Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 133: A Hundred-Ghost Riot

Afterwards, Lin Qiushi shot Ruan Nanzhu a couple more texts, even asking where Ruan Nanzhu was. But no more replies came from the other end, so Lin Qiushis anxiety grew more and more potent.

The rain continued to fall, and Lin Qiushi sat inside a bus station. The empty streets were enveloped by the wash of rain, and what was already a dimly lit road became only dimmer thanks to the ceaseless downpour. The entire world felt like the blur of a slowly melting oil painting.

Lin Qiushi felt a bit cold, and began to cough under his breath. He knew it was about time to leave, because on the other end of the rainfall, he could see a dark silhouette gradually approaching. Though he couldnt tell concretely what the figure was, itobviously wasnt going to be anything pleasant.

So Lin Qiushi got up and started walking again. As he walked further and further, black frames appeared on both sides of the empty road. The frames hung from tree trunks, and some of the canvases showed off humans, struggling and hideous, while others were blank.

It was like the road before Lin Qiushis eyes had morphed into an art gallery, with the owners beloved artworks lining both sides. Only, some had not yet been filled, and Lin Qiushi was the artwork she was fixated upon.

Lin Qiushi looked at his watch. There were still two hours until daybreak, and just as he deliberated the best way to survive until then, he heard footsteps approaching from behind.

Lin Qiushi looked back over his shoulder and saw a skinless person watching him in the middle of the darkened streetit was Xu Jins sister. The sister was lying flat on the wet asphalt ground, black hair splayed messily over her shoulders. Because she had no legs, she could only move forward by her hands, but she was not slowed down at all by this. In fact, she was more like a beast let out of its cage, rushing like crazy toward Lin Qiushi. Rain fell upon on her body and sluiced off fresh red liquid. Lin Qiushi too took off sprinting, only his speed was no match for Xu Jins sisters at all, and in the space of a blink, she was behind him.

A gust of wind hit him from behind, and Lin Qiushi ducked to dodge the attack. He threw himself into the bushes at the side, watching as the monster landed exactly where hed just been.

But that was just the beginning. Without Xu Jins interference, her sister did not hold back any of her intent to kill Lin Qiushi. She seemed like she couldnt wait to slaughter Lin Qiushi in the most miserable way possible.

Back when Lin Qiushi was leaving that door, shed slapped him on the back, resulting in a serious bout of pneumonia that had hospitalized him for a long while. Now that the chance to kill him was within grasp, she certainly would not be merciful.

Lin Qiushi rolled across the muddy floor, an embarrassing mess all over. He tried to get up and go but the mud-slicked ground made him fall straight back down. Xu Jins sister took the opportunity to crawl toward him at top speed.

She crouched above Lin Qiushis head, twisting her own to look at Lin Qiushi. Clear rainwater washed through her muscles, becoming scarlet and gamy. That liquid then dripped all over Lin Qiushis face and body, and from where Lin Qiushi lied, he could see, slithering through her stark white teeth, a deep red tongue

The monster flashed Lin Qiushi a ferocious smile. She met Lin Qiushis eyes as if to enjoy Lin Qiushis terror before dying.

Why would she like you so much? The monster lowered its head and mumbled into Lin Qiushis ear. Those long nails glided across Lin Qiushis skin and cleaved a cut across his cheek. Red liquid trickled out from where she cut, and Lin Qiushi could feel the heat of his own blood.

The moment seemed to be a dead end, but Lin Qiushis gaze flitted past the monster and landed on a black frame hanging beside it.

He took a deep breath, and asked, arent you worried your sister will hate you if you kill me?

Hate me? On what grounds? Shes the one who stole my skin and legs, she owes me.

The monster began to giggle, only her laughter was gratingly hoarse and sharp, as if a knife skidding across glass.

But Lin Qiushi smiled.

Really? Thats not what her eyes are telling me.

The monster saw Lin Qiushis smile and froze, before whipping her head around to look. When she saw that there was nothing behind her, her fury at being lied to was instantly ignited. She clasped Lin Qiushis shoulder and, with great force, tore a chunk of flesh clear off. But it was this gap in her attention that Lin Qiushi had to take advantage ofresisting the pain, Lin Qiushi leapt to his feet and caught hold of the hanging black picture frame.

The monster saw what Lin Qiushi had done, but did not understand what his actions meant. It was just a picture frame. Even if he hit her with it, she would not suffer much damage. This seemed simply like the last-ditch struggles of a man facing death

But this sort of thinking disappeared the moment that picture frame made contact with her body. She felt a rush of cold that was difficult to describe enveloping her whole body. The scene before her eyes began to contort, and her body was taken by an immense force into another space, unable to move again.

The monster disappeared before Lin Qiushis eyes. What replaced it was a blood red painting. In the painting, a skinless monster seemed to be struggling to burst its way free of the canvas paper.

Lin Qiushis handthe one clasping the paintingloosened its grip, and the roll of paper hit the ground in a splash of water. He covered his bleeding wound with one hand and pushed himself off the ground with great difficulty.

His clothes had been dyed red by the blood, but thanks to the wash of rainwater, it quickly reverted to its original color. The place where he was wounded washed out to a miserable white, and Lin Qiushi took a roll of gauze from the bag on his back, giving the injury a rough bandage job.

The backpack was utterly soaked through, but fortunately, Lin Qiushi had already put everything into plastic bags, so the things inside could all still be used.

Lin Qiushi sat on the ground catching his breath, thinking what a sight he must be right now. But the rolled-up painting beside him began making strange noises, like the thing trapped inside was still struggling and trying to break free of the portraits restraints, unwilling to succumb to its fate.

Lin Qiushi stumbled to his feet, and continued forward with a hand bracing the wall.

His phone vibrateda new message had arrived. Lin Qiushi quickly fished out his cell phone and saw Ruan Nanzhus texted reply.

Ruan Nanzhu had written his location, which was actually a school near city center. He told Lin Qiushi, however, not to go looking for him just yet, that the situation where he was wasnt great. If Lin Qiushi were to go, worse conditions likely awaited.

Indeed. Ruan Nanzhu had been crossing doors for so many years now, and had faced countless more monsters than Lin Qiushi ever had. Now, all those ghouls had returned in a surge; a riot of a hundred ghosts was precisely so.

Lin Qiushi clutched at his phone, reading Ruan Nanzhus text word by word over and over again. By the time he came back to himself, he found that he was once again back in the center of the asphalt road. And the long black shadow had once again appeared behind him, keeping with Lin Qiushi at a distant that was neither too close nor too far away. No matter how much Lin Qiushi sped up, he couldnt get rid of her.

Due to his injuries, Lin Qiushis footsteps were slowing. Power kept seeping out of his body, and just as he thought he couldnt make it any further, just as he was about to collapse to the ground, a soft voice began to call for him softly in his ear.

Lin Qiushi It was a womans voice like sweet canary song; Lin Qiushi even thought it was just his own hallucination, but the call continued on: Lin Qiushi, Lin Qiushi, Lin Qiushi

Who

Lin Qiushis sharp hearing once again came of use at a critical juncture. He pushed out the white noise of the rain and finally found the source of the call, onlythe source was a bit unbelievable. It was coming from the pavement in front of Lin Qiushi, even though the road was thoroughly empty of everything.

Lin Qiushi called out, is that you? Zaozao? Is that you?

He thought the voice was Tan Zaozaos, but couldnt be sure. He could only call her name and keep walking along the path toward where the voice was coming from.

By the time Lin Qiushi got to the source of the voice, he still couldnt see anybody arounduntil he heard, from the ground before him, Tan Zaozaos continuous calls.

Startling, Lin Qiushi looked down, and saw a puddle of rainwater in the road.

Because the rain was so strong, it couldnt drain immediately. And so water puddles both big and small had formed along the streets. Streetlamps tossed down faint illumination, reflecting Lin Qiushis form in a puddle. But from that puddle also arose the figure of a woman in red, waving to him frantically: Here, over here!

Lin Qiushi, Zaozao?

Qiushi, hurry, Tan Zaozao said. Shes coming!

Lin Qiushi didnt need to turn around to know that the thing was not far behind him, because he could already hear its footsteps through the rain. He looked at Tan Zaozao and clenched his jaw. He tried to just test the puddle at first with a foot, but found empty space beneath his step. Then he fell entirely into what ought to have been a thin puddle of water.

Fortunately the fall wasnt deep. Lin Qiushi sat there, catching his breath, before realizing that hed appeared in some sort of decrepit house, and that above his head there wasnt a ceiling, but instead a thin layer of water

Its been a while. Tan Zaozao smiled at him sweetly. Her hair was down, and she was wearing that beautiful dress Lin Qiushi had last seen her in. Qiushi.

Its been a while, Lin Qiushi replied.

Hed done his emotional preparations after seeing Li Dongyuan yesterday, but still, seeing Tan Zaozao again gave rise to a complicated feeling that was difficult to describe deep in his heart. He asked, how have you been doing here?

Pretty good, Tan Zaozao said. At least I can help out the people I like.

Her eyes curved up, and her grin was truly happy.

Thats good.

There was a lot that Lin Qiushi wanted to say, but he didnt know where to start. So the two fell to silence, until Tan Zaozaos mouth parted quietly.

Shes coming. No matter what you see, you cannot speak.

Lin Qiushi nodded.

The footsteps in the rain paused above their heads. Through the thin puddle, Lin Qiushi could see the fringe of the womans black dress and the top of her pointed hat. Shed detected Lin Qiushi and Tan Zaozaos presences, and bowed her head just enough to show half of her awful white face.

Lin Qiushi met her gaze straight on from beneath.

The womans mouth tore open into an eerie smile. Then she turned, and walked away.

She left? Tan Zaozao seemed to find that strange too. That shouldnt be

Before shed even finished speaking, the womans footsteps approached again. Lin Qiushi was just wondering if shed gone off to get something when he saw her lift a hand, showing them a painting done up in a black frame.

And when he saw the figure in the painting, Lin Qiushi stopped breathingit was a woman in a long dress and an expression of sheer terror, stretching her hand out. And the woman looked exactly like Ruan Nanzhu when theyd gone into the Woman in the Rain door.

Tan Zaozao also saw the painting, and after a scare, quickly covered Lin Qiushis mouth with her hand, afraid that he would make a sound.

Lin Qiushi stared at the painting, the emotions in his chest in turmoil. But the woman cracked another grin, the corners of her lips splitting wide as she said, dont you like her? Why dont you come save her?

Lin Qiushi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He flipped out his phone and once again sent Ruan Nanzhu a text, asking how the situation on his end was.

But he was getting no reply. Lin Qiushis gaze was fixed on the painting, staring so hard he could burn a hole in it.

The woman looked at Lin Qiushis expression and began to guffaw. She took the painting out of its frame, gesturing to tear it apart.

If you dont come out, she said, Im going to destroy the painting. Then youll never see her again.

When Tan Zaozao heard this, she shook her head frantically at Lin Qiushi, signaling for Lin Qiushi to stay silent.

Lin Qiushi kept a death grip on his phonebecause he used too much force, the wound on his body once washed white by the rain had begun to bleed again.

When the woman saw that Lin Qiushi wasnt moving, a low roar came from her lips. Then, she tore the painting in her hands in half and tossed it roughly to the ground.

Lin Qiushi watched her motions, jaw tightly clenched.

Tan Zaozao kept an anxious eye on Lin Qiushi. Only after the woman had left and her steps had faded did Tan Zaozao say, theres no way thats Ruan-ges portait, you have to trust in Ruan-ge.

Lin Qiushi stared at the phone in his hands, unswayed either way by Tan Zaozaos words.

Qiushi Tan Zaozao said. She has to be lying to you. Maybe that painting is really just a simple painting.

Lin Qiushi felt a bit tired. He sat at the bedside with his head against the wall, looking up at the raining sky above him. From his lips came two words: Its fine.

But Lin Qiushis expression didnt look anything close to fine. Tan Zaozao sat down next to him, looking for a topic of conversation that could ease the tension a bit.

What are things actually like for you here? Lin Qiushi asked. Do you have daytime? Or are you just stuck here?

Hm, me? Tan Zaozao said. My current situations kind of crazy. At night I have memories from the day, but during the day I remember nothing of the night.

As she spoke, she kept an eye on Lin Qiushis expression.

Maybe everything that happens at night is simply a dream to daytime-me.

Lin Qiushi was silent for a while, before asking, have you seen Qianli?

Qianli? Why would I see Qianli? The moment Tan Zaozao said this, she jerked into realization at the meaning hidden in Lin Qiushis words. Her eyes went huge. Qianli, heNo way. How could that be!

In Obsidian, Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu aside, the person Tan Zaozao was closest to was Cheng Qianli. Shed never thought that Cheng Qianli would also

Lin Qiushi exhaled a light breath. If Tan Zaozaos reaction was so, that must mean shed never seen Cheng Qianli.

There was more Lin Qiushi wanted to say, but he felt a sudden onslaught of drowsiness. He could only see Tan Zaozaos mouth opening and closing, but had no comprehension of what she was actually saying.

The irresistible sleepiness shut Lin Qiushis eyes for him. He collapsed in a corner, and fell asleep in an instant.

Some unknown amount of time later, an alarm woke Lin Qiushi from his dreams. He opened his eyes and saw warm sunlight outside.

Lin Qiushi pushed himself out of bed, checking the time. After speeding through wash-up, he was out the door and rushing to the airport.

In the car he checked his text messages, but didnt see Ruan Nanzhus answering text. It was like everything that happened last night had all been a really strange dream. Only his shoulder, still faintly aching, reminded Lin Qiushi that it had been real.

The shoulder that had been injured by the monster now wore a blue and purple handprint. Though it looked scary, it wasnt so painful, and so Lin Qiushi didnt bother much with it.

At 10AM, Lin Qiushi got on his plane. There were still about two hours until his destination. He was tired, but couldnt really sleep. His mind kept playing over and over again the scenes he saw last night. He couldnt be sure if the torn-up portrait was Ruan Nanzhu or not, and the matter weighed on his thoughts like a giant boulder.

But everything got its answer sooner or later. Lin Qiushi decided to wait for Ruan Nanzhus text tonight, and if Ruan Nanzhu didnt message him, hed go straight to the school that Ruan Nanzhu had mentioned.

Caring confounded[1]; that was logic Lin Qiushi understood, but when it truly applied to himself, he still couldnt bring himself to be indifferent.

He forced himself to rest for a bit on the plane. The moment the plane landed though, he was dashing out the airport again, calling a taxi and speeding toward a certain location.

In the taxi, the driver thought Lin Qiushi was a tourist here to travel, and introduced the citys sights with enthusiasm. Lin Qiushi answered on and off, lifting his wrist ever so often to check the time.

At 2PM, Lin Qiushi arrived at a plain little district. On memory alone, he sprinted for a particular door in a particular building.

Ding dong, ding dong. After two chimes of the doorbell, a young mans voice came from inside the door: Who is it.

Lin Qiushis lips trembled, but he didnt manage to speak.

Moments later, the door before him opened, and a boyish face appeared in Lin Qiushis sight. He blinked those pretty cat-eyes at Lin Qiushi and asked, who are you looking for?

Lin Qiushi stared at that face, and tears began to fall just like that. He reached out and, despite the boys look of panic, wrapped him up in a tight embrace.

Finally, he called out that name: Qianli.

The Cheng Qianli inside the door was scared to death. On instinct he wanted to struggle, but faced with Lin Qiushis tear-stained face, he could only manage a quiet: Dage, do you have the wrong guy? I dont know you?

Lin Qiushi released him, wiping away his tears with one hand.

Qianli, he asked, are you doing well?

Cheng Qianli was frightened enough to attempt secretly shrinking behind the door, but Lin Qiushi saw through him at once, moving to hold the door open.

Dont be scared, Im not some weirdo. But as soon as Lin Qiushi said this, he had to scofffrom his words and actions, none of him seemed like a normal person.

Oh, Cheng Qianli replied. But II really dont know you.

You Lin Qiushi said. Are you an only child?

Cheng Qianli nodded.

Lin Qiushi let out a breath. I The words were at the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

Never mind, its nothing, he said, as he turned around to leave.

Then came, however, Cheng Qianlis hesitant voice.

UmDo you want to come inside and have a popsicle?

Lin Qiushi, arent you afraid that Im a bad guy?

Yeah I am. Cheng Qianli scratched his head. Dont steal stuff from my house, alright? Ill call the cops.

Lin Qiushi stared at him, thinking Cheng Qianli ah Cheng Qianli, even if you get another life youre still as foolish as everInviting a stranger in just like thatif he actually wanted to do anything, could a kid like you even fight back? Lin Qiushi sighed, and very seriously reprimanded: You should never invite strangers into your home ever again.

Cheng Qianli, ah?

Lin Qiushi, do you hear me? No inviting strangers in!

Cheng Qianli stared at him in panic.

But youre a stranger too!

Lin Qiushi, youre Cheng Qianli, Im Lin Qiushi. Okay, now we know each other, and were no longer strangers.

Oh. But even so, Cheng Qianli still felt that something was off. Before he could figure out what it was however, Lin Qiushi was already stepping into his house.

Once inside, the sight that greeted Lin Qiushi was Cheng Qianlis living room. Everything was placed the same as he remembered, with just one thing missingthe memorial portrait of Cheng Qianli placed in the center.

The first time Lin Qiushi came to Cheng Qianlis house, he had been driving Cheng Qianlis parents home. They cleaned the entire house together, and at last placed the black and white portrait carefully in the very center spot of the living room. Then theyd lit incense sticks under it, alongside Cheng Qianlis favorite food. His mother had muttered about how foolish her son was, wondering if he could even find his way back. His father didnt say a word, just kept lighting cigarettes one after another.

As for Cheng Qianlis brother Yixiehed stood in front of the portrait for a very long time. Hed been all cried out, and had stared with lifeless eyes at his little brother in the portrait. There had been no more light in his features, only unbreathing death.

It was all my fault. Then Cheng Yixie had said something that stuck in Lin Qiushis memories for a very, very long time. Hed said: If I hadnt been there

Lin Qiushi came out of the memory, cast a gaze around the room, and wiped his face clean. He thought that at least in this world, Cheng Yixies wish had come true in another way.

Translators Notes:

1. - caring too much actually brings about missteps
2. The title of this chapter, , is an idiom from Japanese folklore, Hyakki Yagyou