Realm of the Night God

Chapter 55: The Beginning of a Nightmare

At midnight, precisely at twelve o'clock, Yang Haoran performed his ritual to worship the Death God.

Before this, he received a call from Guanhai, who was very worried about him, fearing that something might happen to him. He reassured Guanhai and told him that he would call him if anything happened, and only then did Guanhai hang up.

After worshiping the Death God, Yang Haoran washed up and went to bed. Instead of immediately falling asleep, he spent some time reading. It wasn't until two in the morning that he reluctantly closed the book.

He had intended to read a little longer, but he hadn't rested well these past few days. Tonight, he decided to take a break.

On this cold winter night, the most comfortable place naturally lay within the warm blankets. Although Yang Haoran's room was extremely simple, nestling in the covers made him feel a sense of contentment.

While he was snug in his bed, Wang Qing wasn't feeling quite as comfortable. Fatty Qu, who had accompanied her to the room, hastily left after receiving a phone call, leaving her alone in the hotel.

This situation wasn't new to her. She had encountered it many times, not only when staying with Fatty Qu but also with other men. Such circumstances usually arose when there was trouble at home, or else, who would willingly leave the comforts of the bed at this hour?

"Heh, he runs away so fast. With that little courage, what's the point of sneaking around!" 

After Fatty Qu left, Wang Qing cursed disdainfully. Her behavior now was a far cry from when she was begging Fatty Qu.

As she cursed, Wang Qing lit a cigarette. Her skilled movements, exaggerated smoking posture—none of it resembled that of a student; she seemed more like a woman who had just finished entertaining a client and then encountered a moocher.

After taking a few deep drags from her cigarette, Wang Qing's frustration wasn't alleviated. She cursed again and then tossed the lit cigarette onto the floor, barefootedly stepping on it with her slipper.

The ashtray was right beside her, but it seemed like nothing more than a decoration to her at that moment.

"If he wants to run, then let him. That disgusting fatty makes me sick anyway. Fortunately, he agreed to my terms. If he doesn't follow through, he can prepare for a divorce from his wife. I'll make sure his family falls apart."

Talking to herself, Wang Qing then headed towards the bathroom. Just a few steps in, she suddenly paused and looked up at the air conditioner.

Seeing it was on and blowing hot air, she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Weird. The hot air is on, so why do I feel cold?"

Puzzled, Wang Qing suddenly felt a chilling sensation throughout her body, not for the first time. She had experienced this feeling several times before, and had even considered visiting the hospital, thinking she might be ill. However, the inexplicable cold disappeared before she could get checked, until tonight, when it resurfaced.

The chilling sensation occurred again at the bar earlier, but at that time, she didn't have time to dwell on it.

After leaving the bar, the cold vanished, but now, unexpectedly, it returned.

Although it was winter, the hotel's air conditioning was always on. Logically, she shouldn't be feeling cold.

"It seems there's something wrong with my body. I must find time to get it checked. Hopefully, everything will be okay."

Feeling uneasy, Wang Qing was well aware of the chaos in her personal life, which made her even more anxious.

After a thorough shower, Wang Qing's body was clean, but it couldn't cleanse her dirty heart.

Exiting the bathroom, instead of wrapping herself in a towel, Wang Qing walked out naked, her expression somewhat panicked as she surveyed the room, as if searching for something.

The mysterious cold sensation persisted in the bathroom, despite the hot water rinsing her body, unable to dispel the chilling feeling.

Now, as she stepped out of the bathroom, the inexplicable cold remained, different from the usual chill; it was a soul-deep coldness, constantly stimulating her nerves.

Somehow, this coldness instilled fear in her. She felt as if there was someone else in the room besides her, someone she couldn't see but who was always watching her!

Unable to suppress a shiver, Wang Qing muttered a curse to bolster her courage and crawled under the covers.

Due to her inexplicable fear, Wang Qing didn't turn off the lights. She lay in bed, closing her eyes, but she didn't immediately fall asleep. The fear lingering in her heart kept her awake.

However, she was exhausted today. Dealing with several men throughout the day, running around to different places, especially dealing with Fatty Qu tonight, left her mentally drained.

Gradually, exhaustion overcame her, overpowering her inner fear. When the fear was completely masked by sleepiness, she finally drifted off.

And she began to dream—a vivid dream, so real that it blurred the lines between dream and reality.

However, this dream of hers was no pleasant one.

In her dream, Wang Qing found herself on a lush green prairie, riding a tall, magnificent horse, galloping freely.

The rhythmic rise and fall of the horse's gallop, sometimes slow, sometimes sprinting, filled her with exhilaration. This unrestrained joy made Wang Qing experience what it meant to feel as light as a feather.

After a vigorous sprint, the horse seemed to exhaust all its energy, collapsing with a thud, frothing at the mouth, limbs twitching.

Initially enjoying the ride, Wang Qing was suddenly thrown off when the horse collapsed beneath her. She landed heavily on the ground, and as she struggled to get up, her expression changed from enjoyment to anger.

She had intended to scold the horse, but seeing it collapse and twitch, she sneered and couldn't help but curse, "Useless thing. You looked strong, but you're just a paper tiger. I thought you could chase the sun, but a few sprints and you're on the brink of death."

Without another glance at the horse, Wang Qing didn't intend to bother with its fate. She rubbed the sore spots on her body, then limped away.

The dream felt so real that Wang Qing didn't realize she was dreaming. Limping along, she felt completely drained. Riding the horse, though enjoyable, had also drained her energy, and the fall made her movements even more difficult, leaving her even more exhausted.

She didn't know how long she had been walking, only feeling utterly exhausted. Just then, a small hut appeared in her line of sight.

Smoke curled from the chimney of the hut, bringing joy to Wang Qing's heart. A profound hunger swept over her, and all she wanted was to eat a hearty meal and then sleep soundly to replenish her energy. So when the hut appeared, she didn't hesitate; she headed straight for it.

Despite her exhaustion, Wang Qing found newfound strength, perhaps spurred by the appearance of the hut, and her limping pace quickened considerably.

The hut looked dilapidated and gave off a sinister vibe. Normally, Wang Qing wouldn't set foot in such a place, let alone rest or dine in it. It wasn't just because of the eerie atmosphere but also because the hut was in such disrepair; she felt it would lower her status to enter such a place.

But now, she had no choice. Injured and famished, with no other house nearby, she had no other option but to rest.

Moreover, there was no one around, so even if she entered this dilapidated hut, no one would notice.

Without knocking, Wang Qing approached the wooden door of the hut and pushed it forcefully.

The door wasn't locked, and with her strong push, it creaked open, slamming against the wall with a bang.

As the door swung open, the scene inside the room entered her vision, and she couldn't help but furrow her brows, pinching her nose.

There was a strange smell in the room, making her uncomfortable. Coupled with the rundown appearance, she disliked it immensely, which naturally caused her to frown.

However, as a figure came into view, her brow immediately smoothed out, and a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

In her line of sight stood a burly man, bare-chested, displaying a muscular physique, with only a piece of animal hide wrapped around his lower body.

The man had a good physique and a decent appearance. Even before entering the room, Wang Qing could sense a strong masculine aura emanating from him. Her heart raced, and she suddenly felt flushed, her mouth dry.

Tall, handsome, muscular, and boldly dressed—this type of man was highly attractive to Wang Qing. She liked men like him, but she had never had the chance to taste their flavor.

At this moment, she even felt an impulse to fly over and tear apart the animal hide wrapped around the man's body!

With Wang Qing's intrusion, the man's gaze naturally fell upon her, and Wang Qing, still in a daze, stared at the man's body.

"Beauty, would you like to come in and rest for a while?"

The man's magnetic voice reached Wang Qing's ears, causing her body to tremble slightly as she snapped out of her daze.

At the man's invitation, Wang Qing didn't hesitate. She quickly entered the room, heading towards the man, and spoke, "I'm tired and hungry. I was just looking for a place to rest. It would be great if I could stay here for the night. Would that be convenient, big brother?"

"There's no inconvenience. As long as you're willing, it's fine."

The man's response filled Wang Qing with joy. She took the chair he offered and sat down, then smiled and asked, "Big brother, what do you do? How come you're here?"

"This is my home, so of course, I'm here. As for what I do, well... I'm a horseman." After some thought, the man responded.

Wang Qing's eyes lit up, praising, "A horseman, so mighty! That's wonderful, so domineering!"