EBE Chapter 81 Zhong Kui
Chapter 81 Zhong Kui
"How could I forget? Zhong Kui is a ghost hunter."
"His sudden appearance here is definitely not a coincidence."
Li Qingchen thought to himself.
Suddenly, a line of text lit up in front of me:
[The True Lord of Blessings and Inspiration is pleased with your thoughts!]
This message acted as a reassurance, instantly calming Li Qingchen's anxious heart.
This further confirmed his guess—the appearance of the Zhong Kui mask might be the key to escaping this nightmare.
Li Qingchen immediately used up his resurrection attempts.
[Another morning, the peace was shattered by the sounds of suonas and drums.]
You suddenly open your eyes, your heart pounding, and stumble out of bed without even putting on your shoes—at this moment, every second is a matter of life and death for you.
Right now, your parents and sister are already struggling to protect themselves, let alone you. If you rush recklessly into the basement, you'll only be caught in the crossfire of the spider's fierce battle with the ghost bride and groom, ending up smashed to pieces.
You must race against time to find the person wearing the Zhong Kui mask.
But where can we find it?
Your brow is furrowed, your heart is filled with anxiety.
The horn blared closer and closer, so shrill it seemed to pierce eardrums.
Time is of the essence. You must act decisively—go to Lin Wan; perhaps you can get more clues from her.
You rushed to Lin Wan's door and knocked hard.
"Little brother, is something wrong?" Lin Wan asked sleepily.
Suppressing your inner turmoil, you deliberately raised your voice: "It sounds like there's someone wearing a Zhong Kui mask dancing outside."
You lied; there's no one there at all.
[Lin Wan, inside the door, showed a fleeting, barely concealed panic; the sleepiness in her eyes vanished instantly.]
But to your surprise, the panic lasted only a moment; she quickly composed herself and returned to her usual demeanor.
You feign composure and ask, feigning curiosity, "Aren't you afraid of it?"
Lin Wan gently shook her head, her tone unusually calm: "I'm a little scared at night, but during the day... little brother, don't you remember? When we were little, I took you to the market, and we saw people dancing on the street wearing this mask."
"Back then, I quite liked that mask."
[As she spoke, Lin Wan pushed open the door and stepped outside. A moment later, she turned sharply to look at you, her face filled with disbelief and astonishment: "There really is Zhong Kui dancing!"]
You were jolted, a storm raging within you—you had only made it up casually, but it turned out to be true!
You hurried out of the room, only to find that the crying groom and smiling bride who had been pestering you earlier were nowhere to be seen.
[Not far away, in an open space, the figure wearing a Zhong Kui mask was dancing.]
"The crisis is temporarily over." Li Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief.
He admitted that there was indeed an element of gambling involved.
Fortunately, the gamble paid off.
Your parents also came out of the house.
"Why are you up so early?"
They can't see the ghost bride and groom, so what about Zhong Kui? Tell your parents about Zhong Kui dancing outside.
Your father just frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm busy today, I don't have time to play with you here." Then he headed towards his butcher stall.
You kept this in mind, and then asked your mother, "Mom, how are you and Dad doing?"
"Of course, what's up?"
"It's nothing, I was just checking up on you."
You cannot determine whether your mother's words are true or false.
You've decided not to bring up the basement issue yet.
[A giant spider dwells in the basement, along with many other unknown and eerie things.]
Your parents definitely know about this.
If he finds out you went into the basement, the consequences will likely be beyond your expectations.
After your parents left, you went outside and walked step by step towards the person wearing the Zhong Kui mask.
The closer you get, the more you can feel the icy aura emanating from him.
The aura emanating from it carried a majestic yet eerie sense of oppression, causing you to involuntarily slow your pace, and a sense of fear quietly resurfaced within you.
You stopped, mustered your courage, and greeted Zhong Kui: "Hello... hello."
Zhong Kui stopped dancing those strange and unusual dances. He paused, slowly turned around, and stared straight at you. His eyes, hidden in the eye sockets of his mask, were unfathomable.
You're a little scared.
You could sense that there was neither kindness nor malice in his gaze, only an indescribable emptiness and eeriness.
It seemed to be examining an object, or perhaps waiting for something.
You: "Hello, my name is Lin Mo."
Zhong Kui continued to stare blankly at you, motionless and silent, as if he hadn't heard a word you said.
Or perhaps, it simply doesn't want to pay attention to you.
You sighed, a wave of disappointment washing over you. It seemed impossible to get an answer from it.
You're ready to give up trying to communicate with it, turn away, and think of another way.
You sighed, ready to give up on communicating with him.
But just as you turned around, Zhong Kui suddenly moved.
He reached out a cold hand and suddenly grabbed your wrist.
Then, he gently shook your wrist, gesturing for you to dance with him.
Do you want to accept?
You hesitated for a moment; if you refused, you might lose this hard-won opportunity.
After weighing the pros and cons, you accepted Zhong Kui's invitation.
You're going to dance with him.
Zhong Kui will teach you his footwork.
You've copied it very well, and you're quite adept at it.
You and Zhong Kui started dancing together.
Just as you're letting your guard down, thinking there's no danger, your foot suddenly slips, as if you've tripped over the hem of your own clothes.
You lost your balance, staggered and almost fell, your hands and feet became erratic, completely disrupting your previous rhythm.
Zhong Kui points at you and laughs heartily, as if he's excited about your embarrassment.
Your face flushed, and just as you were about to steady yourself, before you could even utter an apology, you suddenly felt your body begin to move uncontrollably.
Your hands and feet seemed to be controlled by invisible threads, continuing that eerie dance, faster and faster, your movements becoming increasingly stiff.
No matter how hard you try, you can't control your body; you can only let it sway mechanically.
You kept dancing, unable to stop, even as your legs began to ache and weaken, even as your breathing became rapid, even as the fear in your heart reached its peak, your body continued to move, as if a powerful force was forcibly controlling your every movement.
Your hands and feet have inexplicably tied into a tight knot.
You are dead!
"Hey, it seems this Zhong Kui is no ordinary character either."
However, this precisely proves that we've found the right one.
You have entered a lawless zone!
You accepted Zhong Kui's invitation to dance.
Having learned from your previous experience, you paid extra attention to the other person's movements this time.
Out of the corner of your eye, you suddenly catch a glimpse of his feet shifting slightly, his black cloth boots gliding across the ground, leaving a blur.
It was his Shadowless Kick!
His shoe tip is silently sweeping towards your ankle; it's clearly a deliberate attempt to trip you!
At the critical moment, you suddenly lowered your center of gravity, touched the ground with your toes, and slid half a foot to the side, your ankle barely brushing against the tip of his shoe, creating a gust of wind.
The moment you regained your footing, you abruptly looked up and glared at him fiercely, your eyes filled with accusation and wariness, as if to say, "You did this on purpose."
Zhong Kui froze, startled by your glare. His burly frame shrank slightly, and the seriousness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a somewhat naive and embarrassed expression.
He scratched his head, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his eyes darting around like a child caught doing something wrong.
[The dancing continues.]
You take a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in your heart, your gaze fixed intently on Zhong Kui's steps.
His dance steps, seemingly chaotic, actually conceal a hidden pattern; each step is executed to an eerie rhythm.
You held your breath and focused intently, mimicking every move, from the weight of your footsteps to the range of your body movements, daring not to deviate even slightly.
Sweat streamed down his forehead, soaking the stray hairs framing his face.
Finally, you perfectly replicated his dance moves; the movements were fluid, and the rhythm was flawless.
A hint of approval flashed in Zhong Kui's eyes.
He strode forward and patted your shoulder heavily with his large hand, the force making you flinch slightly.
He gives you a thumbs-up, his eyes full of approval, and mouths: "Well done."
After patting your shoulder, Zhong Kui slowly withdrew his hand and rummaged around in his pocket for a while.
He pulled out two neatly folded sheets of paper.
One of them was a yellowish talisman, with twisted runes drawn on it in cinnabar, faintly glowing red.
The other prescription was of poor quality.
He carefully handed you two pieces of paper. You noticed that his fingertips were icy cold, as if they weren't human.
[Then Zhong Kui turned around, his figure gradually disappearing into the thick fog at the alley entrance, leaving only a blurry silhouette that vanished in an instant.]
It was as if he had never existed.
You gripped the two pieces of paper tightly in your hand, unfolding the prescription first.
The handwriting is clearly visible, with the name and dosage of each medicinal herb written out precisely.
Your pupils contracted—the herbs on this prescription were exactly the same as the old one you found in your parents' drawer a few days ago; even the handwriting was somewhat similar.
The only difference is that at the end of this prescription, there is an extra line of neat, small handwriting.
The ink had darkened slightly, clearly added later, and the patient's name was written on it: Lin Wuren.
Lin Wuren—this name evokes a sense of familiarity, yet also a touch of unfamiliarity.
You silently repeat the name in your heart, and a thought suddenly surges into your mind: he must be your relative.
[Perhaps it's one of your grandparents whom you've never met.]
You gripped the prescription tightly, your brow furrowed, a wave of doubt washing over you.
The herbs in the prescription are all very rare and cannot be easily purchased on the market.
There are only a few large pharmacies in town; smaller pharmacies simply don't have these medicinal herbs.
To find clues, we must start with these pharmacies.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, you left with the prescription in your hand.
You checked each place one by one, relying on your vague memories.
At each pharmacy, you carefully took out the prescription and asked the shopkeeper if a patient named Lin Wuren had ever purchased the prescribed herbs from them.
You'll mostly get negative answers.
The shopkeeper will either shake his head or look at you with a questioning gaze, telling you that he has never heard of this name.
Your heart sank little by little, but you didn't give up.
Before you knew it, you had arrived at the last large pharmacy in town.
This pharmacy, located at the town entrance, is the largest and has the most patients coming and going.
You took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went inside.
A medicinal aroma mingled with a hint of bitterness wafted towards me.
You walked to the counter, took out the prescription again, and asked in a slightly trembling voice, "Shopkeeper, do you have a patient named Lin Wuren who has purchased these herbs?"
The pharmacy owner was an elderly man with gray hair, wearing reading glasses.
He took the prescription, squinted at it for a long time, then looked up and sized you up with a strange expression.
[His eyes held doubt, scrutiny, and a complex emotion that was difficult to define.]
After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice hoarse: "What is your relationship with Old Lin?"
Suppressing your excitement, you truthfully revealed your identity.
Upon hearing your words, the pharmacy owner's strange expression gradually faded, replaced by a sigh.
He put down the prescription and waved his hand: "Oh, so you're Old Lin's grandson. Come with me."
After saying that, he came out from behind the counter, led you through the back door of the pharmacy, and led you through a maze of alleyways, turning left and right.
The alley was narrow and dark, with moss-covered walls and uneven, creaking stone slabs underfoot.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the echoes of your footsteps reverberating through the alley.
After walking for a while, the pharmacy owner finally stopped in front of a dilapidated little house.
The walls of the house were peeling and crumbling, and the window paper had several holes, allowing a faint glimmer of light to seep through.
The air was thick with a pungent, medicinal odor, mixed with a hint of decay.
As soon as you pushed open the door, a pungent smell of medicine rushed in, choking you and causing you to cough violently, tears welling up in your eyes.
It took you a while to finally get used to the smell in the room.
Looking up, the room was simply furnished.
There was only a dilapidated wooden bed, a peeling table, and a chair with a missing leg. Lying on the bed was a emaciated old man.
He was covered with a thin blanket, his body rising and falling weakly, his face as pale as paper, even his lips devoid of color.
His hair was gray and disheveled, plastered to his forehead, and he looked very weak.
Seeing the old man's appearance, your heart aches.
A powerful thought arises in your mind: This is my grandfather, Lin Wuren.
The pharmacy owner stood behind you, sighing softly, his voice full of regret: "Spend more time with your grandfather. He has a terminal illness and doesn't have many days left. He's so lonely here all by himself."
Your heart suddenly turned cold, as if struck by a block of ice, chilling you from head to toe. Your throat tightened, and you couldn't utter a word. Your eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Tears welled up in your eyes, but you fought back them as you walked slowly to the bedside.
You gently sit on the chair beside the bed, carefully reaching out to take your grandfather's withered hand.
His hands were ice-cold, his skin rough like old tree bark, and his bones were clearly visible.
Your voice choked with emotion as you whispered, "Grandpa, it's me, Lin Mo. I've come to see you."
When Grandpa heard your voice, his previously cloudy eyes suddenly brightened, like a glimmer of light igniting in the darkness.
He struggled to turn his eyes to look at you, his lips moved, and then, with all his might, he tried to sit up.
You quickly reached out to support him, placing a pillow behind his back so he could barely sit up.
Grandpa's withered hands trembled as he gently stroked your face, his fingertips slightly cold, his voice weak yet full of love:
"My child, my good child, you've finally come... You must have suffered so much all these years, I've wronged you..."
You were completely confused by Grandpa's words, a puzzled look on your face. Suffering? What suffering have I endured?
You composed yourself, suppressing your doubts, and looked at your grandfather's pale face, asking softly, "Grandpa, I'm alright, don't worry. By the way, where's Grandma? Where is she? I can't see her."
You know nothing about your grandparents.
Upon hearing the word "Grandma," Grandpa's face was filled with pain. His body trembled violently, his face turned even paler, tears welled up in his eyes, and his voice was filled with grief and despair.
"Your grandmother...your grandmother has been killed by those two heartless beasts!"
[You feel inexplicably pained. You grip your grandfather's hand tightly, your voice trembling with tears, and ask urgently, "Grandpa, who killed Grandma?"]
"They are your parents!" Two streams of cloudy tears slid down Grandpa's cheeks, dripping onto the back of your hand, hot and bitter. "Your parents...they..."
Grandpa's words were so clear, each one like a hammer blow to your ear, yet suddenly you couldn't hear anything anymore.
All you can hear is a buzzing sound, like countless bees fluttering around your ears.
Grandpa's lips were still moving, but you couldn't hear a sound.
You feel a sudden dizziness, everything before your eyes begins to distort and blur, a strong sense of vertigo washes over you, and you can no longer hold on. Everything goes black, and you completely lose consciousness.
When you open your eyes again, the blinding sunlight makes you squint. You slowly sit up and find yourself sitting on the main street of the town.
The area was bustling with people coming and going; footsteps, hawkers' cries, and laughter mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere.
[This is like two completely different worlds compared to the dark, dilapidated little house we just left.]
Li Qingchen was stunned:
"What's going on?"
"They're forcibly stopping me from digging for clues from Grandpa? Why? What exactly is Grandpa trying to say?"
"Grandma was killed by them?"
Is Grandpa's statement credible?
"Why did my parents hide my grandfather's situation from me? Why did they never mention my grandparents to me? They even neglected him when he was seriously ill?"
Li Qingchen decided to risk his life to uncover this clue.
As night fell, the sunset's glow was replaced by deep darkness, and the town's lights gradually came on, filling the air with the aroma of cooking.
When it was time to eat, you took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in your heart, forced a calm expression onto your face, and walked into the house.
The table was already laden with food. The parents sat around it, and the older sister, Lin Wan, sat quietly with her head down, seemingly lost in thought.
The atmosphere was somewhat subdued, with only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
You walked to the dining table and sat down. Instead of picking up your chopsticks as usual, you looked up, met your parents' gaze directly, and spoke in a calm tone, yet with an undeniable firmness.
You should be direct and ask: "Dad, Mom, how are Grandpa and Grandma doing?"
Upon hearing your words, Mother paused slightly in her chopsticks, but quickly regained her composure.
She looked up, a hint of confusion on her face, but her eyes flickered quickly. She said casually, "They're fine. What's wrong? Why are you suddenly asking about them?"
Her expression appeared perfectly calm, but you could keenly sense that her fingertips were trembling slightly, and her eyes were darting around—she was clearly lying.
You slowly said, "I heard from the neighbors that after Grandpa and Grandma got sick, you ignored them, left them to fend for themselves, and in the end, Grandma died of her illness..."
You deliberately slowed your speech, observing your parents' reactions.
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly trembled, her shoulders shaking slightly.
She looked up, her face showing pain and guilt. Her eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up, but she stubbornly held them back.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing, only gently biting her lip, her eyes filled with struggle.
[Smack!]
Your father slammed his hand on the table with surprising force, causing the bowls and chopsticks to clang loudly, and several dishes to sway, spilling soup onto the tablecloth.
His face was ashen, his brows furrowed, and his eyes were filled with anger and panic. He roared at you, "Don't listen to their nonsense! It's all rumors! This has nothing to do with us! Absolutely nothing!"
His voice was hoarse with anger, yet his tone carried a barely perceptible lack of confidence.
You think to yourself: He's getting anxious, which means I was right.
……
……