Chapter 9: Reunion with the Charming Specter, the Girl on the 7th Floor

Chapter 9: Reunion with the Charming Specter, the Girl on the 7th Floor

"Last night, he opened the door and entered his father's room, where a human and a Supernatural Entity struck an unknown deal."

"Guess why this Supernatural Artifact, the wine bottle, ended up in your hands?"

"You’ve already unknowingly fallen into a no-win situation. Whether you complete the mission or not, you’ll die. So, how will you break free?"

Staring at the triggered information panel, Ji Yan’s expression darkened.

Sure enough, Dong Chu was setting him up—all because of yesterday’s petty argument?

Ji Yan doubted it. That guy was probably using him to bargain with the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity for some benefit.

As for the nature of this dead end, Ji Yan had already pieced it together.

If he used this bottle to hold the Blood Pipa, the contents would inevitably spoil, causing the mission to fail and giving the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity an excuse to punish him.

But if he used a different bottle, he’d still violate the mission rules, giving the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity another reason to strike.

Either way, the mission would fail—a true no-win scenario.

So how could he break free?

The Hidden Information was cryptic, but it also hinted that a solution existed.

Ji Yan pondered for a moment.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed. No matter how he thought about it, there was only one reckless, high-risk option.

But before acting, he needed to consult another resident.

Clutching the wine bottle, Ji Yan left Room 404.

---

Soon, Ji Yan returned to the first floor of the apartment and knocked on Room 101’s door.

The door opened, revealing Cheng Fang’s head.

He froze at the sight of Ji Yan. "Seriously? You again?"

"Bro, are you addicted to grinding my Charming Specter’s quests?"

Ji Yan sighed. "No choice. I don’t want to be here either—my body can’t take it."

Cheng Fang glanced at his own physique and gave a thumbs-up. "Respect!"

Once inside, Ji Yan immediately shed his coat and rolled up his sleeves, looking ready for an all-out battle.

Cheng Fang recalled yesterday’s cleanup—blood and skin fragments everywhere—and broke into a cold sweat.

Just how twisted were these two?

"Master, yesterday’s guest… is back," Cheng Fang called cautiously from the doorway.

"Let him in! I’ve been wondering when he’d return!"

The Charming Specter’s delighted voice echoed from inside.

Cheng Fang glanced back at Ji Yan, who wasted no time, pulling out the Murderer’s Nail Hammer and stepping into the room.

Soon, agonized yet euphoric cries filled the air. Cheng Fang shook his head and returned to the living room to munch on his steamed bun. "Too brutal."

---

Perhaps fueled by frustration over his predicament, Ji Yan unleashed his pent-up rage on the Charming Specter with unprecedented ferocity—far more savage than yesterday, yet it only deepened her obsession.

Roughly half an hour later.

Exhausted, Ji Yan lay sprawled on the blood-soaked floor. Beside him, the Charming Specter, her body riddled with horrific wounds, slowly dressed her mangled form.

Her face radiated post-climax satisfaction as she eyed Ji Yan in surprise. "You were even wilder today than yesterday."

"It seems your addiction runs deeper than mine. How about I dig you out from that dead drunkard's grasp and have you take Xiao Cheng's place?"

"You're such a treasure, far better than that kid's 32 cm."

The Charming Specter's slender fingers caressed the Supernatural Nail Hammer, now smeared with her own hair and blood, her expression one of intoxicated delight.

"..."

Ignoring the words that would never pass censorship, Ji Yan replied, "Sis, everything needs a sense of novelty. Doing the same thing every day would just get dull."

He had no intention of stealing Cheng Fang's lifeline, nor was there any need.

"Speaking of which, there’s something I’d like to ask you."

Seizing the moment, Ji Yan steered the conversation toward his real purpose.

"All that buildup, and this is why you came today."

"Go on."

The Charming Specter lounged in her chair, pulling out a thin cigarette, casually exposing Ji Yan’s little scheme.

Ji Yan cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask—does my so-called father have any enemies in this apartment?"

"Too many. You could say every resident in this building is his enemy."

"That drunkard offended everyone just for a sip of liquor."

"But if we’re talking about who wants him dead the most, it’s the guy in Room 702 on the 7th floor. After all, a wife’s murder isn’t something anyone would forgive."

Hearing this, Ji Yan’s eyes gleamed.

As expected, the original residents could provide more background on the Nightmare Devourer.

Resting her chin on one hand, the Charming Specter noticed the shift in Ji Yan’s expression and smirked. "You want to borrow another resident’s hand to kill that drunkard father of yours?"

"Don’t even dream of it. If he could be killed, he’d have died countless times already."

"Why do you think he’s been hiding in Room 404 all this time? It’s the apartment’s rules that let him cling to life like a coward."

Ji Yan shook his head. "You’re overthinking it, sis. My father has been nothing but kind to me. How could I harbor such wicked thoughts?"

"I was just curious, worried for his safety."

With that, he took out the Artist’s Wine Bottle and handed it to her.

At the sight of it, the Charming Specter’s pretty face darkened. "That greedy bastard."

"After tasting sweetness yesterday, he’s now demanding an even bigger bottle."

"Does he really think I’m easy to bully?"

Ji Yan said, "You don’t have to fill it all the way."

"And if you don’t, aren’t you afraid he’ll eat you?" she countered.

Ji Yan was the first player to give her a taste of novelty—she wasn’t about to let him disappear after just two days.

"It’s fine. I don’t want to trouble you."

Ji Yan wasn’t lying. He knew full well that whether the bottle was filled or not, he’d die either way—no difference.

But to the Charming Specter’s ears, his words took on another meaning. "Oh? So considerate of me? Though this sympathy act is a bit old."

"Still, I do have a soft spot for this kind of routine."

Ji Yan: "..."

In the end, the Charming Specter still filled the bottle to the brim with Blood Pipa. Ji Yan said nothing, knowing full well her actions weren’t out of fondness.

This Female Supernatural Entity just wanted him to live a little longer—so she could drain him dry at her leisure.

As for Ji Yan’s so-called solution to break the deadlock? It was simple and brutal: eliminate the Nightmare Devourer!

The background setting of the Supernatural Game is that once a Supernatural Entity is killed, the mission resets, and the original mission is canceled.

However, few players care about this rule, as survival in the game is already difficult. Without sufficient equipment, who would be foolish enough to think about killing a Supernatural Entity?

But Ji Yan had no choice—he was already past the point of no return.

After all, he knew the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity's weakness.

According to the background information he obtained from interacting with the Charming Specter, the knife capable of killing the Nightmare Devourer should be with the resident of Room 702.

The resident of Room 702 wanted to kill the Nightmare Devourer, and so did Ji Yan. Their goals aligned, so obtaining this life-saving equipment shouldn’t be too difficult.

Stepping out of the room, Ji Yan’s clothes were stained with the Charming Specter’s blood.

He briefly greeted Cheng Fang before hurrying out of Room 101, carrying the fully filled Artist’s Wine Bottle of Blood Pipa.

Cheng Fang took a bite of his last piece of pastry and muttered, “Is this guy here to complete the mission or to flirt with Supernatural Entities?”

“Hah, who knows? Maybe in a few more days, he’ll even ‘conquer’ that Female Supernatural Entity!”

Cheng Fang laughed as he teased, but his laughter soon froze. His expression stiffened, and a sudden sense of crisis washed over him, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.

“Damn it!”

…

Ji Yan had no idea what Cheng Fang was thinking at that moment. Right now, his mind was entirely focused on how to eliminate the Nightmare Devourer.

Without stopping, he headed straight to the 7th floor of the apartment.

According to the apartment’s floor settings, the higher the floor, the fewer restrictions the Supernatural Entities faced.

The residents of the 7th floor didn’t even need a mission—if a player accidentally entered their room, they could harm them directly!

The corridor on the 7th floor had no lights, was littered with trash, and had peeling walls, resembling a lawless zone.

Ji Yan walked along the hallway, checking the room numbers, when suddenly he felt something icy cold gripping his hand, as if he’d touched dry ice.

Looking down, he saw a girl in a tattered dress—who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere—holding his hand.

Her thin, frail body was covered in horrifying wounds, some fresh and bloody, clearly the result of brutal abuse.

The girl raised her bruised face, pleading desperately with Ji Yan as she pointed toward Room 706 behind her, her voice trembling with urgency.

“Big brother, please… save us! Dad’s drunk, and he’s been beating Mom… she’s going to die…”

“Please… don’t leave, okay?”

Ji Yan frowned at her. “I might not be able to stop your dad.”

“It’s okay! My dad is scared of the neighbors seeing. If you go in, he won’t dare hit Mom anymore… please!”

The girl clung to Ji Yan like a lifeline, refusing to let go.

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Yan nodded. “Fine. Lead the way, and I’ll do what I can.”

Overjoyed, the girl turned to guide him.

But the moment she released his hand, Ji Yan spun around and bolted in the opposite direction without hesitation.

As he ran, he called back, “What era is this? Who still falls for this kind of scam meant for toddlers? Are there really idiots who’d believe it?”

The girl turned back, stunned to see Ji Yan sprinting away. In the next second, her pitiful expression twisted into something vicious and sinister…