The low and raspy voice of the malevolent ghost echoed within the bathroom.
Hearing that familiar voice, Lin Min immediately realized that Xie Mingyuan had returned. However, when he called out for 0766, there was no response. He wondered if he was dreaming. Lin Min pinched himself and found that it truly did not hurt.
His body felt soft from the alcohol. Before he could ponder why Xie Mingyuan had returned early, he quickly discovered that something ice-cold was coiling around his calves. Lin Min trembled with fear. Even knowing this was just a game, facing a husband who had become a vengeful spirit capable of killing him at any moment made his legs shake. He instinctively burrowed into the embrace of the person holding him, desperate to escape the chilling discomfort at his ankles.
He vaguely remembered what had happened and knew that the person currently holding him was the cold-blooded protagonist. He was unsure if this was truly a dream. If it were reality, it was not yet time for his character to exit the plot. Lin Min was not sure if Fu Chenyuan would abandon him, so he could only grip the man’s shirt fabric tightly. He feared the player might throw him to the enraged Boss to buy time for an escape.
This instinctive search for protection became the final straw that broke Xie Mingyuan’s sanity.
“Heh,” a cold laugh, sharp and minimal, rang out.
The icy sensation around Lin Min’s ankles suddenly turned into a steel-like grip. He was yanked back abruptly, his body sliding uncontrollably out of Fu Chenyuan’s arms. Fu Chenyuan’s embrace was suddenly empty, and he knit his brows in a rare display of emotion. However, seeing the blood threads surrounding the husband like a spiderweb, he did not move recklessly.
“Ah!” Lin Min cried out in surprise. His exposed and damp back slammed into a chest that was cold, hard, and constantly seeping a viscous liquid. He trembled, his lips moving but unable to find words, until he finally managed to ask in a wavering voice, “Is that you, Mingyuan?”
As the words fell, Lin Min felt the cold body lean closer. Chilly breath brushed against his ear, and a large, freezing hand landed on his lower abdomen. Bone-chilled fingers slid slowly across his skin. Lin Min’s mind involuntarily filled with scenes from horror movies he had seen. His stomach tightened with a dull ache as he wondered if Xie Mingyuan was planning to disembowel him.
The abnormality in the master bedroom quickly attracted the others. Zhou Jin’s voice came from outside the bathroom door as he impatiently attempted to kick the locked door open.
Inside the bathroom, the blood threads grew denser. The cracks on Xie Mingyuan’s eerily handsome face deepened. The human form he had been maintaining was now becoming terrifying. Lin Min could not see the expression on his face, but he was held fast in the ghost’s arms. He could feel Xie Mingyuan sniffing at the back of his neck.
Although Lin Min was slow-witted, he was not indecisive. Sensing the gravity of the situation, he suppressed his terror and made a judgment. He could not let the players come to harm. If his character died, it was merely a deviation of a secondary role, but if the players died, the entire plot would collapse.
Lin Min dared not gamble. The players had not obtained any items yet. Even if Xie Mingyuan’s early appearance made him weaker than his full form seven days later, the players were still no match for him.
Lin Min gathered his courage and reached out his hand. Because he was blind, his hand searched the air for a long time before being caught by the ghost’s cold and large hand and pressed against a handsome, blood-stained cheek.
“Baby,” Xie Mingyuan’s pupils, shrunk to the size of pinpricks, stared intently at his wife’s lustrous and fair face. “They lied to you. My Minmin is just too kind. Do not fear me. Husband will clear away all obstacles for you.”
With that murmur, the blood threads that had only been around Lin Min’s ankles began to spread upward like living vines. They wound around his calves, climbed over the back of his knees, and even attempted to crawl under the hem of his loose bathrobe. It was as if he wanted to wash away every trace left by others. He lifted his eerie green eyes and looked at the player before him, his lips curling into a twisted arc.
“Mingyuan, it is not like that. I am not afraid of you. Mr. Fu and the others are here to help me.” Hearing the voice, Lin Min’s face turned pale. He hurriedly grabbed the ghost’s cold fingertips. He touched the man’s cheek with a shaking hand, his breath trembling. “Husband, I am so happy you are back.”
Lin Min tried his best to suppress his struggle. Being killed would only hurt for a moment.
“You missed me?” Xie Mingyuan’s voice turned suddenly dark. His palm loosely covered Lin Min’s fragile throat. He did not apply pressure, but the touch carried a freezing chill. “Baby is pleading for them, is he not? How foolish. But it is not Baby’s fault. Since Baby wants to play for a while, Husband will agree. You have two hours. If Baby can save these pests, Husband will allow it. Work hard, Baby, or these pests will be killed one by one right in front of you.”
“That way,” Xie Mingyuan lowered his head, using his cold lips to rub against Lin Min’s violently trembling earlobe. His tone was filled with a sickly satisfaction and anticipation. “Baby will belong only to me.”
The chilling scent of blood in the air grew stronger. In a place Lin Min could not see, the blood flowing from Xie Mingyuan increased until it nearly covered the bathroom floor. His surroundings gradually shifted, turning into a deep and bottomless corridor. He was still draped in only a man’s suit jacket, and the skin on his legs felt the biting cold.
Although his eyes could not see, Lin Min felt as if something was staring at him from behind. The gaze was sticky and cold, like a physical web wrapping around his neck, making his hair stand on end. He instinctively clutched his only covering. Lin Min knew Xie Mingyuan was angry and was intentionally torturing him.
His fingertips turned white from the force of his grip. Hearing the approaching footsteps behind him, his legs shook as he accelerated his pace forward. Lin Min was slightly out of breath. Being blind made the escape significantly more difficult. Just as he felt he was about to trip in his panic, a broad and hot palm suddenly appeared from behind, covering his mouth and pulling him backward.
Lin Min’s hollow eyes widened in terror. Just as he was about to struggle, a familiar and low voice whispered in his ear, “Do not make a sound. It is me.”
It was Zhou Jin. His usually irritable voice was deliberately lowered, his hot breath hitting Lin Min’s sensitive ear.
“Your husband created an illusion. It projects the things a person fears most.” Zhou Jin quietly closed the door without making a sound. Only the dragging footsteps in the hallway could be heard. Looking at the little widower’s pale face, Zhou Jin’s sharp and handsome features lowered slightly. He suddenly felt a spark of interest. “Little widower, do you know what that thing outside is? It is called a Zhe. It is very troublesome. Although it has no eyes, its hearing and sense of smell are very sharp. It loves to eat human eyes.”
Zhou Jin watched as the little widower trembled with fear, wanting to hide in his arms but not daring to do so. The frustration he had felt ever since the man chose Fu Chenyuan vanished, replaced by an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. However, before he could say more, his gaze sharpened as he noticed the light from the door gap was partially blocked.
The creature had stopped at the door.
Zhou Jin’s expression turned serious. He had just used a soundproofing talisman he obtained from an A-rank instance. How did that thing find them? His gaze drifted toward the little widower. The beautiful husband’s face was still pale, and because they were close, Zhou Jin could see his moist and red mouth as he breathed. A pink tongue was curled behind his teeth. The thick and lingering fragrance was drifting out from right there.
The dragging footsteps outside did not leave. Instead, as if attracted by something, more identical footsteps began to approach. A damp and fishy smell swirled outside the door. Lin Min’s face grew paler. Although he was blind, his hearing was exceptionally sharp. He instinctively reached out to grab Zhou Jin, hoping the player could find a way out quickly.
He did not notice that the tall man beside him was staring at him in a daze. Sensing that Zhou Jin did not respond immediately, Lin Min tightened his grip, his fingertips turning a light pink. His voice carried an unwitting tremor. “Mr. Zhou, what should we do?”
His warm and moist breath, accompanied by that indescribable fragrance, brushed against the side of Zhou Jin’s neck again. The red-haired player snapped back to reality, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably. He forced down the strange agitation and his eyes became sharp again, though a faint blush crept onto his ears.
“Did you put on perfume? Those things have a sharp sense of smell. They followed your scent.” Zhou Jin took a step back.
How could someone’s mouth smell so fragrant? He knew some people liked perfume, but he usually found those scents annoying. Now, however, he found this fragrance quite acceptable. The little widower pressed against him so softly, and the scent drifted right into his nose.
Zhou Jin’s voice turned slightly hoarse. He moved his gaze away from the snowy cheeks. “Find a way to wipe off the perfume. This room seems to have a bathroom.”
When he finished speaking, the little widower wore a look of confusion.
“Perfume? I did not put on any perfume. It might be the scent of the body wash.” Lin Min sniffed tentatively. He could not actually smell much of anything. Furthermore, he was not wearing his own clothes. He was wearing Fu Chenyuan’s jacket. The beautiful husband’s fingertips tightened. He only had this one jacket. If he threw it away, he would have nothing to wear.
As Lin Min felt confused, a broad jacket still carrying warmth was draped over him. Zhou Jin looked at his expression and coughed unnaturally. “Wear mine for now. It should cover the scent on you.” He recognized the jacket Lin Min was wearing as Fu Chenyuan’s. He had not expected that after wearing it for just a short while, the widower would be so thoroughly soaked in that hypocrite’s unpleasant cologne.
Watching Lin Min’s clumsy movements, Zhou Jin impatiently helped him pull the open jacket closed. His gaze involuntarily moved to the little widower’s lips. The scent on the body could be covered with clothes, but what about the scent in the mouth? He wondered if this little widower wanted a straight man like him to help with that as well. Swapping saliva with another man was something he absolutely would not do.
Lin Min could not feel his gaze. He only assumed Zhou Jin found him troublesome. He bit his lip, his face pale, as the sound of the door lock being struck grew louder. The door showed signs of loosening.
Terrified, he instinctively backed away but accidentally knocked over something behind him. It made a familiar and crisp sound. Lin Min felt around as he knelt down. He realized it was the white porcelain statue Xie Mingyuan had personally made for him. When the players first arrived, he had been startled by it, and while preparing the rooms, he had placed it in the second-floor guest room. Because this room was where he stayed before his official relationship with Xie Mingyuan, he had been too embarrassed to give it to the players.
So, they were still in the villa. It had merely been transformed into this ghostly state by Xie Mingyuan’s influence. Lin Min’s sightless eyes brightened. He grabbed Zhou Jin’s sleeve. “I know how to get out! If this is the second-floor guest room, I remember there is a secret door.”
Without waiting for a reply, he pulled the man toward the location in his memory. He reached a wall with a massive mirror and gave it a tentative push. It showed signs of movement.
“Here! Mr. Zhou, hurry!” A glimmer of hope appeared on Lin Min’s pale face. He turned back, his sightless eyes facing Zhou Jin’s direction. Almost simultaneously, a loud crash echoed as the overburdened door was completely smashed.
Lin Min did not have time to think. He pushed the door open to let Zhou Jin in, but he felt something grab his ankle from behind. He could only push the man inside first and then use his body weight to slam the door shut.
With a click, the lock engaged. Lin Min’s expression relaxed slightly, but the thought of what might happen to him made his face pale again. Just as he prepared to fight for his life, he bumped into a cold, broad, and familiar embrace. The restraint on his ankle vanished, and a cold and large hand gripped his waist.
“Why has Baby made such a mess of himself?” Xie Mingyuan’s deep and magnetic voice sounded. Noticing the red marks on his wife’s ankle, his voice turned eerie. “You even injured yourself for these pests.”
His thumb rubbed against his lover’s pale cheek. His treasure was still afraid of him. Xie Mingyuan’s pupils shrunk to pinpricks as he stared at the large mirror behind them.
Lin Min felt as though he were surrounded by ice. He sensed that Xie Mingyuan was very angry, yet if he was so angry, why did he come to save him and drive those things away? Moreover, there was the injury on his leg. He had forgotten where he had scraped it, but Xie Mingyuan noticed it immediately upon finding him.
Lin Min vaguely sensed something. Xie Mingyuan did not seem to have completely lost his mind. He tentatively rubbed against the man’s chest and spoke softly, “Husband, my foot hurts. Can you look at it for me?”
The man seemed to care a great deal about him being injured. The air fell into silence for a moment.
“Mingyuan,” Lin Min started. Just as he thought he had said something wrong, something cold wound around his ankle. He was lifted and placed onto a table. The soft flesh on his slender and white legs trembled, and a light red mark was pressed into his skin by the black corner of the table.
Lin Min instinctively tried to step on something for leverage, but in the next second, his ankle was gripped in a palm. A rough sensation brushed over the stinging area, feeling wet and carrying a deep chill. It was as if he had been bitten mischievously.
Lin Min’s waist arched weakly. His fair cheeks began to flush, and his sightless eyes misted over. However, he remembered that Zhou Jin was right on the other side of the wall. He bit his lip to control his voice, but a cold and large hand squeezed his chin, forcing him to open his mouth and reveal his moist and red throat.
Behind the one-way mirror just a wall away, Zhou Jin watched as the beautiful husband’s face was squeezed by the ghost. That snowy-white and gentle face was now a mess. He knit his brows in apparent pain, forced to open his mouth and be consumed like a dog by the ghost. Is it really that delicious?
Zhou Jin watched the husband struggle, only to have his cheeks flush and tears roll from his sightless eyes. A strange heat gathered in his lower body. He struggled to look away and glanced down. His expression immediately became even more grim.