Ning Qiushui noticed it too.
He reached out and grabbed something.
In the darkness, Ning Qiushui felt a book.
He picked it up — a layer of dust still clung to it, along with faint, desperate fingerprints.
He opened it.
By the dim moonlight from the window, the two of them began to read what was written in the book—
…
[June 1, 2037]
…Grandpa called and said Grandma wasn’t going to make it, told Mom to go home for a visit…
But for some reason, even though Mom always cared a lot about Grandma, she refused firmly.
…
[June 9, 2037]
Mom didn’t go to work.
She looked really scared.
What is Mom so afraid of?
…
[June 12, 2037]
These past few days, I’ve seen Mom crying secretly. I asked her why, but she didn’t answer—she just held me.
She held me really tight. I couldn’t even breathe.
…
[June 21, 2037]
Grandma passed away. Grandpa called Mom, and after hanging up, Mom’s face turned pale.
She suddenly left the house and didn’t return until late at night. She gave me a blood-red jade and told me to hang it by the window—no matter what happens, I mustn’t take it down.
…
[June 22, 2037]
Mom packed her things and left with Dad. They only left me and Granny Wang, the housekeeper who’s taken care of our home for years.
Before they left, they told me and Granny Wang: if we see them return, no matter what, we must not open the door.
…
[July 12, 2037]
Mom came back.
I remembered what Mom and Dad told me… but I still opened the door.
I… really missed them so much.
…
[August 1, 2037]
Something’s wrong…
That… isn’t Mom!
…
[August 15, 2037]
I’m not a good child. I didn’t listen to Mom and Dad and let that horrible thing in…
Now it’s right outside…
I’m thirsty and hungry, but I’m too scared to go out…
Am I going to die?
What should I do?
…
The contents of the diary ended here.
What was written on those pages was shocking and horrifying.
The two of them stared at the diary, unable to speak for a long time.
“So… the old woman on the second floor wasn’t the villa owner’s mother, but… the housekeeper.”
Liu Chengfeng’s throat moved as he swallowed hard.
“Then… that monster…”
Ning Qiushui closed the notebook and said to Liu Chengfeng behind him:
“In the shoe cabinet by the villa’s entrance, there were rows of neatly arranged, brand-new women’s shoes. I was thinking—if a woman who loves shoes that much really went traveling, wouldn’t she have taken a few pairs with her?”
Liu Chengfeng froze.
That shoe cabinet—they had all passed by it multiple times, but none of them had noticed anything strange.
Ning Qiushui’s powers of observation… were terrifying.
“And also, weren’t you wondering what those three words the old lady on the second floor kept repeating actually were?”
Hearing this, Liu Chengfeng snapped out of it a bit and looked at Ning Qiushui.
“Y-Yeah, what was she saying?”
Bathed in pale moonlight, Ning Qiushui looked him in the eyes and slowly, deliberately, spoke the words that sent a chill down Liu Chengfeng’s spine:
“The old lady on the second floor wasn’t saying ‘the meat isn’t cooked.’”
“She was trying to tell us… ‘The person hasn’t left.’”
Liu Chengfeng’s breathing turned rapid, his eyes wide with terror.
“You mean to say… that woman we saw on the first day, wearing the red dress—the owner of the villa… she never actually left?!”
Ning Qiushui nodded slowly.
“That’s right.”
“She never left.”
“She probably just went somewhere nearby to hide… and ate that little girl.”
Thud!
Liu Chengfeng’s knees gave out, and he nearly collapsed.
“Holy sh*t…”
He was numb.
His whole body tingled with cold.
Ning Qiushui stood by the window, reaching out to touch the blood-colored jade hanging there.
It didn’t matter what it was, or what it was made from…
What mattered was—
This piece of blood jade was able to keep out that terrifying woman in the villa, whatever kind of being she truly was.
Suddenly, something struck him. He turned to Liu Chengfeng and shouted:
“Big Beard—quick!”
“We’ll split up—you go down to the kitchen on the first floor and grab food, especially ready-to-eat stuff that’ll keep us full!”
Liu Chengfeng hesitated for a moment.
“Then… what about you, brother?”
Ning Qiushui replied, “I’m going to the second floor to bring the old lady up here!”
Liu Chengfeng immediately understood what Ning Qiushui was trying to do.
“But won’t we run into that… ghost thing?”
Ning Qiushui’s eyes were sharp, his tone resolute and firm.
“We have to take the risk!”
“There aren’t many of us left, and the only time we can get into the third floor is when it’s out hunting at night!”
“Once tonight passes, bringing the old lady and the food up here again won’t be so easy!”
Hearing this, Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth.
“Alright!”
There’s no turning back now.
At this point, he completely trusted Ning Qiushui.
If it weren’t for him, Liu might’ve died that very first night.
Now, they had to give it everything they had!
The two carefully stepped out of the room. Once they confirmed the creature hadn’t returned, they hurried downstairs—Liu Chengfeng ran straight to the kitchen. He didn’t turn on the lights, grabbed some bags, and began stuffing them with food.
Although the kitchen was pitch-black, Liu Chengfeng remembered Ning Qiushui’s warning—not to turn on the lights. Luckily, he had worked in the kitchen during the day and had a rough idea of where everything was.
Still, his hands were trembling violently.
In the darkness, it felt like countless eyes were watching him.
From the pitch-black corners… behind every door… it felt like some horrific shadow could leap out and devour him at any second!
“Faster… faster…”
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
Sweat the size of beans dripped from his forehead.
Soon, Liu Chengfeng had packed three full bags of food.
Dragging the bags, he rushed upstairs—just in time to see Ning Qiushui carrying the old lady toward the stairwell.
She was large and heavy, probably around 150–160 pounds. If Ning Qiushui didn’t have such extraordinary physical strength, he wouldn’t have been able to carry her at all!
“Go up first!”
Seeing Liu Chengfeng stop in the hallway, Ning Qiushui barked the order.
Liu Chengfeng nodded and took off up the stairs with the food.
Ning Qiushui followed, but the floor on the third level was slick, sticky, and slimy—he couldn’t run too fast or he’d fall.
The old lady was frail. If she got hurt in a fall, it could be fatal.
“Almost there… almost…”
Reaching the third floor, Ning Qiushui rushed toward the study at the end of the hallway. Liu Chengfeng was already inside the doorway, peeking out cautiously.
He watched Ning Qiushui intently, warily.
Suddenly, his eyes widened with horror.
Waving frantically, Liu Chengfeng shouted:
“Hurry! Brother!”
“It—it’s coming after you!!”
Ning Qiushui’s blood ran cold the moment he heard those words.
Shraa—
Shraa—
Shraa—
The terrifying scraping of knives and forks echoed behind him once more. Gritting his teeth, Ning Qiushui bolted forward with all his strength!
At this point, he couldn’t afford to worry about slipping anymore.
He knew that if he hesitated for even a second… he’d be dead!
The cold intent to kill spread along with the pale moonlight, wrapping around him completely. He didn’t dare look back—not even for a second!
Just a little further…
Just a little faster!!
Ning Qiushui roared silently in his heart, clenching his teeth, forcing his legs to keep going!
But even though he was going full throttle… he could still hear the terrifying sound of cutlery scraping getting closer and closer behind him…
It was no good!
He was carrying someone—there was no way he could outrun that ghostly creature!
Only five steps from the door, a cold, pale hand suddenly reached out from behind him and grabbed him by the neck!
“Where… do you think you’re going?!”
A woman’s chilling and venomous voice whispered into his ear.
Ning Qiushui’s whole body turned to ice as his strength visibly drained away.
He was still… too slow.
Just as he braced himself for death, a figure suddenly burst out from behind the door to the study, grabbing the pale arm with both hands!
“AAAAHHHH!!!”
A piercing scream rang out as white smoke erupted. The woman’s hand released its grip, and Ning Qiushui was pulled into the study by a strong, warm hand!
Once inside, Liu Chengfeng scrambled frantically to the window and re-hung the blood jade!
Only after that did he collapse on the floor with a loud thump, legs shaking uncontrollably…
“AHHHH!!!”
Outside, the woman in the red dress shrieked in fury, her body writhing unnaturally as she approached the study door, glaring at the two men with eyes full of hatred!
Only then, under the pale moonlight, did they finally see her face clearly…
And what a terrifying face it was—
Her massive mouth stretched all the way to her ears, filled with rows of sharp, jagged teeth. Bits of hair and shredded flesh were still stuck between them…
The skin around her eyes was covered in deep cracks, almost as if it were rotting.
Her limbs were twice the length of a normal person’s, and she clung to the wall like a spider!
In one of her hands, she clutched the bloodstained, razor-sharp knife and fork—still caked in dried gore!
“What the f*ck… what the actual hell is that thing?!”
Liu Chengfeng felt like he couldn’t breathe—he couldn’t stop himself from swearing out loud.
The woman in red prowled outside the door, enraged and restless. She clearly wanted to enter, but something was stopping her. After a few furious roars toward the two men inside the room… she finally turned and left.
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