Chapter 29: Days with the Doll
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcattranslation.)
The late afternoon light was gentle, and the quiet living room still carried a mild fragrance from the earlier meal. Irene, perched inside her painted world, had finally grasped what Yu Sheng meant by a “rules type,” though she herself seemed only half-sure about the concept.
“Honestly, I’m not too certain either,” said the doll inside the painting, tapping a tiny painted finger against her temple. Her doll face wore a slightly troubled expression. “I told you before, my memory is very blurry. Even the simplest knowledge feels distant, and it’s not just plain memory loss. Over the long years trapped in this painting, my way of thinking has been unraveled. It’s like my mind has been taken apart piece by piece.”
She paused, speaking as though choosing each word carefully. “About the properties of that ‘Hunger’ thing… well, most of what I know is just faint impressions. I’ve tried to stitch those impressions back together as best I could, but honestly, you should treat my words as nothing more than a loose reference.”
“I understand,” Yu Sheng said, nodding thoughtfully. He stood at the edge of the dining table, one hand resting against the chair. “In any case, that creature is obviously not something to be taken lightly. We should consider some backup plans. If we can’t deal with it directly, then at least we have to find a way to get Foxy out of that valley.” He paused, and then looked at Irene inside the painting. “By the way, if we manage to bring her out of that Otherworld, would she be free from the influence of this ‘Hunger’?”
Irene’s painted eyes narrowed slightly as she considered this. “She should be. The Otherworld can’t reach out and affect reality directly. But trying to get someone out from under the nose of ‘Hunger’ is going to be extremely difficult.”
A heavy silence followed. Irene fell into deep thought. After a few moments, she glanced up and fixed Yu Sheng with a sharp stare. “Wait a minute. Are you honestly planning to handle that thing by yourself? And how do you even know you can return to that valley? You might never find the same Otherworld again!”
Yu Sheng shrugged, offering a crooked smile. “Didn’t you say that once a person makes contact with an Otherworld, they can never fully escape it? It’s like stepping into quicksand. Even if you manage to pull yourself out, you’re only delaying the inevitable sinking. Something’s always waiting.”
Irene’s scarlet eyes widened. “That’s what I said, yes, but you misunderstood me. I meant that you’d form a link to the entire realm of the ‘Beyond Reason.’ It could increase your chances of stumbling into other strange worlds or eerie events. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll return to the exact same place you started. The connection is random, not fixed!”
Yu Sheng met her gaze seriously. “I know. But I can feel it. Somehow, I know I’m going to see that monster again. And I’ll find my way back to that valley. It’s like I’m not done with that place, or it’s not done with me. It’s waiting.”
Irene’s lips parted slightly, and a thoughtful look passed through her painted eyes. After a brief hesitation, she ventured, “…Could it be spiritual intuition?”
“I don’t know if that’s the right word,” Yu Sheng admitted, shaking his head. “But since meeting that monster, I’ve had these vague senses of things. Not clear visions, but feelings that turn out surprisingly accurate.”
Irene gazed at him with real amazement. “For an ordinary person, developing spiritual intuition so quickly after encountering the Otherworld is extremely rare. Even learning how to use it, even a little bit, is almost unheard of. Maybe you’re some sort of naturally gifted investigator…”
Yu Sheng opened his mouth, uncertain. “Uh… is that a good thing?”
Irene thought about it for a moment, then answered bluntly, “Investigators usually have a pretty high mortality rate.”
Yu Sheng said nothing for a second. “…Well, that’s discouraging.”
Before he could say more, Irene spoke up again, as direct as ever. “But ordinary people who run into the Otherworld without developing spiritual intuition die even faster.”
Yu Sheng’s mouth twitched slightly. “That’s… reassuring, I guess.”
The doll just shrugged, and Yu Sheng found himself at a loss for words. Still, he got up from the dining table, feeling restless.
From the painting’s surface, the tiny doll’s voice rang out with concern. “Hey, where are you going now?”
Yu Sheng looked over his shoulder, slightly annoyed by the anxious tone. “I’m heading to the kitchen. I slept most of the day, and it’s about time to sort out dinner.”
As he said this, he threw Irene a reproachful glance. “Why do you always act like I’m about to abandon you whenever I move? It’s like you think I’m going to hang you on a random wall and forget about you.”
Irene huffed, her doll face puffing as though insulted. “Well, excuse me. It’s just that I can’t move on my own right now. Do you know how unsettling that is? And considering you ended up in the Otherworld just by opening your front door last time, how can I be sure you won’t vanish again and leave me behind?”
Despite her sharp tone, Yu Sheng sensed the genuine anxiety underneath. She had finally found someone to talk to after who knew how long, and she feared losing that connection.
Yu Sheng thought about it. He understood her fear. After all, she was trapped in a painting, at the mercy of others. He sighed, then carefully picked up the painting with Irene still inside it.
Irene let out a startled squeak. “Hey! What are you doing?! I— I’m still watching TV! Don’t take me back to that room upstairs! I… I’ll stop talking so much if you just put me back! I promise!”
Yu Sheng gave a small laugh. “Cooking alone is boring. I might as well bring you along to keep me company.”
Irene blinked, and for a moment, she looked completely taken aback. Then she gave a quick, eager nod. “Oh! Well, that’s… that’s fine, I suppose. I’d love to keep you company!”
Rolling his eyes, Yu Sheng carried the painting into the kitchen, setting it carefully on the windowsill so Irene could watch him. He opened the fridge and started rummaging inside, searching for what to have for dinner.
It was hard not to think of Foxy at that moment. He remembered the little fox demon sitting amid old temple ruins in that strange Otherworld, nibbling on a rotten leaf and staring at him. Even though she was a demon, she had looked so hungry and pitiful.
His chest tightened. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus on the here and now. There were leftovers from the morning: stew and a couple of steamed buns. He decided to make things simple tonight—just heat the leftovers and prepare some plain rice congee.
He went about his work methodically: placing the buns and stew into the microwave, rinsing rice to make congee. It was all done quietly, but that silence didn’t last long. Irene simply could not resist talking.
“Your fridge is huge! Do you really need such a big fridge for just one person?”
“That’s the same stew you made this morning, isn’t it? The one from that local specialty thing? It looks normal enough now, not alive or anything, right?”
“You’re just making congee? That’s so dull. At least carve a flower out of a carrot or something to entertain me!”
“Why isn’t the extractor fan on? Oh, right, you’re not frying anything. Still, I’d like some drama in the cooking process.”
“Is it getting dark outside? Angle me so I can see the street, would you? Oh… never mind, I guess.”
“By the way, what’s your mom’s maiden name?”
Yu Sheng’s patience snapped at that last random question. He picked up Irene’s painting and held it right over the sink, glaring at the doll. “Do you believe I’ll dunk you in the sink and scrub you with dish soap until all your colors fade?”
Irene clutched her stuffed bear tightly and shrank back. “Fine, fine, I’ll shut up…”
At last, the kitchen fell silent again. Irene sat quietly on the windowsill, hugging her bear, as Yu Sheng continued his cooking. The congee simmered gently, the microwave pinged softly, and neither of them spoke for a while.
After some time, it was Irene who broke the silence first, her voice sounding more subdued. “I still think it’s too dangerous for you to face ‘Hunger’ alone. Even if I can’t remember exactly what it’s capable of, I’m certain it’s not something a normal human can handle. If you try, you’ll die.”
Yu Sheng stirred the congee calmly. “Then I’ll just come back to life.”
“I’m being serious,” she snapped.
“So am I,” he replied, unflinching.
She glared at him, anger flashing across her face, and then after a few seconds of silence, she sighed deeply.
“Really, you need to consider another approach. Try contacting specialists in the city, people who know how to deal with the Otherworld. Don’t throw your life away for nothing.”
“I’m not seeking danger,” Yu Sheng said, shaking his head. “It’s more like the danger is coming after me. Still, I get what you mean. I’m not planning on dying. I’ll try to find those professionals you mentioned.”
Irene looked marginally relieved. “Good. That’s a much better idea.”
They ate dinner quietly—Yu Sheng’s leftovers and congee, Irene’s attention drifting to a mindless soap opera on TV in the other room. Every now and then, she couldn’t resist making snide remarks about the actors’ over-the-top expressions or ridiculous plots. Yu Sheng listened, replying softly now and then, but mostly focused on his meal. He wiped his bowl clean, using the last of his steamed bun to soak up every drop of the broth.
After tidying the kitchen and putting the dining room back in order, Yu Sheng pulled on his outdoor clothes. He spoke casually, “I’m going out for a bit.”
Irene, who had seemed calm a moment before, instantly tensed. Her doll eyes widened in alarm. “Where are you going?!”
Yu Sheng turned to face her with a reassuring smile. “Just to the corner store to grab some snacks. It’s not far at all.”
He couldn’t help smiling at her panic. “Don’t worry. It’s not like I’ll slip into the Otherworld every time I open a door. I’ll be careful—I’ll look first, remember?”
Irene was still uncertain. “There’s plenty of food in the fridge, though…”
“I know,” Yu Sheng replied gently, “but I want to buy some snacks that don’t need refrigeration, things I can eat quickly if I need to.”
Irene nodded slowly, seeing the sense in it. “Alright then, just… be careful. Seriously. And remember, check the door before you step outside.”
Yu Sheng chuckled softly. The last time someone had worried about him like this felt ages ago. It warmed him inside, even if it came from a sharp-tongued doll trapped in a painting.
He slipped a few pieces of bread and crackers into his pocket, just to be safe. Then he approached the front door, placed his hand on the handle, and took a steadying breath. He couldn’t help feeling a bit anxious after what had happened last time. But he knew he couldn’t let fear imprison him inside his home forever.
Gritting his teeth, he cracked the door open a sliver, peered outside, then opened it wider. Nothing looked unusual—just the normal street, dimming slightly with the approaching evening.
Relief washing over him, he stepped outside. The door wasn’t cursed every single time, it seemed. Maybe ending up in the Otherworld required some special trigger or timing.
He walked down the nearly empty street, the cool air easing his nerves, and soon enough, he reached the small corner store. Its light was warm and welcoming, and he pushed open the door without a second thought.
The moment he opened it, a blast of hot, dry air hit him. It was as if he’d stepped into a completely different place again. Instead of shelves of snacks and a friendly cashier, he found himself facing a barren, cracked landscape. Heat shimmered off the ground, and far in the distance lay a crashed aircraft, still smoldering. Two figures dressed in strange black battle suits were grappling furiously, each move swift and deadly. With a burst of red light, one of them activated a plasma blade and thrust it toward the other.
Just then, both armored figures seemed to sense Yu Sheng’s presence. They turned, helmets shining in a harsh, alien light, and fixed him with their eerie red sensor-glares.
Yu Sheng froze, heart pounding. “What…?!”
In that split second, he backed out quickly, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.