Chapter 69 The Great Possession and Exorcism Operation
As night fell, the production crew's car stopped in front of a brightly lit yakitori restaurant.
The flashing neon lights proclaimed "Specialty Grilled Chicken Shop," and the air was filled with the aroma of grilled meat and the rich scent of sauce. The crew members, in high spirits, smiled and ushered you into the shop.
You few ordinary people from the Flower Kingdom naturally sit together, even though now only you and Xiao Zhou can still be considered outsiders.
You don't want to participate in these unnecessary things, but you also don't want to go straight home.
After all, who knows what kind of person this translator is? She got your permission to enter the house the first time she appeared, along with the production team.
And you were completely unaware that you had spent so much time with her in such a subtle way.
You may be affected by it far more than you think.
Seeing that you were stiff and your eyes were wandering around, looking absent-minded, Xiao Zhou warmly invited you to sit to her left so she could serve you food and pour you drinks.
You were about to decline, telling her not to be so polite, when the voice that had been pressed against the back of your head for hours without you noticing anything amiss finally spoke up: "Why are you so scared?"
The translator—let's call her that for now—is communicating with you even closer than before. If you turn around, you'll find her pressed against your back, right next to your ear.
You tried hard to control your expression and didn't turn around, but your body trembled slightly.
What's even more chilling is that her voice, which was previously businesslike, is now extremely ambiguous and intimate, as if you were longtime best friends or just your inner ramblings.
“Sit down, I’ll help you,” she said softly. Her voice tickled your eardrums, but not a breath escaped.
"Help me?" You sneered inwardly, determined to ignore her, but her voice followed you relentlessly.
When the waiter hands you the menu, you immediately say in Japanese, "おすすめをください。" (I recommend it.)
However, this is not what you wanted to say.
When you thought she was translating for you, she was actually speaking through your mouth. Now, realizing this, you are horrified to feel another "person's" voice coming from your own mouth.
Your muscles, the position of your tongue, how your teeth are positioned, the thickness of your vocal cords... You feel like a patient who has been bedridden for years and is undergoing rehabilitation. Apart from your consciousness, nothing is your own; everything is just being pulled by machines and external forces.
You realize that she is "translating" for you, or even speaking directly through your mouth.
"What...are you?" you ask yourself.
If she doesn't reply, it means things are okay; if she does reply... at least you won't have to talk to yourself like a lunatic.
You're an optimist, huh.
“I am you.” Her answer was light and casual, as if she were stating something perfectly natural.
"Don't talk nonsense. I am me, and you are you. What exactly do you want?" You gritted your teeth, unable to control your facial expression, and could only stuff grilled meat into your mouth to cover it up.
“I just want to help you, to help you ‘integrate’ better.” Her tone was calm, but every word sent chills down your spine. “You don’t speak Japanese, so it must be difficult for you here. I’m here to help you. See, we’re working together very well, aren’t we?”
"What is the price?" you ask.
"Hehe." She laughed. "No price to pay."
I don't believe you!
“I can hear you,” she said. “After all, I am you.”
Then shut up.
You tear off a piece of chicken breast the size of your fingernail, chew it a few times, but it's not enough to vent your anger, so you have to swallow the pitiful amount of meat.
The others at the table were chatting enthusiastically. In addition to the director, several assistant directors, assistants, and Mio also came over and raised their glasses to thank everyone for their hard work today.
Your mouth started moving on its own again, uttering the subconscious response you had in your mind.
"You'd better not say anything out of line," you warned the translator, then after a moment you realized, "No, you can only translate what I'm thinking and what I want to say into Japanese, right?"
"I am you, why would I hurt myself?" she said lightly, neither confirming nor denying.
Xiao Zhou and you only met today, yet she still noticed something was off about you. She lowered her voice and asked you in the language of flowers—it seems the translator has manipulated your perception of language, and you can only rely on logic to judge that Xiao Zhou only uses the language of flowers to whisper to you: "What's wrong? Don't you like this scene? Why do you feel so down?"
"I'm alright," you said, trying to sound calm, but your voice betrayed your nervousness.
Xiao Zhou tilted her head and looked at you questioningly: "Are you really okay?" But she didn't press you too much about things you didn't want to talk about, and just offered a few words of comfort: "We were just chatting and drinking together. The rules in Japan and Korea are quite similar. We're just outsiders, so we should just be good juniors who eat and drink here. Remember not to eat too much—ah, but you're a big eater, so you can eat as much as you want, it's okay."
You gave Xiao Zhou a perfunctory smile, then lowered your head and continued to think of a solution.
“I can hear everything,” the translator said.
knew! !
The conversation at the table suddenly shifted to Japanese shrine culture. Mio, who was in charge of setting the mood, mentioned, "Actually, many Japanese folk tales about ghosts and monsters are related to shrines. For example, the teru teru bozu (a Japanese doll used in the photoshoot today) is said by many people to be used for curses."
"A curse? Isn't that something used to pray for sunny days?" Xiao Zhou asked in surprise.
“That depends on how you use it,” Mio explained with a smile. “If you draw a weird smiley face on the head of a teru teru bozu and hang it upside down, it won’t bring sunshine, but rather disaster.”
“If you want to ward off evil spirits, generally speaking, sprinkling salt, using a mirror, or a bell are good home remedies,” Mio said. “Speaking of which, these methods all came from your Flower Country. You should be the experts who know these things.”
A burst of laughter erupted at the dinner table.
The translator, whether out of provocation or something else, translates every word for you as usual—in a way that makes it seem as if you could understand it yourself.
“These things are useless.” Her voice suddenly interrupted your thoughts.
You look up abruptly, facing a small metal decoration on the wall in front of you. Your face in the reflection looks somewhat unfamiliar. Your eyes are deep-set, and a strange smile plays on your lips—it's clearly her smiling through you.
“You can’t get rid of me.” Her voice carried a hint of mockery.
"What exactly do you want?" you asked in a low voice.
“I’ve said it before, I am you, I just want to be with you.” Her voice grew more intimate. “Don’t struggle, it’s better for both of us this way.”
You take a deep breath, suppressing the urge to punch yourself. Just then, the waiter brings out a large plate of grilled chicken skewers, their aroma enticing you, but you have no appetite.
As you casually flip through the meat on your plate, you notice some salt shakers on the table, which are used to sprinkle on the grilled meat.
Didn't you say you weren't afraid? Then let's give it a try.
You casually pick up the salt shaker and secretly sprinkle salt into your palm. Then, you clench the salt and quietly sprinkle it around your chair, silently reciting a purification prayer—the same one the translator had recited by the well at the shrine.
You only memorize some similar pronunciations, but you deliberately pronounce them unclearly. At first glance, they really do sound the same, and they might actually be useful.
The voice from the back of my head suddenly became urgent: "What are you doing?"
You didn't answer, you just kept sprinkling salt until you felt the air around you become a little lighter.
So you were just being stubborn.
"Even if this thing causes a little damage, it's far from enough to get rid of me." The translator's voice was tinged with exasperation.
Yeah?
"Mio." You stand up and, using your translator's skills, smoothly toast Mio and converse with her, "You really know a lot about these customs. By the way, do you have any other tips? I feel a little uneasy walking home at night."
Mio thought for a moment and said, "Idiom chain."
"In our culture, idioms represent the power of words, which seems to come from your Flower Kingdom's tradition. Of course, you can see it as superstition. After all, in ancient times, if people were afraid when walking alone at night, they would feel protected from ghosts if they could divert their attention."
"As expected of our great host, you are truly knowledgeable! Come on, let's have a drink!"
Well, let's give it a try then.
So you pick up your cup and casually mutter to yourself, "Let's play a game, how about a word chain?"
"A word chain game?" Her voice echoed in my mind, tinged with hesitation. She sounded reluctant.
"Yeah, right." You chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. "If you can't keep up, you lose. It's just a little fun."
You can start with a simple idiom:
"Adding legs to a snake" is superfluous.
Your tone was casual, as if it were just a casual remark, but you've already chosen to begin. Didn't you say you wanted to read the air? You've already said you'd begin, how could she refuse? Sure enough, she was silent for a moment, then reluctantly replied:
"resourceful."
Her voice sounded strained, but she answered fluently for the time being.
You sneered and continued, "Man proposes, God disposes."
Her tone was slightly flustered: "Gossip is a fearsome thing."
You felt secretly pleased with yourself, maintained your rhythm, lowered your voice, and slowly said, "Hesitant and timid."
"It's too big to handle." She replied quickly, but there was a hint of urgency in her voice.
"Don't let your guard down." You smiled, your speech quickening. Seriously? You're a humanities student; these are just basic skills.
She can keep up, but to increase the difficulty, you have a brilliant idea.
Since she wanted to take over your body and actively connected to your brain, but this is your body, why can't you take advantage of her in return?
Almost instantly upon realizing this, you subtly conceive of "thinking of some neon proverbs," and the corresponding pronunciations and meanings appear in your mind. But that's not all; you want her to become completely absorbed in the linguistic chaos!
"act rashly."
“Dong kanu zheng shu (conclusive evidence).” Influenced by your thinking, she indeed started responding in Japanese.
“The evidence is irrefutable.” You quickly retorted, weaving the language of flowers into her logic.
Her tone grew increasingly flustered: "Absolutely certain."
"Suspicious and paranoid." You almost laughed out loud.
As the idioms progress, bombarded with a barrage of thoughts interspersed with flower language and neon slang, you feel her presence growing weaker and weaker. Clearly, this complex linguistic game has exhausted her power.
"curious coincidence."
"Barely satisfactory." Her voice was already trembling noticeably.
"Full of vigor and high spirits."
"Carry it forward and make it great." Her tone lowered, as if she had exhausted her last bit of strength.
"This is truly gratifying."
This time, she didn't answer. A hush fell over the air, as if even the noise from the yakitori restaurant had been shut out.
Just as you were overjoyed and ready to celebrate, you heard her last words: "You've won... for now."
Her voice disappeared, and you finally felt the relief in your shoulders and neck, only to find that your palms were sweaty.
"What are you talking to yourself about?" Xiao Zhou turned around and looked at you with a puzzled expression.
"Oh, it's nothing." You wiped your forehead and forced a smile. "I was just playing a word chain game."
"Playing alone?" She was clearly more puzzled.
"Yeah, it helps you relax," you said with a laugh.
The party is still going on, but you have no desire to stay in this bustling yakitori restaurant.
As the translator said, she may only be temporarily expelled. Right now, you just want to get home as soon as possible and restore your safe house to a completely leak-proof state.
After several rounds of drinks, most of the people present were already quite drunk, so it was a good time for them to leave.
After saying goodbye to Xiao Zhou, you slowly walked over to Mio, who hadn't drunk much because she was good at arguing with others. You took out your phone, pretended to be drunk and said you couldn't speak Japanese, and used a translation app to communicate with her: "Miss Mio, could you explain the exorcism in more detail?"
A hint of a smile flashed in Mio's eyes, as if she could read your mind: "Why are you asking this? Were you really scared today?"
You hesitated for a moment, then readily admitted, "That's indeed the case."
She picked up her glass, took a sip, and said thoughtfully, "Japan does have many legends about ghosts and monsters. They often linger between humans and gods, their obsessions deep and restless. However, these things have weaknesses, and as long as you use the right methods, they are not difficult to deal with."
Your eyes lit up, and you quickly asked, "So how exactly do I do it?"
Mio glanced at you, gently put down her glass, and said with a hint of teasing, "You didn't run into something, did you?"
"No, no," you quickly waved your hand, "I'm just curious. It never hurts to learn more."
“Alright.” Mio narrowed her eyes and said with a half-smile, “Since you asked, I’ll tell you some basic methods, but remember, what real ghosts and monsters fear most is often their own shadow.”
She leaned closer and whispered in a voice so low only you could hear, “Dissolve coarse salt in water and use it to wipe the doors and windows of the room. This will create a protective barrier to prevent ghosts from entering. If you have a mirror, place it facing the doorway to trap the ghost's shadow and weaken its power. Light candles in the four corners of the room; this is more effective than using light to dispel shadows, because ghosts usually reside in dark places.”
“These are all common methods of exorcising ghosts, but they are not a panacea.” Mio paused for a moment, then added, “It’s best to find a master to perform a ritual or amulet for you. Of course, it all depends on your own willpower.”
"Willpower?" You roll your eyes. You're incredibly strong at it. Instantly, you feel more confident.
“Miss Mio, you really know a lot about these things. Thanks to you, I’m not afraid at all anymore.” You said, trying to reinforce Mio’s methods through language and shared understanding. “Then I’ll head back now. Thank you all for today.”
"You're welcome. I see you're already so drunk. Don't go home too late tonight, get some rest," Mio said, and called a car for you.
You were very grateful and didn't stand on ceremony. You got in the car, bought some things along the way, and soon returned to your apartment.
Pushing open the apartment door, the darkness sent a chill down your spine. You quickly turned on the light, mixed salt and water as Mio had instructed, and began wiping the doors, windows, and corners of the room. The smell of salt water filled the air, seemingly bringing a cool, comforting sensation.
Next, you moved the small mirror from the dressing table to the center of the room, with the mirror facing outwards and towards the doorway. Then you lit several candles and arranged them exactly as Mio had instructed. You even added a ring of salt around the candles based on information you found on the 5ch website.
The windows and doors were all wiped clean with salt water; salt was also sprinkled around the bed and door.
Finally, the whole room was filled with the salty smell of sea salt, mixed with the paraffin smoke from the candle, and you felt like a salted fish waiting to be smoked... This thought amused you and lessened your worries about the defenses.
If you want to go to bed early and get up early in the morning, go to the Beixian Dashen Temple and find a proper witch or sorceress to help you ward off evil. But the candlelight flickers, making you restless.
Don't turn it off.
You are very worried.
11:59 PM.
You're feeling a bit sleepy.
Sizzle—Sizzle—
A slight scraping sound came from outside the door.
It was the sound of fingernails scratching against a wooden door, intermittent, like scratching your skull.
"Let me in... You see, you can't drive me away... Your guards won't be effective for long..."
The translator came back again.
There was no wind in the room, yet the candle flame flickered.
The white salt quickly turned black, and the noise outside the door became increasingly loud.
"Open the door! Aren't we together? Didn't you ask my name? Didn't you—want mine too?"
"Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door!"
Hurry and buy more salt! You bought ten large bags of salt!
But, but—it's too late!
The more salt you sprinkle, the faster it turns black; it's as if the candle's burning speed has been accelerated.
If things continue like this, even dumping all the salt in the country won't help.
The scraping sounds outside the door grew more rapid, as if a crazed beast was trying to tear the door open with its claws. The sounds gradually grew louder and louder, from monotonous to frenzied, eventually turning into a chilling howl.
"Let me in...we are one..." Her voice seeped in intermittently from outside the door, carrying an irresistible allure.
You tossed aside the salt bag and curled up as far from the door as possible in the corner of the bed. You knew very well that if you let her in, your body and soul would be completely taken over.
What if these folk methods don't work?
Your brain is racing, recalling every detail.
You'll find that a major reason you overlook her existence is that you often don't even realize she's there. Her "interpretation" is so synchronized that once you get used to it, you almost treat her like an external translator.
When did she suddenly become so noticeable? It seems like it was after you started talking to her.
Yes, her power seems to increase gradually with your attention: when you ask her name, she begins to seem special; and as you interact with her more and more frequently, her presence becomes stronger, to the point that she can possess you.
Suddenly, a post you saw on 5ch popped into your mind—it was a post about bullying.
The people of Japan complain endlessly, yet the harm they suffer is mostly ignored.
Yes! That's the answer!
Take a deep breath. Being scared won't help; you have to take the gamble.
You lay down, not even covering your head with the blanket, but just sprawling on your back in bed.
"Let me in...let me in..." Her voice grew shriller, even punctuated by maniacal laughter. But you no longer guarded the door, no longer fought back, no longer tried to resist with any means.
You close your eyes and force yourself to ignore everything around you.
The scraping became more rapid, even accompanied by thumping sounds, as if the door might be kicked open at any moment. But you tell yourself this is her last struggle. Her strength stems from your fear, and if you don't respond, she will eventually be exhausted.
"Can you hear my voice?"
"You can't ignore me like this! We are one!"
Her screams began to be mixed with resentment and despair.
"Hey, we're the same kind of people, you want to go home too, right? I want to go home too, so I'll help you, isn't that good?"
"Speak! Why are you pretending not to see me! What right do you have to ignore me!"
You adjust your breathing, completely relax your body, stop imagining what she looks like, stop responding to her words, and act as if she never existed.
Are you listening?
The voice grew weaker and weaker, gradually changing from a roar to a whisper, and finally vanished into nothingness.
You don't know when, but you fell asleep in this eerie environment. When you opened your eyes again, the morning light shone through the gaps in the curtains and illuminated everything.
You sit up and find that the salt in the four corners of the room has returned to its original whiteness, and the chill in the air is gone. The door is intact, the floor is clean, and there is nothing unusual about it.
You walk to the window, feel the warmth of the sunlight on your face, and can't help but smile.
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Author's note: Good evening! I didn't win, I'm going to eat now.
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