Chapter 063: The Temptation of Returning Home.

Chapter 063: The Temptation of Returning Home.

After a joyful Halloween, Chi Shen went back to work.

On the way to the company, Chi Shen checked in on Xu Jiayuan, asking about his previous night.

Xu Jiayuan's voice dripped with resentment: "How was it? I haven’t slept yet!"

Chi Shen: "That busy, huh? Did they catch that zombie impersonator?"

Xu Jiayuan, yawning: "They got him."

Chi Shen: "What about that molester ghost?"

Xu Jiayuan: "...They got him too."

Chi Shen: "And that tuberculosis ghost... oh, I was afraid he might spread the disease, so I dealt with him. He doesn't count."

Over the phone, Xu Jiayuan sighed heavily: "You’re checking in on the work, aren’t you?"

Chi Shen chuckled, then asked, "Compared to previous years, how much has the ghost population increased?"

"You're definitely here to inspect the work!" Xu Jiayuan shouted angrily from the other end, "The statistics aren't out yet, but it's definitely more than double. Last year I was off by 2 a.m., and now it’s 9 in the morning! I want to go home!"

"Seems like the end of the world is quite demanding," mused Chi Shen, ending the call.

Even at the world's edge, people pull all-nighters. Yet here he is, working a 9-to-5, even finding time to slack off during work hours.

Without any new assignments, Chi Shen gleefully browsed the supernatural forums of Harbor City on his phone.

He found the forum to be quite a treasure trove. Even the house he currently resided in had made an appearance, with stories of eerie noises prompting many tenants to flee in fear without even collecting their deposits.

Had he stumbled upon that post earlier, he wouldn’t have needed Ji Xingchen's help to house-hunt the whole night.

Today, he made another discovery: a recently posted thread.

[Bloody Clothing Spotted at Harbor North Construction Site!]

This headline was far more intriguing than the past posts about ghostly figures beside ride-sharing cars. Even though the North District was far from his place, Chi Shen's curiosity got the better of him, and he clicked on the thread.

The content was straightforward: a security guard had inexplicably found a bloodied piece of clothing, which led to immediate police notification and speculations of a crime scene.

Soon, someone debunked the rumor, clarifying that it was just chicken blood and someone's idea of a prank.

Some comments below even suggested it was likely a Halloween prank and urged people not to post every little thing on the supernatural forum, pointing out that everyone was busy.

With the truth unveiled quickly, the thread lost traction. But Chi Shen saved it in a folder he named "Wait and See".

Another thread in that folder had questioned the frequent bloodstains in front of Harbor City Hospital, which turned out to be vomit from a patient with a perforated stomach. After this revelation, Chi Shen removed the post.

Yet, another thread later confirmed haunting activity, which was promptly handled by the Special Security Bureau. That too was deleted.

They were all irrelevant now.

After a leisurely morning, Ma Caijin, also idling away, began chatting with Chi Shen, "The boss looks even more worn out. I fear he might drop dead any day now."

During Monday’s meeting, Chi Shen had noticed Li Xu’s pallid face. It was more ghastly than a ghost's. Although the number of spirits around him hadn't increased, and even the office's specters had been dealt with, for some reason, Li Xu appeared even more drained.

Seeing Chi Shen lost in thought, Ma Caijin continued, "I told him to rest, but he said he can't sleep since his girlfriend doesn’t visit him in his dreams anymore."

Chi Shen queried, "He had a girlfriend?"

"Of course, didn’t you know?" Ma Caijin replied, "His last game was a tribute to his late girlfriend. Haven't you played it?"

Chi Shen recalled the redemptive plot of that game. The protagonist was saving someone lost, and the final boss wasn’t meant to be defeated. Instead, players were given the option to embrace the boss.

At the time, he found it therapeutic, but now he realized it must have been Li Xu’s way of seeking redemption.

"He mentioned not dreaming of her for a long time. Ever since he fainted in the pantry and woke up, he hasn’t seen her in his dreams," said Ma Caijin with a sigh, "Our boss is truly a romantic soul."

Fainting in the break room...

Chi Shen realized that he might have had a hand in this. He had killed a female ghost in Li Xu's dream. Had Li Xu mistakenly believed that this mindless ghost, with a penchant for drowning people in his dream, was his girlfriend?

Seeing that Chi Shen remained impassive, Ma Caijin assumed he'd never been in love and couldn't relate. Changing the subject, he asked, "Did you move in? Is it Building 4, Unit 4, Apartment 13-4?"

Chi Shen nodded.

Ma Caijin's expression turned mysteriously grave. "Do you know what happened to the family that lived there?"

Sensing Ma Caijin's eagerness to share, and despite having read about the incident on the supernatural forum, Chi Shen replied, "I don't."

With a sigh, Ma Caijin shared, "Just between us colleagues, the whole family died there. The wife poisoned them all, leaving only their son who was studying outside."

Recalling the peculiar greenish-blue hue on the ghosts in the bedroom and living room, Chi Shen realized it was the mark of poisoning. He had deduced this upon seeing those spirits.

"But they had it coming," Ma Caijin added. "That family was abusive towards the wife, even going to the extent of imprisoning her. She was made to serve them like a servant. Overwhelmed, she killed them all and then took her own life in the kitchen with a knife." Pausing for effect, he continued, "But their son died too, and that's the most perplexing part. Do you know how?"

With feigned curiosity, Chi Shen inquired, "How did he die?"

"After the investigation, when the son returned, he was found dead in the bathroom a few days later, an apparent suicide," Ma Caijin revealed.

Chi Shen commented, "Perhaps the trauma got to him."

Shaking his head, Ma Caijin countered, "That's the bizarre part. After the incident, he underwent therapy. His psychologist believed he was coping well, even expressing a desire to live for his deceased mother. Yet, shortly after moving back, he was gone."

Chi Shen nodded, "Indeed, it's mysterious."

"Exactly, very strange." Ma Caijin looked at Chi Shen with admiration. "I'm amazed you can live in such a place. Impressive."

"I think they need someone to keep them company, or they might feel lonely," Chi Shen replied with a smile.

Looking up to Chi Shen with newfound respect, Ma Caijin joked, "If something happens to you, call me. I'll come collect your body."

Although Chi Shen felt he had a good relationship with his roommates and wouldn't need Ma Caijin's help, he appreciated the sentiment and cheerfully nodded.

At the end of the workday, Chi Shen received a call from Yuan Yiping. He informed him that the ghosts he'd reported the previous night had been dealt with. They had either been captured or had passed on. Chi Shen was advised to be at ease.

However, due to the unusually high number of ghostly incidents, the entire Special Security Bureau of the Harbor City was busy addressing the aftermath. Yuan advised Chi Shen to be cautious in the meantime.

"I have this feeling that something is about to happen," Chi Shen mused, glancing at the clock and beginning to pack his things.

But what does this have to do with him, a mere game designer?

5 o'clock sharp! Time to shut down and head home. Awesome!

At home, before he even reached the door, the lock turned on its own and the door swung open. The living room was eerily empty. A typical person might've been startled, but Chi Shen just chuckled and announced, "I'm back."

The door closed automatically behind him. A shadow emerged from his own, clambering onto his shoulder.