Chapter 7: The High-Scoring Freak, Mr. Wen

Jennifer suspected she had seen wrong; this big brother was actually going to run to Uncle Jack’s room.

However, Wen Xishu was truly very steady, and this calmness gave Jennifer some strength.

The corridor had turned into a loop, a ghost-beating-wall; thus, the real exit might be in one of the rooms on this floor.

Wen Xishu hadn't been sure at first, not until the prompt appeared.

"There are many rooms on this floor. Searching them one by one is likely to cause a stir and is a waste of time, but if you combine it with Jack’s words, the correct option becomes very obvious."

"As always, Jack’s words are actually very clear hints."

Jack’s room was indeed on this floor.

It wasn't far from Jennifer’s home. This also made Remian, who lived upstairs, very jealous.

The door was unlocked, standing half-open, and a strange, chilling aura emanated from the room, making one afraid to approach.

Jack had indeed once been a good-natured man.

Before he turned into a monster, he trusted the people here; the door had no lock precisely to make it convenient for others to find him for help.

There is a type of person in this world who, despite being poor themselves, can still find happiness in helping others.

Wen Xishu did not delay any longer; he took Jennifer and walked inside.

The two had just stepped through the door when "Jack" appeared in the corridor behind them.

Its face could not be clearly seen, because its face was covered by the faces of several other residents.

It had torn their faces off and stitched them onto its own, like a half-mask.

Four eyeballs, two crooked noses, and four ears at odd angles were sewn together with black thread.

Only the mouth was his own, still emitting manic laughter.

This laughter seemed to possess some kind of strange power, spreading to every room.

Only its own room remained unaffected.

……

……

Sunlight shone into the room, yet it did not make Jack’s room look bright or warm.

On the contrary, this sliver of light made the gloomy room appear quite dilapidated.

The bare, somewhat damp walls stood silently. Two old, decaying chairs placed in the room swayed slightly on their own, without anyone touching them, emitting teeth-aching creaks.

There was actually a refrigerator in the room, but the odor wafting from it was nauseating.

It was the smell of blood.

Jennifer began to shiver. Wen Xishu held her small hand, and the warmth from his palm gave her a backbone.

Up to this moment, Wen Xishu had not spoken, only typing calmly:

"It seems this is the audience seating prepared for us."

Wen Xishu sat down directly; in that instant, he felt as if he were lying in an ice cellar, with a coldness that invaded his marrow.

The scene around them also changed color, veiled in a faint scarlet. In his mind, a giant smiling face flickered in and out of existence.

Wen Xishu remained unmoved, still beckoning to Jennifer, encouraging her with a smile that provided a great sense of security.

Thus, Jennifer also sat on the chair.

The performance began.

……

……

The scene Wen Xishu saw was very strange.

A giant smiling face loomed over a city.

Yet everyone in the city seemed not to notice this smiling face that obscured the sky.

The smiling face was not ferocious; it even made one feel somewhat healed. Beneath the smiling face was a city named Moen.

This was a young city, and the not-so-young Jack was in the Moen City Hospital.

Since childhood, he had been taught to face others with a smile, to be polite, and to be someone who could bring joy to others.

But the medical report for late-stage stomach cancer meant he could no longer smile.

Nearing death, no matter if you play the role of a workhorse or a slacker in society, you will realize—you are actually a human being.

At the end of his life, Jack wanted to be a person again, to be a good person.

Carrying his medical report, he returned to that old building with heavy steps.

The room was ridiculously simple: a kettle, a bed, two chairs. And a refrigerator that no longer cooled, having been reduced to a mere storage cabinet.

He took out an old notebook and wrote down his wishes.

"As a colleague, I really don't like Remian’s slander behind my back. But I think life must have made him have to be mean."

"This world has many kinds of outer garments; some can keep you warm, some can keep you from being hurt by others."

"Perhaps Remian wears the latter."

"I also have my own garment; I hope it is just as Mom said, that it can make people happy."

"I should go and make peace with Remian; after all, we are neighbors and colleagues. At the end of my life, I don't want anyone to hold a grudge against me."

"I only want to be evaluated as a good person on my tombstone and in people’s memories."

Jack let out a long breath, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"I like being with little Jennifer, although Yulia always says that men nowadays dislike her for having a child, that men are realistic and mean."

"But in my heart, little Jennifer is truly cute; she is one of the few people who likes my performances."

"The meaning of my life is to bring laughter to others, it’s just that in front of many people, I am meaningless."

"But little Jennifer is not... I have an appointment with little Jennifer to watch my newly rehearsed performance at my place tomorrow."

"The troupe is becoming less and less prosperous; I think perhaps I should add some stand-up comedy while performing acrobatics."

"I am increasingly unable to keep up with the punchlines of young people, but Jennifer is even younger than the young people."

Thinking of little Jennifer coming to watch his performance, Jack’s smile became even warmer and more healing; even with clown makeup on, it wouldn't make people feel it was gloomy, terrifying, or ferocious.

"And my good friend, Anderson; I have saved a sum of money, and I think I no longer have the chance to use it."

"Anderson is a good person. In this building, only he often talks to me. Although he is very busy, he still makes time to accompany me even when he is at his busiest."

"Using my money on myself is just a waste. I should leave some money for him... perhaps it can make his life a little better."

"Finally, there is my mother. It is a pity, I might have to go before you..."

"Mom, I love you very much, I love you very much. I hope you can be healthy and live a long life, although you are also tormented by illness..."

"What makes me even sadder is that I am afraid I cannot work hard to earn money. My time is running out."

"I have always listened to you; I have been eating well. My stomach trouble is absolutely not caused by hunger, absolutely not. I don't know how it came about either."

"I have always lived quite well, I just suddenly got sick."

"But I will try my best to tidy myself up to look healthy to see you one last time."

Regarding this part about his mother, Jack was somewhat insincere. He was afraid that after he died, his mother would think he got stomach cancer because he didn't eat well, and thus blame herself.

In fact, he did often go hungry and was skin and bones. But he didn't want his mother to think that way.

Just as he had always done, he only reported the good news and not the bad.

His confidante little Jennifer, the woman he loved Yulia, his colleague Remian, his good friend Anderson, and his mother.

These people made up Jack’s current life.

That is why there wasn't even a door in his room that could close, and he never went to fix it.

It seemed that if the door were open, these people would walk in and chat with him.

Even if it were to ask him for help, adding more trouble to a life already piled high with trouble, in his eyes, it was still happiness.

……

……

Life is not a mirror; it does not necessarily respond to a smile with a smile.

After finishing the long, farewell-to-the-world note, Jack sat dazed for a while before setting off to go upstairs.

He was going to find Remian.

Soon, he apologized to Remian; he didn't mind Remian forgiving him from a high-and-mighty position.

As long as there was no one left in this building who hated him.

He should have left then, but he suddenly thought he should make things clear—he was about to die, how could a dead person still pursue the one they loved?

He hoped Remian knew that Miss Yulia would not fancy someone like him, and after he died, that room could be given to Remian.

He wanted to support and bless Remian, and encourage Remian to pursue love. Even if Miss Yulia would likely not like anyone in this building.

So Jack turned back to go find Remian again.

Remian was on the phone.

"Yulia, please believe me, although Jack’s poverty goes without saying, he is also very lazy, and his heart is very wicked."

"You know his performances are always disgusting, and he is no longer limited to making adults feel sick."

"Last week, he suggested going to a school to perform..."

"How vicious he is! Those children, how pitiful they must be! His ugly appearance will leave psychological shadows on how many children? I will let everyone know his true face."

"Do you know? He doesn't love children! He actually hates kids very much."

"I heard he is also going to invite Jennifer alone to watch his performance. My god, please make sure to keep Jennifer away from him. She will have nightmares!"

Jack stood at the stairwell, the smile on his face already stiff.

In fact, such a scene had appeared more than once.

Sometimes it was for the circus ringmaster, sometimes for Yulia; Remian always liked to speak ill of others behind their backs.

There is no such thing as protective coloration; some people are simply evil.

A trace of malice emerged on the giant smiling face in the sky.

……

Anderson was Jack's good friend.

Jack had always felt that having one good friend in life was enough.

He wanted to say a proper goodbye to Anderson and, while he was at it, give him some money.

But when he returned home and prepared to take out the money, Anderson and his girlfriend were right there in Jack's room.

"This place reeks of mold. Why do you keep your money here?"

The woman said with disgust.

Anderson said as a matter of course:

"This dump of a house is my piggy bank, no... it's my cash cow."

"Jack, that idiot, always hides his money in the lining of this broken fridge. Except for me, no one really knows there's money hidden inside."

The woman was puzzled:

"Then if you take his money, wouldn't he know it was you?"

Anderson chuckled:

"Of course, but it doesn't matter. I'll just make up some lie, like I'm sick, and that fool will believe me."

"He'll even be extremely worried, asking if I have enough. Sometimes when there's no money left, he'll even tell me to wait while he goes to pick up odd jobs to earn some."

The woman was even more astonished:

"There are people like that in this world?"

Anderson's smile became even more unbridled:

"He is someone who claims he can sacrifice everything for a friend, and I am his friend."

"So this money was actually mine to begin with. God saw how hard I was working and arranged a living piggy bank to be my friend."

"Let's go, honey. Tonight I'll take you out for a good meal, and then we'll get a room!"

Anderson put his arm around the woman's waist. The woman vaguely felt that something was not quite right.

Anderson then said:

"In this world, some people offer tribute to love, and of course, some people offer tribute to friendship. I gave him the friendship he fantasized about, so he gives me money. It's quite reasonable, isn't it?"

The woman nodded, and their laughter drowned out the sound of tears falling outside the door.

The smiling face in the sky had become ferocious, its eyes revealing an eerie scarlet, and the clouds were also stained red.

Jack hid away in a sorry state. He wanted to scream hysterically, but in the end, he didn't.

He just waited for Anderson to leave before silently taking out the last little bit of money.

The banknotes were in his hands, silently watching his sorrowful face. It seemed to be wondering, who will this man give me to?

In this world, there are many ways for the rich to express love: smiling, greetings, posting on social media to thank the world...

And countless people will scramble to praise them.

But the only way for the poor to express love seems to be money. When you have no money, everything you do seems like an outdated circus performance...

It doesn't make people laugh; it only makes them disgusted and mocking. It clearly shouldn't be like this.

Yet Jack still took the money, preparing to give it to Jennifer and Yulia.

He called Yulia, wanting to say, "Yulia, if you're busy, shall I go pick up Jennifer from school for you?"

But Yulia rejected the call. When he called again, Yulia's phone indicated it was powered off.

He walked toward the school. Along the way, Jack clutched his stomach, feeling a pain as if the world had collapsed, gathering in his stomach, churning, twisting.

At the school gate, he saw Jennifer, and he also saw Yulia.

Yulia seemed to have gotten off work earlier today.

Perhaps because of Remian's phone call, the look Yulia gave Jack was exceptionally guarded.

Jack didn't know how to face Yulia. He could only look at Jennifer:

"Little Jennifer, you'll come to see my performance, right?"

"Jennifer doesn't have time tomorrow; she has tutoring." Yulia felt an equal disgust for everyone in this building.

She considered herself a beautiful woman; only handsome white billionaires were worthy of her.

Her ending up in the slums was only temporary, just like how Cinderella would eventually be found by the prince.

The overbearing CEO would surely fall in love with a divorced woman with a child like me.

"Then... then the day after tomorrow is fine too."

"She has tutoring then, too."

"What about the day after that? Is the day after that okay? A few days later is fine too..."

"No time, no time! She has tutoring, and besides, Jennifer and I are moving out soon. Stop harassing us! Jennifer, let's go."

Yulia took Jennifer and left.

Jack had been trying his best to endure it, but in the end, he couldn't. The pain made him half-kneel on the ground, and he began to dry heave, but nothing actually came out.

He wanted to apologize to Jennifer; he shouldn't have let this child see such a pathetic side of him.

But Yulia had already taken Jennifer away, as decisively as shaking off a plague.

Jennifer actually wanted to turn back and hug Jack; her eyes were filled with tears, but Yulia grabbed Jennifer's hand and shouted sternly:

"Jennifer, don't you dare look back!"

This was the last sentence Jack heard from Yulia.

Then, laughter finally broke out all around, but it wasn't a sound of joy; it was mockery. Jack began to wail.

A grown man kneeling and crying drew the mockery of a group of children.

Jack suddenly wanted to give up struggling and just lie on the ground to rest, but at this moment, a call came in.

"Mr. Jack, we are from the Fourth Nursing Home in Moen City. Your mother had an accident a short while ago."

"We... we have done our best. Perhaps you should come to the nursing home."

The phone fell to the ground, and the already cracked screen gained another crack. But it made no sound; the world seemed to have come to a standstill at this moment.

All the beauty and hope in life had died earlier than his own life.

The giant smiling face in the sky had become terrifyingly distorted, the red light in its eyes illuminating the world, and the entire world was covered in a layer of blood-red.

Those mocking sounds stopped abruptly, but another manic laughter rose faintly.

Under immense pressure, the man who wanted to bring joy to the world seemed to be alive, yet also seemed to be dead.

What Jack didn't know was that he had long been chosen by the Tower. His destiny would not end here.

……

……

The two chairs stopped rocking.

Wen Xishu and Jennifer woke up at the same time. Jennifer's eyes were filled with tears; it was unclear if it was from fear or sadness for Jack's experience.

Wen Xishu, however, looked calm; his attention had fallen elsewhere.

On the bare wall, two blood-red numbers appeared.

97, 61.

Wen Xishu frowned slightly, then revealed a smile.

Notes appeared in his eyes, but because his Anti-Magic Value was too low, they were still garbled text.

However, he still guessed the meaning of the numbers.

As a spectator, watching this performance, Jennifer scored 61 points, a passing grade. A score suitable for an NPC, neither high nor low.

And Wen Xishu scored 97 points.

The reason he was so certain was that although Wen Xishu couldn't parse the garbled notes, he had received another prompt.

【You have had the same thoughts as the Trickster Jack several times in a row. Throughout the viewing process, you did not pity Jack, but instead developed a desire for slaughter. You only disagreed in one place. You are truly a soulmate of the Trickster Jack.】

【Obtained item: Invitation Letter · Happy Jennifer.】

【Trickster Jennifer's favorability increased.】

Simply put, while watching Jack's day of despair from a special perspective, Wen Xishu did not cry like Jennifer, lamenting how pitiful Jack was.

He was even thinking, "Boring, why cry? I want to see rivers of blood, fast-forward to the 'darkened and ten times stronger' phase, and then kill to my heart's content."

Thinking that Jack would indeed go on a killing spree in reality later... he even felt a sense of thrill during the viewing process.

Wen Xishu didn't expect that this would actually earn him an incredibly high score:

"I sympathize with a pervert, so I got a special item?"

In his pocket, there really was an invitation letter with a peculiar texture. He opened the invitation and saw:

【Jennifer in the Moen City slums hasn't been happy lately; perhaps you have a way to make her happy.】

【Press your handprint on the invitation to interrupt and pause the Trick Tower progress, enter the corresponding level of the Desire Tower to obtain important items, and unlock hidden plots for the Trick Tower and the Slaughter Tower.】

Wen Xishu was shocked.

He realized that the invitation might be something only a very small number of people could trigger.

In his limited memory, it seemed no one had ever mentioned this thing.

This thing could actually ignore the login device restrictions and forcibly transfer to another tower?

What surprised Wen Xishu even more was that the invitation mentioned not only the Desire Tower but also the Slaughter Tower. The connection between the three towers was even tighter than he had imagined.

He thought of the differentiated notes like Cunning Jennifer and Desire Jennifer; could it be that there was also a Slaughter Jennifer?

Little Jennifer suddenly spoke, interrupting Wen Xishu's train of thought:

"Big brother... look, the stairs have appeared!"

(End of chapter)