Famine

Chapter 12

I returned to school, still puzzled, and only when Xiaoting angrily chased me away did I suddenly realize what was going on.

Everyone only has a superficial understanding of things, and someone like me, who takes the blame for others (although it was a misunderstanding, I never intended it that way), always has to pay a price. This "serious" car accident scared them (actually, they were just wrapped up in thick bandages), and although they felt their own problem was important, they didn't want me to actually lose my life.

…But for some reason, my eyes welled up with tears.

Humans have many flaws, being selfish and foolish. But fundamentally, they all possess a kind side, both in life and in death.

Feeling their tender intentions made me feel awkward yet warm.

From then on, unless it was something really serious, almost no one bothered me. Even if some people occasionally tried to cause trouble, my classmates would glare at them and chase them away.

"...I feel like throwing up." Huang E looked utterly disgusted. "Ugh...these people are so repulsive..."

I gently patted her back, and she promptly vomited on me.

…The lynx is actually quite delicate.

But when I saw Tang Chen from afar, I quickly ran into the dormitory.

Two weeks into the semester, I've indeed been avoiding Tang Chen. It's not easy... but I always find a way. Avoiding being alone isn't difficult... ever since that terrible nickname and the rumors started, I've been surrounded by people (both alive and dead), and he's very popular, with Xiao Lian growing around him like fruit.

It's not that I hate Tang Chen. I still care about him and think he's a good person who deserves to live happily under the sun. But since I've already transferred his misfortune onto myself, there's no need for me to keep an eye on him.

As long as I live, all those who want to eat him will have to come and negotiate with me, even if it means fighting to the death. This is the rule of the straightforward monster. If I die, then I have done my best, and he still has the abundant love of his parents and his kind and benevolent heart to withstand fate.

It's already had a very negative impact on him. The fact that he can see the desolation is already terrible. Most people have some kind of intuition, what's called the ability to see ghosts. If this talent isn't used, it will disappear completely with age.

I had no choice; the desolation parasite was living within me, forcing me to see it. And Tang Chen, who was originally unable to see it, perhaps gradually "opened his eyes" because of his frequent contact with me.

This was unfortunate for him.

For his own good, I should keep my distance. He has plenty of friends; he doesn't need someone as sarcastic as me.

"...Why have you suddenly become so kind?" Huang E ran away, "My stomach~"

"This isn't out of kindness." I turned my face away. "I envy him. I really wish... my life could be like his..."

Surrounded by all kinds of love.

I thought my fate was sealed, that it would always be this way. But at least someone demonstrated a happy and fulfilling life, showing me a possibility.

That's why I feel that the world isn't so bad.

Huang E gagged and flew away; she really was quite slender.

I mentioned before that playing with Ouija boards is prohibited at our school, right? I heard that some club members played it once in the student union office and something bad happened. But I only know vaguely what happened; I only know that the old man threw a huge tantrum. The locals wouldn't say more, only that the living people were clueless and insisted on doing things they shouldn't have.

Although some people still secretly play around, nothing serious has happened. It's said that after that incident, the old man stopped liking the original residents causing trouble. They've lived here for so long, and they generally listen to the old man.

After all, the old man wasn't the kind of district official who blindly favored the living; he was fair and just, which naturally won him people's hearts.

But, you know how young people are, curiosity always kills the cat. One dark and stormy night, my roommate and I were fast asleep when we were woken up by a deafening knocking on the door.

I had barely opened my eyes when I was pulled off the bed. There were pleas, cries, and screams all around, and I could only stare blankly.

Huang E rushed in, his face full of interest. "Playing with a Ouija board? These kids have really angered the Ouija King."

"How terrifying!" Finally, someone spoke in a slightly more coherent manner. "Mother Mo, come quick! Someone has fainted, and someone seems to be possessed..."

I guess all the blood rushed out of my head; the air felt incredibly thin. I turned around, grabbed my coat, and hurriedly ran outside.

They really knew how to pick a spot; they chose the very entrance to the gym, the one that had been haunted for years, causing chaos and unrest. The equipment had long been moved out, and a table had been placed in the center, with a delicate and exquisite blue-and-white porcelain dish on it…

Look at that swirling aura, it looks quite ancient... Don't tell me that's a funerary object from a centuries-old tomb.

What made me even more confused was that the plate was floating on the paper on the table, about a finger's width above it. Several students were holding their fingers on it, crying and shouting, saying they couldn't remove their fingers. Some even fainted, lying face down on the table, but their fingers were still on it.

"...Quiet!" I shouted, and the noisy crowd fell silent.

It was only then that I noticed a person sitting in a chair, eyes rolled back, body twitching slightly, with a strange, ambiguous expression that was neither a smile nor a frown.

Anyone with eyes can tell that this guy is either mentally ill or possessed. But I think the latter is more likely... and judging from the way my hair stood on end and the way he wouldn't even approach Huang E, I guess he's messed with a big shot.

"What do you want?" Getting straight to the point is the fastest way; who has the patience to chat with him over there?

The plate began to move, eliciting a low gasp.

"Tang Sanzang".

My classmate might be confused, but I knew perfectly well what was going on. He wanted Tang Chen. I glanced at the room and felt somewhat relieved that Tang Chen wasn't there.

I took a deep breath and said to myself, "If you want Tang Sanzang, according to the rules, you have to talk to me."

He sneered and glared at me with his eyes rolled back.

I had a bad feeling. He wasn't like the dead or monsters I knew. Instead, he was something deeper, darker, and more powerful.

The plate started moving again, still displaying the words "Tang Sanzang".

“You need to talk to me,” I insisted. “Let these mortals go first. Or are you saying that without these mortals, you can’t even show yourself?”

He suddenly let out a terrible roar and slammed his fingers on the table.

"Don't provoke him!" Huang E suddenly screamed. "He's not a monster, he's a demon, a demon!"

…This is truly the king of fortune sticks.

I froze for a second, then cursed Huang E in my heart, "Why didn't you remind me sooner!"

Huang E panicked, “…There’s only one demon in the whole place. How was I supposed to know that old man was so powerful? How could there be a demon lurking here…I only just figured it out, and you’re already cursing me!” As he spoke, he burst into tears.

If crying could solve anything, I'd beat you until you cried, even if you didn't! What good does crying do now...?

"Grandpa, help me!" Even though I had stubbornly refused to help anyone, I still shamelessly cried for help.

Humans tend to underestimate demons. In reality, demons are rare in the human world and rarely make a move. But think about it: gods and demons are on equal footing. If we were to rank them, ghosts that terrify people would be at the very bottom of the list. Even monsters like Huang'e, who cannot transform into human form, can still act arrogantly towards ghosts.

However, Huang E immediately shrinks in comparison to the White Bone Demon, who can transform into human form. The White Bone Demon is considered a mid-to-high-level monster... If he sees a demon, he would probably wish he had more legs and would run as fast and as far as he could to avoid being touched by the demon.

If you arrange them like this, I think you'll know where the demons' ranks are.

Our school is incredibly lucky; the local authority is an outstanding local deity. If it were someone weaker, we could only pray for their souls to rest in peace.

"...What can I do?" the old man replied with a bad temper. "You little brat, you deserve to be beheaded too!"

"Grandpa, please have mercy," I was really about to cry. "If I die, it will mean the deaths of twelve people. Even if you don't care about my own life, have pity on this whole bunch of people!"

My death is nothing, but Huang E and the nine ghost messengers will have to go with me. Including the innocent Tang Chen's life, there will be a total of twelve dead souls, making a dozen.

Only today did I realize how important I am.

The old man is kind-hearted. I guess even if I didn't ask, he would have handled it, just making these kids suffer a little.

"Go and call Tang Chen over. While that old bastard is lunging at you, put the plate back in its place." The old man sighed. "Smash the plate as soon as it's back in its place. Don't let that old bastard have a chance to climb up."

"...Absolutely not!" I exclaimed in alarm. "Can't I do it? He needs Tang Chen to talk to me first..."

"That's the rules of monsters!" the old man snapped. "What monster rules does he want to follow from you? He's a demon! What's with all this babbling? If you hadn't been harmed by that ghost bird and couldn't become a medium, would I be here in such a hurry? Hurry up and do it! Would I, an old man, harm you? Idiot!"

After being scolded, I struggled to speak and finally said, "...Find Tang Chen."

Before I could even speak, everyone in the room seemed to snap out of their daze and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What are you standing there for?" I stamped my foot anxiously. "Quickly, find him!"

I really didn't want to involve him in this danger, but I really had no choice. He had just reached the door when the guy possessed by the old demon suddenly jumped up and pounced on him. I took the opportunity to put my hand on the plate and found that it was as if it had grown roots.

"Damn it!" I screamed, "Protect Tang Chen! If someone eats you, where will your pride be?" Ignoring what others thought, I started wrestling with the ghostly plate.

I could only hear a clattering sound behind me; I had no time to turn around. I could only gamble on my obsession with food and desperately push the plate, but it was incredibly heavy.

I got angry, reached for the slingshot in my pocket, and without thinking, I slammed it down on the plate. Surprisingly, the plate was afraid of being hit and moved aside. I then moved it back to its original position, and the plate slumped softly against the table. When the others realized they could remove their hands, they hurriedly ran away, remembering to drag the unconscious person away.

Smash this plate... Okay, what to use to smash it? Knowing he was afraid of being hit by a slingshot, I reached into my pocket for the moonstone and fired a dozen shots in quick succession, smashing the plate to pieces.

A sickening scream rang out for a few seconds. I turned around; Tang Chen was lying on the ground, the possessed creature sitting on top of him, its eyes gradually clearing. It looked at me, then at the broken plates on the table, and suddenly screamed, "Those are antiques from the Qing Dynasty!"

If he weren't a living person, I would have grabbed a slingshot and shot him until he was as flat as that broken plate.

I pushed him hard and quickly checked on Tang Chen. But no matter how much I pushed, he didn't move at all. I was terrified; I couldn't even detect his pulse, so I pressed my ear against his chest.

A very stable heartbeat.

Then I heard him speak, through the resonance of his chest, so strong and powerful.

"You'll only stop avoiding me after something happens, right?" he said coldly.

So he's still angry with me.

I hurriedly sat up straight, and he angrily sat up as well, glaring at me.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt wronged. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a word, tears started streaming down my face.

That bastard Tang Chen actually hugged me and started crying too.

This Ouija board incident infuriated the school authorities, who issued several major demerits to the ringleaders. However, I was unaffected.

But I felt no luck at all, because I was overwhelmed by an even bigger wave of gossip. The people present exaggerated the incident to the level of the Investiture of the Gods, their imaginations so vivid that they should have become writers and scammed royalties.

But that wasn't the worst part. What was worse was that Tang Chen and I were mistaken for a "supernatural version of The Return of the Condor Heroes" when we hugged and cried.

I'm going crazy.

Fortunately, the National Day holiday was just two days after the incident. I rushed down the mountain and hid at Shuo's place, waiting for the rumors to subside a bit.

But while classmates might avoid gossip, they couldn't avoid Tang Chen.

He pulled a long face and insisted that I explain. I was truly on the verge of tears.

"...It's a long story, and you don't have a lifetime to listen to me," I said, trying my best to excuse myself.

"How do you know there isn't a lifetime?" he blurted out.

Damn, this is even more embarrassing. We both blushed, and Huang E laughed so hard he fell off my left shoulder and onto the floor, wincing in pain.

Driven by pride and appetite, she bravely challenged the old demon. Even though it was a demon with an 80-90% chance of dying, her courage was still commendable. I made her drink a lot of blood that day, and she still looked like she was on the verge of death. Now she's even aggravating her wounds just to laugh.

All I can say is that he deserved it.

Tang Chen looked at Huang E struggling on the ground, "...I can see her. She risked her life to protect me."

It's a good thing to be able to change the subject. I coughed lightly, "...Her name is Huang E."

Then he fell silent. I didn't know what to say; he seemed to be waiting for something.

"Aren't you going to tell me more?" Tang Chen looked at me with his handsome eyes. "Since the haunted house, I've had very few accidents."

I chuckled dryly. "Isn't that great?"