《Whispers of Destiny》


 Chapter 1 - Mysterious iPad

    "Hey, my birthday is the day after tomorrow. I want an iPad. Can you buy it for me?"


    "Sure, we can skip next month''s rent and sleep on the streets from now on."


    "Why don''t you just buy it with your credit card? Once you get paid, you can pay off the credit card bill."


    "Why should I take such a big risk? What''s in it for me?"


    "Hehe, on the night of my birthday... I can..."


    "What? Can we officially start our ''new'' life together?" Liam grinned evilly, with a mischievous look on his face.


    "Get lost! Is your mind only filled with such things? Can''t you think of something healthier?"


    "What do you think I''m thinking? Hmph! Spending thousands of bucks just for you? I''d rather go to a motel for fifty bucks!"


    "You have no taste." Emma shook her head, her eyes darting around.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "I''m looking to see if an iPad will fall from the sky."


    "I hope a gold brick falls and smashes you on the head."


    "Go to hell!"


    As they walked, the two of them continued to bicker. A man in black who had been talking loudly on the phone suddenly stood up from a bench on the roadside and hurriedly ran towards the street. Emma seemed to notice something and quickly ran to the bench, sat down, and took out a small mirror. She then pulled out a lipstick and started applying it to her lips seriously.


    "What are you doing?" Liam walked over, looking at Emma with a puzzled expression.


    "Just taking a break from walking, is that not allowed?" Emma rolled her eyes at Liam and glanced in the direction of the man who had just been on the phone. She watched as he rushed into a taxi and disappeared at the end of the street.


    "We''re almost home! Why sit here? Let''s go back and cook!" Liam glared at Emma and reached out to pull her up.


    "Hahaha..." Emma laughed triumphantly.


    "Why are you making a scene?"


    "My mom taught me since I was little to pay attention to the ground and surroundings while walking, because I''ll definitely find money." Emma excitedly reached behind her.


    "Didn''t your mom teach you anything better? Like helping an old people who fell down?" Liam shook his head.


    "Look at this!" Emma suddenly pulled out something from behind.


    "An iPad?" Liam couldn''t help but be stunned.


    "It''s an iPad 11! The guy just dropped it. Luckily, I noticed it! It''s fate! I think of something, and it magically appears." Emma was extremely proud, holding the iPad in front of her, and carefully examining the half-bitten apple logo on the back. Then she turned it on.


    "Ah!" Emma exclaimed softly, looking at her own finger.


    "What''s wrong? Return the item to its owner. You can''t just take advantage like this." Liam stared at Emma disapprovingly. When someone drops something, you''re supposed to stop them and return it, not claim it as your own.


    "Hmph! Why do you care if I take advantage? If you don''t buy it for me, and I find one myself, it''s none of your business." Emma turned around and started studying the iPad intently.


    "That''s illegal possession. Be careful, someone might report you, and the police will arrest you!" Liam shook his head and leaned back in the chair. The man who had hurriedly left earlier was quite strange. The weather wasn''t that cold today, yet he was wearing a black coat. What could be so urgent?


    "If I get arrested, then you''ll have to cook and serve me meals every day! Hmph!" Emma glared


    at Liam.


    "Dream on! If you get arrested, you deserve it. I won''t bother with you!"


    "Let''s go back. It wouldn''t be good if that person comes looking for it." After studying the iPad for a while, Emma suddenly realized something, quickly put it back into her bag, looked around anxiously, and then stood up, ready to walk towards their rented place.


    "Wait, if he comes back, we''ll give it back to him." Liam grabbed Emma.


    "No! I''m absolutely not giving it back!" Emma struggled free from Liam''s grip and quickly walked towards their rented place.


    "You... sigh... what kind of person are you? Watch out for karma!" Liam sighed, wanting to say more to Emma, but she had already run far ahead. In the end, Liam could only follow behind Emma and walk back to their rented place.


    ...


    On the way, Emma kept looking around nervously until they entered the door. Only then did she joyfully take the iPad out of her bag again and sit on the worn-out couch, carefully examining it.


    "Go buy groceries. We can study it later." Liam walked to the couch and nudged Emma.


    "Don''t bother me. Don''t we still have a potato and a tomato? We can buy more tomorrow." Emma pushed Liam''s hand away unhappily.


    "Then hurry up and cook!" Liam sullenly went back to his old computer, sat down, and started browsing the internet for some information he needed to look up that day.


    "I know!"


    Liam, being a freelance handyman with skills in plumbing, electricity, masonry, and carpentry, has met Lily first due to an unexpected incident. Through Lily, he got to know Emma, who came to visit her sister.


    Lily attends a university nearby but doesn''t live on campus. She rents a two-bedroom apartment in the same neighborhood as Liam, along with two female classmates. Liam, on the other hand, rents a one-bedroom apartment measuring 540 square feet. Sometimes, when Lily finds her place too noisy, she visits Liam''s apartment with her own purchased Apple device to use the internet.


    Lily is beautiful and proud, and naturally, she doesn''t consider Liam, a handyman, as a potential romantic interest. However, her sister Emma has lower standards and fewer aspirations. Emma simply wants to find someone decent to marry, someone who can provide for her and take care of her daily needs, even if it means doing household chores and cooking for others.


    Although Liam is just a freelance handyman, he is diligent, charges reasonable prices, and has developed a good reputation in the neighborhood. He can earn around $3,000 to $4,000 per month during good times and around $2,000 during slower periods. While some may consider this income insufficient, in Emma''s eyes, it is already quite good.


    As time goes on, Lily suggests that Liam and Emma make a suitable couple during a meal together. Liam, although secretly attracted to Lily, knows that she is proud and difficult to win over. So he settles for a second best option and quietly starts dating Emma.


    One day, after having a meal together, Emma realizes she has run out of olive oil while cooking at Lily''s place. Not wanting to go to the supermarket, which is far away, Emma goes to Liam''s place to borrow some. However, as she is about to leave with the olive oil, a sudden heavy rainstorm begins and shows no signs of stopping.


    Surprisingly, Liam doesn''t have an umbrella. Although Liam believes that the light rain won''t drench Emma or make her sick, she insists that she can''t walk in the rain. As a result, she ends up staying at Liam''s place and takes the initiative to cook a meal for him.


    After dinner, the two of them were bored and sat on Liam''s broken couch chatting about random things, and in the end Liam kissed her.


    At first the two were enjoying themselves, gradually Liam began not to be satisfied with the kiss, and touched her breasts with his hands, but after touching the breasts, Liam still refused to give up, and stripped Emma''s pants, and even forced her panties off together.


    Emma screamed for help and adamantly refused to comply, even threatening to call the police. Worried that Emma might actually make the call, Liam had no choice but to let go.


    After being released by Liam, Emma didn''t immediately leave but instead forcefully demanded that Liam take responsibility for his actions. Her reasoning seemed valid to her, as Liam had pulled down her pants and seen her body, and she claimed that no other man had seen her like that before in her twenty years of life.


    Although Liam had his doubts and suggested that Emma had definitely worn a bikini before, she adamantly denied it. In the end, Liam succumbed and agreed to take responsibility for Emma.


    From that moment on, they officially became a couple, and Emma naturally bid farewell to her old life of sharing a bed with her sister Lily and embarked on a new life of sharing a bed with Liam.


    Of course, it was a ''new'' life, without any ''sexual'' life. Emma was very firm on matters of principle and insisted that Liam would not see her body again until their wedding night.


    Despite Emma being much smaller in stature and bulk compared to Liam, she always occupied two-thirds of the bed while sleeping, leaving Liam with only one-third. Furthermore, many of the dirty, tough, and heavy tasks that the sisters used to do now fell upon Liam.


    Liam had doubts about Emma''s motives for coming over to borrow olive oil that day, but it was true that he had made inappropriate advances towards Emma after dinner. So, he could only blame himself for his miserable life now and couldn''t lay the blame on Emma''s shoulders.


    To say that it was miserable wouldn''t be too far off, but Emma was a relatively hardworking girl. Although the clothes she washed weren''t very clean and the food she cooked wasn''t particularly tasty, at least Liam could change his clothes every day and didn''t have to go to the street to buy hot dogs anymore.


    Emma wanted an iPad 10 because her sister had one, and she envied the scene of Lily showing her photos on the iPad.


    So, starting half a month ago, Emma began talking to Liam about getting an Apple device, especially since her birthday was coming up. Liam did consider buying a cheap tablet for Emma, but she believed that Apple was incomparable to any other brand, both in terms of its internal and external qualities. Lily also shared this view, which only reinforced Emma''s firm belief.


    The sisters'' perspective was scoffed at by Liam. In Liam''s opinion, these major brands were just capitalizing on people''s vanity to make a fortune.


    Liam has always believed that non-branded products are just as good as Apple, and he thinks that apart from the brand name, Apple has no advantages. Because of this difference in opinion, Liam has consistently refused to buy an iPad for Emma.


    "An alert popped up on the iPad." Emma frowned and walked over to Liam.


    "What''s the message?" Liam absentmindedly replied while tapping on the screen.


    "I''m not sure... Is it a game? It says I have two tasks to complete, one in blue text and one in red text. Which one should I choose?"


    "The one in blue."


    "Blue... alright... I''ve selected it... Another message just popped up, it says I need to help an old lady cross the street before midnight tonight."


    "Well, you could use some moral education, that''s for sure."


    "Fine!" Emma grumbled and punched Liam''s back. "I''ll choose the one in red instead!"


    "Sure."


    "Oh!" Emma exclaimed.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Guess what the red task is?"


    "What?"


    "It wants me to break a cat''s leg before midnight tonight."


    "Who''s so twisted? The Cat Torture Society?"


    "Yeah! It''s incredibly lame. And it even threatens me, saying that if I can''t complete both tasks before midnight, my points will go negative, and I''ll be wiped out of existence before dawn." Emma pouted, looking unhappy.


    "Hahaha! Do you think you''re a pencil drawing that can be erased by an eraser? Almighty God! Almighty Jobs! Please wipe Miss Emma away so I can have the entire bed to myself!"


    "Get lost!" Emma punched Liam again and then stormed off to the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    ...


    After dinner, Emma sat on the worn-out sofa, continuing to explore her iPad. Liam walked over and kicked her. "Aren''t you going to wash the dishes?"


    "Not today! I''ll do them tomorrow!"


    Emma laughed and took a selfie with a silly grin, holding the iPad up. "How many pixels does this camera even have? It''s a total scam!"


    "You''re so ugly! Why would you want a clear picture?" Liam sneered, looking at the not-so-high-definition photos inside.


    "Are you sure this is an Apple device?" Liam asked Emma.


    "No duh!"


    "Let me see." Liam took the iPad and examined the half-bitten apple logo on the back. "Is this really an apple? It looks more like a pear I took a bite out of. Could it be a knockoff?"


    "Ugh! You''re the knockoff!" Emma snatched the iPad back and focused on the screen again.


    Liam had nothing to do, and he didn''t want to surf the internet anymore. He was bored after eating, so he reached out and touched Emma all over her body.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    When Liam touched her back and waist, Emma didn''t react, but when he touched her chest, Emma gave Liam a blank look, and when Liam tried to touch her under her belly, Emma slapped him on the back of her hand.


    Liam unwillingly extended his hand again shortly after, but this time, Emma fiercely pinched him with her nails, causing him immense pain and instantly killing his desire.


    "Is this the only thing on your mind all day long?" Emma finally paused and glared at Liam with frustration.


    "Shit! I''m tired of it! I''ll force you to do it tonight, so what?" Liam glared back at Emma, damn it! The cat is hanging a piece of fish on its mouth, and not allowed to eat, the cat can not not crazy?


    Liam considers himself to be a very good man among men, still maintaining a virgin body at the age of twenty-one, and Emma in the same bed, but has not been bad for her body, not even allowed to touch, is not to kill people?


    "Forget it! You touch it, but ...... not allowed to touch down ...... before marriage, do that is absolutely not." Emma some afraid to look at the fierce light of Liam, this time finally did not pinch Liam touch in her chest hand again.


    "Hey, you can''t do that, but you can use your mouth." Liam laughed wickedly.


    "Blah blah blah! Don''t even think about it!" Emma''s little face turned red with shame, probably recalling the time when she was forced to watch av by Liam in bed, and forcibly pushed Liam''s hand on her breast away.


    "Shit!" Liam was completely enraged, pushed Emma down on the broken couch, mounted her, and then started to forcefully undress her.


    "Hey, hey, hey! What''s going on?" Emma panicked and quickly reached out to grab Liam, but Liam firmly pressed her hands against her sides, rendering her unable to move.


    "What else can I do? Rape!" Liam glared viciously at Emma.


    "Haha! Haha! Haha!" Emma burst into laughter three times and then replied to Liam in a playful tone, "Stop messing around. It''s so hot today, and I don''t want to do laundry with sweaty clothes."


    "Who''s messing around with you? I''m dead serious this time!" Liam continued to glare at Emma fiercely.


    He had two hands on each of Emma''s hands, and if he had a third hand, he would have reached out and pulled Emma''s pants off by now.


    But Liam didn''t need three hands, he forced Emma''s two hands together, then used one hand to hold them above her head, then with his other hand he began to pull at Emma''s pants.


    Emma resisted, twisting and turning desperately, and was actually bursting out of her with considerable force. Liam took a lot of effort to finally unbutton Emma''s pants, then grabbed the edge of her pants and peeled them downward violently.


    "Hey, hey, hey! Strong man! Hero! Big brother! I admit that I am not your opponent, let''s make peace!" Emma pants were stripped, immediately lost the sense of security, and hurriedly loudly to Liam asked for peace talks.


    "Negotiation? Have you ever seen negotiations between the victor and the defeated?"


    "Please, don''t..." Emma pleaded with a pitiful look towards Liam. They had played this game before, but this time Liam seemed determined to take it seriously.


    "Don''t play pathetic, you won''t fall for it again this time!" Liam hesitated for a moment and put his hand to his waist.


    "No! I''ll ...... I''ll ...... I''ll use my mouth ...... okay?" Emma now panicked, and hastily offered Liam a compromise offer.


    "Hmph!" Liam hesitated for a moment, considering that forcing things wouldn''t lead to a good outcome, especially since Emma had already made significant concessions. Well, he would let her off the hook this time.


    After releasing Emma, Liam, Emma rubbed her wrist that had been hurt by Liam.She hurriedly re-buttoned her pants and gave Liam an unpleasant look: "It''s all your fault! All my clothes are soaked with sweat! So you''re not going to do the laundry, huh?"


    "Quit the nonsense, mouth!" Liam smirked and took a step forward, placing his hand on his waist.


    "Can we do it at a different time? I just ate... I might throw up... Ahh..." Emma wrinkled her nose and looked at Liam with a pitiful expression, pretending to feel disgusted and nauseous.


    "No way!" Liam decided not to be soft-hearted anymore, fearing that she would wriggle her way out of it again.


    Just as Liam had just taken off his pants, there was a sudden knock on the door.


    "Wow! Someone''s here!" Emma exclaimed as if she had found a savior. She quickly pushed Liam away and sprang up from the worn-out sofa, rushing to the door and pulling it open.


    "Hey! You..." Liam was taken aback. Just as he was about to call out to Emma, Lily had already been let in by Emma from outside the door.


    At that moment, Emma, who had always been a bit absent-minded, realized that something was amiss. After casting a glance at Liam, she hurriedly covered Lily''s eyes with her hand.


    "What are you doing, sis?" Lily forcefully pushed Emma''s hand away and tried to look behind her.


    Girls are usually like this, curious about something they''re not allowed to see, and then... they regret it later...


    Fortunately, Liam had quickly put away "that thing," but the reaction had not subsided yet, and it was still noticeable. When Lily looked over in their direction, Liam quickly tried to divert her attention by saying, "Lily, you''re here? Have you eaten?"


    "I''ve eaten. It''s so noisy over there, I came here for some peace," Lily pushed Emma aside and looked at Liam suspiciously, but she didn''t notice anything unusual.


    Emma made a silly face at Liam from behind Lily and even stuck out her tongue, looking quite pleased with herself.


    "You two can chat. I have something to do," Liam took the opportunity to turn around, cursing Emma in his mind. He decided that tonight, when they go to sleep, he wouldn''t let her get away with anything, no matter how much she pretended to be pitiful.


    "Wow! The new iPad?" Lily noticed the iPad 10 placed on the worn-out sofa and quickly walked over to it.


    "Liam got it for me as a birthday gift," Emma casually lied to Lily.


    Sitting at the computer desk, Liam felt a bit guilty upon hearing Emma''s words. They had been together for some time, and he hadn''t really bought her anything decent. Tomorrow, he would find time to buy her an iPad, so she could return this one to its owner.


    In the past two years, Liam had actually saved up some money, although he hadn''t told Emma about it. He didn''t have high demands for his own future, but he had some small plans. At least... he didn''t want to keep renting houses with Emma forever.


    "Wow! It''s such a beautiful device! Huh? It''s frozen?"


    "No, it''s not. It''s working perfectly fine," Liam replied.


    "Why isn''t it responding when I try to use it?"


    "Maybe you''re not doing it right?"


    "Sis, could this iPad still recognize its owner?"


    "Really? Does it have that feature?"


    The two sisters chatted on the sofa, whispering to each other. It was indeed strange that Emma had no problem operating the iPad, but Lily couldn''t make it work at all, as if it was frozen.


    "What''s wrong with this thing? Hey! Liam! Come and take a look!" Lily shouted to Liam.


    Liam, who was told to find Emma, responded without even turning his head. Every time he saw Lily and talked to her up close, his heart would race, but now that he was with Emma, he didn''t want to get too close to Lily.


    "Hmph! You dare to treat your future sister-in-law like this before my sister is even married to you!" Lily was not pleased and charged towards Liam, twisting one of his ears.


    "What are you doing? Trying to rebel?" Liam grabbed Lily''s hand as she attempted to twist his other ear. They ended up holding each other''s hands.


    In that moment, Liam and Lily''s eyes met,


    and Liam couldn''t help but tremble inside. His hand also trembled involuntarily. This little girl, she was too much of a troublemaker. Liam almost lost control and had the urge to embrace her.


    Of course, it was just a passing thought.


    "Emma! He''s harassing me!" Lily''s face turned red, and she shouted loudly to Emma.


    "Who dares to harass my Lily?" Emma shouted back, swiftly rushing over and circling behind Liam. In one swift move, she jumped and wrapped her arms around Liam''s neck, choking him.


    Liam was caught off guard by the sudden impact, causing him to lose his balance. Instinctively, he found himself embracing Lily in his arms.


    Liam could swear to the heavens that it was completely instinctual, not intentional in any way.


    In an attempt to maintain balance and prevent any harm to Lily''s delicate body, Liam quickly extended one leg forward. However, unexpectedly, his leg ended up positioned between Lily''s legs. Lily instinctively moved backward, causing Liam, who had just managed to stabilize his body, to be propelled forward. As a result, all three of them lost their balance. Lily ended up being pinned beneath Liam, with Emma lying on top of him. Fortunately, Liam reacted quickly and supported himself with his arms, preventing any harm to Lily''s body.


    Liam has not yet subsided something, also do not know what soft place against the soft touch of Lily''s body, so it suddenly jerked his body as if losing control.Feeling uneasy, Liam quickly tried to lift his body away from his Lily''s soft figure, but Emma was still sitting on his back, making it impossible for him to get up,and something down there was even more rigid at the moment.


    Lily, feeling either pain or sensing something unusual, furrowed her brows and angrily scolded Liam, "You big jerk!"


    "Beat you up, you big jerk!" Emma, half-straddling Liam''s back, had a triumphant look on her face, completely oblivious to the fact that her sister was still underneath Liam. Taking advantage of the situation, Emma reached out and pinched and twisted Liam''s body with all her might, seeking revenge for earlier.


    "Crushing me!" Lily protested loudly, finally catching Emma''s attention. Emma quickly got off Liam.


    "Hmph!" Lily, now standing, glared at Liam fiercely.


    "Hmph!" Emma also sneered at Liam, not understanding the situation.


    Liam looked at his sisters with an innocent expression. He didn''t intend to take advantage of the situation, but holding Lily just now did feel nice. As a result, his heart was still racing.


    For a man, the feeling of holding a woman''s body is always pleasurable, but there''s a world of difference between holding the body of a beautiful woman you''re attracted to and holding the body of any other woman. Holding any woman might bring instant pleasure, but holding a woman you genuinely like creates a lasting impact that makes your heart race whenever you reminisce about it.


    After the tussle and exchange of glances, Lily seemed to harbor some hostility towards Liam. She whispered a few words to her sister Emma, and then bid farewell, leaving for her own place.


    Liam returned to his computer, pretending to continue browsing the internet, but he couldn''t help but reminisce about the feeling of holding Lily moments ago. Judging by her blushing and angry reaction afterward, it was highly likely that she realized what had pressed against her during their collision.


    The little spitfire was probably angry.


    It was a pity, though. Someone as alluring as her could only be casually touched and brushed against during playful encounters like today. Sooner or later, she would belong to someone else''s embrace.


    Although Liam liked Lily, he didn''t feel any heartache or agony from being unable to have her. Liam had a nonchalant attitude towards such matters. He wasn''t a sentimental fool, and he was even a bit rough around the edges. His fondness for Lily was just that, a simple liking. He wouldn''t lose his appetite or lose sleep over her.


    Having Emma as his girlfriend, a future wife, was already enough to satisfy Liam. Lily, on the other hand, was beyond Liam''s means to support according to his current lifestyle, and he had no complaints about his situation. He had no plans to strive for more.


    As long as Emma was his wife, even if Lily married someone else, they would still frequently cross paths. After all, the bond between the two sisters was strong, and they couldn''t be separated.


    With these thoughts in mind, a faint smile curled up on Liam''s lips as he gazed at the computer screen before him. Contentment brings joy, and Liam, who had lost his parents at a young age and struggled at the bottom of society, was a contented person. He had a clear understanding of his capabilities and didn''t indulge in unrealistic dreams.


    At night when he went to bed, Liam was a little overexcited because his mind was imagining Lily and therefore completely forgot about making Emma use her mouth. While shamelessly recalling the feeling of bear hugging Lily, he pushed his hard object against Emma''s body through her clothes and pants. In the midst of Emma''s struggle and resistance causing her body to squirm, Liam was content to dirty his own clothes and pants, and after hurriedly washing and changing them, he fell into bed and fell asleep.


    Emma would be furious if she knew that Liam was thinking of her sister Lily when he was so excited about her, but what she couldn''t imagine was that Liam would not only think of Lily when he was holding her, but sometimes he would even think of his landlady, Mrs. May.


    The next morning, when Liam woke up, he realized that Emma wasn''t in bed. He was taken aback because she had a habit of being a bedhead, and Liam believed that her main motive for clinging to him was to have someone provide her with food, a bed, and the luxury of not having to wake up early for work.


    "Did the sun rise from the west today?" Emma actually got up early?


    After getting out of bed, Liam went to the bathroom to check but didn''t find Emma there, which puzzled him even more.


    After wandering around the room for a while, Liam noticed something strange¡ªall of Emma''s belongings, including her clothes, towels, toothbrush, and toothbrush cup, were gone, except for the Apple iPad 2 she had picked up.


    Did she get mad and go back home?


    That''s not like her... Emma was quite carefree, a person without much temper. Even if Liam got angry with her, she rarely got upset. Occasionally, she might pout, but Liam would quickly soothe her, and she would never do something like getting mad and running back home.


    However, she took all her things with her. It seemed like she wanted to break ties with Liam.


    Could it be that this carefree person becomes extreme when truly angered?


    Liam felt uneasy, checked the time, quickly freshened up, and rushed to Lily''s place, where she rented.


    Normally, he could have just called Lily to ask, but Lily''s place was not far from Liam''s rental, and he thought it would be better to ask Lily face-to-face about Emma''s sudden departure after packing her things. So instead of calling Lily''s phone, he went there directly.


    At the entrance of Lily''s apartment building, Liam bumped into Lily and her two classmates, Ava and Hannah, who were coming downstairs. Ava greeted Liam with a cheerful smile, "Up so early?"


    Lily seemed to know that Liam had come to see her and asked, not very pleased, "What''s the matter?"


    "Where''s your sister? Isn''t she with you?" Liam looked behind Lily, speculating that if Emma got mad and came to Lily''s place, she would probably be lying in Lily''s bed, enjoying her morning sleep. For Emma, a lazy morning was more important than anything else.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Lily frowned.


    "Don''t joke around. Your sister disappeared early this morning. She packed her belongings and left. I don''t know what made her so angry," Liam explained seriously to Lily.


    When Emma was around, Liam didn''t feel much, but once she was gone, he became very anxious. Liam believed that Emma, with her somewhat absent-minded personality, wasn''t very strong in terms of survival skills and taking care of herself.


    "You''re insane! I don''t have time for jokes early in the morning. I need to hurry," Lily glared at Liam and walked past him towards Ava and Hannah.


    "Hey, wait!" Liam became a bit anxious and grabbed Lily''s arm, stopping her.


    Lily''s words and her blushing face, as she took a quick glance around, perplexed Liam.


    He let go of her arm, thinking, We were just cuddling last night, and now she''s blushing because I held her arm? What''s going on with these sisters? One runs away, the other has a sulky face. What did I do to deserve this madness?


    "Seriously, your sister didn''t come to you? She disappeared early this morning, taking all her belongings with her. I don''t know why she''s so upset," Liam explained with a serious expression to Lily.


    "I''m the only daughter in my family. Where would I have a sister?" Lily took a few steps back, giving Liam


    a look as if he were crazy, then quickly ran away.


    "What the hell? Is there any need to be like this when you''re angry? And I have no idea what you two are mad about!" Liam muttered, feeling frustrated, as he watched Lily''s retreating figure.


    There was no way he could force his way into Lily''s place, so Liam stood outside the reinforced door, staring blankly.


    After Emma''s phone broke last time, Liam had taken it to get it repaired. Emma had said that since no one would be looking for her, and she wouldn''t be at the rental place, she didn''t need a phone. She believed that as long as she was with Liam, there was no need for it. Now that she had suddenly disappeared, Liam couldn''t even contact her.


    After returning to his own place, Liam contemplated Emma''s possible whereabouts and suddenly thought of Ava, their mutual roommate who lived with Lily. Ava was not very talkative, but she was honest and Liam had a decent relationship with her. If Lily refused to admit that Emma was with her, Ava wouldn''t lie to Liam.


    With this in mind, Liam quickly picked up his phone and dialed Ava''s number. As soon as the call connected, Ava''s voice came through, "Liam, what''s going on between you and Lily this morning?"


    "Forget about her! I have a serious question for you," Liam said sternly to Ava.


    "Yes, what''s the matter?" Ava also became serious.


    "Did Lily''s sister Emma come to your place this morning?"


    "Liam, Lily said you have issues, and now it seems like you really do. I''ve known Lily since we were kids, and she is the only daughter in her family. Where would this sister come from?" Ava sounded surprised.


    "What day is it today? It''s not April Fool''s Day, right? Are you two conspiring against me?" Liam was getting angry.


    "What happened between you and Lily? Who is this Emma you''re talking about?" Ava seemed even more confused by Liam''s words.


    "Is Emma with you or not?" Liam raised his voice.


    "Who is Emma? Does Lily have a sister named Emma? Is she a cousin or something? Is she your girlfriend? And what''s going on between you and Lily?" Ava seemed completely bewildered. If she was acting, she was doing a remarkable job.


    ...


    "Yeah, it''s really boring. And on top of that, they threatened me, saying that if I don''t complete the task before midnight, my points will turn negative, and I''ll be erased from the world before dawn."


    "Hahaha, do they think you''re written in pencil? Can they just erase you with an eraser? Oh, Almighty God! Oh, Almighty Jobs! Please erase Miss Emma so I can have the whole big bed to myself!"


    ...


    After placing his hand on the iPad, a scene from yesterday suddenly appeared in Liam''s mind, sending a chill down his spine.


    To be erased from the world? Are they kidding?!


    Subconsciously, Liam reached for the power button on the iPad, but to his surprise, his hand felt a sharp pain as if pricked by a needle. He quickly pulled his hand back and examined it, finding a small spot of blood, as if it had been pierced by a needle.


    However, the blood spot quickly vanished, and the pain in his finger completely disappeared.


    "What was that?" Liam wondered in astonishment as he inspected the area around the power switch on the iPad. He couldn''t find anything unusual and touched it again, but there was no more pricking sensation.


    Just as Liam was examining the power button, some words flashed on the screen of the iPad. They appeared for an instant, very quickly, and if Liam hadn''t instinctively caught a glimpse, he might have missed them.


    There were some words displayed, mentioning DNA scanning, identity lock, and similar things, but they disappeared in a flash and then entered the normal startup screen.


    Liam looked at his finger again, doubting whether he had imagined it. How could a tablet computer have DNA and identity lock during startup? Was it possible to use such advanced technology on a regular consumer-grade iPad?


    Shortly after startup, a prompt message popped up on the Apple screen: "Dear owner Liam, the previous owner Emma has been completely erased from the system due to negative points. You have become the new owner of this computer. How would you like to handle the previous owner Emma? Complete erasure will commence in ten seconds."


    Below the prompt message were two options: "Complete Erasure" and "Rescue Recovery."


    Liam was startled and quickly selected the "Rescue Recovery" option before the ten-second countdown ended.


    The iPad displayed an error message: "Rescuing the previous owner Emma requires a minimum of 100 points in the account. The current point value is negative, making rescue recovery impossible. Please attempt again within one year from the day Emma was erased, otherwise, the original owner will be completely erased."

 Chapter 2 - The Disappearance of Emma

    "Damn it! Are you serious? How do you earn those... what points?" Liam instinctively asked.


    "It''s called ''G-points.'' Completing tasks can earn you G-points. Regular tasks are categorized as red tasks, orange tasks, yellow tasks, green tasks, cyan tasks, blue tasks, and purple tasks. Tasks are randomly assigned, and completing tasks of different difficulties can earn you varying amounts of G-points. Special tasks are marked with different font colors. Additionally, being forced into the ''Realm of Enigma'' by the system and completing related main and side quests can also earn you G-points... For more details, please check the ''Eerie Zone'' section..." The computer seemed to understand Liam''s words and immediately displayed a lengthy message.


    Liam stared blankly at the iPad in his hand, as if he had seen a ghost. How did it know Emma''s name and his name? And it could actually understand human speech!


    "Fuck me! Is this really an iPad?"


    Liam wiped his face and tossed the iPad onto the sofa, muttering curses under his breath. Who was playing such a prank? Creating something like this? Erasing a living person from the world?


    "Damn it! Who the hell would believe it?"


    But as Liam recalled Lily saying she didn''t have a sister and Ava mentioning how she grew up with Lily and never saw any signs of Lily having a sister, a chill ran down his spine once again, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.


    Could all of this actually be true?


    Just as Liam was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang. It was Mrs. May, the landlord. Startled by the sudden noise, Liam quickly picked up the phone to answer.


    "Hey, Liam, when are you coming over? We agreed yesterday that we''d go and reserve that car today. Let''s not repeat the same mistake as last time, ending up doing it so late," Mrs. May said, clearly referring to the renovation of her two-story duplex.


    "I''ll be there in half an hour, after I grab something to eat," Liam replied, keeping his response brief before hanging up the phone.


    Mrs. May''s name is Margaret May. Mrs. May is a widowed woman with no occupation. She has a fair and beautiful complexion, and even now, she maintains a well-endowed chest, slender waist, and shapely hips. When she walks down the street, she attracts a lot of attention, and it''s evident that she had the potential to be a beauty in her younger years.Of course, Margaret May isn''t too old yet, still in her twenties, not yet thirty. A woman like her, with her fair and beautiful complexion, retains a slender figure and alluring curves. When she walks down the street, heads turn and catch a glimpse of her. It''s only natural for young men like Liam, in their early twenties, full of youthful energy, to be tempted by a woman like Mrs. May and entertain some impure thoughts.


    However, in reality, Liam would never show any disrespect towards Mrs. May because she is a respectable and well-behaved woman. Being a widow for two years, she still holds deep love for her deceased husband, which Liam greatly admires. He believes it''s rare to find a woman as loyal and devoted as Mrs. May in this world.


    Mrs. May''s husband passed away in a car accident two years ago, leaving her with four apartments. She lives in one of them and rents out two. The remaining duplex apartment has been left untouched and unfinished due to lack of funds for renovations.


    Liam happened to rent one of Mrs. May''s apartments and they became acquainted over time. Liam is a helpful and efficient person. Last time, when Mrs. May''s bathroom was leaking and she had a dispute with her downstairs neighbor, she called someone to fix it. However, the repairmen quoted over five thousand dollars for labor and materials, with the cheapest option still exceeding three thousand dollars.


    Mrs. May, without any other source of income after her husband''s death, couldn''t afford such a high cost. Liam had some free time during those days and offered to help. With his complete set of tools, he managed to fix the issue for Mrs. May, and she only had to pay a few hundred dollars for the materials, without any labor costs.


    It turned out to be a win-win situation. Later on, when rental prices in the neighborhood increased, Mrs. May didn''t raise Liam''s rent. This balanced out the labor costs Liam had saved her, and since then, Mrs. May started treating Liam with more respect and affection. Occasionally, she would make pork rib soup and bring it over in a pot for Liam and Emma to enjoy.


    As for the large unfinished duplex apartment of over two hundred square meters, Mrs. May couldn''t rent it out due to the lack of renovation. Quotes from renovation companies ranged from one to two hundred thousand dollars, and hiring local contractors was not only unreliable but also not necessarily cheaper. As a result, the apartment remained vacant, and Mrs. May had to pay several hundred dollars in property tax each month.


    Recently, Mrs. May came into some extra money and decided to do a simple renovation on the duplex apartment. She planned to install water and electricity connections, a solar water heater, and purchase some second-hand furniture to make it ready for rental. Once this project was completed, not only would the property tax be taken care of, but it would also generate a steady monthly income. Mrs. May''s worries about her future life would be greatly alleviated.


    Because of their previous experience in solving the bathroom leakage issue, Mrs. May naturally thought of Liam. She asked him to take a look if he had the time and, if the budget was suitable, to handle the renovation project for her.


    Knowing that Mrs. May was in a vulnerable position, Liam devised an extremely simple and primitive renovation plan, focusing on saving costs wherever possible. He would charge her the minimum wage for his labor. Of course, when it came to the actual work, Liam would ensure solid craftsmanship, guaranteeing the apartment could be rented out for at least seven or eight years without any issues.


    Although Mrs. May didn''t understand the specific regulations and standards, she trusted Liam''s character. She entrusted the entire renovation project to him. During the actual renovation, Mrs. May would accompany Liam to buy materials and would stay at the construction site, watching Liam work diligently. Perhaps she wanted to supervise or lend a helping hand.


    In reality, Liam didn''t need much assistance from Mrs. May. Her involvement only caused more trouble. Last time, Mrs. May insisted on helping Liam with something, so he had her assist in cutting electrical wires. Unfortunately, she ended up getting bl


    isters on her fingers from the wire-cutters, and most of the wires she cut were unusable.


    Liam hesitated for a moment as he was about to leave, but then turned back and put the iPad back in his bag before finally heading out.


    How should he find Emma? Should he take this mysterious iPad to the police station and report Emma''s disappearance to them?


    But what if doing so angers the iPad and it completely erases Emma?


    Liam was unsure about what to do at the moment. He decided to first help Mrs. May with purchasing materials for her renovation and then carefully consider how to handle this situation.


    After having a quick bite outside, Liam went to the designated location to meet Mrs. May. They went together to a nearby building supply store to negotiate prices with the owner, who sold cement and sand. They needed a truckload of sand and a few bags of cement.


    With Liam''s bargaining skills, they managed to strike a deal for three tons of sand at $200. The owner refused to provide delivery and instead called in a hired worker, leaving Mrs. May to negotiate the price with the worker herself.


    In Riverside City, where Liam lived, the standard of living for the lower class had noticeably improved along with the city''s development and prosperity. As a result, labor costs had become significantly higher.


    Mrs. May needed the three tons of sand to be carried up to the sixth floor. Liam suggested a price of $300 to Mrs. May, which was the current market rate. However, Mrs. May only offered $250 to the hired worker, who refused, stating that he wouldn''t do it for less than $300.


    Mrs. May insisted on $250, while the worker remained firm and declined. After the negotiation reached an impasse, Mrs. May reluctantly asked Liam to leave the building supply store, and they went to two other stores farther away to continue their search.


    They couldn''t negotiate a price lower than $200 for the three tons of sand in the other two stores, and the labor costs quoted by both were as high as $350, with a maximum reduction to $300. Moreover, those stores were far from the apartment complex, making it inconvenient. As a last resort, Mrs. May followed Liam back to the previous building supply store.


    After settling on $300, Mrs. May asked the store owner to arrange for the sand to be delivered promptly. Then she led Liam into her duplex apartment to continue the renovation work for the day.


    Liam''s main task for the day was to cut grooves in the walls and conceal electrical wires. The use of a stone cutter filled the entire room with dust. Mrs. May couldn''t stand it and retreated to the balcony. At eleven o''clock, Mrs. May announced that she was going back to prepare dinner and asked Liam if he wanted her to bring him some food. Liam declined, and Mrs. May proceeded to leave.


    Mrs. May stared at Liam and after a while, she burst into laughter. "Well, well, young Liam. Do you have something going on besides your girlfriend? You seem quite innocent, but are you playing around with multiple relationships?"


    "Liam froze for a moment, and then he suddenly remembered something. He quickly took out his wallet and opened it, handing the photo of the two of them to Mrs. May. ''Mrs. May, look, I''m talking about this girl! Her name is Emma!''


    ''Isn''t she Lily?'' Mrs. May looked at the photo of the two of them with confusion and replied.


    Liam looked at Mrs. May with puzzlement as he took the photo back from his wallet and examined it closely. He couldn''t help but freeze.


    The girl he had taken the photo with was clearly Lily, not Emma!


    ''She''s my girlfriend?'' Liam himself was now confused.


    Could it be the butterfly effect? If Emma was gone, did that result in Lily becoming his girlfriend?


    That couldn''t be possible, right? Lily had said she would only marry a multimillionaire in this lifetime, so how could she be interested in him, a freelance handyman?


    ''Every time I delivered the pork rib soup, wasn''t she with you?'' Mrs. May looked at Liam with a bewildered expression, trying to make sense of what had happened.


    Liam shook his head, feeling even more confused.


    ''Um... E... Emma was your ex-girlfriend?'' Mrs. May was also puzzled and tried to understand Liam''s unusual words on her own.


    ''Sorry, I made a mistake. Mrs. May, you can go back now.'' Liam waved his hand at Mrs. May. He needed some time to calm down and sort out his thoughts.


    ''How can you make such a mistake?'' Mrs. May looked at him with a puzzled expression, but she couldn''t ask any more questions. After giving Liam a few more glances, she turned and left.


    After Mrs. May left, Liam sat down in a daze, carefully examining the photo of him and Lily in his wallet. It was indeed true, the little beauty who was smiling happily with her face pressed against his, who else could it be but Lily?


    If it was because of the butterfly effect, and she really became his girlfriend, why did she blush when he held her arm this morning outside her rented unit?


    Furthermore, if Emma had truly been wiped out from this world, why could he still remember her?


    Although Liam had fantasized about Lily before, at this moment, even though Lily inexplicably became his girlfriend, he couldn''t feel any happiness because he had never even considered this possibility. It would put a lot of pressure on him if Lily really became his girlfriend.


    Liam had a lot of questions but nowhere to ask. Finally, he took out the peculiar iPad from his bag and carefully studied it.


    After opening the iPad, most of the applications inside were similar to any other iPad. He could still download various free and paid applications from the Apple Store. The only difference was the presence of an additional app option: Eerie Zone.


    When he touched the Eerie Zone app, a variety of options appeared: account information, task system, card system, and so on.


    Liam touched the task system, and immediately a message popped up on the screen: ''You have chosen to restore the original owner''s records. To continue receiving new tasks, you must complete the tasks previously assigned to the original owner, Emma. Do you want to continue?''


    Liam looked around left and right, confirming that he was still in the real world. He then looked back at the computer screen and selected ''Yes'' among the ''Yes'' and ''No'' options.


    ''The previous owner, Emma, had two tasks assigned. One is highlighted in blue: you must help an old lady cross the street before midnight tonight. Task


    reward: 1 Eerie Point. The other is highlighted in red: you must break a cat''s leg before midnight tonight. Task reward: 1 Eerie Point. Do you want to complete these two tasks on behalf of the previous owner, Emma? Default acceptance in ten seconds.''


    Liam hesitated for a moment, but the ten-second countdown quickly ended, and the system automatically assumed that Liam had chosen ''Yes.''


    ''Please complete all assigned tasks before midnight tonight to ensure that your Eerie Point balance remains non-negative. Otherwise, you will be wiped out by the system before dawn tomorrow.'' After displaying a warning message, the screen exited the Eerie Zone and returned to the home screen."


    "Wipe my ass!" Liam glared at the computer screen with frustration. If Emma had truly been wiped out by it, then if he didn''t complete these tasks, there was a high chance he would be wiped out too, completely and thoroughly. Lily, Mrs. May, and everyone else would be just like Emma, not even remembering him.


    Erased, isn''t it just like being dead? He''s still a virgin, it would be such a waste if he died.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Indeed, picking up things without returning them will always invite retribution!


    What if... I hand this iPad over to the authorities and let them deal with it?


    No, if there''s a chance to save Emma, it can only be done with this computer.


    And now Liam has also received a mission. If he doesn''t complete those tasks and the ephemeral account''s anomaly points remain negative, he will be erased from this world just like Emma!


    Liam sat in a daze, contemplating left and right. Unconsciously, it was already noon, and he hadn''t eaten much in the morning, so he was already hungry. Normally, at this time, Emma would have already arrived with a meal box from her rented place, and she would smile and sit with Liam to eat.


    When Emma was around, Liam didn''t think she was that great. In fact, he saw her as lazy, always seeking small advantages, lacking ambition, and being scatterbrained, among many other flaws. But now that she was gone, Liam suddenly remembered all the good things about her.


    Especially today, at lunchtime, when Emma should have brought the food, she was nowhere to be found, which made Liam feel anxious.


    Does she really no longer exist?


    Liam has a feeling deep down that Emma is just being petty, hiding somewhere and refusing to see him. He believes that when he returns home in the evening, she will appear before him as usual.


    Liam waited until half-past twelve, but Emma didn''t come in like she used to, carrying a packed meal box and pushing the door open. Instead, she looked at Liam, covered in dust, with a mix of concern and a smile on her face, and sat down with him, keeping him company as he ate.


    Liam also didn''t understand why Emma had fallen for him. When she was around, her favorite activities, aside from sleeping, were clinging to him. Although Emma was carefree, she lacked a sense of security and often said that if Liam didn''t want her anymore, she would end up starving on the streets.


    Liam always found her statements somewhat exaggerated, with a hint of intimidation. He believed that someone as carefree as her wouldn''t understand the romantic and delicate aspects of love. If it weren''t for him, she would have latched onto someone else, cooking and doing laundry for that person, so she could continue enjoying her lazy mornings.


    However, now that Emma had suddenly disappeared, Liam felt an indescribable uneasiness, and even a faint ache in his heart. He seemed to realize just how important Emma was to him.


    Time flew by, and it was already one o''clock in the afternoon. A strong sense of hunger struck Liam, prompting him to quickly wash his face, wipe off the dust from his hair, and change into clean clothes and shoes. He decided to step out and find a small restaurant to grab something to eat.


    Despite being a construction worker, Liam always paid attention to his appearance. When entering a construction site, he would change out of his clean clothes and shoes, and before leaving the house, he would wash his face and hair and change back into his clean attire and shoes.


    Liam, despite his modest income, takes pride in his own dignity. He works diligently and maintains integrity in his actions. He understands that it is important to have self-respect first, as that is what garners respect from others.


    Clearly, Lily came here to find Liam; otherwise, she wouldn''t have come. "Do you have something to tell me?" Liam stopped and looked at Lily with a strange expression because he had no idea how she became his girlfriend.


    Speaking of which, when Emma was around, Liam did have a liking for Lily. It was a pure attraction to a beautiful girl, which is a common weakness among men. However, Liam never considered Lily as someone he could marry and settle down with. Liam was a practical person who knew that high-spirited and proud girls like Lily were beyond his ability to handle.


    When it came to finding a wife, Liam believed in someone like Emma¡ªa woman who relied heavily on her man, remained faithful, thrifty, and took care of household chores. In modern society, it was difficult to find someone like Emma, who wholeheartedly supported the family. On the other hand, Liam had never seen Lily cook or do laundry.


    The two sisters didn''t resemble each other much, and their temperaments and personalities were vastly different. The most obvious difference was their spending habits. Lily liked to take taxis when going out, while Emma preferred to walk and would even choose to take public transportation if necessary.


    Furthermore, when it came to dining out, Lily enjoyed upscale restaurants and trendy cafes, while Emma preferred to eat at home. Even when Liam and Emma went out together, Emma would choose inexpensive restaurants. However, Liam didn''t see Lily as a bad person because of this. On the contrary, he admired Lily because all the money she spent was earned through her part-time jobs, and she was still just a university student.


    Considering Liam''s current financial situation, he believed he could provide for Emma, and being with her allowed him to save a significant amount of money each month. Maybe in the future, they could even buy a house in the remote suburbs of Riverside City. However, Liam knew he couldn''t afford to support Lily in any way, let alone save money to buy a house.


    Liam also knew that Emma was like a little bird seeking shelter under the eaves. Finding a place to take cover from the rain made her ecstatic, and she needed his care. Liam could provide her with the care she needed. On the other hand, Lily was ambitious and driven. Her aspirations were to soar in the sky, and even if Liam wanted to protect her, he couldn''t. They belonged to different worlds, and Liam didn''t understand her field, while she disdained understanding his.


    In the future, the gap between them would only widen.


    Liam felt as if he saw Emma''s many good qualities in Lily the moment he laid eyes on her. He realized that Emma was a perfect match for him, and he had never seriously considered it when she was around.


    "What happened this morning?" Lily asked Liam as they walked.


    "Let''s find a place to sit," Liam said, carefully staring at Lily''s beautiful face, feeling increasingly strange.


    He really wanted to know how Lily became his girlfriend and why they had a photo together in his wallet. He believed such a thing could never happen.


    After sensing Liam''s gaze, Lily gave him a glance and then turned to look outside the neighborhood. "Where should we go?"


    "Let''s go to the fast-food restaurant across the street. I want to grab something to eat," Liam said, recalling a fast-food restaurant where he had previously dined with Emma.


    "You haven''t eaten yet?" Lily looked at him.


    "Not yet," Liam shook his head.


    "I''ll treat you," Lily said and walked to the roadside, hailing a taxi. She opened the door and sat in the front passenger seat.


    Liam reluctantly shook his head, slowly walked over, and got into the back seat after opening the rear door.


    "To Royal Blend," Lily told the taxi driver and then turned her gaze towards the window.


    Liam felt somewhat dissatisfied with Lily sitting in the front seat. If they were a couple, he thought they should sit together in the back seat rather than feeling distant like this.


    After silently complaining to himself for a while, Liam chuckled at his own pettiness. Since he hadn''t considered a future with Lily, why bother about such details?


    He decided to treat her as his sister, just like before. Whatever she wanted to do, let her do it. Maybe in the future, he could rescue Emma, or maybe... he would be completely erased, leaving no trace in this world.


    After entering the coffee shop, Lily went straight to the second floor and chose a seat by the window. Liam hesitated for a moment before finally sitting across from her.


    Lily had already finished eating and ordered a pour-over coffee. Liam ordered a combo meal, but neither of them spoke until their food arrived. Liam finished his meal in silence, poured himself a cup of tea, and then finally looked at Lily.


    "What did you mean this morning about my sister Emma?" Lily finally spoke up.


    While eating, Liam had been contemplating how to tell Lily about the iPad incident. He hadn''t mentioned it because he wasn''t sure if the person who had come into contact with or knew about the iPad would also experience misfortune. He didn''t want to involve Lily if there was any potential danger.


    "What I''m about to tell you may be hard to believe, but it''s all true," Liam hesitated for a while and decided to tell Lily a partially true version of the story.


    "What''s going on exactly? Stop being so mysterious," Lily furrowed her brow.


    "If I tell you that the current me actually comes from a parallel dimension, would you believe it?" Liam took a sip of tea and slowly began explaining to Lily.


    "Go on," Lily responded, showing little surprise at what Liam had said.


    Lily''s reaction surprised Liam. She seemed to fully accept Liam''s explanation about the parallel dimension. This caught him off guard.


    After contemplating for a while, Liam continued, "In the parallel world where I come from, you have a sister named Emma. We met about a year ago when you started your internship at Inspire Interior Solutions, and then..."


    Liam recounted his meetings and experiences with Emma, as well as their time together, sharing each memory one by one. To Liam''s surprise, as he talked about certain moments he had shared with Emma, seemingly insignificant events


    that he had previously dismissed, he found himself getting emotional, and tears welled up in his eyes in front of Lily.


    Liam hadn''t expected that those little moments with Emma, which he thought were trivial, had become such beautiful and painful memories for him.


    Sometimes, it''s only after losing something that we truly understand its value. Liam now fully grasped the meaning behind this statement.


    As Liam and Lily were engrossed in conversation, Mrs. May called Liam''s phone, asking when he would be coming back. Liam told her he had urgent matters to attend to and couldn''t return at the moment. Mrs. May seemed unhappy, mentioning that the car and construction materials were about to arrive, and she couldn''t handle everything on her own. However, Liam couldn''t care less about Mrs. May''s situation at that moment.


    "The photo in the wallet was originally a picture of my sister Emma and me, but now it''s turned into one of you and me. It''s strange to me. How did someone as proud as you become the girlfriend of a construction worker like me?" Liam took out his wallet and handed Lily the photo of them together.


    "Do you really not remember anything about what happened between us?" Lily looked at the photo, her eyes slightly moist.


    Liam was surprised that Lily didn''t find the idea of parallel worlds absurd or doubt his story about Emma. She seemed to have fully accepted it.


    "I made a phone call home this morning, and my mom told me that I indeed had a sister who passed away before she was born. However, my parents had already chosen a name for her, and her name was Emma. But this is something only my parents know," Lily said, her eyes fixed on Liam.


    "Wow, this is insane... Absolutely insane," Liam shook his head, doubting even himself if he had indeed entered a parallel dimension. Everything had changed, and it felt incredibly surreal.


    Just as Liam was about to say something, Lily''s phone also rang. After she answered the call, Lily told Liam that she had to rush back for something important. Liam didn''t say much and left with her.


    As Lily was about to hail a cab and leave, Liam called out to her.


    "Hey, you still haven''t answered my question. Are you my girlfriend in this world?" Liam, apart from Emma''s disappearance, was hung up on this one thing, so he took the opportunity to clarify with Lily.


    "What do you think?" Lily replied, countering Liam''s question. She then opened the car door and quickly disappeared from Liam''s sight.


    "What do I think? What do I think? I think... if you were my girlfriend, I would... Ugh... Damn it! Can''t I speak a few more words without getting into trouble?" Liam glared in the direction Lily vanished, his mind filled with mixed emotions.


    Lifting his head, Liam noticed an elderly lady hesitatingly observing the constant flow of traffic on the street. It was a busy road with a mix of pedestrians and vehicles, and the cars were moving quite fast. It wasn''t very safe for the old lady to cross.


    Liam approached her and said, "I happen to be crossing the street too. Let me assist you."


    The old lady initially declined, but eventually allowed Liam to help her cross the street. Once they reached the other side, the old lady expressed her gratitude to Liam.


    "Blue task: Completed assisting an elderly lady across the street. Received one point of strangeness, bringing your account''s strangeness points to negative one. Please continue to carry out tasks. If your strangeness points remain negative by midnight tonight, you will be eradicated from existence." A voice suddenly appeared in Liam''s mind, startling him.


    Damn it! I didn''t even have the iPad with me, yet it can still speak?


    As Liam realized that the iPad wasn''t by his side, he instinctively lowered his head to look at his hands and discovered that the iPad was indeed in his hand, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.


    Liam exclaimed, "Ah!" and threw the iPad to the ground, his strange action catching the attention of several passersby. They paused when they saw Liam discard the iPad and looked in his direction.


    Staring at the fallen iPad on the ground, Liam, who had been contemplating whether he had truly crossed over into a parallel world, suddenly became aware of the device''s actual existence. It sent shivers down his spine.


    By the way, besides helping the old lady cross the street, he also received a red task about breaking a cat''s leg.


    This task is giving Liam a headache. Isn''t it too cruel to break a cat''s leg when it''s perfectly fine?


    Liam, who always advocates for world peace and has a kind heart, simply cannot bring himself to harm a cat in such a way.


    However, if he doesn''t find a cat to break its leg before midnight tonight, he will be erased from existence just like Emma, thanks to that cursed iPad. It''s truly terrifying!


    Sigh... Let''s put this matter on hold until tonight. It''s broad daylight, and if a grown man starts chasing a cat around to break its leg, people will think he''s insane.


    After a while, Liam squatted down again and picked up the iPad from the ground. The fall had left a noticeable crack on the iPad''s casing, which was now covered in dust and dirt.


    However, as soon as Liam held it in his hands, the crack quietly disappeared, and the dirt on it dispersed, making the entire iPad look as good as new.


    It was truly eerie.


    "New task released: one blue task and one yellow task. Please make a selection to view."


    Just as Liam was staring at the iPad in a daze, a message popped up in the middle of the screen.


    "Damn it! Didn''t I just complete a task? Why are there two more now? Is this its punishment for me dropping it?" Liam cursed silently. It seemed that completing Emma''s task was just an extra, and now that the iPad was bound to Liam, he had to claim his own tasks.


    The problem was, based on the wording of this pop-up message, the tasks were not optional. They were mandatory and could only be viewed, not chosen!


    Liam stared at the prompt in frustration for a while. At this point, he had boarded the iPad''s thief ship and there was no turning back.


    In the end, Liam had no choice but to view the blue task first.


    "Blue task: Prevent a gang rape before midnight tonight. Task reward: 1 point."


    "What the hell! This task is too messed up!" Liam couldn''t help but exclaim. Preventing a gang rape? Is it that easy for a gang rape to occur? And even if it does happen, how is Liam supposed to stumble upon it before midnight tonight?


    This was a big problem!


    Despite his complaints, Liam reluctantly checked the yellow task, and this left him even more dumbfounded.


    "Yellow Task: You must enter the women''s restroom before midnight tonight, and touch a young girl''s ass with your hand. Mission reward: 1 point."


    Upon seeing this yellow task, Liam almost collapsed to the ground.


    He had just called the previous blue task messed up, but this yellow task was clearly a million times more messed up than the blue one!


    "Damn it, was it necessary to go this far just because I dropped you?"


    Liam despised the act of barging into the women''s restroom and harassing women. If he encountered someone doing such a thing, he would immediately rush over and drag them to the police station. But now, he was being tasked with executing this extremely messed up mission.


    "Motherfucker!!"


    Liam raised the iPad high above his head and slammed it forcefully onto the ground before storming off.


    The iPad made a crisp sound as its casing shattered, revealing the circuit board inside and emitting a faint electrical buzzing. A curious passerby approached and picked up the broken iPad that Liam had thrown, giving him a strange look.


    Liam continued walking away without even looking back. However, as a fleeting thought crossed his mind about whether the iPad was completely broken, something suddenly appeared in his hand.


    Staring at the unbreakable, uncrushable, and unthrowable iPad, Liam felt a mix of frustration and despair.


    As for the passerby who picked up the broken iPad, it mysteriously vanished from his hand. However, he showed no signs of surprise. He straightened himself up and continued walking in the direction he had originally intended, as if nothing had happened just moments ago.


    ...


    Back at Mrs. May''s duplex apartment, the three tons of sand had already been delivered and piled up downstairs. The hired worker who had agreed on the price had not yet brought his companions. After exchanging a few words with Mrs. May, Liam changed into his work clothes, kept his head down, and continued to groove the walls.


    The task of breaking the cat''s leg still hadn''t been resolved. Little did he know that by throwing the iPad in frustration, he had attracted two new highly difficult tasks. If he didn''t handle them well, he might actually be wiped out tonight.


    Even if he managed to complete these tasks by some stroke of luck, if future tasks continued to be this twisted, Liam felt he would eventually be tormented into a super twisted lunatic by the iPad.


    But what about Emma if he didn''t complete the tasks?


    Thinking of Emma made Liam think of Lily as well. Was she really his girlfriend now? He already felt somewhat unworthy of her. If she found out about the sick tasks assigned by the iPad, she would surely look down on him.


    And he couldn''t even explain himself.


    Who would believe him even if he did try to explain?!


    He didn''t want to live anymore!


    If it weren''t for a girlfriend like Lily, Liam wouldn''t feel any self-doubt about his current job. When he was with Emma, he even thought he had good skills and could make good money.


    But now, covered in dust and dirt, Liam suddenly felt a sense of inferiority. If Lily was his girlfriend, then the money he was making now was truly too little and pitiful. Not to mention giving her the kind of life she dreamed of, he probably couldn''t even afford to buy her a few decent clothes and cosmetics without maxing out his credit card.


    Liam sighed inexplicably. He felt he should face reality and not hold any hope for a future with Lily. What he needed to do now was find a way to bring Emma back and watch her pursue her happiness and the life she wanted, while doing his best to protect her from harm or minimize it.


    "Why haven''t those hired workers arrived yet?" Mrs. May approached with a hint of anxiety as Liam caught his breath on the balcony.


    "You should call and urge the store manager. It might be troublesome if they arrive too late, and it looks like it might rain tonight," Liam glanced at the dim sky and suggested to Mrs. May.


    "I''ve already called a few times, but the store manager can''t do anything about those workers," Mrs. May shook her head.


    "Maybe the price you offered wasn''t high enough. They might not be happy about it," Liam speculated. In recent years, there had been a shortage of hired workers on the streets, and labor costs had been rising. Especially for physical labor like this, fewer and fewer people were willing to do it.

 Chapter 3 - Eerie Zone

    "But we''ve already agreed on the price, how can they do this?" May frowned, occasionally glancing down at the pile of sand below.


    Liam watched May''s slender figure, sighing inwardly. Poor woman, living in the memories of her past life since her husband''s death. Liam had known her for a long time and understood her kind-heartedness and frugal lifestyle. He often helped her without worrying about the pay, but not everyone would be the same.


    It was already half-past five, and the hired workers responsible for transporting the sand were still nowhere to be seen. Liam''s working hours were over, but seeing May''s pitiful gaze, he reluctantly decided to stay. May was afraid to confront the workers alone, even though Liam was just her tenant. So he stayed to keep her company.


    Liam sometimes felt burdened by his kind-heartedness, leading to a tiresome life, but it wasn''t an easy trait to change.


    Finally, at six o''clock, just before it was completely dark, the five hired workers hurriedly arrived. It seemed they had been busy with other tasks or intentionally delayed their arrival. They immediately complained to May that the pay for hauling the sand was too low and that they didn''t want to continue the job unless she increased the amount. Faced with the impending darkness and the possibility of rain, it was difficult to find alternative workers on the street. Fearful that they might run away if it rained and she would be left with three tons of sand on her own, May reluctantly agreed to raise the payment to $320.


    However, the hired workers persisted, demanding $350 for the job. After some bargaining, they settled at $330, but then they requested May to buy them drinks because it was hot outside. Reluctantly, May went to get them a case of beverages, and only then did the workers finally start their work.


    ...


    A bell rang, sounding like the dismissal bell at a nearby school or some kind of alarm. The piercing sound irritated Liam, prompting him to instinctively grab a hammer and forcefully smash a section of the wall groove. Only then did the external bell sound stop.


    After the first round of sand had been hauled upstairs, the five hired workers began to complain about the lateness of the hour, suggesting that they should come back tomorrow to continue their work. May panicked, pleading with them to finish transporting the sand before it started raining tonight. She expressed her disappointment at their lack of integrity, going back on their word after agreeing to the price. Despite the increased payment and the provision of drinks, they were now trying to back out.


    The five hired workers, each making their own disrespectful remarks, continued to loiter around the house. Their words gradually carried a hint of harassment.


    Seeing May''s pleading gaze, Liam shook his head while wiring the circuit on the wall. He reluctantly walked over to the hired workers and engaged in a discussion, persuading them to deliver the sand tonight. He explained that if it rained and the sand got wet, it would become heavier and more difficult to transport the next day.


    The hired workers, primarily dissatisfied with the payment, vented their frustration as soon as Liam spoke. One particularly aggressive worker, bald-headed, approached Liam with menacing gestures. "What business is it of yours, an electrician, whether we do the job tonight? Don''t stick your nose where it doesn''t belong!"


    "I''m just reasoning with you. We, as workers, should have a minimum level of integrity. If we agree to certain conditions, we should follow through, or else we''ll lose respect," Liam calmly responded to the bald-headed worker while tightening his grip on the hammer in his hand.


    "Why is this electrician acting so high and mighty? We''ve all done work outside, and our skills are much better than his," the other workers joined in, pointing and discussing the wiring on the wall.


    "With three tons of sand, the going rate is $300. I''ve already increased it to $330, which is more than fair. I''ve even bought you drinks. You promised May to deliver the sand tonight, so get to work quickly before it starts raining," Liam, avoiding discussing the electrical matter, spoke firmly and urged them.


    "F*ck, we felt sorry for her and wanted to help her deliver the sand tonight, but now, it''s because of your mouthy electrician behavior that we''re pissed off! It''s your fault, so none of us are working tonight! Blame the electrician for spouting nonsense!" The bald-headed worker pointed his finger at Liam''s nose, using it as an excuse. He then signaled the other four workers, preparing to leave.


    May chased after them to the door, pleading with the bald-headed worker for a long time. However, they stubbornly insisted that they had intended to work tonight but changed their minds due to their dislike of Liam, the electrician.


    Liam felt frustrated hearing all this. He had tried to help but ended up with this outcome, all because of him. It seemed like nothing was going well for him these days, especially after Emma''s passing. He angrily swung the hammer and smashed it against the wall, as if venting some pent-up emotions.


    Returning with an anxious expression, May took out her phone and made a call to the manager of the construction materials store, asking for help in persuading the hired workers to come back.


    After the store manager talked to the workers, they responded that they refused to work because the electrician had spoken rudely, offending them. Now that it had come to this, there was nothing May could do.


    "Hey, May! Pay attention to your renovation! You''ve been making noise all day, and it''s disturbing my sleep! What time is it now? Aren''t you done yet?" A teenage girl, Piper, around eighteen or nineteen years old, carrying a bag and preparing to leave, walked by May''s door and protested angrily.


    "Piper, why are you talking like that? Didn''t your family make noise during their renovation? What are you trying to sleep in broad daylight?" May, in a bad mood, stepped out and got into an argument with the girl.


    Piper was acquainted with May because her parents were doctors who owned a private clinic nearby. Piper worked there as a nurse, and May had visited the community hospital for treatment, where she discovered their neighborly connection, leading to their acquaintance.


    Liam heard the commotion outside, knowing it was caused by his wall pounding, which made him even more frustrated. He dropped the hammer and washed his hands and face at the temporary faucet in the kitchen, then went to the back room to change his clothes and shoes.


    He had his own share of troubles to deal with, and helping May with good intentions only led to this outcome. If May also believed that it was all his fault, it would be quite disappointing.


    Oh well, it''s better to mind his own business from now on.


    After changing his clothes and shoes, Liam noticed that the neighbor''s teenage girl, Piper, had already left. He walked past May without even looking at her and headed straight towards the door.


    "Hey! Are you leaving?" May hurriedly followed and grabbed Liam''s arm.


    "Sorry for what happened today. I was in a bad mood and said some harsh things to them, which affected your situation...," Liam apologized to May without looking back.


    "It''s not your fault. They were planning to leave anyway, but they just wanted an excuse to stay. You came to help me, and they insulted you. I should be the one apologizing," May said, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Liam turned to look at May, wanting to comfort her, but he didn''t know what to say. He sighed deeply. This poor woman had lost her husband over two years ago, yet she couldn''t escape the shadow of that loss. She would cry over small things, and all Liam could do to help her was with these trivial matters.


    "I''m sorry..." May quickly wiped her tears, feeling embarrassed for showing her vulnerability in front of Liam.


    "It might rain tonight. Why don''t you get a large plastic sheet and cover the sand? We can arrange for someone to transport it tomorrow. Otherwise, the sand will get wet and become heavy, and those people will probably demand more money," Liam suggested after giving it some thought.


    Liam could only help to this extent, as he had his own matters to attend to.


    "Forget it. Let it rain if it wants to. Things will happen as they do. No matter what I do, nothing ever goes smoothly," May shook her head with a sorrowful expression. Liam didn''t need to guess; she was probably thinking of her deceased husband again.


    At that moment, Liam''s heart suddenly felt a sharp pain, and a cold sweat broke out on his back... May had lost her husband, but he had also lost his Emma. Perhaps the way he lost her was peculiar, but until now, he couldn''t bring himself to admit that he had lost her.


    Just a moment ago, as Liam made up his mind to return to his rented apartment, he couldn''t help but subconsciously imagine Emma greeting him at the door, complaining about him staining the clothes she had just washed, while joyfully serving a steaming hot dinner and watching him devour it with a grin on her face.


    Liam found himself frozen for a moment, unsure if he was trapped in a dream or facing the harsh reality. Could it be that he had truly lost Emma forever?


    Those tasks were too challenging, impossible to complete! Not to mention reaching a score of a hundred.


    "Mr. Young?" May shook Liam''s arm, sensing his bewildered expression.


    "Oh...," Liam snapped out of his thoughts, suddenly feeling a hint of fear about returning to his rented apartment.


    The sky grew darker, and his stomach grumbled with hunger. Regardless, he needed to find a place to eat first. After having a meal, he could wander the streets and figure out a way to complete those bizarre tasks.


    "You''ve already spent a lot of time with me today. Let me treat you to dinner. Where would you like to go?" May suggested, noticing Liam''s lack of enthusiasm and attempting to ease the tension.


    "No, I have something to attend to when I get back," Liam politely declined May''s offer, knowing that May rarely dined out herself. Both of them had an unfortunate day, and he didn''t want her to incur more expenses.


    "Well... don''t be so formal with me. I know you don''t want me to spend money, but I insist on treating you tonight. Consider it my company," May suddenly became resolute, her tone tinged with a hint of feminine charm.


    Perhaps May had never used this tone with Liam before, or perhaps Liam was taken aback by May''s sudden allure, but he remained silent for a while.


    "What''s the matter? Are you afraid I''ll eat you?" May laughed when she noticed Liam''s hesitation.


    "No...," Liam quickly shook his head, but his stomach betrayed him and growled loudly. Indeed, after being delayed for so long today, he was famished.


    "Then let''s go," May tugged at Liam''s arm, giving him a seductive smile.


    Seeing May persistently inviting him, Liam reluctantly agreed, but he still didn''t want May to spend too much: "Well... let''s not eat out. May, why don''t you make something at home instead..."


    "At home, huh..." May hesitated this time. Since her husband left, she had never invited another man to her home.


    "Ah... forget it. I actually have something to do tonight," Liam realized that his previous words were inappropriate and quickly added.


    "That won''t do! Come on, tonight I''ll let you taste my cooking skills. I''m not just good at stewing soup," May decided abruptly, immediately tidying up and taking Liam out of the house.


    As they descended the stairs, Liam received a call from Lily, asking when he would be back, mentioning that she wanted to talk to him tonight.


    Liam hesitated for a moment, checked the time, and told Lily that he might not be able to return until around seven-thirty. Lily didn''t say much and simply hung up the phone.


    Liam and May walked downstairs, passing by the three-ton pile of sand. Liam glanced at the sky and once again made a suggestion to May: "Before we go back for dinner, let''s make a quick stop at the building supplies store and see if we can borrow a large plastic sheet from the store manager to cover the sand pile. If it gets soaked in rain tonight, it will be even more difficult to carry it upstairs tomorrow."


    May shook her head, her expression appearing somewhat dejected. "If it gets wet, then so be it. We can just give those people some extra money tomorrow. It seems that no matter what I do in my life, something always goes wrong. The more you force certain things, the more they go awry. It''s better to just go with the flow."


    "Don''t say that about your whole life, May. You''re still young, and you''re so beautiful. This life has just begun for you..." Liam wanted to encourage May to find someone else to marry so she wouldn''t have to live such a difficult life as a single woman, but he swallowed his words before they left his mouth.


    "Man, I''m getting old! Still young and beautiful?" May glanced at Liam, her face blushing slightly, adding to her already charming demeanor.


    "Come on, don''t say that! Every guy on the street turns their heads and nearly trips over when they see you." Liam grinned, making a bold remark to May, a first for him.


    "You''re exaggerating, aren''t you?" May modestly responded, but she couldn''t help but feel a hint of satisfaction as she glanced up and down at Liam.


    Even beautiful women like to be praised for their looks, especially as they get older.


    "It''s true." Liam grinned again, his gaze instinctively drifting over May''s beautiful face and shapely chest, unintentionally feeling a bit flushed.


    Observing Liam''s gaze, May immediately realized where his eyes were fixed, and her eyebrows furrowed with a hint of annoyance. She appeared slightly offended but subtly adjusted her posture to accentuate her chest.


    Both of them fell silent, and the air grew somewhat ambiguous. After the incident with the hired workers, they apologized and comforted each other, seemingly drawing closer.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Suddenly, a sound rang out, reminiscent of a school bell or even an alarm, harsh and piercing, cutting through Liam''s eardrums and even his mind. Liam instinctively looked around, his brows furrowing.


    He had heard this sound before when he was upstairs, and it made him feel uncomfortable.


    "Power outage, maybe?" May followed Liam''s gaze, scanning the neighborhood.


    "Yeah, but why did the power suddenly go out? Is there a school nearby?" Liam found the ringing sound peculiar, and for some reason, it sent shivers down his spine.


    "No, there isn''t. The nearest school is probably a couple of blocks away," May shook her head.


    "What''s with that ringing sound?" Liam pointed in the direction where the sound seemed to be coming from, but as soon as he raised his hand, he realized that the sound wasn''t actually coming from that direction.


    "What ringing sound?" May looked at Liam curiously.


    "Haven''t you heard it? It''s so loud..." The ringing sound became increasingly piercing for Liam, as if it was resonating inside his head.


    "Is there a ringing sound?" May looked around but remained perplexed.


    "Ah!!!"


    Liam shouted in pain, clutching his head and shaking it vigorously. Simultaneously, the deafening ringing that had almost burst his eardrums abruptly stopped, as if it had never happened.


    "Are you okay?" May quickly asked Liam.


    "I''m fine." Liam instinctively opened his bag and took out the iPad.


    On the screen of the iPad, there was a startling message: "Eerie Zone activated..."


    Could it be... was the ringing sound caused by this? What does it mean for the Eerie Zone to be activated?


    "You bought an iPad? How much did it cost? Let me see..." May curiously leaned in to have a look at the iPad in Liam''s hands.


    "Don''t..." Liam hastily put the iPad away, not wanting this eerie device to harm more people after causing him to lose Emma.


    May pursed her lips, apparently displeased with Liam''s action. What''s the big deal about an iPad? Was he afraid she''d break it by touching it?


    "Let''s go. It''s getting dark too quickly. How can such a large residential complex not have a backup power supply? There isn''t even an emergency light," Liam changed the subject and headed towards the apartment building.


    "Yeah, it''s strange. How did the power go out? And... why is there no one on the streets?" May took out a flashlight from her bag and hurriedly caught up with Liam, shining the light ahead.


    Upon hearing May''s words, Liam took advantage of the remaining daylight to glance around. It was indeed as May had said - there was not a single person on the nearby streets.


    It was quite odd because at this time, the streets were usually bustling with people taking walks, just getting off work, or preparing for a night out. Normally, the streets of the residential complex were filled with people and cars.


    Moreover, with the power outage, it was expected that the residents staying at home would come downstairs to walk around. But why was there not a single person in such a large residential complex?


    Could it be... all of this... was related to the earlier message on that iPad about the ''Eerie Zone'' being activated?


    What was the Eerie Zone? What would happen once it was activated? Liam suddenly felt a chilling sensation in his heart for some unknown reason.


    May also felt puzzled and uneasy. She tightly followed behind Liam as they briskly walked towards the main road of the residential complex. May''s duplex apartment was quite far from the main gate, and it took them more than ten minutes of fast walking to reach the entrance. They saw a few people standing and talking near the gate, which slightly relieved May''s anxiety.


    Approaching them, Liam noticed that it was the four out of the five hired workers who had previously left May''s house. Liam couldn''t help but wonder why these workers, who had left a while ago, were still lingering near the gate.


    Although Liam had some unpleasant interactions with these workers before, he didn''t want to engage in conversation with them. However, May was counting on these workers to do a good job the next day, so Liam put on a smile and walked over to them.


    Liam took a few steps alone towards the outside of the residential complex and observed the scene outside the main gate, furrowing his brow once again.


    The area outside the complex was pitch black, much darker than inside the complex. Liam couldn''t even see his own feet! Moreover, if he looked closely, there seemed to be a faint, elusive black mist floating in the air outside the complex.


    Just as Liam was about to take a few more steps forward to examine the situation more closely, a strange cry suddenly emanated from within the black mist, catching Liam completely off guard and startling him.


    The cry sounded like the roar of some wild beast, but muffled as if coming from behind several walls, resembling the sound of a car horn but not quite distinct.


    Instinctively, Liam took a few steps back. Regardless of what was happening outside the residential complex, he had a strong sense of danger. It was undoubtedly extremely dangerous outside, and he couldn''t rashly venture out.


    Regarding all the inexplicable and eerie phenomena happening inside and outside the complex, Liam believed that there was only one possible explanation¡ªthe so-called ''Eerie Zone'' mentioned in the iPad notification.


    He and everyone he had come into contact with during this period were all being drawn into this Eerie Zone.


    "They said something''s not right outside the complex. The skinniest one was just sent to scout, and they are waiting for his message." May approached Liam and informed him, her face filled with fear as she shone her flashlight towards the black mist outside the complex.


    Clearly, May had also learned about the danger outside from the four hired workers, so she didn''t rush outside recklessly. May''s small flashlight emitted a bright light, but it couldn''t penetrate the black mist outside or reveal what was happening there.


    "Yeah, something is definitely off," Liam sighed. Ever since Emma, driven by her greed, picked up that eerie iPad from the roadside, strange and inexplicable things had been happening around him. Judging from the current situation, everything seemed to be escalating and deteriorating.


    At least these eerie incidents had affected May and the few people he had interacted with today. As for why they were affected, it was impossible to know until Liam thoroughly researched the Eerie Zone.


    While Liam and May were talking, a scream suddenly came from outside, unmistakably the voice of the skinny worker who had gone to scout. The other four workers rushed back towards the gate and shouted into the black mist, asking what had happened to the skinny worker.


    The skinny worker was the most honest and introverted among the five, which was probably why they sent him to scout.


    "Boom!" A muffled sound erupted, and something suddenly rushed out of the black mist, mixed with sticky liquid, violently crashing and splattering onto the four workers. Unable to evade it, they were covered from head to toe. May instinctively shone her small flashlight towards them and let out a loud scream when she saw what had transpired.


    All four of them were covered in blood and some fleshy pulp, looking extremely gruesome.


    Meanwhile, scattered on the ground were severed body parts, and even something rolled towards May''s feet. Although screaming, May unconsciously used her small flashlight to shine on the object rolling towards her.


    To her astonishment, it was the head of the skinny worker.


    Her face displayed sheer terror.


    After exchanging glances, the four workers yelled and turned to flee towards the residential complex. May screamed again and dropped the flashlight, then turned and ran towards the complex, clearly terrified by what she had witnessed.


    Liam quickly picked up the fallen flashlight and chased after May, catching up to her a few steps later. He forcefully pulled her back and covered her mouth, comforting her and preventing her from continuing her hysterical screams.


    " De...dead body!" May gripped Liam''s arm tightly, her face filled with fear and horror.


    Liam pulled May towards the back of the building closest to the community gate, keeping his eyes fixed in that direction. He took out his cellphone and dialed 911, hoping to make a call despite knowing that Eerie Zone had opened. To his surprise, the call went through.


    "911, what''s your emergency?" a pleasant female voice came through the phone.


    Liam hesitated for a moment, as he hadn''t really expected the call to connect before the strange events with the Eerie Zone. "Hello? Is everything okay?" the voice on the other end asked again when Liam didn''t respond.


    "There''s been a murder at Oakridge Terrace, at the entrance of the community. A construction worker has been killed," Liam quickly replied.


    "Someone has been killed? Hahaha, that''s great!" the woman''s voice unexpectedly burst into laughter, gradually becoming more sinister.


    "What did you say?" Liam was taken aback, finding it hard to believe what he was hearing.


    "I said... you... all... must... die!" the once pleasant voice suddenly turned wicked and chilling, scratching into Liam''s mind like a metal spoon against porcelain. Liam was caught off guard, almost dropping his cellphone.


    "What did they say? Will the police come?" May, having noticed that Liam had dialed 911, quickly asked him.


    "They will be here soon. It''s not safe outside. Let''s go back to your apartment," Liam replied after scanning the surroundings and addressing May.


    "Okay." May, visibly frightened and out of ideas, relied on Liam for courage. She tightly held onto his arm, her grip almost cutting off his circulation.


    Liam turned on a small flashlight and led May out from behind the building. May clung tightly to his arm, her legs becoming stiff. Liam practically had to drag her along as they walked.


    Perhaps because he knew that all of this was caused by the eerie iPad, and because Liam had never believed in ghosts or supernatural phenomena and had always been a fearless person, combined with his anger and sadness from losing Emma, he surprisingly remained calm in the face of these increasingly eerie and terrifying events.


    As they walked, Liam silently cursed in his mind: Damn iPad, what other sneaky tricks do you have? Bring it on! I''m not afraid of you!


    Once they returned to the main road, Liam raised the small flashlight and aimed it towards the community gate. The black mist at the entrance seemed denser than before, spreading further into the community. As Liam looked in that direction, his mind involuntarily replayed the sound of metallic collisions and friction.


    Liam quickly turned his head, and the sounds abruptly stopped. The four hired workers in the community had disappeared without a trace. The entire Community was now engulfed in darkness, with only the small flashlight providing a faint glow in close proximity.


    Due to May''s burden, Liam was walking slowly, and it took them quite some time to reach May''s building. Just as they were about to arrive, a shadow swiftly darted across the road from the middle, barely touching the ground, causing May to scream sharply in fright.


    "Meow!" a cat''s meow came from the bushes by the roadside, apparently startled by May''s scream.


    "It''s just a cat, don''t be afraid," Liam reassured May.


    As they mentioned the cat, Liam suddenly remembered a task he had received earlier that day from the iPad, the same red task that Emma had been unable to complete: break a cat''s leg before midnight.


    Could there be a connection? Is it possible that by breaking the leg of this cat, the horrifying Eerie Zone could be put to an end?


    Liam walked towards the roadside and shone the small flashlight there. There was a small path leading to a few other buildings. A black cat dashed out from the bushes and then stopped, crouching in the middle of the path, looking back in their direction. When Liam''s flashlight illuminated it, the black cat meowed again and quickly ran towards the end of the path, disappearing into the darkness.


    Liam hesitated whether he should chase after the black cat, but May started urging him, holding onto his arm and urging him to quickly take her back to her under-renovation duplex apartment. It seemed that only by hiding there could she feel a semblance of safety.


    Liam glanced at the nearby building where May''s apartment was located and decided to take her there first. Otherwise, with her clinging to him like this, he wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    When the two arrived at the bottom of May''s duplex apartment building, they were surprised to find all four hired workers sitting on a sand pile, smoking. A lit lighter was stuck in the sand, providing some illumination, lighting up a small area near the sand pile. In the dim light of the dying flame, the expressions on their faces were grim. It was clear that they had been frightened, and although they had taken off their bloodstained clothes, traces of blood could still be seen on their pants.


    "Do you have any food upstairs? Take us up," one of the workers, the bald one, approached May and asked. Upon hearing this, Liam also realized that he was feeling quite hungry. However, he knew very well that there was nothing to eat in May''s apartment besides cement and electrical wires.


    "No, we don''t," May shook her head.


    "Damn it! I''m sick of killing and eating her and this electrician!"The chubby laborer next to the bald laborer, whether joking or being serious, suddenly blurted out this remark.


    "The meat of the men is not good, and the women should be raped first and then killed."Another burly worker chimed in, his shaved head gleaming under the light, and a hint of menace flickered in his eyes as he looked at May.


    While they bantered as if it were a joke, the unsettling environment had clearly unnerved May. She tugged at Liam''s arm, urging him to quicken their pace.


    "I feel nasty when I see that electrician. Well, it''s the end of the world anyway, so let''s kill him first and then take a turn on that woman, so we can have a good time before die."The bald leader among the four hired workers spoke up, his voice loud and seemingly directed specifically at Liam.


    These hired workers couldn''t comprehend the eerie phenomena occurring in the Eerie Zone. After a brief discussion by the sand pile, they unanimously concluded that it must be the end of the world.


    May seemed to be terrified by their words, trembling uncontrollably. After a few whispers among the hired workers, they approached Liam and May in a fan-like formation, as if they were ready to get serious.


    May''s legs turned weak from fear, and in her nervousness, she didn''t notice the obstacle in front of her and tripped, causing her to let out a loud scream. Her scream immediately triggered a wave of lewd laughter from the four hired workers, as if they had conjured up some perverse thoughts.


    "Little lady, why don''t you willingly entertain us a bit? That way, we won''t have to use force on you," one of the bald workers approached closer, his eyes filled with a lustful gaze, but he didn''t immediately make a move.


    Although these hired workers had never actually committed a crime before, despite their lewd intentions, they still lacked the courage to act. They talked big but would hesitate when it came to actual physical contact.


    "Don''t you dare! We''ve called the police! They''ll be here any minute!" May, trembling with fear, stuttered out a warning to the bald worker.


    "The police? Bullshit! It''s the end of the world! 911 won''t even work!" The bald worker''s eyes turned fierce, and he took another step closer to May. He was clearly on the verge of committing a crime.


    If there were indeed an apocalypse, the most terrifying aspect wouldn''t be the apocalypse itself, but rather the bestial instincts that humanity would display when faced with it.


    The other three hired workers bolstered their courage and approached May with a lustful look, completely ignoring Liam''s presence. It seemed that they truly intended to carry out their criminal acts.


    Liam knew he wasn''t some superhero, and in this situation, it was impossible for him to take on four individuals at once. It would be no problem for him to escape on his own, but based on his principles, he couldn''t just abandon May.


    The four hired workers had clearly turned into savage beasts. If May fell into their hands, the outcome was self-evident.


    The only solution at hand was to take the initiative.


    Liam shouted loudly and swiftly delivered a powerful kick to the groin of the bald worker. The kick was heavy, and the bald worker, who was focused on May, had no defense. He let out a scream of pain and bent over. Liam wasted no time, swiftly wrapping one of his arms and executing a reversal followed by a back throw. The bald worker ended up lying solidly on the cement ground, screaming and struggling to get up.


    Liam, who had lost his parents at a young age and roamed around with his grandmother, never sought trouble, but when pushed to his limits, he would turn into a ferocious lion.


    Children without parents tend to be either timid as mice or fearless. Liam clearly belonged to the latter category.


    "Who the hell wants to come forward and give it a try!?" Liam stomped heavily on the fallen bald worker while roaring at the other three hired workers.


    The three hired workers were visibly intimidated by Liam''s roar. Although they outnumbered him three to one, they hesitated and didn''t dare to approach.


    "Go grab a shovel and kill him!" the fallen bald worker shouted at the other three hired workers.


    Liam kicked the bald worker in the groin once again, taking advantage of his subsequent screams, which momentarily distracted the other three hired workers. Liam swiftly dashed out, reaching the edge of the sand pile where he picked up a shovel and held it in front of him. "Whoever isn''t afraid to die, come and give it a shot!"


    The three hired workers looked at each other, fear evident in their eyes. They stood rooted to the spot, no one daring to engage in combat with Liam. After all, they were not real criminals. They were individuals who made a living through physical labor. Additionally, with the supposed leader of the group, the fiercest bald worker, lying on the ground, their momentarily conceived criminal intentions were completely shattered by Liam''s powerful roar and overwhelming presence.


    Taking advantage of the opportunity, May hurriedly ran to Liam''s side. She hadn''t anticipated that Liam, who usually appeared kind and gentle, could unleash such fury, resembling a furious lion.


    A voice suddenly resounded in Liam''s mind, "Eerie Zone side mission activated..."


    "Mission objective: Kill the four hired workers."


    "Mission reward: One point for each hired worker killed. An additional two points for killing all four..."


    "Side missions do not deduct points until completed..."


    "Damn it! Turning murder into a game?" Liam muttered under his breath upon hearing the voice from the iPad-like device in his mind. He had only resorted to violence out of desperation, but actually killing someone was beyond his courage.


    Liam tucked the other shovel from the sand pile into his embrace as well. He protected May as they backed away, closely observing the movements of the hired workers. Seeing that they didn''t dare to pursue them any further, Liam pulled May away from the scene.


    The two of them meandered through the main and side streets of the residential area, going quite a distance. They were confident that the four hired workers hadn''t followed them, and it was unlikely they would be found anytime soon. They found a long bench among the trees by the roadside and sat down to catch their breath.


    The position was ideal. Sitting here, the dense foliage of the trees completely concealed their presence, but they could still observe the activities at the intersection outside. Although the power was out in the neighborhood, and the sky lacked a moon, after staying in this darkness for a while, their eyes had adjusted enough to see objects nearby.


    After securely stashing the two shovels beneath the bench, Liam sat down, feeling exhausted. The previous encounter had been extremely perilous. If he hadn''t decisively taken action to subdue the bald worker and seize their shovels, gaining the upper hand in terms of dominance, it was hard to say what would have unfolded afterward.

 Chapter 4 - Warrior

    By the way, didn''t you receive a task during the day that said you had to prevent a gang rape crime? Why didn''t you receive a completion prompt after stopping those four guys from assaulting May?


    Could it be... you intervened too early?


    Damn it! Do I really have to wait until they''ve stripped May naked and pinned her to the ground for it to count?


    Since Liam was present, he definitely wouldn''t just stand by and let things escalate to that point.


    "I didn''t realize you could get so fierce. You managed to subdue all four of those bastards," May said softly to Liam as she sat down on a bench, her face filled with gratitude and admiration.


    "They were just temporarily driven by ill intentions, not the actual perpetrators. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to handle them," Liam sighed bitterly, feeling both physically and mentally tense even now.


    "Hungry? Have something to eat," May took out a plastic bag from her purse, containing a few homemade cookies.


    "There''s something to eat?" Liam couldn''t help but feel delighted. He was indeed on the verge of starving.


    "Here you go." May handed a large cookie to Liam and took a small piece for herself, enjoying its taste.


    The cookies were slightly hard but still fragrant. Liam quickly devoured it in two bites and then May handed him another piece.


    "How did you make these cookies? They taste pretty good," Liam said, realizing he had eaten the first cookie too quickly and decided to engage in a conversation with May while enjoying the second one at a more leisurely pace.


    May hadn''t even taken a few bites of her small cookie, but Liam had already finished a whole large one.


    "These taste good? Hehe, I was actually hesitant to share them with you... It''s just regular flour, with eggs, milk, sugar, and butter, all kneaded into cookies and baked. I get hungry easily, and when my husband was around, he used to bake these cookies for me as snacks. His cookies were much better than mine. But after he was gone, I had to learn to bake them myself, although mine never tasted as good." May spoke softly, her voice filled with sorrow.


    Liam remained silent for a while, slowly swallowing the baked cookie, wanting to say something but unsure of how to console May. People cannot be brought back to life, and May had lost her husband just as Liam had lost Emma. Fortunately, he still had a hope, which was to collect 100 points and save Emma.


    Previously, Liam had doubted the authenticity of this whole situation, but now the Eerie Zone was undeniably happening, and he had to accept this reality.


    Suddenly, Liam thought about that side mission. If he killed four hired workers, he would gain six points. Did that mean he could accumulate enough points to save Emma by experiencing the Eerie Zone multiple times?


    However, it felt wrong to kill for the sake of saving someone. Liam had never killed anyone before, even though he had been in fights. He couldn''t gather the courage to take someone''s life, and the mere thought of breaking a cat''s leg made him feel remorseful. Therefore, he quickly dismissed the idea of killing four hired workers to obtain points.


    "My husband used to make a lot of delicious things. He was busy with his business outside but still took care of our home and treated me well..." While Liam was lost in thought, May continued to talk about the goodness of her late husband.


    "Yeah, it''s indeed hard to find a man like that." Liam nodded and agreed with May, but his mind was still focused on the Eerie Zone and the points.


    The voice prompt earlier mentioned that the Eerie Zone side mission had started, which meant that there should be a main mission in this Eerie Zone. However, it seemed that the iPad didn''t provide any information or hints about the main mission for this Eerie Zone.


    "It''s hard for good people to live!" May sighed. "Two years ago, my husband had a car accident on that main road outside the neighborhood. It was past 1 a.m. when his car was smashed by an old fake license plate truck. The driver abandoned the truck and ran away, and they still haven''t caught him."


    ...


    "Try to be more optimistic. Once a person is gone, they can''t come back. Your husband in heaven surely wouldn''t want to see you always so unhappy," Liam tried to console May with his words.


    "Do people really go to heaven when they die? Can he see me from heaven?" May murmured to herself, as if asking Liam.


    "Perhaps," Liam replied.


    In the past, Liam, who had always been an atheist and adhered to materialism, would never have said such things. But since that iPad appeared, his beliefs had started to waver. Especially with the occurrences of the Eerie Zone, which couldn''t be explained by science.


    "I wish he could come back! He promised that even in death, he would go before me to spare me the pain. He also said that I couldn''t take care of myself and wouldn''t be able to go on without him... But he still left before me," May suddenly burst into tears.


    Liam looked at May with a hint of helplessness and didn''t know what to say. He had no way to deal with a woman who was constantly immersed in her own past sorrows.


    A cat''s meow caught Liam''s attention. He looked up and saw the black cat that had run past him and May earlier, now standing at the intersection. Its eyes gleamed with fluorescence as it gazed in Liam''s direction, as if seeing through the foliage and seeing him and May.


    ...


    As Liam locked eyes with the black cat, a shiver ran down his spine, and he felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Somehow, he had a feeling that if he wanted to figure out what this Eerie Zone main quest was all about, it might be related to this black cat.


    After the black cat glanced in Liam''s direction and let out another meow, it quickly disappeared into the darkness.


    "Why did it run off so fast? Do I really have to break its leg to stop it?" Liam said to May. He planned to investigate the direction where the black cat had vanished, hoping to find a clue that would bring an end to this Eerie Zone.


    "Oh? A cat?" May seemed to still be immersed in her own distress, showing a delayed response to Liam''s words.


    "May, we are not in the normal reality right now. We need to find a way to put an end to all this and return to the real world," Liam continued, explaining to May. He couldn''t bear to leave her alone here. If he didn''t convince her, she would likely stay hiding in this corner out of fear, unwilling to search for clues or find a solution.


    "Indeed... It''s very abnormal... like a nightmare..." May looked around in a dazed manner.


    "If this is a nightmare, we need to wake up as soon as possible. Otherwise, there''s a high chance we may never wake up. Come with me, let''s explore the surroundings," Liam stood up and retrieved a shovel from under the bench, informing May of his plan.


    "Why haven''t the police arrived yet?" May took out her phone and made a call, but then looked at it and said, "Huh? No signal?"


    "The police won''t come. We can only rely on ourselves now. Come with me," Liam''s phone had a signal, but he already knew that the police wouldn''t come.


    "Oh," May responded, trembling with fear as she glanced around. Although she was scared, she stood up because she knew that following Liam was definitely safer than hiding here alone.


    "Wait a moment." After walking a few steps, May called out to Liam.


    "Yeah?"


    "I need to use the restroom... Can you...?" May looked in the direction of the property management office, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she spoke to Liam.


    "I''ll accompany you." Liam knew May wouldn''t dare to go alone, so he offered to go with her.


    "Thank you." May smiled. "Liam, you''re really kind. Your girlfriend is lucky to have you."


    "Is she?" Liam shook his head. He felt that if he had paid more attention to Emma and agreed to buy her an iPad, she wouldn''t have picked up that discarded one on the roadside, and she wouldn''t have been erased.


    Emma suffered by his side without enjoying any happiness. She only endured hardships with him. If he couldn''t save her, he would regret it for the rest of his life... if he had a life left.


    ...


    The property management office had the men''s restroom on the left and the women''s restroom on the right. After reaching there, May went to the women''s restroom on the right, while Liam entered the men''s restroom on the left. After finishing up, Liam stood in front of the mirror, washing his hands and gazing at his own reflection in the dim light. He had a surreal feeling.


    Was all of this a dream?


    It couldn''t be. He hadn''t even taken a nap since the afternoon, so how could he be dreaming?


    If it wasn''t a dream, then Eerie Zone must be a real existence. And if Eerie Zone was real, as long as he accumulated enough points, he could save Emma, who had been


    erased.


    Taking advantage of May''s absence, Liam took out that discarded iPad, turned it on, and touched the Eerie Zone application icon to enter the Eerie Zone system.


    ...


    The above text only displays that the Eerie Zone has been activated, indicating a triggered side quest: "Kill four hired workers and gain six points." However, there is no hint about the main quest for this Eerie Zone.


    It seems that to find out the main quest, certain triggering conditions must be met, just like this side quest, which was triggered when four hired workers attempted to assault May.


    Could it be... that only by killing the four hired workers can the main quest of this Eerie Zone be triggered?


    Liam, who has some knowledge of computer games, believes that this possibility cannot be ruled out.


    However...


    Taking someone''s life is not an easy task, especially for the first time.


    Does the task he received during the day, to break a cat''s leg, also have something to do with this Eerie Zone?


    Does it refer to that black cat?


    Why are these tasks either about killing or torturing cats?


    If he has to rely on killing or torturing cats to save Emma, Liam feels a headache because he is not a cruel person. Moreover, killing one person only grants one or two points, so to accumulate a hundred points to save Emma, he would have to kill dozens of people.


    This Eerie Zone is too evil.


    Every time a positive task is assigned, it is accompanied by a wicked and twisted task, and there is no choice but to complete both.


    ...


    After carefully studying the Eerie Zone system for a while and confirming that there were no overlooked clues, Liam finally put away the iPad. As soon as he walked out of the men''s restroom, May rushed out from the shadows of the shrubs in front of the property office, looking terrified as she gazed at him, as if confirming Liam''s identity.


    "May, it''s me, don''t be afraid, let''s go," Liam greeted May, as he needed to continue searching for that black cat.


    "I haven''t gone there yet..." May looked towards the direction of the women''s restroom. "There... there''s a ghost inside..."


    "A ghost?" Liam frowned. In the past, he would have found May''s statement laughable, but being in the Eerie Zone was different. It seemed like anything could happen.


    "It''s a female ghost... an injured female ghost... she''s whimpering inside..." May continued explaining to Liam.


    "Could it be that someone is using the restroom... you misunderstood?" Liam speculated.


    "You should go and check... I don''t think so... I shouted several times, but there was no response from inside... If it were a person, they would definitely have heard me calling..." May''s body began to tremble. When she escaped from the women''s restroom earlier, she wanted to scream, but she was afraid it would attract the attention of the hired workers or more evil spirits, so she hid temporarily, planning to wait for Liam to come out.


    Liam remained silent for a while. At first, he thought about suggesting that May should use the men''s restroom instead. However, upon analysis, he realized that the ghost in the women''s restroom might be some kind of clue from the Eerie Zone. Perhaps by following this clue, they could find the key to triggering the main quest of this Eerie Zone.


    In the end, Liam made a decision. They should investigate and see what "ghost" was hiding in the women''s restroom.


    "Alright, let''s go take a look. You don''t have to be afraid. There are no ghosts in this world," Liam said to May after making up his mind.


    Liam had watched some Japanese horror movies, read ghost stories, and even played a few scary games. He knew that vengeful spirits and ghosts often liked to hide in women''s restrooms. Although Liam had always been a believer in materialism and dismissed supernatural legends, there was still a chilling sensation running down his spine as he contemplated exploring the restroom.


    Who knows if there really might be a malevolent ghost lurking inside? Just like the black mist outside the apartment complex that tore the hired worker''s body into pieces...


    But... if there were indeed ghosts inside, why didn''t they attack May earlier?


    Liam had watched some Japanese horror films, read ghost stories, and even played a few horror games. He knew that restless spirits and vengeful ghosts often liked to hide in women''s restrooms. Although Liam had always been a firm believer in materialism and dismissed supernatural folklore, he couldn''t help but feel a chill running down his spine as he contemplated entering to uncover the truth.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Who knows if a malevolent ghost would actually emerge from inside? Just like the black mist outside the apartment complex that tore the skinny hired worker''s body into pieces...


    But then again... If there really was a ghost inside, why didn''t it attack May earlier?


    After some thought, Liam realized that he had to personally investigate to unravel the mystery. If he could find clues that triggered the main quest, it would be the perfect way to conclude this Eerie Zone.


    "Aren''t you afraid of ghosts?" May asked, noticing Liam''s calm demeanor and feeling her own fear diminish slightly.


    "I''m not afraid of anything," Liam chuckled. Revealing fear in front of a woman was embarrassing, and he believed that being scared wouldn''t solve any problems.


    Liam took May''s small flashlight and approached the door of the women''s restroom, with May following closely behind. Peering inside from the doorway, Liam noticed a green eerie glow emanating from a particular stall, occasionally accompanied by faint murmurs.


    "Is anyone there?" Liam stood outside the restroom and tapped on the door.


    No response.


    Liam tapped on the restroom door again and asked, but still no one answered.


    "You see, if it were a person, why wouldn''t they hear us calling out?" May whispered softly to Liam.


    Hearing the peculiar eerie murmurs coming from inside the stall, Liam began to suspect the presence of a ghost.


    Once again, Liam glanced back at May and, after a brief hesitation, entered the women''s restroom. He approached the stall and raised his voice, asking, "Is anyone there?"


    Still, there was no response, but the murmurs ceased, as if the ''ghost'' inside had sensed something.


    Liam''s heart raced, but he bent down and peered through the gap at the bottom of the stall door. There did appear to be movement inside, but the green glow was too dim to make out any details.


    With a quick motion, Liam switched on the flashlight, illuminating the area. The beam landed on something red and tender, glistening with what seemed to be blood. Liam furrowed his brow, wondering, "What is this? Why does it look so familiar?"


    Suddenly, the stall door was pushed open from the inside. The person inside, startled by Liam''s flashlight, quickly removed their headphones and covered the area illuminated by the light, screaming in a high-pitched voice, "Ah...! What... What are you doing!?"


    Liam raised his head and looked at the girl standing before him, her face flushed with fear. He immediately recognized her. Wasn''t she Piper, the girl from the neighboring apartment in May''s duplex? The one who had angrily confronted Liam for banging on the walls all day.


    He didn''t know why she had left home at that time instead of going to work, hiding here with headphones on and listening to music. May''s calls from outside were simply inaudible to her. The eerie murmurs she heard must have been the person singing along inside. The phone screen and buttons were set to green, causing the stall to emit a ghostly green glow, which led May to mistakenly believe there was a female ghost inside.


    "I..." Liam finally understood what he had illuminated with the flashlight earlier, and no wonder he found it so familiar, being an avid viewer of adult content. This realization made his face turn bright red with embarrassment.


    "You disgusting pervert! Sneaking into the women''s restroom to peep! I... I''m calling the police!" Piper covered herself with her hands, feeling a mix of embarrassment, anger, and fear. She threatened Liam loudly, wanting to stand up but hesitating to do so.


    "Hey, Piper! Don''t be so unreasonable! You were hiding here and trying to scare us. We called out several times, and you ignored us. Now you''re accusing someone of peeping! Do you think you''re so beautiful? Who would bother coming here just to look at you?" May recognized Piper and saw how she falsely accused and cursed at Liam. She quickly came over to defend Liam.


    "You... you... You''re in cahoots with him! May, your husband is dead, and as a widow, you don''t even care about your image. You''re always hanging out with this construction worker, and why do you keep the door locked when you''re renovating your house? Afraid of getting caught in an affair? Even if you want a toy boy, don''t go for this cheap roadside one! He''s a perverted maniac!" After May interrupted Piper and defended Liam, Piper immediately launched into a vicious counterattack. It seemed like she had a particularly sharp tongue.


    "How dare you speak like that, you little brat! Watch me tear you apart!" May had already argued with Piper during dinner, and her anger had been building up. Now, with Piper''s hurtful words hitting her sensitive spots, she became furious. May stormed over and grabbed Piper by the collar, forcefully pulling her out of the cubicle.


    Piper let out a sharp scream, caught off guard by May''s sudden pull. Her pants were still down, as she hadn''t had time to pull them up after squatting. It wasn''t a big deal while she was crouching, but being yanked out of the cubicle by May, her short top couldn''t cover anything. Her bare bottom was fully exposed in front of Liam.


    Originally, Liam was also annoyed with Piper and wanted to argue with her for a few words. However, May proved to be so fierce that he didn''t need to intervene. Now, things escalated as May started using physical force.


    Liam was stunned, unable to say anything, as he watched the spectacle of Piper being physically restrained by May. No wonder men enjoy watching women fight...


    Realizing that it would be better to leave the scene, Liam found himself in an unfortunate position. He was blocked in the bathroom by the struggling May and Piper, making it difficult for him to find a way out.


    Piper was clearly no match for May. Despite putting up a struggle, Piper eventually fell backward, almost sitting on the bathroom floor with her bare buttocks. Liam instinctively reached out to catch her, but to his surprise, his hand landed directly on her bare buttocks and got smeared with blood. This caused Piper to let out another scream of distress.


    Conscious of the fact that he had accidentally touched her inappropriately and even touched the bloody area, Liam felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration. In her shock, Piper quickly pulled up her pants and, with tears streaming down her face, rushed out of the dark hallway and into the complex.


    "A yellow task has been completed: ''Must enter a women''s restroom and touch a girl''s bare buttocks before midnight tonight.'' You have gained one point. Please continue executing the other mysterious tasks you have received. If your point count remains negative before midnight, you will be erased from existence," a voice echoed in Liam''s mind. Liam suddenly realized that he had unknowingly completed that incredibly perverse yellow task!


    Damn it! It''s truly a situation that leaves one feeling both amused and frustrated...


    "Ah... it''s my fault... you were mistaken for a pervert because of me..." May apologized with remorse, feeling awkward in Liam''s presence due to Piper''s accusation of an affair between them.


    "Forget about it. Why should we care about what she says? Don''t worry too much about her words," Liam shook his head. He hadn''t really suffered any consequences from the accusation. On the contrary, the one who was now upset and hurt was Piper.


    "I won''t... don''t worry. If she tries to involve the police, I will testify for you. I won''t tolerate her slander like this!" May assured Liam. Having silently supported her and even rescued her from the hired workers earlier, May saw Liam as the best man in the world, second only to her deceased husband. How could she allow someone to insult him so recklessly?


    "If the police can come here..." Liam chuckled. He wasn''t particularly worried about that. If there were police in this Eerie Zone, they would have shown up long ago. Are there even police in this damned Eerie Zone?


    May then asked Liam to guard the bathroom door while she went inside. After a while, she came out, having washed her hands, and together with Liam, they returned to the main road of the complex. The neighboring girl, Piper, had vanished, leaving the entire neighborhood eerily quiet, devoid of any sounds, not even the chirping of insects. It felt as if everything had died down.


    Liam retrieved the shovel and, with May by his side, they roamed around the complex in search of the black cat. However, they couldn''t find any trace of it. Finally, they arrived at a few units near May''s duplex, not far from where the black cat had previously run off to.


    "My husband has a cousin named Joseph who used to live on the ground floor of that building. He''s been doing quite well in business and made a good amount of money. After the Chinese New Year last year, his whole family moved


    out, leaving the house vacant," May pointed to a nearby unit and explained to Liam.


    "You and your husband bought a house together here?" Liam asked May.


    "No, we bought it later. Joseph was already living here. My husband had a lot of business dealings with him due to Joseph''s success in business. Later, for the convenience of both families, my husband bought a unit here. However, the house... hasn''t been renovated yet," May''s voice trailed off.


    Just then, Liam''s phone suddenly rang, startling both of them. Liam quickly took out his phone and checked. Surprisingly, it was Lily calling.


    Strange, wasn''t there no signal? How is it working now?


    Liam had a vague sense that many things in this Eerie Zone couldn''t be explained by common sense.


    "When are you coming back?" Lily asked Liam.


    "I... I can''t come back today. Let''s talk tomorrow," Liam shouted into his phone.


    "Hello? Why is there no sound?" Lily muttered to herself before hanging up.


    Liam tried calling Lily back, but his phone had no signal at the moment, rendering him unable to make the call.


    "Do you have signal on your phone?" May glanced at her own phone and then at Liam''s.


    "The signal is poor," Liam shook his head. "She can hear me, but I can''t hear her. She can call me, but I can''t make calls."


    After a while, Lily''s call came through again. Despite Liam answering loudly, she still couldn''t hear his voice. After several unsuccessful attempts of saying "hello," Lily hung up once more.


    Liam shook his head, feeling quite frustrated. His thoughts were becoming increasingly muddled. Is this Eerie Zone really cut off from the outside world? How is it that Lily''s calls can come through while I can''t make any calls? Is it all just due to a poor signal?


    ...


    ...


    Unable to find the black cat, and with the only clue gone, the time displayed on Liam''s phone was nearing 8 o''clock in the evening. Though uncertain about the main objective of this Eerie Zone mission, Liam speculated that if he couldn''t trigger the main storyline within a certain time limit and put an end to this Eerie Zone, he would likely be erased from this world just like Emma.


    A piercing scream echoed from nearby, somewhere near the entrance of May''s apartment building. Both Liam and May recognized the scream, unmistakably Piper''s. The scream soon turned into cries for help, filled with terror. Following that were the lewd laughter of several hired workers. Then, Piper''s pleas abruptly ceased, as if her mouth had been covered.


    Liam grabbed a shovel and rushed towards the source of the commotion. Despite Piper''s insulting remarks earlier, which had angered both him and May, Liam wasn''t cold-hearted enough to let her suffer without intervening. May shouted for Liam as she recognized that several hired workers were attacking Piper, leaving her terrified. Fearful but unwilling to be left alone, May hurriedly followed Liam.


    As they turned the corner of the building, Liam immediately spotted Piper being restrained by four hired workers. Some were holding her arms, others her legs, and one was covering her mouth, while another was tearing at her clothes. Piper''s top had been ripped open, exposing her bra, and her pants were pulled down halfway. Helpless, she struggled beneath their grasp, whimpering.


    "You bastards! Let her go!" Liam bellowed, charging towards them. With a swift swing of his shovel, the shovel''s tip struck the worker who had undressed Piper, right on the neck. Perhaps the tip was too sharp, or Liam''s force was too great, but the worker''s head was cleaved from his neck, rolling on the ground for a considerable distance before coming to a stop.


    Blood spurted like a fountain from the decapitated worker''s neck, splattering everyone nearby. Piper, who was forcefully held down on the ground, was also drenched in the blood spray, creating an extremely gruesome scene.


    "Successful hunting of one hired worker, earning one point. Completion progress of this subtask: one-fourth," a prompt sounded in Liam''s mind.


    The other three workers, now covered in blood, stood dumbfounded. After witnessing Liam''s brutal act, his trembling body and racing heart, they too felt a surge of fear. After all, this was the first time in Liam''s twenty-one years of life that he had taken someone''s life, and it had been a particularly gruesome one.


    "You beasts! Let her go!" Despite his trembling, Liam mustered his strength and swung the shovel towards another worker. He was well aware of the imminent danger he faced; if the remaining three workers regained their senses and retaliated together, he might not be a match for them.


    Perhaps due to Liam''s shaky and weakened grip, the shovel missed its target, and the worker managed to dodge the attack. Simultaneously, the three workers released their hold on Piper, turning to flee deep into the residential complex.


    Clearly, the gruesome sight of their companion''s head being cleaved off had completely frightened the three workers, leaving them without the courage to confront Liam. Liam, now gripping the shovel, exuded an aura of ferocity and dignity, as if a warrior ready for battle.


    The three workers ran for a while but eventually came to a stop, watching from a distance with a mix of fear and reluctant defiance.


    ...


    Liam glared at the three hired workers, feeling a surge of adrenaline or perhaps enticed by the promise of bonus points. He became filled with murderous intent and let out a loud roar as he swung the shovel towards the three individuals, who were terrified and screamed as they frantically fled into the distance.


    Realizing that chasing after them would be futile, Liam threw the shovel at the injured worker who couldn''t run as fast. The shovel landed precisely, hitting the calf of the last worker, causing him to scream in pain and collapse to the ground.


    As Liam approached to pick up the shovel and continue his pursuit of the injured worker, the worker unexpectedly flipped over from the ground, revealing a sharp fruit knife, approximately six inches long, in his hand. He swiftly lunged at Liam, attempting to stab him.


    Liam quickly retreated, but couldn''t completely dodge the knife. The blade grazed his lower abdomen and thigh, causing a sharp, burning pain to radiate from his groin.


    The pain caused Liam''s blood to rush to his head once again. He let out a roar and pounced on the worker. They engaged in a fierce struggle, with Liam swinging his fists relentlessly, repeatedly striking the worker''s body and head.


    Although the bald worker had been at a disadvantage earlier, he possessed considerable strength and endurance. Cornered, he fought back without reservation. The two wrestled on the ground, rolling over several times. The other two fleeing workers stopped in the distance, watching from afar. They exchanged glances, seemingly hesitant about whether to come back and assist the bald worker.


    Knowing that if he showed any signs of weakness, the two workers would likely join in and overpower him, Liam understood that he had to end the fight with the bald worker as quickly as possible.


    In this moment, Liam fought with all his might. Driven by a surge of adrenaline, he managed to flip over onto the bald worker once again. Putting all his strength into it, Liam delivered several powerful punches near the bald worker''s temple and forehead, finally knocking him out cold.


    The fight had come to an end, but Liam was in a sorry state. He felt completely drained, his clothes torn to shreds by the bald worker, his body covered in bruises and deep scratches, with a burning pain radiating from certain areas, including his groin.


    However, Liam couldn''t afford to dwell on his injuries at the moment. After standing up, he immediately grabbed the nearby shovel and thrust it into the chest of the bald worker. With both hands gripping the shovel handle, he roared like a beast, threatening to pursue the remaining two workers. Terrified, the two workers, witnessing Liam''s brutal slaying of their companions, screamed in panic and fled towards the depths of the residential complex, quickly disappearing into the darkness.


    "Successfully hunted down the second hired worker, earning one point. Completion progress of this subtask: two out of four," the notification sound from the iPad echoed in Liam''s mind once again.


    "The blue task, ''Must prevent a gang rape crime before midnight tonight,'' has been completed, earning one point. Please continue to execute the other enigmatic tasks assigned to you. If your point balance remains negative by midnight tonight, you will be eradicated from this world," another notification sounded in Liam''s mind.


    It appears that the crime of gang rape must be prevented during the actual commission to count as a completed task. When the four hired workers attempted to assault May earlier, it was only a criminal intent that hadn''t been carried out yet, but Liam intervened and prevented it, so it didn''t count as completed. However, this time when Piper''s clothes were forcibly stripped off and she was pinned to the ground, the criminal act was already being implemented. Liam appeared just in time and prevented it, so the iPad recognized that Liam had completed the task.


    So far, Liam had completed both the mysterious tasks he received during the day, but out of the two tasks inherited from Emma, only one was completed. The task of breaking the cat''s leg was still unfinished.


    After the two hired workers fled, a chilly breeze blew, and Liam suddenly became much more alert. His legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground, trembling even more. It was his first time taking someone''s life tonight, and he had killed two people in one go.


    It had to be said that the completion sound of the iPad''s side mission had a strong psychological encouragement and implication for Liam to kill the second bald hired worker.


    After resting for a while, Liam finally regained some strength. He also checked his own injuries to some extent. First, he reached down towards his incredibly painful crotch area through his pants, feeling that everything was still in place, which eased his mind a bit. However, May and Piper were nearby, not too far away, so it wouldn''t be easy to take out and thoroughly examine himself.


    Liam glanced back and realized that the lighting here was extremely dim, making it impossible to see clearly from a distance. So he cautiously reached into his pants and felt around, only to discover that the knife from the bald worker had barely grazed his groin area, slicing through his pants and leaving a long bloodstain where his thigh met the dense hair. The cut seemed to be quite deep.


    It was just a hair''s breadth away. If it had gone just a bit further, Liam would have been castrated alive. It could only be said that Liam was fortunate, or else he would undoubtedly be in tears.


    Liam had torn pants and tattered clothes, so he had to tie the ragged garments around his waist and walk back to the entrance of the apartment building shirtless. May and Piper, who were previously hostile towards each other due to their argument, were now huddled together. Piper was crying inconsolably while May tried to comfort her.


    Both women were trembling heavily, partly due to their fear of the hired workers committing sexual assault and partly because of the gruesome sight of Liam decapitating a man with a shovel, the blood spraying in a horrific manner that rivaled a horror movie. It had exceeded their psychological limits.


    Liam had run out of their sight when he went after the bald hired worker, and they didn''t know the outcome of his one-on-three battle. The fear of experiencing further abuse from the workers if Liam were to be defeated added to their apprehension. It wasn''t until Liam emerged victorious against the three workers that their courage started to return.


    "I told you he''s a good person, right? Despite you calling him a filthy rogue and making him angry, he still rushed over when he heard you cry for help. Other people wouldn''t have bothered about your well-being! If it weren''t for him, you would have been violated by those people today," May lectured Piper opportunistically.


    Piper kept her head down, covering her torn clothes and her exposed body, too afraid to look up at Liam. She nodded in agreement with May''s words, tearfully mumbling a thank you to Liam.


    "May, ask her if she has her keys. Let''s take her home," Liam interjected, indifferent to her gratitude. He turned to May and suggested they send them upstairs so they could lock their doors and be safe. Liam could then return to the neighborhood to search for relevant clues and put an end to this Eerie Zone.


    Piper heard Liam''s words and, with sniffles, stopped crying. She pointed to her fallen bag not far away. Liam walked over, picked up the bag, and handed it to Piper. She found a key inside and handed it over to Liam.


    The three of them proceeded to walk upstairs together.


    The hallway was pitch black due to a power outage, with all the lights turned off. The two women clung to each other, feeling scared, and walked slowly. Liam had to lower his pace and guide them, taking several minutes to reach the sixth floor where Piper lived.


    Of course, May''s under-construction apartment was also on the sixth floor.