Back in his dorm room, An couldn't shake off the haunting of what he had just read. The deaths of Dr. Nguyen Hoang Minh and student Nguyen Duc Duy were not just ordinary murders. They were gateways, traces of some terrifying force operating in the world An was now forced to confront. He needed to understand more clearly.
An opened his laptop, digging deeper into news articles and forums related to the murder case at Hospital X and the university library. He found some more detailed information, even some blurred images of the crime scenes.
The case of Dr. Nguyen Hoang Minh: According to preliminary forensic reports (though publicly restricted), Dr. Minh's body was not only rapidly decomposed but also showed other strange signs. Epidermal cells on the skin and mucous membranes appeared to have been attacked by an extremely potent enzyme or corrosive agent, rapidly breaking down protein and lipid structures. The "pungent smell of ammonia and sulfur" mentioned was not the smell of normal decaying cadavers, but rather reminiscent of chemical reactions producing toxic H2S and NH3 gases. This suggested that a large amount of biological catalyst or extremely strong chemicals might have been used, causing the biochemical decomposition process to occur at an absurd rate, almost "liquefying" living tissue within minutes. The surfaces where the body made contact also had dark brown, bubbling liquid streaks, resembling a strong redox reaction.
The case of Nguyen Duc Duy: Nguyen Duc Duy's death was even more mysterious. The article described "the victim's blood vessels appeared to have frozen and shattered from within." An found a more in-depth analysis on an anonymous medical forum, mentioning Duy's body temperature dropping to an unimaginable level in an extremely short time, incompatible with any known form of hypothermia. The blood vessels not only froze but also ruptured, releasing plasma and red blood cells into surrounding tissues, causing dark bruises and a terrifying network of purple veins clearly visible beneath the skin, like a horrifying spiderweb. This suggested an unusual "crystallization" process of bodily fluids, possibly due to a sudden change in pressure or temperature at the cellular level, similar to rapid water freezing but occurring within a living body, destroying cellular structures at a molecular level. The crushed, mud-stained white chrysanthemum Duy clutched was also a suspicious detail. It wasn't merely evidence, but seemed to be a symbol, a message.
An reread these descriptions, a chilling, nauseating horror creeping down his spine. This was no ordinary killer. This was something supernatural, a Shadow Demon employing grotesque methods to achieve its goals. An's knowledge of chemistry and biology, though not specialized, was enough for him to recognize the abnormal, unnatural nature of these deaths.
He began to piece together the fragments. The chrysanthemum girl died in the hospital, after surgery, and was connected to Dr. Minh. Dr. Minh was grotesquely "decomposed." Nguyen Duc Duy, a medical student (perhaps Minh's classmate or colleague), died at the library, his body "frozen and shattered," and also clutched a chrysanthemum.
A sudden thought flashed in An's mind: Could it be that each of these deaths corresponds to a specific form of energy that the Shadow Demon needs? One type "decomposes" – perhaps draining vitality, willpower to the point where the body cannot sustain itself. Another "freezes" – perhaps imprisoning, paralyzing emotions and willpower to the point where the physical body shares the same fate.
And the chrysanthemum girl? An recalled the memory he had seen: she lay in the hospital room, after surgery, with the white chrysanthemum and the whispers, "Why didn't you save me? Why was I left... alone..." Her death seemed to be due to neglect or surgical complications. Could she have been Dr. Minh's patient? Or a relative of Duy?
An took out the Memory Crystal necklace, placing it on the desk. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his mind. The necklace emitted a soothing cool current, helping him focus. He needed to learn more about the chrysanthemum girl. She was the key.
Feel. An remembered Thanh Lam's words. He wouldn't just see anymore. He would feel.
An held the necklace, pressed it against his forehead once again, visualizing the mirror in the hospital, and the chrysanthemum girl.
This time, An didn't try to resist the sensation of being pulled in. He let himself sink, using the Memory Crystal as an anchor. Space distorted. The pungent smell of disinfectant returned, this time accompanied by the coppery smell of blood and the fetid odor of death. An found himself standing in a familiar hospital corridor.
Inside a patient room, the chrysanthemum girl lay on the bed. Her face was pale, her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. The steady beeping of medical machines filled the air. Then the door opened. A man in a white lab coat stepped in. It was Dr. Nguyen Hoang Minh – his face young, handsome, but his eyes filled with weariness and worry.
Dr. Minh came to the bedside, taking the girl's hand. "My Tam... I'm so sorry. I tried my best."
My Tam. The name echoed in An's mind. This was the chrysanthemum girl's name.
Dr. Minh stepped back, looking at My Tam with a tormented gaze. "The surgery was technically successful... but your body... it was too weak. I'm sorry."
Then, the patient room door burst open again. A young man rushed in, his face ashen. It was Nguyen Duc Duy.
"Dr. Minh! What about My Tam? Why... she..." Duy's voice cracked, filled with pain.
Dr. Minh looked at Duy, his gaze heavy. "Duy... I tried my best. But she couldn't endure it."
Duy collapsed beside My Tam's bed, sobbing uncontrollably. An felt an overwhelming pain, a profound loss seeping into his mind, as if he himself were experiencing it. A sense of helplessness and despair enveloped him. Duy's cries echoed, tearing through the air.
Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness. The hospital lights flickered, then went out completely. A colossal, pitch-black, amorphous shadow began to rise from beneath My Tam's bed, emanating a freezing, rotting aura. It wasn't a mere Shadow Demon An had seen before. It was larger, stronger, and seemed to be growing from My Tam's very pain and despair.
The Shadow Demon extended its dark tendrils, invisible to the naked eye but clear to The Inverse Eye, engulfing My Tam's soul. Whispers echoed in An's mind, clearer this time, like thousands of voices merging into one: "Suffering... Loss... Resentment... Join the darkness... We will never be forgotten..."
An felt his willpower waver. The pain and despair of these three individuals were too immense, like a raging flood threatening to sweep him away. He saw fragmented images: Dr. Minh's deformed face, Nguyen Duc Duy's bruised, purple hands. Their deaths seemed to be the result of this Shadow Demon's horrific energy absorption.
"No!" An screamed in his mind. "Close it!" He exerted all his strength, forcing The Inverse Eye shut. The Memory Crystal on An's forehead glowed scorching hot like embers. An invisible explosion echoed, and An was thrown out of his immersive state, collapsing onto the floor.
He gasped for breath, clutching his head, his whole body trembling. This time, the memory was too vivid, too horrifying. My Tam... Dr. Minh... Nguyen Duc Duy... They were all victims of the same Shadow Demon. My Tam's death was the root cause, and her pain had created a Shadow Demon strong enough to devour even those who had cared for her.
And the explanation for Dr. Minh's and Nguyen Duc Duy's grotesque deaths... it wasn't just soul absorption. It was an energy transformation, a physical destruction parallel to spiritual destruction. The Shadow Demon had not only killed them, but had also turned them into a part of itself, through those terrifying processes of "decomposition" and "crystallization." An felt an extreme horror as he realized the brutal and complex nature of these entities. They didn't just take lives; they warped physical reality.