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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Three
Li Shouzhuo's heart felt as if it were gripped by an invisible hand, nearly leaping out of his chest. He stared wide-eyed at the scene before him, as if trying to etch this bizarre image into his very bones. The Liu, his gentle and virtuous wife, now appeared transformed, her pale, cold hands slowly reaching out towards him. The ghastly whiteness seemed like a claw emerging from the depths of hell, carrying with it the scent of death.
He wanted to scream for help, to turn and flee, but his body felt as if it had been paralyzed, rigid as a stone. No matter how he struggled, he could not move an inch. Fear coiled around him like a cold serpent, slithering up his spine and tightening around his heart, nearly suffocating him.
The Liu's fingers were icy and sharp, like the talons of an eagle, exerting an irresistible force as they clutched his throat. The sensation was chilling to the bone, as if they were freezing his very soul.
"Ugh..." A wave of intense suffocation washed over him. Li Shouzhuo felt as though his throat were encircled by an iron band, air no longer able to enter his lungs. His vision began to darken, dizziness overtook him, and consciousness gradually blurred, as if he were stepping deeper into an endless abyss.
"Sister... you must pay with your life..." The Liu's voice was hoarse and deep, each word sounding like a curse from the depths of hell, filled with boundless resentment and malice. Her voice pierced through Li Shouzhuo's heart like a dagger, causing him unbearable pain.
Desperately struggling, he exerted all his strength in an attempt to pry apart the iron grip of the Liu’s fingers but found her surprisingly strong, as if possessed by some force beyond comprehension. His struggles seemed utterly futile before her.
Before him floated the delicate and beautiful face of Liu Xu, her eyes once filled with love now brimming with hatred and despair, as if accusing him of his sins. Liu Xu, the woman he had once loved deeply, the beloved aunt of their unborn child—he had pushed her into the abyss of death with his own hands.
"No... it wasn't me... I truly didn't cause your death..." Li Shouzhuo squeezed out a few words from his throat with the last ounce of strength he had left. His voice was so faint it was almost inaudible but was filled with despair and helplessness, like a drowning man’s final cry for help.
A strange smile crept across the Liu's lips—cold and cruel—mocking Li Shouzhuo's desperate struggle while seemingly admiring a perfect work of art. Her gaze was hollow and numb, devoid of any human emotion.
"You... are lying..." The Liu's voice turned sharp and piercing, echoing like a wailing ghost in the silent night, sending chills down his spine. "You... clearly... promised... to marry me... to give me a name..."
Li Shouzhuo's consciousness grew increasingly hazy; he felt his life ebbing away bit by bit. He was sinking slowly into a dark abyss where there was no light or hope—only endless darkness and despair.
Just as he was on the verge of losing consciousness, he suddenly heard a voice—a familiar yet strange voice—like a ray of hope illuminating his dark world.
"Stop!"
This voice was clear and powerful, like lightning slicing through the dark night sky with undeniable authority.
Li Shouzhuo opened his eyes wide in shock, summoning every last bit of strength to look toward the source of the sound. He saw a figure standing in the doorway, blocking out the moonlight like a guardian angel.
It was Xiao Cui, the Liu's personal maid.
She held a pair of scissors, pointing them at Liu. The scissors glinted with a cold light under the moon's glow. Her face was pale, her body slightly trembling, yet her gaze was exceptionally resolute, like a brave warrior facing a formidable enemy.
"Madam, wake up!" Xiao Cui's voice trembled slightly but was filled with courage and strength. "You can't do this; Master is innocent! Please let go!"
Liu slowly turned her head to look at Xiao Cui, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes, like a lost child unable to find their way home. Her gaze was no longer as icy and terrifying as before; instead, it was filled with bewilderment and incomprehension.
"Who... who are you?" Liu's voice returned to normal, no longer hoarse and low, but tinged with weakness and helplessness.
"Madam, I am Xiao Cui, your personal maid. Don't you remember?" Xiao Cui hurriedly replied, her voice brimming with urgency and concern.
Liu's eyes gradually regained clarity. She glanced at her hands and then at Li Shouzhuo, whose face was turning purple from her grip. Shock and fear spread across her face as if she had seen something horrifying.
"What... what happened to me?" she murmured to herself, still not fully awake, as if trapped in deep self-reproach and fear.
Li Shouzhuo coughed violently, gasping for fresh air that felt like a nourishing rain to his parched lungs. He felt as though he had walked through the gates of hell and was now trembling with the relief of having survived.
Xiao Cui quickly stepped forward to support Li Shouzhuo, asking with concern, "Master, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Li Shouzhuo shook his head to indicate he was fine. He gently touched his neck, where Liu's icy fingers had left their mark, sending shivers down his spine.
He raised his head to look at Liu, his expression complex—fearful, puzzled, yet also sympathetic.
Liu looked back at him, her eyes filled with guilt and unease, like a child who had done something wrong and didn't know how to face their mistake.
"Master, I... I just now... I don't know what I did..." Liu wanted to explain but didn't know how to begin; her voice was filled with panic and helplessness.
Li Shouzhuo took a deep breath, striving to calm himself. He knew this wasn't the time to assign blame; he needed to quickly understand what had happened to Liu—that was the priority.
"Have you felt unwell recently? Have you had any strange dreams?" Li Shouzhuo asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the slight tremor that betrayed his inner fear.
Liu shook her head and said, "I... I don't know. It feels like I had a very long dream where... where I became another person... I think I saw my sister..." Her voice carried a hint of fear and unease, like a startled fawn still struggling to escape from its nightmare.
Li Shouzhuo furrowed his brows tightly, resembling two sharp swords poised to pierce his forehead. He knew that things were far from as simple as he imagined; there must be a huge secret hidden behind it all.
The strange behavior of the Liu, Xiao Cui's testimony, and everything that had just transpired pointed to a terrifying possibility: the Liu might truly be suffering from some sort of mental illness, or worse yet, she could be possessed by something.
This illness, or rather this bizarre phenomenon, was likely connected to her sister's death and, even more intricately, to himself.
He decided that first thing tomorrow morning, he would summon the best doctor to treat the Liu and uncover the truth. He needed to understand what was happening to the Liu; this was not just for her sake but for his own as well.
Exhausted, Li Shouzhuo closed his eyes, feeling mentally and physically drained, like a tightly wound string that could snap at any moment.
Outside the window, the night deepened.
A gust of chilling wind swept through, causing the branches outside to sway violently, producing a rustling sound that resembled something softly weeping or ghostly whispers echoing in the night sky, sending shivers down his spine.
Li Shouzhuo suddenly opened his eyes and looked out the window, his gaze filled with fear and unease. He felt an inexplicable chill slowly creeping into his body, leaving him cold and making his hair stand on end.
He seemed to see a pair of eyes in the dark night sky, fixated on him with malice and murderous intent, like a beast lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce and tear him apart...
Instinctively, he pulled the blanket tighter around himself but still could not dispel the bone-deep chill. This night was destined to be anything but peaceful. He would not find rest. He had to remain vigilant because he did not know when or how the next danger would strike.
All he could do was pray for dawn's light to arrive soon, dispelling this endless darkness and fear.
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