Even though Jia Hyson has temporarily recovered some emotions, it was fading fast in this household brimming with negative energy that reeked of death and despair. It was like a marshmallow being dunked in warm coke, it wasn't an immediate process but it was certainly melting faster than initially thought. However, he had already told Bebe what he wanted to say to Tian Shun beforehand and asked him to prompt him just in case he ended up forgetting or his apathy found it too inconvenient and unnecessary to say so he wasn't too worried.
However after a while of patrolling Jia Hyson felt something off.
"Brother Wei! Brother Wei!" A small deformed child ran up to him. Jia Hyson quickly picked the little ghost up.
"What's wrong Cha Cha?"
"I can't find Mister Ink or the Doctor!" Cha Cha the child ghost says anxiously. Mister Ink and the Doctor were the nicest toward the child other than Jia Hyson, the Bullied Girl and the Black Bride. The Basement Ghosts while mellowed out still retained their selfish personalities and while kind were not necessarily suited to play with children, Xu Xia wasn't interested in friends too far below or above her own age and the Toy Soldier was kind of a ticking time bomb and liked to be alone. "They weren't in the places they were supposed to be so I thought they were chasing someone but the house is only so big and there is barely anyone left!" The little ghost sucked in air loudly, panting like he was worn out by his own quick firing mouth despite the fact that as ghosts they had neither lungs nor a pressing need for oxygen.
It was very cute in Jia Hyson's opinion, Cha Cha had been very introverted and vicious in the beginning due to obvious reasons but now the ghost was very lively and playful… still just as vicious though. However he had no time to appreciate it as what the child spoke of was very worrying. His brows furrow in concern. "They're really not here? How can that be?"
The Inkman and Doctor were not as strong as some of the other ghosts and shouldn't be able to move too far from the items that their souls are attached to much like Jia Hyson when he was still a young ghost. Even though Hao Fan most likely revealed the importance of these items, only Tian Shun knows exactly what the items were and even then it was easier said than done to destroy them. "Cha Cha go around and check on the others, tell them to be on a look out and if anything seems wrong just run."
Cha Cha nods nervously, sensing the seriousness of the situation before disappearing. Maybe it was because the kid was used to trying to make himself disappear and running away thanks to his tragic childhood but as a ghost Cha Cha had came fully equipped with the Teleportation skill at the maxed out level. The little ghost to jump everywhere and anywhere in the house. In an emergency the kid could even jump to Li Guiren's house in the middle of the day though it does make him lethargic afterwards.
Jia Hyson tries to shake off the unease before beginning to make himself even more known. As the final act, there should be more hints to the reason behind the main characters' misfortune before all is revealed. His presence before was so-so, and he has been making it a point to move around. Most of the other ghosts had their areas to haunt, the basement ghosts were in the basement, Xu Xia was in the mirror, the Drowned Bullied Girl in the bathroom, the Doctor in the West wing, the Toy Soldier around the East wing, the Child and Inkman in the halls and the Bride in the Attic and Master bedroom. It was only he who had been sighted by the protagonist in every corner of the house. He had also made sure that while the other spirits can occasionally meet up and team up, they will avoid or scatter at his presence making his status in the household suspicious to the readers but not so much so.
Now that they were nearing the end, Jia Hyson wanted to trick the remaining survivors into coming into the basement with him before trapping them in there with the intention to kill them. The motive? To give the house a boost of yin energy like what happened to the basement ghosts. With a second injection of pure concentrated yin energy on top of everything else that has happened in these grounds, the Doll Spirit Wei can finally achieve his ambitions and break through the shackles of evil spirit to become a demon!
It was all bullshit but it was a solid motive ah.
Honestly this would have been much better if the Book of Curses had made an appearance and the protagonists were vaguely aware of the contents beforehand. Hao Fan was good for talking about the history of the house, including the mysterious satanic ritual of the four original tenants in the basement, but Jia Hyson felt that more could have been explored on that aspect.
However the only thing he could do about that now was put it as a suggestion to the Author God in his notebook but a suggestion has a lower percentage of being accepted into the new story then if the scene had actually happened. Apparently because the scenes of this world that Jia Hyson makes can be more easily visualized and fantasized in the Author God's head which makes them more or less interested in rewriting in the first place.
Jia Hyson: '...wouldn't that mean that the Author God is such a pervert to imagine all this up?'
Bebe: 'Oh my I seem to have a call.'
Jia Hyson: ?
Bebe: 'It's Mr Pot, he's calling you black Mr Kettle.'
Jia Hyson: '...' He's not sure if he's angry at being called a hypocritical pervert or that he was called a hypocritical pervert in such a lame manner.
.:.
"Tian Shun, we… we did it!" Zhao Xuefeng hugs Tian Shun, joy and hope suffusing his heart, making him momentarily lose control. However after a few seconds he stiffens up and flushes, awkwardly and reluctantly letting go with a cough. Silently though he felt his body warm as he recalled how unexpectedly well toned the other teenager was. Zhao Xuefeng had some muscles sure but Tian Shun seemed to be packing a six pack under there. "I, ah, sorry haha, too excited."
"No worries," Tian Shun replies coolly, a flash of disgust passes through his eyes before disappearing.
Meanwhile Nalan Chyou who had been trembling in the corner sobbed in relief. "Oh thank god!" She gasps, even now the icy chill of oncoming death still clutched at her throat, "I, I really thought it was the end for me." Half unable to believe it she begins to laugh.
Li Daguo and Zeng Hai, who were way more messed up looking compared to the main characters, also smile bitterly, understanding deeply how she was feeling at that moment. They too had been barely saved from what seemed to be certain death. This was especially so for Zeng Hai who had already been injured and then had the dogs hit luck to end up inadvertently partnered with Ming Bo when they all separated.
Ming Bo had shoved him midway while escaping in hopes that any ghost behind them would focus on the weak prey and give her some precious time to hide. Unfortunately she ran straight into the Ghost Doctor's arms who specialises in body horror, scalping, and just torture porn in general. In short, voted number one Ghost You Least Want to Meet In this Place.
She manages to narrowly avoid a death on the dissection table by offering to betray her friends for him. Her pointing to where Zeng Hai had fell was her show of trustworthiness. This was further cemented when the Doctor Ghost, who was quite bemused by the lack of shame and conscious in the little girl, decided to do a psychological experiment to see how far she would go and order Ming Bo to take his place as the surgeon with Zeng Hai as her first patient.
Zeng Hai… is really too much of an unfortunate character.
He was probably the character second to Zhao Xuefeng who had encountered the most ghosts tonight, not to mention the only one of the main cast who got the most painful but non fatal curse of the Ink Man, got attacked by one of their schoolmates because they thought- from his clearly inhuman looking diseased arm- that he was a ghost, and now was in the hands of the Ghost Doctor for the second time. The first time he had managed to escape which is probably why the Ghost Doctor let Ming Bo live when she mentioned that she could bring him back.
Even Jia Hyson did not expect such a character who had as much resilience as he did luck. He also did not expect Ming Bo to do such a ruthless thing.
Before Tian Shun and Zhao Xuefeng, who has been pretty much soy sauce this whole time except a few acts of selfless bravery and courage, came in to save Zeng Hai, Zeng Hai had already lost an eye, two fingers, some toe nails and was just about to have his chest opened up by a quivering Ming Bo who had been taking her sweet time crying and asking for forgiveness. Funnily enough, Zeng Hai did not feel very forgiving and while Tian Shun and Zhao Xuefeng were confronting the ghost, Zeng Hai takes the opportunity to kick Ming Bo- whose legs gave out and she had collapsed to the ground.
But who can be satisfied with just a beating? Especially for the originally violent hothead Zeng Hai who had arguably gone through the most shit including listening to Ming Bo try wash herself clean to him while she was pulling out his nails. Plus they were surrounded by surgical equipment just begging to be used. Despite being crippled in various ways, his legs are still good and his one hand.. well through the power of vengeance he made it work.
Ming Bo did not die well. She was also probably one of the few humans that died under the hands of another human. But definitely one of the many without an intact corpse. Actually if the Doctor Ghost was still present he would have been impressed by the crude delinquent's skill, especially since he had such a short timeframe.
Zeng Hai laughed like a deranged madman when Tian Shun and Zhao Xuefeng finally managed to pull him away. The delinquent even when being dragged out could not stop looking at the first person he had ever killed like he was obsessed with burning the image into his mind. Only until they reunited with Li Daguo did he finally return to some semblance of normalcy.
"H-how did you guys suddenly get so strong?" Nalan Chyou asks.
"Tian Shun had remembered he brought my uncle's old book to the party because Hao Fan wanted to check something out in it. The book had information on how to seal ghosts back into their 'soul items'." Li Daguo explains, his gaze goes complicated at the memory of one of his favourite victims to bully, "I guess it was a good thing he was such a weird nerd."
Nalan Chyou's own gaze was much less complicated. She was very aggrieved and saddened by Hao Fan's death, his last words and act of selflessly dying for her sake had inevitably moved her simple heart. Compared to this soy sauce protagonist who has neither opened his heart to her nor done anything too risk-taking for her like in the original story, the usually introverted but awkwardly gentle Hao Fan has become much better looking in her eyes.
In fact if she thought about it even more their personalities were very compatible with each other since they were both the quiet types and she found him a more comfortable friend to speak to than either the aggressive Ming Bo or the oblivious Zhao Xuefeng. That feeling of losing a treasure you didn't even know you had was a common tragedy in human nature.
"This is so messed up," She whispers hoarsely. No one said anything for a minute, unable to bring themselves to be optimistic nor add to the already large amount of pessimism they held in their hearts.
Tian Shun finally coughs, breaking the silence, a trace of impatience on his face that no one notices since they are all consumed by their own angstfest. "We need to go, Nalan Chyou can you get up now?"
Nalan Chyou slowly forced herself to stand up, she still looked pale and weak but she nods determinedly like a good female lead. Her eyes are brimming with resolve. "Let's fucking do this. For everyone."
…
Jia Hyson was starting to panic a little bit. The basement ghosts and Xu Xiao were fine but now he can't seem to contact the other ghosts. Even Toy Soldier wasn't where he should be anymore. And Xu Xia who should be the eyes and ears of the house was a little helpless since all her mirrors had been overturned to face the floor and walls or smashed to very small pieces, the only one left intact was the one in the basement. Worse still, he could sense a change in the house's atmosphere. Before the yin energy was like waves in the ocean, more or less equally spread out with some fluctuations such as having denser yin energy in the bathroom or basement. But now it felt like there was a whirlpool in this ocean.
Jia Hyson: 'Suddenly it feels like I'm the protagonist in a horror movie instead of the other way round ah. All my friends have died off before I even noticed, I'm so scared.'
Bebe: '...at least sound scared then.'
Jia Hyson: 'I can't, as the protagonist I have to put on a brave face for my female lead.' v(°∇^*)⌒☆
Female lead Bebe: '...Scram!'
But in all seriousness Jia Hyson was very unnerved.
Could it be... a passing monk came by to help the protagonists since their current situation was too bad? The temple has become emptier over the years due to faith in religion dwindling over time, suppressed by modern science, but there are still a few venerable old monks there. No normal monk has made it out of the demon house unscathed so generally it's just become a forbidden zone but what if because of this finally a hidden expert has appeared?
The more he thought about it the more likely it seemed. Silently Jia Hyson gives a silent prayer to his ghost comrades and hopes heaven is kind. He doesn't even consider an insider to be the cause.
"Ah, ah, it's already come so far," Jia Hyson sighs as he floats around aimlessly with his doll carried in his arms. He uses his hair to rummage around the corpses before finally finding a large satchel like handbag. "Might as well just keep the initial idea and play by ear."
If he's exorcised, he's exorcised. His job as a villain could be said to be completed in a somewhat satisfactory manner. Sure there will be survivors but with so many deaths the bloodlust of the readers surely will be satisfied. Plus, he is curious about the feeling of exorcism. He imagines from television that it would be painful but would eventually make him feel light and free, like being scrubbed by a hot steel brush to get rid of all the dirty things on his skin. Maybe he could even take a glimpse at this world's heaven or hell if it is there.
The only problem is that Jia Hyson fears that such a coincidental and fateful encounter with a passing by hidden expert would feel a bit too lazy to the readers.
…
"Wait," Zeng Hai suddenly says, "I think I hear someone."
"…Really?" Li Daguo strains his ears but doesn't pick up anything.
"I think the loss of vision has enhanced my hearing," Zeng Hai cocks his head, "I think.. they're crying?"
"I hear it too," Zhao Xuefeng says.
"Me too, it's getting louder," Nalan Chyou gripped her iron bar tightly.
"Be cautious and wary," Tian Shun whispers seriously making everyone nod and keep their guard up. They slowly and cautiously creep toward the direction of the sound. As they grew closer they realize it was indeed the sound of crying, but it wasn't the ugly wretched sobbing that they were so used to by now but soft, hiccuping weeping. It was a very beautiful delicate sound that made them both curious and wary.
As they turned a corner everyone stiffened in shock.
This young man... was too beautiful!
Even covered in blood and surrounded by disgusting viscera, the weak and trembling figure of the rather androgynous teenager's lovely, pure looks could not be hidden. Forget the boys, even Nalan Chyou couldn't help but swallow loudly, this was the sort of beauty that made others want to revere him as a fairy, but even more so want to push him down and utterly defile him.
Tian Shun was no exception. Jia Hyson was wearing the same clothes his doll form had been wearing today, a simple but elegant white formal shirt and black pants in an old European design. However the old-fashioned design was somewhat covered by the blood making it hard to notice the strangeness of the clothing and how similar it was to the hated Doll Ghost's own- in which they had only seen the doll form of.
To further make it harder to immediately discern his identity Jia Hyson also cut his hair. Because it was a little messy he ended up with a very short hairstyle similar to a K-pop stars. With his new hairstyle his appearance gave an even more refreshing feeling of youth, but more importantly to Tian Shun… it showed off his slender pale white and oh so biteable neck.
Subconsciously Tian Shun licked his lips with desirous eyes. Soon. Soon every part of him will be his.
"You… are you alright?" Nalan Chyou kindly asks. As the female lead she of course held the biggest heart out of them all.
"I," A weak, shaking voice, like a frightened rabbit made of sugar drops came out of the delicate beauty, "My friend, he, he.." He glances down at the lump of flesh in his arms with a devastated expression. The group save for Tian Shun all looked at him sympathetically.
"Come with us," Zhao Xuefeng immediately invited. On the rankings of Bleeding Hearts, after the female lead the protagonist usually comes at a close second. "If you stay here like this you're seeking death. We are trying to escape this hell too, trust us."
Tian Shun snorts under his breath at Wei's expression of wary surprise and gratefulness. To think the spirit was such a good actor. However, Wei's mischievous side was very cute. Even though he was a little worried about Wei's reaction to the idea of suppressing his fellow spirits, Tian Shun still dotingly played along, also unwilling to let anytime with Wei go. "Come with us, I promise to keep you safe by my side." Forever.
Jia Hyson: 'Ah, Xiao Shun looks really so handsome saying those words yet why do I feel a chill? Could this be...'
Bebe: '...' Does Host finally realise he raised two generations worth of crazy?
Jia Hyson: 'Could this be love~?' Hehe he's so funny. Bebe is so lucky to have such a charismatic host like himself. (／≧ω＼)
Bebe: '...' Go die one more time. (╬ಠ益ಠ)
And so Jia Hyson joins the party.
As they walk around, the group begins to explain what happened to the ghosts. To Jia Hyson's silent relief the spirits had not been exorcised or brutally killed off by a hidden expert. Instead they somehow found the Book of Curses! It seems the Author God is shining upon them all!
Understandably they wouldn't reveal all their secrets to a stranger but apparently with the book they learnt of a method to force a spirit inside their 'soul item', the object that they are most attached to after death and traps them there with the help of some hastily made talismans courtesy of their own blood and a notebook they had found after some searching.
After some consulting with Bebe, Jia Hyson found that the bindings would not be permanent, and as long as the seals have been torn off or faded the spirits will be immediately be free if a little weakened.
He was a little jealous. If the Demon House was a movie, then having sealed the spirits into their own objects and shipped them away in the aftermath would produce a huge potential for many sequels. After all, each spirit had an interesting or at least a classic backstory and unique powers.
Under Jia Hyson's hand, he could probably make a Ghost Universe that many horror fans would love and many film companies have failed to establish well however this gift horse has been passed down to the Author God who made such an incompetent plot in the first place. This sour feeling was like painstakingly raising up a pure white cabbage before being forced to give it away as a gift for an ugly pig. Such a fucking goddamn waste.
Meanwhile Zhao Xuefeng was glancing at Tian Shun and the newcomer, who had introduced himself as Bai Li Wei, with increasingly complex looks. Tian Shun, who had always been aloof and by his side for so long had suddenly changed attitudes. Now it is like he has glued himself to the beautiful teenager's side, always giving him such gentle warm looks that Zhao Xuefeng had never even seen before.
"Do you guys know each other?" Zhao Xuefeng asks suspiciously. Now that his initial feelings of awe at Bai Li Wei's appearance has faded somewhat, he found the more he looks the more he feels something is wrong. Tian Shun would never get so close to a stranger so fast. Even if the other was admittedly stunning in looks, Zhao Xuefeng did not want to believe his Tian Shun would be so shallow and superficial. "You guys look awfully.. close."
Jia Hyson blinks his eyes in confused innocence that was only half faked. Why does the male lead sound like a jealous love interest?
Tian Shun's reaction was much colder, "We don't know each other." Then, with the same cold expression he explains, "I just like his face."
Zhao Xuefeng: '…'
Jia Hyson: '…'
The others: '…'
"Well," Jia Hyson chuckled uncomfortably, "Where are we heading now?"
"There's no other ghosts left, we're going to try the exit now," Li Daguo replies, also eager to break the silence,
Jia Hyson frowns. "Have you gone to the basement yet?"
Everyone all looked at him blankly. "The basement? There's such a place?"
Jia Hyson nods, fear flashing in his eyes, "It's a secret entrance. I, I only saw it because I saw someone," he bit his lip, "Someone I know just got picked up and dragged, we, we tried to stop it but…" He goes dazed for a moment as if recalling the horrible memories that didn't exist, "anyway, there's a secret doorway behind a bookshelf. If there's going to be any big secret to this house it must be down there."
The group look at each other, whispering and muttering before they turn to Jia Hyson and agree. Even though they were fearful about the unknown, they couldn't help but feel fairly confident in themselves after taking care of so many ghosts.
If Jia Hyson could hear their thoughts he wouldn't be able to hide his disdain. After all this shit they went through and yet still have the gall to look down on ghosts… really seeking death ah.
As Jia Hyson leads the way, Zhao Xuefeng couldn't help but feel even more suspicious toward Wei. Aside from the initial dislike and feeling of alarm at this unforeseen rival toward his affections for Tian Shun, there was an objective underlying sense of unsettlement toward Bai Li Wei. Because for one thing, someone with such outstanding looks would have certainly been noticed in school, even in town he would have heard of it.
Zhao Xuefeng has lived in this place since he was born. He knows the area and people inside and out. Old people liked to show off their grandchildren, mothers like to gossip about all sorts of relatives, and other people's relatives, but there has been no mention or photo of such a beautiful child. Li Daguo who knows the richer part of the area better than himself didn't recognise Bai Li Wei either.
"We're here," Wei's head was down, hiding the expression on his face. Now that Zhao Xuefeng looked closer, no longer so drawn to that his bewitching pure face of his, he began to feel some familiarity to the clothes he was wearing. "Just push the bookshelf to the side and it should be there."
As the group began to push the bookshelf, Zhao Xuefeng and Wei were the only ones who didn't move. Zhao Xuefeng stared hard at Wei, trying desperately to remember this odd feeling of familiarity, the memory like a feather in the wind making it so frustrating to catch. Suddenly Wei looked up and smiled.
Cold sweat drenched Zhao Xuefeng's back. Wei's eyes suddenly look glassy and painted like, like…
Like a doll's eyes.
"Guys! Wait-"
"We did it!" Li Daguo exclaims in relief, drowning out Zhao Xuefeng's words, "Damn that was heavy. Oi, Xuefeng what the fuck where you doing.." His words trail off and everyone turns to stare as Wei begins to float up, limbs drooping like a puppet with no strings and his short hair growing rapidly. "Oh shit."
"Hahaha," An eerie light laughter escaped from Bai Li Wei's mouth, the voice echoing strangely like there were many voices in the one, "HAHAHAHAHA!"
The teenager, no, the ghost's eyes glow a murderous red and now everyone can tell that this was the true form of the doll ghost.
Nalan Chyou who felt the most animosity and fear toward this spirit screamed in an incoherent mixture of both feelings. Zeng Hai's already weakened body couldn't take the shock and his legs gave way, barely avoiding hitting the floor thanks to a pale faced Li Daguo.
Zhao Xuefeng blindly grabbed at Tian Shun's arm for assurance, "Tian Shun! I think his doll body is in the bag!" He whispers frantically, "I'll distract him and you use the charm to- Tian Shun?"
A cold, numbness spreads inside his body as he realises Tian Shun's handsome eyes were sparkling, his lips curved up in a loving smile.
"How beautiful," The voice that Zhao Xuefeng had always thought to be clear and magnetic now sounded like a dagger being pushed into his heart and soul.
Unwilling to believe, Zhao Xuefeng grips on him tighter, "Tian Shun," He's sweating as he forces himself to smile, "Tian, Tian Shun you, you're joking right?"
In the background his friends are screaming and the bleak blackness of inky hair has surrounded them all but Zhao Xuefeng's gaze could not tear away from Tian Shun's face, waiting, begging for an answer, for anything. Silvery eyes slowly move from the Doll Ghost's evil visage to Zhao Xuefeng and Zhao Xuefeng's heart skips a beat. "Tian Shun.."
"Shut up," The reply is void of emotion and warmth.
Tian Shun steps toward Zhao Xuefeng making him step back. "This, did Bai Li Wei do something to you? Are you possessed?" Zhao Xuefeng ask worriedly, "Tian Shun! Come back to me!"
Tian Shun laughs and takes another step forward. Zhao Xuefeng steps back. One goes forward. One back. Forward. Back. Soon Zhao Xuefeng realises he's at the edge of the doorway that leads to the basement.
He realises that there is no one left in the room by then. All taken by the ghost. Zhao Xuefeng couldn't help it, he panicked.
"Tian Shun! Don't do this!" He pleads.
Tian Shun raises an amused eyebrow, "Oh? Why not?"
Zhao Xuefeng grabs his collar, pulling him down and kisses him fierce and desperately.
"Because," He breathes out as he is roughly pushed away by a shocked Tian Shun, savouring the way his lips tingle and warm as he finally embraces his feelings, "Because I love you Tian Shun."
Tian Shun stares at him. Then he smiles gently at him, one of those rare smiles that Zhao Xuefeng cherishes like treasures in his heart. Zhao Xuefeng felt hope alight within him as Tian Shun pulls him into a hug. He quickly hugs back, tightly, happiness brimming so much inside him he felt like he could explode.
"That's so funny," Tian Shun whispers as he starts to pull away, silver eyes so cold they resembled glaciers in the frozen night, "Because I hate you."
Before Zhao Xuefeng fully registers those heartbreaking words he is pushed down into the basement and blacks out.
…
When the protagonist comes to, it's only been a few minutes much to Jia Hyson's relief. They need four humans who had achieved despair after all. Even with all the other victims in the house to supply the extra despair they require the four living humans are still a must.
"Wha- where am I?" Zhao Xuefeng groans before the memories hit him and he pales. Jia Hyson has to wonder what exactly did Tian Shun say to the guy for him to make such an absolutely devastated expression. He can practically see the dark negative energy off that one in waves.
"Brother Xuefeng!" "Zhao Xuefeng!" "Zhao Xuefeng!" The other three call out. They were all bound in intestines like Jia Hyson had once been. Sitting in the same ritual that Xu Xia had drawn all those years ago, on the same four corners as the basement ghosts and Xu Xia had died on.
Seeing the rather defeated and hopeless expression on the protagonist the other three were enraged. Despite Li Daguo and Zeng Hai having their differences with Zhao Xuefeng, they had gone through many terrors and trials together now and already considered him almost as close as a brother. Nalan Chyou who is a childhood friend felt even more fiercely, she still had secretly loved the young man for years, even of Hao Fan had moved her more than she expected one can't just get rid of old feelings so simply.
The three once again began to curse at the Doll Ghost but most of all they began to curse at Tian Shun who had betrayed them all along. The more they had revered, loved and respected him the further he fell in their hearts, even surpassing the hatred for the ghosts to some extent. A traitor to humanity they called him. And it wasn't false.
But Tian Shun was not the least bit fazed by the insults and hatred thrown at him by the friends he had meticulously cultivated for months. He looked at them with a faint smile, eyes serene with a hint of predatory anticipation. He did not look at them like they were equal human beings. It was like he was a farmer ready to slaughter his chubby pigs.
Jia Hyson inwardly whistled at the ruthlessness. In some ways, humans can be worse than any ghost. However every second is a second closer to dawn and they needed to get the party started now. Quickly Jia Hyson floats in the middle of the room with a sweet smile and does the villain monologue explaining the entire reason why they've reached this point. Of course since it took longer than expected Jia Hyson had to cut some of his, frankly fantastic speech he had prepared which was such a shame.
His tragic backstory. Three sentences. Picked up by Li Guiren who is the father of Tian Shun. One sentence. The Demon House. Two sentences, they already know most of it from Hao Fan. How he had slowly accumulated enough energy in the house through killing people and now reached a saturation point, a plateau in power. Four sentences since it's a lead up to the main reason. Reveal plan to devour many souls and energy at once to turn into a demon. One sentence but like, said super dramatically. Then laugh maniacally and say something about how he is superior to foolish mortal humans when they call him a madman and or talk about becoming a god.
Jia Hyson had to say. He fucking nailed it.
"-and I couldn't have done it without Xiao Shun," He finally ends it, gesturing Tian Shun to join him in his little murder circle of victory, partly to hug him before he reaches ascendence and partly to rub it in. Jia Hyson's smile becomes proud and warm as Tian Shun obediently trots over like the good child he always is. "Xiao Shun, I'm so glad we met in this lifetime. I'll always remember what you have done for me,"
He wishes he could say a bit more. How he wishes he was there more for Tian Shun in his life. How he's so very proud of him. That he will do big things even without him. That he does love him. Maybe even more romantically than paternally like he feels for Li Guiren but unfortunately this was not a world that would allow him to figure out such things.
"Wei.." Tian Shun must have seen the affection in his eyes, as faint as it was, and slipped his hand into Jia Hyson's, enjoying the way the spirit couldn't help but shiver in pleasure at his touch. Unable to control himself he embraces Jia Hyson, kissing him deeply and fiercely, much like how Zhao Xuefeng did to him only this time both parties were enthusiastic.
Zhao Xuefeng made a soft sound of pain at the sight.
But then, just like before Tian Shun broke the kiss first. His eyes were warmer and full of love but the words were ominous, "You don't have to remember me Wei, because you'll always be by my side."
Jia Hyson's eyes widened and then screamed as he fell to the floor, an iron pole impaled in his stomach covered by strange patterns made in blood. He could barely move at all much less pull the painful thing out of his body.
"What are you doing?!" Jia Hyson hisses in shock and outraged betrayal.
"Don't be angry," Tian Shun infuriatingly says, "I know it hurts please bear with it."
The basement ghosts and Xu Xiao who had been watching at the sides, were shocked at this unexpected counterattack. The humans were also surprised. However unlike the ghosts they felt happiness and hope that all along Tian Shun was playing double agent, no, triple agent, for them.
If children can think this so can these old spirits and they were full of rage.
"Tian Shun you dare betray teacher?!" "White eyed wolf!" "Rip you to shreds!"
The three basement ghosts rush at him but it turns out Tian Shun had been hiding his true abilities all this time. Underneath his clothing he had talismans and his aura was so concentrated it can even be used as a weapon or at least a defensive shield. Jia Hyson was astonished at the fantasy-like fight. Hacks! He fucking called hacks!
Soon the three were subdued and each were then forcibly trapped in a seperate blood covered wall of the basement by Tian Shun, their sillouhetes vaguely seen in the wall. Xu Xia who had already lost a bit of power after the mirror breaking that happened before did not manage to leave the last mirror in time before Tian Shun covered it in talismans bind her place. Jia Hyson looked on, it was the first time in a long time he truly felt this helplessness again.
"Xiao Shun.."
"I love you Wei," Tian Shun calmly says, silver eyes bright and glittering as he walks back to the middle of the room, crouching down to gently touch Jia Hyson's face. "I love you so, so much. You've always been kind to me, when I was a child who didn't even understand what a family was you were that for me. Being by your side was the best time of my life and when dad separated us it was hell. I couldn't tell you how many times I almost died, how many times I wanted to die. I have no mother, my father hates me, my friends all end up dying... only you have been my one warm constant. I love you."
For a moment Jia Hyson was deeply touched and flattered by the sincere words, moved by the raw emotion in the young man's voice but then logic kicks in and roughly reminds him what Tian Shun has done, what he might be planning to do in the name of his 'love'.
No matter how sweet the beautiful words, they cannot drown them bitter taste of such ugly betrayal.
"Xiao Shun whatever you're going to do, don't do its!" Jia Hyson warns, eyes darkening dangerously. "Do you think that just because I like you, you can treat me as some soft persimmon, easy to bully? If you really do this do you actually think I'll still hold any good feelings for you afterwards?"
Jia Hyson has always been quite a callous man, especially with relationships. Many friendships and lovers only stayed in his life for a short time before they got quickly replaced, however, if they managed to still cling on past a certain point Jia Hyson would cherish them and grow dependent on their existence.
For example, his mother was his most important person and he loved her unconditionally, even as an adult he would not feel shame cuddling with her while watching a tv show together or going grocery shopping with her. His best friend from highschool was another good example. He was a foreigner, an Australian, still learning the language and Jia Hyson was the only one in the friend group who happened to have almost all the same classes as him. It turns out helping teach a language and learning another while sharing a few key interests was enough to cement a friendship that lasted for decades despite the fact their relationship was mainly texting each other and the occasional semi-yearly meetup... Jia Hyson wonders if his friend was sad when he heard about his death.
The point was, no matter how good the feelings he had toward Tian Shun, the foundations were a little too shallow. Having that large gap between seeing him as a baby and seeing him as a handsome young adult have helped alter Jia Hyson's perceptions toward him into something more romantic more easily than facing Li Guiren but the connection he holds in compensation is much weaker in comparison. To him, the power of love at first sight could not beat the power of intimacy and trust built up over time.
Also they've never crossed the line. So in a cruelly objective standpoint that his apathy provides him their relationship could be described as akin to half-cousins eye-fucking. And Jia Hyson once killed one of his full-blooded cousins. Inadvertently. But like, still. It proves that for those that aren't close family or life-long friends, one doesn't have to cross his bottom line to garner his disgust, as long as he feels they aren't useful or worth it anymore Jia Hyson can drop them easy.
Well. Not easy. But easier than a lot of other people.
Tian Shun must sense the seriousness because he does hesitate for a moment. "Wei… please don't say that, I.. If you don't like me I don't know what I would do," He whispers, sounding truly conflicted and scared.
Jia Hyson was a little moved, reminded once again that despite everything Tian Shun probably had some serious mental issues, most indirectly due to Jia Hyson and Li Guiren in the first place, but he still refused to budge. Even if he was guilty he isn't going to fuck himself over to compensate. "Then stop!" Jia Hyson tells him, even he wasn't aware of his own voice softening, "Just, stop. It doesn't have to end this way."
Tian Shun bit his lip, he looked as young as he should be. "But I don't want it to end at all." Tears fall down his face, "Wei, stay here, stay with me. I love you, don't you get that? If you promise you'll stay I won't forcibly bind you to me forever okay? As long as, as long as you don't leave this world.."
Jia Hyson feels pain in his heart even though he shouldn't have the capabilities anymore, "Xiao Shun, each day as a ghost is my own circle of hell, I don't want to stay like this anymore, please, don't be selfish and just,"
"Why can't I be selfish?!" Tian Shun yells, tears pouring from his eyes, on the edge of a breakdown, "No one ever asks for what I want! I never get to be selfish! When is it my turn to be selfish?!" He sobs, "I, I wanted to go home! I, I, I was so scared all alone overseas and the monsters there-! I wanted to see you so, so badly! I wanted to listen to your bedtime stories again and get tucked in.. I wanted dad to invite me back and apologise for being such a fucking dick! I wanted.. I wanted..! I, why don't I ever get what I want?"
Tian Shun begins to cry softly and Jia Hyson could only weakly lie there unsure of what to say in comfort. Unless he was willing to stay in this world for a bit longer there really wasn't anything else he could do.
But men are fickle, they could say they won't get jealous anymore, that they won't threaten you anymore, won't try and bind your eternal soul to their's anymore, but the sad fact of reality is that 95% of the time that was a lie. A temporary promise at best. If you forgive the first time there's always a good chance of a second and a third time.
Even protagonists can't escape this inflexibility of their own human nature. How can the normal people below them possibly hope to do the same? Maybe if it was Monroe or Drake talking he could believe in them but Li Guiren and Tian Shun were… Well, Jia Hyson doesn't like to stereotype but yanderes were kind of unstable.
"Xiao Shun.."
Tian Shun lefts his head up, eyes red from crying. They both stare at each other for a moment in silence before finally, Tian Shun grins madly and starts to chuckle before escalating into full blown hysterical laughter.
Jia Hyson: '…see? Super unstable.'
Bebe: 'Shut up. Bebe, *hiccup*, Bebe is crying for the both of us.'
"I've decided," Tian Shun smiles, obsession and madness seeping out from him, "It doesn't matter, as long as you're still here with me we can cultivate our feelings all over again." Before Jia Hyson could say anything he runs to the bag taking out Jia Hyson's doll and the book of curses from another bag.
He flips to a page in the book, muttering cryptic words eagerly before moving slowly toward Jia Hyson to place the doll in front of him so they were face to face. His chanting grows louder and louder and the basement ghosts in the wall and Xu Xia in the mirror grow agitated. Tian Shun fishes out a small silver box from his pocket and lifts it slowly above his head while he continuously chants. A dark mist from the walls and mirror leak out, and, as if attracted to the silver box, heads toward it, darkening the silver color until it turns a metallic black.
Then Tian Shun flips the top off and Jia Hyson realises with dread it wasn't a box.
It was a lighter.
This is the first time he felt truly afraid.
Memories of being burned alive have not faded one bit. That trauma is engraved into this very soul, it is what had turned him into the thing he is now. How can he not be fearful?
"I love you Wei," Tian Shun smiles.
"No, wait, don't-"
He flicks on lighter, the fire an eerie blood red and the smoke darker then it should be. With the lighter on he begins to walk around the inside of the ritual circle, running the flame across Zhao Xuefeng, Nalan Chyou, Li Daguo and Zeng Hai's hair, letting them catch aflame much to their own fear and hatred, before heading back to Jia Hyson and drops the lighter on top of the doll as he raises his voice, "Burn away the anchor! Burn away the connection! Burn the old and let the ashes bring forth anew!"
Maybe it's the ritual magic taking effect but unscientifically the moment the flame touches the doll it is completely engulfed in fire. Simultaneously all four humans bound in their spots also become human torches, screaming and wailing in agony. However Jia Hyson was not much better as the doll held a strong connection to him so he too felt the brutal effects as well, screaming and writhing in agony.
Tian Shun was not completely heartless though, when he saw Jia Hyson in such pain he immediately knelt down, dragging the twitching ghostly body to lean against his chest, engulfing him in cooling yin energies, pressing small anxious kisses to his forehead and whispering soft words about how it will all be okay and how it will be all over soon. Jia Hyson would have been a lot more grateful if he hadn't been the main source of this absolute misery.
It took an excruciatingly long time, Jia Hyson would swear even longer than the first time he burnt to death. Damn his doll had better endurance than he did. Which made sense if the fire is meant to burn the bone porcelain until it became nothing but ashes but Jia Hyson still felt awfully resentful toward the cultists for not making a Raggedy Anne doll of him instead right now. Yet just like how good things come to an end, eventually so do bad, terrible, horrible things. Thank the Author God.
Jia Hyson lay weakly against Tian Shun, tears of blood running down his face as the young man reverently kisses him before gently moving him back on the floor. He yanks the iron bar from Jia Hyson's body, but the aftermath of agony had numbed him so much that he barely flinched.
Using the end of the bar that had impaled Jia Hyson, Tian Shun began to chant as he pointed it toward the small pile of ash where the doll used to lay. Like the dark mist from before, the small pile of ash began to move toward the bar, as if attracted or magnetised. Tian Shun started to move the iron in small circles like he was making really hardcore candy floss until all the ash swirled around the end of the iron bar.
"Finally," He whispers as he stares greedily at the black candy floss made up of Wei's bones and blood and all sorts of nasty things. Unaware and most likely uncaring of it though, Tian Shun then proceeded to start sucking it down.
Jia Hyson: '…Ew.' Black magic was so gross.
It looked like a rather slow and somewhat painful process on Tian Shun's end though. Which Jia Hyson is fucking glad because everyone in this room should have to physically suffer on some level here. Silently he consults Bebe who was…
Bebe: *vomiting noises*
Jia Hyson: '…You weak ass motherfucker.' He goes through all this pain and it's his system complaining. So angry.
After roasting Bebe he quickly gets to business, 'Is this going to effect me too badly?' Worse comes to worse he'll be stuck in a rather unconventional and, let's be honest, super dysfunctional bordering on abusive but definitely resentment-filled relationship. Which was only a little hot.
Bebe: *vomiting noises*
Jia Hyson: 'Son of a fucking- what now?'
Bebe: 'You. Host is just too disgusting.'_:(´ཀ`」∠):_
Jia Hyson: '…' I'll kill you (ꐦ ´͈ ᗨ `͈ )
'Anyway, this isn't a good situation host. You're still a young host and while your spiritual energy is good right now, your soul can't actually take that much trauma. It's already considered very impressive that your soul had enough strength the first time you died but Bebe isn't very confident if you had to go through such a violent 'rebirth' a second time.'
Jia Hyson's tired eyes opened in shock, 'Wait. Are you saying Xiao Shun that dumb yandere might actually kill me?! Why didn't you say so before?!'
'…Bebe was too caught up in the drama. This was Bebe's bad.' Came Bebe's meek and infuriating reply.
Jia Hyson: '…Bebe.'
Bebe: 'Host, you must remain calm.'
Jia Hyson: 'I know I can buy a physical form for you when we get back.'
Bebe: '…'
Jia Hyson: 'Hehe.'
Bebe: QAQ
Suddenly Li Guiren rushes in, eyes quickly taking in the room with the skill and speed worthy of a top police detective investigator. His eyes after a second of taking it in immediately zone to the fallen Wei and his son eating black floating dust. Narrowing his eyes he doesn't even hesitate to take the shot.
"Ugh!" Tian Shun groans, doubling over in pain, clutching at his stomach where the wound is. However no matter how much pain he was in he still hadn't let go of the iron bar. "You-!" He glares murderously at his father who was rushing toward them.
"What have you done to him?!" Li Guiren roars as he tries to hold Jia Hyson up only for Jia Hyson to scream in further suffering as the strong yang energy coming from Li Guiren burns him even more. Tian Shun's expression immediately changes and he drops the iron bar to push Li Guiren away. The black dust scatters for a moment before moving back to the object a little more reluctantly than before.
"Stop that! He's especially vulnerable right now!" Tian Shun shouts frantically, "If you touch him with that energy of yours he will really die!"
Li Guiren quickly moves away but it doesn't stop him from turning toward Tian Shun with a vicious look in his eyes. "You little bastard," He spat, "What did you do?"
Tian Shun smiled icily, "Isn't it obvious? I'm making Wei mine." His smile grows wider, "And don't ask me to stop, I've already gone this far. If we don't give him another anchor before the sun rises he'll be gone."
'Quick Bebe, how long until sunrise?' Jia Hyson asks eagerly.
'Nine minutes, thirty-eight seconds,' Bebe informs.
'Good, good, that's doable,' He inwardly nods satisfied, if he could stall for that long he can finally leave. Outwardly however he held a pained and sorrowful expression that is only a little exaggerated. After all, he really was yearning for death.
"Xiao Ren, Xiao Shun… please, just let me die." He hoarsely whispers, "I want to die,"
The two men's attention was captured by him instantaneously. Various levels of fear and guilt looking at the frail, weak, motionless body of the person they loved filled them up inside. Wei looked drained… completely devoid of vitality, power, and most of all, a will to live. It seems.. It seems Wei really, truly wanted to leave. They would be only making him suffer chaining him down.
However they still couldn't bear to let him go.
"You can't!" Tian Shun drops to his knees, "Didn't I tell you?! I, I need you!"
"Is there any chance you can reconsider?" Li Guiren who had matured over time also could not accept this. Wei had been with them almost all their lives, the idea of living in a world without him now… it was scarier than any ghost.
Wei gives them all a pained smile, "You two.. I love you both you know, as much as any spirit can anyway. But sometimes love cannot just fail to solve problems but can also create problems." He gives a heavy sigh, "I had thought, that maybe if I ascended to demonhood maybe the pain of forcing myself to stay in this world would disappear and I could stay with you both until the end but.." His expression turns bittersweet, "I guess it's not meant to be."
Tian Shun's expression turns ugly with regret and remorse, "I.. I ruined everything." He whispers. "I'm so sorry Wei."
"Don't," Jia Hyson quickly stops him, the child was too delicate to add survivor's guilt to his issues. "I am the one that should apologise. To you too Li Guiren. I am aware that as a caretaker I was, heh, lacking somewhat."
"That's not true!" Both Li Guiren and Tian Shun protest.
Jia Hyson chuckles, fondly taking a long look at the aggrieved pair, "You too.. I'm glad that you're both here in my final moments."
"Is it.. is it really so unacceptable to be my shadow?" Tian Shun whispers.
Jia Hyson: '…' You were going to stick me in your shadow? Fuck yes that's extremely unacceptable!
"I already loathed my fate," Jia Hyson patiently explains, "Being trapped in that doll my tormentors had made in my visage for some sick fetish.. if it wasn't for you two little dumplings I would have done my best to free myself ages ago."
Li Guiren was silently crying. Tian Shun had been sobbing for a while.
"Your really serious," Li Guiren says flatly, defeat in his eyes.
"I am," Jia Hyson firmly tells him. Him and Tian Shun.
The father and son pair look at each other, understanding passing in their eyes before turning into resolve as they gaze back at Jia Hyson. They had become calmer yet somehow it unsettled Jia Hyson deeply.
"Okay then," Li Guiren says emotionlessly.
"We're sorry," Tian Shun whispers pityingly.
The unsettledness had turned into anxiety, "Xiao Ren? Xiao Shun? What do you mean?" They weren't going to trap him after all that in the end were they?
They didn't. But in retrospect Jia Hyson wished they had.
Hot blood splattered onto his face as body. A low grunt of pain and a hiss of discomfort. Jia Hyson could only watch, his heart that should have shrivelled up by now was in agony.
Li Guiren covered his slit throat with one hand, the other reaching out to touch Jia Hyson's hand. Maybe because his life force was fading so fast he no longer burned with so much yang energy. "I love you. I hope I'll make you as happy as you deserve if we ever meet again." He smiles and Jia Hyson feels something hot in his hand before it fades away.
Tian Shun coughed out an unhealthy amount of blood as his chest begins to turn red as his body fluids leak out of the bullet holes. He too reaches out desperately to grasp Jia Hyson's other hand. "One day I hope, hope you will love me as much as I love you," He smiles and Jia Hyson feels something cold in his other hand before it too fades away.
"…Xiao Ren?"
"…Xiao Shun?"
"...Xiao Ren? Xiao Shun?"
".....Why aren't you responding?"
"...….Xiao Ren, Xiao Shun, I, I am so, so sorry, I,"
"...…..…..Xiao Ren? Xiao Shun? Please, please answer me."
"...….........You two, why did you do this?"
[World story complete… Processing data… Uploading data…]