《Haunting the Murderers' Chatroom》


 Prologue: Diary of the Dark Web

    The internet is a truly marvelous invention. Its capacity to store and share information has made it a worldwide phenomenon that has suffused itself into nearly every aspect of our lives.


    However, have you ever considered what the internet truly is?


    Of course, the professionals and tech-savvy will provide you with an answer laden with technical terms and jargon, but I find this answer unsatisfactory.


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    The internet is a living organism given life by our interactions within and across various servers. In a way, the internet can be thought of as a child of humanity. And like any child, it has secrets.


    Some call this collection of secrets the dark web, but I call it home which is ironic really as I have no home. I have nothing.


    Identity, personal relationships, and even my life itself were forsaken to elucidate just one of the many dark, dirty secrets hidden within the recesses of the internet.


    And it all began within the deepest recesses of the internet where one could find an obscure and unassuming chatgroup known simply as Mortal Initiates.

 Chapter 1: "Hey, you. Come over here!"

    "Hey, Dean is it okay if I bring my girlfriend over later today to spend the night?"


    At being suddenly asked this question, Dean couldn''t help but scoff internally. ''Hmph, now you think about me huh? Before I pestered the Residential Advisor nearly to death over the issue of you violating our roommate agreement with her spending the night unannounced nearly every day, you treated me as if I didn''t exist.''


    "Sure, no problem Ewan just remember that I have an 8 am class tomorrow so keep that in consideration." After getting his roommate''s agreement over the issue, Dean couldn''t but think about how the situation used to be before he''d brought his complaints to the residential advisor.


    It wasn''t a matter of wanting to be a jerk or someone uncool, but Ewan''s girlfriend was there all day every day. It had gotten to the point that Dean couldn''t help but wonder if he had two roommates instead of one and if the university had suddenly allowed for males and females to officially dorm together. At times he even found himself wondering if the room belonged to those two and maybe he was the unwanted guest.


    Of course, if it was just over the matter of his roommate bringing his girlfriend over so frequently it wouldn''t be a problem. However, after catching the two having s*x in their room after leaving for just 15 minutes to buy a pack of cookies at the local store, he knew that enough was enough. Immediately after this incident, he contacted the residential advisor and took the appropriate measures to address the issue.


    It must be noted that Ewan and his girlfriend seemed to have contracted retrograde amnesia when the residential advisor set up a meeting between us as "I don''t remember that" seemed to be their only reply to the myriad of incidents the residential advisor recalled from the extensive list of complaints he''d filed against them.


    Dean conceded that he didn''t expect all of the complaints to be addressed. After all, how does one stop a college couple from getting friendly with one another? But he knew that requests such as ''Give me a heads up when your girlfriend is spending the night'' and ''Can you not play the TV after 1 am'' were perfectly reasonable.


    ''Of course, they didn''t see it that way and what ensued was weeks upon weeks of irritating sidelong glances and awkward silences whenever he entered their... ahem, I mean our dorm room.''


    ''Now that I think about it. Why was she even there when Ewan and I were having that meeting? Maybe she really does consider herself as an unofficial third roommate.''


    ''Well, at least things are better now.''


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    Brushing the unpleasant memories from his mind Dean proceeded to play his PC game that consisted of nothing more than breaking blocks with his fist or any other handheld tool before using the material from these blocks to build various structures.


    *************************


    As he methodically collected and stored materials into his inventory, Dean glanced at the corner of his computer screen and saw that the time was 7:37 pm. Fast approaching the time he expected his second roommate to be coming over.


    Saving his game, Dean proceeded to pack a few textbooks into his bookbag before grabbing his room keys and Android phone as he headed for the door.


    As he opened the room door, Dean discovered Ewan''s girlfriend, Kathy, in mid-motion of unlocking the room door.


    Sharing a brief glance of acknowledgment at the door, they brushed past each other without a word being shared between them.


    ''So childish, just because I raised a few complaints you want to deploy these childish antics of not talking to me.'' Taking a few more steps he did a double-take as he realized that he had seen Ewan''s room key on his desk, which means that the key she was holding now must be a copy.


    ''Really?! They had the audacity to illegally make an extra dorm key? I guess she really does consider herself a fellow roommate.'' Sighing to himself, Dean entertained the idea of reporting this discovery as he exited the building to breathe in a deep wisp of autumn air.


    The air was cool and lightly scented with the natural perfume that only autumn seems to be able to offer. Taking in another deep breath, he was greeted by the discontent grumbling of his stomach.


    He realized with a start that aside from a few pieces of candy that he''d eaten earlier, he hadn''t eaten all day. Realizing this, he pulled his Android phone from his pocket to text his one and only friend he''d made in his two years of university.


    "Lettuce, you busy?" He only had to wait for a few seconds before he got a reply.


    "I got some free time. What''s up?" she replied.


    "My second roommate came over again and I am not looking forward to going back. Besides I''m starving. You up for Benny''s pizza tonight?"


    "Yeah, get me the usual gluten-free cheese pizza, and do you mind stopping by Hex''s Solstice to pick up my package for me. Just tell Laura you''re there for my stuff."


    "That place creeps me out, I don''t think..." He was halfway through typing this sentence before he deleted it before responding with an "Okay."


    Pressing the home button, he glanced at his phone''s clock to see that the time was 7:52 pm. A little over an hour before Benny''s closed at 9. Depositing his phone into his pocket, he proceeded to make the 20-minute journey to Benny''s as he thought to himself ''Gluten-free? I never get gluten-free and despite your insistence that there''s a difference I''ve yet to hear you complain. Better yet, tell me who''s ever heard of gluten-free pizza or gluten-free anything tasting like something besides nasty?''


    Although he disagreed with her weird dietary choices and hobby, it was her weirdness that allowed them to become friends. The first time he met her was in the school''s dining hall in his freshman year of college where he saw her munching hardily on a bowl of lettuce with her bare hands.


    After a few more one-sided encounters, he worked up the courage to speak to her and the rest is what you''d call history. Albeit, a fairly short one.


    The fact that he can call her Lettuce is a recent achievement of his that came with the condition that he had to accept whatever nickname she gave me when the time came.


    Chuckling to himself over the fortuitousness of their meeting, he headed down the alley that served as a shortcut to Benny''s only to slow his pace as he happened to hear a pained whimpering come from within an industrial dumpster.


    ''Sounds like a dog in pain. I''d best not get involved,'' With that cruel thought, he selfishly left the dog to its own devices as he proceeded to Benny''s before it closed.


    He''d only taken steps 3 steps before he heard a sibilant whisper that sent chills down his spine.


    "Hey, you. Come over here!"

 Chapter 2: Really, A Blow Dart?

    "Hey, you. Come over here!"


    Alongside those words came the cacophony of bottles tinking together and the rustle of various plastic wrappers as the lid to the industrial dumpster slowly lifted to reveal the sleaved right arm of a man.


    Witnessing this, the last few lazy hairs on the back of Dean''s neck finally stood up as if finally noticing the peculiarity of the situation.


    ''The f*ck! Why in god''s name is this man sitting in a dumpster with a dying dog no less? Have the homeless in my fair city sunk so low?''


    Shaking the useless thought from his mind, he finally decided to take several large steps backward as he kept his attention glued to this real-life Oscar the Grouch.


    Clearing his throat, Dean attempted to speak as calmly as he could as he addressed his new dumpster friend. "Haha, man it''s a little dark out here. Anything you want to say to me just say it. I don''t see why I have to come over there."


    While he was speaking, he was able to get a better look at the man to reveal what could only be described as an average unassuming face that was easily forgettable in a crowd.


    The man wore a plain dark blue buttoned-down shirt, but Dean''s vision of the man from the waist down was obscured by the fact that he was standing waist-deep within the dumpster.


    If there was anything to note about this man''s appearance, it would be the few conspicuous sanguine stains around the man''s mouth and the incessant way he kept sucking his teeth as if he had something lodged within them.


    The spaghetti that slowly slid unencumbered down his face only added to the oddity of this situation.


    Ignoring Dean''s words, the man continued to speak.


    "Didn''t you hear what I said? I said come over here. Don''t you hear its pained whimpers? Are you someone that only looks out for himself?


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    What has the world come to where the suffering of another creature can simply be ignored?


    I''m sure you''re not one of those people. Come over here and help me. This dog needs our help."


    At those words, Dean raised his caution towards the man even higher as he quickly threw out an excuse for his earlier actions. "Of course, I wanted to help, but what can a struggling college student like myself do to help it. I have no idea where the nearest vet is. If I went over there and ''helped'', the best I could do would be to send it on its way. And THAT, I will not do."


    "Since you won''t come over here to help him I''ll just bring him to you." The man''s patience seemed to have ran out as he bent down to rummage in the dumpster for a brief moment before flinging the injured dog towards Dean''s feet.


    Or, what was left of it.


    With another pained whimper, the dog landed with a thump several feet in front of Dean. The dog was worse than he thought as it could barely take weak shallow breaths.


    However, what truly shook Dean to his core was the fact that the dog''s left leg was missing all of the meat!


    In fact, if one looked closer one would even see that the dog''s meatless left leg appeared to have teeth marks all over the bone and even that was cracked open like someone had sucked the bone marrow out of it.


    ''No way! This man was eating the dog alive. Is that even a thing one does in this day and age in American society?''


    Feeling that the situation was weird enough, Dean turned around to bolt out of the alley before he heard the man make a surprised cry of "Ah, wait".


    Ignoring the man, he took several powerful strides towards the salvation that was just up ahead at the exit of the alley before he felt a sharp pain in his right arm.


    Ignoring the pain, Dean was only able to take two more strides before it felt as if his limbs were submerged in concrete blocks before he listlessly slumped to the ground in an uncoordinated heap.


    His body felt as dexterous as a wet noodle, but he was able to strain his neck to look down at his right arm where he noticed a small cylindrical stick poking out of it.


    ''A blow dart? What the f*ck. Whatever happened to the friendly game of cat and mouse that ensues between a psycho and his victim, where I run and you chase? How shameless.''


    Uncaring of Dean''s inner thoughts, the man quickly placed the blowgun back into his sleeve as he turned his head on a swivel to look for any potential witnesses. Satisfied with what he saw the man nodded his head and hopped out of the dumpster with practiced ease before taking hurried steps towards Dean as he reached out with his grubby, grime encrusted hands to grab him.


    Using the last bit of his fading strength, Dean attempted to scream for help; however, all that left his lips was a hoarse, wet gurgle that echoed unceremoniously within the alley.


    Only his fellow victim, the dog, and the psychopath could hear his plight.


    Seemingly spurred on by Dean''s struggle, the man quickened his pace as his breath became ragged from unsuppressed excitement.


    Feeling a vicelike grip on his ankle, Dean used whatever strength he had left to try and claw at the man''s hand that was wrapped around his left ankle. But alas, whatever was on the blowdart was too effective and his arm only barely wriggled despite his best efforts.


    As despair took over and his consciousness sank ever lower, the last thing he saw was the back of his assailant as he was slowly dragged along the ground back towards the dumpster that the man just hopped out of.


    ''For god''s sake, someone please help me!''


    Of course, cries for help are rarely answered and within seconds Dean sunk into unconsciousness as the blowdart''s concoction finally worked its way through his system,

 Chapter 3: Society Neglects Our Needs

    As he came to, Dean opened his eyes only to find himself inside of the dumpster with the only light source being the weak light that slipped through what he could only consider being the lid of the dumpster.


    He couldn''t help but notice that his body felt disgusting and wet. Moreover, the air was awash with a putrid odor of rotten food and other sickening odors.


    Remembering his previous ordeal, Dean attempted to sit up only to find that his body was still incapacitated. Everything below his neck was immobile no matter how he screamed at them to move.


    Giving up his effort to move his body, he sluggishly opened his mouth to scream for help only to be greeted by an irritating croaking sound like the spirit from The Grudge.


    ''Well I may not be able to move my body, but at least everything seems to be alright. Or as well as one could be in this situation.''


    Just as he was about to make his second attempt he was interrupted by the wet squelch of someone chewing on something. ''That''s right! That fellow from before wouldn''t just leave after going through all of the trouble to bring me in here now would he?''


    Dean glanced into an obscured corner of the dumpster and the sight that greeted him made his heart clench. The man from before was sucking doggy buddies leg bone with apparent dissatisfaction. Sucking the last bits of meat off of the leg, the man tossed the leg to the side before training his gaze upon him.


    "You''re finally up huh? Making me go through all that trouble to chase you down and bring you in here. The next time someone tells you to come here just be obedient and do it."


    ''Chase. what chase? You and your blow dart made sure that there was no chase and who would obediently listen to the words of an obviously suspicious fellow when he tells you to come towards him?''


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    Dean opened his mouth in an attempt to convey his thoughts to the man only to be rewarded with another round of croaking sounds.


    "Shh, there''s no need to say anything. It''s just us in here and I don''t have the habit of talking with my food."


    ''What?! Food? What is this man talking about?'' As he struggled to wrap his mind around the gravity of the situation, Dean thought back to doggy buddy''s situation and his eyes bulged in horror at the ramifications.


    With this realization, beads of cold sweat slithered down his face as the fear he''d been trying to suppress erupted causing his eyes to frantically dart around and his breath to come in sporadic heaves and convulsions.


    Noticing this change, the man''s eyes gained a dangerous gleam as he proceeded to waddle through the garbage that rested between them. As he waddled towards Dean, he started to salivate as he began to murmur to no one in particular.


    "Not enough. It''s not enough anymore. I can''t keep living off of just the animals in my neighborhood anymore. The raw flesh of rats, squirrels, birds, rabbits, cats, and dogs can only take you so far before you start to want more you know."


    His murmuring had transitioned to incoherent ramblings as he continued, "Luckily, just as I had reached my limit with animal flesh, I ran across that chat group that caters to individuals like myself with needs that society refuses to provide for. Hehe, it must be a sign from above telling me to satisfy my craving that you walked by just as I was having my last taste of inferior animal meat."


    Having said all that, the man seemed to have grown impatient as he worked with increased fervor to remove my socks and shoes before rolling up my pants leg.


    At this point, Dean had given up all hope as he accepted that he was going to meet the same fate as doggy buddy. ''So there''s a whole chat group of individuals like him huh? Each one with some sick and twisted fetish.'' As tears streamed down his cheeks, Dean thought about the injustice of his situation and his inability to change it.


    Unwilling to quietly lie there he screamed internally, ''ALL OF YOU! In my next life, I swear to kill all you evil scum that sacrifices others to satisfy their desires! Just wash your necks and wait for me, you bastards!''


    "The legs are my favorite." With that last sentence, the man bit greedily into Dean''s leg with obvious relish.


    As he did so, Dean screamed with every fiber of his being as the white-hot pain shot up from his leg straight into his brain. Sadly, whatever was in that blow dart didn''t even allow him that luxury as only a somewhat louder croaking sound was all that left his lips.


    Thus, the inside of the dumpster came to resemble something straight out of a nightmare as Dean''s croaking and the wet squelches of his flesh being ripped from his bones were all that remained aside from the occasional dripping sound of his blood sliding down the man''s chin into the puddle of blood beneath them.


    As the blood and flesh left his body, Dean could feel himself becoming cold as he slipped away into something deeper than unconsciousness deeper than sleep even. Just as the last inklings of life were leaving his body he heard a voice utter sentences that he''d only encountered in online web novels.


    "All parameters are met and the system will now begin the binding process with the new host."


    "Binding complete."


    "Welcome, host to the Dark Web System."

 Chapter 4: Thats Me Right?

    "Welcome Host to the Dark Web System."


    "Help me, please!" Dean was experiencing too much pain to fully comprehend or care what the voice was saying. All he knew was that this voice may very well be his last chance at salvation from the horrible situation he was in.


    Inhaling another deep breath to scream for help again. He realized with a start that he could once again breathe deeply like this and the pain from being eaten alive was nonexistent. Moreover, hadn''t he just spoken actual words instead of making those Grudge-like croaking sounds?


    ''Hmm, what''s going on? Why has my physical condition improved so drastically? Even if that wretched fellow was scared off by the voice from before I should still be hurt with chunks of meat missing from my leg.''


    ''Why then, do I feel as if I''ve slept a full 10 hours after drinking a glass of warm milk before bed?''


    Glancing down at his left leg with confusion, Dean realized that his leg was completely intact. The skin on his leg seemed smoother than it''d ever been and seemingly possessed a glow as if he''d fatefully followed a skincare regiment his entire life.


    ''Wait, it doesn''t just seem as if it''s glowing, it is glowing!'' Looking around some more, Dean realized with horror that his entire body now possessed an inhuman soft glow that barely illuminated his surroundings.


    ''Calm down. With all of the pollution these days, when that fellow dragged me in here he probably rolled me in something that caused my body to glow like this. For now, I''ll just leave this place.''


    Taking large gulps of air to calm himself down, Dean decided to address this matter later after he left the dumpster and flagged down the owner of that voice from earlier.


    Getting up from the sitting position he''d been in before Dean, was only able to take one step before his entire lower half phased through the surface beneath him.


    Wondering how he was able to suddenly sink waist-deep in a dumpster, Dean looked down only to be greeted with the sight of his waist extending from his favorite Eagles hoody.


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    Dumbfounded by this discovery, Dean allowed his gaze to wander down the hoody to rest upon a mutilated bloodied leg that only had bits and pieces of flesh below the knee.


    "P-please don''t tell me." With this pleading cry to himself, Dean woodenly turned his head to stare at a face distorted with fear and pain. With dried-up snot and tears caking this face, one would ordinarily be unable to look without feeling sick to their stomach. However, when Dean saw this gruesome sight he only had one thought on his mind as he slowly processed the scene before him.


    ''That''s me right?''


    *********************


    15 minutes later.


    Dean was still staring mouth agape at what he knew to be himself.


    "Host, the system can explain your current situation."


    Taking this time to make its presence known once again, the system as it called itself began speaking.


    "Host, welcome to the Dark Web System. As you may have noticed your mortal body has been murdered by the individual across from you."


    "Luckily, the host met all of the parameters which allowed for the system to take the appropriate measures to ensure the host''s survival. Albeit in an alternate form of existence."


    "Alternate form of existence?" Dean chuckled darkly as he responded to this statement, "What kind of existence can I lead without a body?"


    "Host, do not despair with the system''s help you can experience a world unknown to most individuals. Allow the system to extol the many benefits-"


    "Benefits?", Dean finally lost himself to anger as he lashed out, "F*ck your benefits! How can I care about your measly benefits when I''m looking at my own dead body over there? Will your benefits bring me back to life? AHHH!"


    Dean felt like he was about to go crazy.


    It was another 10 minutes before Dean grew weary of screaming incoherently. Once again seeing a chance to explain itself the system interjected.


    "Host, you may have died but through the system and hard work on your part, the host may experience what this world refers to as level-ups and eventually evolutions."


    "System or whatever you are, I don''t care about anything you''re saying at this point. I just want to live. If you''re so amazing can you do that for me? Can you make it so I can have my body back?" Dean quietly asked these questions as he gazed at his dead body,


    "Host, bringing you back to life is impossible. While there are ways in this world to reanimate corpses, the system has no way to truly bring you back to life."


    When Dean heard this, he lowered his gaze as his eyes lost their last bit of focus.


    "However, the system has ways to improve the host''s current situation..."


    The system''s words were wasted because if anyone had seen Dean at this point they would have been startled at how dead his eyes looked. It was as if the words spoken by the system were not spoken to Dean, but rather a dead fish that had been left ashore for 3 days.


    Seemingly aware that its words were falling on deaf ears, the system decided to save the technical matters for later as it spoke a sentence that it hoped would garner its host interest.


    "Didn''t the host swear to get rid of evil scum that sacrifices others to satisfy their desires?"


    Hearing this, the deadpan expression in Dean''s eyes somewhat faded as the words of the system punctured through the haze he''d fallen into.


    "Didn''t the host hear its murderer mention a chat group that caters to individuals like himself who possess sick and twisted fetishes shunned by society?"


    "If the host is interested, the system has a method to access this chat group and assist the host in ridding the world of these individuals."


    At these words, the last remnants of the deadpan expression in Dean''s eyes receded only to be replaced by a terrifying resolve as he responded, "Tell me more."

 Chapter 6: Malice

    "Tell me more." Hearing those words, the system immediately began to explain itself.


    "As the host heard from its murderer-" before the system could explain any further it was once again interrupted by Dean.


    "Can you stop calling him my murderer? It makes me uncomfortable."


    "As the host may have heard from that fellow from before-" the system didn''t miss a beat as it continued its explanation, "there exists a chat group for individuals with nefarious and demented needs."


    "The system has a method to access this chat group so that the host may interact with and deal with these individuals. All that is required is a cell phone or other device with access to the chat room and internet."


    "And where would I find such a thing? I find it hard to believe that such a device would just conveniently find its way to us. Moreover, even if I found such a device how do you expect me to operate it with my little ghost body." To prove his point, Dean waved his hand through the walls of the dumpster to show that he was incapable of physically interacting with objects.


    "If the host would place his attention to the body over there both of these issues may be addressed."


    Looking at his corpse, Dean''s face viciously contorted as he growled out, "And just how will my body help us?"


    Not expecting its host to misunderstand things to such an extent, the system quickly clarified its intentions, "Host the solutions to our problems doesn''t rest in your body but rather in the body of that fellow from before. Just look over there."


    Despite the system existing as nothing more than just a voice, Dean was still able to somehow discern the direction it mentioned as he looked over before being stunned.


    In his earlier panic, Dean had somehow missed the man''s body that lay just several feet away from his own. The man''s body lay sprawled haphazardly on the piles of trash. With a gaze of part terror and part incomprehension, the man lay dead despite the lack of any obvious wounds or injuries.


    ''Did the system do this? Just what could have happened for this deranged man to die in such a fashion?''


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    "System did you do this? Just what happened for him to die like this." Perhaps it was because he was looking at the body of his murderer or maybe it was because of his new ghost identity but Dean couldn''t help but feel a slight trace of happiness and schadenfreude at the man''s demise.


    "Yes, upon binding with the host the system was able to deploy a one-time method that allowed for the system to deal with this fellow so that the host could survive."


    "Survive?" glancing back at his body, Dean quietly shook his head as he rebutted the system''s claims, "You were a little late weren''t you?"


    "The host misunderstands. Try touching the man''s body and say the word absorb."


    Deciding to trust the system, Dean ignored the disgust he felt as he approached the man''s body.


    Surprisingly enough, after extending his hand Dean discovered that he could actually interact with the man''s body. ''That''s strange,'' ignoring this peculiarity Dean said aloud "absorb."


    At this word, strange red wisps of an ethereal gaseous substance rose from the man''s body. Accompanied by a despairing scream that eerily sounded like himself, the red wisps writhed over the man before being seized by an invisible force that pulled the wisps to where Dean''s heart should be. Strangely enough, the red wisps didn''t disperse but rather coagulated forming a makeshift heart.


    After the red wisps left the man, his body began to crumble away to dust as if he''d never existed.


    "System what was that? What is this disgusting stuff that just left that man and entered me?" Gazing down at the strange object in his chest, Dean began to think that maybe he''d been too hasty in following the system''s instructions. The more he interacted with the system the more Dean thought that perhaps the system wasn''t anything good either.


    "The red wisps that left the man were the manifestation of the resentment of his victims. In this case, the man''s only victim was you, so the amount of malice points obtained is pitifully low, barely enough for our immediate needs."


    "What are Malice Points?" Despite his increasing weariness towards the system Dean couldn''t but ask.


    "Whenever someone sufficiently harms another person be it physically or mentally, the negative emotions experienced by the victim congregate before being absorbed by the assailant. This congregation of negative emotions within the assailant is responsible for the sense of bloodlust and unease one often experiences when confronted with evil individuals."


    "Malice points is the name the system has given the energy collected from the corpses of these evil individuals. Without Malice Points, improving the host''s abilities and even survival is impossible."


    "What do you mean survival is impossible without survival points?" Having just died, Dean was not looking forward to dying again as a ghost so he immediately focused on this important detail.


    "At the host''s current level, you consume 1 Malice Point every day merely to exist. Should the host have insufficient Malice Points to maintain this expenditure, the host will cease to exist."


    "Haha, so even as a ghost I can die huh?" It would seem that the shock of all of the recent events had warped Dean''s emotions because he was surprisingly calm to this discovery.


    "The host need not worry because the system has a way to ensure a steady supply of Malice Points.


    "You do?" Now beginning to understand the importance of Malice Points, Dean was pleasantly surprised and allowed his imagination to run wild as he asked the system to explain further.


    "What methods do you have? Do I get a spin at a prize wheel with heaven-defying items, or better yet are you about to give me a welcome package of sorts?" All of the systems Dean had read about always provided some perks and incentives, so he frantically fire off some questions to the system.


    "The system has no such things." Quickly extinguishing Dean''s wild imagination, the system continued explaining itself "but if the host would retrieve the man''s cell phone we can begin accessing the chat room."


    Hearing its instructions, Dean quickly shook off his disappointment before looking back to where the man''s body used to be. Amidst the piles of trash. Dean discovered a white iPhone 7 quietly lying there waiting to be used.


    "Well, here we go."

 Chapter 7: The Murderers Chatroom

    "Well, here we go."


    Dean attempted to walk towards the white iPhone 7 only to realize that his waist was still half-submerged through the trash. In the few steps towards the iPhone 7, Dean couldn''t help but let his mind wander as he thought, ''Hmph, I always knew those iPhone users weren''t normal. That''s why yours truly is a proud owner of an Android. On a serious note, phasing through stuff is cool and all, but how am I doing it at random?''


    "Hey system, why am I phasing through the trash like this."


    "As a newfound ghost, you have yet to fully master the innate phasing capabilities that you possess. With time and practice, you will be able to phase through most materials and objects."


    "So, there''s different levels to it, huh? Well, that''s just one more thing I have to deal with."


    At this thought, Dean had reached for the iPhone 7 and attempted to grab it only to have his hands slip right through it. He tried again, but his hand and the phone seem to exist in separate dimensions.


    It was as if the phone was a high-class exotic dancer, willing to be seen but not touched.


    Guessing that the system had a solution to the problem Dean asked, "System, what am I supposed to do here?"


    "As the host has noticed, physically interacting with objects is currently out of the host''s capabilities. If the host wishes to utilize this device, the host will have to spend Malice Points so that the system will be able to integrate with and access the device."


    "Okay, then. Before we spend the Malice Points to do this, tell me how many we currently have and how much it will cost to integrate this device."


    "Absorbing the Malice Points from the man from earlier provided the host with 11 Malice Points, and integrating the iPhone will take 5 Malice Points."


    ''Hmm, that means that if I allow the system to integrate the phone that will leave me with just 6 days of existence left, but if I don''t integrate the phone I won''t be able to access the chat group and without the chat group I''ll be hardpressed to find individuals evil enough to give me Malice points which means that I''ll eventually die anyway.''


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    "Well, you have to spend money to make money. System, go ahead and spend-"


    "If the host spends the 5 Malice Points to integrate the phone" the system seemed to be making it a habit as it once again cut Dean off, "the host will only have 6 malice points left to purchase an ability that will allow for the host to take care of the evil individuals once located."


    Now that the system mentioned it, Dean realized that he''d missed an important problem. Just how would he take care of those fellows after he''d located them? The system seemed to have a way but from the way it was speaking, he''d have to purchase this ability cutting his already short time down even further.


    ''I''ll only have 6 Malice Points left as it is. If I spend more on ability, won''t I be rushing towards my death, but without an ability, I won''t be able to do anything once the time comes.''


    "System, what is the cheapest ability that I can buy?"


    "The abilities available to the host lie in the 2 basic disciplines physical and spiritual. Both disciplines each contain one foundational ability; of course, as the host progresses down each discipline the variety of abilities available increases exponentially. All foundational abilities cost at least 5 Malice Points with the least expensive being the foundational physical ability at 5 Malice Points and the most expensive being the foundational spiritual ability at 7 Malice Points."


    "What is the difference between the 2 disciplines? Why does the spiritual ability cost more than the physical ability."


    "In essence, the 2 disciplines differ in their application. Physical abilities influence the material world via moving objects, elemental mastery, and at high levels spatial manipulation while spiritual abilities afford the host the ability to create hallucinations, illusions, and hex capabilities at high levels. The larger potential in spiritual abilities is the reason for the disparity in Malice Points required for them."


    "System, spend the 5 Malice Points to integrate the phone, but let''s hold off on purchasing an ability for right now." Dean had yet to even find his target yet, so cutting his time down now seemed unwise and foolish. The way Dean saw it, it wouldn''t be too late to purchase the ability once he''d found the target.


    At Dean''s words, the system spent 5 Malice Points and the white iPhone 7 disintegrated to dust.


    ''The system sure loves to destroy stuff.''


    "Host, the system now has access to the chat group. Would you like to access it so that we may begin locating targets?"


    "Let''s do it." After receiving Dean''s confirmation, the system projected something like a holographic screen before Dean''s eyes. On the screen, was a wall of text that constantly shifted as various users posted about different matters.


    Zoning in on a small snippet of this text, Dean was surprised by what he saw.


    Lucky Me: "Anyone that wants to see some interesting videos of my work just PM me. Hehe, the human body sure is amazing."


    In Mourning: "If anyone has fresh internal organs let me know."


    Passerby: "Hehehehe"


    Minus One: "She made me do it."


    Aside from the third guy, all of these messages seemed ominous and foreboding. Up until now, Dean still had some small doubts about the chat group, but after reading this small snippet among the ever-increasing wall of text he realized that these doubts were well unfounded.


    Glancing at the corner of the screen, Dean saw that the chat group had roughly 250 people online as people logged on and off.


    Recalling his own experience and thinking about the atrocities these people were committing, Dean took a deep breath before telling the system. "Let''s get started."

 Chapter 8: Ghost in Town

    "System, there are more than 250 people in this chat room. I assume you have some means to find their location, right?"


    "Yes, by cross-referencing the IP address with the username, locating any individual in the chat is possible."


    ''IP address? Cross-reference?'' When the system used such modern and technical-sounding terms, Dean realized that the system was rather confused. Unlike other systems, that specialized in being either technologically or supernaturally based, his system seemed to want it all.


    While Dean was thinking such things the system continued, "The system expected the host to inquire about such matters, so the system has already confirmed all of the possible targets in a 100-mile radius."


    ''100 miles? The system sure is expecting a lot out of me.'' If one takes into account that Dean still needed to purchase an ability, that would mean that the system expected him to somehow travel 100 miles, locate the target, and kill him all in one day. ''The system does remember that I''m a ghost right? Even if I still had my body, performing these feats would be miraculous for me.'' With all of these concerns, Dean naturally told the system to pick the closest target.


    "The closest target goes by the username CandyUncle and lives roughly 24 miles away from our current location."


    "Okay, then let''s go. You have the directions to get there right?"


    "Yes, alongside the ability to access the chat room, the system also integrated several functions from the iPhone including GPS, a clock, call capacity, and various other features."


    "Call capacity? System, are you trying to tell me that I can make calls to people that are still alive?!" Dean was ecstatic to hear this. If what the system was saying was true he''d be able to speak to his friends and family one more time. In fact, if it went as he''d planned he might be able to make the call so that no one would be able to tell that he''d made the call as a ghost. After all, an hour or two difference in his time of death wouldn''t raise too many flags. Moreover, he''d been trying to ignore it, but the issue of his dead body rotting in here had been plaguing his mind. Only, as a ghost, he had no way to notify anyone, so the only thing he could do was wait and hope for his body to be discovered by someone.


    "Yes, but the host must be warned that 1 Malice Point is spent for every minute that the host uses this feature."


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    "System, why are you so stingy?" Dean began to realize that the system was extremely miserly. In fact, he shouldn''t be surprised considering that the system charged him merely to exist.


    "Forget about it. After I take care of this CandyUNcle fellow, I''ll spend 1 Malice Point to call the police if my body still hasn''t been found by then. For now, let''s get out of here."


    *********************


    Getting out of the dumpster was more difficult than expected. One would expect for it to be rather simple considering that Dean was able to phase waist-deep into the pile of trash with literally no effort, but when Dean tried to purposely phase through the dumpster wall he had to struggle for 5 minutes before he exceeded.


    ''If what the system said was true, it should become easier as I get more practice until then I''ll just have to struggle a bit.'' Now that he''d exited the dumpster, Dean decided to check the time.


    "System, what time is it right now?"


    "Host, the time is 11:33 pm."


    ''11:33 pm huh? That means that it''s only been around 2 hours since I died. It''s amazing how fast things can change. It was just hours ago that I was complaining about my roommate and his girlfriend and now here I am, a ghost that must kill others to survive.'' By the time Dean finished his inner existential ponderance, he realized that he''d left the alley and now stood on a sparsely populated street.


    Maybe it was because there was a university nearby or maybe because it was a Friday night, but a surprising number of restaurants and businesses were still open despite the time nearing midnight. Occasionally, groups of various sizes would veer off and enter one of these places and occasionally groups would exit these places accompanied by the crisp sound of laughter and joy.


    ''I wonder if I''ll ever have that again?''


    Glancing back at where it all began, he realized that the dark alley he''d taken as a shortcut to Benny''s remained the same as it''d always been. It was if the horrific events that had just transpired hadn''t occurred. The alley remained unchanged, uncaring of the happenings within itself.


    ''I wonder if that''s how the world works, where the many aspects of the human experience do little to affect the actual world around us? Maybe, those goth kids at the library were right when they said that everything was meaningless.''


    Sighing to himself, Dean tossed these thoughts from his mind as he walked down the street.


    Walking down the street as a ghost was a unique experience. In fact, if one didn''t take into account that after nearly every third step he''d find himself sinking nearly knee-deep through the sidewalk, it could be considered the most fun he''d had in years.


    After all, how often does one get the opportunity to wave their hands through someone or better yet just walk right through them? At first, he''d been concerned that he might accidentally possess someone, but after the system told him that he''d have to buy this ability and that it wasn''t either of the foundational abilities, he moved on to experimenting with his innate phasing ability. After tentatively waving his hand through several peoples'' arms, he moved on to walking and eventually running right through people''s bodies.


    Sadly, Dean knew that he was in a race against the clock, so he quickly asked the system to display the GPS directions to the target''s house.


    Dean had no means of transportation, so he planned to run throughout the night to reach the target''s house. After all, the way he saw it, a ghost didn''t have biological needs so their stamina should be limitless like a zombie or any other undead creature.


    ''I never imagined that I''d be forced to run the equivalent of a marathon. After I deal with this fellow, I''ll have to find some way to travel faster.''


    ''The system said that it had absorbed a lot of the functions from that fellow''s iPhone so maybe I can call an Uber or something with a few malice points.''


    "Well, time to go."

 Chapter 9: Just Take My Fingers

    The first hour or so of running was an arduous experience because Dean''s legs kept sinking knee-deep into the street. ''I guess I should be lucky that I''m not just phasing through the ground.  Just imagining myself sinking through the ground into the sewers makes my scalp tingle.''


    About halfway through this hour, Dean began to question why he had to run anyway.  From his knowledge, all ghosts should have some level of flight, but here he was, forced to run up the street so he asked the system.  "System, can I fly right now or is it an ability I have to buy?"


    "Host, the ability to fly can be purchased for 10 Malice Points."  The system seemed to hate giving anything for free and immediately stated the price of the ability.


    "So, I still have to run for now.  System, now that we have some extra time tell me more about the foundational abilities for each discipline."  Dean figured now would be a good time to inquire more about the abilities the system mentioned earlier; after all, he was just running with nothing else to do.


    "Yes, the foundational abilities for each discipline are very distinct from one another.  The foundational ability for the spiritual discipline is known as Spiritual Manifestation and the foundational ability for the physical discipline is known as Physical Manifestation."


    "Yeah, and what''s the difference between them?"


    "Spiritual Manifestation does nothing more than allowing the host to express their presence to other living creatures.  Whenever someone claims to feel a chill because of a ghost or an ordinary animal somehow senses a spirit it''s because the spirit has Spirit Manifestation.  Physical Manifestation simply allows for the host to influence inanimate objects very slightly."


    "How slightly are we talking about here?"


    "With just the foundational ability the host can only exert 5 pounds of force at most."


    After hearing the descriptions for each foundational ability, Dean realized that the 2 abilities were distinctly different from one another.  Physical Manifestation allowed him to move objects while Spiritual Manifestation allowed him to interact with living organisms.  Moreover, while Spiritual Manifestation seemed weak compared to Physical Manifestation, the fact that it cost one more Malice Point signified its potential in the future.


    ''It seems that in the future I''ll have to discover the proper balance between the two disciplines.''


    ''Well, for now, all I can do is keep running.''


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    ************************


    2 hours later.


    "System are you sure that we''re almost there already?  It''s only been a little under 2 hours? "  Without the limitations of a respiratory system, Dean was able to make surprising time.  In fact, he wasn''t sure, but he thought that running 25 miles in less than 2 hours had to be a record of some sort.  Apparently, being a ghost did wonders for your stamina and endurance.


    "According to the GPS, the destination should be coming up on the left in half a mile."


    Running another half a mile, Dean realized that identifying CandyUncle would be harder than expected.  In front of him stood a small seedy little motel, with 10 or so rooms.  Business seemed to be going well because the parking lot contained 7 vehicles of various models.


    ''Why did it have to be a motel?  Why couldn''t I get lucky and get a 1 room apartment for my first target?  Now I''ll have to play Inspector Gadget and unravel the mystery of CandyUncle''s identity.''


    ''Well at least after I find this fellow there will be one less deranged uhh...'' Dean wanted to continue lambasting CandyUncle but he realized that he didn''t even know what this fellow was guilty of.  In his long run over here, he''d completely overlooked this matter.


    Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Dean told the system to pull up the most recent messages CandyUncle had sent in the chat room.


    "Would the host like to see CandyUncle''s public or private messages."


    "System, you know I can''t spend any extra Malice Points why do you even ask?"  Dean had long since assumed that any privileges given by the system would cost Malice Points, so he hadn''t even thought to ask the system to hack into CandyUncle''s private messages.  He was just hoping CandyUncle would reveal enough on the public message board to reveal the nature of his twisted desires and interests.


    "The host misunderstands.  Malice Points are not required for most technological feats, so hacking into CandyUncle''s private messages is a simple matter that is provided free of charge to the host."


    "Really!? Great, show me his private messages then."


    "Okay, the system will now show CandyUncle''s private messages for the last 2 weeks."


    With those words, the system once again projected a holographic screen before Dean''s eyes.  Dean wanted to tell the system that it needed to go back further than just 2 weeks but after seeing the dozens of private message threads between CandyUncle and various other users Dean realized that going back any further was unnecessary.


    ''Man, this guy sure likes to talk doesn''t he.''  Deciding to start at the top, Dean clicked on the thread between CandyUncle and another user named Myfavorite.


    CandyUncle: "Did you receive the first part of the video I sent you?"


    Myfavorite: "Yeah I got it.  It was so good that I ended up staying up all night watching it.  You have the rest of it right?"


    CandyUncle: "Of course, I do.  Just send the rest of the money and I''ll send you the link."


    Myfavorite: "I''ve sent the money, so send me the rest of the video."


    CandyUncle: "https://pixabay.com/photos/smarties-confectionery-sugar-candy-50838/"


    After this, the exchange between the two stopped.  Looking at the time stamp attached to CandyUncle''s last message, Dean realized that this must be the oldest thread on the list as the time stamp attached was nearly 2 weeks old.


    ''Hmm, the messages between the two don''t tell me much.  It seems that they''ve already had other previous interactions.  Luckily, CandyUncle left a link.''


    "System, can you access this link?"


    "The system is able to access the internet so accessing links is possible.  Would the host like to access this link?"


    "Please do."


    After receiving Dean''s confirmation, the link became highlighted in a light blue before another holographic screen popped up before Dean''s eyes.  It would seem that CandyUncle was extremely cautious because before they could even see the video a login screen popped up asking for a username and password.  Luckily, the system enjoyed hacking so after receiving Dean''s confirmation the system quickly hacked the login page and accessed the video.


    Asking the system to press play, Dean was only 5 seconds into the video before he heard the agonizing wail of a woman.


    "P-please, just take my fingers!"

 Chapter 10: Housekeeping Is This Diligent?

    When Dean first pressed the play button, the camera swayed as if it was being readjusted. Because of this, Dean was able to gain a brief glimpse of the surroundings. It appeared that the video was being filmed in a dilapidated basement. Rusted water pipes crisscrossed the ceiling and slowly dripped with the occasional waterdrop, which caused the cement walls to be filled with rusted water stains.


    "Pl-please just take my fingers."


    As if on cue, the screen finally stopped swaying as the camera finally rested on the center of the room.


    Displayed on the holographic screen in front of him, a horrifying scene was unfolding before Dean''s eyes. Laying stark naked on a shiny metal medical table, rested a short-haired Caucasian woman who appeared to have had her mind broken. Looking closer Dean could see why.


    The woman was missing her left arm, right leg, left ear, and even her right eye. Oddly enough, if one paid enough attention they''d realize that the amputations followed a peculiar pattern of alternating between left and right. Even the remaining appendages weren''t left intact because the woman only had a thumb and ring finger left on her remaining right arm. Her left leg, however, was even worse as only the small toe was left.


    The poor lady didn''t have a complete set of anything!


    If Dean wasn''t a ghost, he would have already vomited at this point. Unfortunately, the cruelty of the situation didn''t end with just this.


    Despite the gruesome nature of her injuries, there wasn''t a single drop of blood anywhere to be seen. It was as if her body parts just magically separated themselves from her body. However, the various medical tools on the tray beside her and her pitiful wails made it abundantly clear that they hadn''t.


    ''I''d imagine that the first half of the video that Myfavorite mentioned probably shows how she got in such a terrible condition. Just what kind of fiend could do this to someone?''


    Just as Dean was having this thought, the person responsible for the woman''s condition finally walked into the frame. Adorned in white scrubs, a figure appeared from behind the camera to slowly step toward the woman.


    The figure wasted no time and treated their words like gold because they didn''t say a single word. Instead, they just pointed to the woman''s remaining right arm before slowly moving down her body to point at her left leg.


    At this weird motion, the woman seemed to know what the figure meant because her eyes began to frantically dart about and her breath started to come in ragged convulsions.


    "Pl-please just take my fingers." These words seem to be the only thing the woman could still say in her pitiful condition.


    Sadly for her, the figure did nothing more than repeat the weird motion two more times before finally resting on the woman''s remaining leg. Reaching toward the metal tray beside the woman, the figure grabbed a bone cutter and began amputating the woman''s only remaining leg with practiced ease.


    Before the video could continue any further, Dean paused the video to calm his nerves. Several seconds later, Dean looked down at the bottom of the screen and realized that the video had over 50 minutes left. Seeing no need to watch the heinous scene anymore, Dean decided to skip ahead to the last 5 minutes.


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    When the video resumed, the woman was nowhere to be seen. Only the white scrub figure remained cleaning the last bits of blood and flesh off of the table. Soon after the figure cleaned the table until it was in pristine condition, he walked off the screen and returned pushing a wheelbarrow filled with the dismembered body parts of the woman. The figure pushed the wheelbarrow 2 steps before the video abruptly cut off.


    "System you can go back to the private message threads now." After witnessing the cruel methodical nature of the figure, Dean didn''t let his emotions consume him as he calmly spoke to the system. It wasn''t that Dean was apathetic to the suffering of others, but rather he knew that the only thing he could do now was calmly sift through the clues in the chat room and catch the murderer as soon as possible.


    Looking at the various private message threads on the holographic screen, Dean decided not to waste any more time on the old threads, so he directly chose the bottom-most and newest thread.


    This time CandyUncle was communicating with someone named LostOne and the most recent exchange between the two happened just 5 hours ago.


    CandyUncle: "There''s been a bit of an issue."


    LostOne: "What kind of an issue?"


    CandyUncle: "The newest video that you requested will be a few days late because a few problems popped up on my end."


    LostOne: "Problems? That has nothing to do with me. I''ve already made the deposit, so I expect you to deliver as promised."


    CandyUncle: "You''ll get what was promised. I just need a bit more time. The latest volunteer was a bit feistier than usual, and I had to put her down after she injured my assistant."


    LostOne: "All I''m hearing is excuses and I don''t do excuses. You better deliver what''s owed."


    After this CandyUncle seemed to have become furious as the next message he sent was unlike his professional demeanor before.


    CandyUncle: "F*ck, you''ll get it when you get it. You demanding things won''t change sh*t, so just sit back and wait. If that''s not good enough for you just f*ck off and I''ll refund your deposit."


    LostOne: "..."


    LostOne seemed to have lost his nerve because he no longer corresponded with CandyUncle. However, the exchange between the two enlightened Dean on the situation because he now realized that CandyUncle wasn''t working alone. Dean had no idea if there were more, but he knew that there were at least two people responsible for the horrors he''d witnessed. Of course, the matter of both parties being here at the motel tonight was another matter.


    ''Well, it''s time to get looking.'' Dean decided to walk to the closest occupied room as he asked. "System did all of CandyUncle''s messages in the chat room come from this motel?"


    "Host for the past three years all of CandyUncle''s correspondence in the chat room came from this address."


    When Dean heard the system''s reply, the list of suspects decreased drastically. All of CandyUncle''s messages came from this motel, a place where one usually spends a night and then leaves, so all Dean had to do was narrow his suspect list down to the people who appeared to have been staying here for an extended period of time.


    Reaching the first room, Dean only had to briefly struggle before he was able to phase right through the door. The scene on the inside of the room was cleaner than he''d expected. Lying languidly on the bed was a middle-aged man in the middle of watching a baseball game. Aside from a few empty pizza containers, the rest of the room looked as if it hadn''t been touched for weeks.


    Casting the middle-aged man a glance, Dean walked passed the man to access the bathroom. If the man was staying here for an extended period of time, Dean figured the personal sundries present in the bathroom would be a dead giveaway.


    Dean walked into the bathroom and aside from a small stick of deodorant, there was nothing else in there. The bathroom was barren of the essential supplies one needed to be hygienic. There was no soap and no toilet paper, which made Dean wonder what the man would do if he had to release his bowels. Leaving the bathroom, Dean walked back to the living area to see that he''d overlooked the still packed suitcase underneath the bed.


    ''This man hasn''t even unpacked and the lack of hygiene supplies in the bathroom makes it obvious that he hasn''t stayed here long.''


    Tentatively crossing the man off his list of suspects, Dean left the man''s room before going to the next occupied room one door down.


    Once again struggling through the door, Dean phased into the room to see that this room had not just one occupant but two.


    The first occupant was a pretty Hispanic woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties. She was in the middle of a heated argument on the phone with someone and vicious curse words would fly out of her mouth with nearly every sentence. Munching on a bag of Doritos on the bed was a young boy who appeared to be no older than 6-years-old. The boy seemed used to hearing the woman curse because he completely ignored her and watched cartoons on the small motel television.


    ''I don''t want to jump the gun, but I''m pretty sure I can rule out the young boy.''


    Learning his lesson from last time, Dean looked for the woman''s suitcase and realized that aside from two bookbags slung across the bed, they possessed no other luggage.


    Seeing no use to look any further, Dean quickly left the room and prepared to walk to the next occupied room two doors down.


    Dean was halfway to the next occupied room when he had to make room for a housekeeping lady pushing a cleaning cart.


    Dodging to the side out of habit, Dean was only able to take 4 more steps before the weirdness of the situation struck him.


    ''It''s nearly 2 in the morning, since when was housekeeping so diligent?''