Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)

Chapter 17

The girl backstage questioned Qiaoling, but Qiaoling just laughed arrogantly. Nana, who seemed to be the girl's friend, sat silently to the side without saying a word.

The girl decided to take a different path, finding the director's hotel in the middle of the night, intending to use another method to obtain a ticket into the entertainment industry. Then Nana stopped her, coldly telling her, "Go back...you don't belong here..."

Then, the director's door opened, and he came out, groping Nana's body. Laughing, he told the girl that he originally intended to eliminate others, but Nana used her body to ask him to eliminate the girl, so he had no choice but to eliminate her. He added that if she were willing to use her body as well… he could give her the lead role in the next film.

At that moment, Nana pushed her away and coldly said to her, "Go back! No matter how much you give, you're not suited for the entertainment industry!"

Nana and the director went into the room and closed the door.

The girl bit her lower lip until it bled.

She vowed that she would make these people pay! Absolutely!

In the bustling subway station, no one noticed her unusual expression...

Then... she jumped...

Blood instantly stained the entire screen, and the shocking words "I hate it so much" were displayed in large letters on the screen.

Next came a close-up of the girl's bloodied and mangled face... zoomed in and zoomed in again.

“Come up…come up…come to the rooftop…” she repeated each word in a hoarse voice, “Come up…come to the rooftop…”

"Bang..." A gust of wind blew by, and the control room window slammed shut. All the images returned to white pixels, flickering on and off.

I turned around and immediately ran towards the rooftop...

As soon as I pushed open the door to the rooftop, my gaze froze on a single point, and my body involuntarily swayed.

Nana... Nana... lay motionless on the ground with a rope around her neck.

I approached her tremblingly, but I didn't have the courage to reach out and check her breath.

If... if Nana... no! I swear I can't accept it!

My nose feels a little sore.

Just then, a figure blocked the moonlight. I looked up and saw it was Qiaoling, her face terribly pale.

She sobbed and hugged me, saying, "Ling... I'm so scared... I was in the elevator... I don't know how we ended up here... I'm so scared..."

Author: Xinxinjun Reply Date: 2005-01-02 01:26:00

For some reason, for a fleeting moment, with the light behind her, she looked somewhat like the girl who jumped onto the subway tracks. Was it just my imagination? Or...?

I pushed her away, and before my brain could even process it, my mouth started moving on its own: "Who...are...you..."

"What are you talking about? What do you take me for... I'm a human, not a ghost... Look, I'm still warm!"

"No... I should say the body is human, but the mind is a ghost... The person possessing Qiaoling... you're the girl from the CCTV footage, aren't you! From the very beginning, you've just been playing with me..."

"Heh... Now that things have come to this, I don't want to hide it anymore. Yes, I'm the girl who lost! The girl they ruined, even though I was the most outstanding! But... because of these unscrupulous women, that's why I... I'll make them pay! What I can't have, they can't have either! I traded my life for the power I have today, look... how merciful I am to them, letting them die at their most beautiful, without having to face their wrinkled skin when they're old. And, I let them die beautifully, how beautiful..." She laughed sharply... In an instant, the shadow on the ground split into two.

"You...you're wrong! If you really want to be a star, why die like this? There will be other opportunities...you won't only have this one chance to enter the entertainment industry..."

"Opportunities to meet a director as famous as Director Zhang and to participate in such a high-profile talent show are rare! I only want the best opportunity because I am the best too!"

"Nana...why...she's your good friend, isn't she..."

Her eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and she said hatefully, "She's no longer! Of all the people, she's the one I want to kill the most! After that woman said those words to me, we were no longer friends! Originally, I only planned to kill these people before killing Nana, but I didn't expect you to come before I could... It doesn't matter, it'll just be perfect for you to be a witness, to see how they die, and to see how I become the best leading lady! When I was with you just now, I acted really well, didn't I! If it were Qiaoling, that woman wouldn't have this ability! That pretentious woman only knows how to sleep with directors and drug her co-stars. She has no acting skills at all!"

So, Nana isn't... she just fainted. My clenched heart relaxed, and I stepped in front of Nana. Her warm body gave me a strange sense of peace.

"I won't let you lay a hand on her! No matter how bad she is to you, she's still my friend."

"It's no use, you can't stop me!" The possessed Qiaoling approached little by little.

“…Zero…let her…do it…I…I…this filthy woman should have died long ago!” A weak voice came from behind.

"Nana!" I turned around and looked in disbelief at Nana, who was struggling to get up. She took off the rope around her neck and handed it to Qiaoling.

"Go ahead and do it! Zero, don't interfere! This is between her and me!"

"No... Nana... I..." I cried out anxiously.

"Why..." Qiaoling suddenly hesitated, "I just want you to tell me why... give me a reason... We've known each other for so many years... from childhood to adulthood... but... you... when you came, we clearly promised to encourage each other and enter the entertainment industry together!"

"I..." Nana began to stammer and stop speaking.

I want to hear the truth!

"Um... the director... well... how to put it... he took a liking to you when you were in the preliminaries and wanted to harm you. One time, I saw him put a drug in your drink, intending to give it to you. I thought... since I'd already seen it, and... you know about my childhood with my stepbrother, I steeled myself and pretended to be very thirsty before drinking the drugged bottle. Afterwards... I begged the director not to harm you. I said I could give him what he wanted. The director said he wouldn't harm you, but you would have to be eliminated. It was a choice, so when I saw you going to him that night, I had no choice but to... say that. There's no reason for you to sacrifice yourself in the end! I'm already dirty enough, one more time won't make a difference, as long as you're still okay. But later, I thought about it for a long time, because this shattered your dream of becoming a star, and you even... jumped onto the train tracks... I thought... maybe I should find a way to protect you while still helping you achieve your dream. But at that time, that was the only method I could think of... I'm sorry... so... I'm willing to pay the price! Go ahead and do it!"

"So that's why...why didn't you tell me back then!" Tears streamed down Qiaoling's face. "If only I had trusted you a little more! If only I hadn't always wanted to win! But...it's too late..."

Before we could even react, she stepped over the rooftop railing: "This is the entertainment industry. If you lose, it's all over. So, even though I've lost to you now... in the end, there's still a way for me to win! I'm sorry... Nana... I have to win at least once! I'm the best leading lady!"

The wind blew, and Qiaoling's body plummeted straight down, along with the other soul within her, which dissipated as she fell, for she no longer had any desire to exist. A soul needs a will to exist; without that will, it either ascends to immortality, goes to the wandering soul realm… or self-destructs… and she chose the cruelest way to leave.

"Someone...someone jumped off a building! Oh my god! It was the champion of Director Zhang's talent show last time! Quick, call the reporters!" The shouts from downstairs reached our ears intermittently.

After Qiaoling jumped, Nana stood by the railing, staring blankly down.

Although the flashes from the cameras downstairs were far away, they still stung my eyes.

"Nana... let's go back..."

“Zero, I can’t go back!” She turned around, gave me a bright smile, and pointed to the people taking pictures below, saying, “This is the entertainment industry. As long as you can make the headlines, no matter what method you use, you win! In the end, she cleverly chose the best path and made the front page for the second time in a row!”

"Nai Nai... let's not become celebrities, okay? The entertainment industry is too complicated!" I tugged at her clothes, urging her to turn back.

“Ah Ling… I’m not like you! I have no way out, I’m already so filthy… so this filthy place is the best place for me. Sometimes, I find your sunny smile really irritating!” She laughed and tossed her hair, suddenly seeming a little unfamiliar. In the moonlight, a scar on her wrist was particularly glaring. “In such a short time, I’ve changed, I’m not the Nana you know anymore! I have a reason I have to become a star, and you’ll never understand!”

Her cold gaze made me feel distant.

Has it changed? Or has it just changed? Why do I see so many wounds on Nana's body again?

She walked towards the door, bumping into me. Her body felt very cold; was it because of the wind?

Before going down the stairs, she said, "I'm sorry, Ah Ling... I can't be as strong as you!"

Then, she left.

Resilient? Me?

So this is what Subaru meant! I couldn't help but laugh. That's great! It's not the result I was thinking of. It's really great, Nana!

But am I truly strong? Or am I forced to pretend to be strong?

Nana, it's not just you who's changed! We've all changed!

In an instant, my eyes stung, and some liquid flowed down.

"Oh no... the wind is so strong... sand got into my eyes..."

So strong... Yes! I am very strong.

End of Chapter Seven

Author: Xinxinjun Reply Date: 2005-01-02 01:28:00

[Zero - The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, Part 8: The End of Tears]

I don't remember how I got back to school that day. It felt like I hadn't cried in a long time; the tears just wouldn't stop.

After Qiaoling jumped, her phone suddenly got a signal. We found the unconscious security guard in the first-floor restroom, and the closed-circuit system returned to normal. Nana called the police, and fingerprints confirmed Qiaoling as the murderer. Then, the newspapers were filled with news of Qiaoling killing others before committing suicide. Later, I still didn't speak to Nana. Although I tried to smile at her, and she tried to act like nothing was wrong when she called me, we both knew in our hearts that many things had changed, and we could never go back to the way things were. When I went downstairs, Angliu was nowhere to be seen, but I had a premonition that I would see him again someday. I always felt that we would have many interactions. I even recalled his smiling face in the moonlight, and even felt that we looked somewhat alike.

Many people in the world are used to using a smile to disguise themselves; the only difference is the level of skill they possess.

Later, Nana got into Director Zhang's car and left the building. I thought maybe we'd be from two different worlds from now on. But perhaps this was the best ending. My world is terrifyingly complicated. If Nana's life continues to intersect with mine too frequently, I don't know if her fate will become terrible because of me.

I had originally wanted to give her one last hug, but then I suddenly found it ridiculous and gave up. If people could warm each other's cold hearts with a hug, perhaps we wouldn't be in so much pain.

Perhaps this was the best ending for us; I truly thought so at the time. But I never imagined that later, Nana and I... our fates would become completely intertwined. No... it should be said that all of our fates were thrown into chaos... something we ourselves never expected...

Everyone has a seed called "happiness" in their heart. Countless tears and setbacks are all in the hope that "happiness" can blossom and bear fruit.

But why is the moment when "happiness" blossoms always so fleeting?

W City No. 3 Middle School, my current school, is already approaching its sports meet, and everyone is busy with preparations. Even someone as unassuming as me has to do things to fit in.

I greeted every classmate with a smile and helped with almost everything they asked. "Okay! No problem!" became my catchphrase, making me seem like an easy person to get along with. But I'm different now than I was in high school; I know how to better protect myself. It's a simple truth: friendliness is a gentle way of saying no. Seemingly friendly with everyone, but in other words, not truly close to anyone. After so many experiences, I understand that most people live for themselves, especially women. So-called friendship is nothing more than mutual exploitation and comparison. For example, A is the school beauty, so her best friend B isn't very attractive because she exists to highlight A and C. Best friend C, on the other hand, is very beautiful. A and C appear very close, but in reality, they dislike each other more than anyone else. They restrain and compete with each other, comparing suitors… clothes… women are the most competitive creatures in the world. The reason B is willing to be their foil is simple: she also wants to be as beautiful as A and C. Furthermore, being with A and C makes it easier to attract more male attention and meet more attractive men. You may find it disgusting, but it really happens.

School is like a giant zoo. I can only build a wall around myself by presenting a nice, good-girl image, so that no one can see my true self. Aside from Nana, no one is trustworthy. I still don't know much about school life; gossip is completely foreign to me.

However, something strange happened on my way home that day, and from that moment on, a new round of events began... and... this time, I think I understand a little why the Taoists and the royal family insisted on their stance...

There is no absolute right or wrong in the world; it's just a matter of how you look at it.

It was 11:30 PM, and a few other girls and I were helping our class monitor with the athletes' bib numbers, so we didn't get back to the dorm until then. Our class monitor is a very responsible person, so he took it upon himself to escort us girls back to the dorm. Even though he wasn't a boarding student, and even though there were no more buses running at that time, he insisted on walking us.

As we walked across the track, a strange gust of wind blew by, and all of us were covered in sand, unable to open our eyes. In just a moment, we heard the squad leader scream.

Then, the class monitor collapsed on the track, covered in blood. The girls screamed, and the teachers who rushed over quickly dialed 120. The school doctor also came to provide emergency treatment. The incident happened so suddenly that no one understood why.

Amidst the commotion, I turned around and noticed an unusual white figure at the end of the track. It was faint, devoid of any ghostly aura, just an ordinary spirit; even someone with my ability to see spirits wouldn't notice it if they weren't paying attention. From its silhouette, it seemed to be a girl, silently watching us… Was it her…? In the blink of an eye, she vanished. Or… I was mistaken…

After being taken to the hospital for examination, the injury was found to be to the Achilles tendon. The other wounds were just superficial scrapes; only the ankle injury was a deep enough to cause serious injury. The seemingly horrific wounds were actually not deep after cleaning, but the fact that the class monitor had developed such a condition in such a short time seemed somewhat eerie. Of course, because of the hospitalization, he couldn't participate in this school sports meet. If things didn't go smoothly, he might even be unable to participate in the upcoming city-wide middle school sports meet.

Upon hearing the doctor's diagnosis, everyone gasped in disappointment.

Our class monitor is a key member of the school's track and field team and our class's hope for this year's sports meet. No one can accept what happened. Crucially, because the class monitor is quite popular at school, many girls have started secretly crying, probably because they're saddened that they won't see him sprinting so impressively this year.

I remained silent, unable to forget the white figure I had just seen... She wasn't a vengeful ghost... But... could it have been her?

Author: Xinxinjun Reply Date: 2005-01-03 01:48:00

"Why do you always forget?" A pale, eerie figure stood at the head of the sleeping man's bedside, speaking plaintively. She reached out to touch his face, but the human and the ghost were different; she wasn't a powerful spirit, so she ultimately failed, unable to feel his warmth. Sighing, she looked at her pale hand with disgust and said, "It still doesn't work..."

Hearing footsteps outside the door, the nurses were making their rounds, and the white figure immediately disappeared.

The man suddenly opened his eyes, found himself surrounded by silence, and muttered, "Since we're here... why not stay a little longer before leaving..."

Often, things are not as simple as they seem on the surface. If only the separation of humans and ghosts were that simple, many seeds of hatred or unease are sown while some people are still alive. We never seem to learn how to truly cherish what we have, only realizing how precious it is at the moment of loss. That's roughly how missed opportunities arise.

We always tell ourselves to be strong, but the reasons we give for being strong are always so weak.

Today, as a representative of our class, I brought a bunch of gifts and notes to visit our class monitor. In the distance, I saw a familiar figure—it was Ang Liu—but he didn't seem to notice me.

He crouched in a corner of the road, his gaze fixed intently on a street corner. His brow was furrowed, as if he were deep in thought. Surprisingly, I saw vulnerability in his eyes?

"Seishiro... I'm sorry..." I vaguely heard him say that.

It seemed he had discovered something he shouldn't have known. In an instant, Ang-ryu withdrew the vulnerability from his eyes and returned to his usual smiling expression. But that smile never reached his eyes.

"Hello! Zero! We meet again!"