Chapter 23: Infiltration + Constantine

In the rest station, Jiang Shulan stood with one foot on a cliff he had conjured into existence, his hands on his hips.

The salty sea breeze blew past him, spreading the hem of his coat behind him in a graceful arc.

He tilted his chin up slightly, letting the wind brush across his jawline, the hollow of his throat, and his collarbones. His soft, fluffy hair was tousled by the breeze, a few black strands sticking to his cheeks.

[Aren’t you tired?]

Ever since returning from the Night Demon movie world, Jiang Shulan had been standing in that pose for about five or six minutes.

[You wouldn’t understand.]

Jiang Shulan pretended to be profound, keeping a serious expression while casually sweeping his hair back with one hand.

[This is the taste of success.]

The system refused to admit that it found him adorable. Its voice remained as rational and detached as ever, but its words were painfully honest.

[Can you forgive me now?]

[A little bit.]

Jiang Shulan switched legs; the one he had been resting on the rock had gone numb.

Still, he was in an excellent mood.

A cheerful song immediately began playing throughout the rest station.

The system lowered itself even further.

[What if I arrange a bonus world for you?]

If it had a physical body, it would have gladly turned itself into that rock for Jiang Shulan to step on.

[Would you completely forgive me then?]

[A bonus world?]

Jiang Shulan looked skeptical.

[No boyfriend this time?]

[No. Seriously, no boyfriend this time. Just treat it like a vacation. There are absolutely no missions.]

Seeing an opportunity, the system hurried to rebuild Jiang Shulan’s trust.

[If there is one, I’ll be a puppy.]

Jiang Shulan pressed his lips together.

[Fine.]

[Player has successfully entered the movie world Insidious.

Role: childhood friend of the protagonist Renai Lambert.

Mission: die of heart failure.]

[Wasn’t there supposed to be no mission?]

[Please note: in this world, the player’s body has a congenital heart condition. Please choose your logout timing carefully.]

Jiang Shulan understood immediately.

A heart condition. Whether he died or not was entirely up to him.

Hehe~

****

“Hey, little priest, we’re here. Your sister’s house.”

Hearing the car horn outside, Josh felt absolutely no desire to see the visitor. However, out of consideration for his wife Renai’s wishes, he still went to greet him.

The visitor was Renai’s friend, a priest who made a living by selling people things science supposedly couldn’t explain.

As a physics professor, Josh had always disliked that sort of thing.

Yet the annoyance vanished completely the moment he saw the newcomer.

The young priest wore a black cassock.

A white Roman collar was fastened neatly beneath a delicate throat, the tiny patch of white standing out sharply against the sea of black, like snow resting atop a rooftop in the dead of night.

A simple belt cinched his waist, the excess strap hanging loosely at his side and swaying gently with each step.

Finally, the priest stopped in front of him and politely extended a hand.

“Hello, Josh. I’m Renai’s good friend. Just call me ‘Shu.’”

“Shu” was much easier to pronounce than “Jiang.”

Jiang Shulan smiled brightly.

“Godfather!”

The instant Dalton heard his voice, he dashed out of the house and threw himself at Jiang Shulan’s waist.

Rubbing his face against him, he exclaimed happily,

“I missed you!”

[Renai and the player are very close. The two children chose him as their godfather and were baptized by him.]

Dalton had large, grape-like eyes and a round little face. At only ten years old, his voice was still soft and adorable.

Jiang Shulan picked him up.

Passing by the still-frozen Josh at the doorway, he laughed.

“Oh, Dalton. Godfather missed you too.”

“Shu.”

Renai emerged carrying baby Kali in her arms and gave Jiang Shulan a hug.

“Thank you, Shu.”

When Josh hadn’t had enough money to buy the house, she had secretly borrowed money from Jiang Shulan without telling her husband.

“No need to thank me.”

The two chatted for a while and never even noticed when Josh left for work.

Renai had once been a famous composer, but after marriage she devoted herself entirely to family life and was constantly occupied by endless responsibilities involving her husband and children.

As she talked about the past, sadness appeared on her face.

Seeing this, Jiang Shulan comforted her.

“I don’t really have anything to do these next few days. I can help take care of the kids.”

“Really?”

Renai looked delighted, but then hesitated.

“But you’re a man.”

Where she lived, men rarely took responsibility for childcare or housework. If one did, other men would mock him behind his back for lacking masculinity.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Jiang Shulan accepted the idea completely.

Dalton was just too cute.

And Kali, lying quietly in her crib and blinking up at him, was even cuter.

Hearing his answer, Renai became overjoyed.

After briefly explaining how to care for Kali, she headed downstairs to practice piano.

****

“Godfather!”

“Dalton!”

Jiang Shulan and Dalton sat side by side.

Dalton squeezed a rubber duck toy.

“Isn’t my sister beautiful?”

“She is!”

Jiang Shulan carefully reached out and lightly touched Kali’s cheek with one finger.

Instead of being frightened, Kali kicked her little legs and grabbed his finger with all five tiny fingers.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

Instantly, Jiang Shulan felt his heart melt.

The two spent the entire afternoon playing with Kali in the nursery.

Neither noticed the passage of time until Renai came to call them for dinner.

They exchanged embarrassed glances.

He was an adult!

How could he get so caught up playing with a child that he forgot the time?

Jiang Shulan harshly criticized himself.

****

The family enjoyed a warm dinner together.

Josh also apologized for ignoring Jiang Shulan’s offered handshake that morning.

Since Jiang Shulan hadn’t cared much in the first place, he simply nodded in acceptance.

Oddly enough, Josh looked very pleased by that.

Outside stretched a pitch-black night.

Inside was the warmth of family.

It was the most ordinary evening imaginable.

‘Looks like this world isn’t dangerous at all.’

He could play as much as he wanted before leaving.

****

After dinner, Jiang Shulan and Dalton continued exploring their new house.

They quickly discovered numerous hazards.

“The attic ladder is broken!”

“The basement door is broken and won’t open!”

“My sister’s room is kind of dark!”

“The bathroom light doesn’t work!”

“…”

Listening to the pair report their findings as though they were briefing a commanding officer, Renai couldn’t help laughing.

Dalton was one thing.

But why was Jiang Shulan acting like a child too?

He was already an officially recognized priest.

Did the church recruit people based on looks?

“All right, all right.”

“When Josh has time this weekend, I’ll have him fix everything.”

Josh nodded from the side.

By the time they finished, it was already eight in the evening.

Kali was crying from exhaustion.

Renai carried her off to sleep and arranged for Jiang Shulan to stay in the guest room.

Dalton insisted on sleeping with him.

Unable to refuse, Renai agreed.

****

The guest room door clicked shut, sealing off the outside world and creating an absolutely private space.

Jiang Shulan pulled out his phone.

He lowered his head and exchanged a glance with Dalton.

Both immediately grinned.

“Ready, Dalton?”

“I’m ready, Godfather!”

The night was long.

Jiang Shulan decided to open a certain familiar game app, one that started with the letter “W”, a game he both loved and hated.

The two played enthusiastically.

Neither noticed the dangerous shadow gradually spreading in the corner beyond the reach of the light.

The shadow slowly took on a humanoid shape.

It silently crawled onto the ceiling and stared down at them with cold eyes, patiently waiting for them to fall asleep.

It had been observing this family’s child for a very, very long time.

This boy, Dalton, like his father Josh, was a spiritual traveler.

Whenever he slept, his soul left his body.

That made him the perfect target for possession.

Other spirits had already set their sights on Josh.

This creature had no choice but to settle for the younger child instead.

Originally, it had planned to wait longer.

But now the family knew a priest.

To avoid any complications, it decided to act tonight.

Once successful, it could use the child’s body to return to life.

The Red-Faced Demon’s malicious gaze hid within the darkness.

This time, it was determined to succeed.

****

The bedside clock ticked steadily.

The night was already beginning to give way to dawn.

Yet neither of them had gone to sleep.

“Dalton.”

Jiang Shulan finally forced himself to look away from the game.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Please, Godfather. I hardly ever get to play.”

Dalton never looked up.

“Just tonight, okay? Just one night! We’ll sleep after we win one match!”

“Fine. But we have to sleep at three o’clock, understand?”

“Okay.”

The Red-Faced Demon immediately perked up.

Three o’clock.

Just two more hours.

Wait a little longer.

Just a little longer.

It was a patient hunter.

****

“Shu, are you awake? Breakfast’s ready!”

“Huh? Oh! What? Right!”

Jiang Shulan and Dalton scrambled to the bathroom, splashed water on their faces, and hurried downstairs pretending they had just woken up.

The Red-Faced Demon gnashed its teeth in fury.

What kind of game was this?!

It wanted to file a complaint.

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