Cataclysm Chapter 92: Tomino’s Hell 10

Chapter 92: Tomino’s Hell 10

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

Wei Ning ran barefoot down the stairs and saw Qi Yin lying on the floor, groaning in pain. He rushed over and grabbed her wrist. “Mom, are you okay?”

Hearing Wei Ning’s voice, Qi Yin immediately woke up from her unconscious state. With great effort, she grabbed his wrist. “Ning Ning, hurry and find Master Chen and the others. Don’t leave their side. Quickly, go!”

Wei Ning winced in pain as his wrist was tightly gripped. “Mom, I’ll go get them to help you,” he said. He stood up, about to run back upstairs to find Chen Yang and the others. Behind him, Qi Yin struggled to get up, enduring the excruciating pain in her leg. She didn’t want to burden her only son.

Just as Wei Ning took the first step up the stairs, he bumped into Wei Guangming. He looked up to see his father standing in the shadows and, without hesitation, turned to run. But Wei Guangming quickly grabbed him and carried him off, limping back toward the study. His expression was grim, his eyes cold and fierce, exuding a terrifying aura.

Qi Yin’s heart nearly stopped at the sight. In the past, she never would have doubted that Wei Guangming would harm Wei Ning, after all, even a tiger wouldn’t harm its cub. But the memories that had just resurfaced told her that Wei Guangming was even more vicious than a tiger. To satisfy his twisted desires, he could murder his own child—what couldn’t he do?

Just the thought of how every time she sent Wei Ning to Wei Guangming’s study, he would return pale and exhausted made her heart ache. To Wei Guangming, children were either useful or useless. He was only kind to Wei Jie because they shared the same perverted tastes. As for Wei Xiaoxiao and Wei Zhizhi, they had been completely exploited. She couldn’t be naive enough to believe that her son would be any different.

With a broken leg, Qi Yin threw herself toward Wei Guangming as he passed, grabbing his leg. “Guangming, Guangming, please, I beg you, let Ning Ning go. If you want to harm someone, harm me instead. Don’t hurt Ning Ning, please, take my life if you want. Let him go, please—”

Tears streamed down her face as she wept. Wei Guangming shoved her hand away. “What use is your life?”

Qi Yin clung desperately to his leg, unable to pry it off. In a fit of anger, Wei Guangming kicked her, but even with all his strength, he couldn’t dislodge her. Furious, he grabbed a nearby copper bowl and threw it at her head.

Without the strength to hold onto Wei Guangming anymore, Qi Yin slowly released her grip and collapsed onto the floor, her vision filling with crimson blood. In the distance, she could hear Wei Ning’s terrified cries, mixed with the piercing screams of Wei Zhizhi being beaten in the past. Her memories began to blur, and the forgotten past slowly came back to her.

Suddenly, Wei Zhizhi appeared before her, crouching down to look at her. Qi Yin clung to the hem of Wei Zhizhi’s skirt like it was a lifeline, crying and laughing, begging, “I—I’m sorry… I was wrong, I’m sorry. But Ning Ning didn’t do anything to you. He likes you the most…” She croaked through her tears. “Please, save him. Take my life… I’ll give it to you.”

Wei Zhizhi blinked and said coldly, “Wei Guangming says your life is worthless. What use would it be to give it to me?”

Qi Yin, in desperation, ignored the pain from her injury and struggled to sit up. “Zhizhi, please, for Ning Ning’s sake, for the fact that he calls you ‘sister,’ please, save him. Do you want Ning Ning to end up like you, killed by Wei Guangming?”

Wei Zhizhi’s expression changed drastically, her eyes widening in shock. With a sudden force, she lifted Qi Yin into the air as if an invisible hand was squeezing her neck, and when Qi Yin could no longer breathe, the grip loosened, and Qi Yin was tossed violently toward the wall. Just before she crashed into it, the wall seemed to come alive, with visible movement inside, as if something was desperately trying to break through.

At that moment, Chen Yang leapt down from the stairs, skillfully landing in a safe spot before catching Qi Yin in midair. With a swift motion, he drove a copper coin sword into the wall to suppress whatever was inside. Mao Xiaoli took Qi Yin from his arms, checking for signs of life and inspecting her wounds. “She’s still alive, but she’s severely injured.”

Chen Yang ordered, “Take her to a room and hide her.”

“Alright.” Mao Xiaoli, holding Qi Yin in her arms, quickly chose a nearby room and began to tend to her wounds.

Kou Xuanling and the others came downstairs and were about to speak when they saw Wei Zhizhi suddenly turn and run toward Wei Guangming’s study. She paused there for a moment, turning back to look at them.

Kou Xuanling, sensing something was wrong, asked, “What’s going on?”

Chen Yang, thinking about Qi Yin’s condition, immediately reacted, “Wei Ning? Kick the door open.” Zhang Qiudao, who was close by, glanced at Wei Zhizhi as she passed. Her delicate, jade-like features made it hard to believe she was a vengeful spirit.

With a loud bang, the door was kicked open. The group saw Wei Guangming holding a knife, ready to stab Wei Ning in the stomach.

Lu Xiuzhi, without hesitation, picked up a nearby object and flung it at the knife. The projectile struck the weapon, halting the deadly motion. Immediately after, Zhang Qiudao delivered a flying kick that sent Wei Guangming crashing into the wall.

Wei Zhizhi turned her gaze sharply toward them. As she did, golden Sanskrit began to flow across the wall, and the “person” within the wall reached out with thin, bony arms, trying to grab Wei Guangming. Its sharp claws tore at his clothes and flesh. But as soon as it made contact with Wei Guangming’s blood, the creature screamed and recoiled, fleeing like a tidal wave.

Wei Guangming, however, seemed unfazed by the chaos around him. He cared little for the wounds on his body. His gaze was fixed on Wei Ning, held by Kou Xuanling in his arms. His eyes burned with desire and malice. “The relic, you want the relic too? How about we split it? No one leaves without it.”

Wei Zhizhi stood at the doorway, her gaze calm and cold as she watched the scene unfold. She then turned and walked toward the main entrance. She opened the door and looked out into the heavy rain, where a woman in white stood.

The woman, a ghost, had long since lost her sanity due to the killings. She wandered endlessly, seeking a way to break into the collection house. However, ghosts not invited into the house could never step foot inside.

“Mom, come in,” Wei Zhizhi softly called out.

The white-clad woman rushed inside, completely ignoring Wei Zhizhi. She ran upstairs to the grand clock, searching for her little daughter. When she found the clock empty, she began to search room by room on the second floor, crying out in anguish.

Wei Zhizhi, holding a clown doll, followed closely behind her. She watched the white-clad woman search, her gaze filled with a mixture of curiosity and greed. The woman, now a mindless vengeful spirit, looked nothing like the gentle, loving mother she once was. She had become ugly, her face numb and pitiful. Yet, despite everything, she was still her mother.

Wei Zhizhi hugged the woman’s leg and pressed her face against it, affectionately murmuring, “It’s okay, I still love you.”

Downstairs, Wei Guangming had lost his sanity. He slammed his hands on the table and chairs, shouting madly, “Without the relic to suppress it, that evil ghost will kill everyone in this collection house, including you all. Don’t think you can escape just because you’re Tianshi. The only way to survive is to cut open Wei Ning’s stomach and take the relic. He’s just a child, he can’t digest it. If we don’t take it now, it’ll be too late!”

Kou Xuanling looked at Wei Guangming with utter disgust. He had never seen such a soulless creature. No matter how vicious someone might be, no matter how fierce a vengeful spirit, they would never harm their own flesh and blood. But to Wei Guangming, his children were nothing more than objects to be discarded.

He said, “Wei Ning was injected with anesthetics. His arms are full of needle marks. He was likely used as a mobile blood bank for Wei Guangming to feed on. I’ll take Wei Ning to Qi Yin, so they can be together.”

Chen Yang nodded. “Go ahead.”

Kou Xuanling left with the child in his arms, followed by the ghostly figure of Lu Xiuzhi. Chen Yang cast a sideways glance at him. “Lu Xiuzhi, stay.”

Lu Xiuzhi paused, glancing at Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao, who both looked back with stern expressions. He then turned his gaze to Kou Xuanling, who had already left the study without a second glance. With a quiet sigh, he wondered whether joining the office in the first place was a mistake. His original job was chasing after his wife, so how did he end up here?

He turned back, looking at the ugly Wei Guangming and said, “Wei Guangming, you have violated human morality and the law, showing no compassion for others. You poisoned your own children, ruthless and vicious, tearing their bones apart, unrepentant, with a heart as cruel as a beast. You are a murderer, and upon death, you will descend into the Avici Hell to atone for your sins.”

Zhang Qiudao quietly approached Chen Yang and whispered, “He’s angry because we wouldn’t let him stay with Old Kou.”

“No,” Chen Yang replied softly, “he just wants to resolve things quickly, to get it over with and go back to Old Kou. I know, experience.”

Zhang Qiudao understood, realizing that such matters were better handled by those with experience. He thought to himself that it would be useful to learn such things in advance, though it didn’t matter much right now.

Chen Yang patted Zhang Qiudao on the shoulder, then stepped forward to face Wei Guangming. “You said the relic is inside Wei Ning’s stomach? Do you really think a child can survive with it inside him?” The relic was no ordinary object; it was far too much for a small child to handle.

“Isn’t he still alive?” Wei Guangming sneered.

Chen Yang watched him quietly, then suddenly threw a punch at him, catching Wei Guangming off guard. Shaking his wrist, he said, “Mr. Wei, please speak properly. Don’t be so sarcastic.”

Wei Guangming spat blood, clearly fearful of being hit again. Moreover, he still hoped to obtain the relic to protect his collection house. He suppressed his anger and said, “Wei Ning swallowed the relic when he was three and a half years old, but he didn’t die.”

“So, you were the one who wanted to swallow the relic?” Chen Yang sneered. “The relic drives away all dark and evil forces. For someone as evil as you, swallowing it would be like ingesting poison.”

Wei Guangming retorted, “Impossible! Wei Ning swallowed it and survived, so how could it harm me?”

Lu Xiuzhi stepped forward. “It’s because Wei Ning was a child, with no concept of good or evil, pure and innocent. The relic, originally created when a high monk passed away, is full of compassion and only protects children, awakening their wisdom. That’s why Wei Ning, even at five years old, was already wise and quiet, able to see beyond appearances and understand the truth.”

Wei Guangming’s eyes darkened. “What do you mean by that?”

Lu Xiuzhi continued, “Everyone in the collection house knows, except for you and Wei Ning, that Wei Zhizhi has long been dead. She is a vengeful spirit, wandering the house, tormenting and frightening you. Wei Ning saw through her because he had the relic, which allowed him to stay clear-headed and see through all illusions. As for you, Wei Zhizhi had no intention of confusing you. She wanted you to live in constant fear and anxiety.”

Understanding dawned on Chen Yang. “After Wei Ning swallowed the relic, you planned to cut open his stomach to take it, but Wei Zhizhi protected him, and you couldn’t do anything. So, you resorted to taking his blood, fearing she would suddenly kill you.” He crouched down and grabbed Wei Guangming’s collar. “Tell me, what did you do to Wei Zhizhi?”

Wei Guangming hesitated before answering, “I accidentally killed her.”

Chen Yang had once seen a body inside a grandfather clock—Wei Zhizhi’s appearance before her death. Her hands and feet had been bound, her bones deformed, and her body covered in scars, emaciated beyond recognition. She had suffered horrific abuse while alive. “She was your daughter, there had to be a reason for it,” Chen Yang had said.

Wei Guangming remained silent, and Chen Yang nodded, continuing, “It’s okay if you don’t speak. Your blood won’t last much longer. There are many things hidden inside the wall behind you. The monk you hired back then wrote the Sūtra of the Perfection of Wisdom in Sanskrit to imprison them for fifteen years. Now, the binding power is weakening. Do you believe I’ll let them out to devour you bit by bit? I’m not threatening you, Mr. Wei.”

As Chen Yang spoke, the wall behind Wei Guangming began to twist. Countless skeletal hands reached out from within, desperately trying to scratch at him. In fear, Wei Guangming had no choice but to speak, “The resentful child… There’s a perfect resentful child doll missing from my collection room.”

“What?” Chen Yang asked.

Despite his fear, Wei Guangming became excited when he mentioned his collection. “Among all my collections, if the resentful child doll is missing, it would be incomplete. No matter how many corpses or human skins I collect, without a resentful child doll, it’s not perfect. I once saw a master collector who had a perfect resentful child doll in his collection—it was truly beautiful. I tried to buy it from him, but he refused. I even tried to steal it, but he broke my leg and then told me how to make the doll.”

The resentful child, as the name suggested, was a child who died with deep resentment. Their soul wandered restlessly, unable to rest in peace. If one used a secret method to imprison the child’s soul in their body, a resentful child doll would be formed.

Wei Guangming had smiled and said, “There are legends of vengeful spirits of children all over the world. Their attachment to the living world is strong, and their resentment even stronger. They were abused or even murdered in life, and after death, their resentment doesn’t dissipate. They dwell in dolls or their original bodies, becoming perfect collectibles.”

“So, you tortured and murdered Wei Zhizhi, making her into the resentful child doll you wanted, just to add another item to your collection?” Chen Yang had asked.

“What do you understand? Without me, could Wei Zhizhi even have been born? I made sure she was born to be a resentful child! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had a chance. Her bones, her blood, her life—they were all given to her by me. What’s wrong with taking back what’s mine? If it weren’t for my arrogance and carelessness in letting her be placed with another evil spirit, giving her the chance to consume that spirit and break the binding, none of this would have happened!” Suddenly, Wei Guangming had struggled violently and managed to break free from Chen Yang’s grip. As he crawled backward, he had accidentally touched the ghostly hands behind him and was abruptly pulled into the wall. Soon after, the sound of ravenous chewing echoed from inside.

Chen Yang and the others had stood still, showing no intention of rescuing Wei Guangming. “Let’s go. We need to find the others,” Chen Yang had said.

The three of them had left, and shortly afterward, the door to the study had slammed shut with a loud bang. The quiet walls had suddenly been pierced open, and a blood-soaked, bone-exposed hand had reached out from the wall, stretching its fingers and resting on the surface.

Wei Xiaoxiao had stood on the second floor, holding a portrait, watching the woman in white—her mother. She had silently observed her mother wandering in search of her long-dead younger daughter, a fleeting sadness passing through her eyes. Wei Zhizhi had been pitiful in life, but at least her mother had continued to care for her until death. On the other hand, Wei Xiaoxiao had been used by her father and ignored by her mother. A pitiful soul like Wei Zhizhi had been luckier than she.

When her mother had been raped and murdered by Dr. Hao, Wei Guangming had watched from the side, ignoring her mother’s cries for help. But what Wei Guangming hadn’t known was that her mother hadn’t been calling for him—she had been calling for Wei Xiaoxiao, who had been hiding in the distance. Wei Guangming had been a beast. How could her mother, knowing his true nature, have called out to him for help?

Wei Xiaoxiao had been there, but she had said nothing. Watching that scene, she had even felt a sense of satisfaction. After all, her mother had only seen the abused Wei Zhizhi, never noticing the hell Wei Xiaoxiao had been living in.

Wei Xiaoxiao had whispered to the portrait, “Do you want to know what it feels like to be a vengeful ghost? It probably wouldn’t be worse than eating human flesh.” Back then, why hadn’t she chosen to save her? Even if she had realized her situation, she would have at least felt that someone cared for her.

The portrait had shuddered, and the self-portrait of the evil ghost slowly opened its blood-red mouth, targeting the mindless vengeful ghosts. Suddenly, Wei Zhizhi appeared behind them and screamed. Wei Xiaoxiao’s eardrums had ached, and the portrait she had been holding had slipped from her hands and fallen to the ground.

Downstairs, Chen Yang and the others had heard the sound and moved upstairs. At that moment, the darkness had slowly enveloped the entire collection room, leaving no light whatsoever. Everyone inside had been trapped in absolute darkness. The Sanskrit Sūtra of the Perfection of Wisdom on the wall had been covered by the darkness, no longer able to suppress the things inside the wall. They had crawled out, feasting on blood.

Chen Yang had asked, “The Fengdu pardon token?”

Under the pardon, there were no restrictions.

 

 

 

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