Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 165: Ghosts in the apartment

Xiang Yu stood in the well lit kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator the only sound accompanying the distant bickering of Lian and Mei from the bathroom. He opened the fridge, his eyes scanning the sparse contents.

There were only a few beers, soy milk, and some apples. With a sigh, he grabbed the apples and began washing them, his mind wandering to the task of feeding his little minions. Cooking was not his forte, but he had to make do.

As he rinsed the apples under the cold water, he heard the soft patter of feet descending the stairs. Lian and Mei appeared, their oversized sleeping clothes dragging on the floor.

The sight of them in such ill-fitting attire tugged at Xiang Yu’s heart. He had bought the clothes in haste, not realising how poorly they would fit. Mei nearly tripped on her gown, catching herself on the staircase rail just in time.

"Eat this for now," Xiang Yu said, handing them the apples. "I will take you out later. I just need to check the situation downstairs."

Lian struggled to climb onto a barstool, her small hands gripping the edge for support. "Thank you, Master," she said, her voice soft and grateful. Mei echoed her sister’s thanks, her eyes wide with appreciation.

Xiang Yu poked holes in the tops of the soy milk bottles with a straw and pushed them towards the girls. "Drink slowly," he instructed, before taking another apple and heading for the elevator. "Rest and don’t cause any trouble. I will be back soon."

He handed them an extra phone he had found in his bedroom. "Call this number if there’s a problem," he said, feeling a pang of unease as he left them. Mei’s voice stopped him just as the elevator doors were closing.

"Master, can we watch TV?"

Xiang Yu nodded. "Just no dramas and don’t stay up for long. You need your rest," Those dog blood dramas were too stimulating for that pair. They were so passionate about it that they couldn’t separate art from the artist.

He set up an age-appropriate profile on the TV, ensuring they wouldn’t stumble upon anything unsuitable. Lian and Mei nodded vigorously, a hint of mischief in their eyes.

Biting into his apple, Xiang Yu stepped into the elevator and descended to the garage. He unlocked the heavy door leading to the tattoo parlour and was greeted by the buzz of activity. "Good morning, Boss Yu," the staff called out as he passed. Xiang Yu nodded in acknowledgment, recognising each face and name.

The parlour was bustling, with three full-time artists and two freelancers who only came in for specific intricate designs. The trainee was absent today, but the energy in the room was palpable. Xiang Yu made his way to his office at the back. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

The office was a testament to the original Xiang Yu’s meticulous nature, his requirements for cleanliness near godliness.

The office had a sleek black and white theme that exuded elegance. Monochrome paintings adorned the walls, each one painted by him. A neatly arranged bookshelf stood against one wall, filled with art books, tattoo design references, and a few personal favourites. The space was both inspiring and calming.

Xiang Yu walked slowly around the office, his fingers trailing over the surfaces with a hint of fascination. Every item was in its place, every surface spotless. As he moved, he felt around the bookshelf, searching for a secret entrance like the one in the warehouse office. But this office was different; there was no hidden biometric panel here.

A memory surfaced in his mind, prompting him to sit at his desk. He felt around underneath, his fingers brushing against a discreet fingerprint reader. With a soft click, the bookshelf swung open, and the office door locked automatically. Just as he expected, a hidden safe room was revealed, stocked with guns, piles of money, documents, and other supplies for emergencies. He now recalled that there was another safe room in the apartment in case the triads ever came looking for trouble. This gave him peace of mind. It meant he could keep the girls safe if things went south.

Suddenly, his phone rang in his pocket. The caller ID read "Little Bai." Xiang Yu answered, and a shrill scream erupted from the receiver and he pulled the phone away from his ears. It sounded like a young man in distress.

"Brother Yu, there are ghosts in here! Please save me!" Little Bai’s voice was frantic.

Xiang Yu frowned, confused. "Ghosts? Where are you?"

"I was in the apartment upstairs. I returned from visiting my mother and went upstairs, but there were ghosts in there! Ahhhh, save me!" The call cut off abruptly.

Realisation dawned on him. Little Bai, the intern the original Xiang Yu had taken in—more like a prodigy—was living with him. And now, it seemed, he had been terrified by the twins. Xiang Yu got up and made his way to the door connecting to his apartment, his mind racing with thoughts of what he might find.

Xiang Yu reached the garage and found Little Bai standing by the elevator door, looking as pale as if he had seen a ghost. His steps faltered when he saw the young man, who bore a striking resemblance to Baihe, the kid he had saved in the previous world. The sight of that familiar, adorable face took him by surprise.

Little Bai trembled like a leaf, his voice shaky. "Brother Yu, you you you have ghosts up there. They were running around, scaring me to death. I saw them standing at the top of the stairs, covered in blood. Brother, please save me."

Xiang Yu patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Let’s go take a look."

The two of them entered the elevator and ascended to the apartment floor. As they exited, Little Bai clung to him, hiding behind him in fear. Xiang Yu chuckled softly. "Are you really this timid?"

Little Bai nodded, not even attempting to hide his fear. Xiang Yu clicked his tongue in mild exasperation. "Mei, Lian, come out."

After some time Lian and Mei appeared from upstairs, their little bunny slippers shuffling on the floor. They looked all innocent and cute as if they hadn’t just scared Little Bai half to death. Lian asked, "Master, what’s wrong?" while Mei added, "We were already sleeping when you called us."

"Really?" Xiang Yu’s voice was sceptical.

The girls had already wiped off the ketchup they had smeared on their faces to mimic blood. Little Bai, still confused, asked, "They are human?"

Xiang Yu raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Little Bai, realising his mistake, stopped clinging to Xiang Yu and stood next to him, a little embarrassed. Who could blame him?

There was supposed to be no one in the apartment, especially not little girls. The situation was surreal, and Xiang Yu couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation at the twins’ antics.

***

Earlier that day, Little Bai had reached the apartment, knowing that Xiang Yu was probably in the tattoo shop downstairs. He went upstairs to put his stuff away, expecting a quiet, uneventful morning.

The apartment was silent, the TV off. He took off his shoes and slipped into his house slippers, noting that Xiang Yu’s slippers were still there, indicating he had indeed gone downstairs.

Just as he finished changing his shoes, the TV flickered on by itself. Little Bai frowned in confusion. He walked over to switch it off, searching for the remote. As he did, the sound of cooking utensils clattering to the ground echoed from the kitchen.

The hairs on his body stood on end, a chill running down his spine. He hesitated but then cautiously entered the kitchen, calling out, "Hello?"

The once neatly hung cooking utensils were now scattered across the floor. As he bent down to pick them up, he noticed bloody handprints smeared on the ground. His heart pounded in his chest. If he wasn’t scared before, he was definitely terrified now.

Suddenly, the sound of feet running up the stairs reached his ears. His face turned ashen, but he steeled himself. He had to be brave and protect Xiang Yu’s home. Xiang Yu had been kind enough to take him in as an apprentice and give him a place to stay; he couldn’t just leave intruders in the apartment.

He grabbed a knife but quickly swapped it for a rolling pin, feeling slightly more confident with the less lethal weapon. He walked up the stairs, his voice trembling as he yelled, "I I I have a weapon! Come out now before it’s too late!"

A terrifying laugh, like that of a creepy doll, echoed through the apartment, freezing him in his tracks. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to look but there was nothing. He ran back down the stairs and tripped at the bottom. He struggled to get up.

He raised his head only to be met with a sight that nearly stopped his heart. Two identical girls stood at the top of the stairs, smiling creepily at him, their faces smeared with what looked like blood but was actually ketchup.

"Where are you going, brother?" one of them asked.

"Don’t go, brother," the other one said.

Simultaneously, they both said, "Come play with us."

Little Bai almost had a heart attack. He bolted down towards the elevator, screaming his lungs out. He reached the elevator and pressed the button repeatedly, his panic rising as the doors seemed to open agonisingly slowly.

When they finally opened enough for him to squeeze through, he dashed inside, frantically pressing the button to close the doors. He could see the "ghosts" slowly descending the stairs as if coming after him.

When the elevator doors finally shut, he slid down the wall, his body covered in sweat. He was grateful he had escaped, his heart still pounding from the fright.