Chapter 62: Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis often occurs when a person is about to enter deep sleep or is nearing wakefulness. It is most common during adolescence, and those who frequently stay up late, experience high stress, or have poor rest are most prone to such episodes.
Because the mind remains conscious while the body is unable to move—as if a heavy boulder were pressing on the chest—combined with hallucinations blending with dreams, it is vividly referred to as "ghost pressing on the bed."
Strangely enough, the Doctor had never experienced sleep paralysis before.
So, when he first became aware of it, he seriously reflected on whether he had been too busy lately, to the point where his body couldn't take it and was subtly protesting.
But as the physical pain became utterly unbearable, he couldn't help but panic.
Adding to his fear, he distinctly saw a crimson figure flash through the dark corner of the room.
Recalling Chun Ge's words, the Doctor realized that in his description of the experience, there was no mention of seeing a Crimson Dragon!
Could it be from the wooden box...? No, that was a tiger! Not a dragon!
The more he thought, the more confused he became.
He told himself it was just sleep paralysis—the pain was because the quilt, though sun-dried, still had fleas... Wait, no. Since temporary limb paralysis left him numb, he shouldn't be able to feel physical pain at all!
Therefore, all of this must be hallucinations produced by his brainwaves during the REM stage. To be precise, what he was seeing were merely his dreams.
As the saying goes, "Thoughts by day, dreams by night." Recent studies suggest that dreams might be formed by the brain based on events from the past week. Perhaps what he had seen recently was projecting into his mind.
Yes—during the elevator crash incident, the man in Tang suit who appeared had a Crimson Dragon embroidered on his attire.
Maybe because that person had saved him once, subconsciously, he was the first to come to mind.
Look, if he looked more closely, there really was a person there. The Crimson Dragon was the embroidery on that man's Tang suit. Because the fabric was black and the room was unlit, at first glance, only the Crimson Dragon was visible.
The Doctor nearly applauded his own rigorous and meticulous logical reasoning. Yet, he also felt that conjuring a phantom figure was useless—the pain in his body was intensifying, to the point where he couldn't help but want to scream.
Just like Chun Ge's experience, he couldn't make a sound.
Anxious, the Doctor knew that despite his rational analysis, having never encountered sleep paralysis before, it was hard not to feel terrified. Whether it was due to Chun Ge's earlier vivid account or the unbearable pain, he couldn't shake the feeling that if this continued, he might never wake up again.
In the midst of his agitation, he faintly heard someone murmuring close to his ear.
"Strange... With the Longevity Lock protecting you and such vigorous yang energy, you shouldn't be encountering such supernatural events..."
The Longevity Lock? How did someone know he was wearing a Longevity Lock? Or was it an auditory hallucination, born from his imagination that the lock he'd worn since childhood was some special talisman?
Dazedly, the Doctor watched as a young man slowly approached, his handsome features becoming increasingly clear in his vision.
How had he even managed to conjure up the other's appearance in his imagination?The man in Tang suit seemed to have taken something out and waved it briefly. Instantly, the doctor felt sensation return to his limbs, and the bone-deep pain receded like a tide.
The doctor sprang up like a carp leaping from water, staring fixedly at the young man standing by his bed. He muttered to himself, "Huh? Still here? Then I must not have woken up yet?" As he spoke, he reached out and grasped the other's hand.
Cold, ice-cold indeed—completely devoid of warmth.
He gave it a squeeze. Huh? This texture... is this... a real person?
The doctor quickly released the hand, shocked, rubbing his eyes before putting on his glasses from the bedside table. He pinched his thigh, grimacing in pain but still managing to demand, "How... how did you get in? I clearly locked the door!"
The Tang-suited man ignored his question, instead looking around the room.
The doctor hopped out of bed and pressed the wall switch, but there was no response—still pitch black. "A power outage at a time like this?" He forced an awkward laugh, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.
The Tang-suited man frowned slightly and was about to say something when a dull thud came from the living room, as if something had burst open, shaking the floor.
"Could it be the new thermos I bought exploded? Online purchases are never reliable!" the doctor speculated dryly, though even he didn't believe his own words. The sound was nothing like what a bursting thermos would make.
The Tang-suited man headed toward the living room. The doctor glanced around the dark bedroom, thinking it would be scarier to stay alone, and immediately followed, not even bothering to put on slippers.
Strangely enough, even though this person had inexplicably broken into his home and his identity was unknown, the doctor instinctively felt the man meant him no harm. Instead, he gave off a reliable, reassuring vibe.
After all, if the Tang-suited man had wanted to do something to him, he would have done it earlier. And the elevator incident could have been a mere coincidence, but the doctor felt the man had deliberately saved him.
Stepping out of the bedroom, they could see a faint, warm glow emanating from the kitchen, piercing through the eerie darkness.
"So there is power? Must be the bedroom light that's broken." The doctor sighed in relief, thinking it was a wise decision to leave the zoetrope on all night as a nightlight. He scanned the living room, found no one there, and walked toward the kitchen.
The Tang-suited man was indeed standing beside the zoetrope. The warm, dim light fell on his handsome face, accentuating his bright eyes and well-defined brows. Hearing the doctor's footsteps, he didn't turn around but sighed softly, "So it's a zoetrope, no wonder..."
His voice was like a gentle breeze brushing the ears, captivating and mesmerizing. The doctor was stunned—the voice he had heard in his half-awake state earlier truly belonged to this man. He quickly pressed, "So there really is something wrong with this zoetrope?"The man in Tang suit lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment as if hesitating whether to tell the truth. The gloom accumulated between his brows eventually transformed into melancholy resignation. He sighed and said, "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise; blessing may be where misfortune lurks. This Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern was a masterpiece created by a folk artisan specializing in zoetropes. It depicts the story of 'a loss may turn out to be a gain,' originally intended to admonish people to view worldly affairs with detachment and maintain equanimity."
"Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern..."
"However, as time passed, the lantern paper of this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern became damaged for various reasons. When it came into someone's possession, they were advised to cover five sides with dark glass, leaving only one side visible. Thus, this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern completely transformed into an evil entity."
"Evil entity?!" The Doctor was startled, instinctively stepping back, but then feeling unsafe being too far from the man in Tang suit, he subtly moved a small step closer to him.
"This lantern only displays one paper painting at a time, foretelling whether the owner of this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern will encounter misfortune or blessing. After misfortune comes blessing, and after blessing comes greater misfortune—like a snowball effect, becoming increasingly unbearable."
The Doctor recalled that his initial misfortune was merely not being hired by the hospital. The second misfortune had already threatened to break his leg. By this logic, wouldn't the third misfortune cost him his life?!
The man in Tang suit turned to look at the Doctor, as if guessing his thoughts, and nodded. "Correct. Since its modification, this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern has never reached the sixth paper painting. No one has completed a full cycle. It's lamentable that the original owner, who sought the greatest blessing, ultimately lost his life due to greed."
The Doctor nearly blurted out accusations of deception when he suddenly remembered that this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern was Yin Han's relic. The latter had also died in an accident after being admitted to the provincial hospital...
The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. The Doctor immediately stepped forward and unplugged the power cord. Yet, the unplugged zoetrope continued to glow. The once warm and soft light now appeared as terrifying as ghostly will-o'-the-wisps in his eyes.
"This... it's unplugged..." The Doctor's voice trembled slightly.
"Unplugging it is useless. Once this Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern reaches the fifth paper painting, it can no longer be stopped."
The Doctor stared wide-eyed at the famine-depicted paper painting, then looked at the man in Tang suit, hoping he could resolve this matter.
The man in Tang suit reached out and, under the Doctor's hopeful gaze, lifted the zoetrope and walked out of the kitchen.
The Doctor hurriedly followed, only to see the man not heading for the main door but instead moving toward the living room. Occasionally, he swung the zoetrope up and down along the way, for some mystifying purpose.
Finally, the man in Tang suit crouched before a wall, frowning as he said, "This wall has cracked."
The Doctor was shocked. So this guy really was just using such a terrifying Fortune and Disaster Revolving Lantern as a light source! Hey! Is it really okay to be this careless?!Despite his inner complaints, the doctor still walked over. The wall before him had cracked open a gap as wide as a finger and as long as an arm, pitch black as if gusts of cold wind were blowing out from within. He looked more closely and noticed that the wooden box on the floor had been opened, and the red telephone cord had somehow wound itself around the bronze tiger, embedding entirely into the crack in the wall.
It was as if... as if that red cord were alive, trying to pull the bronze tiger into the wall, blocked by the wall, and then cracking it open...
The doctor shuddered, feeling his imagination had run a bit too wild. He forced himself to think practically: "What should I do about this cracked wall? Will I have to compensate the landlord? I haven't lived here long—maybe I should find a cement worker to patch it up... But I wonder if it affects the neighbor's side. I’ll have to find time tomorrow to ask next door."
"No need to go next door," the man in Tang suit interrupted his muttering.
"Huh? Why?" the doctor asked, puzzled.
"Because the other side of this wall isn’t another household," the man in Tang suit said gravely, offering no further explanation.
Just as the doctor was about to press for details, he heard his phone ringing from the bedroom. Without another thought, he hurried back, picked up the phone from the nightstand, and saw Chun Ge’s name on the screen before answering the call.
"Finally got through! What were you doing earlier? Why were you out of service for so long?!" Chun Ge’s loud voice blasted from the phone, making the doctor pull it away from his ear.
"I don’t know why—I’ve been home the whole time!" the doctor said helplessly.
"That’s exactly why I’m worried!" Chun Ge suddenly lowered his voice. "Do you know what’s wrong with the place you’re living in?"
"Huh? What’s wrong?" The doctor pressed the phone back to his ear.
"I asked someone to look into the name 'Li Hua,' and it turns out she was the perpetrator in a horrifying case over a decade ago!" Chun Ge’s voice carried a chill. "This Li Hua was our senior. After her boyfriend betrayed her, she used a scalpel to slice away his flesh, piece by piece. According to the forensic report, the poor man was still alive when only his skeleton remained!"
The doctor trembled in fear, nearly dropping his phone.
"Of course, the man died eventually, and Li Hua turned herself in. From this, we can deduce that the place you’re living in is the crime scene! Move out, now!" Chun Ge urged anxiously.
"But... what’s the big deal about a haunted house?" The doctor was still reluctant to give up such cheap rent. Even though he’d experienced sleep paralysis, nothing serious had happened to him!
"No big deal?! I checked the floor plan of your building again, and your unit is completely off! It was supposed to be a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout! That means, behind the wall in your living room, there’s a room sealed off with cement!" Chun Ge roared, exasperated.
A chill ran down the doctor’s spine as he suddenly recalled what the man in Tang suit had said—the other side of the wall wasn’t another household... So that’s what he meant?!
"And what’s even more terrifying is that they say not all of the man’s sliced-off flesh was found. Who knows what kind of messed-up things are sealed in that room! Hey? Hey! Are you listening to me... Hey..."The phone suddenly went dead. The Doctor stared at the "No Service" message on the screen, a chill creeping up his spine. He stumbled awkwardly toward the exit, and as he passed through the living room, he caught a glimpse of the man in Tang suit still crouching there, studying the crack in the wall. But the more the Doctor thought about it, the more terrified he became. He rushed to the door in a few quick steps, desperate to escape this eerie house.
However, the door seemed tightly sealed, completely immovable.
The Doctor exerted all his strength, sweating profusely from the effort, but the door, which usually opened easily, now felt as heavy as a hundred thousand pounds, refusing to budge.
"You won’t be able to leave until that thing is dealt with."
The sudden voice frightened the Doctor out of his wits. It took him a moment to realize he had heard this voice before. He quickly turned around and saw the man in Tang suit standing not far behind him. Perhaps the man’s calm demeanor helped the Doctor regain some composure. Summoning his courage, he asked in a trembling voice, "Th-that thing... what is it?"
"It’s the vengeful spirit that died here," the man in Tang suit explained calmly. "Generally, a soul can only linger in the world for seven days. Only those with deep-seated resentment can remain for a long time."
As he spoke, the man walked back to the living room. The Doctor hurriedly followed. Hearing this, the Doctor found it quite reasonable—after all, the unfortunate man had been tortured to death. Anyone in his place would likely be unable to rest in peace.
"Actually, if no one had been sustaining it, this vengeful spirit wouldn’t have been trapped here for so long," the man in Tang suit said, pointing at the cracked wall. "The layout of this room has been altered. What’s sealed behind that wall is likely the vengeful spirit."
"So... the previous tenants who moved out after just a few days, and what happened to my friend when he stayed here—were they all caused by this vengeful spirit?" The Doctor thought of Chun Ge’s description but suddenly felt something was off. "But I never noticed anything unusual before. Why did it happen tonight?"
"You have a protective talisman on you. Ordinary evil entities can’t get close. The reason it happened tonight is because of this." The man in Tang suit opened his palm.
By the light of the zoetrope, the Doctor saw the bronze tiger that Chun Ge had given him lying in the man’s palm.
"This is a Bo Ya Weight," the man explained, knowing the Doctor wouldn’t understand. "Simply put, it’s a paperweight. In ancient times, before paper was invented, these were called ‘weight stones,’ used to hold down mats or bed curtains, so a set consisted of four. Later, they became chess weights for Liubo Chess, placed at the four corners of the board. In ancient tombs, Bo Ya Weights were also popular burial objects used to ward off evil spirits."
"If that’s the case, this should be a treasure for suppressing evil entities! Why did it backfire?" The Doctor knew Chun Ge had meant well, giving him this to save him.
"The person your friend sought probably only had a partial understanding. A set of Bo Ya Weights must appear together to amplify their spiritual power, forming a complete system to guard an area. If I’m not mistaken, this set should be the Four Divine Beasts Bo Ya Weights. According to the Five Elements theory, this White Tiger Bo Ya Weight should be placed in the due west position. Placing it incorrectly and having it stand alone—isn’t that like offering it as a nourishing treat?" Before the man finished speaking, the red thread, like a living venomous snake, darted toward the White Tiger Bo Ya Weight in his hand.Doctor let out a startled cry as the man in Tang suit swiftly pulled him out of the living room. They watched the crimson thread grow longer before their eyes, clinging to them like a persistent plague.
Just as the thread was about to strike his face, a pale, jade-like hand unhesitatingly grabbed it while simultaneously shoving him toward the bedroom.
The bedroom door slammed shut, followed by a low command from outside: "Stay put and don't come out." Then came the sound of a terrifying struggle.
How could Doctor let a stranger risk their life for him? He tried to turn the doorknob, but it remained immovable, just like when he had tried to open the main door earlier. He had no idea what mysterious method the other had used.
Left with no choice, Doctor pressed his ear against the door, listening anxiously to the commotion outside, his imagination running wild. It was pure torment.
It might have been a long time, or perhaps only a few minutes—Doctor had completely lost track of time. When the bedroom doorknob finally turned, he instinctively took two steps back.
The door slowly opened, revealing the man in Tang suit standing in the doorway, bathed in the warm, soft glow of the zoetrope. He looked somewhat disheveled: his neatly combed hair was now slightly messy, and his already pale complexion seemed even paler. Perhaps it was Doctor's imagination, but the color of his Crimson Dragon robe seemed to have deepened, resembling the shade of blood.
"It's all over now," the man said lightly.
Summoning his courage, Doctor stepped out to check and found that the crack in the living room wall remained, but the crimson thread had vanished.
"Find a cement worker tomorrow to seal it up," the man said indifferently. Although the vengeful spirit had been eliminated, the house's layout had been altered to nurture resentful ghosts, and it had been occupied by one for many years, accumulating heavy Yin energy. It would likely attract other strange entities. Doctor was so carefree that he probably wouldn't notice anything amiss even if left uninformed. Besides, with the Longevity Lock by his side, Doctor wouldn't perceive any abnormalities. This incident wouldn't have occurred if not for the sudden appearance of the Boya Zhen. The items sealed behind the cement were merely the deceased's belongings and posed no real harm. After a moment's thought, the man decided not to say anything more.
Doctor wanted to ask more questions, but his phone suddenly rang loudly. This was more effective than any test—it meant the vengeful spirit had been subdued, the magnetic field had returned to normal, and his phone had signal again. Instead of immediately answering Chun Ge's call, Doctor fixed his gaze on the Boya Zhen in the man's hand. Whether it was a treasure capable of suppressing evil entities or not, Doctor believed he couldn't control it. What if it attracted something else? After some thought, he asked, "Could I trouble you to keep that Boya Zhen?"
"Trouble me?" The man in Tang suit was taken aback, then curled his lips into a smile. "Tianshi are those who capture demons."
Since their first meeting, the man had always maintained a stern expression. This smile, however, was like the first thaw of ice and snow, seeming to raise the temperature around them by several degrees. Doctor stared blankly for a moment before hurriedly apologizing, "Sorry, sorry! Then those who capture ghosts are... Daoists? Definitely not monks, right?" He glanced at the man's short hair.
"Answer your phone. I'll take this Boya Zhen as... payment for 'ghost capturing,'" the man said, his smile deepening with a hint of indulgence and resignation.The doctor quickly answered the phone, pretending to be drowsy as he calmed the fuming Chun Ge on the other end with a few words, while confirming that the Bo Ya Zhen had been a gift from him. He wanted to say more, but seeing the man in Tang suit turning to leave, he hastily hung up and hurried after him.
"Wait! Your hand is injured! Let me fetch a bandage!" The doctor had already noticed the abrasion on the man's right palm, likely sustained when he grasped the red thread earlier.
The man in Tang suit paused in surprise at this but did not insist on leaving, instead settling onto the sofa in the living room.
The Doctor took out the medical kit, which contained various commonly used first aid supplies, some of which were high-end items only available in hospitals. Of course, this was one of the perks of being a medical student. He found disinfectant iodine and band-aids, then knelt on one knee before the sofa, carefully tending to the other’s wound with his head bowed.
The man in Tang suit’s gaze fell upon the Doctor’s neck, where the Longevity Lock he wore had slipped outside his pajamas due to running. Under the dim, yellowish light of the zoetrope, it emitted a soft, lustrous glow of jade. The man’s attention was so focused that he didn’t notice his wound had been quickly treated.
"Ah! The paper drawings on the zoetrope have changed! Does this mean I’ve managed to avoid disaster?"
The Doctor’s delighted words snapped the man in Tang suit out of his reverie. He looked up just in time to see the paper drawings inside the zoetrope on the coffee table slowly rotating. The scene depicted was of Old Sai and his son, on the brink of starvation during a famine, rescuing a man who had collapsed on the ground. Unbeknownst to them, the man was actually a prince traveling incognito. Grateful for their lifesaving act, the prince brought them to the capital, bestowing upon them fine clothes, delicious food, and a life of comfort in their old age.
"This is... encountering a noble benefactor? Haha, perhaps the best thing has already happened to me tonight!" The Doctor packed up the medical kit, smiling meaningfully.
The man in Tang suit smiled bitterly and murmured to himself, "Knowing me might not necessarily be a good thing..."
"Huh? What did you say? Oh, right, I still don’t know your name!"
"...In a little while, my shop will open. It’s not far from here. You’re welcome to visit."
"Huh? What kind of shop? Can ghost-hunting be run as a business now?"
"...An antique shop."
...
The Doctor jolted awake from his memories. He looked down at the Black Jade Orb in his palm, which had returned to its original state, and felt a mix of shock and anger.
Was this his memory?
Why did he have no recollection of it?
In the images, both he and Chun Ge appeared as they did four or five years ago—younger versions of themselves. Yet the man in Tang suit looked exactly the same as the stranger who had come to his house today, as if... as if time had left no trace on his face...
The Doctor stood frozen in place for a long time, so long that even Tang Yuan noticed something was wrong and came out to see what he was doing.
First, the Doctor put the Black Jade Orb into his pocket, closed the door, and returned to his room. Then he went to Tang Yuan’s room—the one converted from the living room. Standing before the wall, he remained silent for a while before reaching out and tearing off the wallpaper.
"Hey, hey! Uncle! What’s gotten into you, going crazy in the middle of the night? Even if you’re mad at me, don’t take it out on the house!" Tang Yuan hopped anxiously. "What are you trying to see? Huh, was this wall cracked before? Shoddy construction. But this patch job is really ugly."
"I patched it myself..." the Doctor said distractedly. Fragmented images flashed through his mind—he remembered being short on money at the time and, because the crack’s formation was too bizarre, fearing others would misunderstand, he bought a bit of cement and sand, mixed them clumsily, and patched it up himself. Later, finding it too conspicuous, he bought wallpaper to cover it once he had a little more money.
Tang Yuan blinked but said nothing.
The Doctor shoved the torn wallpaper into Tang Yuan’s hands. "Figure out how to stick it back up yourself!""Hey!" Tang Yuan was furious and about to protest when he noticed the doctor looking at him with an intensity that was genuinely frightening. "Wh-what's wrong?"
"That person who came tonight—you know him?" the doctor asked, enunciating each word slowly.
"Y-yes! He's my senior brother!" Tang Yuan started off sounding guilty but then remembered this was the truth! Why should he feel guilty? He puffed out his small chest, adopting a proud expression.
"I need to see him. Right now."
Meanwhile, the boss, who should have been at the Dumb Shop, was standing deep in a remote mountain forest. The sky was overcast with dark clouds, blotting out the moon and stars, making the place feel even more eerie and sinister.
Hidden deep within the forest lay a long-abandoned mansion. The lanterns at the entrance were badly damaged, their torn paper covers flapping noisily in the cold wind. Two stone lions stood silently at the gate, covered in withered ivy vines that made them look as if they were bound by ropes at first glance.
If Lu Zigang had been there, he would have recognized this as the mansion where the Liubo Chess gathering had once taken place. But times had changed; the mansion no longer retained its former grandeur, leaving only desolation in its wake.
The boss stood before the mansion gate for a long time before finally pushing open the half-ajar door.
Inside, fallen leaves covered the blue brick pavement, suggesting no one had visited for ages.
After getting his bearings, the boss headed toward the due west corner of the mansion.
This Liubo Chess mansion wasn't oriented like ordinary homes, which typically face south or follow specific geomantic principles. Instead, the entire courtyard was laid out like a chessboard, forming a perfect square with its four corners aligned to the cardinal directions.
However, newcomers without celestial markers to guide them might not notice this peculiarity, simply assuming the mansion faced south like any other.
As the boss walked, only the rustling of wind-blown leaves accompanied his footsteps. He moved purposefully, not glancing sideways, until he reached the due west corner. At the base of the courtyard wall stood a stone platform, and embedded in it was a bronze artifact.
The boss narrowed his eyes—this was none other than the White Tiger Bo Ya Weight he had acquired from the doctor years ago.
This White Tiger Bo Ya Weight should have been safely stored in one of the Brocade Boxes in the Dumb Shop's inner room. Yet someone had placed it here. Had he not taken inventory of the antiques in the Dumb Shop, he wouldn't have realized some items had mysteriously disappeared.
It was precisely the loss of this White Tiger Bo Ya Weight that led the boss to deduce something was amiss with this Liubo Chess mansion. "Bo Ya Weight"—the "Bo" here could mean "numerous" or "universal," but it could also refer to the "Bo" in Liubo Chess.
"If I'm not mistaken, there should be corresponding Four Divine Bo Ya Weights at the other three cardinal directions as well," the boss murmured as if to himself, then turned his gaze toward a specific spot on the corridor. "I underestimated you. To think you managed to gather all four scattered Divine Bo Ya Weights."
"Heh, now that I've returned to this world, what isn't possible?" A cold, monotone voice echoed as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Though his clothing and hairstyle were different, the boss couldn't mistake that gloomy countenance and those bewitching eyes—his identity was unmistakable."Lord Ling Shi, long time no see." The Boss spoke calmly and evenly, neither humble nor pushy. He had anticipated encountering Zhao Gao on this trip, but hadn't expected the other party to arrive so quickly.
Zhao Gao responded with a light laugh, shaking his head as he sighed, "This form of address—I actually just heard it not long ago."
The Boss froze, his expression immediately changing as he said, "You've seen the Crown Prince? What have you done to him?" In this era, aside from himself, only Fusu would address Zhao Gao as Lord Ling Shi.
"What could I possibly do to him? We live in a society governed by law now." Zhao Gao spread his hands in a teasing manner, his face the picture of innocence.
The Boss didn't believe a single word of this. He stared sharply at the other man for a long moment before slowly asking, "Zhao Gao, what is it that you want?"
"What does the Chief Minister mean by that?" Zhao Gao raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as if ready to listen attentively.
"If you wanted to become the most powerful minister, wielding authority over the court, you've already achieved that."
"If you wanted to become the ruler of a nation, then Huhai would be no match for you. You could easily replace him, yet you haven't."
"You've schemed tirelessly to climb to the highest position, only to toy with the entire empire, turning clouds and rain upside down—all for the purpose of destroying it with your own hands?"
"Everyone has something they want, someone they want to become, achievements they wish to establish. Yet all your actions follow no discernible pattern—I cannot understand it. So, after I crawled out of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, I specifically went to Handan to investigate."
The Boss's ethereal voice echoed through the dilapidated courtyard. When he reached the final sentence, the composed expression on Zhao Gao's face finally shifted slightly.
Lowering his head to rub his fingertips, Zhao Gao chuckled and said, "Oh? And what did the Chief Minister discover?"
"Zhao Gao, second son of King Daoxiang of Zhao, Zhao Yan, born on the day of the mass burial of soldiers after the Battle of Changping. You emerged amidst the blood and malice of four hundred thousand soldiers, deemed an ill-omened child by the Grand Historian who observed the stars. Since childhood, you suffered humiliation in the royal palace, despised by your grandfather due to your birth hour, not even registered in the family genealogy." The Boss spoke slowly, and for a moment, the clashing of weapons and cries of battle from ancient battlefields seemed to echo in their ears. But upon closer listening, it was merely the rustling of falling leaves.
A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Zhao Gao's lips. "It seems I've underestimated the Chief Minister."
"With such a background, it's understandable that Lord Ling Shi lived through great hardships in the State of Zhao. And the friendship between Lord Ling Shi and the First Emperor likely began during your youth in Handan." The Boss showed no fear of the coldness in Zhao Gao's eyes as he calmly laid out his deductions.
"The Chief Minister's speculation is correct." Zhao Gao openly admitted.
"And after your mother's tragic death, Lord Ling Shi defected to Qin, assisting the First Emperor in destroying Zhao. The crown of King Wuling of Zhao that the First Emperor bestowed upon you—there must be some lingering obsession behind it, no?" Remembering the purple shell hairpin that had stirred waves back then, the Boss couldn't help shaking his head and sighing. "The death of Queen Dowager Zhao Ji was likely your doing as well, wasn't it? All to have Queen Daoxiang of Zhao executed. Back then, the Crown Prince was implicated in this matter and lost imperial favor. Lord Ling Shi truly played a masterful move.""Lord Minister, what you accomplished back then truly astounds me. Truly worthy of being the fine disciple our master took in!" Zhao Gao chuckled while clapping his hands, yet his bewitching eyes held not a trace of warmth.
"Lord Minister, you secretly assisted the First Emperor in unifying the realm, only to later destroy this empire without the slightest attachment. Your actions follow no principles or laws, guided solely by whim and preference. Such reckless behavior makes it no wonder our master sealed you within the Divine Sealing Formation, condemning you to eternal damnation." The Boss's voice turned cold, completely unconcerned whether his words might anger the man before him.
"It seems you truly know quite a lot!" Zhao Gao leaned casually against the corridor pillar, his tone returning to its flat monotone.
Some of these matters had been revealed to him after making contact with his junior apprentice brother, Tang Yuan. The Boss lifted his head to gaze at the night sky where the dark clouds had dispersed. Over two thousand years had passed, yet the stars above still followed their ordained paths.
Human life is bitter and brief, like morning dew.
"Whether one pursues ideals or goals in this world, ultimately it all comes down to leaving proof of one's existence behind."
"In the brief decades of human life, those with ambition strive to achieve deeds that will be recorded in history, earning admiration from posterity. Or if that proves impossible, then being remembered with infamy would suffice."
"Some people write books or stories, hoping these words might become volumes passed down through generations, enduring through the ages."
"Others construct buildings—whether majestic and grand, exquisitely beautiful, layered with pavilions, or carved with jade balustrades—aspiring for these structures to last eternally in the world."
"Still others create masterful porcelain, jade, bronze artifacts and more, praying these objects might be refined enough for nobles and wealthy collectors to preserve, hoping they might be handed down through generations."
"This is essentially the significance of antiques' existence. Each piece, steeped in the marks of time, serves as proof that countless people once lived."
"Then, Lord Minister, could you tell me what exactly you pursue? If your goal was to be remembered with infamy, you've certainly achieved that. But what about now?"
The Boss fired question after question, yet none stirred Zhao Gao in the slightest. With a mocking half-smile, he replied: "Since Lord Minister has found this place, you must have guessed some of it already?"
The Boss fell silent. Only after a long while did he frown and say: "This place was built by our master to enable Huhai to use humans as pieces in Liubo Chess. Whenever life and death are determined, the rules of this chess game allow the victor to seize the opponent's remaining lifespan. But knowing our master's temperament, this mansion wouldn't be so simple."
"Oh?" A night wind swept through the hall, scattering the hair tied behind Zhao Gao's ears. Strands obscured his face, making his expression difficult to discern.
"The mansion resembles a chessboard, with four corners reserved for placement of Bo Ya weights, just like on a game board. Once this complete set of Four Divine Bo Ya weights is assembled, this place would likely form its own isolated realm, becoming... a Yin Residence..." The Boss showed rare hesitation at the end. "This should have been the Yin Residence our master prepared for you. Only when he feared he couldn't capture you in one move did he alter it into the Cosmos Formation to seal you away.""Heh, that Taoist built this residence back then to play a fair game of chess with me—a game with our lives as the stakes." Zhao Gao sneered. "Unfortunately, at the final moment, he lost his nerve, deceived me into entering the formation, and trapped me alive for over two thousand years."
"So you want to..." The Boss vaguely guessed Zhao Gao's demand, but without hearing it confirmed, he found it hard to believe.
"Exactly. What I want is to finish the game he owes me." Zhao Gao brushed aside the stray hair drifting over his forehead, revealing his bewitchingly handsome face as he smiled with smug satisfaction. "With him and me as the opposing Owl Chess Pieces, the loser will vanish completely from this world."
A cold glint flashed in the Boss's eyes as he said icily, "There's another option: skip the chess game, and I'll send you to meet King Yama right now!"
But before the Boss could make a move, Zhao Gao casually raised a hand. The Four Gods Suppression Stone on the platform shifted slightly, instantly causing the Boss's chest to seize in pain. He spat blood and stumbled to one knee, unable to stand steady.
"Fool, I'm your senior brother. How could I not guess what you intend to do?" Zhao Gao revealed a sinister smile before turning to leave. His chilling voice drifted back intermittently: "You'd better find the remaining five chess pieces and five players within a year. Let me give you a hint—I've collected countless evil entities over the years, so choose your antique chess pieces carefully!"
The Boss wiped the blood from his lips, his gaze sharp.
He had no doubt about the truth of Zhao Gao's words. With such confidence, it was likely that none of the antiques stored in the Dumb Shop could match Zhao Gao's collection.
Could it be that he would have to search various Guardian Vaults across the Central Plains to select suitable antiques?
The night wind rustled through falling leaves.
The Boss slowly rose to his feet, his expression grave.
Zhao Gao had found his weakness, leaving him no choice.
But the Guardian Vaults...
The Boss touched the jade Xuanji pendant on his chest—the key to opening the Guardian Vaults. Ever since Fusu had accidentally bonded with it through a blood drop years ago, he could only access the vaults by bringing Fusu along. After Fusu's death, he could only bring Fusu's current reincarnation.
Since Zhao Gao had mentioned Fusu earlier, he had probably already captured him—which explained Zhao Gao's fearless confidence that the Boss would comply.
So... was there only one option left...?
He truly didn't want to drag that person into this mess again...
The Boss closed his eyes, his hand trembling slightly as he clenched the jade Xuanji.
(End of Chapter)
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