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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Three
The night was as dark as ink, and the Zhu Family Mansion in the south of the city appeared particularly eerie under the moonlight. The crumbling walls were covered in vines, resembling grotesque ghostly faces. I stood before the entrance, the oil lamp in my hand flickering in the cold wind, casting strange shadows.
"Yuyan, I have come," I took a deep breath and pushed open the creaking vermilion door.
A wave of decay hit me, as if centuries of resentment had settled here. The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, nearly reaching my knees. Several crooked trees swayed in the wind, producing a rustling sound that resembled ghostly whispers. Suddenly, an unknown night bird flew up from a tree, letting out a piercing cry that startled me, causing me to stumble and nearly drop the oil lamp. My heart raced violently, as if it were about to leap out of my chest.
At that moment, a familiar flute melody echoed again. The ethereal and eerie tune reverberated through the abandoned courtyard like a call from hell, reminiscent of that rainy night three years ago when Yuyan played "Meihua San Nong." Following the sound, I stepped deeper into the inner courtyard, each step feeling like I was treading on my own heartbeat.
"Young Master, you have finally come."
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness—a woman in a red dress stood with her back to me under the moonlight. That familiar silhouette made my already frantic heartbeat intensify, nearly bursting from my throat.
"Yuyan? Is it really you?" I trembled as I moved closer, my voice hoarse and barely audible.
The woman slowly turned around, and my heart sank. It was indeed Su Yuyan's face—the visage I had longed for day and night. However, her complexion was as pale as paper, devoid of any color; an eerie smile lingered at her lips, and her eyes were hollow and cold—gone was the tenderness of old. Where was the bright-eyed girl who once smiled so sweetly?
"You are not Yuyan; who are you really?" I took a step back, a chill running from my feet to the top of my head. The oil lamp in my hand began to tremble as well, casting distorted shadows on the mottled wall like phantoms dancing.
"I am certainly Yuyan," she tilted her head, her smile growing more sinister with an unsettling undertone. "Only, I am no longer the Yuyan you once knew." Her voice was hollow and ethereal, as if it came from far away or directly resonated within my mind.
A sudden gust of cold wind swept through, extinguishing my oil lamp with a sharp "pop," plunging everything into an impenetrable darkness. I stared wide-eyed in terror, desperately trying to see anything around me but only perceiving a blur of blackness. In the moonlight, I was horrified to see "Yuyan's" figure begin to twist and contort into a mass of blood-red mist that coalesced into a gigantic Blood-Red Kite floating in the air like a massive specter watching me from within the darkness.
"Do you remember that rainy night three years ago?" The ethereal voice echoed in the wind, tinged with a sorrowful cry. "That night, you climbed over the wall to meet me at Su Mansion. But my father found you..."
Memories surged like a tide; it was a night of torrential rain, thunder and lightning crackling in the sky. I braved the downpour to see Yuyan at Su Mansion, only to be blocked by her father and his servants. They beat me mercilessly, fists and sticks raining down like hail. I felt my bones threaten to break, blood staining my clothes. The last thing I remember is Yuyan's heart-wrenching cries and the look of despair and pain on her face.
"So... I have already died?" I murmured, finally understanding everything. I died that rainy night three years ago, beaten to death.
"Yes, you are dead." The Blood-Red Kite circled in the air, its voice piercing and desperate. "But I used my own life to trap your soul in this kite, so you can be with me forever."
Suddenly, distant footsteps and shouts broke through the air. "Over there!" It was the Son of the Right Chancellor's voice, filled with a mix of pride and cruelty. "Search! We must find that Blood-Red Kite!"
"Run!" Yuyan's voice turned urgent, laced with fear and concern. "They want to destroy the kite; if they do, your soul will dissipate!"
"No!" I shouted hoarsely, desperation clawing at my throat. "Yuyan, I can't let you bear this alone. Tell me how I can save you!"
The Blood-Red Kite hovered in midair, trembling gently. "There is only one way." Yuyan's voice was resolute yet tinged with sadness and helplessness. "Let my soul also become a kite, so we can be together forever."
"But..." I wanted to say more but was cut off by Yuyan.
"It's too late!" she interrupted urgently, her tone firm and decisive. "They've brought Taoists to dispel the resentment here. If you truly love me, come find me at the cliff south of the city at midnight. That will be our final resting place."
Before her words could settle, the Blood-Red Kite suddenly transformed into a flash of red light and vanished into the night sky. The footsteps grew louder, torches illuminating the courtyard.
I stood frozen in place, staring at the spot where the red light had disappeared, my heart heavy with sorrow and determination. Yes, this is our fate. Since we cannot be together in this world, let us remain companions in the afterlife forever.
As I turned to leave the Zhu Family Mansion, I saw the moon obscured by dark clouds, plunging the entire world into a terrifying darkness. In that darkness, a blood-red kite slowly drifted towards the southern part of the city...
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