Chapter 40: A Sound Like Laughter

Under the moonlight, two rows of deep teeth marks appeared on the back of Su Yutao’s hand.

Exactly the same position as on that woman’s hand.

Blood seeped out from within.

Su Yutao looked at her own hand—though she couldn’t see, she could feel.

Warm blood flowed.

It hurt.

But more terrifying than the pain was what that woman did next.

That woman extended her tongue.

Licked the blood at the corner of her mouth.

Then lowered her head.

Licked the wound on the back of Su Yutao’s hand.

The warm tongue traced across the wound.

Pain.

Itch.

Disgust.

Su Yutao’s entire body trembled.

That woman licked once.

Then again.

Licked the bleeding clean.

Then she raised her head.

Under the moonlight, those eyes glinted.

The voice was very soft, carrying a hint of satisfaction: “More interesting than killing.”

Something in Su Yutao’s mind snapped.

Not just one thing.

Many things.

She started to laugh.

Not a real laugh.

It was a ‘heh heh’ sound from her throat.

Like crying.

And like laughing.

Her body was shaking.

Her hands were shaking.

Her whole being was trembling.

Tears couldn’t flow.

But she just kept ‘heh heh’ing.

One ‘heh heh’ after another.

That woman watched her.

Her brow twitched. “What are you laughing at?”

Su Yutao didn’t know.

She only knew images were spinning in her mind.

Rainy night. That fallen woman. Living a life of displacement. The steamed bun shop. Lin Qingxue’s gentle voice. Shen Nian feeding her. Qiansui saying ‘I’m here.’ That hand that bit her. That hand that bit back. That person who licked her wound.

Why?

Why did it come to this?

Why should she be retaliated against for biting this murderer?

Why was she in such pain while that woman still laughed?

Why did she transmigrate into a body that was blind and mute?

Why did others have systems while she didn’t?

Why was Qiansui a failure?

Why did I have to transmigrate into this damned world?

Why?

Why?

Why?!

Her ‘heh heh’ became louder.

Her body trembled like a sieve.

That woman watched her.

Under the moonlight, those eyes were cold.

She reached out.

Pressed down on Su Yutao’s head.

Pushed it down.

Into the pillow.

That voice was right by her ear, very soft: “Stop laughing.”

Su Yutao was pressed down, unable to move.

But she was still ‘heh heh’ing.

Muffled ‘heh heh’s in the pillow.

That woman pressed for a while.

Released her hand.

Su Yutao lifted her head.

Still ‘heh heh’ing.

Still trembling.

Her face was full of pillow marks.

And tear tracks.

But she hadn’t cried.

This body couldn’t cry.

Only her eye sockets were frighteningly red.

That woman watched her.

Silenced for a few seconds.

Then reached out.

Pinched her chin.

Turned her face toward herself.

In those blind eyes, there was nothing.

But her whole body was trembling.

That woman stared at her for a few seconds.

Then released her hand.

Bent down.

Picked up the furry penguin from under the bed.

Stuffed it back into her arms.

The moment Su Yutao’s hand touched Qiansui—”Wuu… are you okay… I was so scared… she kicked me under the bed… I couldn’t get out…” That soft voice sounded.

Su Yutao’s whole body relaxed.

She hugged Qiansui tighter.

The ‘heh heh’ sound slowly stopped.

Only trembling remained.

She buried her face into Qiansui’s fluff.

Tears couldn’t flow.

But her whole body curled into Qiansui.

Qiansui whispered in her ear: “You’re bleeding… a lot of blood… does it hurt…”

Su Yutao couldn’t answer.

She just held on.

Trembling.

That woman stood by the bed, looking down at her.

Moonlight shone on that face.

Pale.

Twisted.

Like a broken doll.

That voice came from above, indifferent: “Tomorrow, the daytime me will wake up. She will ask you how you got the injury on your hand.”

Su Yutao had no reaction.

Still trembling.

That woman continued: “Just say you had a nightmare and bit yourself.” A pause. “For the shoulder, say you fell. The hand has already been reattached. She will think it healed on its own.”

Su Yutao still had no reaction.

That woman looked at her like that, silenced for a moment.

Then turned around.

Walked back to the bed.

Lay down.

Right next to Su Yutao.

That voice was faint: “Sleep.”

Su Yutao didn’t sleep.

She hugged Qiansui, curled up on the bed.

The blood on the back of her hand still dripped.

Drop by drop.

Falling onto Qiansui’s fluff.

Her shoulder hurt.

Her hand hurt.

Her stomach hurt.

Her head hurt too.

But she hugged Qiansui.

Qiansui whispered in her ear: “I’m here… I’m with you…”

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui tighter.

Stared into the eternal darkness.

That woman beside her was asleep.

Breathing lightly.

Evenly.

As if nothing had happened.

Su Yutao hugged Qiansui, curled up on the bed.

The blood on the back of her hand had stopped, forming a thin scab.

Her shoulder still ached—that shoulder that had been squeezed felt like it had been smashed by a hammer, every movement sending piercing pain.

But she dared not move, just shrank back, burying her face into Qiansui’s fluff.

Qiansui whispered in her ear: “Are you still bleeding? Does it hurt?”

Su Yutao couldn’t answer. She just held on, trembling.

Qiansui added: “You laughed so scarily just now… I thought you lost your mind…” A pause, its voice even smaller, “Don’t scare me… I’m scared…”

Su Yutao still had no reaction. She just hugged Qiansui, staring into the eternal darkness. Her mind was empty, nothing at all.

No, not empty—there was something spinning inside, but she couldn’t grasp it. Images flashed: rainy night, steamed bun shop, the hand that bit her, the hand that bit back, the person who licked her wound. These images circled around, making her head ache.

Qiansui was silent for a while, then whispered: “Wait, I’ll call my master. She’s a first-level system, she must have a way.”

Su Yutao had no reaction; Qiansui had already started.

She felt the penguin in her arms vibrate slightly, as if something was working.

Then silence.

A long silence.

Qiansui’s voice sounded again, a bit flustered: “No one answered…” A pause. “I’ll call again.”

Silence again. This time longer.

Qiansui’s voice grew more panicked: “Still no answer…”

Su Yutao could feel it trembling—that furry body quivering slightly.

“Last time,” Qiansui said.

This time, it waited for a long time.

So long that Su Yutao thought no one would answer.

Then—”Click.” A sound rang out.

It didn’t come from Qiansui’s mouth, but from farther away, like from the other end of a phone line.

The voice was very impatient, with the grumpiness of being woken up, both petulant and fierce: “Who is it?! In the middle of the night!”

Qiansui’s voice suddenly became stammering: “M-M-Master! It’s me!”

There was a second of silence on the other end.

Then the voice grew even more impatient: “Who are you?”

Qiansui was taken aback: “I-I’m Qiansui! The one you created—”

“Qiansui?” The other side interrupted it, tone carrying a hint of confusion, then suddenly exploded: “Oh—that failure! Why the hell are you calling?!”

Qiansui shrank back: “I-I, the person I’m bound to, seems… um… to have some mental issues…”

The other side clicked its tongue: “What do I care about mental issues? You bound the host yourself, you deal with it.”

Qiansui quickly said: “It’s not mental issues… it’s just that she’s been through too much… Can you take a look and see what’s going on? Or… can I apply for some benefits on her behalf?”

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