The Doll’s Domain

Having no authorization to view the document, Zhao Yunzhong put away his phone.

However, even without access to the document’s specific contents, one fact became clear: ten years ago, the mysterious fire on the eighth floor of this very building had involved the Department of Anomalies.

The incident had been remarkably well-concealed, likely due to the Department of Anomalies’ intervention at the time.

Back then, anomalous events were rare, and the Department of Anomalies maintained strict secrecy for each case.

The time was not yet nine in the morning, and the breeze felt fresh and cool.

Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, casting shimmering patterns of light on Zhao Yunzhong.

After standing still for about a minute, Zhao Yunzhong stepped back into the building.

This time, he bypassed the elevator, slowly ascending the dim, narrow staircase.

His ascent was uneventful, and a few minutes later, Zhao Yunzhong reached the stairwell connecting the seventh and eighth floors.

He looked up to find a cold, dark iron plate blocking his path, rendering the way impassable.

Yet, a small door was set into the center of the iron plate, secured by a triangular lock.

It was a lock from the Department of Anomalies.

With just a glance, Zhao Yunzhong abandoned his intention to investigate further.

He retreated to the stairwell landing on the seventh floor, where another iron door stood, unlocked this time.

Pulling open the door, blinding sunlight struck Zhao Yunzhong’s face, causing him to squint.

Beyond the door was a suspended iron fire escape, snaking upwards along the wall, bypassing the eighth floor entirely and connecting the seventh directly to the ninth.

Utilizing this fire escape, Zhao Yunzhong reached the ninth floor and continued his ascent.

Soon, he arrived at the twelfth floor.

The long corridor stretched before him, dim and silent.

The building’s corridors were H-shaped. Zhao Yunzhong was currently on the side opposite Chen Jinquan’s apartment, meaning he still had to traverse the central corridor to reach it.

Zhao Yunzhong walked through the corridor, his footsteps echoing all around him.

After walking for a while, Zhao Yunzhong abruptly stopped.

The echoing footsteps, however, continued.

Maintaining a calm demeanor, Zhao Yunzhong resumed his walk.

Subtle gray-black lines began to slowly creep up his cheeks.

With his ghost energy activated, Zhao Yunzhong’s five senses were amplified exponentially. He knew, without needing to turn, that someone was following him.

Zhao Yunzhong moved through the corridor, sometimes stopping, sometimes walking, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. He then realized that whether he walked, stopped, hurried, or ambled, the sound of a single person’s footsteps consistently echoed through the corridor.

However, if he paused for a moment too long, the footsteps would cease.

The individual maintained a constant distance from him.

Resisting the urge to look back, Zhao Yunzhong continued forward with a steady pace.

The footsteps behind him remained equally steady.

As he rounded a corner in the corridor, Zhao Yunzhong’s gaze flickered subtly towards the direction he had come from at the very moment he turned.

A woman.

It was a hurried glimpse, allowing Zhao Yunzhong to discern only her figure.

Continuing on, Zhao Yunzhong soon found himself at Chen Jinquan’s doorstep.

He halted, standing still.

The footsteps behind him still resonated.

Counting the seconds in his mind, after roughly the same duration as before, the footsteps finally stopped.

Zhao Yunzhong’s expression remained placid, yet his mind raced, formulating a counter-strategy.

Turning back rashly would be ill-advised, he mused. Some things, once you look back, will ensure you can never turn back again.

Perhaps I could continue forward, descend the stairs on the other side, and see if the woman behind me follows…

Just as this thought arose, footsteps sounded behind him once more.

The woman had moved first!

This differed from previous instances; an abnormality suggested something sinister.

Zhao Yunzhong’s eyes sharpened, his muscles tensing, caught between relaxation and readiness. The gray-black lines on his cheeks thickened as he stood on full alert.

Tap, tap, tap…

The footsteps behind him maintained a steady rhythm, their sound crisp and clear.

Perhaps a few seconds passed, perhaps a dozen.

They were very close now!

Zhao Yunzhong could sense their proximity; only a single body-length separated them.

Then, the footsteps ceased.

A moment of silence passed, and just as Zhao Yunzhong prepared to move forward and widen the distance between them…

“Sir, would you mind moving aside?”

A clear yet gentle female voice sounded from behind him.

Hearing the voice, Zhao Yunzhong waited a few seconds, then complied, taking two steps forward to press against the wall, still without turning to look.

“Thank you.”

The female voice spoke again.

Following this, three more footsteps sounded, then stopped once more.

Zhao Yunzhong’s brow twitched subtly.

The woman had not passed him.

So…

Click!

The sound of a lock turning echoed from behind him.

Indeed, it was Chen Jinquan’s door…

At this point, Zhao Yunzhong finally turned around.

He saw the back of a woman dressed in a pale yellow gown.

The woman pushed open Chen Jinquan’s door and stepped inside.

Zhao Yunzhong watched the woman’s retreating figure, and as she slowly turned once inside the apartment, he was instantly stunned.

The woman’s face was exquisitely perfect!

Her facial structure, features, lines, and contours were all in flawless proportion.

This was not a human face, but a breathtaking work of art.

Yet, despite this stunning artistry, Zhao Yunzhong felt no sense of appreciation after his initial shock.

Things that were too perfect often lacked a hint of vitality, and this woman before him possessed absolutely none.

Zhao Yunzhong had already realized that this ‘woman’ was, in fact, a highly realistic doll.

Miss Doll’s gem-like eyes met Zhao Yunzhong’s. Her upper eyelids subtly lowered, and with her hands clasped over her abdomen, she gracefully bowed.

Her etiquette was flawless.

Straightening up, a perfect, subtle curve graced her lips, and she gave a gentle nod.

Her smile was flawless.

Then, she softly closed the apartment door.

The corridor returned to its initial silence.

Cold sweat, however, slowly began to bead on Zhao Yunzhong’s forehead.

The gray-black lines on his face had vanished at some point, and the ghost energy within him lay utterly tranquil.

His ghost energy had never been restless, yet now it was as gentle and serene as a group of sleeping children.

Zhao Yunzhong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He understood this to be a subtle warning.

Recalling Old Wang and Old Xu, who had fainted last night, and combining it with his own immediate experience, Zhao Yunzhong tentatively concluded that Miss Doll’s aggression was not high.

It seemed Miss Doll simply disliked anyone interfering with her and Mr. Chen’s ‘happy’ life.

However, Mr. Chen himself didn’t seem to desire such a life…

But Miss Doll, it appeared, cared little for Mr. Chen’s wishes.

Once she entered this door, she became the mistress of the house.

Zhao Yunzhong offered a wry smile.

Even he had been completely suppressed by Miss Doll in their very first encounter…

Chen Jinquan, you’re in a difficult situation, he thought.

He took the cigarette tucked behind his ear, placed it between his lips, and pulled out his lighter.

Click!

The lighter failed to ignite.

Frowning slightly, Zhao Yunzhong tried again.

Click-click-click! Click-click-click!…

Several attempts yielded no response from the lighter.

“Hmm?”

Zhao Yunzhong stared at the door of apartment ‘1204’.

In an instant, understanding dawned on him.

He walked to the stairwell, descended to the ninth floor, pushed open the iron door, and leaned against the suspended fire escape outside.

Click!

The lighter finally sparked, producing a flickering flame.

He lit his cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled the smoke into the wind.

Watching the smoke dissipate, Zhao Yunzhong offered another helpless smile.

It seemed Miss Doll also disliked smoking.