Chapter 23: The Whispering Nightmare

It came again—

Those chaotic whispers, that maddening noise.

This time, the dream was clearer:

In a pitch-dark altar, every corner was coated with faintly glowing green slime.

The believers stood around him, their faces ashen and lifeless—

Only their eyes remained pure white, hollow and cold.

He lay upon the altar,

Feeling the blood and vitality inside his body slowly draining away.

The believers began to laugh.

They formed a circle around him and started chanting:

“Form of time, shadow of time.”

“The endless cycle, smooth as silver.”

“I am lost, I am lost—adrift in this dim, flowing silver.”

“The mad and the fallen gather here, the mist is about to rise.”

“We offer pure souls to welcome Your descent.”

Everything before his eyes—

Even the darkness—began to twist.

He was forced to witness Its arrival—

The void rippled like starlight.

It appeared like a silver river.

A circular worm, mysterious and fluid—

Its body like translucent water, or condensed light.

Across its form were spiral-shaped eyes.

All those eyes—

Stared at him.

As if dragging him into a stagnant, suffocating abyss.

“No… no!”

“Don’t—!”

The young master jolted awake from the nightmare.

His clothes were soaked in cold sweat.

He looked around in panic—

Night blanketed everything,

And he was alone in the room.

He trembled slightly, then crawled into the wardrobe.

Wrapped in soft fabric, he felt a small sense of safety.

Knock. Knock.

Someone tapped gently on the wardrobe door.

He cautiously peeked out—

And saw another young man standing there—

Someone who looked exactly like him.

“Why are you hiding in the wardrobe again?”

Ever since Si Qingxuan declared he would kill those monsters,

The young master had practically turned the wardrobe into his nest.

At first, Si Qingxuan forced him into it to take over his identity.

Seeing the boy curled up inside, small and fearful,

Si Qingxuan had even felt a hint of guilt.

But now—

The young master treated it as a safe haven.

Sometimes, when they argued,

He would slam the wardrobe shut—refusing to speak.

…Like a pet hiding in its cage.

Si Qingxuan found it utterly ridiculous.

But this time—something was different.

The moment the wardrobe door opened,

The young master looked at him like a savior.

“You’re finally back!”

His expression resembled a crying kitten.

“I was so scared!”

Si Qingxuan: “…”

He smiled slowly.

“You’re scared?”

“Do you need me to remind you?”

He lowered his head, leaning closer.

Watching the boy’s pupils dilate—

“To you, I’m a stranger.”

“Strictly speaking, I’m not even human.”

“I’m closer to the ‘god’ your butler worships.”

“I’m using your identity, doing whatever I want.”

His tone was gentle—

Yet carried a hidden danger.

“So tell me—

Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

The young master breathed unevenly.

His hair clung to his forehead with sweat.

The light in his eyes flickered like a dying candle.

He remembered the dream—

The pain of his life draining away…

And the moment he was stared at by that “thing.”

But he remembered something else too—

The anger.

No one would willingly become a sacrifice.

They treated him like livestock—

Something to be slaughtered.

Knowing his fate in advance…

Waiting for the blade to fall…

Was worse than ignorance.

The butler’s threats—

His fear—

His silence—

All became chains.

Night after night, whispers haunted him.

How could he not hate?

“…You’ve been helping me.”

The young master spoke hoarsely.

He stared stubbornly into Si Qingxuan’s eyes.

“I don’t care what you are.”

“God… devil… anything.”

“As long as you can free me from becoming a sacrifice—

As long as my death won’t be meaningless—

That’s enough.”

“I won’t let you help me for nothing.”

“Everything I have is yours.”

“My wealth, my life—

Even my soul.”

[Ah, what a tragic scene!]

The system sighed dramatically.

[If this were reality, we’d definitely help him. Too bad we’re in an illusion—none of that is actually worth anything.]

Si Qingxuan: “…”

[But still—High Priest! He’s offering you his soul! A perfect follower!]

“Are all evil gods this shameless?”

Si Qingxuan said dryly.

[No no, you’re different. High standards, I understand.]

The moment was ruined.

Whatever faint emotion Si Qingxuan had felt—vanished completely.

He sighed.

“Why the sudden change?”

The young master hesitated—

Then described the dream.

“Secret chamber… green slime… summoning array…”

Si Qingxuan already understood.

This wasn’t just a dream—

It was likely the future.

When the boy described the creature—

The system confirmed it.

[It’s the Ouroboros.]

[Such beings appear only when summoned.]

[Offer sacrifices, and you gain control over time—

A looping cycle.]

[Ordinary people can only apply it to objects.

Talented ones can affect entire regions.]

“Controlling time within a castle…”

Si Qingxuan murmured.

[Not too weak, not too strong.]

[But this place is strange…]

[It doesn’t feel controlled.]

[It feels… instinctive.]

[It just wants to devour more humans.]

…

Inside the castle—

The stars were dim.

The awakened ones, ready to explore at midnight—

Suddenly saw thick white mist rising.

Everything beyond the black forest was swallowed.

“…What’s going on?”

Song Zan frowned.

“Was there always this much fog?”

It felt unnatural—

Like the castle itself was being sealed.

“Shh.”

Garcia pointed toward the forest.

A figure emerged—

A woman in a gray dress.

Her skin pale, covered in bruised, corpse-like patches.

She raised her head—

And let out a long, piercing howl.

“…Is she… resurrected?”

“It’s a returning spirit.”

Before they could react—

The castle erupted into chaos.

Lights flickered on.

Servants rushed out in panic.

“She’s back!”

“Sophie has returned!”

“She’ll drag us to hell!”

Soon, the terrace filled with terrified voices.

The butler, Rudolf, appeared—calm as ever.

“Please, remain calm!”

He approached the detectives.

“This is the worst-case scenario…”

“The land is tainted by her resentment.”

“We must resolve it.”

His gaze sharpened.

“Have you found the truth?”

In other words—

Who killed Sophie?

By all appearances—

The answer should be the young master.

But the awakened ones hesitated.

“…The killer is—Ricardo Moranden!”

Song Zan blurted out.

Everyone froze.

“…What?”

“That’s the name the ghost gave us!”

Murmurs spread.

“Ricardo… the former lord?”

“Impossible!”

The butler’s face darkened.

Not just anger—

But frustration.

“I’m not lying!”

Song Zan insisted.

“It was revealed in a dream!”

“He killed her—

As a ghost!”

The logic—

Strangely made sense.

Panic spread further.

“The castle is cursed!”

Servants fled in terror.

Rudolf clenched his jaw.

“Is this what you call an investigation?”

But Song Zan refused to back down.

“Look around!”

“Is this normal?!”

The butler was speechless.

“…Where did you hear that name?”

“…You went to the forest, didn’t you?”

Song Zan froze.

The air grew tense.

Then—

Someone stepped forward.

The young master.

But Zhaolin immediately recognized—

That was Si Qingxuan in disguise.

He carried himself like a fallen star—

Unmistakable.

“So lively tonight.”

He smiled faintly.

“What are we discussing?”

Silence fell.

“You said the killer is Ricardo?”

“My poor father?”

“That’s impossible.”

“He was loyal. Generous.”

“Even as a ghost—

He wouldn’t harm an innocent woman.”

He glanced at the butler.

“…Yes.”

Rudolf replied stiffly.

The tension was obvious.

“I think,” the young master continued,

“We should look at this differently.”

“What else could it be?”

“…Her child.”

The words were unspoken—

But understood.

“Yes.”

“She didn’t return for revenge.”

“She returned for…”

“Her child.”

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