Chapter 255: Ghost in the Mirror (Part 18)

Chapter 255: Ghost in the Mirror (Part 18)

Meanwhile,

What He Jiefang Cheng saw differed from Guan Yingying's experience. Other players encountered various scenarios, like Dong Tanrui who disappeared immediately upon entering the residential area.

From his perspective, it was merely a blink of an eye, and the scene before him had transformed abruptly.

Before him stood not the silhouettes of other players, but Qiao Qiang.

Dong Tanrui was inside the supermarket of Xinxin Homeland residential area, holding a broken table lamp in his hand.

Qiao Qiang sized him up with a quick glance.

"Looking to return it?"

Dong Tanrui paused momentarily, then quickly grasped the situation.

He had transformed into "Guan Qing," seemingly about to undergo everything she had experienced.

With this realization, Dong Tanrui actually felt relieved.

In his opinion, this NPC named Guan Qing was just too trivial, overly complicated, and incredibly naive.

As he'd said, soon after Guan Qing moved into the community, she managed to offend Qiao Qiang—a long-term resident and supermarket owner—over a trivial lamp costing barely a few bucks.

Even granting that, why would she foolishly accept something she shouldn't have? And in the end, it was all over a photo leak; was there really a need to consider suicide?

At worst, she could just move! Find a new place where nobody knows her.

In essence, she was just foolish—too foolish!

Having mentally judged her, the "astute" Dong Tanrui quickly decided to personally demonstrate how an intelligent person would act.

Without another word, he took back the lamp he was holding.

"No, no need for a return."

Dong Tanrui even gave Qiao Qiang a smile. "I'll be on my way. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Qiao Qiang's eyebrows furrowed slightly, giving him a perplexed look.

Dong Tanrui's appearance had already morphed into that of Guan Qing's, even wearing a skirt... He'd switch to trousers once he got back.

With that thought, Dong Tanrui, holding the lamp, turned and exited the supermarket.

See, this time he didn't upset Qiao Qiang.

Where lies the challenge of this instance? Is it possible that overturning Guan Qing's fate is the key to completion?

Isn't that a bit too simple?

With that thought, Dong Tanrui took the broken lamp back to his room.

Feeling drowsy, he tilted his head upon returning and promptly dozed off on the bed.

White mist surrounded him. Dong Tanrui had no idea how long he'd been asleep. When he awoke, he sat stunned for a moment, gradually recalling he was now in the guise of Guan Qing... No, he was Dong Tanrui, only now living as "Guan Qing".

Role-playing, huh? It's not that challenging.

That's what Dong Tanrui thought.

It truly wasn't hard.

Dong Tanrui was exceedingly cautious. As "Guan Qing," he avoided wearing skirts, seldom left the house, and even texted Guan Qing's girlfriend to break things off.

In the blink of an eye, Dong Tanrui grew more and more accustomed to his new identity, occasionally forgetting he was inside a virtual instance.

He became "Guan Qing".

After an indeterminable amount of time spent living so prudently, Dong Tanrui had seamlessly integrated into this world.

He even made friends and cared for people in this world. He secured a respectable, stable job and genuinely began to live within this virtual instance.

He had forgotten his identity as the player Dong Tanrui and became the hardworking Guan Qing of now.

He could barely recall concepts like the virtual instance, the player identity, or "Three Thousand Worlds." In his memories, he felt as though he had always been a part of this world, an ordinary woman.

Yet, the one thing he remembered was to always remain cautious.

And of course, Dong Tanrui managed that well.

He refrained from wearing skirts, limited contact with strangers.

He ensured he was home before dark. Any gifts from others were politely declined, and if ever accepted, scrutinized thoroughly.

He never once had any disputes with Qiao Qiang. Or perhaps, Dong Tanrui instinctively avoided any interaction with him. Besides occasionally passing the supermarket after work, he avoided shopping there whenever possible.

This surely had to be the safest approach.

Until one day, Qiao Qiang abruptly stopped him on his way home. The unexpected confession left Dong Tanrui stunned.

He was speechless, but politely declined nonetheless.

However, the next evening, he received a message with attached photographs.

"You're always passing by my store, thinking I wouldn't get the hint? Who are you pretending for?"

The angle of the pictures was invasive. Dong Tanrui felt a chill enveloping him as he sat on his bed. After a while, he abruptly stood up, rushing to the bathroom.

Quickly, he found a hidden camera in the bathroom.

When was this installed? How did it get into his house?

He'd been so careful—how could he have overlooked such a device??

The mere thought of his every move in the bathroom being captured and streamed to someone like that made Dong Tanrui's stomach turn. Unable to hold back, he dashed back to the bathroom, hugging the toilet, and vomited.

His phone vibrated again.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to check on you?"

On the surface, the message seemed concerned. But only Dong Tanrui, in that situation, understood its true nature: a blend of gloating and threat.

——Every move you make is under my watch.

Dong Tanrui almost crawled out of the bathroom in his haste.

With his vision dimming, he stood in the living room, feeling as if everything around him had come alive, staring at him with numerous eyes.

They were all Qiao Qiang's eyes.

His phone vibrated once more.

"What's wrong? Not replying? What are you looking at?"

Dong Tanrui's fingers trembled. Clutching his phone, he fled from his apartment in a panic.

Outside, it was deep into the night—a time Dong Tanrui, ever the cautious one, had avoided for a long time.

Dressed in long pants with a mask covering his face, he stood bewildered in the dark, looking around aimlessly.

What to do...

"What are you planning to do?"

The phone kept vibrating incessantly.

"Are you coming to find me? I'm at the supermarket. Come over."

"Don't just stand there. Come over quickly and get familiar with how the supermarket operates. After we get married, you can quit your job and help me here."

"Don’t always wear trousers. Your legs are so fair and delicate; you look better in a skirt. Don't you have one in your wardrobe?"

"I see you."

Dong Tanrui stiffly raised his head.

With no one around and under the shadowy, dense trees, Qiao Qiang smirked and waved his phone.

His face bore the expression of a victor, confident that he could use these photos to blackmail the person before him.

Dong Tanrui took a step back, his face ghostly pale.

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The phone in his hand never ceased ringing as Dong Tanrui and Qiao Qiang stared at each other from a distance.

Finally, some strength returned to his rigid limbs.

Without hesitation, Dong Tanrui turned and ran.

The wind whistled past his ears, with the surroundings retreating, retreating.

Yet the phone continued its relentless ringing.

At last, Dong Tanrui, panting heavily, arrived at a place.

He looked up bewilderedly, spotting the police station.

...Should he report to the police?

Deep down, a voice seemed to tell him it was all in vain.

But besides this path, was there any other way to go?

The scene shifted in a myriad of fleeting moments.

Dong Tanrui "saw" Qiao Qiang being dragged in, watched as he apologized with a façade of sincerity, heard his words of remorse...

He wasn't sincere at all!

Dong Tanrui screamed as if possessed, yet everything around him felt like speeding vehicles, ready to run him over.

No matter how he struggled or raged, even if he screamed until he coughed up blood, the outcome remained unchanged.

Qiao Qiang wouldn’t die.

He would merely come out and continue to mockingly laugh, seeking revenge.

In this fleeting moment, Dong Tanrui's phone buzzed again.

"You're finished."

Qiao Qiang declared.

Nude photos appeared one after another in the community chat group, and online as well. Qiao Qiang was reporting every comment in real-time.

Buzz—

"This woman's got a nice figure, huh? How much?"

Buzz—

"Holy! HD and uncensored! Thanks for sharing! Do you have more, maybe a video?"

Buzz—

"What's her name? Guan Qing? Lives in Xinxin Residence? Works at XX Building? Isn't that near my place? I'll check it out tomorrow."

Buzz—

"Nice camera. Where'd you buy it? I've been annoyed with my upstairs neighbor for a while. Maybe I should livestream her too."

Buzz—

"Hey, I recognize this woman. Always dressed so modestly, yet so provocative in private?"

Buzz—

Buzz——

Buzz————

Dong Tanrui stared intently at the phone in his hands with dark, unwavering eyes.

Why...

What did he do wrong?!

He was so cautious! So careful!! He hadn’t wronged anyone!

He wasn't the foolish "Guan Qing"...

He...

"So, this is Dong Tanrui," a shadowy figure on the wall murmured, eyes pressed against the surface, peering at him, "He's nothing special!"

Dong Tanrui stared blankly at the silhouette on the wall.

The shadow seemed to want to get closer, but a screen separated them.

"Actually, upon closer inspection, this lad isn't too bad, worth being in my..."

Crash.

Dong Tanrui grabbed a cup from beside him and hurled it at the figure.

He staggered to his feet, his eyes hollow as he gazed around.

The talking shadow had vanished, but eyes appeared on the walls, the ceiling, even the floor.

Countless eyes fixated on him. Dong Tanrui bent over, resembling a shrimp, standing lost amidst the sea of staring eyes.

The phone continued to buzz incessantly.

This time, the content of the messages emanated in a multitude of distinct voices.

"So this is the guy... what's his name? Dong Tanrui, right?"

"Yeah, that's him. Acts all high and mighty, but behind closed doors..."

"Haha, I've always seen him undressed; barely recognize him in clothes."

"I work with him. He's so reserved at the office. Never would have guessed he's into wearing black."

"Such a disgrace. How can he still face the world? If I were him, I’d have jumped off a building by now."

"He's been exposed to everyone; who'd marry him now?"

"It's just because modern society is lax. Back in ancient times, he'd have been strangled to death for tarnishing the family's reputation."

"Why isn't he dead yet?"

"What's the point in living? In death, at least he can claim 'innocence'."

"Just end it already."

"Die—"

Dong Tanrui didn't know when he'd grabbed a fruit knife, but the blade had already pierced his neck.

The pain jolted him back to reality.

...Death.

If he's to die, he'll take Qiao Qiang with him!!

Clutching the fruit knife, Dong Tanrui stumbled out the door.

When he reached the supermarket, Qiao Qiang was nowhere to be found.

Only a familiar figure stood there.

"Dong Tanrui" looked at him with disdain.

"Even if Qiao Qiang did something wrong, do you really think you're blameless?" Dongtan Rui scoffed. "If you hadn't let your guard down, Qiao Qiang wouldn’t have had a chance to secretly film you, right?"

"How foolish." Dongtan Rui looked down on him with disdain, "Didn’t you know what happened to 'Guan Qing'? Why do you still live in this community? Couldn't you have moved? And even if you didn't want to move, knowing who Qiao Qiang is, why would you still walk past his supermarket? Weren't you practically asking for his attention? In the end, you've only yourself to blame."

"All this fuss over some leaked photos, as if someone in your family has died. There are people who’ve suffered far worse. Can't you be a bit more magnanimous? This is hardly anything to be upset about..."

"Aaaahhhhh——"

Dongtan Rui suddenly stood up, plunging the fruit knife in his hand into the figure before him.

The figure vanished before his eyes.

Dongtan Rui looked down, only to see the fruit knife embedded in his own abdomen.

Blood gushed forth.

Dongtan Rui collapsed.

Only at the brink of death did Dongtan Rui's eyes widen in shock.

"I'm sorry..."

Although he uttered those words, deep down he was thinking —

Thank goodness...

Thank goodness — he wasn’t a girl like Guan Qing.