Han Fei was quite surprised to hear that notification because he had not helped Weep with any mission. Weep’s past caused him to block himself off deeply from the world. Han Fei initially thought Weep would be one of the hardest neighbours to befriend, but after some actual interactions, Han Fei realized Weep was not as scary as the boy portrayed himself to be. Ironally, the ghosts in this world still retained the warmth of humanity. ‘One day, I swear to return the smile to Weep’s face.’
With that decision made, Han Fei felt a sense of buoyancy. He found it hard to believe that the game was able to isolate him so completely from his problems in real life. With just a slight improvement in his neighbourly relationship, Han Fei was overwhelmed by satisfaction. ‘I should carry this feeling with me as a reminder. Bringing people laughter, isn’t that why I became a comedy actor in the first place? My dream hasn’t changed but, on the way to pursue that dream, harsh reality has dulled my passion so much that I couldn’t muster up my own smile anymore.’
Han Fei turned to look at the talisman-covered door. A trace of confusion bubbled up in his heart. ‘How come I never felt this sense of gratification when I worked on the stage in real life? If anything, being on stage drains me but here, bringing comfort to these dead people is greatly satisfying. Why?’ Han Fei never really gave this any thought because in real life, he was too busy earning money, pleasing the right people and fighting for a chance to stay before the camera. ‘Is it all just because of the constant threat of death?’
He stared down the eerie corridor and the faces of all the neighbours he had met came up in his mind. None of these people were perfect, they either had physical imperfection or mental imperfection. To survive in this apartment, Han Fei would have to heal their pain, to help them regain their lost humanity. ‘In a way, this is truly an Iyashikei game in every sense of the word.’
Han Fei had stayed in the game long enough that night. He was about to log off when the door to Room 1031 suddenly opened.
“Get in quick.” Meng Si appeared at the door. “Do you need help? Don’t stay out there in the corridor for too long!” The old lady lectured like she was talking to her unruly grandson. Spotting Han Fei standing alone in the corridor, she quickly pulled him into her house. “Why did you go over to Room 1034 again? Haven’t I warned you about how dangerous that place is?”
Meng Si’s chiding belied a deep-seated concern for Han Fei. Han Fei found himself warmed even though he was being nagged at.
“I knew something was not right when I heard the opposite door open. I’ve been waiting by my own door, preventing people from wandering cluelessly into that room.” Meng Si’s house was lit up with red candles. Once bitten twice shy. She was extremely cautious of Weep after what happened to Chen Chen. “Young man, you are too brave for your own good. Other people couldn’t wait to get away from that place but you voluntarily rushed into it? Have you lost your mind?”
Han Fei didn’t know what to say in response to Meng Si’s words. “Granny, actually Weep is not as bad as you think.” Han Fei relayed Weep’s past and everything the boy had to endure before he died. After hearing Han Fei out, Meng Si was silent for a long time before she said, “The boy is pitiable, yes, but ultimately he is different from us. He is a ghost.”
Surrounded by the red candles, Han Fei hesitated for some time before he chose to broach the subject, “Granny, do you really not remember anything?”
“What do you mean?” Meng Si clearly had no idea what Han Fei was talking about.
“Actually…” Holding her hands, Han Fei looked into the old lady’s face and came out with the truth. “Granny, you and Chen Chen died 10 years ago…” Before Han Fei finished, half of the candles got snuffed out. In the flickering light, Meng Si trembled as she leaned on the dining table. “What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“For the frozen body case, the mother found out that her adopted son had murdered someone. To give that son a chance to surrender himself to the police, she helped him hide the body. That happened 10 years ago.”
“I know, it was me who told you…”
“The mother gave her son one week’s time but before the week was over, the mother was found murdered alongside her grandson. Their bodies were found inside a cold chain transport truck’s freezer cargo.” Han Fei spoke hurriedly, “The murderer did not stop after killing the mother and her grandson. If he is not detained, more people will fall to his prey.”
All the red lights in the room extinguished. The temperature dropped. The freezing sensation was different from anything Han Fei had felt in this game before. It was like he was locked inside a freezer and the chill was slowing down his veins and heart. In the dark, Meng Si shook harder and harder. A face gradually emerged from the back of Meng Si’s head.
Han Fei did not expect his words to have such a drastic effect. However, he stayed. He did not run from fear. Instead, he gripped Meng Si’s icy hands harder. “Tolerance will not make the murderer repent, it only gives him more chances to hurt others!” Two scary, wiry arms reached out from the old lady’s head. Essentially, a monster was crawling out from Meng Si’s mind!
“The demon probably is probably out there targeting some other innocent child as we speak. He thrives on breaking up happy families. We need to capture him as soon as possible!” The temperature dropped to freezing point. The warm little house was encased in a frozen hell. The old lady’s body quivered violently. Painful memories surfaced in her mind as her kind face gradually lined with deep regret. It seemed like with the appearance of the monster inside her head, some of Meng Si’s memory returned as well.
“The mother must have seen something before she died, she will not want her own son to commit more irreversible mistakes!”
When Han Fei said that, the old lady’s gnarly hands suddenly clenched around Han Fei’s wrist powerfully. Meng Si’s lips trembled like she was mumbling something. Han Fei had to lean in very close before he could make out the words—Dong Hwa Ice Factory.
“An ice factory? But based on the statement given by the mother’s eldest son, Meng Si and Meng Chen’s bodies were discovered inside a truck!” Han Fei had more questions but suddenly the bedroom door opened. When Chen Chen saw his grandmother in this state, he cried immediately. Hearing the boy’s wails, the monster’s struggle to escape conspicuously slowed. Han Fei was flustered. He quickly disentangled himself from Meng Si’s grasp to switch on all the lights in the room and relit all the candles. After the lights came back on, the monster slowly retreated back into Meng Si’s head.
Everything returned to normal. The old lady collapsed to the ground. Her face was pale.
‘What was that all about?’ Han Fei carried the old lady to the couch and placed her gingerly there. He then started to think. ‘Most of the neighbours I can communicate with at this apartment have forgotten about their own death, they cannot even recognize the fact that they are ghosts. Part of their memory is lost but at the same time, it carried away their pain. Was the monster inside Meng Si’s head the manifestation of that painful memory? Or was the monster the actual Meng Si?’
Studying the fainted old lady, Han Fei considered all the possibilities. ‘Could this be the working of the former building manager? He sealed up these neighbours’ painful memories to help them settle into this world more easily? But this does not solve the problem, the pain is still there, it is merely swept under the rug temporarily. The pain will not go away because it is not seen!’
