I Raise My Wife in a Supernatural Story (Infinite) - Chapter 48

After clearing their first beginner script, every player unlocks a “Warehouse” to store acquired items. The Warehouse is flexible, containing a “Storage Box” used for temporary collection and storage of items found during an active script.

Before leaving the music room, Qi Yan had tucked Qiu Lirong’s divorce papers into her storage box. She hadn’t known what use they might have then; she was simply being cautious. Just in case they come in handy, she thought. After all, it was a key clue specifically placed in a hidden compartment.

After seeing Qiu Lirong’s ghostly figure in the music room, Qi Yan had been wondering about one thing: clearly, there were more than just the three ghosts of Qiu Ran and her friends in this script. Her mother had already appeared in this house, so what about her father—the man who was driven to madness by greed?

There was no reason for the whole family to become ghosts while that man got away. Qiu Ran had lived a life of oppression and pain; her obsessions, resentment, and hatred had served as nourishment, forging her into a powerful spirit that ruled the entire script.

If a vengeful spirit as brimming with resentment as Ling Yi was merely her subordinate, then she must have done something even more extraordinary.

This theory had been explained to her by Bai Qing: the demon race was naturally adept at utilizing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, relying on both talent and hard work. As long as they were diligent, they would eventually have the chance to increase their strength. The ghost race was different. The strength of a ghost was, in a sense, predetermined from the moment of its birth. What grade of ghost a person became after death was closely related to their obsessions and grudges in life. The greater the resentment, the more powerful the ghost was destined to be upon its birth.

According to Bai Qing, the likes of Cuilan from Baishui Town, and Qiu Ran and Yanyan from the Carnival, were roughly “Azure Spirits” (she-qing gui)—the grade with the heaviest resentment among the ghost race. Ling Yi, as a mini-boss, was slightly weaker, reaching the level of a “Red-clothed Vengeful Spirit.”

As for figures like Qiu Lirong, who appeared in white with disheveled hair, Qi Yan had often seen them on TV and always found them terrifying. But through Bai Qing’s explanation, she discovered that “White-shirted Ghosts” were actually not strong; they were spirits that had completely failed to recover their sanity. They were aggressive toward humans but lacked self-awareness and memories of their past lives, wandering in a state of muddled confusion.

In the real world, there would be specialized people to guide these ghosts to where they belonged. But in this script world, naturally, there was no such thing. They would all be trapped here, facing cycle after cycle of new players.

Qi Yan felt this was actually quite cruel. Someone like Ling Yi was slightly better off; Qi Yan could tell his memories were wiped by the system every time. But Qiu Ran, as the Heart of the World, supported the entire world with her will. She remained awake throughout, watching clearly and experiencing everything over and over again—having the very things she was obsessed with or resentful of poked at repeatedly before her eyes.

If it weren’t for the naturally antagonistic relationship between players and script bosses, Qi Yan might have felt more pity for these kids. But right now, the most important thing was leaving. No amount of sympathy or pity was more important than her own life.

The entire secret room was vibrating. A massive force from the outside was impacting the area. Judging by the direction, this secret room actually hid something else behind the wall covered in paintings.

Since the vibration began, Yanyan had looked furious. Her expression was hideous, her entire body turning a bruised bluish-purple, looking as if she were about to reveal her true ghostly form at the moment of her death. She was Qiu Ran’s second personality; her ghostly body was essentially how Qiu Ran looked when she died.

Looking at her like this, Qi Yan guessed that Qiu Ran must have been suffocated to death. Her entire face was bluish-purple, her fingernails had turned black and long, and her eyes were rolled back—matching the descriptions of those who died from asphyxiation.

There was no time for further thought as the powerful force instantly shattered the wall of the secret room. A black ghostly shadow lunged out, heading straight for Qi Yan.

Startled, Qi Yan raised her hand and tossed the divorce papers she was clutching. This ghost charging out of the wall was clearly after these items, and she didn’t want to keep holding onto such unlucky things.

Upon seeing the ghost clearly, Qi Yan felt glad she had made the right bet. Almost instantly, Yanyan roared and lunged out—not at the players, but at the ghost that had just burst through the wall.

Bai Qing protected Qi Yan’s side, while Jiang Miao watched in stunned silence as the two ghosts, one large and one small, became locked in combat. All of this happened in a matter of minutes, before she could even think clearly. In the meantime, Qi Yan moved quickly to flip back the cloth on the easel, revealing the drawing board beneath.

Qiu Ran, standing to the side, saw her expression darken. Reacting quickly, she blocked the drawing board and looked at Qi Yan with a complicated gaze.

Nothing more needed to be said. This drawing board was the Eye of this world, the exit for the players.

Qiu Ran’s gaze was cold. She asked, “Must you go?”

Qi Yan nodded without hesitation. “I must.”

“Why?” Qiu Ran pointed at the drawing in Qi Yan’s hand. “You paint so beautifully, and you had the patience to complete my drawing for me. Why can’t you just stay and stay with me?”

Her voice trembled. As an Azure Spirit, her power was unquestionable, and emotionally, she was in a state between human and ghost. She had the madness of a vengeful spirit but also human feelings. She liked Qi Yan and wanted her to stay and play with them.

“I have never met anyone who understood my hobby since I was little, nor did I have the chance to study painting properly! But I think you could do it. You understand me, and you paint so well. I want to ask you to stay as my friend and teacher.”

Her voice carried a slight tremor, showing she was trying her best to restrain her emotions. She truly hoped Qi Yan could stay; for this, she suppressed her ghostly nature, fearing she would scare the human.

“Ranran! Why are you telling her so much? It’s much more permanent to just strike and keep her here!” Yanyan’s temper was not as good as Qiu Ran’s. She was the personality separated from Qiu Ran’s body; no matter how strong she was, she wasn’t as powerful as the original body. Her ability was somewhere between an Azure Spirit and a Red-clothed Vengeful Spirit, with a heavier ghostly aura and very thin humanity.

In Yanyan’s view, since Qiu Ran liked Qi Yan and wanted her to stay as a friend and teacher, there was no need to waste words asking for her opinion. They should just kill her and turn her into a ghost. This was their territory; they called the shots. Why bother negotiating with this human? Just as she had done in the Carnival, turning Qi Yan into a doll directly—who was she to ask for permission?

But Qiu Ran thought more than Yanyan. She looked at the drawing in Qi Yan’s hand with a complicated expression and said slowly, “I have never been to an amusement park. This drawing is the paradise of my imagination.”

Nearby, Yanyan was locked in combat with the male ghost, unable to spare a moment, while Qi Yan and Qiu Ran remained at a stalemate.

The male ghost’s power was immense. He had personally killed his entire family, his hands covered in blood and sin; he was an inherently evil person who would descend into hell after death. He also happened to die at the hands of the vengeful spirit his daughter had become, and was sealed directly into the wall by her, never to see the light of day.

Soaked in hatred day after day and nourished by this script, he had become a very powerful Azure Spirit. Hatred, paranoia, and the resentment of a father and daughter killing each other—these were the most suitable nutrients for a ghost, and this script was the perfect vessel.

The male ghost’s power grew stronger, gradually taking the upper hand and pinning Yanyan down.

Qiu Ran and Yanyan were essentially the same person; their telepathic connection was even sharper than Qi Yan and Bai Qing’s. Almost the instant Yanyan was suppressed by the male ghost, Qiu Ran acted.

She no longer had time to dissuade Qi Yan. Her grey-blue ghostly aura lunged straight for the male ghost’s face.

This man had killed his wife and daughter in life, possessing not a shred of affection for his family. Qiu Ran had little feeling for him in life, and after death, there was only boundless resentment. A mature Azure Spirit was extremely powerful, far beyond what a male ghost who had developed over time could compare to.

In nearly an instant, the tide of battle was turned. The ghostly aura on Qiu Ran’s body was thick enough to choke someone as it wrapped directly around the male ghost.

With the drawing board no longer blocked, a black door opened within a vortex, waiting for the players to pass through like a magnet.

Qi Yan did not hesitate. She grabbed Jiang Miao, who was still dazed, and pushed her in. “Sister Miao, go quickly!”

Jiang Miao tried to turn back to grab her but missed, sucked in directly by the power of the “Eye,” vanishing quickly.

Bai Qing followed Qi Yan step by step. She didn’t open her mouth to urge her to leave, but instead helped her carry the heavily injured Xinyi to the “Eye.”

Tortured by the pain of the ghostly erosion in her legs, Xinyi had fainted several times, only regaining some consciousness now. She looked up at Qi Yan and gave her a deeply grateful smile. “Thank, thank you.”

Qi Yan returned the smile and then sent her through with Bai Qing. She knew the hearts of players in the script world were unpredictable, but she still wanted to preserve the last bit of sincerity in helping others. Helping Jiang Miao and Xinyi did not conflict with her wariness toward people like Wushuang.

Just like now, she sent those two away, but had no intention of helping Wushuang, who was lying on the ground being swallowed by ghostly aura.

Qiu Ran held the male ghost with her aura, but she could not spare the effort to stop Qi Yan.

“Big Sister…” she spoke, simply wanting to try and keep her one last time.

Qi Yan looked at her for a long time. She could feel that Qiu Ran had no strong malice toward her; she truly wanted her to stay.

After a long silence, Qi Yan finally spoke, “Can the BOSSes and NPCs of different scripts contact each other?”

This nonsensical question completely baffled both Qiu Ran and Yanyan. The two little ghosts looked at each other; this was the first time they had heard a player ask a question so far outside their understanding.

“I have never contacted anyone else,” was Qiu Ran’s answer.

It seemed they couldn’t. Qi Yan felt a bit regretful. “I see. I wanted to say I could bring you some art textbooks and notes. I study art, and I have many old textbooks at home, along with notes I made myself. They might be very useful to you.”

Hearing this, Qiu Ran’s lifeless black ghostly eyes brightened slightly. “So, Sister, you’re willing to contact me again?”

“Yeah, in a sense. But only if we actually can contact each other.”

Qi Yan put on a regretful look, but the injured Yanyan snorted. “If you want to contact us, there’s naturally a way.”

“Huh?” Now it was Qi Yan’s turn to be stunned. There actually was a way?

Yanyan didn’t have time to explain, because in the next second, she suddenly rushed behind Qi Yan. A loud boom exploded behind her; from the sound, it was right behind the back of her head. Bai Qing, who had been protecting her side, also moved almost simultaneously, her long sword manifested from spiritual power blocking the sudden attack.

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Qi Yan instinctively hid behind Bai Qing, still clutching Qiu Ran’s drawing of the Carnival.

The change happened too fast for anyone to react, including Bai Qing. She was resisting the sudden attack based on her instinct for danger, but she hadn’t quite figured out what was attacking them.

The thing was shrouded in thick ghostly aura, appearing identical to the abilities of all ghosts in the script. Was there some unknown ghost hiding in this script?

Qi Yan instinctively looked at Qiu Ran, only to see that she had suppressed the male ghost her father had become; the male ghost could no longer move.

Then… these two in front of her…

Yes, that’s right. Two “ghosts” had suddenly appeared. One was repelled by Yanyan, and the other was locked in combat with Bai Qing.

While Qi Yan was still dazed, Qiu Ran had already rushed up and shoved her toward the easel.

“Go, Big Sister.” Qiu Ran gave her a deep look and said, “Keep that drawing safe.”

“But…” With Qiu Ran’s reminder, Qi Yan gripped the drawing tighter. Her gaze fell on Bai Qing, and she said urgently, “I can’t right now…”

Before she could finish, Qiu Ran had rushed forward to stand between Bai Qing and the intense ghostly aura. She turned back and shouted sharply, “Go!”

As soon as she spoke, the ghostly aura suppressed by Yanyan suddenly surged. The thick black mist scattered into countless branches, reaching for Qi Yan like bared fangs and claws.

They were coming for her!

Qi Yan realized it in an instant.

But why? Why target her?

Bai Qing naturally noticed this as well. Her battle was blocked by Qiu Ran, and she now understood that these two unknown masses of ghostly aura were coming for Qi Yan. The urgent priority was to get Qi Yan out quickly!

“Go, get in.” Bai Qing embraced Qi Yan. The two stood before the easel and took one last look at the chaotic studio.

“DO—NOT—LEAVE!”

The ghostly mist let out a deafening roar that shook the entire studio to its foundations.

Yanyan’s ghostly face was grim, clearly thoroughly enraged.

“Where did these stray dogs come from, acting so arrogant! Do you want to shatter Ranran’s studio to pieces?!”

That was the last thing Qi Yan heard before leaving the script. Immediately after, everything before her eyes vanished, and she fell into the familiar vortex once more.

When she opened her eyes again, she was lying back on her bed. She sat up abruptly and looked to her side. The snowy white fox was lying beside her, watching her with those blue and gold heterochromatic eyes.

Seeing that she had turned back into a fox, Qi Yan instinctively thought she was injured. She hurried to her side and anxiously felt her fur. “What happened? Are you hurt? Or did you overdraw your spiritual power like last time?”

Her concern and urgency were so obvious that the snow fox’s narrow eyes crinkled slightly, showing a hint of pleasure and happiness. “It’s nothing. I’m just a bit tired, not like last time. This state can speed up my recovery, so I didn’t change back to human form.”

Hearing her say this and seeing that there were indeed no signs of injury on her body, Qi Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s good, that’s good.”

The snow fox rested her head on her front paws and looked at her lazily, saying softly, “You care about me that much?”

Qi Yan froze, her back stiffening. She turned her face away and muttered, “No, I was just asking.”

“Is that so?” Bai Qing replied, then lay down and closed her eyes.

Qi Yan waited for a while but didn’t hear the fox speak again. Turning back, she saw that she seemed to have fallen asleep. She hesitantly reached out and stroked the fox’s head; there was no reaction, making her certain she was truly asleep.

Qi Yan also rolled over, facing the snow fox, and stared blankly at her fluffy head.

This script was much harder than the first one, but Qi Yan felt she was lucky to have met a boss who seemed the easiest to talk to. There were three bosses in total in the script, and whether it was Qiu Ran, Yanyan, or the boss of the ghostly mist, Ling Yi, their experiences made Qi Yan’s heart feel heavy.

They were just three teenage children, yet they were all so miserable.

The feeling stifled her heart, making her feel uneasy.

Aside from the heavy feeling from the bosses’ tragic pasts, other small details kept swirling in Qi Yan’s mind. She tried her best to hold onto her consciousness, wanting to stay awake and continue thinking, but in the end, she couldn’t resist the surging waves of exhaustion. Finally, she rolled into the snow fox’s warm embrace and fell into a deep sleep.

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