The glow of the incandescent lamp illuminated the entire room. Pitch-black curtains blocked out all external light, rendering it utterly impossible to discern whether it was currently day or night outside.
Jiang Ming was already awake. He had been awake for half an hour, yet he did not rise from his bed. Staring at the time on the clock displaying 7:54 AM, he knew with absolute certainty: he still needed to wait.
Lying on the bed, Jiang Ming abruptly recalled that his vending machine should have refreshed its daily attempts. He could score another free pull. Thus, his consciousness sank into his mind:
“Draw!”
Ding!
Congratulations on acquiring one Easter Lily Cactus!1It is basically a ball-shaped cactus.Quality: Common.
Description: There is nothing worth introducing. It is merely a thoroughly unremarkable cactus.
Note: It has many, many thorns.
Having long anticipated this, an expressionless Jiang Ming stored the cactus away.
Six minutes vanished in a flash. Jiang Ming rose, opened the bedroom door, and smoothly closed it behind him. The Labrador trotted over, carrying its dog bowl in its jaws.
Seeing this dog instantly reminded Jiang Ming of the events from last night.
At exactly 11:00 PM last night, just as Jiang Ming was preparing to sleep, this dog happened to wake up. Bursting with boundless energy, it paced relentlessly around the living room, howling like a ghost and wailing like a wolf. The racket made it impossible for Jiang Ming to fall asleep for a long while.
The mere thought of it made Jiang Ming seethe with anger. But recalling the rules dictating he must ignore it, he abandoned any thoughts of intervening.
After pouring out the dog food and finishing his own breakfast, Jiang Ming gathered a screwdriver and various other tools. Fully equipped and ready for action, he prepared to visit his neighbour; he would conveniently help his good neighbour alleviate the burden of having far too much electricity.
Just as Jiang Ming was preparing to head out, he suddenly remembered something. He marched back into the bedroom, disposed of the iced black tea and the mountain of crumpled tissue wads on the desk, and brought in a few empty bottles, plastic bags, and a fresh pack of tissues to prepare for any unexpected needs.
After all, the nights in this world of Rule-Based Anomalies were genuinely freezing. His nose had been running nonstop last night, costing him a substantial amount of tissues.
Right as Jiang Ming strolled toward the doorway while lost in thought, the Labrador suddenly barked at him:
“Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!”
Jiang Ming turned his head to glare at it. Why was this dog so noisy even in broad daylight? Or could it be that he carried some bizarre scent on his body?
Harbouring some doubts, Jiang Ming raised his arm and took a sniff. There was nothing strange whatsoever. Consequently, he ignored the Labrador and resolved to proceed with finding his neighbour.
Once today passed, the difficulty tomorrow would skyrocket in a straight line. Attempting to explore further would become exponentially more arduous.
Just as Jiang Ming tightened his grip on the handle, preparing to pull the door open, a voice that made his blood run cold seeped in from outside:
“Little Ming, Mother is back. Open the door quickly!”
Every single hair on Jiang Ming's body stood on end!
As if violently electrocuted, he swiftly released the handle and retreated several steps backward, only halting when he reached the living room. With lingering trepidation, he wiped a handful of cold sweat from his forehead.
That was far too close!
“Open the door, Little Ming. Mother forgot her keys.”
The voice echoed from the doorway once more. It was incredibly gentle. Although Jiang Ming had never actually heard ‘Mother's' voice, he estimated it sounded exactly like this.
But this was only the second day; it was absolutely impossible for Mother to return. The rules had also explicitly stated that whoever returned at any other time was not Mother. Although he had no idea what monstrosity was lurking outside, it was undeniably nothing good!
Only then did Jiang Ming realise that even after he retreated from the doorway, the dog continued to bark furiously in that direction.
Therefore, the dog had not been barking at him earlier. It had been barking at the door, or rather, at whatever entity stood outside the door.
Connecting the dots, it was precisely because the dog barked twice that his speed in opening the door was delayed by those few crucial seconds. Otherwise, the consequences would have been utterly unimaginable!
In other words, this dog actually possessed an early warning function?!
No wonder the rules proclaimed it to be the guardian deity of the household!
The entity outside the door had yet to leave. Its voice grew increasingly louder, and increasingly manic:
“Little Ming, open the door quickly! Do you not recognise Mother anymore? Look at me!”
“Little Ming, Little Ming, open the door for me right now!!”
“Open the door!!”
The force of her knocking grew heavier and heavier, ultimately evolving into a violent hammering! But the door was exceptionally sturdy; she could not shake it in the slightest.
Watching this scene, a contemplative look surfaced on Jiang Ming's face. Simultaneously, the Labrador's barking grew increasingly ferocious:
“Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!!”
…
Two minutes later, the violent hammering at the door ceased. The dog's barking, however, only stopped after five full minutes.
Having accomplished a massive deed, the Labrador trotted over and rubbed against Jiang Ming's leg, its tail wagging at blinding speeds. Jiang Ming patted its head and praised:
“Not bad, excellent work. I'll add extra dog food for you tonight.”
The dog's tail wagged even faster as it circled Jiang Ming relentlessly. Jiang Ming paid it no mind; instead, he stared at the doorway, plunging into deep contemplation.
Basking in the golden forty-eight-hour window, he had grown somewhat lax. He actually had not thought to check the peephole to observe the outside situation before attempting to head out. If not for the dog just now, he would likely be dead or half-crippled by now.
Remember, the golden forty-eight hours represent relative safety, not absolute safety! Jiang Ming sternly admonished himself.
Jiang Ming raised his head to check the time. He opted to sit back down on the living room sofa to play with the dog and cultivate their bond; it might just save his life at a critical juncture.
Only after half an hour had passed did Jiang Ming stand up. He carried the dog to the doorway. Seeing that it had no intention of making a sound, he pressed the dog's eye against the peephole on the door.
After fully confirming the dog displayed zero anomalies, Jiang Ming finally set it down. He then peered through the peephole to observe the situation outside himself.
Directly across his line of sight appeared to be a solid wall. Even though it was currently daytime, the corridor outside remained shrouded in oppressive gloom.
God knows how long it had been since the lightbulbs were changed; they flickered sporadically. Layers of thin mist even drifted through the corridor, periodically warping and twisting, as if entities were actively traversing through them.
Witnessing such a scene sent a chill of dread through Jiang Ming's heart. Nevertheless, he steadied his nerves and twisted the handle.
Creaaak
Following the ear-piercing screech, a slip of paper fluttered in through the gap in the door. Jiang Ming hastily pulled the door shut, bending down to pick it up for a look:
Rule Set Four:1. During the daytime, the neighbours are trustworthy.
2. You may request assistance from the neighbours; however, afterward, you similarly cannot refuse the neighbours' requests.
3. Do not casually eat anything given to you by the neighbours.
4. You have two neighbours. One is real, and one is fake.
5. The true neighbour deeply loves eating dog meat. Do not let Da Huang appear in his line of sight.
6. Visiting a neighbour requires bringing a gift. Arriving empty-handed is considered poor etiquette.
7. Do not linger in the corridor for extended periods of time; they will see you.
After finishing the rules, Jiang Ming began to formulate deductions in his heart.
During the daytime, the neighbours are trustworthy. Did that imply they were untrustworthy at night?
Furthermore, it introduced the concept of true and fake neighbours, yet failed to elaborate on the distinction between the two. The true neighbour loved eating dog meat, but what about the fake neighbour? Could it be that he loved eating human flesh?
And who was Da Huang?2The name/nickname literally means Big Yellow in Chinese.
Could it be that Labrador? But didn't the rules explicitly state it had no name?
The doubts in his heart multiplied, yet no one could offer Jiang Ming any answers. He needed to seek out the truth himself.
Glancing at the sixth rule once more, Jiang Ming stored the note away. He headed to the refrigerator, packed some fruits into a plastic bag, took a deep breath, and twisted the handle to exit the house.
The situation outside the door was virtually identical to what Jiang Ming had observed through the peephole. The corridor was utterly gloomy, shrouded in thin mist, and illuminated by flickering lights.
Sweeping a general glance around, Jiang Ming finally understood why the rules stated he only had two neighbours. One entire side of this floor's corridor was a solid wall, painted with a row of bizarre, grotesque doors drawn purely in fresh blood!
On the opposite side lay Jiang Ming's ‘home' alongside two other apartments. Jiang Ming turned his head to check the room number of his ‘home': 1202.
Pondering for a moment, he strode toward the left, his movements causing the thin mist to violently twist and warp. Upon reaching the neighbour's doorway, Jiang Ming discovered the electrical meter box situated right next to it. He cast two glances at it before shifting his focus back to the door before him. The room number displayed read: 1201.
Jiang Ming felt for the keys in his pocket, ensuring he could whip them out at a moment's notice. He then retreated a single step backward before gently knocking on the door:
“Is anyone home?”
…
Thump, thump, thump!
Footsteps echoed from within the house, swiftly halting at the doorway. Jiang Ming's body drew taut, his absolute attention hyper-focused on the door. If the situation soured, he would flee immediately!
Although Jiang Ming's analysis suggested there should not be any immediate jump-scares or guaranteed-death scenarios upon opening the door, a necessary degree of supreme caution was still required.
Creaaak
The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man with a dignified, authoritative visage. He wore a brown chequered short-sleeve shirt, grey trousers, and a pair of slippers on his feet. He looked exactly like the most painfully ordinary middle-aged man imaginable.
He cast a glance at Jiang Ming and spoke with slight surprise: “Isn't this Little Ming? How do you have the spare time to visit Uncle Li?”
Jiang Ming relaxed a fraction, feigning an obedient and well-behaved demeanour: “I just missed Uncle Li today, so I came over to see you.”
“Hahaha, you little brat. You must be craving my braised pork again. Come on in.”
Jiang Ming hesitated for a split second before ultimately following him inside.
As he walked, Uncle Li spoke: “Your mother is truly something else, leaving you all alone at home just to go out and handle some business.”
“You're just a student spending all your days studying at school; I'm afraid you probably don't even know how to cook. Do you want to stay at Uncle's house for the next few days? It just so happens I get bored living all by myself.”
Jiang Ming flashed a smile: “I won't trouble Uncle Li. My mother taught me how to cook beforehand, and there is plenty of food at home.”
The duo swiftly arrived in the living room. Jiang Ming handed the plastic bag in his hand to Uncle Li:
“Right, Uncle Li. Here is some fruit I brought for you.”
Uncle Li appeared somewhat displeased: “You child, why did you bring gifts when visiting Uncle Li's house? Aren't you treating Uncle Li like an outsider?”
A look of utter helplessness surfaced on Jiang Ming's face: “My mother explicitly commanded it. Please just accept it; otherwise she will scold me again when she returns.”
“Sigh, you child. Forget it, sit down first. Uncle Li will go wash a few fruits for you.”
Watching Uncle Li's departing back, Jiang Ming sensed absolutely zero threat or anything remotely bizarre, as if he truly was nothing more than an extraordinarily ordinary neighbour.
He scrutinised the apartment. For some unknown reason, even though the natural lighting was currently excellent, the lamps remained switched on.
But aside from this, everything else was flawlessly normal. The room had superb lighting, and the air circulation was quite good.
The sunlight from outside poured in through the balcony, flooding the entire room. This evoked a surge of deep emotion within Jiang Ming, who had been deprived of sunlight for an entire day.
Furthermore, the various pieces of furniture were completely normal. They were not shrouded in black cloth, entirely devoid of the suffocating, oppressive dread that permeated his own ‘home.'
For a fleeting instant, Jiang Ming even felt as if he had returned to the real world, experiencing a faint trace of genuine warmth and cosiness.
…
“Come, Little Ming. Eat some fruit.”
Uncle Li's words yanked Jiang Ming back from his reverie. Jiang Ming stared at the fruit presented before him but did not take a bite. Rule Set Four, Article Three: Do not casually eat anything given to you by the neighbours.
Jiang Ming looked at Uncle Li and stated: “Uncle Li, I came to find you today for official business.”
“Oh? What official business?” Uncle Li picked up an apple, sat directly opposite Jiang Ming, and began munching on it.
“The clock at home is broken. I came to see if you had a spare clock I could borrow for a while.”
“A clock?” Uncle Li revealed a contemplative expression. He subsequently placed the half-eaten apple onto the table and stood up.
“Wait here. I recall having a spare one in my room. I'll go look for it.”
Two minutes later, Uncle Li emerged from the bedroom holding a circular clock. He handed it to Jiang Ming:
“Here, Little Ming. This one should work, though I don't know if the time is entirely accurate. Use your phone to synchronise it yourself.”
Saying so, he handed his own phone over to Jiang Ming as well. Jiang Ming inspected the clock; aside from a thin layer of dust on the surface, it had absolutely zero issues.
Jiang Ming picked up the phone and checked the time displayed, then checked the time on the clock. Both read exactly 10:05 AM.
After waiting for another full minute and confirming that the 05 on the phone shifted to 06 right as the clock's second hand precisely struck twelve, Jiang Ming finally set his heart at ease. He returned the phone to Uncle Li and voiced his gratitude:
“Thank you, Uncle Li. The time is perfectly accurate.”
“What's there to thank me for? It's merely a clock.” Uncle Li waved his hand dismissively. However, immediately afterward, his brows furrowed tightly as he spoke:
“But Little Ming, Uncle Li has a favour to ask of you. You absolutely must promise Uncle Li.”
Rule Set Four, Article Two: You may request assistance from the neighbours; however, afterward, you similarly cannot refuse the neighbours' requests.
Thus, Jiang Ming gave a casual nod of his head: “Speak your mind, Uncle Li.”
Yet, the absolute instant Jiang Ming's final syllable dropped, everything in his surroundings appeared to undergo a bizarre, esoteric metamorphosis!
Sensing the mutations manifesting around him, Jiang Ming froze. The very next second, his eyes locked onto Uncle Li's gaze.
At this moment, Uncle Li's gaze had undergone a terrifying, grotesque transformation. That benevolent, doting light had vanished without a single trace. Replacing it was an incredibly macabre, alien stare he had never witnessed before in his life.
This gaze leaked an aura of primal greed and ravenous thirst, as if he were staring at a succulent piece of meat. It sent violent shivers racing down Jiang Ming's spine.
Immediately afterward, an even more terrifying anomaly occurred.
The apple on the table began to ooze vibrant, crimson blood. What should have been a sweet, delectable fruit now appeared astronomically horrifying.
Simultaneously, the ambient temperature plummeted drastically, as if a sinister, bone-chilling current of air was rapidly diffusing throughout the space.
The external natural light was also impacted, as if being devoured by a formless, invisible force. The surrounding illumination degraded at a terrifying velocity, instantly plunging the originally bright room into oppressive gloom.
Only the incandescent lamp overhead stubbornly emitted a faint, meagre glow, barely managing to illuminate this confined space.
Witnessing such a grotesque, supernatural phenomenon violently yanked Jiang Ming entirely out of his earlier warm illusions. Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, he forced a strained smile and spoke:
“I wonder what it is Uncle Li needs my help with?”
Uncle Li propped himself up on the table, leaning his body forward to close the distance with Jiang Ming. His blood-red eyes locked dead onto Jiang Ming, completely resembling a predator staring at a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
Then, Uncle Li suddenly began to laugh. The corners of his mouth split entirely open, tearing all the way to his earlobes to reveal jagged, serrated rows of teeth. Three slender, elongated tongues lashed out to lick his lips. Turbid yellow slime dripped onto the tabletop as he slowly spoke:
“Uncle Li has been craving a little something lately. I want to eat a human heart!”
Jiang Ming felt as if he had plunged into a subterranean ice cellar.
Notes
It is basically a ball-shaped cactus. ↩
The name/nickname literally means Big Yellow in Chinese. ↩