Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 168
Chang Qing stared intently at Dong Zhi, as if trying to see if a flower would emerge from his face.
“You claim to be real. What’s your proof?”
Dong Zhi: “I don’t have proof, but don’t you all realize where the problem lies?”
Chang Qing: “An illusion?”
Dong Zhi: “How could there be so many illusions? You all are practitioners. How could a mere illusion trap you? We are probably inside that book now.”
A thought crossed Chang Qing’s mind, reminding him of the sight of his long-deceased mother.
“So, it’s a book that realizes one’s desires?”
Dong Zhi corrected, “More like a book that amplifies the desires of the heart.”
Xiao Zhao rubbed his swelling bump, grimacing, “What are you both talking about?”
Since the case began, the book had become an essential clue, hovering around the deceased. Even Captain Yin felt that Su Huan’s death might be related to the book. This was even more obvious to Chang Qing and Kan Chaosheng, but they never expected that the book could literally pull someone inside it.
“Whatever you desire, the book will grant it. Each page of the book probably acts as a portal. The more you desire, the more you’ll be pulled into the next portal,” Dong Zhi speculated.
Chang Qing nodded. He had the same guess, which was why he had stopped Xiao Zhao from leaving the conference room earlier. The moment they stepped out, they would likely enter another space, making it even harder to find others.
“How did you enter here?” Kan Chaosheng asked.
Dong Zhi: “Master sent me in.”
Kan Chaosheng cheered, “Boss Long is here! If he’s around, there’s no problem we can’t solve!”
Dong Zhi selectively explained the situation to Xiao Zhao in simpler terms, but Xiao Zhao remained in disbelief.
“We are clearly still in the conference room. We haven’t gone anywhere!”
Dong Zhi: “Every space in the book is created from your memories. If the memory is clear, the details are sharp. If the memory is vague, the details become blurry. You said you went downstairs to buy cake, but you can’t recall the details of the journey, can you?”
Xiao Zhao: “What about the other colleagues?”
Dong Zhi: “They’re also illusions. Don’t think about anything now. Just stand at the door and look outside. You’ll see nothing.”
Xiao Zhao did as told and was stunned. Stepping out of this room should lead to the department’s common office area, which always had someone on duty even at night. It shouldn’t be empty like now.
Tonight, it should have been Tan Jie’s shift. Just as the thought came to him, he saw Tan Jie waving at him from around the corner.
“Xiao Zhao, haven’t you left yet? Come help me!”
He instinctively stepped forward but was suddenly pulled back. When he looked again, Tan Jie was gone.
Chills ran down Xiao Zhao’s spine.
“Weren’t you told not to get distracted?” Dong Zhi remarked.
Xiao Zhao quickly responded, “I won’t think about it anymore! I promise!”
Chang Qing asked Dong Zhi, “How did you get in?”
Dong Zhi: “My master sent me in. He’s now investigating the origin of the book.”
Chang Qing: “Any leads?”
Dong Zhi: “Before Su Huan, another victim had borrowed the book and later died in a car accident. Su Huan wasn’t working in the library then. Another librarian had processed the book borrowing. Captain Yin found that librarian. With my master there, there shouldn’t be any problems. Let me first get you out of here.”
Xiao Zhao grew impatient as Dong Zhi kept looking at the ground. “Director Dong, how do we get out?”
Dong Zhi, looking amused, replied, “I don’t know. My master didn’t tell me. But since we’re here, there’s no use panicking. Let’s sit and think.”
Xiao Zhao took out his phone to call for help but found no signal.
Kan Chaosheng, frustrated, suddenly transformed into a large yellow cat. He sprinted around the office, jumped up and down like a cat with its tail stepped on, howling away. He then transformed back to human form mid-air and grumbled. “There’s truly no way out. This isn’t an illusion; there’s no boundary!”
Xiao Zhao, with eyes wide open, watched him change from man to cat and back to man, thinking he was still dreaming.
“Don’t bother, we’re idle anyway. Let’s play a game of ‘Truth or Dare’!”
Dong Zhi sits cross-legged on the sofa with his sword beside him. His relaxed posture made it seem as if he was casually hanging out with friends at home.
Kan Chaosheng was frustrated. “Look at the time! Why are you playing games? We should be thinking of ways to get out of here!”
Dong Zhi raises a finger. “One game. Once we get out, I’ll put in a good word for you in front of Master, saving you half a month’s bonus.”
Kan Chaosheng: “Oh, in that case, let’s play a few rounds.”
Chang Qing: “…You’re the most shameless demon I’ve ever met, a disgrace to the demon world.”
Kan Chaosheng, getting angry upon hearing this, was quickly held back by Dong Zhi, who then explained the rules of the game.
The four of them would roll dice. The one with the lowest score had to answer a question from the person with the highest score within two seconds. If they couldn’t or refused to answer, they had to do something for the other party. A simple little game.
The four sat in a circle.
Xiao Zhao, puzzled, asked, “Where did the dice come from?”
Dong Zhi flips his hand, revealing three dice in his palm. “I brought them.”
Kan Chaosheng curiously asked, “Why do you carry dice around?”
Dong Zhi: “To play with Boss Long. I had planned to have a fun bet with him today.”
Kan Chaosheng excitedly forgot about their predicament. “What’s the bet? I want to play too!”
Dong Zhi: “The loser removes an article of clothing. Want to play?”
Kan Chaosheng: “…”
Dong Zhi rolled the dice on the coffee table, scoring 17 points. “Alright, your turn.”
Kan Chaosheng found the game boring, constantly mumbling to himself. Chang Qing, however, was calm. He rolled a 12. Xiao Zhao got a 9, and Kan Chaosheng got the lowest, a 6.
According to the rules, it was Dong Zhi’s turn to ask Kan Chaosheng a question.
“Not many people know about my affairs with Boss Long. Why, the last time Master and I returned to the special bureau, even the doorman gave us a second look? Did you spill the beans?” Dong Zhi twitched a little when mentioning this.
Seeing this, Kan Chaosheng quickly sold out He Yu. “I didn’t say anything! It’s He Yu with his big mouth. He starts conversations saying, ‘I’ll tell you a secret, don’t share it with others’, and then he spills everything. I overheard him last time!”
Dong Zhi: “…..”
They continued the game. This round, Chang Qing got the highest score, while Xiao Zhao got the lowest.
“What’s your favorite food?” Chang Qing casually asks Xiao Zhao.
Xiao Zhao: “Spicy hotpot.”
Chang Qing nodded. “Continue.”
In the next round, it was Xiao Zhao scoring highest, with Dong Zhi lowest.
Xiao Zhao asked Dong Zhi, “Director Dong, what do you desire most?”
Dong Zhi: “Oh, there’s a lot. I’m quite greedy.”
Xiao Zhao laughed. “That kind of answer breaks the game rules! Give a specific one!”
Dong Zhi: “I want to be with someone.”
Xiao Zhao: “A crush?”
Dong Zhi smiled. “We’re already together now, so I don’t have any other desires.”
Xiao Zhao chuckled. “Really? You’re so easily content?”
In modern cities, everyone sought similar things. Yet many hustled their whole lives without achieving them. Some were born privileged, while others worked a lifetime without matching the starting point of the privileged. Desires made people restless, leading to resentment and demons within.
Even Xiao Zhao, a police officer, had aspirations like promotions, raises, and romance. So he found it hard to believe Dong Zhi had no desires.
As they chatted, Kan Chaosheng sensed something amiss. Xiao Zhao’s face was slightly turned to Dong Zhi, but his shadow on the floor wasn’t.
The room was lit, casting distinct shadows of the four on the floor or walls. However, Xiao Zhao’s shadow was oddly turned another way. It was subtle and eerie, but Kan Chaosheng noticed.
Before he could speak, Chang Qing silenced him. “The game isn’t over. Sit tight!”
Kan Chaosheng glared at Chang Qing, wanting to retort but only managing a growl. Chang Qing patted his head, and the fat yellow cat fell asleep on the sofa.
Dong Zhi glanced at them but remained silent.
Throwing the dice again, Xiao Zhao had the highest score, while Chang Qing had the lowest.
Xiao Zhao scratched his head. “I don’t know what to ask.”
Chang Qing said, “You can ask about my background.”
Xiao Zhao was puzzled. “What’s so special about your background?”
Chang Qing slowly replied, “You all saw it earlier. The lady named Chang is my mother. She was just a regular woman born in the mountains and had no special abilities. She passed away early. However, my father was a demon.”
Dong Zhi was also surprised. “So that’s why you can recognize the true form of some demons?”
Chang Qing: “Yes, that’s why I’m extremely sensitive to the aura of demonic creatures. And I suspect that the owner of this book is a half-demon.”
Dong Zhi asked Xiao Zhao, “What do you think?”
Xiao Zhao, feeling lost, responded, “How would I know?”
Dong Zhi grinned. “Don’t you?”
Feeling overwhelmed by their cryptic stares, Xiao Zhao stood up unwittingly. “Of course I don’t!”
Dong Zhi pointed to the floor. “You’ve stood up, so why is your shadow still sitting?”
Before the words had settled, Chang Qing had already made his move!
He charged at Xiao Zhao swiftly. Xiao Zhao, anticipating this, roared and astonishingly leapt onto the ceiling, clinging to it tightly. His eyes turned blood-red, and he began to cackle eerily. The Changshou Sword swung, but the figure on the ceiling vanished instantly, leaving only the shadow on the floor.
Chang Qing approached the shadow, lifting his sword to strike, but was held back by Dong Zhi.
“That’s the real Xiao Zhao!”
Chang Qing was startled.
If a person had a shadow, they were alive; if not, they were a ghost. Xiao Zhao, being alive, had a shadow. However, the Shadow Ghost had stolen his shadow and switched places with him, inhabiting his body and imprisoning the real Xiao Zhao within the shadow.
The Shadow Ghost wasn’t an ordinary ghost. It was a ghost with grievances that had been trapped and refined, making it more challenging and terrifying than regular ghosts.
The book created a unique space for it, and within this realm, it was invincible. Unless it was killed, Dong Zhi and the others would never escape.
In his heart, Chang Qing had to admit that Dong Zhi’s observations were acute. Although he noticed something off about Xiao Zhao, he hadn’t realized that the real Xiao Zhao was inside the shadow.
Since descending the mountain, Chang Qing had been making a living by fortune-telling and advising on Feng Shui. Even when encountering Kan Chaosheng, a jiao with five centuries of cultivation, he was unimpressed. However, in front of Dong Zhi, he genuinely realized the hidden talents among ordinary people.
If the apprentice was this powerful, how impressive must Dong Zhi’s master be?
The shadow on the floor struggled ceaselessly, as if crying out silently.
Dong Zhi shouted, “Xiao Zhao, I know you’re in pain now, but only you know where your body is. We need to retrieve it!”
The shadow quivered violently upon hearing this, seemingly understanding. It laboriously raised a hand, pointing to the right.
Dong Zhi and Chang Qing instantly looked up, seeing a conspicuous reflection on the ceiling.
However, at the same time, they felt a chill on the back of their necks, as if someone had blown cold air on them. Dong Zhi’s hairs stood on end, realizing that there was more than one Shadow Ghost!
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