Jiang Ming had been awake for half an hour, but he hadn’t gotten out of bed. Watching the clock read 7:54, he knew he still had to wait.
Lying in bed, Jiang Ming suddenly remembered that his vending machine should have refreshed its free draw. He could get a freebie now. He focused his consciousness inward.
“Draw!”
Ding!
“Congratulations! You have obtained a cactus!”
“Quality: Common”
“Description: Nothing special to introduce. It’s just an ordinary, unremarkable cactus.”
“Note: It has many, many thorns.”
As expected, Jiang Ming expressionlessly stored the cactus away.
Six minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Jiang Ming got up, opened the bedroom door, closed it behind him, and saw the Labrador trotting over with its food bowl in its mouth.
Seeing the dog reminded Jiang Ming of last night’s events.
At 11 PM last night, just as Jiang Ming was about to sleep, the dog woke up, full of energy. It paced around the living room, howling like a ghost, keeping Jiang Ming awake for a long time.
The memory irritated Jiang Ming, but recalling the rule that said not to pay it any mind, he let it go.
After filling the dog’s bowl and having breakfast himself, Jiang Ming gathered tools like a screwdriver and prepared to visit his neighbor. He’d also help his good neighbor alleviate their excess electricity problem.
As he was about to leave, Jiang Ming remembered something. He went back to the bedroom, disposed of the iced tea and a pile of paper balls on the table, then grabbed a few empty bottles, plastic bags, and a pack of tissues—just in case.
Lost in thought, Jiang Ming walked to the door. Suddenly, the Labrador started barking at him.
“Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!”
Jiang Ming turned to look at it. Why was the dog so noisy even during the day? Or did he have some strange smell on him?
Puzzled, Jiang Ming lifted his hand and sniffed. Nothing unusual. He ignored the dog and decided to proceed with visiting the neighbor.
After today, the difficulty would spike tomorrow. Exploring would become much harder later.
Just as Jiang Ming gripped the doorknob and was about to open the door, a voice from outside sent chills down his spine.
“Xiao Ming, Mom’s back. Open the door!”
Jiang Ming’s hair stood on end!
He let go of the knob as if electrocuted, stumbling back several steps until he reached the living room. Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, his heart pounded with fear.
That was close!
“Open the door, Xiao Ming. Mom forgot her keys.”
The voice came again, gentle. Jiang Ming had never heard “Mom’s” voice, but he imagined it would sound like this.
But it was only the second day. Mom couldn’t be back. The rules also mentioned that anyone returning at other times wasn’t Mom. Whatever was outside, it certainly wasn’t anything good!
Only then did Jiang Ming notice that after he moved away from the door, the dog was still barking in that direction.
So, the dog hadn’t been barking at him earlier, but at the door—or rather, at the thing outside.
Recalling that the dog’s barking had delayed his opening the door by a few seconds… the consequences would have been unthinkable otherwise!
Did this dog actually have a warning function?!
No wonder the rules called it the guardian of the home!
The thing outside hadn’t left. Its voice grew louder, more frantic.
“Xiao Ming, open the door! Don’t you recognize Mom? Look at me!”
“Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming, open the door for me!!”
“Open the door!!”
Its knocking grew heavier, escalating into pounding! But the door was sturdy, unmoved.
Watching this, Jiang Ming fell into thought. Meanwhile, the Labrador’s barking grew more ferocious.
“Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!!”
…
Two minutes later, the pounding stopped. The dog’s barking ceased five minutes after that.
The Labrador, having rendered great service, trotted over and rubbed against Jiang Ming’s leg, wagging its tail furiously. Jiang Ming patted its head and praised it.
“Good job. Really well done. I’ll give you extra food tonight.”
The dog’s tail wagged even faster as it circled Jiang Ming. Ignoring it, Jiang Ming stared at the door, deep in thought.
During the golden 48 hours, he had grown somewhat complacent. He hadn’t even thought to check through the peephole before opening the door. If not for the dog, he’d probably be dead or halfway there by now.
The golden 48 hours were relatively safe, not absolutely safe! Jiang Ming admonished himself.
He checked the time and decided to sit on the living room sofa, playing with the dog to build rapport. It might save his life at a critical moment.
Half an hour later, Jiang Ming stood up. He carried the dog to the door. Seeing it showed no signs of alertness, he held the dog up to the peephole.
Only after confirming the dog remained calm did Jiang Ming put it down and look through the peephole himself.
Opposite his view seemed to be a wall. Even though it was daytime, the hallway outside remained dim.
The light bulb, who knew how long since it was last changed, flickered intermittently. A thin mist hung in the hallway, occasionally twisting as if something moved within it.
The sight made Jiang Ming’s heart race, but he steadied himself and turned the knob.
“Creeeak—”
After the grating sound, a note slipped through the door crack. Jiang Ming quickly closed the door, bent down, and picked it up.
Rule Four:
1. During the day, the neighbor is trustworthy.
2. You may ask the neighbor for help, but afterward, you cannot refuse the neighbor’s request.
3. Do not casually eat anything the neighbor gives you.
4. You have two neighbors; one is real, one is fake.
5. The real neighbor really likes dog meat. Do not let Da Huang appear in his line of sight.
6. When visiting a neighbor, bring a gift. Going empty-handed is impolite.
7. Do not stay in the hallway for too long. They will see you.
After reading the rules, Jiang Ming began to speculate.
The neighbor is trustworthy during the day. Does that mean they’re untrustworthy at night?
And it introduced the concept of real and fake neighbors but didn’t specify how to tell them apart. The real neighbor likes dog meat. What about the fake one? Does he like human flesh?
And who is Da Huang?
Could it be the Labrador? But it doesn’t have a name.
His doubts multiplied, but no one could answer them. He had to find the answers himself.
Re-reading rule six, Jiang Ming put the note away. He took some fruit from the fridge, put it in a plastic bag, took a deep breath, turned the knob, and stepped out.
The situation outside matched what he saw through the peephole: dim hallway, misty, flickering lights.
After a quick scan, Jiang Ming understood why the rule said he only had two neighbors. One side of this floor was entirely wall, painted with eerie doors in blood!
On the other side were Jiang Ming’s “home” and two other units. Jiang Ming glanced at his own door number: 1202.
After a moment’s thought, he walked to the left, causing the mist to swirl. Reaching the neighbor’s door, he noticed the electrical meter box nearby. He glanced at it, then turned his attention to the door in front of him. The number read: 1201.
Jiang Ming felt the keys in his pocket, ensuring he could pull them out instantly. He took a step back, then gently knocked.
“Is anyone home?”
…
*Thump, thump, thump!*
Footsteps sounded inside, quickly stopping at the door. Jiang Ming tensed, all his focus on the door. If things went south, he’d run immediately!
Although Jiang Ming’s analysis suggested there wouldn’t be an instant death upon opening the door or other certain-death scenarios, necessary caution was still required.
*Creeak—*
The door opened. A stern-looking middle-aged man appeared, wearing a brown checkered short-sleeve, gray pants, and slippers. He looked like any ordinary middle-aged man.
He looked at Jiang Ming, slightly surprised. “Isn’t this Xiao Ming? What brings you to Uncle Li’s place?”
Jiang Ming relaxed slightly, putting on an obedient act. “I just missed you today, Uncle Li, so I came to see you.”
“Hahaha, you rascal. You must be craving my braised pork again. Come on in.”
Jiang Ming hesitated but followed him inside.
Uncle Li walked ahead, talking. “Your mom, really. Going out on business and leaving you home alone.”
“You’re a student, always studying at school. You probably don’t even know how to cook properly. Why don’t you stay at Uncle’s place these few days? I’m bored alone anyway.”
Jiang Ming smiled. “No need to trouble you, Uncle Li. Mom taught me to cook before she left. There’s plenty of food at home.”
They soon reached the living room. Jiang Ming handed the plastic bag to Uncle Li.
“Oh, Uncle Li, I brought you some fruit.”
Uncle Li looked displeased. “You kid, why bring things to Uncle Li’s house? Treating me like an outsider?”
Jiang Ming put on a helpless expression. “Mom told me to. Please take it, or she’ll scold me later.”
“Ah, you kid. Fine, fine. Sit down first. Uncle Li will wash some fruit for you.”
Watching Uncle Li’s retreating back, Jiang Ming felt no sense of threat or strangeness. He seemed like just an ordinary neighbor.
Jiang Ming surveyed the apartment. For some reason, even with such good natural light, the lights were still on.
But other than that, everything seemed normal. The room was well-lit, air circulation was good.
Sunlight streamed in through the balcony, filling the entire room. Jiang Ming, who hadn’t seen sunlight for a day, felt a pang of emotion.
All the furniture was normal, not covered with black cloth. There was none of the oppressive, stifling feeling from his own “home.”
For a moment, Jiang Ming even felt like he was back in the real world, with a hint of warmth.
…
“Here, Xiao Ming, have some fruit.”
Uncle Li’s voice pulled Jiang Ming from his reverie. Looking at the fruit before him, Jiang Ming didn’t eat. Rule Four, third clause: Do not casually eat anything the neighbor gives you.
Jiang Ming looked at Uncle Li. “Uncle Li, I actually came to see you for a reason.”
“Oh? What is it?” Uncle Li picked up an apple, sat opposite Jiang Ming, and took a bite.
“The clock at home is broken. I came to see if you have a spare one I could borrow.”
“A clock?” Uncle Li looked thoughtful, then placed the half-eaten apple on the table and stood up.
“Wait a moment. I think I have a spare one in my room. Let me look.”
Two minutes later, Uncle Li emerged from the bedroom with a round clock and handed it to Jiang Ming.
“Here, Xiao Ming. This should work. Not sure if the time is accurate, though. Check it against your phone.”
He also handed his phone to Jiang Ming. Jiang Ming examined the clock. Aside from some dust on the surface, it seemed fine.
Jiang Ming took the phone, checked the time, then looked at the clock. Both read 10:05.
He waited another minute. Seeing the phone’s display change from 05 to 06, and the clock’s second hand just hitting twelve, Jiang Ming felt relieved. He returned the phone to Uncle Li.
“Thank you, Uncle Li. The time is accurate.”
“No need to thank me. It’s just a clock.” Uncle Li waved dismissively, but then frowned.
“But, Xiao Ming, Uncle Li has a favor to ask. You must promise me.”
Rule Four, second clause: You may ask the neighbor for help, but afterward, you cannot refuse the neighbor’s request.
So Jiang Ming nodded casually. “Go ahead, Uncle Li.”
But the moment Jiang Ming’s last word fell, everything around him seemed to undergo a peculiar change!
Sensing the shift, Jiang Ming froze. The next instant, his eyes met Uncle Li’s gaze.
Now, Uncle Li’s eyes had changed eerily. The affectionate light vanished without a trace, replaced by a look Jiang Ming had never seen before—extremely bizarre.
This gaze held greed and desire, as if looking at a tempting piece of food. It made Jiang Ming’s blood run cold.
Then, something even more bizarre happened.
The apple on the table began oozing bright red blood. The fruit, which should have been sweet and delicious, now appeared horrifying.
Simultaneously, the air temperature plummeted, as if a cold, sinister current was spreading.
The outside light also seemed affected, swallowed by an invisible force. The surrounding light rapidly dimmed, the once-bright room instantly turning gloomy.
Only the overhead fluorescent lamp stubbornly emitted a weak glow, barely illuminating the space.
Witnessing such a bizarre scene, Jiang Ming was completely jerked out of his earlier warm illusion. He swallowed hard, forcing a smile.
“What… what do you need my help with, Uncle Li?”
Uncle Li leaned on the table, leaning closer to Jiang Ming. His blood-red eyes fixed on Jiang Ming, as if staring at a lamb for slaughter.
Then Uncle Li suddenly smiled. His mouth split open, extending to his earlobes, revealing jagged teeth. Three slender tongues licked his lips, dripping turbid yellow mucus onto the table. He slowly spoke.
“Uncle Li has been craving something lately. I want to eat a human heart!”
Jiang Ming felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.