2.25

Tian Shun had a fractured bone, a broken tooth and more than a few bruises.

Li Guiren needed some light surgery and stitches.

Jia Hyson wanted to slap them both.

Why?

"Wei Wei... can you pass me my pain relief medication?" Li Guiren asks in a spoiled tone totally un-befitting of a cool, mature police detective. "Since SOMEBODY STABBED ME I've been feeling so pained I cannot even sleep at night."

In a bed next to Li Guiren's, a rather battered looking Tian Shun gives him a sharp smile that doesn't reach his eyes, "You're lucky, at least you didn't have a SHITTY OLD MAN force himself on top of you. Ah, I really feel so violated, I'm even bleeding from my hole after the abuse."

Jia Hyson: '...' Doesn't he just mean his mouth hole? Why make it sound so ambiguous?

Li Guiren's face turned red with suppressed anger. This stinky child! As if he would want to touch one hair of the conniving poisonous brat! "It's better than having a WHITE EYED WOLF OF A SON WHO STILL REEKS OF MILK attack you! I was ruthlessly PENETRATED by his SHORT and SMALL dagger! If I hadn't been bleeding I wouldn't have known it even existed!"

Jia Hyson: '...' These people are ruining my fantasy of father-son pseudo incest play.

Bebe: '...' Bebe hopes this finally puts an end to Host's ridiculous dreams of re-enacting a father-son pseudo incest play.

Tian Shun's face also burns from shame and indignation. Who's dagger is short and small! No, wait, who wants to penetrate that disgusting old man past his prime!? Just the thought made him sick! "At least I-"

"If you two don't shut up I'm going to leave and find a cute twenty-something year old serial killer to haunt," Jia Hyson coldly interrupts.

The threat is incredibly effective. The pair shut up so fast Jia Hyson could hear their jaws click shut. Finally there was silence in the room. No weirdly incestual insults to be heard.

Fuck! For the first time he realized how goddamn inconvenient real yanderes are. They weren't suave super cold geniuses with aggressively violent possessive tendencies. They were clingy, bitchy and passive aggressive idiots with aggressively violent possessive tendencies. Aiyah, maybe the ones in the romantic genre would be better. After all they should be influenced by the world's genre to be more attractive in temperament at least.

Ah next world, next world.

....

"Tian Shun! What happened?!" Zhao Xuefeng exclaims loudly. His voice was clear and naturally boisterous which naturally made it easy for everyone in the class to pause what they were doing to look at the teenager at the doorway.

Tian Shun smiles but inwardly he was cursing Zhao Xuefeng. His state wasn't good at all, it would be better to play his injuries off coolly and earn so extra points for being aloof but he had to make do with the sudden spotlight now.

Quickly he walks over to Zhao Xuefeng who was currently alone. Luckily it was still early so not a lot of people have come to class yet. Zhao Xuefeng was one of the few that consistently came very early, probably to escape his suffocating poor one parent household which is filled with the grief of a widow that refuses to let go, so Tian Shun makes an effort to often be early as well.

"It's nothing," he brushes off as he sits down in front of him, wincing slightly at the pain. "My dad... he had some trouble at work..."

"Oh..." Zhao Xuefeng says, unsure what to say. In his mind he imagines maybe that Tian Shun visited his dad at the precinct and accidentally got attacked by someone there but his heart felt uneasy looking at the bitter but blindingly handsome face of his new friend. It's been a few weeks and Tian Shun barely talked about his father, only about his caretaker.

Zhao Xuefeng's father was a policeman and he greatly admired law enforcement. Li Guiren is one of the most famous detectives in the city and to be honest, he was a little jealous of Tian Shun for having such a great father. But now... some doubts sprouted in his heart.

Tian Shun shrugs, "It's fine, don't worry about it," silver eyes look deeply into Zhao Xuefeng's brown eyes, a sense of soothing coolness washes over Zhao Xuefeng, relaxing him and at the same time making his heart beat a little faster, "I heard your mother is feeling unwell again? Are you okay?"

Zhao Xuefeng suddenly felt very shy. Even though the words seem like casual concern they moved him a little. Whenever people heard about his mother's mental illness they felt uncomfortable and pitying, they would give lackluster concern over his mother like they were reading from a script.

But Tian Shun didn't show any false emotion, just a serene gaze with a trace of concern. Even his friends still show uncomfortableness touching his family situation. More importantly, Tian Shun even asked how he was! No one had ever questioned how he felt in such a suffocating situation before. "I... Yeah, mum had a bit of a breakdown but she got over it quick. She's getting better I think."

"That's good," Tian Shun nods, "Mental illness and grief takes time to recover. Honestly, I'm not sure why people here like to think that one can get over a loss so quickly."

"It's been at least nine years since he's been gone," Zhao Xuefeng rebuts bitterly. Even he felt that his mother was clinging too tightly to the past. He even felt a little resentful for her because he had to take up the mantle of caring for the household due to her being such a wreck.

"And that at least shows your mother loved him more than the people who find lovers after only two," Tian Shun says confidently, "Even though I feel the situation is unfair to you, I also cannot help but admire your parents for finding such a deep, relentless love."

Tian Shun's eyes sparkle for a moment as he thinks about it. A love that will be so intertwined that they will become irreparably damaged without the other, such dependency, such unwillingness to leave each other... isn't that the most romantic thing?

Of course, if he really lost Wei he wouldn't bother to wait for a natural death to finally take him out of his misery. Instead he would do his best to gather everything precious he has that reminds him of the spirit before killing himself in hopes he will reach him in the reincarnation cycle.

Zhao Xuefeng felt his cheeks inexplicably heat up a little as he watches Tian Shun. The other teen was always so cold and aloof, like an immortal who had come down to try his hand at playing on earth, to see that fierce passion and yearning devotion in his eyes. Suddenly he felt a little unhappy that this sort of look had never been given to him before.

"I suppose..." Zhao Xuefeng murmurs, suddenly he didn't feel so secretly resentful over his family situation anymore. Just talking with Tian Shun seems to never fail to make him feel better. It's like all the negative emotions in his heart are sucked away, a very relaxing feeling. He smiles at Tian Shun, "Hey, hey, why are we talking about such serious things ah," He laughs trying to will away the flush on his cheeks, "Come, show me your English homework, I didn't do it yesterday,"

Tian Shun goes along with him easily, with a faint playful smile he rolls his eyes lightly and pulls out his homework. "Zhao Xuefeng you.. just because we're friends now don't think you can steal my work," Even though the words are scolding, it was clearly warm and doting making Zhao Xuefeng feel a little bashful at being taking care of in such a manner.

"Hahaha," He laughs nervously, even though he's good at being foolish somehow he really doesn't want the mature Tian Shun to see him as a fool, "I-I was busy with my part time job yesterday, Little Ding got an injury trying to execute a flying kick ah. Besides, you're the smartest guy out of all of us, I would be a fool not to go to you."

"Hm, that's true," Tian Shun agrees easily, "I am pretty smart,"

Zhao Xuefeng for a moment was a loss at what to say, but then his quick eyes caught how the taller teenager's eyes seem to curl into amused crescents before he realizes Tian Shun was trying to joke with him. Like a big aloof cat puffing it's fur up with pride. Zhao Xuefeng's heart felt like it was being scratched softly. Wasn't this too unfair? How come Tian Shun seemed rather cute to him right now?! "Ha..haha, un, yeah," he stutters out, none of his usual boisterous personality there, he was too distracted enjoying the view...

"Zhao Xuefeng!" A high pitched voice yelled jerking him out of his daze.

Turning his head he sees a short, baby-faced girl with big cat-like eyes and long, thick chestnut brown curls put up into two high twintails making the girl look even more child-like. She was a very cute loli type with a mixed race heritage to make her even more loveable to look at, unfortunately she was almost always frowning and pouting in front of the boys, ruining her appearance somewhat. "Aiyah, Zhao Xuefeng do you have dirt in your ears or something?!"

"Ming Bo, don't be rude," An elegant pure chinese beauty stood behind her with a concerned coaxing tone. Unlike the shorter girl, this one was tall and willowy, her straight, long black hair was loosely tied in a simple pony tail and her looks was delicate and pure like a white lotus. Her peach blossom eyes were lovely to behold and it was clear that when she fully matured she would become a fairy like beauty in the future. "I'm sure Xuefeng is just a little tired," She glances at him, a faint dusting of pink on her cheeks which seems to be completely ignored by the teenager in question.

"Hmph!" Ming Bo crosses her arms and raises her chin to look down on the handsome teenage protagonist disdainfully. "Sister Chyou, you are really too kindhearted! Zhao Xuefeng doesn't deserve your understanding! It was his fault for dazing out with such a dumb face!" Then she blushes as well, "B-but I suppose you're face does look particularly ugly today… In light of this I will let you off!"

Zhao Xuefeng touched his face a little self-consciously. Could it be it really was a little ugly today? Normally he wouldn't care but, his eyes flicker to Tian Shun who was lazily gazing at him, lately he felt maybe he should pay a little bit more attention to appearances a bit more. Scowling at Ming Bo, he felt that she was particularly irritating today this time, "Shut up, I was working a bit later than usual yesterday,"

"Oh no, what happened?" Nalan Chyou immediately asks with a gentle and worried gaze, she lightly touches his forehead before retreating quickly in embarrassment, "O-oh! I'm, I'm sorry," She quickly apologises flustered, looking very beautiful in her embarrassment. It would make many young men's heart move seeing such a sight, "I just thought," she bites her lip, "you feel a bit warm.. do you want me to come over later..?"

"Sister Chyou!" Ming Bo exclaims aghast, face red with a mixture of emotions however to a more insightful bystander they could see the jealousy in her eyes, "How can you even dare to enter Zhao Xuefeng's house alone! What if, if he does something beastly to you!"

Nalan Chyou blushes even harder, eyes darting back and forth as she bites her lower lip again, making it even more plump and eye-catchingly red, "I wouldn't mind," she whispers almost inaudibly.

Ming Bo cocks her head puzzledly, "What did you say?"

"N-nothing! Nothing! Ahaha!"

Zhao Xuefeng shakes his head and shrugs, "Girls," He sighs before grinning at Tian Shun, "Am I right?"

Tian Shun smiles, "En," He agrees, "And she's wrong by the way,"

Zhao Xuefeng furrows his brows, this time he is the one confused, "What? Who's wrong about what?"

"Ming Bo," Tian Shun leans over, his silver eyes like moonlight in the daytime, a mysterious and beautiful feeling very different from Nalan Chyou's own sweet elegance, "When she said you looked ugly today, she's wrong you know?" Then he winks, flashing his perfect white teeth in a toothy, teasing grin.

"Ah.." Zhao Xuefeng felt like his heart was beating so fast his heart will collapse at any moment. "R-really? Ha.. that's, um, you, you too-"

"Yo Tian Shun! Come here! I brought over the thing I wanted to show you!" A senior barges into the classroom with a cocky smirk. If Jia Hyson was here Bebe would recognise him as one of the bullies in the story, Li Daguo.

Tian Shun's eyes brighten for a moment, with a vaguely apologetic look he tells Zhao Xuefeng, "Sorry, I have to take this, I'll be back before class starts,"

Hiding his disappointment Zhao Xuefeng gives him a wide smile, "Aiyah," He says jovially, "Don't mind, don't mind ba, one can't help but be popular after all,"

Tian Shun chuckles, "Don't say that, Li Daguo and I are just acquaintances," The implication was that he considered Zhao Xuefeng more of a friend.

Feeling inexplicably very pleased, the smile on his face becomes easier to keep on. "Hahaha, is that so? Well, hurry and go! I'll save you a seat!"

"En," Tian Shun nods gratefully, "Don't copy my homework word for word or we'll both get it from the teacher."

Zhao Xuefeng childishly stuck his tongue out, "Peh! I'm not that much of an idiot!"

Tian Shun chuckles before leaving. Both girls watch him leave, having long finished their own conversation.

"Aiyah, Tian Shun is really too good! As expected of a male god!" Ming Bo praises, her eyes a little dreamy, "Handsome, smart, good at making interpersonal connections… Truly top-notch!"

"Xuefeng.. Brother Xuefeng is also very good too," Nalan Chyou gives Zhao Xuefeng a coy smile, "After all, how else can someone as cool as Tian Shun want to be his friend?"

"Hmph! Even male god's have flaws!" Ming Bo huffs again but she didn't deny it.

Zhao Xuefeng watched Tian Shun leave with Li Daguo, the arrogance in the older boy gone in the presence of the handsome silver-eyed teenager. Seeing how Tian Shun barely even glanced at Li Daguo despite Li Daguo treating the other like his beloved ancestor, Zhao Xuefeng felt a sense of accomplishment and joy. It seems Tian Shun really did think they were friends. His chest felt warm and ticklish at the thought.

…

"Ugh, I cannot believe you're friends with that poor loser," Li Daguo complains as they walk through the halls.

"Friends?" Tian Shun snorts. His warm, friendly demeanour fading a little to reveal a coldness that wasn't present in the classroom. "Heh, not really. Zhao Xuefeng and I are just acquaintances,"

Li Daguo laughs meanly, "As expected! Brother Shun, if I may ask, why are you even hanging out with them then? That Ming Bo bitch is super annoying and while Nalan Chyou is many people's beautiful goddess it's clear she's only stuck on that brat Zhao Xuefeng. And don't even get me started on that freak that tags along with them!"

"Are you questioning me?" Tian Shun asks softly. Li Daguo shudders, a thin layer of cold sweat suddenly covering his back as he felt immense pressure coming from the other.

"Haha of course not! I was merely a little curious!"

Tian Shun chuckles, the tense atmosphere broken by his melodic yet quiet laughter, "Don't panic good brother, I was merely teasing. I find Zhao Xuefeng a little pitiful and the group is slightly amusing that's all."

Li Daguo wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Damn bro! Don't scare me like that! Even if you think that's funny your aura is really too dominating ah, really thought you would pummel me half to death like you did with those other near-sighted fools!"

"I might just," Tian Shun murmurs, then in a louder voice, "Shut up and show me the thing,"

"Roger that boss!"

….

"How's it going Xiao Shun?"

Tian Shun smiles, it's cold and bloodthirsty but for the first time that day it was actually genuine, "Very smooth. I've befriended many people despite the clashing cliques. It was a good idea to start with the Zhao Xuefeng's group first"

Jia Hyson nodded proudly, "Mn, those people will feel a sense of superiority for earning your friendship first, especially since they're somewhat low on the popularity boards. Plus, once you earn other people's respect and admiration, they'll naturally feel jealous that someone as cool as you would prefer Zhao Xuefeng's company over theirs making them try earn your favour even harder. Especially those bullies who look down on that group."

"It's exactly as you said Wei," Tian Shun steps closer to the spirit, throwing his school bag away and staring at Jia Hyson with an expectant look. "However talking with those… things is so very tiring, I deserve a reward don't you think?"

Jia Hyson blinks. This is new. However it must be difficult to handle so many teenage relationships at the same time. He knows he himself couldn't do it. Jia Hyson was the type of friend who liked to make many shallow relationships and only really focus on making one or two friends at a time. "Sure, what do you want Xiao Shun?"

Wasting not even a second, Tian Shun moves in and presses his lips against Jia Hyson's own. Jia Hyson freezes for a moment before immediately reciprocating. He couldn't help it! Tian Shun's body felt so good! Cooling and energising, Jia Hyson pressed himself even closer to the teenager, making the other groan in surprise and delight.

"Wei…" Tian Shun breathes out, "I.. I really do like you."

"En," Jia Hyson absentmindedly mutters, his attention still focused on how good he just felt. He licks his lips, savouring the taste. Silver eyes that had been watching closely darkened in lust. "Uh, what did you just say?"

Bebe: 'Scum. This guy is absolute scum.'

Tian Shun gives one last lingering look at Jia Hyson's lips before looking back up with a dark yet affectionate smile, "It doesn't matter," he assures, "let's talk about Li Daguo and the others that bully Zhao Xuefeng's group."

"What's wrong with them?" Now that they're back to business Jia Hyson's gaze sharpens once again. Despite all his flaws he has a pretty good work ethic.

"I think we should bring them along to the house with Zhao Xuefeng's group. For an even bigger kill count we should probably get even more people," Tian Shun suggests heartlessly, "It will make sure everyone in the house can at least get their fair share of bloodshed."

Jia Hyson pretends to hesitate on it before agreeing. In truth he also felt that four victims against so many ghosts was a little too much overkill. These were no longer weak specters but spirits that had honed their skills in murder. If we kept the same cast wouldn't that turn the Demon House book into a twenty page short story??

Forget lasting the night the oblivious and unprepared brats wouldn't last the hour! No, no, as long as the main character, his love interest and two supporting or main characters are still alive and ready to be sacrificed in the basement he doesn't care how many die in the house.

More importantly... One of the bullies should have a hold of the Book of Curses. A super important prop that should be best hidden somewhere in the house for the group to discover in the second last act or something. Jia Hyson and Li Guiren had tried to search for it over the years but they could only chase shadows and find information long expired from its usefulness.

Now with the plot starting so soon, he can only rely on the Author God's power to let the book fall into the hands of someone relevant to the story and Tian Shun to take it. If that fails, there's always Plan B where they just bring more people with the excuse of doing a scary occult gathering, the person with the book will definitely come with it to show off to Tian Shun.

"You really haven't found the Book of Curses?" Jia Hyson asks.

Tian Shun shakes his head despondently, "When I asked many people seemed to have no idea about it. At best they had some ghost stories." He gives Jia Hyson a sad, pitiful look, "Sorry Wei,"

Jia Hyson melts a little at that. Aiyah, so handsome and yet he can sell meng so skilfully. This kid is too cunning!

Unable to help himself he hugs him, something which Tian Shun fully takes advantage of, wrapping his surprisingly muscular arms around Jia Hyson's thin waist and quickly eating as much tofu as he can before retreating. Because he left so quickly on his own accord Jia Hyson couldn't even scold him for touching places where he shouldn't. Like a thief he moved so swiftly that if Jia Hyson wasn't a ghost who couldn't feel normal touch unless he willed it to be the case and if Tian Shun wasn't the only exception to the rule, he really would have believed it was a trick of the wind.

Shaking his head helplessly Jia Hyson gives him a fond yet irritated smile, "You stinky child! You're lucky I like you."

"I am very lucky," Tian Shun smiles meaningfully.

Aiyah, such a sweet talker too!

Even though he couldn't blush in his ghostly form, Jia Hyson instinctively covered his face and groans in second-hand embarrassment at Tian Shun's sugary words. Because of this, he fails to defend against Tian Shun's surprise attack. Gasping he immediately moves his hands to see Tian Shun's own larger ones firmly gripping his waist and pulling him down from the air.

Once the barrier in front of his face was gone, Tian Shun, the sly little bastard, didn't hesitate to take the opportunity to strike and kiss him once more. This time fiercely pushing their lips together. It wasn't fireworks like the previous world but it was just as mind glowingly good, the yin energy sweetly dark and delicious, stirring the hunger and a long forgotten lust inside Jia Hyson.

He opens his mouth, presenting an invitation that Tian Shun eagerly accepts, sticking his tongue in and devouring Jia Hyson to the point he wondered who was the hungry ghost in this situation?

Answer? It was still him.

Even though Tian Shun was eager, he was still human and eventually the ball fell into Jia Hyson's court. Soon it was Jia Hyson's time to counterattack, sucking the tip of the other's tongue, nipping at those swollen lips, running his own tongue against the inside of Tian Shun's mouth, his eyes had turned a bloody red as the yin energy intoxicated him and coaxed him to take more. "Shun, Shun," He murmurs near deliriously as his pale hands run over the other's muscled body, even though he couldn't get hard instinctively he began to thrust his hips, rutting against the teenager as waves of pleasure seemed to drown him.

"Wei, mhnn, ah, Wei, sto-ah, ahn," Tian Shun gasps and moans, his lower region hard and leaking. Jia Hyson could feel the sizeable member burning up against his body, even though it was warmer than usual, the heat only served to excite Jia Hyson more. The saliva was already enough to get him into this frenzied state, if he tasted Tian Shun's cum would he just directly ascend to heaven?

Pulling back from the lengthy kiss Jia Hyson let's the other pant for breath as he whispers seductively into his ear, "So delicious, I want to swallow your dick and let you fuck my mouth,"

That seemed to be too much stimulation for the teenager, "I'm going to, I'm going-" Tian Shun groans, he hugs Jia Hyson tightly before his body jerks and shudders. Jia Hyson was a little disappointed at how short it was but then again, Tian Shun was still young ah. Not everyone could be a male lead in a smutty romance story.

Then as the feelings of ecstasy went away, Jia Hyson's logic and tattered sense of decency came back and he wanted to kick himself for losing control. He got so easily seduced! Oh god! Li Guiren is going to exorcise him! No, Li Guiren is going to murder Tian Shun THEN exorcise him!

Bebe: '…And you wondered why you deserved the [Corrupter of Children] skill.'

Jia Hyson: '…Way to rub the salt in ah.'

However even though he was berating himself, years as a spirit have really ground down most of his morality. Even though there was a vague feeling of shame and guilt, Jia Hyson quickly got over it and lowered his bottom line even further down then before. Still, that didn't stop him from being a little awkward.

"Xiao Shun…" He calls out to the heavily breathing Tian Shun.

In response to the call he raises his head up, his gorgeous face tinted pink with exertion and sweat, making him look debauched and incredibly sexy, his hormones practically flying everywhere. Jia Hyson had to swallow down his ghostly saliva at the sight, recalling just how good it felt to touch the younger man. "Xiao Shun, you, why don't you go shower," he coughs, "It's getting late, you should, um, you should study and go to sleep."

Luckily Tian Shun was considerate and didn't mention the sun hadn't even set yet. "Okay," He replies obediently, voice hoarse and baritone as he stares at Wei with pleasure and satisfaction. "Goodnight Wei," Tian Shun smiles, a soft, loving smile, before heading back to his bedroom leaving Jia Hyson to float alone in the middle of the room.

Once the door lock clicked shut Jia Hyson put a hand to his forehead and sighs, "Raising kids is really hard ah."

Bebe: '…' Raising kids may be hard but raising host is clearly the hardest hehe

….

After locking the door and making sure there were no prying eyes around he sighs in faint relief before pulling out a large, ancient and intimidating book from his satchel. It had a dark leather cover, old blood stains all over it and bindings that were engraved with an ancient language he couldn't read.

Carefully he frees the book, opening it up and flicking through it until he finally found the page of the ritual that had enraptured him before.

The Binding of Shadows.

Carefully he traces the words and repeats excitedly the description engraved into the old parchment, "Like shadow and light, one impossible without the other. They are each other's prisons and each other's freedom, intertwined and unable to be separated. Forever may be a reward or a curse but it still has the same price."

Tian Shun smiles. It's still soft, it's still loving and yet it made it all the more sinister.

"Wei… soon… soon you'll be mine and mine alone."

Jia Hyson, who was looking forward for the story to start suddenly sneezed.

Jia Hyson: '??? Ghosts can sneeze???'

Bebe: 'Ghosts can cry, why can't they sneeze? Both actions have the function of clearing dirt and irritation in the given area ah.'

Jia Hyson: 'Oh.' Even though it makes sense why does it still feel quite wrong? Whatever, it's probably not important. The plot should be starting in just over a week, he needs to do his best to try finalise the details and makes sure nothing too drastic happens.

[WARNING! WARNING! A WORLDBREAKER HAS ENTERED THE WORLD! REPEAT! A WORLDBREAKER HAS ENTERED THE WORLD! PLEASE PROCEED CAREFULLY!]

Jia Hyson: ( •᷄ὤ•᷅)?!?!

Motherfucker! What the heck is this garbage?!