slightly.”
“Exactly. That’s the reward for completing the mission. Not only that, but next time you enter an instance, you’ll receive another item along with the invitation.”
Wenren Tu explained, “Protective amulets. Currently, we’ve found two types: gray and white. Gray amulets are common and have limited uses. All participants who complete a mission receive one as a reward. White amulets are rare and only appear after an instance is closed.”
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