165 Face Facing Away

 

“Guanxing, what happened to the tattoo on your arm?” Han Fei took a silent step back.

“I don’t know.” Zhang Guanxing was confused, “After I got separated from you, the tattoo became lighter and lighter. When the hostel front door opened, the tattoo faded away fully.”

“When the hostel front door opened?” Han Fei used Soul-Depth Touch to examine Zhang Guanxing’s arm. The young man before him was indeed Zhang Guanxing, the emotions that Han Fei read from him were similar to before. “Guanxing, that ghost which you mentioned, has it ever appeared inside this hostel building before?”

“Never, since the senior died at the education block, the students only saw him at that block. Apparently, he was still roaming the education block, looking for his girlfriend.”

“In other words, the senior probably got into this building when the hostel front door opened yesterday night. And after he did that, the tattoo on your arm fully disappeared?”

“Yes, I guess you can say that.” Zhang Guanxing had no idea what Han Fei was trying to imply.

“Why did you get that tattoo in the first place?” Han Fei lowered his voice and sat on the bed with Zhang Guanxing, “Our age difference is not that big, so I hope you won’t see me as a person of authority, please treat me more like a friend. I promise I will not reveal your secrets to others.”

After a long hesitation, Zhang Guanxing answered, “It’s because of my mother. She abandoned me and my father, and left me to fend for myself against my father. My father only knew how to turn to drink and then vent his anger on me. My former friends turned against me when they found out about my family situation, they mocked me, calling me names.” Zhang Guanxing’s fists tightened. “I hate all of them and I hate this world, why should I bear all the misfortunes? I do not wish for anything too impossible, I just want to be like a normal kid, but it won’t even give me that. The world will only bully me again and again! I see no hope at all.”

Reaching out to pat Zhang Guanxing on his back, Han Fei gave a few words of consolation and then added, “You said you hate everything about this world, but I’m sure there are exceptions… What about your girlfriend, Chuxia?”

When the name Chuxia was mentioned, Zhang Guanxing’s expression softened. “I don’t hate her, she is the only one who is willing to believe in me. Of course, sir, I don’t hate you either.” Zhang Guanxing had completely blanked out on his own death, he only remembered the good memory he shared with Chuxia. Narrowing his eyes, Han Fei noticed the similarity between Zhang Guanxing and Meng Si. They had both forgotten about their deaths, their most despairing memory to retain their humanity. Han Fei suspected the previous manager had done something to Zhang Guanxing as well. If that was the case, he might be able to find the clues about the previous manager from Zhang Guanxing.

When Han Fei heard the story told by Zhang Guanxing, he already noticed something was wrong. Zhang Guanxing was telling his own story. The monster that faced away from people was probably the manifestation of his own resentment and hatred.

“When the thing who faces away from people appeared, the tattoo on your arm disappeared, could there be a connection between the two of you?” Han Fei prompted.

“A connection?” Zhang Guanxing slowly moved his eyes to his arm like he could not remember having a tattoo there in the first place. He was about to shake his head when something slammed into the door of Room 104. It was not a soft knocking, it sounded more like someone had slammed their entire body into the door!

“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve triggered Grade G Hidden Mission—The Face Facing Away from You.

“The Face Facing Away from You: I exposed my back to you but you pushed me down the abyss. You were so afraid when you saw my neck move but to tell the truth, I merely did that because I wanted to take one last look at you.

“Mission Requirement: Do not let it stick to your back in the next half an hour.

“This is a time-limited mission.”

When the system rang out, Han Fei instantly became highly alert. ‘Do not let it stick to my back? That sounds horrifying.’

“Sir, what’s wrong?”

“Be careful! The thing is just outside the door!” Han Fei dragged Zhang Guanxing deeper into the room.

Bang! Another heavy slam into the door. The door shivered like it could fall down at any moment. “The door won’t hold on much longer.” Han Fei moved the bed, table and other furniture to block behind the door. While he was doing that, he noticed blood leaking through the door. To make things scarier, the sound of bones snapping came from outside the door, the monster seemed to possess the ability to freely transmute its body. The smell of blood was the thickest it had ever been. The blood and crushed bones squeezed through the gap. They dripped onto the ground and dyed Room 104 red. Han Fei and Guanxing retreated until they were up against the balcony, the heavily rusted anti-theft net trapped them inside the room.

“Sir, what should we do now?”

“I need you to stand behind me. Do not move from my back no matter what happens, leave the rest to me.” Han Fei still could not leave the game so if he failed this mission, it would be game over. He was more nervous than he had ever been. His heart pounded and his hands were slick with sweat. The monster’s flesh and blood squeezed through the gap. The rotten flesh wiggled within its pool of blood, the sight of it numbed Han Fei’s skull. The heady smell of blood dulled their mind. The broken flesh and bones slowly meshed back together. A twisted figure appeared inside Room 104. It stood facing away from Han Fei. Its back was slanted to one side as if its spine was bent.

The small bedroom was oppressively silent. The monster slowly sucked up the blood on the ground and its body became more complete. Being in such close proximity to the monster, Han Fei realized the monster was indeed similar to Zhang Guanxing but the monster wore a Yi Ming Private Academy uniform. Han Fei’s eyes slowly moved to the monster’s arm. Underneath the tattered clothes, Han Fei managed to make out the tattoo of the word, Hatred. The tattoo was carved out by fingernail. The wounds did not heal and it oozed out black blood. ‘Why would it have the same tattoo on its arm as Zhang Guanxing?’

Han Fei was about to move back further when he felt his back bump into Zhang Guanxing. Han Fei heard Zhang Guanxing turn around.

Unbeknownst to Han Fei, the young man was staring transfixed at the monster inside the bedroom. The light in his eyes rapidly faded and in its place was confusion and pain.

“I have not seen this person’s back before so how come he feels so familiar to me? I can see his despair and pain. Every single bone in his body is broken, he cannot control his own movement. Listening to the wind howling in his ears, even if his neck would break, he needs to turn his head around.” Zhang Guanxing’s voice darkened. He gripped his arm and his nails dug into his skin. “I remember him, I know him…”

The bones creaked, Zhang Guanxing’s body was twisting into the abnormal shape of the monster. Han Fei stood between the two of them and his face was pale. However, he chose to trust Zhang Guanxing, in spite of the strange behavior of the young man, he did not turn around but kept his eyes on the monster before him. “Guanxing, there are people who are willing to place their belief in you. There is someone who is willing to offer up their life to save you, you are not alone anymore.” Han Fei’s voice echoed inside the bedroom. When Zhang Guanxing heard that, he grimaced with pain. The monster also reacted to Han Fei’s proclamation. His neck made this awful cracking noise.

While keeping his body facing away from Han Fei, the monster slowly turned his head around. Eventually Han Fei saw the monster’s face, it was similar to Zhang Guanxing but the face was covered in scars and blood leaked out from every orifice.