“There were four ghosts with you. Where are they now?” Ou Yang Susu carried the resident with the ruined face. She was anxious.
“I might have eaten them. I feel so full.” Fan Li checked the wounds on his hands. “I’ll lose control once I use that thing.” Everyone had their own secrets. Ou Yang Susu didn’t probe. She took out the med kit and handed it to Fan Li.
“He needs it more.” Fan Li opened the kit and bandaged the resident swiftly, “His injuries are serious. If he doesn’t leave this place tonight, he’ll die here.”
After being fed some water, the resident recovered slightly. His lips opened. “Save my mother. Please.”
“Your mother?” Fan Li looked around. “Why were you captured by those ghosts? What happened here?”
“It’s madness. Everyone here has lost their minds. Their faces have been stolen, and they have turned into monsters.” The man uttered intermittently. “At first, it was the auntie from the neighbourhood committee who picked up something back. She said it was magical. Once you worship it, everything you wish for will come true. But as more people worshipped it, more inexplicable things started to happen! You must be careful!”
“Why were you spared? Is it because of your face?” Brother Lee was curious.
“God likes perfect faces and good memories. I was born with a facial defect. It was my mother who looked after me. My dad is never home. My life is so sad that even the ghost looks down on me.” The man said through tears. “I did this to my own face. I am cowardly. I did many bad things. I’m not a good person. It doesn’t matter what happens to me, but you have to save my mother! She listened to the aunties from the neighbourhood committee. She went to find the mud figurine and hadn’t returned in a while already!”
“Then, I fear the worst has happened to her.” Once Brother Lee said that, he was rewarded with a glare by Ou Yang Susu. “I was just telling the truth.”
“Think of it . Perhaps all the unfairness in your life is to prepare you for this moment. When the tragedy is here, humanity’s darkness will be amplified. It doesn’t matter how you lived your life in the past. The most important thing is how you grab your future.” Fan Li applied medicine to the man’s wounds. “What is your name?”
“Wu You…” The man wallowed in self-pity. Both ghosts and humans disliked him. Other than Xiao Guo, he was the only one in the residential area who was still human, albeit he had been turned into a toy by the ghosts.
“Did your mother say anything before she left?” Gao Ming checked Wu You’s wounds. He considered the ultimate treatment: throwing him into the torture room.
“She said she was going to Granny Lee’s place. She mentioned consulting something to treat my face.” Wu You slumped to the ground. “This is Granny Lee’s fault. It was she who invited the ghost into the neighbourhood. They will summon people to the activity room every night. Dark figures that face away from you might show up in the corridors any time.”
“You’ve survived here for so long already. Can you tell us anything that we should pay attention to?” Ou Yang Susu asked the critical question, “Other than ruining our faces.”
Tears flowed down the scars on his face. Wu You shivered. “Do not look at their faces. Stay away from mirrors. Right! There are other residents whose faces haven’t been taken. They look normal, but they are scarier than the faceless residents! That mud figurine has a very perverse nature. It only likes to feast on the faces of good people. It munches on kindness. It will purposely ignore the sinners. The heavier the sin, the bigger the chance of being ignored by it!”
“This figurine has quite a picky taste.” Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He could confirm that the mud figurines had the same need as he did. They wanted the living human’s power of will or twisted faith. It could help normal Big Ghosts turn into Dream Ghosts and aid the mud figurines to complete their rebirth.
“I need you to tell us where Granny Lee’s home is. The monsters are in the activity room. If the mud figurine is at Granny Lee’s place, we’ll destroy it directly!” Fan Li climbed up from the ground. He had just experienced something traumatic, but his condition was better than before. Furthermore, a meat fragrance radiated from his body. It was the smell of food.
Carrying Wu You, the group returned to the sixth floor. They opened the side door and found the pale Teacher Liu hiding inside.
After meeting the ghosts, Fan Li told them to leave. The girl flew out of her home to chase after them. Before they were trapped, Brother Lee and Ou Yang Susu shoved Teacher Liu into the side room. They had no power to defend themselves, but they subconsciously wanted to save others. This was something special they had.
Most times, the world was not shone by the light. Instead, the world was lit up by normal people like them who carried the sun.
Teacher Liu was still so scared even though the ghosts were gone. She didn’t even dare look at Gao Ming, much less approach him.
“You are a responsible teacher, and we’ll be responsible for your safety.” Gao Ming grabbed Teacher Liu by her wrist, and they went downstairs.
The night was thickened by the fog. The neighbourhood became creepier. There were figures standing on the balconies, facing away from the view.
“You’re finally here! We need to move!” Youyou had urged Bai Shu multiple times. If they stayed at a fixed location for too long, they would be targeted so easily.
“The activity is on the fourth floor of Block Seven. Granny Lee’s home is on the second floor of Block Seven. There are only two floors between them. Do not make too much noise.” Wu You lay on Fan Li’s back and said weakly, “If you really run into powerful ghosts, you can toss me out as bait. It doesn’t matter if I die. I hope you can save my mother.” The ugly and scary face pressed on Fan Li’s shoulder. Wu You’s sudden speech frightened Youyou and Bai Shu. “Brother Fan, are we really bringing him with us?”
“We’ll go to our destination first,” Fan Li ran ahead. He would not give up on Wu You like he wouldn’t give up on anyone around him. People like him were born to be the main characters.
Block Seven was built in the deepest part of the neighbourhood. There were sundry shops on the first floor, a kindergarten on the third floor, and the fourth floor, which had been modified into an elderly activity room. The neighbourhood committee would organise activities there too.