Chapter 70: Sleeping Together

Chapter 70: Sharing a Bed

The books were originally filled with thick, blank white pages, devoid of any content. However, once Su Bai infused them with the power of the ghosts, the inner pages began to display various abstract and bizarre patterns, formed under the ghosts' influence.

As the shop owner, Su Bai quickly deciphered the specific uses of these products from the books: by enduring the psychological strain and various mental trials brought by the abstract patterns while flipping through the pages, the holder could gain a supernatural ability upon reaching the final page.

The abilities granted by the books lasted only 48 hours, and their strength was directly related to the power of the ghosts Su Bai had captured. Yet, in that sunless nightmare world, even the slightest assistance could become a lifesaver for human players.

Seeing three hardcover books of the same specification neatly arranged on the empty shelves, Su Bai felt renewed anticipation and set new goals for the next game and the next eerie encounter.

The game at "Happy Neighborhood" brought a total of eight products to the Mist Shop. Su Bai could feel his body's capacity to contain power had increased, and a chaotic, undisciplined yet overflowing force surged through him, filling every part of his being.

The power brought by the Mist Shop had even begun to exceed Su Bai's containment limits. However, this overflow wasn't entirely wasted; it dispersed from within and circulated over the surface of his body, gradually strengthening his frail and weak physique, a consequence of his rebirth.

Though the progress was slow, any movement was a good sign.

Even the "Evil Ghost Fragments" within Su Bai's body showed lively activity. For instance, Ghost Bride A Xi, who had fallen into a deep sleep after absorbing herself, began to stir, as if on the verge of waking.

Many puzzle pieces, envious of the black umbrella that could accompany Su Bai, started to grow restless upon sensing the increase in his power. These pieces, with "appetites" larger than the black umbrella's, were eager to emerge.

But the most impatient was the puzzle piece burning with ice-blue flames within Su Bai's body. After all, back in Happy Neighborhood, Su Bai had promised to borrow its power, so there was a prior commitment.

"Be patient a little longer; we still need to be cautious in the next game," Su Bai knew well that he had to fulfill the administrator's commission in the next game. Without understanding the specific rules and content of the commission, he couldn't risk exhausting his power prematurely by using that puzzle piece's ability.

After soothing the restless puzzle pieces, Su Bai suddenly felt overwhelmingly drowsy.

From the moment of his rebirth until now, Su Bai had been busy shuttling between the nightmare world and the real world, without even finding a chance to take a short nap. He had held out until now.

Coupled with his eighteen-year-old body being frail, weak, and often ill, when sleepiness washed over him, he couldn't resist it. All he wanted was to find a quiet, safe, and comfortable place to sleep soundly and replenish his energy.

Su Bai and his mother's home had been taken to pay off debts, and the other bed in his mother's hospital room was reserved for other patients.

So, as sleepiness threatened to overwhelm him, Su Bai didn't care about the time standing still in the Mist Shop. He staggered back to the lounge prepared for the shop owner and threw himself onto the soft, comfortable bed.

Even though the lounge had no windows, when Su Bai buried his face in the pillow, he could smell the scent of sunlight.

Su Bai's exhaustion and craving for sleep were plain to see. Xiao Wu didn't want to disturb him, so after seeing Su Bai turn over and curl up in the blanket, he tiptoed to the bedside, planning to transform back into a curse doll beside Su Bai's pillow.

This way, he could be closer to Boss Su and perhaps even enter his dreams.

But before Xiao Wu could revert to his small curse doll form, Su Bai reached out and pulled the lightweight child onto the bed, clinging to him like an octopus, holding him tightly.

"Xiao Wu, let me hold you," Su Bai, already half-asleep, nuzzled against Xiao Wu in his arms like a cat. "This way, I can sleep more comfortably... Don't... don't leave me alone."

Boss Su's face was so close that the tightly held child could see every one of his eyelashes and the fine lines on his lips.

"This is too careless," Xiao Wu murmured softly, a smile tugging at his lips despite his words of disdain after confirming Su Bai was deeply asleep. "You have no idea what you're doing."

Perhaps Su Bai's actions were unconscious, driven by overwhelming drowsiness, but Xiao Wu knew he was truly exhausted. For a long time, he hadn't found a place where he could sleep peacefully or anyone he could rely on.

Even if Boss Su was powerful enough not to need to rely on anyone or any eerie being, humans still instinctively seek a safe haven and someone they can trust and depend on.

If they can't find it, it doesn't matter—they just become very, very tired.

"It's alright now," Xiao Wu whispered, wrapping his small arms around the sleeping Su Bai. "This realm between worlds was born for you, my lady."

Xiao Wu's doll body shouldn't have had any warmth, but Su Bai, tightly holding him, seemed to feel the warmth of the person in his arms in his sleep. He moved closer to the child, nuzzling against his cold yet soft cheek, sleeping like a cat that had found its support.

Su Bai slept for a long time. Though time didn't pass in the Nightmare Shop, his sleep was fulfilling, and his weary spirit was restored.

Xiao Wu, held tightly by Su Bai, didn't struggle nor need sleep. He simply stayed quietly by Su Bai's side, his eyes fixed on Boss Su as if wanting to engrave every inch of him into his eyes, his mind, even his bones and soul.

However, upon realizing Su Bai was about to wake up, Xiao Wu transformed back into a curse doll woven from white rope, lying motionless beside Su Bai's pillow.

But in his sleep, Su Bai didn't notice that the moment Xiao Wu turned back into the curse doll, a crimson-black power entwined itself into the black rope on his left wrist that belonged to Kaixin. The originally pure black rope now had a thread-like crimson-black strand woven into it, indistinguishable at first glance and barely detectable even under a human magnifying glass.

"This time, I will follow."

In the small lounge, a cold yet uniquely gentle, unfamiliar voice appeared silently and vanished just as quietly.