Infinite Nightmares

School had let out for lunch. Zhang Wenda walked alone down the empty corridor, deliberately avoiding the few people he came across.

He had been debating whether upgrading his Yellow Core was about satisfying his desires or making up for his regrets when an idea suddenly struck him.

There was no need to dwell on such pointless things. There was one place where he could easily find all the answers: the library!

Come to think of it, the library had given him the Yellow Core in the first place. With that layer of protection, going to the library now should be much safer than before.

And even if he knew the library was risky, compared to the rule monster that dogged his every step, he had to make another trip.

With the library on his mind, Zhang Wenda walked and paused, searching for the entrance.

Having found it once before, his search was much faster this time. In about ten minutes, Zhang Wenda spotted the strange door again on the opposite wall.

His heart leaped with joy, and he quickened his pace. As he got closer, however, he realized the door was different from before.

The door was now shimmering and dreamlike, like a mirage. Zhang Wenda slowly reached out to touch it, but his hand passed right through, touching the solid wall behind it.

Zhang Wenda stared, stunned for a moment. ’I can’t get in? Why?’

He couldn’t help but recall Teacher Ouyang’s words: "Adults can’t see the library."

’I was only an adult for ten minutes! That counts?!’ Zhang Wenda stared at the shimmering door in utter shock.

At one o’clock that afternoon, Song Jianguo, who had been laid out like a corpse in the treehouse, saw Zhang Wenda climb in with a sour look on his face.

"What’s wrong with you?" Song Jianguo asked weakly.

"Don’t ask." Zhang Wenda pulled a container of fried rice from his backpack and handed it to Song Jianguo. He had some free time and had made a special trip to make sure she hadn’t died in her little nest.

"I don’t have an appetite." Song Jianguo clutched her stomach, curling up like a shrimp.

"Take it or leave it." Zhang Wenda placed the white styrofoam container beside her and continued rummaging through his backpack.

The Auntie, who was tidying up the treehouse, saw this and leaned over curiously. She nudged Song Jianguo lightly with her elbow. "Mimi? What’s your relationship with this kid?"

"Enemies!" Song Jianguo mumbled weakly, burying her face against the floor.

"’Mimi?’" Zhang Wenda repeated, and then let out a couple of chuckles.

The moment he finished laughing, he felt a hostile gaze from his side.

"Listen here, kid. Only I can call her Mimi, got it? You’re not her family," the Auntie said, hands on her hips, her face a mask of intimidation.

Zhang Wenda said nothing. He just reached into his bag, pulled out a can of pre-mixed brown sugar water, and offered it to the Auntie.

"What’s this for?"

"It’s for the pain. For you to drink. Just try it. What if it works? Life’s all about trying new things." Zhang Wenda offered it to the Auntie again.

The Auntie took it, twisted open the lid, and carefully took a couple of sips. "It’s a little weak."

"Is that so?" Zhang Wenda took out two ibuprofen capsules and tossed them into the brown sugar water. "Try it again."

The Auntie took another taste and nodded in satisfaction. "Mmm, much better now."

With that, the Auntie pulled an exquisite little teacup from her own bag and began sipping the ibuprofen-laced brown sugar water as if she were enjoying afternoon tea.

Watching her hold the teacup handle daintily with her pinky extended, Zhang Wenda sat down on the floor and griped, "How do you even have a tea set? Unbelievable."

"What’s wrong with that? Can’t I live a more refined life?" Perhaps because Zhang Wenda had brought her something, the Auntie’s attitude toward him was clearly much better than it had been that morning.

"By the way, how did you and Mimi meet?" the Auntie asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Zhang Wenda brushed aside Song Jianguo’s short hair, revealing the collar around her neck. "Through enslavement."

After that, Zhang Wenda started chatting idly with Song Jianguo’s aunt. Truth be told, her temperament was much better than Song Jianguo’s. At least she was someone you could talk to without the threat of physical violence.

Hearing the sound of chewing, Zhang Wenda, who had been chatting, turned around. He saw that Song Jianguo, who was laid out like a corpse moments ago, had already sat up and was eating the fried rice. It seemed his efforts weren’t for nothing.

Seeing that the rice was too dry, the Auntie thoughtfully handed over the half-remaining brown sugar water. She turned her head to Zhang Wenda. "Don’t worry, I’ll watch over her. Mimi will be fine."

"Alright then, I’m leaving. I have class this afternoon," Zhang Wenda said, getting up to leave.

"Wait." Song Jianguo’s voice stopped Zhang Wenda in his tracks. "Why did you have such a sour look on your face earlier?"

"Same old problem. I’m trying to find a way to get stronger. I was planning to go to the library, but apparently, the place won’t let me in anymore. Unbelievable."

Song Jianguo chewed her fried rice, tilting her head as she thought seriously. "I can’t help you with that."

"I wasn’t counting on you to help. Just get some rest. Don’t let it affect work tomorrow." Zhang Wenda headed out, preparing to climb down the utility pole.

Just as he was about to reach the ground, he suddenly heard the Auntie’s voice from the treehouse. "You should have asked me about that! I know a place where you can get stronger."

"What?! You know?!"

When a surprised Zhang Wenda poked his head back through the opening, he saw Song Jianguo smacking the Auntie’s arm hard with her chopsticks.

"She doesn’t know anything! Don’t believe her, she’s just talking nonsense."

Zhang Wenda, who had just been about to leave, froze upon hearing this. He climbed back inside, sat down, and stared intently at the two of them. "What’s going on with you two?"

"I don’t know, I was just saying things," the Auntie said, blinking at Zhang Wenda.

Zhang Wenda turned his gaze to Song Jianguo. "Seriously? I bring you food, I bring you brown sugar water... Have I treated you poorly? You know I’m struggling to find a way to get stronger, and you knew about this but didn’t tell me?"

Seeing that there was no getting out of it, Song Jianguo angrily slammed down the food container.

"Is there anything in this world that’s all benefits and no cost? Everything has a price, okay?! If there really was such a great place, do you think it would be your turn to go? That place is dangerous! Way more dangerous than any library!"

Saying this, she angrily tore off her oversleeve, thrusting an arm covered in black tattoos in front of Zhang Wenda. "Do you want to end up like this?"

Zhang Wenda reached out and scratched at it with his nail. After confirming that it wasn’t just dirt from Song Jianguo not having washed her hands for a long time, he changed his question. "What is this stuff?"

"It’s a computer virus! I’ve been infected with a computer virus! Do you want to get infected too?"