Escape from the Thriller World – Chapter 21
by Little PandaContent Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, sexual assault, murder, and disturbing imagery. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
Volume One: The Old Corpse in the Mountain Village
Ghost Baby Hanako
What crawled out of her belly was a ghost baby
Akita Kyoko spent her days at home cradling a dead baby and lulling it to sleep. The stench of decay wafted from her room, but she didn’t seem to mind.
She named the dead baby Hanako. Akita Kyoko, holding Hanako, said with tears streaming down her face: “Hanako, why did your daddy abandon you?”
Akita Kyoko’s mental state fluctuated between lucid and deranged. She was half-awake, half-asleep, caught between dreams and reality.
Inevitably, some creepy men in the building stared at Akita Kyoko, taking advantage of her when she was out of her mind.
“We guys have nowhere to play, so messing with a crazy woman isn’t a big deal,” said Qin Biesan from the building, eyeing Akita Kyoko lecherously.
Postpartum Akita Kyoko had an even more womanly charm, especially when she was breastfeeding the dead baby, still retaining her allure.
The creepy men didn’t know she was holding a dead baby. Qin Biesan, stroking his chin, sized up Akita Kyoko, thinking she was quite a catch.
Qin Biesan stared at Akita Kyoko, drooling all over the floor.
One night.
Qin Biesan invited some of his ride-or-die buddies for drinks and food. They all got drunk and squatted in a dark corner of the hallway, watching Akita Kyoko come out alone to look for her child.
Akita Kyoko couldn’t tell night from day. In her daze, she felt around the room and found her child was missing.
She anxiously rushed out the door and shouted in the hallway: “Hanako, Hanako, where did you go?”
Akita Kyoko, wearing thin clothes, searched for Hanako throughout the building.
Qin Biesan said to his brothers: “This crazy woman is out looking for her baby again. You guys want some excitement?”
“Brother Qin, how do you want to play with her? Give us an idea,” another voice said in a low tone.
“Each person gets half an hour, then we switch when tired,” Qin Biesan said with an evil smile.
Akita Kyoko walked to the stairway, about to go down to the next floor.
Little did she know that several men were hiding in the shadows. Their eyes were as sharp as eagles, and they quickly attacked, pinning down Akita Kyoko.
Akita Kyoko’s clothes were torn to shreds, and the group of creepy men dragged her to a dark corner and started to assault her.
Akita Kyoko, completely defenseless, was manipulated in her confused state, becoming a tool for these creepy men to vent their desires.
Akita Kyoko made weak “wuwuwu” sounds of begging: “It hurts… don’t… do this.”
Her body was bruised and battered from being assaulted by men. (The phrase “蹂躏” implies more than just physical assault; it suggests a brutal and degrading violation.)
Afterwards, Qin Biesan pulled up his pants and climbed off her, saying, “Crazy, still so excited.”
“She smells so bad, maybe she’s sick?” Another guy sniffed and pushed her away disgustedly.
Qin Biesan flicked his forehead and said, “She’s an idiot, can’t even take care of herself. How many days hasn’t she showered? Of course she stinks!”
“Bad luck, let’s go, let’s go, guys, let’s go downstairs for another round of drinks.” Another guy said.
Qin Biesan waved his hand and said, “You guys go ahead, I’ll just… be with her for a while.”
“Dude, take it easy, how long has it been since you’ve had sex? You’re not even sparing an idiot?” Another guy teased Qin Biesan, implying he’s been celibate for a long time and is desperate to start eating meat. (“开荤” literally means “to start eating meat,” a euphemism for losing virginity or having sex after a period of abstinence.)
“Scram, you guys mind your own business about Qinye’s things.” (Qinye is likely a self-given title or nickname with “爷” (ye) implying a sense of self-importance or being a boss). Qin Biesan muttered under his breath.
“Hahahaha, single dog!” Several people laughed loudly. (“单身狗” – single dog – is a common internet slang term for a single person.)
The more they said this, the more Qin Biesan felt his self-esteem was hurt.
Her body and mind were severely damaged, and Akita Kyoko cried and escaped the room.
It was all because she trusted men too much and never listened to her father’s teachings from the beginning to the end, leading to today’s situation.
Only after she woke up did she discover that her child had died long ago, a tiny baby face, its body withered and dry like a skeleton.
Akita Kyoko hugged Hanako and cried loudly. She knelt before the bed and repented, saying: “Hanako, it’s all Mommy’s fault, I couldn’t give you a good living environment, you…”
Akita Kyoko blamed herself entirely. She was an unfit mother who failed to protect her child.
She stared quietly at the dead infant in her arms, her body stiff as if she were a corpse herself.
Akita Kyoko completely went mad. She sang about sakuras in the hallway and approached any child who looked like Hanako to hug them.
The children in the building were scared by Akita Kyoko and cried, “Waaaaaaa!” They all said Akita Kyoko was a strange aunt.
“Aunt Mei, she’s so crazy, our children are all scared, make her leave!” said a resident of the apartment building.
Aunt Mei moved a small stool, fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, and sat in the cool shade of the building, saying: “We’ve received the residents’ reports, and we will find a way to solve this.”
The residents of the building put their complaints into the suggestion box in the apartment building. Aunt Mei reached into the box—it was full.
They were all complaint letters about Akita Kyoko. Some said she was a nuisance, others said she scared children.
Aunt Mei, who managed the building, noticed that Akita Kyoko was always behind on her rent. Aunt Mei thought of the man who often visited her.
Wei Jinbao, whose career was on the rise, was already a headline figure in Hong Kong news. Aunt Mei, sharp-eyed, recognized him.
Aunt Mei found out where Wei Jinbao lived and went to his house. Looking at the luxurious villa before her, Aunt Mei thought how such a man could simply abandon a woman.
Wei Jinbao’s maid stopped her, saying: “Where did you come from? You can’t just come to the Wei family’s house like this.”
Aunt Mei said disdainfully: “If Mr. Wei doesn’t come out, tomorrow the news of him raising a lover will spread throughout the Hongchuan Newspaper.”
The maid’s face changed, she closed the door and said: “Wait, I’ll go report to Mr. Wei.”
“This aunt also has to collect rent; you better hurry up and don’t waste my precious time.” Aunt Mei said arrogantly.
The maid went into the villa, walking along the stairs to the second floor to report to Mr. Wei.
Wei Jinbao was practicing calligraphy at home that day. He wrote the four characters “一身正气” (yīshēn zhèngqì – upright and righteous), in a sloppy, hastily written style.
The words “upright and righteous” were incredibly ironic on him, since his current status was entirely due to his wife’s family influence.
A maid knocked on the study door. Wei Jinbao, smoothing his brow, said: “Li Ma, what’s wrong again? Is Vivi not eating again?”
Vivi is the name of his child with his current wife, and the family welcomed the new baby’s arrival with great joy.
Li Ma stammered, saying: “Mr. Wei, a woman in her forties is outside. She says if you don’t go out to see her, she’ll tell everyone about you raising a lover…”
Li Ma’s legs were shaking as she spoke, her words jumbled.
Wei Jinbao’s temper was not good, and she was afraid of his anger.
Wei Jinbao crushed the brush in his hand until it snapped, saying: “I want to see who in Hong Kong dares to threaten me.”
Wei Jinbao threw down his brush and headed straight for the door.
He went downstairs with a dark face. Aunt Mei smiled and nodded, saying: “Mr. Wei, Akita Kyoko has lived in our building for too long, and the other residents find her too noisy. Could you find a way to have her move?”
Aunt Mei’s eyes were glued to the villa; her words hinted that she wanted Wei Jinbao to take Akita Kyoko back to the big villa.
Wei Jinbao had a legitimate wife supporting his career—how could he possibly bring Akita Kyoko home?
Wouldn’t that be like shooting himself in the foot?
Wei Jinbao shook his head and said: “No, I can’t let her come. If she comes, won’t everything I’ve worked hard for be ruined?”
His wife would never tolerate him having another woman; their marriage would collapse.
The ambitious Wei Jinbao came up with a poisonous plan.
He slipped some money to Aunt Mei and said: “Aunt Mei, help me do something. If you succeed, this is your payment.” Wei Jinbao held up his hand, showing five fingers.
Aunt Mei, with an eager look, asked: “50,000 to kill someone? That’s too cheap, Mr. Wei. Add some more.”
Human greed is truly endless. Wei Jinbao looked at her with disgust. He increased the money to 100,000.
Ten thousand dollars, back then, was a fortune.
Aunt Mei nodded vigorously, saying: “Okay, Mr. Wei. I’ll find someone to do it.”
Wei Jinbao’s lips curled into a slight smile. He handed Aunt Mei a thick stack of cash and said: “Aunt Mei, this is a down payment. Remember to do it cleanly and efficiently, don’t let the police find any trace.”
Aunt Mei counted the money, her mouth splitting into a wide grin. She said: “Mr. Wei, rest assured, I’ll come to you for the rest of the money when it’s done.”
Wei Jinbao watched Aunt Mei’s disappearing figure and said: “Akita Kyoko is dead, and all of you who know about this won’t live either.”
Their wicked plan was to stage a fire that would look like an accident.
Aunt Mei hired Qin Biesan and his gang of street thugs from the building to do the job.
Qin Biesan took the money from Aunt Mei. He and his buddies went up to the 18th floor. Akita Kyoko had calmed down; she was brushing her hair in front of the mirror.
Her hair was loose, and she sat at the dressing table, holding a wooden comb, brushing her hair in front of the bright mirror.
Qin Biesan had one of his buddies who knew how to do it pick the lock. Akita Kyoko heard the noise outside and got up and went to the living room.
The living room door was pushed open by several tall men, their faces full of disdain.
Akita Kyoko was terrified and about to scream when Qin Biesan rushed forward and covered her mouth. The other men tied her hands and feet.
“Aunt Mei said to burn her alive in the room. Brothers, who’s going first?” Qin Biesan said with a smirk.
“She’s going to die anyway, might as well let us brothers have some fun first,” another thug said with a forced smile.
What happened afterward was a blur of the woman’s helpless pleas and the screams of someone being burned alive…
49 days after Akita Kyoko was burned to death, her spirit lingered in the room, turning her into a vengeful ghost.
She became pregnant again, and what crawled out of her belly was a ghost baby.
0 Comments