Chapter 29

The middle-aged woman was not only incredibly strong but also fast. Zhao Dawei barely had time to cry out for help before he was dragged into Room 103.

Once inside, Zhao Dawei discovered to his despair that there was another man in the room.

The man was shirtless. Although he looked to be in his forties, his body was covered in solid, bulging muscles.

Beer-bellied Zhao Dawei couldn’t even overpower the middle-aged woman, let alone this muscle-bound man.

Every inch of the man’s upper body was covered in strange runes tattooed in red pigment. He seemed to be wearing a leather cap on his head; it was wrinkled and embroidered with black silk thread in the same runic patterns found on his body.

However, none of that was the main point. The main point was the long deboning knife the man held in his hand, and the row of professional-looking meat cleavers laid out on the floor, gleaming with a cold light.

Zhao Dawei broke into a cold sweat.

What did these two want to do?

These two were definitely not tenants of Liwan Apartments. Room 103 didn’t even have furniture and didn’t look like it was in a condition to be rented out. How on earth did they get in? Did the landlord know they were here?

Despite his terror, Zhao Dawei forced himself to sound calm as he said, “Whatever you’re planning, I advise you to stop now. If the landlord finds out you’ve snuck into the apartments, he definitely won’t let you off.”

“The landlord?” The middle-aged man flashed a mocking smile. “We were let in by that very landlord you’re talking about.”

Zhao Dawei froze. Before he could say anything, the woman standing beside him reached out and dislocated his jaw. She then barked at the man, “Shut up, I’m sick of this. Why are you wasting time chatting with a sacrifice? Hurry up and start the ritual to call that guy’s soul back so we can find out how to make that thing.”

The pair had just finished rummaging through the box and failed to find what they were looking for. They realized there was a high probability the item was gone, so they decided to take a more extreme approach: summoning the soul of a former tenant who used to live here.

Although this soul-summoning ritual had major side effects—not only did it require a living human sacrifice, but the summoned soul would only remain lucid for a short time before turning into a terrifying, vengeful ghost—they didn’t care.

Furthermore, after the ritual ended, the residual energy would continuously attract other ghosts to the area.

But these two were indifferent. Once they got the information they wanted, they would flee. It didn’t matter how many ghosts were summoned, how fierce they were, or how many people they killed; it would have nothing to do with them.

Rebuked by the woman, the man scratched his head sheepishly and stopped wasting words. He walked toward Zhao Dawei with his knife. “Sister, could you do me a favor and dislocate his limbs too? I’m afraid this guy will struggle and get blood everywhere. It’ll make it hard to draw the ritual runes.”

“Tsk, what use are you?” The woman rolled her eyes at him. Her expression was ruthless and her movements vicious. Without giving Zhao Dawei a moment to react, she pinned him to the floor and dislocated every joint in his arms and legs.

After a wave of agonizing pain, Zhao Dawei could no longer feel his limbs. He tried to call for help, but with his jaw dislocated, he could only produce muffled, incoherent sounds.

Watching the man with the knife draw closer, Zhao Dawei felt like a pig waiting for slaughter.

Tears escaped the corners of his eyes. At this moment, he finally understood what that strange Heavenly Master meant by a “bloody calamity¹.”

It really came true…

And it really was a man-made disaster.

Zhao Dawei’s tears failed to stir even a hint of pity in the man. Like a skilled butcher, he made two swift cuts directly across Zhao Dawei’s wrists.

The two hideous wounds on his wrists gaped open like fish mouths, and blood gushed out. The sheer agony caused Zhao Dawei’s entire body to convulse.

“Sister, let’s begin.” The middle-aged man picked up a calligraphy brush and knelt to Zhao Dawei’s right.

The middle-aged woman yanked off her wig again and put on the Human Skin Hat. Holding a brush, she and the man began using Zhao Dawei’s blood to write strange runes on the floor, using him as the center of the circle.

The middle-aged couple currently had their backs to the room’s door.

While they were focused intently on drawing the runes, the door to Room 103 quietly creaked open a crack.

Miao Zheng, holding a telescopic steel baton and barefoot, stepped into the room from outside.

Earlier, when she and Zhao Dawei had parted ways at the convenience store to return to their rooms, she had faintly heard his cry for help. Looking toward the sound, she saw a figure resembling Zhao Dawei being dragged into the room next to the convenience store.

That should have been Room 103.

Even though the interior of the apartments was supposed to be absolutely safe, Miao Zheng chose to go check what was happening just in case.

To ensure her footsteps wouldn’t be noticed, she had specifically taken off her shoes.

The door locks in Liwan Apartments were unique. Without a key, the door couldn’t be locked even from the inside… and Zhou Fangdong hadn’t given the middle-aged couple the key to Room 103.

Thus, Miao Zheng successfully opened the door to Room 103. She saw Zhao Dawei lying on the floor with blood flowing from his hands, while two bald individuals who looked like cultists were squatting on the floor with their backs to her, writing and drawing something.

Miao Zheng pressed the electric shock switch on her telescopic baton.

The equipment provided by the Paranormal Affairs Department’s logistics office could deal with people as well as ghosts.

Miao Zheng chose to take down the middle-aged woman closest to her first.

As it turned out, her choice was correct.

The middle-aged woman’s constitution was terrifyingly strong. A normal person wouldn’t have lasted a second against the high-voltage shock from the logistics-modified baton, but the woman held out for three seconds. She even had enough strength to knock the baton out of Miao Zheng’s hand before she finally collapsed.

Only after the woman fell did the middle-aged man snap out of his shock. His face twisted in rage as he charged at Miao Zheng, brandishing his knife.

Even facing a muscular, armed man while empty-handed, Miao Zheng didn’t feel the slightest bit of fear.

The moment Zhou Fangdong gave her that camera capable of restraining ghosts yesterday, she had made up her mind.

Even if she could never fully repay the Landlord’s kindness, she would do everything in her power to try!

The Landlord had said his greatest wish was for the tenants to be safe—so, she would work hard to protect the other tenants of Liwan Apartments.

I might not be able to handle ghosts, but I can certainly handle a human!

Miao Zheng stepped aside to dodge the man’s lunging blade. She seized his arm, kicked off the ground to close the distance, and drove her shoulder into his chest. With a fluid twist of her waist, she executed a seamless over-the-shoulder throw, slamming the man onto the floor.

The middle-aged man was dazed by the fall, lying flat on his back like an overturned turtle with his limbs flailing.

Miao Zheng didn’t give him a chance to recover. She lunged forward and locked him in a naked chokehold, squeezing his neck tightly with the crook of her arm. She applied heavy pressure to his carotid artery until he lost consciousness.

Even though the man was out, Miao Zheng wasn’t taking any chances. Panting, she walked over to pick up her telescopic baton and gave him an extra electric shock for good measure.

The stench of incontinence filled the air. Once she was certain the man wouldn’t wake up, she went back and gave the woman several more shocks just to be safe.

After confirming that neither of these cultists would be waking up anytime soon, Miao Zheng rushed over to check on Zhao Dawei.

During her special training at the Paranormal Affairs Department, she had learned basic first aid alongside combat techniques. She could tell at a glance that Zhao Dawei’s jaw and all four limbs were dislocated.

After popping the joints back into place, Miao Zheng pulled out Zhao Dawei’s shoelaces and tied them tightly around the proximal ends of his upper arms. Ignoring the pair of unconscious people on the floor, he picked up Zhao Dawei in a bridal carry and sprinted toward the 104 Convenience Store.

Only about ten minutes had passed since the incident began; the Landlord Boss should still be in the store.

Recalling the miraculous item Zhou Fangdong had used last time to stop bleeding instantly, Miao Zheng offered words of encouragement with full confidence as he ran. “Uncle, hang in there! Just a little longer! Once we find the Landlord Boss, everything will be fine. He can heal all your injuries in an instant.”

While Miao Zheng was fighting the two cultists in Room 103, Zhou Fangdong had just finished appeasing the Wedding Dress Ghost and the Long-tongued Ghost with two sticks of Offering Incense.

After consuming a stick of Offering Incense, the Long-tongued Ghost returned obediently to the checkout counter. It even took the initiative to help tidy up the overturned shelves and pick up the merchandise scattered across the floor.

On the other side, Zhou Fangdong led the Wedding Dress Ghost toward the warehouse and produced three more sticks of Offering Incense. “The convenience store is closed for business today,” he told it. “I need you to retrieve all the red envelopes containing ‘Life-Buying Money’ that you scattered around the apartments in the past. These three sticks of incense are your overtime pay.”

The Wedding Dress Ghost nodded. Its red veil lifted slightly with the movement, allowing Zhou Fangdong to clearly see its crimson mouth split all the way to its ears.

After tucking away the Offering Incense, the Wedding Dress Ghost’s body slowly sank into the shadows and vanished from the store.

Watching it leave, Zhou Fangdong breathed a sigh of relief.

He had seventeen sticks of Offering Incense left. He would have to make more when he had the time; the utility of Offering Incense was truly comprehensive.

Zhou Fangdong walked back toward the entrance of the convenience store.

The Long-tongued Ghost was highly efficient. In the short time he had spent talking to the Wedding Dress Ghost, it had already straightened all the fallen shelves and products near the door.

Just as Zhou Fangdong was preparing to teleport back to his room, he suddenly spotted Miao Zheng sprinting toward him, carrying Zhao Dawei.

Seeing Zhao Dawei’s bloody and weakened state, Zhou Fangdong’s heart skipped a beat. He hurried forward to meet them. “What happened?!”

Upon seeing Zhao Dawei’s condition clearly, he sucked in a sharp breath.

Dammit, who the hell dared to injure his tenant like this inside Liwan Apartments? This was no different from someone publicly robbing him and slapping him twice in the face for good measure!

The most critical issue was that he didn’t have any bandages on hand; he had given them all to Duan Wenyu two days ago.

Zhou Fangdong quickly opened the System Mall, searching frantically for any unlocked healing items.

The mall did have healing supplies unlocked, but they were sold in bundles. If Zhou Fangdong wanted bandages, he had to buy an entire Basic Medical Kit.

At this moment, Zhou Fangdong didn’t care about waste. He immediately purchased the Basic Medical Kit for 300 Ghost Coins. He pulled out the bandages and used them to stop the bleeding on both of Zhao Dawei’s wrists.

While Zhou Fangdong treated Zhao Dawei, Miao Zheng recounted everything that had just happened, with Zhao Dawei adding weak interjections from the side.

Learning the details of the encounter left Zhou Fangdong with a lingering sense of dread.

It was his fault. He never expected that couple to be so vicious; in the brief moment he wasn’t paying attention, they had nearly killed his tenant. If not for Miao Zheng… Dammit, those cursed cultists!

However, one thing was very strange…

“System, isn’t Zhao Dawei on the Special Watch Tenant List? Why didn’t you notify me when he was in danger?”

[Tenant 101, Zhao Dawei, was not in a life-threatening situation. It was detected that Tenant 109, Miao Zheng, would arrive in time. According to system deductions, they were capable of reaching you promptly, and Zhao Dawei would receive medical treatment.]

The words stuck in Zhou Fangdong’s throat, leaving him speechless with indignation.

He was furious. Even if the system was technically correct, he was still furious.

In a moment, he would go to Room 103, drag those two suspected cultist psychos out, break all their limbs, and feed them to the stairs.

While Miao Zheng and Zhao Dawei were leaving Room 103, a bizarre transformation occurred within the room.

The White Opera Costume that had been tossed aside by the middle-aged couple actually stood up on its own. It slowly approached the two unconscious people as if an invisible person were wearing the costume and walking.

As it drew closer to the two lying on the floor, the White Opera Costume suddenly split into two halves, as if severed at the waist.

The upper garment with its flowing water-sleeves² wrapped around the unconscious man, while the long white skirt enveloped the unconscious woman.

The costume tightened around their bodies, and the sound of bones snapping under unbearable pressure rang out. Immediately following that, a sound of wet chewing—like a wild beast tearing into its prey—echoed from within the fabric.

The originally bulging opera costume deflated at an incredible speed. Finally, only a disheveled costume stained red with blood remained on the floor.

After a moment of silence, abrupt footsteps suddenly sounded in Room 103, followed by a low, melodious chanting:

“Stripping youth to make a shroud, who knew Heaven’s law is a cycle… Wearing a blood-cap makes one a ghost, before the skinning table, bones turn to ash…”

A slender, pale hand with distinct knuckles appeared out of thin air above the blood-stained garment and picked it up.

Currently, only a severed hand was visible; no other part of the body could be seen.

As the costume was lifted, the bloodstains on it rapidly congealed, turning into patches of mottled scabs that flaked off like dry earth.

The invisible figure draped the now-white costume over itself. Once the garment was fully donned, a graceful, lithe figure suddenly manifested within the room.

He turned his head back. Half of his face was as beautiful as a peach blossom, his eyes filled with tender emotion, while the other half resembled shattered white porcelain, with black runes crawling like spiderwebs over every inch of skin.

“Heehee…” The man in the White Opera Costume waved a water-sleeve, hiding the half of his face covered in runes.

He wore no headpiece or stage makeup, but with a single movement and a lingering glance, he perfectly embodied the mournful grace of a jilted, tragic woman.

Shrill lyrics spilled from his throat:

“Dying a wrongful death, resentment hard to fade, all for a warmth that stirred the waves… Soul not yet scattered, spirit not yet gone, I shall follow the mandarin ducks back to the nest…”

“San-lang~ Your servant has come back for you…”

A terrifying, crimson resentment erupted from him like a churning sea of blood. Those mournful, affectionate dark eyes were instantly stained with a layer of red. He stared hatefully toward the west, his expression gradually twisting until the skin on the beautiful half of his face showed signs of peeling away from the flesh.

Just as Zhou Fangdong finished applying the bandages to Zhao Dawei’s wounds, a system window suddenly popped up. This time, the window was accompanied by several gaudy little digital fireworks.

Then, a slightly excited electronic voice rang out in his mind:

[Ding—Congratulations to the Host for acquiring the first Ghost Tenant!]

[Tenant Contract successfully signed automatically. [Republic Era Dan Actor · Mu Yuechan] has officially moved into Room 103!!]

[Side Quest 4: Renovate and rent out Room 103—Completed.]

[Side Quest 4 Rewards: 300 Ghost Coins, 1000 Experience Points, Random Character Skill x1.]

[Tenant Illustrated Guide [Special Tenant · Republic Era Dan Actor] has been lit. Host, please claim the guide rewards promptly.]

[Special Ghost Entity Rental Fee: 2000 Ghost Coins (Per Month).]

[Detected that the Host now possesses a Ghost Tenant. Avatar Interface unlocked! Map Exploration function unlocked! Instance Erosion function unlocked!]

Translator’s Notes

• Republican-era Dan: The term ‘Dan’ (旦) refers to female roles in Chinese opera, which were historically played by men. A ‘Huadan’ (花旦) specifically refers to a vivacious, young, or flirtatious female character. ‘Republican-era’ (民国) places the character’s origin between 1912 and 1949, a golden age for Peking Opera.