<<Come on, Smile>>

[Content Warning: This chapter contains a depiction of violence, including the killing of children. Reader discretion is advised.]

In a cheap apartment on Muxin Hua ^[1] Hibiscus Flower Avenue, late at night.

Edmund woke up from another nightmare.

Moonlight gently filtered through the window as he sat on the bed, staring blankly at the scene before him.

In just a few days, Edmund appeared utterly haggard. Ever since he was haunted by this unknown entity, he had constantly felt its presence.

The faucet would spew out blood, footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, and he would wake up to find his hands and shoe prints covered in his own blood, with fresh scratches on his arms. The incessant whispers in his dreams were driving him nearly insane.

Suddenly, a twisted shadow flashed across the floor, moving so quickly it seemed like an illusion.

But he knew it wasn’t an illusion.

Since the investigation at that villa, this inexplicable entity had attached itself to him. Edmund had no idea what it was. He was just an intern investigator at the Inspection Bureau, and the common bizarre phenomena covered in his training had nothing like this.

He wanted to call his teammates for help, but the thought of their disdainful and indifferent gazes left him speechless, as if his throat were constricted by a fishbone.

Each time he took out the leader’s number, he hesitated to press the button.

He knew better than anyone that if his mental state deteriorated during his internship, he would likely be dismissed and never allowed to return to the Inspection Bureau.

If it meant going back to that filthy, muddy place, he would rather die here.

Once again, the apartment fell into chaos. He vaguely saw someone standing at the door, and Edmund let out a terrified scream. Instinctively, he turned on the light, but as soon as the light came on, the eerie phenomenon disappeared.

Angry curses came from his neighbor next door. This apartment’s cheap rent came with the worst soundproofing imaginable, and over the past few days, Edmund had already received several complaints from his neighbors due to the strange occurrences.

A few more, and he would likely be kicked out.

When that happened, where would he go?

He would probably die—either driven insane by this unknown anomaly or killed when it got bored of him.

Loneliness, despair, and other negative emotions instantly engulfed Edmund, making him feel as if he had returned to the slums of his childhood—a filthy, muddy place where hope seemed forever out of reach.

Because of his gift called “intuition,” he was never accepted by those around him, no matter where he was. He was always labeled a “fraud,” “lunatic,” or “liar.” When he grew up, the Inspection Bureau noticed his gift, and he thought he had finally escaped his desperate situation, finding companions who could accept him and see the same world he did. But in the end, he realized he would still die alone in this cheap apartment, in a miserable and insignificant way.

No one celebrated his birth, and no one cared about his death.

Edmund clutched his head, using all his strength to drive away the overwhelming negative emotions. His bloodshot eyes blinked—he hadn’t slept more than four hours in the past few days. Both his body and mind were at their limits.

The apartment’s clock emitted a piercing sound.

Edmund snapped back to reality and noticed that the clock’s hands were pointing exactly to midnight. He hurriedly lay back down, trying to clear his mind and imagine the sensation of his body sinking into water.

Fortunately, the exhaustion of the past few days brought on a wave of drowsiness. In a state between waking and dreaming, Edmund managed to enter a space shrouded in thick fog, with a platform suspended in the void beneath his feet.

[Dream Rift]

That’s what the Inspection Bureau called this void-like space.

Only a select few could enter this special space on the edge of midnight, between wakefulness and dreams. It was a Stairway to Heaven, a Babel Tower, the only hope bestowed upon humanity by the gods.

In this world, there existed unexplainable anomalies and unspeakable eldritch gods, but the world was not entirely without hope. To those who understood the mysteries of the world, this [Dream Rift], accessible only to humans, was seen as the path to salvation.

At the same time, this was also Edmund’s only lifeline.

Edmund regained his senses, finding himself already standing on the platform, holding a kerosene lamp. Beneath him was a staircase extending into the unknown. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately took a step forward.

As soon as he stepped onto the staircase, the surrounding mist immediately surged toward him, but the kerosene lamp in his hand dispelled most of it. Even so, he could still hear strange whispers echoing in his ears. Remembering the teachings of his predecessors, he made a conscious effort to ignore the voices.

The staircase wasn’t long, but he found each step extremely difficult. He had to deliberate for a long time before daring to place his foot down. At some point, his forehead had become drenched with cold sweat, and the kerosene lamp in his hand began to flicker dangerously.

Under normal circumstances, he would have given up by now, but there was no turning back this time.

Edmund steeled himself, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to continue. Finally, he reached the first platform just before the kerosene lamp went out.

As he stepped onto the first platform, he let out a sigh of relief, only to realize that the kerosene lamp in his hand was now flickering dangerously, as if it could go out at any moment. The light it cast had shrunk from a two-meter diameter to just a few centimeters around his feet.

If he didn’t leave before the kerosene lamp went out, he risked being lost forever in the fog of the dreamscape.

But in reality, Edmund was running out of time. His heart was filled with urgency. He’d completely forgotten the leader’s warning to stay calm and retreat if necessary within the [Dream Rift].

Desperately, he searched the first platform for the stairs leading to the next level, but no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find them.

Suddenly, Edmund whipped around, feeling as though someone had walked behind him.

But there was nothing to see, though faint rustling sounds echoed around him.

In the eerie mist, losing his sense of sight was terrifying because he never knew if there was a creature lurking, ready to pounce.

Edmund’s heartbeat quickened; he couldn’t take it anymore. He closed his eyes, trying to force himself back to reality.

One second, two seconds passed.

Edmund opened his eyes and, to his despair, found that he hadn’t returned to reality. Worse still, the kerosene lamp in his hand seemed to have completely gone out.

But it wasn’t over yet. To his horror, Edmund suddenly noticed a tall figure standing right in front of him, its appearance unknown until now.

He slowly lifted his head, and then he saw—

A clown emerged from the mist, its face painted deathly white like peeling paint, with a grotesque grin stretched to its ears, baring a gaping, bloody maw.

Overwhelmed by a surge of immense fear, Edmund’s body instantly became uncontrollable. He heard a tremendous wail, one that no human could possibly produce, and then realized it was his own scream tearing from his throat.

Edmund jolted awake, finding himself back in reality. The lingering despair and fear clung to him, shadows that wouldn’t let go. He sat on his bed in a daze, hugging himself tightly.

“I’m sorry, leader.”

Tears began to fall, one by one, as his heart filled with bitterness toward reality and disappointment in his own cowardice.

He knew, he understood that the key to passing the first level of the Dream Rift was to confront his own [fear].

The Inspection Bureau had a well-established pattern: the first platform would manifest the thing one feared most in their subconscious. If they could conquer that fear, the mist would dissipate, marking the first step into the extraordinary.

But he just… couldn’t do it.

The clown was the embodiment of Edmund’s deepest fear, a relic of a time in his life that he would never want to remember.

Moonlight poured gently through the window as always, like a cold, aloof goddess, indifferent to the happenings of the world—both compassionate and distant.

Edmund was out of options; he had tried every method of self-rescue he could think of.

What else could he do… What else is there…

Suddenly, something came to mind. He quickly raised his head and looked toward the bedside table.

There lay a sheet of white paper, resting quietly. It was something he had received from Ranen’s therapy room. According to the Inspection Bureau’s regulations, investigators were strictly forbidden from interacting with eldritch beings or seeking anything from them. Anything obtained from such entities was supposed to be either surrendered or destroyed.

Yet, for some reason, Edmund hadn’t immediately disposed of it.

That is the spider’s thread extending from hell, he thought.

But this thread wasn’t lowered by Buddha; it was by an eldritch god.

—-

On this particular day, Ranen was in his Psychotherapy Room, mulling over the magic circle he had previously drawn in the Kamui tribe.

Although the event had passed and Ranen had no intention of getting involved any further, this matter still lingered in his mind, impossible to easily dismiss.

After all, it involved an eldritch god, so it was something that couldn’t be taken too lightly.

With this in mind, Ranen racked his brain, trying to recall the information he had acquired in his previous life from the game, in an effort to understand what had transpired earlier.

Why did the magic circle work without a specific prayer? Which eldritch god did it connect to? And what was the cost?

Not knowing the answers to these questions kept him from sleeping soundly.

As Ranen was deep in thought, his hands began to move almost instinctively, recreating the magic circle he had used with the Kamui tribe.

Naturally, nothing happened.

In fact, that was the expected outcome. It was the previous time when it worked that had been truly strange.

*Ding-a-ling—*

The door to the Psychotherapy Room was pushed open from the outside, and the sound of a wind chime echoed crisply. Ranen looked up and saw a familiar face—a client he had met once before. He flashed a perfectly timed smile and said, “Ah, it’s you. Welcome.”

—-

To Edmund, that smile seemed like that of a hunter who had been expecting and waiting for his prey, a smile that suggested a trap already set.

And the prey who willingly stepped into the trap… was, of course, himself.

Edmund silently took a seat across from Ranen, his mind filled with doubt and conflict.

He knew that his actions were undoubtedly a betrayal of the Inspection Bureau’s code of conduct. If it were discovered that he had sought out an eldritch being, he would be tried in the Bureau’s internal court, and the outcome would almost certainly be a death sentence.

But he really had no other choice.

—-

“Mr. Edmund, right?” Ranen reviewed the previous therapy records, and the subdued memories began to surface. He squinted, recalling that Edmund was the client who had tried to get a free session last time.

Such clients returning presented an opportunity to turn them into regulars, and Ranen was not going to let this chance slip by.

“Have you resolved the issue from last time?”

Edmund remained silent for a long time, his throat dry. “It’s… no longer relevant.”

Ranen nodded and made a note in the records, noting that the situation had worsened and the client might have lost his job.

Ah, workplace conflicts are always a persistent issue, no matter the time.

“I—I want to know how to solve the current problem,” Edmund said after much hesitation, finally choosing to seek help from the eldritch being.

A problem? Didn’t the workplace conflict already end with resignation? Ranen twirled his pen, noticing the fear and unease reflected in Edmund’s eyes.

Moreover, whenever Ranen looked at him, Edmund would instinctively avert his gaze, unable to meet his eyes directly.

Is he suffering from a workplace PUA ^[2]PUA stands for “Pick-Up Artist.” It refers to a person who practices techniques aimed at attracting or seducing others, often using manipulative or deceptive tactics. In this context, it … Continue reading-induced blow, starting to lose confidence? Such situations are quite common.

Rebuilding confidence for someone who has a psychological scar from their job isn’t simple. It requires a period of honest communication and, depending on the situation, either short-term or long-term therapy.

This can’t be had for free; otherwise, he would be at a loss.

Ranen tactfully said, “This will require a certain cost.”

Therapy fee!

—-

Edmund pursed his lips, showing a bitter smile. Indeed, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Making a deal with an eldritch being would inevitably come with a cost beyond ordinary imagination.

He lowered his head. “I understand.”

He had already steeled himself mentally.

—-

Ranen was satisfied. He was finally getting a job that matched his role as a psychologist, rather than just collecting money and making small talk with clients.

This will be a good start.

With Edmund confirmed as his client, Ranen became more serious. He straightened his posture and, meeting Edmund’s anxious gaze, said, “Describe your situation over the past few days.”

Situation… Edmund shivered, and after a while, his voice hoarse, he said, “I… I can’t take it anymore. I haven’t been able to sleep these past few days. It keeps tormenting me, and I feel like I’m going to go insane. But I can’t solve it… I just can’t. I’m so scared, I can’t overcome my fear.”

His speech was disjointed, the sequence was out of order, and his logic was fragmented. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he might snap at any moment.

Ranen was startled. He hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly. Is this like one of those bloodsucking sweatshops?

His expression grew serious, but he still maintained a calm and gentle demeanor. “Don’t be nervous, Edmund. Tell me, what exactly are you afraid of?”

“I… I,” Edmund hesitated.

“Don’t worry,” Ranen said. “If you tell me what you’re afraid of, I can help you resolve the issue.”

If Edmund had any rationality left, he might wonder why Ranen wasn’t directly helping him. But at that moment, Edmund was in a state of utter despair. After a pause, he bowed his head and said slowly:

“Actually, it’s a very simple story.”

//—-

A circus came to perform for free near the slums, and all the children went to watch. But no one knew that the clown of the circus was a psychopath who loved torturing and killing children.

This was the most lawless part of the city, a jungle where gangs thrived. Compared to the children in the city, no one cared if a few kids from here went missing. No parents would report it to the police; they were too caught up in drugs, cigarettes, and sex to care about their kids.

Edmund was one of the victims when he was a child.

He hid in a cupboard and watched the clown brutally murder his playmates. The ground was covered in blood, flowing from those small bodies. Those eyes, still staring at him as they lost their light, seemed to ask why he didn’t save them. Then the clown pulled him out of the cupboard, touched the corners of his mouth, and traced a knife along them:

“Why don’t you smile? With such a pitiful face, kid, let me tell you something—when you’re in the most desperate situation, that’s when you should smile the most. Because people like me want nothing more than to see your fear.”

—-//

Even though more than ten years had passed, Edmund could still repeat every word that murderous clown had said to him. He looked up at Ranen, who was now utterly bewildered, and without even realizing it, a smile had crept onto his own face.

[Come on, give me a smile.]

“Come on, give me a smile.”

Ranen’s pupils slightly contracted. In that brief moment, he seemed to see a faint trace of madness, a splash of crimson red, staining the corners of Edmund’s mouth.

But it seemed to be just an illusion, a fleeting moment. Edmund remained in that same state of despair, clutching his head in agony. “I can never forget that moment. He lifted me up, the knife pressed against my chin, and I saw blood… a sea of red.”

“And then?” Ranen couldn’t help but ask.

“And then… I was saved. The police came, the clown died, lying in a pool of blood, his throat slit by his own knife.” Edmund muttered.

“Did the police break in?”

“I don’t know, maybe… maybe they did.”

But that scene became an indelible nightmare for Edmund. Even though he was rescued afterward, to this day, he still hadn’t overcome the fear that gripped his heart.

Hearing this, Ranen fell silent. He had initially thought that Edmund’s current state was solely due to workplace issues, but it seemed that the situation was far more complex than he had imagined.

It might even involve deep-seated childhood trauma.

Ranen twirled his pen, realizing that he needed to rethink his treatment plan. He originally intended to send Edmund home, but then he noticed a glimmer of hope in Edmund’s eyes.

“…” Ranen took a deep breath and said, “First of all, solving this problem requires you to regain your confidence.”

“You’ve been tormented by the pain of the past, but the fact that you’ve made it through so many years shows that you’ve already started to forget those memories. It’s likely that something triggered a relapse of your PTSD.”

Ranen understood the psychology of someone who has been subjected to workplace PUA. Being constantly suppressed can lead to self-doubt, making one feel worthless and reliant on others’ commands.

The process of regaining confidence is the process of rediscovering your true self.

“You need to return to your true self.”

What? Isn’t he going to directly help him deal with the strange entity haunting him? Edmund felt a bit confused. “So when will I be able to completely resolve this problem?”

“That will require a catalyst.”

Maybe he will suddenly figure it out one day or find a new job and a friendlier working environment, and then the psychological trauma and PTSD caused by the previous job will naturally disappear.

—-

Edmund left Ranen’s Psychotherapy Room with a slight sense of confusion. The process of seeking help from an evil god was completely different from what he had imagined. He had been prepared to sell his soul to the devil, ready to sacrifice everything in exchange for help. Yet, he emerged unscathed, and the evil god hadn’t used any supernatural powers—only offered a few pieces of advice.

Could this really… work?

Edmund gazed at the sky outside the psychological clinic, still filled with anxiety. When will this so-called catalyst actually come?

“I’m telling you, that butterfly specimen is really hard to find. Shushu Hao and I have searched almost the entire city and still can’t find it…”

Butterfly?

Edmund’s eyes suddenly widened. The word “butterfly” had been constantly appearing in his mind lately. Every time something strange happened, a voice would whisper in his ear, saying things like “Butterfly, butterfly, fly away.”

Could this be the catalyst?

Edmund hurriedly stopped the three players who were about to enter the psychological treatment room. “Are you looking for a butterfly?”

The three players—Ye Ye Hao, Baba Hao, and Shushu Hao—had originally come to see Ranen out of desperation, hoping to get some clues after their own investigation had hit a dead end. Just as they were about to go in, they were stopped by an NPC.

The three of them exchanged glances, noticing that Edmund had just come out of the Psychotherapy Room. “Yes, we are. Why do you ask?”

“What… what kind of butterfly?” Edmund asked.

“Uh, it’s black and red, with patterns on its wings that look like eyes…” Ye Ye Hao began to explain, but before he could finish, Edmund’s expression suddenly changed. He heard that nightmarish voice again in his ear.

[Butterfly…]

[The butterfly is going to fly away…]

It is that creature again. Edmund bit down hard on his lip. What had previously only appeared at night was now invading his daytime reality.

But fortunately, the strange phenomena that usually occurred at night hadn’t appeared yet. He forced himself to regain composure and asked, “Right, do you know where it is?”

Ye Ye Hao shook his head. “We’re still looking for it. If anyone knows where it might be, it could only be Ranen.”

Edmund hesitated, glancing back at the door of the psychological treatment room. But then Ye Ye Hao added, “Even if you ask him, he probably won’t tell you.”

Seeing Edmund’s questioning look, Ye Ye Hao shrugged and said, “After all, if you know the answer directly, it can’t be called a game, and the officials wouldn’t do that.”

However, the game blocked his words, so what Edmund ultimately heard was, “After all, if you know the answer directly, it can’t be called a test, and he wouldn’t do that.”

A test? A test indeed. As expected, making a deal with a god isn’t that simple. But Edmund had no energy left for any kind of test.

Noticing Edmund’s disappointment, Ye Ye Hao continued in a calm tone, “We’ve already gathered some clues. It seems like you’re also searching for the butterfly, sir? Perhaps we could exchange information?”

Edmund, in truth, knew nothing about the butterfly. Even if he wanted to trade, he had no useful clues to offer. But with hope right in front of him, he couldn’t let it slip away. So, Edmund nodded.

—-

On the other side.

After Karens returned to the Black Poker’s headquarters, he wasted no time in reporting his conversation with Ranen to the leader of Black Poker.

“I think we need to seriously consider the weight of Ranen’s words. It would be best to quickly find out who within Black Poker stole the butterfly specimen known as the Soul-Eating Butterfly.”

The leader didn’t respond immediately, instead giving Karens a look filled with complex emotions.

Karens was puzzled. “What’s wrong, boss?”

“It’s nothing. I understand. I’ll have someone take care of this; you don’t need to worry about it.”

Karens was somewhat confused. Previously, all matters related to Ranen had been handled by him personally. But since the boss had already said this, Karens didn’t see a need to argue. After receiving his orders, he turned and left the leader’s office.

After Karens left, the leader of Black Poker sat in his seat, staring at the information his subordinates had delivered. For a moment, he was uncertain about what to do.

“What’s wrong? Having regrets?”

A strange voice suddenly echoed through the Black Poker leader’s office, startling the boss. However, he quickly composed himself and looked toward the source of the voice.

A young man, whose face was obscured, was leaning against the wall next to the office door. It was unclear when he had arrived.

The leader of Black Poker maintained a stern expression. “Of course not.”

In truth, he was indeed beginning to regret his decisions.

He had followed this mysterious man’s orders and sent three people to secretly attack Ranen’s apartment at night, but none of them had returned.

The leader voiced his concerns honestly. “Regarding the upcoming banquet, I’m worried that our arrangements might not pose any threat to him.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Amos said with a smile. “The Soul-Eating Butterfly… I didn’t expect to encounter such a rare thing here. It’s a ready-made tool, already delivered to us.”

Joel lowered his head, pondering for a moment. “I understand.”

When he looked up again, the mysterious young man had already vanished.