Chapter 29: Days Spent with the Doll

Erin quickly understood what Yu Sheng meant by "Rule-Type."

"Actually, I'm not entirely sure either. As I said, my memory of many things is vague, even including much basic knowledge—this painting's effect on me isn't just memory loss; over the long passage of time, it dismantled my thinking," the doll in the painting pointed to its own head and spoke slowly, "Many of the characteristics regarding 'Hunger' are just shallow impressions I reorganized based on my own understanding; you'd best treat them only as a reference."

"... Regardless, that thing is indeed hard to deal with," Yu Sheng pondered for a moment and nodded, "It seems we still need a backup plan; if we can't handle that monster, we must also find a way to bring Hu Li out of that valley—by the way, getting her out of that Otherworld should also allow her to break free from 'Hunger's' influence, right?"

"That should be possible; the Otherworld's influence cannot spread into reality, but honestly, the difficulty of bringing another person out of the Otherworld while under 'Hunger's' blockade is itself utterly absurd."

While thinking, Erin spoke, then suddenly raised her head and stared straight at Yu Sheng: "Hey, wait, do you really plan to solve that thing yourself... no, never mind how you'll solve it, how do you know you can definitely return to that valley?"

"Didn't you say that once a person makes contact with an Otherworld, they can never break free from that connection?" Yu Sheng said casually, "I understand it like falling into a quicksand pit; you can only keep sinking deeper, and even if you temporarily escape, it's just holding yourself up during the sinking process..."

Erin's eyes widened: "I did say that, but the meaning of that sentence is that after dealing with an Otherworld, you establish a connection with the entire realm 'Beyond Reason,' giving you a higher probability of encountering other Otherworlds or supernatural phenomena, not that you will definitely return to the specific Otherworld you first encountered; this thing is completely random!"

"But I have a hunch I'll see that monster again very soon, along with that valley," Yu Sheng met Erin's gaze very seriously, "I haven't completely 'cut off' from that place; it... seems to still be waiting for me to return."

A trace of solemnity flashed through Erin's crimson eyes; she thought for a moment and spoke uncertainly: "... Spiritual Intuition?"

"I don't know if that's the Spiritual Intuition you're talking about," Yu Sheng shrugged, "but since dealing with that monster, I have indeed started to be able to 'sense' certain things; it's very vague, but it seems very accurate."

"... Even ordinary people, even after stimulation, find it difficult to develop Spiritual Intuition in such a short time, let alone control and utilize it to some extent," Erin couldn't help but look Yu Sheng up and down, her expression filled with some awe, "You might just be a natural-born Investigator's body..."

Yu Sheng opened his mouth: "Ah, is that considered a good thing?"

Erin thought for a moment, her broken mouth acting as usual: "Investigator mortality rates are all quite high."

Yu Sheng: "..."

Before he could say anything, he heard Erin's broken mouth add another sentence: "But the mortality rate for ordinary people who contact an Otherworld yet fail to develop Spiritual Intuition is even higher."

Yu Sheng's mouth twitched twice: "Alright then, that's not a big problem."

Erin was immediately astounded by Yu Sheng's level of open-mindedness, while Yu Sheng merely shook his head and rose from beside the dining table.

A voice immediately came from the oil painting: "Hey, where are you going?"

"The kitchen! Slept all day, dinner isn't even sorted yet!" Yu Sheng turned his head and glared at Erin, "By the way, why do you get so nervous every time I move, as if I'm going to throw you away?"

"Obviously! Moving myself is already a problem right now; do you know how uneasy that makes me feel? —and with someone like you who can fall into an Otherworld the moment they step out, how do I know if one time you'll stand up and disappear again, leading to an eternal separation..."

Erin's mouth was as usual a bit provocative, but Yu Sheng merely frowned, then sensed that the other party simply wanted to show some concern for him.

And... sensed the helplessness regarding her own situation caused by being trapped in an oil painting, and the state of anxiety over gains and losses after finally finding someone to communicate with.

He thought for a moment, rose, and picked Erin up from the dining table.

The latter immediately cried out: "Hey, what are you doing? I... I'm still watching TV! I warn you, don't hang me back in that room on the second floor! I... I'll just stop talking, just put me back first..."

"Cooking alone is boring; since you're idle anyway, come to the kitchen to keep me company and talk."

Erin was stunned for a moment, secretly observing Yu Sheng's expression from the edge of the picture frame, seeming somewhat incredulous, but soon nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay!"

Yu Sheng pouted, carried Erin into the kitchen, casually propped her on the windowsill, then turned around to open the refrigerator and check the ingredients for dinner.

Hu Li's figure appeared in his mind—in the instant he saw the food, he couldn't help but recall that fox-girl demon crouching in the ruins of the broken temple, holding a piece of rotten vegetable leaf and staring at him from afar.

She was still hungry.

Yu Sheng pressed his lips together, forcibly suppressing many thoughts in his heart, and took out the leftover stewed meat and two steamed buns from the morning.

For tonight, just heat up the leftovers with the steamed buns; boiling some porridge will do as well.

Putting the steamed buns and stewed meat taken from the refrigerator into the microwave, then washing the rice to prepare porridge, Yu Sheng worked silently, and half a minute later began to regret bringing Erin into the kitchen—

This chattering machine hadn't stopped talking since the moment he opened the refrigerator!

"Hey, this refrigerator is quite big! Can one person even use such a big fridge?"

"That's the meat you stewed this morning, right... actually, don't say, that 'local specialty' does look quite normal after processing... by the way, it really won't suddenly come alive in the bowl?"

"You're just boiling some porridge? Then there's nothing much to watch; why not carve a flower out of a radish? Carving a seal would work too."

"Why isn't the range hood on... oh, you're not stir-frying."

"Is it almost dark outside? Turn me around so I can see the street... if you can't, then you can't."

"What's your mother's surname?"

Yu Sheng finally couldn't bear it anymore, grabbed Erin, and brought her right up to the sink: "Do you believe I'll soak you in here right now? Do you believe I'll scrub you with dish soap until you fade?"

Erin instantly shrank her neck, sat back on the chair hugging her teddy bear: "Fine, I won't say it then..." The world was finally quiet.

Erin returned to the windowsill, sitting on the chair hugging her teddy bear and watching Yu Sheng, who was currently leaning against the stove in a daze; neither of them spoke.

After an unknown amount of time, it was still Erin who broke the silence: "I still think that facing 'Hunger' with one person's strength is dangerous; although I can't recall exactly how powerful that entity is, it definitely isn't something an ordinary person can handle; you... will die."

"I will resurrect."

"I'm talking seriously to you!"

"I'm serious too."

Erin's eyes widened, looking at Yu Sheng as if somewhat angry.

But she was only angry for a few seconds before sighing.

"Honestly, think of other ways; try to get in touch with those people in this city who specialize in combating Otherworlds; don't take risks."

"I don't want to take risks; I just feel that 'risk' will come to me," Yu Sheng shook his head, "but I understand what you mean; I won't recklessly throw my life away; as for those 'professionals' you mentioned, I will go find them."

!.

"Oh, that's good."

Dinner passed peacefully; Erin watched the nutritionless urban dramas on TV, occasionally commenting on the people and events in the plot, while Yu Sheng ate seriously, occasionally responding to Erin's chatter.

Yu Sheng ate this meal very cleanly; in the end, he didn't even leave the last bit of meat broth in the bowl, using a steamed bun to wipe the bowl's edge completely clean.

"I'm going out for a bit." After cleaning up the dining room and kitchen, Yu Sheng changed into clothes for going out and said casually to Erin.

Erin, who was watching TV, instantly raised her head upon hearing this, her expression actually carrying a hint of panic: "Where are you going?!"

"To the small supermarket at the intersection to buy some food to bring back; it's not far," Yu Sheng said, noticing the expression on Erin's face, somewhat amused yet helpless, "Don't be so nervous; I don't fall into an Otherworld every time I step out... rest assured, although this house is a bit strange, I will observe carefully before opening the door every time from now on."

"Uh, alright then," Erin scratched her head, then looked a bit puzzled, "But I saw there were quite a lot of things in the refrigerator before."

"I'll go buy some more," Yu Sheng said, "things that don't need refrigerator storage, convenient and ready-to-eat."

Erin understood.

"Oh, that's good. Then be careful when you go out... remember, after opening the door, do not step out directly! Look outside first!"

Yu Sheng laughed.

It had been a long time since anyone had told him to "be careful when you go out." Although the one saying it this time was a puppet who usually spouted trash talk, the feeling was not bad.

He changed his clothes, then thought for a moment, stuffed several pieces of bread and biscuits into his pocket, and only then came to the front door, his hand on the doorknob, taking a light breath.

To be honest, ever since he last pushed open this great door and fell directly into the Otherworld, he indeed had a bit of... trauma regarding this door.

But he could not stay in this house forever because of that.

Yu Sheng gritted his teeth and slowly pushed open the great door.

First, he opened a crack, then opened it a bit wider, cautiously observing the situation outside.

After repeatedly confirming for a long time, he finally let out a long breath and stepped out of the house.

Fortunately, that door was not that sinister.

It seemed that falling into the Otherworld after leaving that house was not a high-probability event; perhaps specific conditions were required to trigger some "effect" of that door? Perhaps it required opening the door several times, or a specific point in time?

Yu Sheng walked down the street. After his heart calmed down slightly, he could not help but think of this and that, but regardless, he truly let out a sigh of relief.

Walking lightly down the street with almost no passersby, he arrived before the small supermarket at the intersection in no time and pushed the door open.

The instant he pushed the door, he felt a jolt in his heart, and then—

Hot wind rushed to his face; the scorched earth opposite the door steamed with heat; a crashed aircraft billowed thick black smoke on a distant hill; and two fully armed figures, wearing pitch-black powered armor resembling some kind of alien battle suit, were wrestling. Suddenly, one raised his hand, and a plasma blade ignited with a "hiss" at his wrist, thrusting toward the opponent.

Then, the two black-can figures, dressed and styled like astral mercenaries, seemed to notice the gaze from the side simultaneously. They suddenly turned their heads to look at Yu Sheng, the dim red glow of the monitors on their faceplates flickering.

Yu Sheng: "...?"

He suddenly stepped back and slammed the door shut with a "bang."

(End of this chapter)