51 The Relatively Normal Neighbour

 

Han Fei had thought deep and hard before making the decision to enter Room 1052. He had stayed in the game for 3 hours already and had completed the hidden quest so he could log out anytime he wanted.

Furthermore, Meng Si once told Han Fei that the tenant of Room 1052 was not a malicious person, she had even once rescued Chen Chen who wandered carelessly upstairs.

Despite the ghoulish expression on the woman’s face and her strange definition for the word ‘pet’, Han Fei still believed she could end up being a good neighbour. His reasoning was simple, she had saved his life by killing the faceless ghost who attempted to kill him earlier.

Blood. Blood on her clothes, the knife, the decapitated head, the lips, that was the first impression Han Fei had of the woman.

As the door to Room 1052 opened, a hard-to-describe fragrance drifted out. Room 1052 was connected to Room 1051, but the smell that emitted from them was like heaven and hell. The dim lighting captured the woman’s arresting, if sickly beauty. Her blood red jacket shone like a ruby. After Han Fei entered the room, she closed the door. As the door clicked shut, Han Fei’s heart raced. He looked around and the room was more bizarre than he anticipated. A large dining table was placed in the middle of the living room. Exquisite china sat on top of it. Delicious ‘dishes’ were served on every single plate. If that was all, Han Fei would not be so afraid but the problem was, none of the ‘dishes’ which gave off the delectable fragrance would be considered normal human food.

‘Mannequins? Pictures? Hair?’ Different kinds of ‘food’ comprised the feast. Just looking at them, Han Fei was discomfited. His body took an involuntary step back and he brushed against a gripping chill. When he turned back, a pale hand landed on his shoulder. The fingers devoid of temperature caressed his neck softly.

“What is your favorite food?” The woman whispered into Han Fei’s ears. Somehow, her words took on a strange scent, a perfume that triggered the horror within Han Fei.

“I don’t have a favorite food. I came from a poor family so I’m already very appreciative that you’re giving me a free meal.” Han Fei was cautious with his answer. He was afraid that if he said meat, the woman would turn him into a fresh ingredient.

“Good, I love a child who is not choosy with his food. They’re the easiest to breed.” The woman’s icy fingers left Han Fei’s neck. While Han Fei contemplated the meaning of her words, she carried the headless ghost’s head into the kitchen.

‘Easiest to breed?’ After the woman left the living room, Han Fei’s eyes landed on the set of sharp knives sitting on the dining table. The woman appeared to possess many such bloodied knives. Each of them had distinct length and making, they seemed to serve different functions. ‘She used this particular knife to pierce through the faceless ghost’s head…’ Han Fei needed to find a weapon to protect himself so he wandered over to the table and reached out to touch the knife. A warm feeling travelled through his fingertip into his body. Then Han Fei jumped back from a shrill shout that erupted in his ears. At the same time, the robotic voice announced, “Notification for Player 0000! You have found Grade G Blood Red Item—Bloodied Table Knife.

“Bloodied Table Knife: A cursed tool. It is extremely sharp. Constant usage will drive the user insane with the urge to slice at people and object around them.”

This was the first time Han Fei encountered a cursed object in the game. Based on his observation, they could be used to injure ghosts but a heavy price had to be paid for using them. As the image of Room 1052’s tenant returned to his mind, Han Fei decided it was better if he stayed away from the woman’s stuff. While Han Fei’s mind meandered about, a thick aroma wafted out from the kitchen. Han Fei swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he leaned to look into the kitchen.

The kitchen door was left half open. Han Fei could see a red figure bustling inside it. As if pulled along by the fragrance, Han Fei waddled over to the kitchen. His fingers landed on the handle. Just as he was about to push the door open, the door pulled open from inside. The woman appeared at the door holding a pot of black braised meat stew. She regarded Han Fei with a smile. Fresh blood stains colored her fingers. An appetizing flavor burst from the pot. However, Han Fei could not help but notice that the faceless ghost’s head had disappeared.

“I have a particular demand when it comes to food, I’ve been searching for the most extreme flavor.” The woman stomped out from the kitchen. She forced Han Fei to stagger backwards, away from the kitchen door. “You should be hungry, right?” She scooped out two ladles of soup from the pot. Then she poured the rest of the stew into the trash can. Han Fei did not spot the ghost’s head inside the stew and he sighed surreptitiously in relief.

“What’s wrong?” Hearing his sigh, the woman casually placed the pot back on the dining table and turned to face Han Fei.

“No, it’s just that, wouldn’t that go to waste?” Regret colored Han Fei’s face. “Your cooking smells so delicious, it’s such a shame that you’d throw them away.”

The woman’s smile burned brighter with Han Fei’s praise. “You obviously do not understand Chinese cooking. For Chinese stews, the essence is in the soup. The ingredients are there to give flavor, you’re not supposed to eat them. Regardless, they won’t go to waste because I’ll feed them to my pet.”

“You mean Room 1051?”

“Indeed, it likes my leftovers.” The woman then stood up and headed back to the kitchen. When the door opened for a split open, Han Fei caught a second glance into it. There were some strange ‘things’ hanging from the ceiling. Han Fei had no idea what they were. They looked like hanging meat that you’d find at a butchery.

In just a few minutes, the woman finished making several dishes. She placed the dishes on the delicate china and invited Han Fei to take a seat at the giant dining table.

“I’ve moved here for quite some time already and you’re only the third guest to come visit me.” The woman lifted up the covers and a heady aroma instantly permeated the room. Han Fei’s stomach grumbled from the smell but when he saw the dishes, his appetite vanished. A plate of animal guts was placed before Han Fei. It was still fresh with blood stains. And that was the most normal food on the table. Other than that, Han Fei also spotted some unusual plants and unrecognizable meat.

“Well, why don’t we dig in?” The woman picked up the napkin to blot at her lips. Her action was graceful but for some reason, her lips grew bloodier with the napkin swipe.

“Do you think my cooking is not good? Is that why you haven’t moved your chopsticks? Or you’re afraid they’re made from human meat?” The woman chuckled in mock offense. She reached out her right hand and scratched lightly at her cheek. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ve never harmed any human and I’m not interested in human meat.” As the woman studied Han Fei’s face, her red pupils wavered as if she was about to faint. She bit on her right pinkie. “Like I told you, I am in pursuit of the most extreme flavor and human meat is not at all delicious.”