Vol 1 Chapter 5.2 (1/2)
Chapter 5: House Keeper Part 2—Barrier Dimension—translated by raylight (proofread by Trespa.s.serby; C/E edited by lucathia)
Jiang Ziya did not come to the library often, though the university’s library was rather well-known. Not only did they have a large collection of books, the building was also fairly new, so every spot felt novel and comfortable. It could be said to be a great favorite among the students.
However, he would usually head straight to Jiu Ge for his part-time work after cla.s.s. After finis.h.i.+ng the stocking and cleaning, he would study as he manned the store. Therefore, he had completely no affinity with the library.
By this time, it was already past nine thirty. The library seemed to be closing, and the students were all leaving in groups. However, when they pa.s.sed by Jiang Ziya, they all shot a few glances at him.
Jiang Ziya was carrying a large doll nearing seventy centimeters in his hands. It looked incredibly real, like a smaller scaled version of a human. The doll was wearing a s.h.i.+rt, a vest, and formal pants, appearing no different from a butler.
When he reached the highest floor of the building, Jiang Ziya intentionally waited until there were few people about before he sneaked to the door accessing the rooftop. The door wasn’t locked, though he was uncertain whether it was arranged ahead of time.
He pushed the door open and saw a flight of stairs leading upwards. Due to the fact that it was very dark, he could only see the first few stairs and was unable to see the end of them.
“Please place me on the floor.”
Jiang Ziya received a large scare at that, then realized that the one speaking was the “House Keeper” in his hands. He quickly followed his instructions.
Within seconds, the doll of seventy centimeters reverted back to a man of a hundred and eighty centimeters.
Jiang Ziya felt that he would never get used to it, even if he were to see it a hundred times more.
“Gēge, let him walk in front.”
Jiang Ziya looked back, and Xiao Xue’s head popped out from the backpack behind him. Of course, she was in the form of a doll. Though his backpack was not small, it was also not ridiculous enough to be able to stuff a child inside of it.
“Understood.” House Keeper nodded his head without any objections and took the lead as he ventured up the stairs.
After walking up a few steps, Jiang Ziya felt that the way the darkness fell around them was strange. It wasn’t like there was completely no light, for he was still able to see his surroundings, or at least he could still clearly see House Keeper walking in front of him. However, places about three steps away from him were completely shrouded in darkness, and he was even unable to tell how large this area was.
Even though this place should obviously only be a staircase…
“Don’t step on it!” Jiang Ziya growled.
House Keeper’s raised foot then paused in mid-air, unmoving.
Jiang Ziya quickly said, “s.h.i.+ft toward the side, and don’t step on that place. A strange design flickered just now, so I think it’s probably best not to step on it.”
When House Keeper followed his instructions, a picture suddenly emerged from the place he was about to step onto. It was red like the color of blood, and was in the ominous shape of screaming faces. It then abruptly burst and became a pile of red-colored lights.
However, that was not the end of it. Many similar designs appeared on the way up, and then promptly exploded in one breath. In that instant, a blood-colored road appeared.
Xiao Xue gasped in shock, “Gēge is so awesome! You broke their entrance to the barrier dimension!”
I broke what? Jiang Ziya felt completely bewildered. He did not know what had happened in the slightest. He had merely felt that since the situation didn’t look good for them, he should reflexively call for them to stop if he saw anything strange.
In conclusion, it’s a good thing, right? Jiang Ziya felt a little uncertain.
“If we had become trapped in the barrier dimension that they had set up, we would have been unable to see the truth of the situation. Since they had arranged to meet on the rooftop, they might have been harboring intentions for us to be deluded by the barrier dimension, and for us to then jump down from the rooftop on our own.”
House Keeper explained patiently, “However, even if we had not broken through it, the effect of the barrier dimension on you would not even be half of its original. Your eye can see through many things. If you were to practice well, barrier dimensions would be a joke to you. That is what the mistress said.”
Jiang Ziya decided that when he went back, he would cling to Yu Shu’s thighs and beg her to teach him how to make this “barrier dimension” a joke.
Since he had Jiang Jiang and Xiao Xue at home and then Lu Yang at school, Jiang Ziya felt that he was desperately in need of “a joke.”
What followed after went smoothly. The surroundings were no longer strangely dark and became just an ordinary staircase. Not long after, the door accessing the rooftop appeared in front of them.
House Keeper turned around and inquired in detail, “Are there any issues with this door?”
Jiang Ziya looked up and down the door several times, and then shook his head as he said, “Nope.”
Xiao Xue coldly snorted as she said, “Looks like they are fairly clever. They didn’t put the pathway to the barrier dimension on the door, which is the easiest to be checked, but instead placed it on the staircase.”
Pathway? Jiang Ziya felt that this world was becoming even more complicated and confusing.
“Are we opening the door now?” House Keeper gently said, “Please be very careful. I am merely a low-level illusionary familiar and most likely would not be of much help.”
Jiang Ziya felt extremely nervous, but he could only force himself to boldly say, “Open the door!”
He pushed, and the door let out a creaking sound, having rusted for several years without repair. The sound was exceptionally ear-piercing in the silence of the night.
A shadow crawled over quickly, like a giant reptile’s. Upon closer inspection, Jiang Ziya then realized that it was a contorted human body, its limbs bending in impossible directions. It was crawling at an exceptional pace and was half-rotten, showing a large patch of flesh and white bone.
House Keeper stepped forward to block in front of Jiang Ziya, and the crawling corpse abruptly stopped. It looked at House Keeper in uncertainty and dared not approach carelessly.
Other than the crawling corpse, there was also a female corpse with her neck broken, and her head was lying on her shoulder horizontally. There was also a scarecrow with a torn mouth, and a pair of living human eyes was rolling around on its face.
If one were to see these three in the middle of the night, even being scared to death was a possibility.
As expected, it’s “those things” that appeared in the supermarket!
When Jiang Ziya had been trapped in the supermarket, he was so scared that he could only escape with Lin Zhixiang and even had to rely on Xiao Xue to lure them away. Only then did he manage to escape with his life. However, at the moment, he felt that these three things didn’t seem as terrifying anymore.
They were merely the same kind of thing as House Keeper, just that House Keeper was much more handsome than they were!
Also, was it due to the fact that they had broken that barrier dimension or something? Jiang Ziya felt that there were too many weak points about these things. He could see that the crawling corpse’s rotten skin was a fabric texture. There was even cotton wool coming out of its eyes. This is actually a broken burlap sack with cotton stuffing, isn’t it?
The scarecrow was a real scarecrow, and the eyeb.a.l.l.s were also real. However, they did not move and were gray, resembling the eyes of a dead creature. Jiang Ziya hoped that they weren’t human eyes.
As for the female corpse, it was just a plastic model!
“Hehe, your guts sure have improved a lot.”
A figure emerged from the shadows. He was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties. He had no distinctive features and was the type that you wouldn’t remember even after you saw him.
He coldly said, “Hand the artifact demon over.”
Jiang Ziya suppressed his anger and said, “Where’s Lu Yang?”
The other pointed behind his back.
A figure was hanging beneath the elevated water tower. Jiang Ziya had seen it the moment he stepped onto the rooftop.
“Nonsense. The one hanging there isn’t Lu Yang. Do you think I’m blind?”
The person froze and blurted, “You can tell the difference?”
Jiang Ziya flinched and remembered what Yu Shu had said before, not to mention the “truth-seeing eye”…
“I have already broken through your barrier dimension. Who wouldn’t be able to tell the difference!” He forcefully blathered, “Your skills are just too lousy!”
The middle-aged man’s face turned dark. He said, “So it seems I have underestimated you and thought that you were just an ordinary person who had lucked out and gotten your hands on an artifact demon. Now, it appears that you are also a pract.i.tioner. However, even if we’re in the same profession, I’m definitely getting that artifact demon! Hand it over, unless you don’t care for your companion’s life?”
Jiang Ziya angrily shouted, “I want to see a living Lu Yang! Otherwise, there will absolutely be no negotiation!”
Though the fake person had been seen through, the middle-aged man did not dwell on it. He gestured to the scarecrow and the female corpse, and the two walked to the side of the building and pulled up something from each side.
It was Lu Yang.
Both his hands were kept in handcuffs, and the chain in the center wrapped around the railing, keeping him hanging on the outer edge of the building. Because all of his body weight was supported by his wrists, the area around his wrists had already turned b.l.o.o.d.y.
“Lu Yang!” Jiang Ziya immediately shouted.
But the latter had his head lowered and did not reply.
Jiang Ziya glared at the middle-aged man fiercely.
“He is still living.” The man coldly continued, “However, it would be hard to say so if he continues hanging there. Hand over the artifact demon and I’ll leave and give you the keys to the handcuffs.”
Xiao Xue was hiding right in Jiang Ziya’s backpack, not moving a single bit. Jiang Ziya couldn’t imagine how she felt upon hearing this. Would she think that he really would exchange her for Lu Yang?
Jiang Ziya had already given up on the option of “exchanging her” long ago. He didn’t know when it had happened, but he was certain that he was unable to do so. Even if Xiao Xue wasn’t human, other than those ball-joints that proved otherwise, which part of her didn’t seem human?
Jiang Ziya started considering. What if I pretended to hand Xiao Xue over to get the keys to the handcuffs first, and then s.n.a.t.c.hed Xiao Xue back?
No, it still won’t do. He only had House Keeper at his side, and the other person had three illusionary familiars… Wait, if the one dangling under the water tower is included, then it’s four! He didn’t have any confidence in s.n.a.t.c.hing Xiao Xue back from the other person’s hands.
Then, what should I do?
“I’ll give you ten seconds. Give me the artifact demon!”
As the guy urged in front, a barely audible voice came from behind and reminded him, “Gēge, if you personally agree to hand me over to him, then it will be a contract, and I will really become his. But as long as you don’t agree, he will not be able to take me away.”
Jiang Ziya froze. He then understood the reason why the other had not gone ahead to s.n.a.t.c.h Xiao Xue even though he had four illusions at hand.
He was completely in a dilemma, stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, he was very clear regarding his decision. He merely could not accept that fact, for Xiao Xue herself had just followed him here so unguarded…