Jennifer had her Doubts, thinking she had seen wrong; this big brother was actually going to Jack's room.
However, Wen Xishu was incredibly steady, and this calmness gave Jennifer some strength.
The hallway had become a looping corridor, a ghost wall, so the real exit might be in one of the rooms on this floor.
Wen Xishu wasn't sure at first, until a prompt appeared.
"There are many rooms on this floor; searching them one by one would likely cause a disturbance and waste time, but if combined with Jack's words, the correct option becomes very clear."
"As always, Jack's words are actually very clear hints."
Jack's room was indeed on this floor.
It wasn't far from Jennifer's house. This also made Remian, who lived upstairs, very jealous.
The door was unlocked, half-open, and an eerie, cold aura emanated from inside the room, making people afraid to approach.
Jack truly used to be a good person.
Before he turned into a monster, he trusted the people here very much; the door had no lock, which was for the convenience of others to find him for help.
There's a type of person in this world who, despite being poor themselves, can still find happiness in helping others.
Wen Xishu no longer delayed and led Jennifer inside.
As soon as the two entered, "Jack" appeared in the hallway right behind them.
Its face could not be seen clearly because its face was covered by the faces of several other residents.
It had torn their faces off and pieced them onto its own face, like half a mask.
Four eyeballs, two crooked noses, and four strangely angled ears were sewn together with black thread.
Only its mouth was its own, still emitting a frantic laugh.
This laughter seemed to possess a strange power, spreading through every room.
Only its own room remained unaffected.
...
...
Sunlight streamed into the room, but it did not make Jack's room appear bright and warm.
On the contrary, this bit of light made the gloomy room seem quite dilapidated.
Bare, somewhat damp walls stood silently. Two old, decaying chairs placed in the room, untouched, swayed slightly on their own, emitting a grating creak that set one's teeth on edge.
There was even a refrigerator in the room, but the smell emanating from it was nauseating.
It was the smell of blood.
Jennifer trembled. Wen Xishu held her small hand, and the warmth from his palm gave her a sense of security.
Until this moment, Wen Xishu had not spoken, only calmly typed:
"It seems this is the audience seating prepared for us."
Wen Xishu sat down directly. At that moment, he felt as if he were lying in an ice cellar, with a cold that penetrated to his bones.
The surrounding scenery also changed color, covered with a faint crimson hue. In his mind, a huge laughing face flickered in and out of view.
Wen Xishu remained unmoved, still waving at Jennifer, encouraging her with a smile that conveyed immense security.
So, Jennifer also sat on the chair.
The performance began.
...
...
The scene Wen Xishu saw was very strange.
A huge laughing face enveloped a city.
But everyone in the city seemed unaware of this sky-obscuring smiling face.
The smiling face was not ferocious, even making people feel somewhat healing. Beneath the smiling face was a city named Moen City.
This was a young city, and the not-so-young Jack was in Moen City Hospital.
He had been educated since childhood to face others with a smile, to be polite, and to be someone who could bring joy to others.
But the late-stage stomach cancer medical record made him unable to smile anymore.
Approaching death, no matter whether you play the role of an ox or a salted fish in society, you will realize that you are actually a person.
At the end of his life, Jack wanted to be a person again, a good person.
He held the medical record and returned to that old building with heavy steps.
The room was unbelievably simple: a kettle, a bed, two chairs. And a refrigerator that no longer cooled, having been reduced to a mere storage cabinet.
He found an old notebook and wrote down his wishes.
"As a colleague, I really don't like Remian's backbiting. But I think life must have made him so harsh."
"This world has many kinds of coats, some can keep you warm, and some can prevent you from being hurt by others."
"Remian's might be the latter."
"I also have my coat; I hope it can make people happy, just as my mother said."
"I should go and make up with Remian. After all, we are neighbors and colleagues. At the end of my life, I don't want anyone to resent me."
"I just want to be remembered as a good person in my tombstone, in people's memories."
Jack let out a long breath, a slight smile appearing on his face.
"I like spending time with little Jennifer, even though Yuliya always says that men nowadays dislike her having a child, and that men are realistic and harsh."
"But in my heart, little Jennifer is truly adorable; she is one of the few people who enjoys my performances."
"The meaning of my life is to bring laughter to others, it's just that in front of many people, I am meaningless."
"But little Jennifer is not... Little Jennifer and I have an appointment to watch my newly rehearsed performance at my house tomorrow."
"The troupe is getting worse and worse. I think perhaps I should join some stand-up comedy when performing acrobatics."
"I'm increasingly unable to keep up with young people's humor, but Jennifer is even younger than young people."
Thinking of little Jennifer coming to watch his performance, Jack's smile became even warmer and more healing. Even with clown makeup, it wouldn't make people feel eerie, terrifying, or ferocious.
"And my good friend, Anderson, I've saved a sum of money, and I don't think I'll have the chance to use it anymore."
"Anderson is a good person. In this building, he's the only one who talks to me often. Although he's very busy, he still makes time to accompany me even at his busiest."
"My money would just be wasted if I used it on myself. I should leave some money for him... Perhaps it could help him live a better life."
"Finally, my mother. I regret that I might have to go before you..."
"Mother, I love you very much, I love you very much. I hope you can be healthy and live a long life, even though you are also tormented by illness..."
"What makes me even sadder is that I'm afraid I won't be able to work hard to earn money. My time is running out."
"I've always listened to you; I've eaten well. My stomach illness is definitely not caused by starvation, absolutely not. I also don't know how it came about."
"I've always lived pretty well, but then I suddenly got sick."
"But I will try my best to get myself healthy to see you one last time."
Regarding the part about his mother, Jack was somewhat insincere. He was afraid that after his death, his mother would blame herself for his stomach illness, thinking it was because he hadn't eaten well.
In fact, he often went hungry and was emaciated. But he didn't want his mother to think that way.
Just as he had always done, he only reported good news, not bad.
His confidante Jennifer, his beloved Yuliya, his colleague Remian, his good friend Anderson, and his mother.
These people constituted Jack's current life.
So his room didn't even have a door that could close, and he never bothered to fix it.
It seemed that with the door open, these people would walk in and chat with him.
Even if they asked him for help, adding more trouble to his already troubled life, he considered it happiness.
...
...
Life is not a Mirror; it may not always respond to a smile with a smile.
After finishing the lengthy note, which was a farewell to the world, Jack zoned out for a while before heading upstairs.
He was going to find Remian.
Soon, he apologized to Remian, and he didn't mind Remian's condescending forgiveness.
As long as there was no one left in this building who disliked him.
He should have left then, but he suddenly thought that he should make it clear—he was about to die, and how could a dead person still pursue the one he loved?
He wanted Remian to know that Miss Yuliya would not fancy someone like him, and after his death, the house could be given to Remian.
He wanted to support and bless Remian, and encourage Remian to pursue love. Even if Miss Yuliya would likely not like anyone in this building.
So Jack turned back and went to find Remian.
Remian was on the phone.
"Yuliya, please believe me, Jack's poverty goes without saying, but he's also very lazy and has a very bad heart."
"You know his performances always disgust people, and he's no longer limited to disgusting adults."
"Last week, he suggested performing at a school..."
"How vicious he is! How pitiful those children would be! How much psychological trauma would his ugly appearance leave on those children? I will let everyone know his true colors."
"You know what? He doesn't love children! He actually hates children."
"I heard he even wants to invite Jennifer to watch his performance alone. Oh my goodness, please make sure Jennifer stays away from him too. She'll have nightmares!"
Jack stood at the stairwell, his smile already frozen.
In fact, such scenes had occurred more than once.
Sometimes it was to the circus director, sometimes to Yuliya; Remian always liked to speak ill of people behind their backs.
There is no such thing as protective color; some people are just purely evil.
A hint of evil emerged on the giant smiling face in the sky.
...
Anderson was Jack's good friend.
Jack had always felt that having one good friend in life was enough.
He wanted to bid Anderson a proper farewell and give him some money.
But when he returned home, ready to take out the money, Anderson and his girlfriend were already in Jack's room.
"This place smells musty. Why do you keep money here?"
The woman said with disgust.
Anderson said as if it were a matter of course:
"This broken house is my piggy bank. No... it's my money tree."
"That idiot Jack always puts money in the interlayer of this broken refrigerator. Besides me, no one else really knows there's money hidden in here."
The woman was puzzled:
"If you take his money, won't he know it was you?"
Anderson chuckled sheepishly:
"Of course, but it doesn't matter. I'll just make up a lie, like I'm sick, and that idiot will believe me."
"He'll even be very worried and ask if I have enough. Sometimes, if I don't have money, he'll even tell me to wait and that he'll go earn some by doing odd jobs."
The woman was even more astonished:
"Are there people like that in this world?"
Anderson's smile became even more unbridled:
"He's someone who prides himself on being able to give up everything for a friend, and I am his friend."
"So this money was actually mine to begin with. God saw that I was too tired and arranged a living piggy bank to be my friend."
"Let's go, my dear. Tonight I'll treat you to a good meal, and then we'll get a room!"
Anderson put his arm around the woman's waist. The woman vaguely felt that something was wrong.
Anderson then said:
"Just as some people in this world make offerings to love, others will make offerings to friendship. I gave him the friendship he fantasized about, so he gave me money. Isn't that reasonable?"
The woman nodded, and their laughter covered the sound of tears falling outside the door.
The smiling face in the sky had become distorted and terrifying, with an eerie crimson glow in its eyes, and the clouds were also stained red.
Jack hid himself, somewhat disheveled. He wanted to scream hysterically, but he ultimately didn't.
He just waited until Anderson left, then quietly took out the little money that was left.
The banknotes in his hand silently watched his sad face. They seemed to be wondering, to whom would this man give them?
In this world, rich people have many ways to express love: smiles, greetings, posting a Weibo to thank the world...
And countless people will rush to praise them.
But the way poor people express love seems to be only through money. When you have no money, everything you do seems like an outdated circus act...
It won't make people laugh; it will only make them disgusted and mocked. It shouldn't be like this.
But Jack still took the money, preparing to give it to Jennifer and Yuliya.
He called Yuliya, wanting to say, Yuliya, if you're very busy, may I pick Jennifer up from school for you?
But Yuliya rejected the call. When he called again, Yuliya's phone indicated it was turned off.
So he walked towards the school, clutching his stomach the whole way. There was a pain, like the world had collapsed, gathering in his stomach, churning and cramping.
At the school gate, he saw Jennifer, and he also saw Yuliya.
Yuliya seemed to have finished work earlier today.
Perhaps because of Remian's call, Yuliya looked at Jack with particular caution.
Jack didn't know how to face Yuliya. He could only look at Jennifer:
"Little Jennifer, you'll come to see my performance, right?"
"Jennifer isn't free tomorrow; she has tutoring." Yuliya equally disliked everyone in this building.
She considered herself a beautiful woman, and only handsome white billionaires were worthy of her.
Her falling into the slums was only temporary, just like Cinderella would eventually be found by the prince.
The domineering CEO would surely fall in love with me, a divorced woman with a child.
"Then... then the day after tomorrow is fine too."
"The day after tomorrow is also for tutoring."
"How about the day after that? Is the day after that okay? A few days later is fine too..."
"No time, no time! All for tutoring. Also, Jennifer and I are moving out soon. Don't bother us anymore! Jennifer, let's go."
Yuliya took Jennifer away.
Jack had been trying his best to endure, but he ultimately couldn't. The pain made him half-kneel on the ground and start to dry heave, but nothing truly came out.
He wanted to apologize to Jennifer, that he shouldn't have let the child see him in such a pathetic state.
But Yuliya had already taken Jennifer away, as decisively as shaking off a plague.
Jennifer actually really wanted to turn back and hug Jack. Her eyes were tearful, but Yuliya's hand held Jennifer's, and she sternly shouted:
"Jennifer, don't look back!"
This was the last thing Jack heard Yuliya say.
Then, finally, there was laughter around him, but it wasn't the sound of happiness; it was mockery. Jack began to wail.
A grown man kneeling and crying attracted the ridicule of a group of children.
Jack suddenly wanted to give up struggling and lie down to rest, but at that moment, a call came in.
"Mr. Jack, we are from Moen City's Fourth Nursing Home. Your mother had a small accident a while ago."
"We... we've done our best. Perhaps you should come to the nursing home."
The phone fell to the ground, and its already cracked screen gained another crack. But it made no sound; the world seemed to become still at that moment.
All the beauty and hope in his life died earlier than his own life.
The giant smiling face in the sky had become terrifyingly distorted, the red light in its eyes illuminating the world, and the entire world was covered in a layer of blood red.
The mocking sounds stopped abruptly, but another maniacal laugh faintly arose.
Under immense pressure, the person who wanted to bring joy to the world seemed to be alive, but also seemed to be dead.
What Jack didn't know was that he had already been chosen by the Tower. His destiny would not stop here.
...
...
The two chairs no longer swayed.
Wen Xishu and Jennifer woke up simultaneously. Jennifer's eyes were full of tears, not knowing whether it was fear or sadness for Jack's experience.
Wen Xishu, however, looked calm, his attention elsewhere.
On the bare wall, two blood-red numbers appeared.
97, 61.
Wen Xishu frowned slightly, then smiled.
Notes appeared in his eyes, but due to his low Anti-magic Value, they were still garbled.
However, he still guessed the meaning of the numbers.
As a spectator, Jennifer scored 61 points for this performance, a passing score. A score suitable for an NPC, not too high, not too low.
And Wen Xishu scored 97 points.
The reason he was so certain was that although Wen Xishu couldn't parse the garbled notes, he received another hint.
【You had the same thoughts as Gui Jack multiple times. Throughout the viewing process, you did not pity Jack but instead felt a desire for slaughter. You only diverged in one place. You are practically Gui Jack's confidant.】
【Acquired item: invitation letter, Happy Jennifer.】
【Gui Jennifer's favorability increased.】
Simply put, when viewing Jack's day of despair from a special perspective, Wen Xishu did not cry like Jennifer or lament Jack's pitifulness.
He even thought, 'Boring, why cry? I want to see rivers of blood, fast forward to him becoming ten times stronger after blackening, and then kill to his heart's content.'
Thinking about how Jack indeed went on a killing spree in reality later... he even felt very satisfied during the viewing process.
Wen Xishu didn't expect that this would actually earn him an incredibly high score:
"I empathized with a pervert, so I got a special item?"
In his pocket, there was indeed an invitation letter with a strange texture. He opened the invitation letter and saw:
【Jennifer in Moen City's slum is not happy recently. Perhaps you can find a way to make her happy.】
【Press your handprint on the invitation letter to interrupt and pause the Weird Tower's progress, enter the corresponding level of the Desire Tower to obtain important items, and unlock hidden plots in the Weird Tower and Slaughter Tower.】
Wen Xishu was shocked.
He realized that the invitation letter might be something that only a very small number of people could trigger.
In his limited memory, no one seemed to have ever mentioned this thing.
This thing could actually bypass the login device restrictions and forcibly transfer him to another Tower?
What surprised Wen Xishu even more was that the invitation letter not only mentioned the Desire Tower but also the Slaughter Tower. The correlation between the Three Towers was even closer than he had thought.
He thought of the differentiated notes like Gui Jennifer and Desire Jennifer. Could it be that there was also Slaughter Jennifer?
Little Jennifer suddenly spoke, interrupting Wen Xishu's thoughts:
"Big brother... Look, the stairs have appeared!"