602 Man-Eating Apartment

Chapter 16

The two suppressed their laughter, but after Zhao Lirui opened the door, entered 602, and locked the door, they could no longer hold back and burst into laughter.

"So that's how ghosts are created! I'm dying of laughter." Zhao Lirui clutched her stomach, almost falling to the ground. "People really do scare people, and scare people to death."

Su Yang's previous gloomy mood vanished instantly. He chuckled as he recounted to Zhao Lirui how he had twice startled that middle-aged woman in the elevator of the Shangling Apartment building. Zhao Lirui laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, leaning on the living room table with one elbow. "Haha, looks like we can dress up as ghosts more often and scare those bored people." But suddenly, her laughter seemed to be abruptly cut off, replaced by a sharp scream: "Whose hand is touching me?"

In the darkness, Su Yang felt as if a needle had suddenly pierced his heart, both painful and cold. He jumped up and looked around in horror, but it was all pitch black, as if all the light had been swallowed up by the house, and he could see nothing at all.

He rushed up to Zhao Lirui and asked in a hoarse voice, "What hand? Whose hand?"

Zhao Lirui threw herself into Su Yang's arms, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Su Yang fumbled for a flashlight in Zhao Lirui's handbag. The bright light pierced through the darkness of the night, and a pair of emerald green eyes suddenly appeared above the table.

Su Yang was startled at first, but then he realized it was the black cat's eyes. Its black fur blended into the darkness, making its eyes appear even more deep and cold.

Su Yang gently patted Zhao Lirui's shoulder and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, it's just that black cat."

Zhao Lirui timidly raised her head and saw the black cat staring at her coldly. Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned around and threw herself into Su Yang's arms again.

Su Yang gazed into the black cat's eyes for a long time, a strange feeling gradually rising within him. He felt that the black cat's gaze was no longer so cold and threatening, but rather radiated a warmth that transcended the boundary between human and cat. He gently released Zhao Lirui's embrace, approached the black cat, and looked at it from close range.

The black cat let out a soft meow. Su Yang reached out and gently stroked the cat's smooth fur. The cat didn't flinch; instead, it obediently licked the back of Su Yang's hand, slowly warming his heart.

Zhao Lirui could hardly believe her eyes as she watched the intimacy between Su Yang and the black cat. She approached Su Yang, staring in astonishment at his silent exchange with the black cat. She wanted to say something, but felt an invisible pressure choking her, preventing her from uttering a sound.

After a long while, the black cat meowed again and leaped off the table. Su Yang snapped out of his daze and followed closely behind.

The black cat entered the kitchen, skillfully pulled out the latch on the window with its paws, then used its head to pry open the glass, and with a powerful push from its paws on the windowsill, its entire body flew out like an arrow, landing steadily on a large tree a meter away from the windowsill.

Su Yang suddenly understood how the black cat had been entering and leaving room 602. However, he had no mood to enjoy the joy of solving another mystery, because he had a premonition that the black cat was about to reveal an even bigger mystery to him. He tugged at Zhao Lirui, not even having time to explain, and simply opened the door and headed straight for the stairs.

Zhao Lirui was inexplicably surprised, but she knew that Su Yang must have discovered something, so she didn't ask any more questions and just ran with him.

By the time they reached the bottom of the building, the two were already panting heavily.

Panting, Su Yang said to Zhao Lirui, "Wait for me, I'll go call a taxi."

Apartment 602, the Man-Eating Apartment, Part 18 (4)

"Where are we going?" Zhao Lirui asked breathlessly.

"Zhang Chengting's house."

"Huh?" Zhao Lirui was taken aback. The thought of four human heads lying around in Zhang Chengting's house made her heart ache with a mix of pain and fear, as if a little mouse had been scratching at it.

But before she could hesitate, Su Yang quickly found a taxi and waved to her to get in.

Sitting in the taxi, Zhao Lirui felt her palms were sweaty. She unconsciously reached out and held Su Yang's hand, only to find that his palm was just as damp.

Su Yang noticed her tension and fear, and forced a smile to ease their tension, "Don't be afraid, the black cat won't hurt us anymore."

"Why? Were you communicating with it just now? What did it say to you?"

“It didn’t say anything.” Su Yang smiled wryly. “Don’t forget it’s just a cat. But I’m pretty sure it has a kind of spirituality, and that spirituality is related to Zhu Su. Maybe this black cat was originally brought here by Zhu Su.”

"So what now? What are we going to Zhang Chengting's house for?"

"Let's confirm if those heads were carried away by the black cat." Su Yang closed his eyes, a warm liquid coursing through his body. "Finally, the final mystery is about to be solved. I hope it can prove my innocence."

Zhao Lirui could sense Su Yang's surging emotions, so she remained silent, allowing Su Yang to quietly sort out his past entanglements and future plans.

The car arrived at Zhang Chengting's building very quickly.

Su Yang got out of the car and looked up at Zhang Chengting's room. It was pitch black, like an ancient tomb, holding countless secrets of the past, waiting for Su Yang and Zhao Lirui to uncover them.

Zhao Lirui tugged at Su Yang's sleeve and said nervously, "I feel like there's something strange about this building."

"What's so strange about it?" Su Yang also felt a sense of oppression spreading in his chest, but he couldn't figure out what the problem was.

“Look at the windows of every house,” Zhao Lirui pointed, “they all have their curtains drawn, and they’re all black, completely airtight.”

Girls are always more perceptive. Zhao Lirui's words immediately struck a nerve with Su Yang. He realized that he had been focusing all his attention on Zhang Chengting's room, neglecting the others. Looking around, he saw that the curtains of the entire row of buildings were drawn tightly shut. Although most rooms had a faint glimmer of light, it was extremely weak. This was undoubtedly strange for Guangzhou's sweltering summer.

"Maybe it's because it's near the train station, and the residents are a bit mixed up. To avoid being spied on, they had no choice but to do it," Su Yang made up a reason. He really didn't have the mood to delve into the matter anymore; he only wanted to get into Zhang Chengting's house before Black Cat so he could witness firsthand how Black Cat dealt with those heads.

Zhao Lirui was not satisfied with Su Yang's answer, but before she could ask any more questions, Su Yang pulled her along and they continued running. The two quickly reached the stairwell of the building.

Su Yang gestured to Zhao Lirui to walk quietly, and the two tiptoed up to the second floor.

Zhao Lirui looked around, her doubts and unease deepening. The building was eerily quiet, a silence that made her uneasy. It was only eight or nine o'clock in the evening, normally the busiest time of day, yet the entire building was completely silent. There was no chatter from ordinary people, no crying from children, not even the hiss of a television. It made her wonder if she had entered a secluded valley or if there was something wrong with her hearing.

Zhao Lirui timidly grabbed Su Yang's arm. Su Yang was completely focused on Zhang Chengting's home and paid no attention to the strangeness of the entire building.

Standing at Zhang Chengting's door, Su Yang took out his master key, inserted it, and twisted and turned it, but he couldn't open it no matter what he did. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, and he muttered to himself, "How is this possible? It was working perfectly fine this morning."

Just as Su Yang was about to despair and even go crazy, the door clicked open from the inside.

Su Yang and Zhao Lirui looked at each other, their hearts trembling. All the excitement and anticipation they had felt before turned into a chilling coldness. He once again felt the danger of their trip that night.

"Why don't you stay outside and not go in? If you hear any unusual noises inside, call the neighbors." Su Yang felt as if a lump of cotton was stuck in his chest, making him feel suffocated.

Looking at the eerie silence around her, Zhao Lirui's heart tightened. Compared to the unknown darkness and fear in Zhang Chengting's home, she felt that this quiet was a deeper kind of danger and fear. She really didn't dare to stay alone in this eerie corridor, because any door that opened at any time or any person who came out could scare her half to death.

"No, I'd rather go in with you." Zhao Lirui considered it for a moment and felt more at ease staying by Su Yang's side.

Su Yang was unaware of Zhao Lirui's feelings. He assumed that she was worried about him venturing into danger alone and had decided to accompany him. His heart warmed, and he secretly vowed, "If I, Su Yang, can come out safely this time and start anew, then I will definitely not let her true feelings down."

“Alright, let’s go in together.” Su Yang squeezed Zhao Lirui’s small hand tightly, a surge of heroic spirit welling up in his heart. “Even if we really die, being able to die together with the one we love will make this life worthwhile.”

Su Yang pushed the door open. The room was empty; the black cat he had expected wasn't there. He paused, then said to Zhao Lirui, "Turn on the flashlight."

Zhao Lirui fumbled for a flashlight in her bag and turned it on.

The room was just as Su Yang had seen during the day: litter and empty bottles everywhere. Zhao Lirui had never seen such a mess before, and she couldn't help but frown.

Su Yang led Zhao Lirui, carefully avoiding the trash, and approached the kitchen. But when his hand touched the doorknob, he hesitated.

Knowing his thoughts, Zhao Lirui smiled sadly, "It's okay, I can handle it."

Apartment 602, the Man-Eating Apartment, Part 18 (5)

Su Yang looked at her with affection, then resolutely pushed open the kitchen door.

In the kitchen, everything was just as Su Yang had seen during the day: a chaotic mess, the stench of decay permeating every inch of space, seeping into one's skin and giving one goosebumps. The four white, grimy human heads still lay silently scattered on the ground, like lonely souls in a graveyard, their empty eyes staring blankly, hopelessly awaiting someone to clean up and rescue them.

Zhao Lirui watched all this, tears welling in her eyes. She recalled the close bond she had shared with her brother since childhood. After their parents passed away, it was her brother who single-handedly raised her, supporting her through university on a meager salary—a hardship unimaginable to outsiders. Only after she entered graduate school and started earning income through projects with her supervisor did her brother finally breathe a sigh of relief, having the time and money to arrange his own wedding. Zhao Lirui had thought this was the beginning of a happy family life, never imagining that her brother's wedding night would be the moment they were separated forever.

Overwhelmed by grief, Zhao Lirui knelt down before the nearest skull, trembling, and gently stroked its "face," tears streaming down her face.

Su Yang silently watched Zhao Lirui's grief, his heart also aching. He cautiously asked Zhao Lirui, "Are you sure it's your brother?"

Zhao Lirui lifted her tear-streaked face and shook her head blankly. Indeed, the four skeletons had essentially lost all personal characteristics such as age, gender, and appearance in life, and she really couldn't tell who was her brother, who was her sister-in-law, and who were Chen Lijuan and Zhang Chengting.

Su Yang bent down, intending to tenderly wipe away the tears from Zhao Lirui's eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a skeleton opening its mouth, ready to bite at the finger Zhao Lirui had placed on its face. His heart skipped a beat, and he cried out in alarm, "Watch out!"

But everything happened too fast. Before Zhao Lirui could react, the skull's two rows of teeth had already gripped her fingers tightly.

Zhao Lirui screamed and fell to the ground.

Su Yang lunged forward, hugging the skeleton tightly to his chest, and desperately tried to pry open its teeth. But the skeleton's teeth seemed to be squeezed by a powerful force, and no matter how hard Su Yang tried, they wouldn't budge.

Seeing the deepening pain on Zhao Lirui's face, Su Yang felt both anxious and heartbroken. He roared, grabbed the upper and lower bones of the skull's teeth, and with all his might, snapped them. The skull couldn't withstand Su Yang's force; with a "crack," the bone above the teeth broke, but the teeth didn't loosen at all. Su Yang lost control of his strength and fell backward.

Just as Su Yang was consumed by anger and despair, a dark figure suddenly flung open the window, flashed past like lightning, and lunged at Zhao Lirui from behind. But as if an invisible wall blocked its attack, the dark figure somersaulted backward and fell to the ground.

Su Yang was surprised to find that the dark figure was actually a black cat. Its body was arched, the fur on its back stood on end, its eyes were wide open, revealing a sharp killing intent, and it stared intently at the darkness behind Zhao Lirui.

Su Yang followed the black cat's gaze, but all he saw was darkness. "Could someone be hiding in the darkness?" Su Yang felt as if a rope had pierced his heart, bound it, and pulled him upwards sharply, causing his body to tremble.

The black cat roared, shoved its paws into the ground, and pounced like an arrow, biting and scratching, seemingly engaged in a fierce battle with someone.

Su Yang stared in disbelief as the black cat bared its teeth fiercely in mid-air, a few strands of black fur drifting down from its body.

As the black cat pounced into the darkness, the skull's tightly clenched teeth finally loosened, and Zhao Lirui seized the opportunity to pull out her finger despite the pain. A sharp pain made her groan involuntarily.

Upon hearing Zhao Lirui's voice, Su Yang remembered her situation and rushed over. He saw Zhao Lirui holding her fingers, sitting on the ground, her face covered with sweat and tears, whether from pain or fear.

Su Yang kicked the skeleton into a corner of the kitchen, then knelt before Zhao Lirui, tenderly examining her injured right middle finger. Two rows of deep teeth marks were visible on the fingertip, black blood oozing from the wound, and the tip was a dark bruise. Su Yang gasped; if the black cat hadn't arrived in time, the skeleton would likely have bitten off Zhao Lirui's finger.

Zhao Lirui leaned against Su Yang's chest, her eyes filled with terror. More than the pain in her fingers, the sudden biting skull and the black cat battling the void stirred her emotions far more.

In the dim light of the fallen flashlight, Su Yang and Zhao Lirui saw the black cat's sharp claws strike fiercely, seemingly seizing the vital point of something hiding in the darkness. The creature, in pain, fled. The black cat lay on the ground, still growling softly, as if warning the creature not to return, but its bristling black fur gradually softened. Su Yang and Zhao Lirui's mood gradually relaxed.

Finally, the black cat stopped meowing, and its fur lay flat against its body. It turned around, looked at Su Yang and Zhao Lirui, and meowed, as if to comfort them, yet also as if to warn them.

Su Yang looked at it gratefully, took two steps forward, and reached out to stroke it.

But the black cat dodged, meowed at Su Yang again, and then staggered towards the skeleton that Su Yang had kicked into the corner. It picked it up with its mouth, tilted its head back, and with a powerful leap, jumped onto the stove. It glanced back at Su Yang, then jumped diagonally out of the open window. Just as it leaped out, its hind paws flicked, and the window closed automatically.

As Su Yang watched this scene, the last knot in his heart finally untied, and the relief and joy of rebirth rose up, making him forget that he was in danger.

Unlike Su Yang, Zhao Lirui didn't have any worries. She just felt that the darkness, oppression, and stench of the corpses in the room were almost suffocating her. She looked up at Su Yang with her pale face and almost pleaded, "Let's get out of here quickly, I can't stand it."

These words reminded Su Yang that it was a psychological test for Zhao Lirui, a young girl, to be in such an environment. Although two of the three skeletons remaining in the kitchen were her relatives, after the terrifying experience, those skeletons could no longer evoke any feelings of kinship in her, and instead became dangerous "figures."

Apartment 602, the Man-Eating Apartment, Chapter 18 (6)

Su Yang picked up the flashlight from the ground, hesitated for a moment, and said to Zhao Lirui, "I think the head that bit you just now was Zhang Chengting's. What about your brother's and the others' heads? Should we move them out?"

Zhao Lirui looked troubled. "This... I haven't prepared anything. I'll come back another day."

Su Yang nodded, rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out a roll of plastic bags, tore off two, put them on his hands, and carefully put the remaining three heads back into the cupboard.

Zhao Lirui looked at Su Yang's actions with gratitude. She walked to the cabinet, put her palms together, bowed respectfully, and silently said, "I'm sorry, brother and sister-in-law, I'm sorry to trouble you to stay here for two more days. I will definitely come back and ask you to leave so that you can rest in peace."

After watching Zhao Lirui finish her prayers, Su Yang gently took her hand. The two walked out of the kitchen, around the mess of trash in the living room, and opened the door.

Apartment 602, the Man-Eating Apartment, Chapter 19 (1)

Once outside, Su Yang breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he hadn't encountered anything strange and hadn't been trapped inside. But Zhao Lirui, listening intently to the surrounding sounds, seemed to hear something particularly terrifying, and her face turned green.

Su Yang noticed Zhao Lirui's unusual behavior and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Does your finger still hurt?"

Zhao Lirui shook her head, raised her finger to shush him, signaling him to stop talking.

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and his heart pounded violently. He tentatively asked Zhao Lirui, "Do you think it's possible that we were both hypnotized just now? Or that we're just dreaming right now?"

"What did you say?" Zhao Lirui became nervous. "You mean, everything we just saw and experienced was an illusion?"

Su Yang smiled wryly and said, "That's probably the best explanation." He suddenly cried out in pain, "Ouch! Why did you pinch me?"

“Since you’re crying out in pain, it means we’re not dreaming right now.” Zhao Lirui pouted. “Then who has the ability to hypnotize us without us even noticing, and then wake us up?”

"Then do you think it's possible that a person in a specific space could be influenced by the hidden power of consciousness or energy within it?"

"You mean that Zhu Su's soul power remained after her death, and when we entered 602 just now, that energy radiated into our brains, altering some of the nerves in our brains and thus affecting our consciousness?"

"Yes. Didn't you also say that a person's consciousness might be preserved, and that even a tiny bit of energy from it could influence the thoughts and consciousness of others?"