Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 57: The Black Hat

Once they had informed the mayor details about the child they found, the three of them headed towards the cannery.

But once they arrived at where the body was found yesterday, Lin Qiushi discovered that the corpse was gone. The hollowed out tree trunk was the only proof that what they had seen yesterday was not their own imagination, and that everything truly did happen.

Watching all these, Ruan Nanzhu frowned. Just as he was preparing to explain himself, the mayor behaved as though this was within anticipation. He sighed and said, “The truth is, we’ve never been able to find them…” Never been able to find the children, never been able to find their corpse. The children from this town disappeared without a trace, never to return. Thus, it wasn’t strange for their corpses to disappear. Moreover, a night had passed since it was first found.

Ruan Nanzhu stared at the tree, sinking into deep thought. 

Even when the mayor had left, he did not show any signs of leaving. Lin Qiushi knew that he still wanted to investigate the area inside the cannery, and so, he quietly stood beside him. 

“Say, why did this creature suddenly change?” asked Ruan Nanzhu, “Is it really because it has grown stronger?”

Lin Qiushi shook his head, indicating that he wasn’t quite certain.

“Let’s go. Let’s take a look at what’s inside.” Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi entered the cannery through a door from the side.

The cannery had stopped its production for a very long time.

The machineries were all corroding. Lin Qiushi confirmed that power had been cut off from the whole factory. Neither the machinery nor the lighting systems could be operated.

Ruan Nanzhu’s gaze was focussed on the canning machine. Lin Qiushi followed his gaze, and although he didn’t see anything out of place, he knew that something must have caught Ruan Nanzhu’s eye. Ruan Nanzhu walked over to the machine and said, “This machine had been recently operated.”

Lin Qiushi, “…are you certain? There are signs of corrosion, though.”

Ruan Nanzhu, “I don’t know how they operated it.” He looked around, “Something feels off.”

Something indeed felt off. As soon as they had entered, Lin Qiushi felt someone’s gaze on him. It’s just that he couldn’t figure out where exactly it was coming from.

Ruan Nanzhu seemed to recall  something, “Say, that person with the hat, what do you think will happen to him?”

Lin Qiushi, “Perhaps disappear? Or die?”

Ruan Nanzhu smiled in response and did not reply.

Liu Qiushi had thought he was smiling at whim. Only when afternoon came and he saw that man with the hat again, only was he aware of what Ruan Nanzhu was smiling at.

The man with the hat had undergone a very strange change of physique.

The man’s limbs had begun to grow thinner and elongated, and he seemed to have grown taller, as well While his facial features were still present, they appear to be indistinguishable and it was difficult to clearly see what he looked like. 

If it was someone who did not know the hint, they may have felt a mix of bewilderment and horror. But Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu knew clearly what the changes signified: his body was morphing into one akin to that of the slendermen. 

His arms and legs were long and thin, similar to a snake. He was slowly growing taller and finally, his face turned completely white and all facial features seemed to have disappeared under his skin.

All of these changes had taken place within a day. It was something that would make one’s blood freeze. 

Having seen all of these changes, Lin Qiushi slowly looked away.

Who could have guessed, thought,  that Ruan Nanzhu would stand up suddenly, and after dabbing his mouth with a napkin, he walked into the direction of that man.

Watching Ruan Nanzhu approaching, the man did not speak and instead looked up at Ruan Nanzhu with his barely discernible eyes. 

What Ruan Nanzhu did next scared Lin Qiushi out of his wits. Lin Qiushi watched as Ruan Nanzhu, smiling, suddenly grabbed that man’s hat and pulled.

“Ah!!!” A scream came out from that man’s mouth. Lin Qiushi was stunned at what he saw. He even thought that he had seen wrongly. That top hat was physically joined together with that man’s scalp. Ruan Nanzhu’s action was akin to trying to rip a limb off of that man with brute force. It was only to be expected that that man would react so violently.

That man seemed to be in a great amount of pain as anger filled his eyes.

Ruan Nanzhu let go of the hat and calmly apologized, “Sorry, I just thought that your hat looked way too beautiful and couldn’t hold back from wanting to see what it would look like on myself.”

Having been praised, that man’s anger subsided. He mumbled a reply, “I… also think… it looks nice.”

Ruan Nanzhu turned around and left. 

After watching this scene, the people in the dining room finally snapped out of whatever stupor they were in. They no longer felt as if the man with the tophat was still normal and their gazes on him began to fill with dread..

That man left the dining hall after finishing his meal. Everyone else watched his retreating figure and sank into a turbulent, whispering discussion.

“How- what happened to his body? How did he turn into some unholy creature?”

“How did we just notice something wrong with him… has he turned into a monster…?”

“It’s so scary, how do we even guard ourselves from this?”

Remarks such as this filled the hall, yet both Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu were very calm. 

Lin Qiushi typed something and showed it to Ruan Nanzhu: [Should we follow him out and see what happens?]

Ruan Nanzhu considered it for a moment before saying, “You stay here. I’ll go take a look.”

Lin Qiushi: [Let’s go together.] 

Ruan Nanzhu reached out to pinch his cheeks, “I told you to stay, so you should stay. Be obedient, little Miss Mute.”

Ruan Nanzhu was unyielding. Lin Qiushi could only nod to show that he agreed.

Ruan Nanzhu stood up and left, perhaps to track that man down. 

Lin Qiushi didn’t have the appetite to keep eating. He decided to return to their room. Unexpectedly, when he had reached the entryway, someone suddenly grabbed his arm. Lin Qiushi turned and saw Wang Tianxin. 

Wang Tianxin was smiling at him, his expression full of a wicked intent, “Yo, little Miss Mute, your friend not around?”

Lin Qiushi’s expression was indifferent. He looked towards the dining hall and considered the consequences of beating Wang Tianxin up right then and there. 

Fortunately, before Lin Qiushi could think of a way to proceed, Wang Tianxin, as if enlighted, stealthily pulled Lin Qiushi towards a corner. 

Lin Qiushi pretended to be helplessly dragged away. He even cooperatively put on an alarmed and frightened expression. 

“Don’t be afraid, these sort of things are actually quite enjoyable.” Wang Tianxin’s smile was eerily sinister. Lin Qiushi’s fearful expression only excited him further. 

It’s not like this person can speak so no matter what he does to her…

“Did he already fuck you?” Wang Tianxin asked. “I promise that I am far more amazing than he is…” Incredibly vulgar words came from his mouth. 

Lin Qiushi took in their surroundings. After making sure that no one else was around, he smiled at Wang Tianxin.

Wang Tianxin took that as consent. While moving to take off Lin Qiushi’s jacket, he heard the pitiable mute girl in front of him open his mouth and spit out, “Stronger my ass. I’ll fucking end you.” 

This voice clearly belonged to that of a man. Wang Tianxin froze the moment he heard his voice. 

This cease in movement wasn’t temporary. Wang Tianxin soon realized that he wasn’t a match for the person in front of him.

Although Lin Qiushi didn’t regularly get into fights, he was still a grown man. Wang Tianxin, as someone whose body had long been emaciated by his tendency for lechery, was easily overpowered by Lin Qiushi. 

Wang Tianxin’s face was soon beaten swollen and he lay quivering under Lin Qiushi’s foot. 

Lin Qiushi, “Didn’t you say you were more amazing than him? Just this? Worthless. Why don’t you get up—”

Wang Tianxin was on the verge of tears. He had thought Lin Qiushi was weak, small, and helpless. It was now clear that in reality, he was the weak, small, and helpless one. He wasn’t even a match for this mute gir—no, this master crossdresser before him.

Wang Tianxin, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was wrong… big brother, I was wrong!” He desperately pleaded, eyes imploring. 

Lin Qiushi, “Who’s your fucking brother, Wang Tianxin, you bastard, remember this: if you dare harass me again, or tell anyone what happened between us right now, I’ll end you.” He bent down so that his mouth was by Wang Tianxin’s ear coldly said, “It’s not like it’s against the law to kill someone in here.”

Wang Tianxin trembled. He furiously nodded as if to say he understood. 

Lin Qiushi let out a breath. He took his foot off of Wang Tianxin and smoothed out his clothes. In a short span of time, he transformed back to that small and pitiful mute girl. 

Glaring one last time at Wang Tianxin, he turned around and left. 

Wang Tianxin watched as he left, his gaze restlessly uncertain. 

When Lin Qiushi arrived back at the dining hall, Ruan Nanzhu had already returned. Seeing him approach, Ruan Nanzhu asked, “Where did you go?”

Lin Qiushi typed on his phone: [That Wang Tianxin tried something so I gave him a beating.]

Ruan Nanzhu read what he had typed and smiled, “Wow, amazing.”

Other people looked towards Lin Qiushi with sensual gazes. It was unknown what they imagined to have happened upon seeing Lin Qiushi’s somewhat disheveled appearance.

Thankfully, someone in the group could not bear to see this any longer and carefully walked towards Ruan Nanzhu to inform him that Lin Qiushi was taken away just now.

Ruan Nanzhu, the bastard that he was, fell into dramatics again, and slammed the table in anger after that person had finished speaking. “He dares to touch my person?!” He then stormed off and soon came the sounds of Wang Tianxin’s wails and miserable pleas for mercy. 

Lin Qiushi took a sip of water, pretending that he didn’t hear anything. Scums like Wang Tianxin deserved a proper beating to put him in his place.

The man with a hat who had walked out just now had completely vanished into the little town within the blink of an eye. It’s fear that he was most likely a goner.

Lin Qiushi was long prepared for this outcome, so he wasn’t shocked. But later that night, Lin Qiushi had an encounter.

As Ruan Nanzhu was taking a shower in the washroom, Lin Qiushi was standing by the window, looking out at the trees and heavy fog. 

Night had just blanketed the town and there was still some feeble light left in the sky shining on the gloomy forest enveloped in fog. Lin Qiushi could only vaguely make out the landscape outside. 

In the midst of the fog, appeared a tall figure. 

That figure was at least twice the height of a normal person and stood quietly between the sparse trees. It seemed to be looking towards where Lin Qiushi stood. Both its arms and legs were disproportionately long, as creepy as the limbs of spiders. It’s body was long and thin as its limbs, making it seem at place between the withered trees. 

Lin Qiushi tried to move his gaze away after catching sight of it shortly before realizing that it had moved.

That creature moved slowly towards the window in monosteps, heading towards where Lin Qiushi was standing.

Lin Qiushi was startled. His first instinct was to close the curtains. But when he touched the curtains, he noticed that it felt different from the material of the curtains in the inn. 

Lin Qiushi was very alarmed. He turned around only to be greeted by a room that wasn’t the inn, but his own home.

That’s right, the place where Lin Qiushi used to live in.

The same living room, the same decoration, and the very same cat.

Chestnut stood at the centre of the living room, meowing at Lin Qiushi.

It was a scene that should’ve brought warmth to Lin Qiushi’s heart, but it only made Lin Qiushi’s blood run cold—there was a man sitting on the living room’s sofa. Although he could only view from afar, Lin Qiushi knew that that man was already dead. 

It was a carbon copy of himself that appeared to have been dead for a very long time. He was bloated over the course of time and from his head to his toe, his corpse was oozing a green liquid. Chestnut jumped on top of the corpse and rubbed himself against it as it meowed, appearing to be in an attempt of stirring its owner.

But how could a dead person wake up? Chestnut began biting at Lin Qiushi’s face, trying to wake him with pain. But it hadn’t been able to control its strength, and instead bit through his skin, to his bone. 

Lin Qiushi knew that the scene in front of him was what he feared most.

He was afraid of dying alone, afraid that even if he had died at home, nobody would find him.

It may be a week, or even a month, until his neighbours smelled something strange coming from his apartment, only then his body would be discovered.

The sight of his own cat chewing away at his corpse was indeed something that made an incredibly uncomfortable scene, but Lin Qiushi was able to quickly regain his senses. He remembered the information he had read on the slenderman, and that these creatures were good at exploiting their victim’s fears. 

It knew what humans were most afraid of. What they were most afraid of wasn’t monsters, but the connotations monsters bring with them: Death. 

Only very few people were fearless to death, but Lin Qiushi wasn’t one of them.

The scene in front of him, however, was not able to strike into Lin Qiushi’s heart. He looked back towards the figure outside his window and whispered a reply, “I’m sorry. Should I have told you that I’d already moved out?”

The figure stopped moving. 

Lin Qiushi, “I have many friends around me now. If I was dead, they’d know for certain.” He thought for a while before adding, “They might even be able to call the ambulance and resuscitate me.” 

The figure stood still in front of Lin Qiushi. Although its featurelessface was still hidden by the fog, Lin Qiushi could feel its gaze on him.

“So I’m not very afraid.” Lin Qiushi’s tone was incredibly calm, and this calmness wasn’t made-up, “Maybe try someone else?”

Thud. Something fell from a tree. Lin Qiushi looked down and saw that it was a black top hat. 

At the sight of this top hat, Lin Qiushi immediately thought of that man from their group who had worn a black top hat… it seems that misfortune had already befell this man.

The slenderman bent down and picked up the top hat. 

Lin Qiushi thought that it would leave afterwards. But instead, as it held the hat in its hand, he made a gentlemanly bow towards Lin Qiushi. Then, it turned and disappeared into the heavy fog. 

Lin Qiushi stared at the retreating figure, confused. It was only when a pair of hands landed on his shoulders, did Lin Qiushi turn with a start to see Ruan Nanzhu.

“What are you looking at?” He asked him.

Lin Qiushi pointed towards the forest, “Just now, I saw that creature.”

Ruan Nanzhu raised his brow, “The slenderman?”

Lin Qiushi nodded, “I saw one of it’s hallucinations.”

Ruan Nanzhu, “What kind of hallucination?”

Lin Qiushi. “That I had died at home and my cat was biting at my face.” Lin Qiushi’s tone was indifferent, as if describing something wholly unrelated to himself. “Now that I think of it, Chestnut dislikes me so much right now, I don’t know if it’d be willing to…”

Ruan Nanzhu, “…” He felt a sense of hopelessness at Lin Qiushi’s degree of cat-worship.

But no matter what Lin Qiushi had experienced, he hadn’t fallen under the control of that creature. If he had been, then Lin Qiushi knew that the next person to end up wearing that hat would be himself.

“Nanzhu, what are you scared of the most?” asked Lin Qiushi suddenly.

Ruan Nanzhu, “I’m not scared of anything.”

Lin Qiushi, “Really?”

Ruan Nanzhu smiled, fingers making twirls in Lin Qiushi’s hair. Caressing strands between his fingers, his whispered, soft and quiet, “Really. I’m the same as you.” 

His voice was confident, devoid of any false bravo.

Just like that, Lin Qiushi believed him. 

“I knew that ever since your first door,” Ruan Nanzhu said. “Lin Qiushi, actually you… you’re very suited for this.”

Lin Qiushi raised a brow, “What do you mean?”

“In the literal sense. You have a very strong ability to adapt.” It was almost exorbitant. When Ruan Nanzhu had looked into Lin Qiushi and confirmed that it was indeed his first door, he realized that Lin Qiushi was someone who seemed to share affinity with the world within the doors. The odds of finding someone like him was very scarce. 

Ruan Nanzhu absentmindedly thought, it was good like his luck seemed good enough. 

And thus the night was concluded with everyone safe and sound as it ended in peace and quiet.

The next day, only eleven people showed up to the dining hall. During the night, two had disappeared. 

The two who had disappeared were both young women. It seemed that they were fine before they all returned for the night, but nevertheless, when their companions had woken up, they were nowhere to be found. 

“That creature had definitely taken her, “ somebody said. “This doesn’t bode well.”

Nobody else spoke, but most of them agreed.

Lin Qiushi thought of the figure he had seen outside of his window the night before. He didn’t want to guess at what would’ve happened if he did not calmly reject the creature’s hallucinations. Would he also be like this young woman and disappear quietly into the night?

Before Lin Qiushi could reach a conclusion, they made another terrible discovery—another child had disappeared.

“There are a total of eight children in this town,” Ruan Nanzhu said. “I think that the disappearance of the people in our group are linked to that of the children.”

Lin Qiushi also felt in a similar way and said,“Why don’t we find the remaining children and see if we can get any information from them?”

Ruan Nanzhu, “I want to check out the cannery again.” Their gazes met and the two of them reached an agreement. “Divide our forces?”

Ruan Nanzhu, “That also works, but would not being able to speak cause any problems for you?”

Lin Qiushi didn’t think it would be that big of an issue, “It’ll be fine if I bring my phone.”

Ruan Nanzhu, “Alright. If you can’t find anything, go back to the dining hall, we’ll reconvene there.”

Lin Qiushi nodded.

The two separated on the road, each heading towards a different direction. 

Lin Qiushi’s destination was a run-down convenience store. He had heard that the owner had a seven year old son. When he arrived and made his explanations, the owner’s attitude was full of defiance. 

“My son doesn’t meet with strangers right now,”  the owner said. “I can’t be certain that you will be able to ensure his safety.”

Lin Qiushi patiently tried to persuade him: [I understand what you mean, but you must know that the creature is growing stronger each day. If we don’t find its lair and destroy it soon, the next child who disappears may be your son. The other missing children had been hidden inside when they disappeared as well.]

At these words, the owner seemed less unyielding.

Lin Qiushi continued to persuade him for quite some time until finally, the owner agreed to let Lin Qiushi talk with his son, but not for too long.

Lin Qiushi let out a breath of relief. After entering the house, he saw a little boy sitting on the sofa, head lowered as he played with his toys. 

Lin Qiushi approached him and used his phone to greet him.

The child looked at him, as if not really willing to speak with him. He would answer some of Lin Qiushi’s questions but not others, until… Lin Qiushi brought up the hat.

“A hat, do you mean a black top hat?” The child had looked quite fearful as if he was remembering something unpleasant, he swallowed, “I think I’ve seen it before…”

Lin Qiushi’s eyes lit up: [You’ve seen it before?]

The child’s frightened gaze landed on a staircase. 

According to the shop owner, this building had two floors. The first floor was modified into a shop and the family lived on the second floor. The boy’s room was on the second floor. 

“I’ve seen it…” That hat is hanging somewhere in the corners of the staircase. The boy was shaking and he stumbled randomly through his words, but Lin Qiushi understood what he had meant. The little boy said that a dozen or so days ago, a black top hat appeared upstairs, but nobody else had found it strange so they left it hanging there. 

Lin Qiushi: [The hat is upstairs? Can you take me to see it?]

The boy hesitated before nodding. 

Lin Qiushi and the boy went to the stairs. Following the stairs upwards, the second floor quickly became visible, along with the hat the boy had spoken of. The second Lin Qiushi saw the hat, he realized that something was wrong. He stopped walking as suspicions filled him, “You said that this hat had been in your house since a dozen or so days ago? You… other than this hat, you haven’t ran into any other strange things?” Lin Qiushi did not believe that this slenderman would be so patient so as to quietly wait a dozen or so days in this child’s house. 

The child also stopped walking. He expressionlessly turned around and looked towards Lin Qiushi.

Lin Qiushi was startled by the child’s expression. When he was about to speak, Lin Qiushi saw the child tilt his head. Then the child’s head fell off straight onto the ground.

Even though Lin Qiushi had experienced many moments similar to this, his breath was still shocked out of him by the scene before him. The child’s head rolled down the stairs and Lin Qiushi looked back at the top hat. Out from the hat stretched out a deathly pale hand.josei

The white hand extended longer and longer, as if it was searching for something. Once it determined Lin Qiushi’s exact location, it shot straight towards him.

Lin Qiushi turned and leapt out of the way and barely avoided its grip. He bolted down the stairs and saw the boy’s head on the ground, mouth stretched wide in a clever smile. 

Lin Qiushi, “…” Are you out of your mind? How can you smile so happily after your fucking head fell off!