Chapter 38: Thirty-seventh Chapter: Who is the Player?
“Who I am is not important. What matters is that I can give you the chance to make a choice.” The man’s voice suddenly grew tender, like the whisper of a devil, brimming with temptation and allure.
“Two paths, two destinies. Which one do you want?”
Gu Yunshengâs heart raced. He felt as if he were standing at a crossroads of fate, with two doors leading to the unknown positioned right before him.
“What choice?” he blurted out.
“One path: continue your current life.” The man paused deliberately, a hint of mockery in his tone. “Live these days like a walking corpse, numbing yourself, deceiving yourself, until the day your life reaches its end.”
“And the other one?” Gu Yunsheng gripped his phone tightly, his palms slick with sweat.
“The other path…” The man lowered his voice a few notches, as if afraid of disturbing something. “You abandon all of this and return to where you are supposed to be. To complete your mission, to pursue the true desires hidden in the depths of your heart…”
The manâs voice grew fainter and fainter, finally vanishing into a heavy silence.
The phone screen went dark. The beep signaling the end of the call sounded exceptionally jarring in the quiet room.
Gu Yunshengâs hand, still clutching the phone, went limp. He let it fall onto the soft carpet, where it made a nearly imperceptible thud.
That manâs voiceâlow, magnetic, yet carrying an indescribable sense of dangerâwas like an invisible wire tightening around his throat, making it impossible to breathe.
“Abandon all of this… Return to where you are supposed to be…” Gu Yunsheng replayed the words over and over, but his mind felt as though it were shrouded in a thick mist, unable to see the direction clearly.
Who was that man?
Why did he make this call?
And what did he mean by “where you are supposed to be”? Was it inside the book?
What a joke. This was clearly the real world. What did it have to do with a fictional setting?
Countless questions, like frenzied beasts, rampaged through his mind, tearing at his sanity until he was on the verge of collapse.
Irritation and unease flooded him like a tide. Gu Yunsheng clutched his head in pain, his fingertips digging deep into his hair as he tried to grasp onto something solid.
Just then, the shrill ringing of his phone pierced the silence of the room, startling him out of his chaotic thoughts.
It was Qin Feng.
Looking at the name flashing on the screen, Gu Yunshengâs brow furrowed tightly.
He wanted to hang up immediately, but by some strange twist of fate, he ended up pressing the answer button.
“Dr. Gu, are you busy?” Qin Fengâs voice was as hearty as ever, yet it carried a trace of pressure that Gu Yunsheng couldn’t ignore.
“What is it?” Gu Yunshengâs voice was cold and detached, carrying a chill that kept people a thousand miles away.
“Are you at home? I bought your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. Should I bring them over now?” Qin Fengâs tone was light, as if he hadn’t noticed Gu Yunshengâs coldness at all.
Gu Yunsheng took a deep breath, suppressing the disgust in his heart. He said coldly, “No need. Iâm not hungry.”
“Don’t be so quick to refuse. Just think of it as keeping me company for a meal, okay?” Qin Fengâs voice held a faint, barely perceptible note of pleading, which only made Gu Yunsheng more irritable.
“Qin Feng, Iâve said it beforeâwe aren’t a good match. Stop wasting your time on me.” Gu Yunshengâs voice was icy, devoid of any emotion.
“Why? You clearly…” Qin Fengâs voice suddenly cut off, as if he realized he had said something he shouldn’t have.
“I clearly what?” Gu Yunsheng keenly caught the abnormality in his words and pressed for an answer.
The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds before Qin Fengâs forced, lighthearted laughter came through. “Nothing. I just wanted to say, you clearly like sweet and sour ribs, so why refuse me?”
Gu Yunsheng wanted to say more, but he suddenly heard a burst of faint static from the other end. It sounded like someone whispering, or perhaps someone deliberately lowering their voice.
“Qin Feng, what exactly are youâ”
Before Gu Yunsheng could finish, a busy tone came from the phone. He checked the screen; the signal was showing as highly unstable.
“Damn it!” Gu Yunsheng cursed under his breath, frustratedly ruffling his hair.
Qin Fengâs call was like adding fuel to the fire of his already disorganized thoughts, burning him with agitation.
He tossed the phone aside, trying his best not to think about Qin Fengâs nonsensical words, let alone that mysterious call and the voice that made his heart tremble.
However, some things are harder to shake off the more one tries to escape them…
He hadn’t expected that returning to the real world would be even more maddening.
Lu Jingheng, Qin Feng… what exactly did they want?
Gu Yunsheng frustratedly grabbed his messy hair and threw his phone to the side. It bounced twice on the sofa with a clatter before the screen finally dimmed. The room fell into a suffocating silence.
He felt like he was going crazy. That manâs low, magnetic voice and that phrase “return to where you are supposed to be” played on an infinite loop in his head like a virus, refusing to leave and leaving his mind in turmoil.
At that moment, the phone screen lit up again. An unknown number flickered with an eerie glow, like a gaze from the abyss. Gu Yunshengâs heart jolted. He grabbed the phone almost reflexively. The screen displayed: “You have one new voice message.”
He hesitated for a few seconds before finally tapping the message. That low, magnetic voice rang out once more, sounding like a loverâs whisper yet carrying an unquestionable threat:
“I know youâve returned, but this isn’t over yet. You canât escape…”
Gu Yunsheng suddenly stood up. The phone slipped from his palm, but he didn’t even notice. His heart pounded violently, as if it were about to burst from his chest.
It seemed the real world was going mad right along with him.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The deafening barks of a dog nearly shattered Gu Yunshengâs eardrums.
He snapped back to reality and saw Lu Jingheng holding a fluffy little Husky on a leash, standing at his doorway with a goofy grin.
“Surprised? Or is it more of a shock? Haha!” Lu Jingheng pulled the little Husky close and rubbed its head vigorously. The little Husky panted with its tongue out, wagging its tail excitedly. The man and the dog looked quite ‘matched’ in terms of IQ.
“Let me introduce you. This is my new brother, Er Gouzi!” As Lu Jingheng spoke, he raised the bag in his hand. “I bought your favorite honey peaches. They’re very fresh. I came specifically to pay my respects to you!”
Looking at Lu Jinghengâs self-righteous, punchable expression, Gu Yunsheng really wanted to swing a fist at his face.
What the hell? He didn’t remember ever gaining a “dog brother”! Also, who told you I like honey peaches?
However, before Gu Yunsheng could refuse, Er Gouzi suddenly slipped out of Lu Jinghengâs grip and sprinted toward Gu Yunsheng. It sniffed around his feet, let out a low whimper from its throat, as if sensing an unsettling aura.
“Er Gouzi, don’t cause trouble!” Lu Jingheng stepped forward to pull the dog back, but instead, the dog lunged upward and knocked him to the ground.
Watching this bizarre scene, alarm bells rang in Gu Yunshengâs mind. He instinctively took a step back. His gaze swept over Er Gouziâs deep, ink-black eyes. A chill surged from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
There was definitely something wrong with this dog!
“Lu Jingheng, control your dog!” Gu Yunsheng lowered his voice, his tone laced with a hint of tension.
“What’s wrong with Er Gouzi today?” While comforting the dog, Lu Jingheng looked at Gu Yunsheng in confusion. “Heâs usually very good. He never bites people, let alone…”
Before he could finish, Er Gouzi suddenly raised his head and let out a deafening roar. He opened his mouth, baring sharp fangs, and lunged fiercely at Gu Yunsheng!
“Watch out!” Lu Jinghengâs shout and Er Gouziâs vicious lunge happened almost simultaneously. Gu Yunsheng felt a blur before his eyes as a force knocked him to the ground.
His world spun. Before he could react, he felt a wet sensation on his face, followed by a sharp, piercing pain in his arm.
“Argh!” Gu Yunsheng groaned. That Husky named Er Gouzi had actually bitten him!
“Er Gouzi, have you lost your mind?!” Lu Jingheng was also startled by the sudden turn of events. He frantically tried to push the dog away, attempting to pull him off Gu Yunsheng.
But the Husky, who usually looked so docile, seemed possessed. He clamped down on Gu Yunshengâs arm and wouldn’t let go. No matter how much Lu Jingheng pulled and tugged, it was useless.
The intense pain caused Gu Yunshengâs vision to go dark in waves. But what terrified him even more was that in Er Gouziâs normally clear canine eyes, there was now an unsettling glintâas if something that didn’t belong to the dog had taken over its body.
“Lu Jingheng… quick, get him off…” Gu Yunsheng gritted out the words through the pain.
“You damn beast!” Lu Jinghengâs eyes turned red with panic. In his desperation, he grabbed a nearby throw pillow and slammed it hard against Er Gouzi.
Once, twice, three times…
It wasn’t until Er Gouzi let out a shrill howl, released his grip, and slumped powerlessly to the floor that Lu Jingheng stopped. He gasped for breath, still shaken.
“Er Gouzi! Er Gouzi!” Lu Jingheng knelt on the floor, looking in disbelief at the limp Husky. The dog’s usually lively eyes were now dim, and shocking traces of blood remained at the corners of its mouth.
Gu Yunsheng struggled to crawl up from the floor. A deep wound had been bitten into his arm, and blood stained his sleeve. But at this moment, he couldn’t care about the pain. Only one thought remained in his mind: rabies vaccine!
“Lu Jingheng, stop worrying about that mad dog! Quick, go to my bedroom. There’s a medical kit in the drawer with injections inside!”
As Gu Yunsheng spoke, he stumbled toward the bedroom.
Only then did Lu Jingheng snap out of it. He scrambled up in a panic and stumbled into the bedroom, finding the medical kit as Gu Yunsheng instructed.
“Which one is it? How do I use it?” Lu Jingheng fumbled through the kit, his eyes blurring at the various bottles and jars.
Enduring the pain, Gu Yunsheng strode to Lu Jinghengâs side and snatched the kit from him. He skillfully took out the rabies vaccine and a syringe. “You’re a novelist, not a doctor. Let me handle this.”
As he spoke, he expertly drew the medication into the syringe. Then, he pulled up Lu Jinghengâs sleeve, preparing to give him the injection.
“Wait! Why are you giving me a shot? That dog is the one that’s crazy!” Lu Jingheng recoiled in fear at the sight of the gleaming needle.
“Are you a pig? If you’re bitten by a dog, of course you need a rabies vaccine! Do you think this is a joke?” Gu Yunsheng glared at him crossly. “Hurry up, stop talking!”
Lu Jingheng wanted to argue further, but he was forced back by Gu Yunshengâs domineering gaze. He could only obediently stretch out his arm and let Gu Yunsheng pierce his skin with the needle.
“Sss…” Although he had mentally prepared himself, Lu Jingheng couldn’t help but hiss when the needle broke the skin.
“Endure it, it’ll be over in a second.” Gu Yunsheng didn’t even look up as he spoke. He expertly pushed the medicine into Lu Jinghengâs body, then withdrew the needle and pressed an alcohol cotton ball against the puncture site.
“Alright. Don’t let it touch water for the next few days, and don’t eat spicy or stimulating foods. I’ll give you another shot in a few days.” After tending to the puncture, Gu Yunsheng put the kit back in its place and turned to deal with his own wound.
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