I Got My Cheat Skill by Acting My Way into a Horror Protagonist Role Chapter 43

"Hurry, hurry—"

Urgent voices came from behind as several young servants carrying pastry boxes ran past Xu Zisheng.

They all moved with brisk steps, their faces somewhat blurred but faintly showing traces of gentle smiles. "We can't keep the head steward waiting..."

Further away, several maids had set up clotheslines in the courtyard, gradually hanging clothes, sheets, and bedding from laundry baskets.

They chatted and joked while working, their eyes sparkling with youthful spirit. A few fragmented phrases drifted to Xu Zisheng's ears: "Oh, Yuxiu, you get to go listen to the piano again today..."

"Stop teasing me!... The young master treats everyone this kindly!"

"I heard from the old madam that we'll be going on a spring outing in the next couple of days..."

Xu Zisheng walked forward, the passing figures around him paying him no attention. He was like a lonely ghost who had stumbled into this place, catching a fleeting glimpse of an era from a century ago.

Passing through winding corridors, he left the busy rear courtyard and moved toward the more forward areas.

Outside a large hall, an elderly woman wearing an apron brandished a broom as she chased away a young man who looked like a page boy.

The boy with somewhat messy short hair tightly protected the books in his arms before the old woman's broom could reach him, shouting,

"I finished it long ago! The young master said I could rest! You need to be careful—these books the young master gave me are precious!"

The old woman looked at his sly expression, helplessly laughing and scolding, "Alright, alright, you better study properly, less of your clever tricks, don't disappoint the young master."

Page boy Lin Ming scrambled to his feet, clutching the books to his chest. "I know, Auntie He! I always remember how well the young master treats me!"

"Lin Ming, let's go! Something's come up!" Someone called him from around the corridor corner. Lin Ming responded, carefully tucking the books into his clothes before bouncing over. "Coming, coming!"

This didn't feel like a strictly ordered deep mansion, but more like a warm, ordinary 'home.'

Xu Zisheng grew more curious about the young master they mentioned and continued walking toward where the faint sound of piano music seemed to come from.

But when he passed through a door in the inner pathway, the surroundings seemed to darken. The weather and time appeared to have changed somewhat, and the scenery became more desolate.

The servants walking by seemed more subdued, the entire mansion falling silent, shrouded by an invisible, faint shadow. Everyone seemed burdened with worries.

"I heard the fighting up north is really fierce..."

"These times are so unstable, who knows when it will reach us..."

"Xiaoyue and the others left recently too, the young master said something about supporting the front lines..."

"I saw the young master arguing with the old madam the day before yesterday, saying he wanted to go to the war zone..."

They walked hurriedly, but without the cheerful laughter from before, their brows slightly furrowed as they passed by Xu Zisheng with sighs.

Gradually, the surroundings grew darker and more familiar. Suppressing the guess in his heart, Xu Zisheng lengthened his stride.

There were almost no people around now.

Then, the familiar courtyard filled with green bamboo and cypress appeared before him, and the piano piece that had been like 'a half-hidden pipa' finally echoed clearly in his ears.

Xu Zisheng saw the page boy Lin Ming, now taller and more mature-looking, pacing outside the courtyard gate, his face showing hesitation and inner conflict.

Finally, he revealed an expression of determination, bowed repeatedly toward the courtyard, then picked up his bundle and left this place.

Beside him, it seemed completely empty now.

Realizing this, Xu Zisheng lightly stepped forward, passing the tall bamboo and cypress, passing the stone table for tea drinking, pushing open the door, walking up the simple yet luxurious antique wooden staircase, heading toward the second floor.

The feeling underfoot was incredibly sticky, making his steps feel heavy. An extremely faint smell of burning drifted lightly in the air.

"Click—"

Xu Zisheng stood before the study door, then gently raised his hand and pushed it open.

At the far end of the room, near the window, a slightly slender figure sat with his back to him, playing the piano. His bony, slender fingers danced nimbly across the keys, the distant melody floating far, far away.

Only when the final note fell did the player gently turn to face the visitor at the door.

Seeing the handsome, peaceful performer who still retained some youthful appearance, Xu Zisheng pressed his lips tightly together.

Indeed, it was the [Writer]—

His past self—

The scholarly young man was clearly somewhat surprised by Xu Zisheng's sudden intrusion. His eyes flickered, but quickly calmed.

In just an instant, the aura around the dignified young noble completely changed, becoming as calm as stagnant water, restrained and steady, unfathomable.

"Young friend..." The awakened [Writer] smiled gently, his elegant, gentle eyes lowered. He sat quietly on the piano bench, his bony, slender fingers finally moving away from the black and white keys.

The [Writer]'s appearance gradually changed, his features softening, his ink-black hair flowing over his shoulders again, his long gown transforming into a plainer style, a light white as if in mourning.

Xu Zisheng walked over and stood on the other side near the window, looking at the Writer. "Mr. Yan—"

The [Writer] showed no expression of disturbance or reproach at Xu Zisheng's intrusion.

Gently picking up manuscripts—whether musical scores or articles—placed beside the piano, the [Writer] came to the windowsill, then raised his hand and scattered them, watching the papers flutter through the air before drifting down in showers.

His gaze rested tenderly on the falling papers as he said softly, "How embarrassing... So I still wish to drown in that irretrievable past?..."

The showering papers, upon touching the ground, seemed to be scorched by fire, rapidly turning to ashes.

The entire illusionary world twisted, towering flames quickly spreading through the entire old mansion, tearing apart the originally peaceful and beautiful scene. Ruthless red tongues of fire devoured everything.

They were leaving the illusion.

Xu Zisheng looked at the Writer, faintly hearing spirited laughter and conversation, impassioned and fervent proclamations, the roar of cannons and clash of swords, heart-wrenching questioning, and panicked, desperate cries for help.

Hearing—

The weeping of the being before him—

In a daze, he seemed to see the [Writer] kneeling atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, among numerous graves, his long gown soaked with blood, despair filling his eyes, those fingers that could play piano and write literature already broken inch by inch, empty and gone.

Everything moved away from them, space continuously collapsing.

The [Writer] maintained that gentle, peaceful expression throughout, unconcerned about having his past inadvertently glimpsed. Only, his gaze never left the gradually disappearing old mansion.

An indescribable, ancient, profound loneliness heavily enveloped him, making it impossible to break free, suffocating in the deep sea day after day.

The nighttime rooftop was bitterly cold, the black mist seeming denser. They had completely emerged from the illusion.

Xu Zisheng gently stood up, clearly seeing the [Writer] standing beside him, lightly leaning on a gentleman's cane, his face covered with a light white band, a faint smile always hanging at the corner of his mouth. "A good dream, after all..."

"However—"

"I overslept a bit—"

The [Writer] looked toward where Chen Ze's dead remains lay—only half a skeleton remained now.

Xu Zisheng also looked over, but before he could understand what this meant, he felt the residential building beneath his feet shaking violently, the entire rooftop trembling.

Dense clusters of black beetles had somehow already eroded this entire residential area.

The closed eyes on their shells began to open little by little, carrying an indescribable aura, forming boundless eyeless eyes.

The eyeless eyes slowly opened, and then the entire Sunshine Residential Area stood as if within that enormous eyeless eye.

A black-red magic circle hundreds of meters in diameter surrounded the entire residential area, eerie and complex blood-red patterns continuously connecting, becoming more complete. An immensely powerful force manifested in this area.

Blood-red light shot skyward from the entire magic circle, tightly enveloping the whole residential area.

Rules were being twisted—

Space was being broken—

An indescribable colossal force slowly tore apart everything, attempting to drag this residential area away from its original world. Falsehood and reality intertwined, the boundary separating worlds continuously fading—

The entire residential area flickered in and out of sight, the bright blue sky and blood-red sky constantly alternating.

The real world.

Country Z.

Maple City, Fifth District [Tianji] Branch.

Red alerts sounded throughout the entire base, lights flashing continuously, accompanied by relentless roaring alarms.

"Warning! Warning! Warning! Strange energy fluctuations detected in the southern suburbs!!!"

"Energy values continuously rising!!!"

"Warning! Warning!!!!"

"Target energy cannot be specifically detected, [Death God Level] alert!!!!"