Employee Handbook Rule #2: The path to the Top Floor must be free of any obstacles or stains.
This suddenly appearing, eerie red yarn ball became the ultimate eyesore on the clean, tidy staircase.
Xu Xingyuan bit down on his candy, hesitating as he stared at the red ball for a long while.
Perhaps sensing Xu Xingyuan’s indecision, the yarn ball moved on its own again, gently bumping against the toe of his shoe.
Strange scenes like this happened often in the Monster Apartment.
For example: While washing your hair, the moment you flipped your head upside down, you might see an extra figure standing behind you.
Or: While taking a shower, a woman’s black, seaweed-like hair might inexplicably emerge from the drain.
Or even: Just as you were about to fall asleep late at night, you might hear strange “thump-thump” footsteps in the empty corridor.
Compared to those, a red yarn ball moving without wind really paled in comparison.
Xu Xingyuan had been locked in a dark, enclosed closet by his stepmother as punishment since childhood, which had fostered his dull, reticent personality.
His tolerance for supernatural events was terrifyingly high.
Xu Xingyuan hesitated for a moment, but eventually bent down, his pale fingertips gently picking up the red yarn ball.
Following the direction of the red thread, Xu Xingyuan wound the ball as he walked up the stairs.
The thread was too long. Xu Xingyuan walked for about ten minutes, gradually losing track of time.
Just as he was one step away from the Top Floor—
“Xingyuan.”
Someone called his name from behind.
Xu Xingyuan woke as if from a dream and whipped his head around.
The Nun had appeared silently behind him at some point.
She wore a strange black mask on her face, with a single golden teardrop hanging precariously at the corner of her eye.
The Nun was dressed in a pristine white dress that reached her ankles and wore pure white gloves. Only a few strands of golden hair fell across her chest.
“Xingyuan, if you go any higher, you’ll be on the Top Floor.”
The Nun’s voice was soft as she slowly reached out a hand toward Xu Xingyuan.
Xu Xingyuan shuddered, terrified in hindsight!
He was only one step away from the Top Floor.
If the Nun hadn’t appeared in time, Xu Xingyuan would have violated the most critical rule of the Employee Handbook!
Legs weak, Xu Xingyuan took the Nun’s hand and, under her guidance, walked back down step by step.
“I-I’m sorry, Sister…” Xu Xingyuan bit his lower lip, apologizing instinctively.
The Nun shook her head. “It has nothing to do with you. It is because That Lord is about to wake up.”
That Lord?
The Nun explained, “…How should I put it? He is the core that supports the operation of this entire Infinite Flow world.”
Mentioning the existence on the Top Floor, the Nun lowered her voice significantly and continued, “It seems he has taken a strong interest in you.”
This was the first time such a thing had happened in all this time.
Xu Xingyuan didn’t think attracting the attention of a big shot was a good thing.
He just wanted to be a small mushroom in the corner that no one cared about, living a solitary, gloomy life.
As he followed the Nun downstairs, Xu Xingyuan turned around instinctively, as if possessed, and glanced upward one last time.
The red yarn ball had vanished.
It was as if it had never appeared.
Like the venomous snake tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden, that red yarn ball seemed to have transformed into a bright red apple.
The Nun led Xu Xingyuan safely downstairs, patted his little head, and whispered, “After you feed the Little Monsters, don’t linger. Go back to the dormitory and rest early.”
Xu Xingyuan nodded rapidly, looking obedient and well-behaved.
After saying goodbye to the Nun, he picked up his iron bucket and went to the courtyard to continue sweeping.
The moment Xu Xingyuan left, the Doctor stepped out from the shadows of the infirmary.
The Doctor stared at Xu Xingyuan’s retreating back and raised an eyebrow. “He is unique. Although he is human, he fits in here inexplicably well.”
“I quite like the child. He’s slow, but smart.”
The Nun folded her hands over her abdomen. “But being noticed by That One… I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse.”
Hearing this, the Doctor subconsciously glanced toward the Top Floor, frowning slightly.
After a long pause, he said, “Let’s hope it’s a blessing… He is going to wake up soon.”
The lowest level of the Monster Apartment was a basement specifically used for raising the unformed Little Monsters.
Before they took form, the Little Monsters all looked almost identical.
They appeared to be fluffy, pitch-black little dumplings, but with bat wings growing on their backs.
Their eyes were big, round, and watery. They had ears like cats and long tails with heart-shaped tips, like a succubus.
However, do not be deceived by their cute appearance!
The Little Monsters had a varied diet. They ate all kinds of meat, including humans who “accidentally” died in the apartment after violating the rules.
The Chef would process the bodies into feed to fill their bellies.
The Doctor had solemnly warned Xu Xingyuan that, unless absolutely necessary, he should never actively touch these Little Monsters.
Just like always, after Xu Xingyuan finished the yard work, he struggled to carry the bucket of feed down to the basement.
The moment he pushed the door open, Xu Xingyuan saw a familiar face.
“Lin Zhe?”
Lin Zhe stood in the shadows, his expression obscure and unreadable, but his voice was the same as usual as he greeted him proactively.
“Xingyuan, good evening.”
Xu Xingyuan silently looked away, gave an imperceptible nod, and turned to organize the feed.
As soon as they saw Xu Xingyuan, the Little Monsters got excited, jumping up and down behind the iron bars and making whining noises.
Xu Xingyuan’s expression softened. He didn’t notice Lin Zhe quietly approaching from behind.
“Xingyuan, I’ll ask you one last time. are you choosing to stay here… and not escape with us?”
Hearing this, Xu Xingyuan paused in pouring the feed. His thin lips parted slightly, instinctively wanting to say something.
In the end, he said nothing and just nodded gently.
“That really is a pity…”
Just as Xu Xingyuan sensed something was wrong and started to turn—
A massive force slammed into his back!
His body pitched forward uncontrollably, flipping over the iron railing and crashing heavily into the swarm of monsters…
All hell broke loose!
Sensing the aura of a living human, the Little Monsters instantly went into a frenzy.
Their originally big, round black eyes turned a grotesque red in a split second.
Lin Zhe stood behind the iron bars, looking down at Xu Xingyuan’s wretched state with a cold expression.
“You know our plan and the escape route, so you must die.”
Since they had been colleagues for a while, Lin Zhe didn’t stay to watch Xu Xingyuan’s gruesome death.
Believing he had disposed of Xu Xingyuan, Lin Zhe turned sharply and ran out of the basement.
Meanwhile, Xu Xingyuan was gradually swallowed by the tide of Little Monsters—
And soon, he vanished from sight.