The 19th level of Hell

Chapter 40

"I can tell you that I did spend a few months in a psychiatric hospital in England, but I went there intentionally to learn methods of psychological control. An old professor was very interested in me; he would talk to me about philosophy and art every night, believing this to be hypnotic therapy, and claiming to have discovered my deepest delusions of hell. In fact, I deliberately lured him because I wanted to learn the world's most advanced hypnosis techniques from him. I surpassed my teacher, completely mastering his psychological weaknesses and successfully hypnotizing him. This world-renowned professor of psychiatry eventually became mentally ill himself and is still locked up in that hospital. I, on the other hand, secretly escaped and altered my files and records. No one knows about my experience except for that psychiatric hospital in England."

Spring Rain trembled all over as she said, "Are you a human or a devil?"

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m neither human nor ghost, but the ‘superman’ that Nietzsche spoke of.” Gao Xuan continued to stroke her hair, speaking softly, “The police won’t find us, they’ll leave soon. We’ll go down in a bit, then take the money and fly away. I have a house in the suburbs of London, surrounded by a beautiful forest that blooms with flowers every summer. We’ll live there in seclusion, smelling the fragrance of the forest, together forever.”

In the dark night, amidst a flurry of snowflakes, Chunyu sat on the snow-covered rooftop, suddenly as if under a spell, gazing tenderly at Gao Xuan. Yes, his gaze possessed a certain penetrating power; Chunyu felt as if he could see right through her. His gaze was like an all-pervasive hand, gently caressing her entire body and the most hidden part of her heart.

Chunyu felt her heart melt, disappearing into the vast winter night like the snowflakes. She slowly fell into Gao Xuan's arms, saying as if drunk, "Do you know how much I love you? Okay, I'll go with you, and we'll be together forever."

Right under their roof, Ye Xiao had searched all of Gao Xuan's rooms, but had not found a single person, including the dark room with the painting hanging there.

He rushed to the window again. There were three floors below, and it seemed like there was a handrail next to them. Could they have jumped out of the window to escape?

Ye Xiao stood blankly in Gao Xuan's bedroom. Just two hours ago, he was talking to Dr. Wen in the hospital. A British hospital had sent Dr. Wen an email three years ago, saying that the hospital had also admitted a strange giant soldier with deeply hidden delusions of hell and the ability to hypnotize others over the phone.

However, what surprised Ye Xiao the most was that the patient was actually Chinese, had studied in England for several years, and was a painter of some renown. This person was—Gao Xuan.

Ye Xiao immediately remembered. That morning, he asked Chunyu's classmates at the university about her situation, and they all said with a jealous tone that Chunyu had recently been seeing a painter named Gao Xuan.

Dr. Wen once said that the person who invented the Hell Game must be a crazy genius.

Gao Xuan is that genius.

At the same time, Ye Xiao received an unexpected phone call, and the caller was none other than the prime suspect—Yan Mingliang.

Yan Mingliang sounded very anxious on the phone, hoping to meet Ye Xiao as soon as possible.

Ye Xiao immediately bid farewell to Dr. Wen and went to the coffee shop where he had arranged to meet Yan Mingliang.

Yan Mingliang had been waiting for him for a long time. The man, whose face was ashen, looked as if he had been ill for a long time, which was the result of losing a kidney.

This was their first meeting. Yan Mingliang said in a dry voice, "Officer Ye, I don't want to defend myself. You must have already discovered the Hell Game. Yes, I must take responsibility for it, but please listen to my story."

Then, Yan Mingliang briefly recounted his tragic past. Later, he mentioned that in Europe, when he was desperate, a fellow Chinese man helped him; that man was Gao Xuan. In fact, he didn't know Gao Xuan at the time, but Gao Xuan recognized him because Gao Xuan was a classmate two years his junior.

At the time, Gao Xuan was very wealthy. His ancestor was a famous European painter who left behind a large number of valuable paintings, which Gao Xuan inherited in Europe. Knowing that Yan Mingliang had a special talent for computer and game development, Gao Xuan gave him a large sum of money, which not only helped Yan Mingliang out of his predicament but also gave him a job at a large company.

Later, Gao Xuan and Yan Mingliang returned to China together. Although Gao Xuan was very wealthy, he still preferred to be a painter and taught part-time at a university. Yan Mingliang, on the other hand, started a text messaging service company. Knowing that Gao Xuan had saved his life, he always listened to Gao Xuan's advice.

Just over two months ago, Gao Xuan said he wanted to collaborate with Yan Mingliang on a text message game. Gao Xuan would provide the game's concept and script, while Yan Mingliang would handle the programming and technical support. Although Gao Xuan's concept and script were incredibly terrifying, giving Yan Mingliang nightmares for several nights in a row, they still managed to basically complete the game's production.

Yan Mingliang felt it was inappropriate to release the game so easily, as it might cause problems. Therefore, he chose Su Lan, a senior female student who was working for him at the time, as his experiment. He had Su Lan play the game to test whether there would be any issues, and Su Lan indeed died tragically. Soon after, news spread of other students also having accidents.

He initially thought "GAME OVER" simply meant the game was over, but he hadn't anticipated the possibility of suicide and madness. The hellish game also contained a mobile phone virus capable of remotely controlling the victim's phone. For example, after someone's accident, the game would spread to the phone with the deceased's most frequent communication records, displaying the deceased's number even though the phone was already infected with the virus.

Yan Mingliang was terrified, living in constant fear, and even afraid to touch the company's server. After Chunyu discovered the photo on his desk that day, he had decided to leave the company for Hong Kong. Yesterday, he heard the police were looking for him, knew he couldn't escape, and had no choice but to confess.

Then, Ye Xiao learned Gao Xuan's address from Yan Mingliang and immediately rushed to the building by the Suzhou River.

The ground floor was Gao Xuan's Midnight Gallery. On the second floor of the gallery, he saw the painting with Chunyu as the model, which confirmed to him that Gao Xuan and Chunyu had a deep relationship. Sure enough, he had just seen Chunyu's face, but in the blink of an eye, both Gao Xuan and Chunyu had disappeared, as if they had evaporated into thin air.

Ye Xiao carefully checked the room again, looking for any other doors. In a small room inside, he noticed two deep marks on the floor, seemingly left by a ladder. He immediately looked up and discovered a hidden skylight above him; he hadn't expected that the cold, windswept roof would be right outside.

Then, Ye Xiao learned Gao Xuan's address from Yan Mingliang and immediately rushed to the building by the Suzhou River.

The ground floor was Gao Xuan's Midnight Gallery. On the second floor of the gallery, he saw the painting with Chunyu as the model, which confirmed to him that Gao Xuan and Chunyu had a deep relationship. Sure enough, he had just seen Chunyu's face, but in the blink of an eye, both Gao Xuan and Chunyu had disappeared, as if they had evaporated into thin air.

Ye Xiao carefully checked the room again, looking for any other doors. In a small room inside, he noticed two deep marks on the floor, seemingly left by a ladder. He immediately looked up and discovered a hidden skylight above him; he hadn't expected that the outside would be the biting, cold roof!

Night had fallen, and on the snow-covered roof tiles, he could vaguely make out the figures of a couple. Ye Xiao felt a surge of excitement, and he immediately climbed onto the roof, carefully approaching the couple.

He saw snowflakes drifting onto Chunyu's black hair, like white flowers adorning her head. Her long white dress made her look like a celestial fairy, yet Gao Xuan held her tightly in his arms. They were both sitting on the outermost edge of the roof; one more step and they would fall, and neither dared to stand up.

Although it was only the rooftop of a three-story building, the cold, snowy night still made one feel the chill of being at such a height. Ye Xiao looked down at the Suzhou River, then at the group of men and women before him, and finally shouted, "Chunyu, get away from Gaoxuan right now!"

Chunyu also saw Ye Xiao. She subconsciously stood up, waved to him, and said, "No, I want to be with Gao Xuan forever."

Ye Xiao was startled. Although it was night, many lights were on in the surrounding high-rise buildings, so he could clearly see Chunyu's face. She seemed completely immersed in happiness, oblivious to the devil beside her. Had Gao Xuan also taken control of her mind?

Perhaps love is a form of hypnosis.

Gao Xuan also stood up. He shouted, "Don't come any closer! Otherwise, Chunyu will be in danger!"

Ye Xiao immediately stopped, standing about 5.6 meters away from them, coldly staring into Chunyu's eyes. Perhaps she already knew, but she remained so stubborn, seemingly blinded by love. No, he had to help Chunyu regain her self-awareness; he couldn't let her become Gao Xuan's mental appendage.

Snowflakes also fell into Ye Xiao's eyes. He suddenly felt that Gao Xuan was a formidable opponent, and the rooftop on this snowy night was the perfect place for ancient warriors to duel.

Suddenly, he shouted, "Spring Rain, have you forgotten Qingyou?"

Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, Chunyu murmured, "Qingyou? No, Qingyou is dead. She was my best friend, she's dead."

Do you know why Qingyou died?

"Because of the Hell Game."

Do you know who created the Hell Game?

“Yes—” Chunyu suddenly stopped speaking and looked up at Gao Xuan. Gao Xuan, on the other hand, stared coldly at Ye Xiao, as if they were dueling with their eyes.

Ye Xiao answered for her: "Gao Xuan killed Qingyou and Sulan. Xu Wenya's madness and Nan Xiaoqin's car accident are all because of this devil by your side."

Gao Xuan could no longer remain silent: "No, it's because they have something to hide that they've been sent to hell to receive a fair judgment."

"You have no right to decide someone else's life or death!" Ye Xiao took another step forward. "The one who should go to hell is yourself."

Suddenly, a gust of wind and snow blew right into Gao Xuan's eyes, and he lowered his head, unable to speak.

Ye Xiao pressed on, saying, "Chunyu, think about your roommates! For Qingyou's sake, for Sulan's sake, and for your own sake, don't stay with the devil."

The wind and snow grew heavier, and Gao Xuan's coat, draped over Chunyu's shoulders, was blown off by the wind. She stood on the rooftop, dressed in a long white dress, the black night sky forming a stage backdrop behind her, like an angel from a legend.

Ye Xiao reached out his hand to her: "Come, come back to the human world."

Gao Xuan raised his head again, his face contorted with pain. He gasped for breath and said, "No, Chunyu, you have endured countless hardships, crossed the 18th level of hell, and arrived at the 19th level. You said you would stay with me forever."

Chunyu glanced at Gao Xuan, then at Ye Xiao. She had to choose between them. Was it heaven or hell?

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. At that moment, she felt no cold at all, only a mockery of her fate, like the snowflakes that melted into ice water the moment they reached her.

After a few seconds of silence, Chunyu finally made her choice.

She slowly took a step towards Ye Xiao.

"No!"

Gao Xuan cried out in despair, but his illness did not stop Chunyu.

Suddenly, another gust of wind blew by, instantly blinding Chunyu. She slipped slightly, lost her balance, and fell off the snow-covered tiles.

Ye Xiao's heart clenched, and he immediately rushed towards her without hesitation, but it was too late.

Chunyu slid down the snow-covered rooftop slope to the eaves, and just as she was about to fall, a hand grabbed her wrist tightly.

Gao Xuan caught her. At this moment, her body was already suspended in mid-air.

Ye Xiao slowly climbed to the edge of the roof and shouted, "Chunyu, you must hold on!"

The wind and snow swept over Chunyu's body, and she felt herself floating in the air, like a light snowflake. She looked up and saw Gao Xuan's anxious expression. Now, Gao Xuan had grabbed her with both hands and said forcefully, "Chunyu, you'll be alright, come on up quickly."

Ye Xiao also grabbed Chunyu's wrist, and together with Gao Xuan, they pulled Chunyu up forcefully.

Finally, Chunyu was slowly pulled up, and Ye Xiao gripped her shoulders tightly, pulling her to his side.

But just as Chunyu was being pulled up, an unexpected accident occurred: Gao Xuan slipped and fell down because he used too much force.

Gao Xuan reacted very quickly, grabbing the drainpipe under the eaves with one hand, but his whole body was suspended in mid-air.

Chunyu immediately pulled Ye Xiao away and rushed to the eaves, saying, "Gao Xuan, you can't go down."

At this critical moment between life and death, Gao Xuan's expression remained unusually calm. The face that had once captivated countless girls finally revealed adorable dimples. His eyes, as mesmerizing as Mazzolini's, were gazing intently at Chunyu.

Chunyu couldn't reach his hand, and Ye Xiao tried to help, but to no avail. The drainpipe under the eaves was old and in disrepair, unable to support a person's weight, and began to twist and crack.

Gao Xuan looked into Chunyu's eyes and slowly shook his head, as if he had given up on everything.

Spring Rain's tears slowly slid down her cheeks, landing on Gao Xuan's face. She cried out hoarsely, "Gao Xuan, I want to run away with you! To the house in the suburbs of London, to be together forever!"

No, live well.

Gao Xuan said this with a smile on his face.

The drainpipe finally cracked.

Gao Xuan stretched out his body and fell like an eagle.

Before it all ended, he whispered, "I love you."

On this cold, snowy night, spring rain pattered on the high eaves as she watched the man she deeply loved descend into hell.

Ye Xiao also leaned down beside her, gripping her shoulders tightly, and let out a soft sigh—

"This is the 19th level of hell."

Exit of Hell

One month later.

The auction hall was packed with people. Although they had been waiting for more than three hours and many had made some good purchases, no one left early because everyone knew that the best items were often saved for last.

The white-haired auctioneer stepped onto the stage and said into the microphone, "Next is the last item for today's auction."

The final curtain was drawn back, revealing an oil painting on the wall. The painting wasn't large; it depicted a beautiful girl sitting in the winter sunlight, bathed in a spring-like glow that caressed her skin. Against the dark background, she resembled a legendary angel.

The auctioneer, slightly agitated, said, “I'm sure you all heard the unfortunate news a month ago: the young painter Gao Xuan fell to his death. The work we are auctioning now is one of Gao Xuan's posthumous works, titled ‘Girl in Darkness.’ Gao Xuan studied painting in Europe for many years and won the Italian ‘Leonardo da Vinci Art Prize.’ His works are characterized by European classicism, and he excelled at using light to express the inner world of his subjects, earning him the reputation of ‘China’s Rembrandt’ in the Western art world. After Gao Xuan's unfortunate passing, the market price of his paintings immediately soared, and this painting was considered by Gao Xuan to be his most important work. Please note the beautiful girl in the painting. Some critics have said that the girl in the painting has an ethereal quality, seemingly not a person from the real world, but rather an image of an angel in Gao Xuan's imagination… Alright, let's officially begin the auction, starting at RMB 10,000.”

Someone in the audience immediately called out a bid of 100,000 yuan, but then someone else raised the price. Just as everyone was raising their bidding paddles, no one noticed a man sitting in the last row of the hall, dressed in...

The woman in black—that is Chunyu.