Chapter 360: Volume 1 Chapter 360: Ghostly Vines (Complete)

He slowly moved closer, his fingers raised in the mist distinct at the joints, stroking the soft skin that had turned pink from the hot water.

Jiang Zhi, who was washing her hair, suddenly paused, her fingers trembling slightly; she turned off the metal switch, reached for the towel hanging on the hook, wiped her eyes soaked through, and the bathroom steam rose, like mist swirling, obscuring her vision.

That icy, eerie sensation on her shoulder vanished; the bathroom was empty, only hers, everything seeming to contradict her thought.

An illusion… it was her illusion……

Jiang Zhi sped up her shower; her hair only half-dried, she hurriedly ran to the bed and lay down.

She dared not turn off the light in the room; after a day's travel, she was utterly exhausted, and closing her eyes she soon fell asleep.

Not long after she fell asleep, a wisp of black shadow solidified, standing not far from the bedside, calmly watching her sleeping face.

His gaze met her half-dry hair; Wen Chijin's brows slightly furrowed, then he went to the bathroom, fetched the hair dryer, plugged it in, and helped her dry her hair.

After putting the hair dryer back in the bathroom, he lifted a corner of the blanket, lay to one side, and reached out to pull her into his embrace.

Feeling her soft, warm body in his arms, Wen Chijin let out a pleased sigh, inhaling the fragrance lingering at his nostrils; he pinched her delicate white jaw and gently pressed his lips to hers.

Jiang Zhi had drunk a cup of milk before bed, a habit cultivated by Wen Chijin.

And that cup of milk had long been laced with a sleeping drug by Wen Chijin.

Thus, no matter how he teased her, the girl remained asleep; her porcelain-white cheeks flushed with a vivid crimson, her breathing quickened, her fingers unconsciously pushed against him, Wen Chijin lowered his head, licked her fingertips, the hand gripping her waist climbed inch by inch, slipping beneath the hem of her clothing.

The girl shivered several times from the cold, curling in his arms, trying to evade that hand.

Wen Chijin paused his movement; after a moment, he tidied her sleepwear and sat up.

He was already dead, having died in the execution ground.

Now he was merely a ghost; perhaps due to the thick malice, he could not only materialize but also control the most fragile part of the human heart to kill.

But now, he only wanted to stay by her side; killing held little allure for him.

All of this changed because of her.

…

Early morning.

The phone resting beside the pillow vibrated, waking her; Jiang Zhi slowly sat up, picked up the phone, and saw a message from Officer Xiao Zhang.

(I've been on a business trip to L City these days; where are you staying? Want to go out for a meal together?)

Jiang Zhi recalled the strange events of the past few days and hastily replied.

(Sorry, I have to go to school today to handle transfer procedures.)

(Officer Xiao Zhang: Alright, if you have time, you can find me.)

She put down the phone, got up, and went to the bathroom.

In the mirror, there was a red mark on her right collarbone; after unbuttoning, her chest also bore a red mark.

Jiang Zhi saw this, lowered her head to look at her own collarbone, reached out and rubbed it; it was neither painful nor itchy, and it hadn't been there when she showered the night before, so it must have appeared after she fell asleep……

She couldn't immediately understand what caused the red mark.

Could it be a mosquito bite?

After finishing her washing up, Jiang Zhi quickly put the matter behind her, went to the new school, filled out some forms, and then carried her suitcase to the dormitory.

Her three roommates were all very cheerful girls.

One of the girls was especially warm toward her, helping her organize her luggage.

The two communicated via sign language, chatting very smoothly.

The girl's gaze unintentionally fell on her collarbone, and she immediately flashed an ambiguous smile, signing.

"Xiao Zhi, are you dating?"

Jiang Zhi blinked slightly, then shook her head: "No."

The girl thought she was embarrassed, subtly gesturing at her neckline: "That's the kind of mark my boyfriend leaves when he kisses; you still won't admit it."

Jiang Zhi followed her gaze downward; upon realizing the mark she referred to was exactly the red spot on her collarbone, she felt as if plunged into an icy cellar, her face turning deathly pale.

Seeing this, the girl looked worried: "Xiao Zhi, are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Zhi shook her head, the corner of her mouth a pale smile.

She covered the red mark on her collarbone, the fingers pressing on her chest tightening.

One strange thing after another appeared around her.

She thought that after Wen Chijin's execution, everything would be over, but she never imagined this was only the beginning.

Jiang Zhi feared causing trouble for her roommates and dared not stay in the dormitory any longer.

She rented a one-bedroom, one-living-room apartment in a residential complex seven kilometers from the school.

…

When class ended, she walked out of the school gate, and a person came toward her.

It was Officer Xiao Zhang, who asked anxiously: "Xiao Zhi, why didn't you reply to my message?"

He thought something had happened to her, so he came specially to wait at the school gate.

Jiang Zhi signed: "I don't use a phone anymore; sorry, Officer Xiao Zhang, what do you need from me?"

Officer Xiao Zhang locked eyes with her, scratched his head, his voice a little nervous: "I'm leaving tomorrow; tonight I'd like to treat you to a meal."

Afraid she might refuse again, he added: "Don't worry, I won't bother you; we can eat nearby, and I'll leave right after."

Only a fool would fail to see his intentions.

Jiang Zhi hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

There were many restaurants near the school, but Officer Xiao Zhang took her to an upscale, refined Chinese restaurant.

He deliberately chose a private room near the bamboo grove; looking out the window, the scenery was excellent.

"This place is expensive," she said, wanting to change to another restaurant.

Officer Xiao Zhang quickly said, "I know the boss here, I can get it much cheaper, it's not expensive, you don't need to worry."

Jiang Zhi had no choice but to give up.

This meal ended at half past seven.

Officer Xiao Zhang saw her to the apartment gate, his eyes filled with reluctance he could not hide.

"Do we still have a chance to meet?" he asked.

Jiang Zhi remained silent for a long time, then shook her head.

Officer Xiao Zhang looked sorrowful, gazing at the girl's graceful figure, recalling when they first met and she came running toward him, a few snowflakes dusting her brows and eyes, her clear black-and-white pupils reflecting tiny specks of light.

Only after seeing her gradually disappear from his sight did Officer Xiao Zhang snap back to reality, regretting his clumsy tongue and grieving that he would never see her again, his mood instantly worsening.

He returned to the car and drove away.

As the car drove halfway, Officer Xiao Zhang suddenly felt a chill sweep over him, and out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of a fierce stare.

He wanted to brake and turn to look, but discovered the brakes had failed.

Ahead lay a winding mountain road; if he continued at this speed, an accident was certain.

Officer Xiao Zhang reached to open the car door, but his right arm jerked backward uncontrollably.

"Crack—"

The sound of breaking bones echoed inside the car.

Before losing consciousness, he sent Jiang Zhi a text message.

The car smashed through the mountain road's guardrail and plunged straight down the slope, followed by a loud bang as it vanished into the valley below.

…

Back at the rental house, Jiang Zhi received that text message.

(I like you.)

It was sent by Officer Xiao Zhang.

Upon seeing that text, Jiang Zhi felt a bad premonition rise in her heart.

She dialed that phone number.

The call did not go through.

Jiang Zhi's premonition grew stronger; she left the rental house and rushed to the police station.

After filing the report, she sat in the lobby bench waiting.

Several hours later.

She received the news of Officer Xiao Zhang's death.

The whole car burst through the mountain road's guardrail and crashed to the valley bottom.

Officer Xiao Zhang inside the car was a bloody mess, his limbs twisted, dead with eyes unclosed.

Upon hearing the news, Jiang Zhi's eyes lost focus, and she walked like a corpse through the silent night.

After returning to the rental house.

She gazed at the cold living room, took out her sketchbook, and began to write.

"Wen Chijin, are you here?"

Only a prolonged silence answered her.

She continued writing.

"Kill me too."

A black shadow gradually appeared before her eyes—it was Wen Chijin as she had been in life, that exquisite, delicate face, beautiful enough to make one's heart race, deep browbones layered with heavy shadow over her long, dark pupils, like a specter sending chills down one's spine.

"Sister, how could I bear to kill you?"

As the boy drew nearer, Jiang Zhi raised her hand, pulled a sharp dagger from behind her, and pressed it to her neck.

Wen Chijin abruptly halted, her pupils deep and black, as if she meant to tear her apart and devour her.

In an instant, the dagger fell into his palm; he hooked her chin, applying moderate force with a hint of resentment.

"Do you think you can escape me? Sister, in this life and the next, for all eternity, I will cling to you." His voice was thick with sickly affection, his fathomless dark eyes reflecting her image, forcing her to lift her forehead to meet his gaze.

Jiang Zhi's lips leaked blood; she suddenly began to cough, streams of blood pouring out and dripping onto the light‑blue sofa.

Wen Chijin watched as her breath grew weaker, her gaze fixed on the bright blood at Jiang Zhi's lip, brows knitting, her crimson pupils roiling with black mist that seeped out and spread throughout the living room.

The overhead lightbulb shattered, darkness sweeping in.

"Jiang Zhi!!!"

All that could be seen was the girl lying in his arms, her pale lips twitching as she silently uttered two words.

——Delusion.

Before returning to the rental house, she had taken poison, even had a master draw a talisman for her, so that after death her soul would scatter and she would never be reborn.

Therefore.

Wen Chijin would never be able to see her again.

The whole house trembled with it; Jiang Zhi's body was enveloped in black mist, feeling the boy's intense hatred, as if bent on destroying heaven and earth to devour everything.

"Ah——!!"

【Mission Complete! Congratulations, Host!】

————

【World End】