Chapter 2, The Cry of the Infant

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Zhang Chen is aware that his parents are just ordinary workers, and their combined monthly salary does not exceed 2,500 yuan. Moreover, it is quite difficult for them to support his education in the county town, let alone save money to purchase this nearly 100 square meter house, even if it is a second-hand one. Looking back now, it indeed seems very strange, especially considering that Zhang Chen is only 14 years old. So much has happened tonight that it feels like his head is about to explode.

Before long, Zhang's mother brought a bowl of tender yellow steamed eggs, topped with fried minced pork. Zhang Chen first swallowed his saliva, then began to eat heartily. In less than two minutes, the entire bowl of steamed eggs was devoured by Zhang Chen, yet strangely, despite feeling full, there remained a sense of emptiness in his stomach

At this moment, the door opened, and a man in a suit carried a woman in a wedding dress inside. The two were likely newlyweds, and this home was presumably their marital residence

The sound of crying seemed to be coming not from upstairs or downstairs, but from within my own home. In the middle of the night, could it be that someone has left a newborn baby for us to raise? But that doesn't make sense; this is the third floor, if someone were to leave a baby, it would be on the first floor. Zhang Chenyue found it increasingly strange and decided to get out of bed to investigate.

The man in black initially told me that something happened at my home. He warned me to be careful, and then suggested that I should burn incense and pray. Could it be true? Zhang Chen suddenly recalled this point.

"Is Dad feeling unwell somewhere?" Zhang Chen furrowed his brow

If this man is a ghost, and what he says is true, then the events that occurred at home, in the bathroom and with my father. Thinking of this, Zhang Chen was actually frightened by his own speculation

"How strange, is my bathroom like this?" Zhang Chen looked left and right but did not notice any difference in the bathroom. He thought he was being overly sensitive and did not pay much attention. He took a few steps forward and approached the sink to begin addressing his needs.

This collision jolted Zhang Chen awake. Looking at the tightly closed wooden bathroom door, he recalled his previous strange behavior and immediately ran back to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him

Uncle Wang, in his 40s, has congenital strabismus (which means his pupils are asymmetrical). He has been a security guard in this community for nearly 6 years. Although he is relatively short and has strabismus, he is very honest and straightforward, and he is responsible in his work. He insists on guarding from 6:30 in the morning until midnight, and it is rare to see him not paying attention to the entrance. Naturally, the residents in the community treat Uncle Wang very well, and Zhang Chen also admires this person

Compatibility with the current physical body: 30%

Zhang Chen felt a warm sensation in his heart after hearing his mother prepare steamed eggs for him, and then he saw her figure walking towards the kitchen. He recalled that although he never argued with his parents and always took care of his responsibilities, ever since he became obsessed with games like CS and Warcraft, his academic performance had plummeted. He suddenly felt a deep sense of guilt towards his parents

At this moment, the baby is repeatedly striking the wall with its swollen right hand, as if there is something inside.

Main Soul: Glutton

One day, a woman held a white piece of paper in her hand. Zhang Chen could not see what was written on it. From the woman's actions and behavior, it was evident that she was very nervous, even somewhat afraid.

Zhang Chen took off his backpack and walked to the living room. As the family was not very well-off, they did not buy a sofa; instead, there were three wooden stools facing a 28-inch color television.

"Was that just a dream? I have never had such a vivid dream before." Upon waking, Zhang Chen reflected on the events that had just transpired in the dream, which were completely and clearly imprinted in his mind.

However, this phenomenon did not cause Zhang Chen to retreat. At this moment, Zhang Chen's gaze fell upon a plump infant lying between the toilet and the right wall. The reason it is described as plump is that the infant's body was bloated and had a faint bluish tint, not in the way of being chubby, but rather as if it had been puffed up.

Zhang Chen remained still, yet the scene before him was changing, as if watching a movie in fast forward, where five minutes felt like nearly a day. In Zhang Chen's view, the two shared a very close relationship; more precisely, the woman was deeply infatuated with the man. At all times, the woman was clinging to the man, leaning against him, and even engaging in some kisses and excessive gestures.

Your father is also a person of 40 years, and he may be quite tired from work. Since moving houses, he has been going to bed earlier each day.

Zhang Chen was startled awake by this sound, thinking he was dreaming. He pursed his lips dismissively and went back to sleep. This time, Zhang Chen slept very soundly and gradually drifted into a dream.

An incredible scene unfolded as the decayed face of the infant suddenly appeared somewhat tense, its sharp teeth instantly receding, before it turned and jumped into the toilet.

Physical function: poor

I did not pay attention, thinking that I had not digested the food because I ate too quickly

After the eyelids cover the eyes, it is not true darkness; one can still see some scattered points of light. However, Zhang Chen is unaware that after closing his eyes, he is actually entering true darkness, a state of consciousness emptied. At the very moment he is about to fall into genuine sleep, an aged voice echoes in his mind

Then the man returned home and, upon seeing the paper in the woman's hand, first embraced her with a hint of sadness. The woman in his arms seemed to be crying very sorrowfully, yet Zhang Chen sensed that the man appeared to be preoccupied with other thoughts

Zhang Chen, who is currently climbing the stairs after parking.

Number of skill slots: 3

By the way, this house was purchased by my parents to make it more convenient for me to attend school in town, so I wouldn't have to take a long trip into the city every morning. I remember when we bought the house, it was about a year ago. The person who sold us the house, I met her once with my parents; she should be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and very beautiful. I don't know why she wanted to sell the house.

A long rumble echoed from Zhang Chen's stomach, and the sudden feeling of hunger made him lean his hands on the railing. "Is it really necessary to be this hungry during the growth period?" Zhang Chen murmured as he ascended the stairs

Perceptual ability: high

However, upon seeing such a tempting baby, Zhang Chen couldn't help but drool, murmuring, "I really want to eat."

With a surge of energy, Zhang Chen grasped the handle of the bathroom door, twisted it forcefully, and swiftly pushed the door open

A myriad of anguished cries from countless individuals emanated from the restroom stall, and as Zhang Chen approached the restroom, he seemed to be struck by an invisible force, violently thrust out of the bathroom and crashing against the wall outside the door

"Wanhe Garden". Zhang Chen quickly rode past the security booth.

"It's nothing, Uncle Wang. I have a little matter to attend to on the way, so I will head back first," Zhang Chen smiled and rode his bike into the community

Step by step, Zhang Chen slowly opened the door to his bedroom. As the baby's cries fluctuated in volume, the moment he stepped out of the bedroom, Zhang Chen heard the chilling sound of crying coming from the bathroom, where the light was already seeping through the crack of the door.

The bathroom at home is not equipped with a toilet seat; it still has the old-fashioned squat toilet. As Zhang Chen stepped into the bathroom, a strange feeling arose in his heart. Despite having used this bathroom countless times, he felt an unfamiliar sensation, and he could also sense a slight chill emanating from the left wall, making him feel uncomfortable all over.

Zhang Chen

"Could it be that our house is really haunted?" At this moment, Zhang Chen was already highly focused, having long lost any desire for sleep

Damn it, I didn't die after jumping into the river today, so I refuse to believe in the supernatural!

Just as he put on his shoes, the sound of crying came in again. This time, Zhang Chen was certain that the sound definitely came from his own home

"Wah——Wah——" Another sound came through, and Chen immediately sat up from the bed, putting on the glasses that were on the bedside table. It was not because the baby's cries were frightening, but because the source of the sound was right in this home

Zhang Chen walked back to the bedroom with a face full of confusion, collapsing onto the bed, as various events that had occurred today suddenly surfaced in his mind

Standing at the door, Zhang Chen faintly heard the sound of the television coming from behind the door. He glanced at his watch and realized it was 10:20. After contemplating how to explain to his mother, he took out his keys and opened the door

The sound of a baby crying, "Wah—Wah—", suddenly entered Zhang Chen's ears, and the scene before him instantly vanished, transforming into his own bedroom

"Oh dear, I came back with my classmates, and that short and chubby classmate had a little accident while riding his bike halfway. We took him home before returning. His home is in XX, which is quite far from here, so it took a bit longer," Zhang Chen said, feigning an innocent expression. After saying this, Zhang Chen couldn't help but recall the man in the black trench coat and the matter concerning his heart, shivering slightly. Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zhang's mother remained silent and got up to head towards the kitchen. After saying this, Zhang Chen couldn't help but recall the man in the black trench coat and the matter concerning his heart, shivering slightly. Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zhang's mother remained silent and got up to head towards the kitchen.

Suddenly, a shadow darted out, and Zhang Chen immediately squeezed the brake. Upon stopping and taking a look, it turned out to be Uncle Wang, the security guard

Zhang Chen observed the expression on his mother's face as she responded, and during the course of her statement, a fleeting look of anxiety crossed her features, only to vanish almost immediately

The baby opened its mouth, and a row of yellow teeth rapidly elongated and sharpened. Its body turned towards Zhang Chen, seemingly about to pounce on him. However, Zhang Chen remained as if he had lost his soul, slowly walking step by step towards the baby.

After a while, the man assisted the woman as they walked towards the bedroom, casually crumpling a piece of paper into a ball and throwing it in the direction of Zhang Chen. ... On the crumpled paper, Zhang Chen could only see the four characters "Fang Ren Hospital". He crouched down, preparing to pick up the paper ball, at that moment ...

Additionally, Zhang Chen noticed a detail: it was now spring, the indoor temperature was close to 20 degrees, yet his father was covered with two blankets. In Zhang Chen's eyes, his father had always been a particularly robust person; even in winter, he had never seen his father use two blankets.

Zhang Chen looked at the baby, seemingly oblivious to the unusual circumstances of the bathroom, and actually walked towards the baby while holding his stomach, continuously murmuring, "So hungry, so hungry, I really want to eat"

Red, all red, this is not a bathroom of our own, it is simply hell. In a 10 square meter bathroom, whether on the floor, ceiling, or walls, it is filled with dense red blood. A strong, pungent smell of blood surged into Zhang Chen's nostrils, and at the same time, a drop of dark red blood dripped down from directly above, landing precisely on the back of Zhang Chen's hand as he opened the door, then dissipating into a wisp of blue smoke

After conversing with his mother for a while, he went to wash up and prepare for bed. After changing into his pajamas and getting everything ready, Zhang Chen went to the bathroom for a final urination before sleeping

"Mom, why aren't Dad and you watching TV?" Zhang Chen asked after putting away the dishes in the kitchen.

Overall evaluation: Poor

After crossing the bridge, Zhang Chen arrived at the community where his home is located in just 8 minutes by bicycle, with four large characters atop two massive stone pillars

Zhang Chen had a dream in which he stood at the entrance of his home, or rather, at the entrance of a house that had the same layout as his own, but with completely different decorations and arrangements.

"Why are you so late coming back? The steamed egg with sauce that I made for you has gone cold. Let me heat it up for you," came Zhang Mama's voice from a chair in front of the living room television.

"Damn it, I'm going to sleep. If there's anything, let's talk about it tomorrow." Zhang Chen pulled the blanket over himself and closed his eyes, preparing to sleep

Oh, it's you, Xiao Zhang. You usually come back by 9 o'clock, but today you're so late. The lighting is poor, and I was afraid a thief had sneaked in. I truly apologize for the misunderstanding, Uncle Wang said innocently after realizing he had mistaken the person.

The two individuals appeared to be very affectionate. From a distance of one or two meters, Zhang Chen could never clearly see their faces. When he tried to approach to get a better look at them, he realized that after walking for quite some time, he was still standing in the same place.

Number of skill slots used: 0

Main soul grid status: Enabled

Saturation: 0%

After finishing in the bathroom, Zhang Chen paused in front of his parents' bedroom door before reaching out to open it. Inside the dimly lit bedroom, his father was already lying in bed, sound asleep. However, Zhang Chen sensed a strange aura emanating from his father, which he could only describe as "cold." The faint breath coming from his father was surprisingly similar to the feeling in the bathroom.

In contrast, the infant seemed to sense Zhang Chen's approach, ceasing its cries and the act of throwing itself against the wall. Slowly turning its face, upon closer inspection, the infant's face appeared as if it had been submerged in water for too long, with most of it already decayed, even developing some blisters. Both eyes had turned white and bulged out, evoking a chilling sensation in those who beheld it

Sub-soul grid status: Not activated