Beauty Snake - Chapter 62

Chapter 62: “She Begged Me… She Begged Me to Kill Her! She Begged Me to Set Her Free…”

Following the ladder, Ji Yunfei finally climbed into the attic. Just like the floors below, it was pitch black; except for the limited space illuminated by the candle in her hand, she could see nothing else.

“Hiss—” Ji Yunfei tried to stand up but slammed her head against a roof beam. A sharp pain throbbed through her skull, causing her expression to twist uncontrollably as she hunched back over, clutching her head.

Under the faint light, she realized the attic had very limited height. Moving around was inconvenient, requiring her to stay stooped.

I need to finish this quickly.

Ji Yunfei cast her gaze to the floor and soon spotted the same scattered bloodstains as downstairs. Following the trail, she slowly shuffled her steps forward.

The bloodstains ended at an old, yellowed, and somewhat tattered notebook. She picked up the diary and flipped to the first page.

The writing on the first page was blurred beyond recognition, leaving only a portrait. The woman in the drawing sat poised in a chair, smiling gently and reservedly.

This… seems to be… the mistress of Twilight Manor?

Ji Yunfei continued flipping through. Without exception, the first half of the diary consisted of portraits of the mistress. However, as the pages turned, the woman in the drawings gradually developed white hair.

Seeing this, Ji Yunfei arched an eyebrow, a guess forming in her mind. She didn’t linger and continued to the back.

Finally, identifiable text appeared on the yellowed paper. Though still a bit blurry, it was clear enough to read. Judging by the content, Ji Yunfei realized it was a diary—the “murderer’s” diary.

I found her, the person who saved me. She has changed so much; I almost didn’t recognize her. There are so many people around her now. I must find a chance to get close to her.

I am a despicable snake, taking advantage of her kindness. On that night of heavy rain, she took me in. She saved me again; I have no way to repay her.

She provided me with a job, hoping I would earn money, exercise, and take care of myself. I will do it. I will fulfill all her requests. I am a snake who knows how to return a favor.

She went out today and came back very late. Her mood was low; something was wrong. Watching her, my heart felt astringent, as if squeezed tightly by an invisible hand. Why?

At this point, the diary had several blank pages filled only with meaningless, chaotic scribbles. Ji Yunfei knit her brows slightly, patiently flipping further.

A few pages later, new content appeared. The handwriting was scrawled and irregular, reflecting the diary owner’s turbulent state of mind.

She kissed me. She said the kiss was sweet. But I think she was lying because the tears on her face hadn’t dried yet.

She said she is getting married. Then what am I…? She said I was just a distraction for her boredom, a plaything to be discarded at any time. But she doesn’t know—she’s a very obvious liar.

She told me to get out of her sight, out of her life. I agreed. I swore I would satisfy all her requests. But why chase me away? Her low whimpers could not escape my ears.

I broke my vow… I broke my vow!!

From here on, the handwriting was a complete mess. The pages were covered in red ink, looking quite jarring. Ji Yunfei flipped to the end, but found only blank pages.

I feel like I still don’t know the whole story…

Ji Yunfei pursed her lips and placed the diary back. Just as she was about to explore further, she heard a rustling sound from behind her to the right.

It sounded like… the friction of a snake’s tail sliding across the floor.

“Who’s there?!” Ji Yunfei gripped her candle tightly and turned toward the source, her voice carrying a trace of an undetectable tremble.

“I haven’t dealt with the living for a long time. You are the first in many years.” A low, cool male voice came from the shadows. Ji Yunfei focused, bringing her candle forward and staring intently ahead.

Slither— slither— First to enter her view was a massive silver snake tail. Then, the serpent demon from the painting—half-human, half-snake—gradually revealed its form. Several dim lamps flickered on around him, providing enough light to see the outline.

Light and shadow played across the man’s face. Ji Yunfei saw the sadness in the eye exposed to the light, though the other remained in shadow.

Are haunted houses this high-tech now? The texture of this snake tail is terrifyingly realistic…

“You are the serpent demon from the painting…?”

Hearing her question, the man arched an eyebrow and nodded slightly. “Smart. Correct.” Before Ji Yunfei could ask more, he began his story of his own accord: “Everyone who enters this manor either goes mad or stays here forever before they reach the attic. You are the first to make it this far.”

“I know why you are here. Although telling the story is like reopening a wound, I still want to talk. I’ve been alone for too long…”

Seeing the serpent demon coil his tail and sit in place, Ji Yunfei breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped forward two paces and sat opposite him about two meters away.

Seeing her sit, the man lowered his eyes as if taking all the sorrow upon himself. He sighed softly and began: “She was a strong-willed and stubborn person… She believed pushing me away was protecting me, that she should face everything alone.”

“But to me, nothing was more important than her, especially after I realized I loved her.”

“So, I killed him—that scum who used filthy methods and immense power to force her into a political marriage. That night, she cried, clutching my hand, begging me not to do it. I knew that once I acted, there would be no peace. She was thinking of me from beginning to end.”

“But what about her?” At this, the serpent demon looked up, his eyes bloodshot, his tone filled with deep-seated fury.

“So, I still broke my vow. I brushed her aside and dealt with that scum. At the same time, I exposed the fact that I was a serpent demon. Demon hunters discovered my tracks and began a pursuit.”

“Do you know? She didn’t leave me because of my identity. She held me, crying, and told me she loved me thousands upon thousands of times.” A nostalgic smile touched the serpent demon’s face. He stared into the darkness, his eyes full of obsession.

“How many people can accept that their daily partner is a demon with blood on its hands?” He turned his head, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and suddenly looked at Ji Yunfei: “If you were her, what would you have done?”

“…” Ji Yunfei was speechless; she couldn’t answer.

Seeing her difficulty, the serpent demon didn’t press her. He simply continued.

“I didn’t want to involve her, but she held my hand tightly, her eyes reflecting only me. She said, ‘Let’s run, even to the ends of the earth.’ But how could I let her wander with me?”

“So, I brought her to Twilight Manor. It was hidden enough, and I set up illusions outside so no one could find it.” He paused, his tone gaining a hint of pride. “To ensure safety, I had rumors spread that the manor was haunted. This completely cut off the possibility of being discovered.”

“Time proved I was right. I stayed with her from the time she was a magnificent young woman until she was old and frail. We escaped the pursuit, but she couldn’t escape time…” His voice grew faint, a sense of desolation rising.

“She began to suffer from insomnia every night, and gradually, she began to forget things. Sometimes she didn’t even recognize me… she started to become a bit mad.”

“So you killed her…?”

“Heh…” The man let out a light huff, clenching his teeth. “She was a cruel woman…”

“Do you know?” He looked up, his gray eyes staring intensely at Ji Yunfei. “She begged me… she begged me to kill her! She begged me to set her free…” His tone was angry, but the tears on his face wouldn’t stop.

Having said this, the serpent demon stood up, bypassed Ji Yunfei, and headed down from the attic. Seeing this, Ji Yunfei quickly grabbed her candle and followed him.

Through long corridors and around corner after corner, the two returned to the Madam’s bedroom. The serpent demon walked to her side, tenderly took her hand, and pressed it against his cheek.

“She wailed in pain all night, and my heart felt like it was being carved by a blade all night long.”

“I fulfill all her requests; this time was no exception. It’s enough for me to live in the memories alone…”

“She felt no pain when she left. Look, she’s still smiling. She must have had the best dream.”

Ding-ling-ling— A strange sound of bells echoed outside the window. The sound approached from afar like a phantom, circling Ji Yunfei’s ears.

While she was confused, the serpent demon seemed to be in disbelief. His eyes widened, and his tone turned frantic: “How? They found this place?”

“Heh, fine. Being able to punish evil before I die can be considered a way to wash away my sins.”

“Long-long, I can come to accompany you now… even if everything resets to zero, I will definitely find you…” The serpent demon kissed the back of the Madam’s hand, murmuring to himself.

The smell of burning wood began to appear. The serpent demon finally seemed to remember Ji Yunfei. He looked up: “Before long, this place will turn to ash. You should leave quickly. As for your friend, she should be waiting behind that door.”

“The door flashing with green light at the end of this floor is the emergency exit.”

Ji Yunfei nodded and was about to leave when he called out again. She turned back in confusion and met a pair of eyes filled with a bit of gratitude.

“By the way, thank you for listening to all this. After she left, I’ve been lonely for far too long…”

Beep— Beep— Beep— A piercing alarm sounded, and flickering red lights illuminated the surroundings. The serpent demon nodded to Ji Yunfei and pushed her lightly out of the room. Then, she heard the door lock.

Adventurer, please move quickly to the emergency exit. Do not turn to ash along with Twilight Manor.

Hearing the alarm from the speakers, Ji Yunfei didn’t dare stay. she rushed down the path to the very end and saw the door flashing with green light. Without hesitation, she opened it.

A blast of piercing light met her, making it hard to open her eyes. She shielded her eyes with her hand. Cheers reached her ears: “Congratulations on escaping Twilight Manor!”

Once her eyes adjusted, Ji Yunfei immediately saw Xie Yin standing at the very front of the crowd. She took three steps in two and lunged into the other’s embrace.

“When did you get out? I was worried to death…”

“I’ll tell you slowly later… there’s something you need to do first.” Xie Yin chuckled, stroking Ji Yunfei’s head as it rested on her shoulder.

“Hmm? What thing…?” Before Ji Yunfei could react, a girl in an amusement park uniform approached.

“Dear Adventurer, congratulations on clearing Twilight Manor. May I ask: have you discovered the truth behind the wealthy master’s death?”

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