Wan Jie Hospice Care Company

"But... what else can we do?"

Ji Zhuo still didn't relax, but he really hadn't found a solution.

And when he looked down, he discovered that the "ghost skin" he had peeled off was actually just a movie theater poster. The glossy paper gleamed cheaply under the emergency light, and it bore a cheerful line of red text: "[Eighteen Days of Passion, Hollywood Blockbuster Released on New Year's Day!]"

It seems that sending them out has distorted reality.

"Can the power of demons distort reality?" Xiang Yu repeated in a low voice, as if pondering the weight of the words. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and his pupils contracted slightly.

If there were a ghost, powerful enough to trap everyone in the world in that "other world" just now.

If the rule of this ghost is to infinitely and eternally cycle through a certain period of time.

Doesn't that mean...?

This world will be forever nailed to December 31st.

Xiang Yu suddenly understood.

There must be a demon in this world, a demon powerful enough to destroy the world, brewing within.

So the question is, what method should I use to make the world end before December 31st?

Do I really have that ability?

[Congratulations on completing side quest 1!!!]

Side Quest 1: Find out why this world cannot reach the year 2000. (Completing this side quest will not affect the success or failure of the main quest.)

A sudden notification startled Xiangyu.

Yes, the side quest is to find out the cause of the world's destruction...

In other words, he has actually found the cause of his destruction?

[Reward: Unlocks Side Quest 2 and Side Quest 3, and earns 5 points.]

Side Quest 2: Find the ghost that destroyed this world.

[Reward: 10 points.]

Side Quest 3: Find the ghost that created this world.

[Reward: 10 points.]

???

What kind of mission is this?

A demon that destroys the world, I can understand a corner... but a demon that creates the world?

Was this world created by ghosts?

Xiangyu was caught up in a brainstorming session.

Seeing that Xiang Yu remained silent for a long time, An Ling hesitated behind him for a long time. Her fingers were twisted together, and her brows furrowed and relaxed intermittently. Her expression was as if two little people were having a battle in their hearts, neither of them able to convince the other.

But in the end, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind. She stepped forward, her voice soft but steady:

"……Um?"

Xiang Yu was still pondering the strange task given by the system when An Ling's words stunned him: "You have a way... Could it be...?"

"Okay, I'll sing."

An Ling's expression was firm: "That woman who sang shouldn't be anything special, so I guess the rule for entering that world was—as long as there's a woman singing, you can enter."

"..." Xiang Yu hesitated, though he knew it was a possible solution. But was it too dangerous to do it this way?

Once that woman started singing, she was completely controlled by something strange. She had no control over her body, and her life or death was in the hands of that strange thing.

If Anling were to sing as well... she would also face the same danger.

Want to give it a try?

As long as we get back to that world and dig up a few corpses as quickly as possible, there shouldn't be any problems...

The key is to be fast!

"Give it a try."

Xiangyu decided to give it a shot.

"That's what I've been waiting for you to say." An Ling smiled nervously, a forced courage in her smile. She took a deep breath, her voice trembling, and slowly spoke—

"Forgive me for my life..."

"..."

An Ling was stunned. She slowly opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

"What's wrong?!" Ji Zhuo asked hurriedly from the side.

"Could it be because of a ghost?" Li Yiheng also became worried.

"...Ah." An Ling blushed. "I forgot my lines."

"..."

"Didn't you sing it quite well back then?" Xiang Yu said with a hint of helplessness.

"When you're nervous... you tend to forget your lines..." Her voice trailed off.

"Then sing something with lyrics you can't forget."

"Hmm... then..." An Ling took a deep breath and slowly spoke after composing herself.

"Little swallow, wearing a flowery dress, comes here every spring~"

I asked the swallow why it came, and the swallow said, "Spring is the most beautiful time here..."

"Singing nursery rhymes..." Li Yiheng was taken aback. "But I really can't forget this one. Even when I'm most scared, I can't forget the lyrics of this song."

The deflated inflatable castle seemed to be refilled with air by an invisible hand, slowly expanding.

A greasy ripple spread through the air, and countless dark shadows seeped out again from the corners of the walls, from the ceiling, and from behind those hollow pillars, like a receding tide suddenly rushing back.

That familiar stench of decay filled the entire space once again.

"Walk!"

Xiang Yu wasted no time. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaping into the air like an arrow, soaring over the head of the menacing, ghostly figure. The shadows stretched out their withered arms to grab him, but only caught a fleeting afterimage. He twisted in mid-air, landing steadily between the remaining pillars—

The fist's edge gathered into tiny fragments of light.

One strike!

"boom!"

The pillar snapped in response.

But amidst the smoke and dust, Xiang Yu frowned.

There was no body inside the pillar!

Xiang Yu only thought for half a second before rushing to another pillar and abruptly interrupting it.

It's still empty.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

As countless pillars broke, the crowd discovered that among the eight pillars, only the two corpses that had already been dug out remained.

"What's going on!" The paper-clad man, noticing the pillar was empty, screamed frantically, "Where's my brother? Why isn't he there?! Could he still be alive?!"

"No...it's very likely that they can actually move inside the building." Xiang Yu's eyes were icy cold. "They managed to move the corpses while we were away from the inner world!"

"What can I do? Please, think of something... I have to find a way to return my brother's body to his grave..." The man in paper clothes knelt down. "I can't save my brother, but at least I have to let his soul return home..."

"way……"

Xiang Yu looked at the five points on the panel and hesitated for a moment on the [Draw Skill] option. If he drew a useful skill, it might change the current situation.

But... can my luck really be that good? In critical moments, can I always draw the skill I want to use?

Just as Xiang Yu was pondering, An Ling's singing behind him suddenly changed tone!

Her figure suddenly became graceful, every smile and gesture as elegant as a startled swan, as fluid as a swimming dragon. The timidity from before vanished completely from her face, replaced by a composure and allure that emanated from her very being, the kind of composure and charm that belonged to a top performer. She slightly tilted her head, her eyes sparkling, and the look in her eyes was no longer that of An Ling.

The light and shadow around her also became strange, with divine light appearing and disappearing, sometimes in shadow and sometimes in light, half of her face hidden in darkness and the other half floating in pale light.

"this……"

As Ji Zhuo used his pistol to repel the attacking kids, he saw An Ling, who seemed like a completely different person, and couldn't help but feel a chill.

Then, An Lingdan smiled, her lips parted wide, a smile so beautiful it was breathtaking, yet as cold as moonlight in a graveyard.

She sang slowly:

"Flying Light, Flying Light, let me offer you a cup of wine—"