Horror Game Designer

Chapter 68: Your Dark Night Returns

Whenever Gao Ming was confronted with the horrifying sight of the ghostly diety, his desire to eliminate Situ An grew stronger. Despite his current lack of strength to challenge the Eastern District Investigation Bureau, he sensed that the tide was about to turn in his favor.

Determined, Gao Ming had devised his own strategy for this cycle. His ambition stretched far beyond just toppling the Investigation Bureau; he aimed to upend the entire established order of Hanhai City.

“I once seriously considered joining the Investigation Bureau, but that method clearly doesn’t work based on the amount of corpses wearing the uniforms. In that case, I need to forge my own path.”

After pocketing his phone, Gao Ming helped Zhao Xi to his feet. With a hint of curiosity, he asked, “Brother Zhao Xi, have you ever experienced the thrill of horror games?”

Still reeling from the terror, the limping man could only gesture towards the ghostly diety behind Gao Ming, too shaken to articulate his fear.

“Relax,” Gao Ming reassured him with a confident tone, characteristic of his medical expertise. “As a qualified and licensed doctor, I assure you, you’ll be completely healed.” He gently coaxed Zhao Xi closer to the ghostly diety, helping him adjust to the unnerving environment. “Does it feel less frightening now by getting a closer look?”

Shivering, Zhao Xi managed a nod, his fear making him feel as if he was on the verge of being consumed by the ghastly apparition.

“That’s good,” Gao Ming remarked, subtly replacing Zhao Xi’s personal will with a list of tasks to complete, and discreetly slipped it back into Zhao Xi’s pocket. “Brother Zhao Xi, tonight marks the beginning of our rebirth.”

As the ghostly diety returned into Gao Ming’s form, the room seemed to return to normal, yet the living room lights ominously remained off.

“Now, I’ll introduce you to the shadow world, where you’ll witness the real truth,” Gao Ming declared.

Gao Ming was well aware of Zhao Xi’s undervalued strengths – innate gratitude, kindness, and deep-seated stubbornness – even if they were overlooked by everyone in this apartment.

Zhao Xi was still undecided about resisting when Gao Ming draped a raincoat over him and led him out, his mind in a daze.

Despite the shock of the events, Zhao Xi found himself following Gao Ming downstairs without opposition. Fearful yet trusting, he sensed that Gao Ming meant him no harm.

As they reached the ground floor, Zhao Xi, regaining some composure, inquired with a parched voice, “Where are we headed?”

“To Minlong Street, unit four,” Gao Ming replied, stepping past the limp body of Qi Yan as they left the building.

The sight of Qi Yan’s blood-stained head made Zhao Xi wonder if they were in the midst of an apocalypse.

The journey to Minlong Street from Li Jing Apartments was short. They traversed old, familiar streets and stopped at a convenience store.

“You haven’t eaten properly in days. Get some hot food into you,” Gao Ming suggested, kindly buying meals for both of them. He also selected gifts for the child residing at apartment four of Minlong Street, a child whose discarded snacks he had once found in a wardrobe and who was central to the fear syndrome.

Zhao Xi, who had lost his appetite for several days, felt a slight improvement after Gao Ming’s encouragement. For the first time in a long while, he could actually savor the taste of his meal.

After enjoying a hearty meal and selecting some snacks and gifts, Gao Ming and Zhao Xi resumed their journey.

As they approached Minlong Street, the storm intensified, casting the whole street into an eerie darkness devoid of any lights.

Feeling the ominous atmosphere, Zhao Xi suggested to Gao Ming, “Shouldn’t we arm ourselves with some makeshift weapons before we proceed?” His voice trembled slightly as he had not seen another living person on their way. “You know about zombies, right? I’ve seen movies about viral outbreaks turning people into those monsters. It’s really scary.”

Trying to ease his companion’s fears, Gao Ming reassured him, “Don’t frighten yourself. We’re just here to settle a family dispute.” He relied on his memory to navigate towards their destination, apartment four on the street.

Upon entering the courtyard, they witnessed a man and woman, suitcases in hand, hurriedly exiting a building. Their faces were ghostly pale as if they had encountered something horrifying.

Zhao Xi observed them, commenting, “At last, some living souls. But they look off, almost like they’ve committed a crime and are now fleeing the scene.”

Gao Ming glanced back at Zhao Xi’s remark, appreciating his observation: “Brother Zhao Xi, you have quite the eye for detail.”

“You’re just teasing me,” Zhao Xi replied modestly, stepping aside to make space.

They didn’t interact with the fleeing couple and proceeded into the building.

Inside, the old structure seemed to sway with the storm, casting ominous shadows all around.

As they ascended to the third floor, Gao Ming heard the sound of objects being violently smashed from above. An argument was happening on the fourth floor. He slowed his pace, his attention drawn to the noise of an angry man clashing with the shrill scolding of a woman. Their heated exchange seemed to thicken the shadows enveloping the building.

When they reached room 405, they found the door ajar, revealing a living room in chaos – broken dishes, an upturned sofa, and amid this disorder, a man and woman engaged in a physical altercation.

The visibly weaker woman desperately picked up a fruit knife from the floor.

Zhao Xi instinctively wanted to step in, but he halted in shock upon recognizing the faces of the man and woman. They were identical to the couple they had just seen escaping!

“Are we seeing ghosts?”

“You’ve hit the nail on the head again! Brother Zhao, you really have a knack for this,” Gao Ming exclaimed pleasantly.

The man in the room halted his attack, realizing the woman might use the knife against him. Frustrated and unable to release his anger, he kicked a table and pounded the TV, but this did little to soothe his rage. He stormed into the innermost bedroom, bursting through the door, and blamed their troubles on their child: “It’s all because of this cursed kid!”

In the small bedroom, they saw a pale little boy, seemingly deprived of sunlight for a long period of time. The child was scared as his father entered, but he didn’t cry or make a sound. Instead, he retreated into a makeshift “fortress” built from blankets, clutching a toy sword. The blankets were adorned with drawings of figures holding paper spears.

Chanting to himself for courage, the boy declared, “I’m not afraid of you, I’m not afraid of you, I’m not scared of you!”

As the drawn figures wielding paper spears on the blanket seemed to strike the man, he screamed in pain as if the images had come to life and were actually harming him.

Both Zhao Xi and Gao Ming were taken aback by this surreal occurrence. Gao Ming, in particular, had been intrigued by the mystery of how the young boy had managed to confront his fears.

In a fit of uncontrollable anger, the man yelled, “You and your mother both deserve to die!” He then aggressively grabbed the child by his clothes and hurled him across the room, causing him to land amidst the shattered ceramic pieces scattered on the living room floor.

Despite the harsh fall, the child, still gripping his toy sword, did not shed a tear, continuing to mutter defiantly, “I’m not afraid of you, I’m not afraid of you…”

Observing the child’s resilience, Gao Ming remarked, “This kid is pretty extraordinary.” He stepped forward to intervene, protecting the child: “I never imagined that the first person to overcome Fear in real life would be a child this young.”

Gao Ming gently patted the boy’s head, then removed his raincoat and tossed it aside, preparing to act. It was then that he noticed the boy’s enraged parents had inexplicably shrunk in size.

“It’s becoming clear now. The terrifying entities manifest only when the child is scared. The greater his fear, the more powerful and tangible the monsters become as they spawn from the shadows,” Gao Ming realized.

He understood why the child’s parents had earlier fled in panic. Their actions must have reignited the boy’s fears, turning the figments of his imagination into a frightening reality within the shadow world.

Gently placing the child’s favorite snacks and toys nearby, Gao Ming and Zhao Xi worked to calm the boy, helping to alleviate his fear and tension.

As the boy’s fear subsided, the menacing forms of his parents gradually transformed back into shadows and eventually dissipated, leaving behind a crude, handmade rag doll on the floor. The doll, patched and stained with various colors, was a far cry from a typical child’s toy.

“Is this the origin of Fear?” Gao Ming wondered aloud as he reached for the rag doll. However, the boy quickly grabbed the doll, clutching it tightly to his chest as he retreated into a corner, wary and distrustful of Gao Ming, much like a frightened, stray kitten.

Feeling a personal connection due to his own orphaned origin, Zhao Xi limped over and sat beside the boy. He began to fold a piece of scrap paper into a paper frog, saying, “Press its back, and it will hop forward.” This gesture indicated that the boy’s fear had not been entirely vanquished as the ominous shadows lingered, signifying the ongoing struggle within the boy’s mind.

Gao Ming, observing the interaction between Zhao Xi and the boy, felt it was crucial to introduce a sense of familial warmth into the child’s life.

“I’ve looked at the photos in your room. It seems like your dad and mom have never celebrated your birthday,” Gao Ming noted, squatting in front of the boy with a gentle tone. “Little guy, how would you like to have a birthday cake?” he offered, hoping to forge a new, positive memory for the child.