In Virtual Reality 60☆ Red Stairwell (7/10)

Xu Jin Yi cast her gaze downwards, observing the young female ghost standing on the low steps. Despite the innocent features of her face, it was clear that her skin had been cut and crudely stitched back together.

Li Dong had taken the lives of several individuals, including his own wife, the unborn child she carried, and the entity that stood before him now. But why had he done so? As a husband, what drove him to viciously slaughter his own partner? As an adult, what compelled him to inflict such brutality upon a student who appeared to be no more than a child? Was it not terrifying to witness such a brutal spectacle? Had he displayed even the slightest hesitation when he delivered the fatal blows?

The man beneath the female ghost's feet whimpered and wept, pleading for mercy. However, as the ghost's expression hardened, his tone shifted from supplication to terror-filled curses. Her hand, reaching towards Li Dong, froze in mid-air.

Xu Jin Yi narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

According to local folklore, one could intimidate the ghosts that roamed the roads by cursing at them and then departing the scene.

Li Dong took a deep breath, sensing a glimmer of hope amidst the threat of imminent death. "Your mother f*** b***!!" he spat out a few profanities, noting that the ghostly figure remained motionless. He grew even more brazen and insolent. "What's the point of private tutoring at such a young age? I don't believe you're aiming for that job; you're trying to climb a rich d***, aren't you?! That pair of eyes, they're meant for seduction, aren't they?" Li Dong trembled and tried to bolster himself with a fierce tone. "I always said women's eyes should be gouged out! What are you looking at?" he spat at the female ghost.

Xu Jin Yi watched as Li Dong's anger continued to mount. "You women are like this!" he raged. "Why don't you just stay at home? Why do you always have to go out? What if you run into a bad person?" By the end, he was even muttering to himself. "Why go out? Am I not good to you? I love you so much. It's too dangerous outside. I'm doing it for your own good. Why do you look at me like that? I love you, Qingqing. Why do you have to doubt me? Why do you look at me like that?"

He suddenly lifted his head, his fierce expression even more terrifying than a ghost. "Speak up!" he demanded. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think you're better than me? I want to gouge out your eyes, pull out your tongue, and break your legs!" Despite the pressure on his back, Li Dong propped himself up with a ferocious expression and grabbed the female ghost's hand.

Xu Jin Yi widened her eyes in shock.

The broken female ghost in front of her completely transformed when Li Dong caught her.

Dressed in a blue and white school uniform, a hesitant young girl said, "Uncle, I won't borrow your umbrella."

Previously crawling on the fifth-floor platform and stepping on by Xu Jin Yi, Li Dong now stood on the first floor in neat clothes.

Xu Jin Yi scanned the area. The snow-white walls were covered in small advertisements, and a circular number plate was posted on the corner passage from the first to the second floor.

【1】

This was indeed the first floor.

Xu Jin Yi stood before Li Dong and the young girl, who was still alive, appearing visibly distressed. Her blue and white uniform bore the knitted emblem of Summit's Second Gate High School, confirming she was a high school student.

The girl appeared close to tears. Li Dong pulled her arm and led her towards the stairs. From the corridor's exit, one could see the pouring rain drenching the ground. The girl attempted to release herself from Li Dong's firm grip, pleading, "Uncle! Uncle, I really won't borrow it! I can walk by myself!"

"It's raining heavily outside, and it's not safe to walk on slippery roads," Li Dong replied, turning his head sternly. He tugged at the corners of his mouth and spoke honestly, "It's not far, just upstairs. The umbrella is at uncle's house."

Li Dong's face was rigid as he forced a smile, and a crimson glint flashed in his dark brown eyes.

"No, I'm alright, thank you," the girl student quivered, speaking hesitantly. "Uncle, I'll just wait for the rain to ease up by the exit..."

"I said, listen to me!" Li Dong suddenly bellowed, clamping his hand over the girl's mouth. He glared at her and snarled, "Are you incapable of comprehending human speech?!"

The girl wriggled and writhed, struggling to scream for help but remained firmly restrained.

Xu Jin Yi lunged forward but passed through them like a spectre. "Huh?" She swiftly halted and spun around a few steps, attempting to grasp Li Dong's arm. Yet, her hand met nothing but thin air. She tried twice more, but her efforts proved futile against the unfolding tragedy.

Xu Jin Yi had to pause and frantically recollect the clues she had gathered thus far in the game.

The fifth-floor resident held information about Li Dong's wife solely. There was no trace of the girl student in the corridors from the first to the fifth floor. It appeared that she had been passing by to escape the rain, only to end up in this dire predicament.

Li Dong had already dragged the person up to the second floor, leaving Xu Jin Yi with no choice but to hasten after him.

"Is there truly no way to stop this? None at all?" she pondered.

This unalterable situation was reminiscent of Liu Lili's recollection in 《Screaming Haunted House》. However, the memory would be concluded by casting the hairpin into the well.

But what about 《Red Stairwell》?

The hairpin, a keepsake from Liu Lili's mother, was her only remaining tie to an unfeeling world. As the hairpin plummeted into the well, Liu Lili's life concluded. Whose memory was this, then? And what object could wield a similar influence to that of the hairpin?

As she contemplated, a muffled thud emanated above, and the struggle and cries abruptly ceased. The corridor became hushed, with only the rumble of thunder and rain outside.

Xu Jin Yi darted to the second floor and witnessed the girl's head slipping down the wall. And etched onto the pristine white wall was a vivid red impression.

"..."

The man gazed down from above at the student sprawled on the stairs. He swiftly moved with his arm and body, snatching her hair and forcefully smashing her head twice against the scarlet stain on the wall until her whimpering ceased completely.

"Hoo... hoo..." The sound was not the man's panting but Xu Jin Yi's deep inhalation.

It was impossible to reach him now. She needed to come up with a different strategy. "Xu Jin Yi, calm down. You can't continue like this, your rage will lead you nowhere." After taking a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes and darted to the side of the unconscious female student.

...Although her breathing was feeble, she still clung to life. The situation demanded immediate medical attention. Xu Jin Yi bent over, placing her hands close to the student's head, and attempted to inspect the injury more closely.

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One hand slipped through the girl's face, while a man's gripped the back of her collar, and yanked her upwards.

Xu Jin Yi: "..."

She held her breath and followed him.

As they neared the third floor, the formerly unconscious girl started to stir, likely due to Li Dong's roughness. Li Dong had ascended to the second-floor platform and caught sight of the obstacle in the corner.

As she looked around, Xu Jin Yi noticed a long wooden plank with a nail protruding. A sense of unease settled over her.

As expected, Li Dong's hand reached out for the pile of boards. Without hesitation, Xu Jin Yi stepped forward and kicked the pile, sending the boards flying and creating a clear path.

"?" Xu Jin Yi was taken aback. Li Dong was equally bewildered.

Blinking, he scanned the area and looked down at the boards scattered on the ground, puzzled. They had fallen before he even touched them. Had it been the wind?

As the wind howled through the open window, raindrops the size of beans pounded against the glass, leaving deep impressions.

Li Dong averted his gaze. 'It must have been the wind,' he thought before turning back to the weak female student, grasping her by the collar, and attempting to pull her up. However, something felt off as soon as he started moving.

As he gazed at the ground, he noticed a looming shadow stretching above him. What could it be?

Behind him stood Xu Jin Yi, her face shrouded in darkness as she tightly clutched a wooden board.

The time for hunting and killing had arrived.

——— Translator's Notes ———

Summit's Second Gate High School

Dingcheng (鼎城) Ding = ancient cooking cauldron with two looped handles and three or four legs / pot (dialect) / to enter upon a period of (classical) / Kangxi radical 206 / one of the 64 hexagrams of the Book of Changes Cheng = city walls / city / town

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