Plague Ghost

Biodata

Background and History

Plague Ghosts are formed from people who died in major plagues. Most originated in the Middle Ages, and their names are rarely known because they do not volunteer them 32.

Walter rented the living Cannibal House and was three months behind on its rent. The contract linked the house to its lessee, who could be harmed through damage to the house 30.

Appearance

Walter is a tall, gaunt figure with a hunched posture and a strong smell of rot 31 33.

• Its face has loose, sagging folds of pale skin, and its eyes are cloudy and unreflective 28 32 33.
• It has long, sharp claws 32.
• It wore red velvet nightclothes and slippers before Zhu Yan took them 28 34 35.

Personality

Walter is greedy and fearful, but willing to attack when it suspects an opponent is weak. It became suspicious after Guan En challenged Zhu Yan’s disguise and attacked Zhu Yan at the door; hearing Zhu Yan use its name frightened it into obedience 32 33.

Even while intimidated, Walter bargained for two Bone Coins in exchange for the Cannibal House and insisted on staying to ensure payment 34.

Abilities and Traits

Plague Transmission

Plague Ghosts can unknowingly transmit deadly plagues to humans. Contact with Walter infected Zhu Yan, while Guan En later carried the infection into the community 32 39 47.

• Without intervention, Zhu Yan would have died within a day. Merry Happy Land granted him a ten-day Plague Exemption Period during which he would not fall ill 39.
• The exemption did not prevent Guan En from infecting others. A police officer who caught the plague rotted and died, and black patches appeared on other officers and medical workers 41 47.
• The Voodoo Doll told Zhu Yan that finding the witch who created it could help kill the virus. By Chapter 50, Guan En had asked a Demon for a cure, but a cure had not yet been shown 38 50.

Claws and Physical Strength

Walter attacked Zhu Yan with its claws, narrowly missing his forehead. Zhu Yan believed he could not survive a direct fight with it 33 35.

Name Secrecy

Plague Ghosts do not readily reveal their names. Zhu Yan inferred that knowing Walter’s name carried authority over it; Walter was terrified when he used it, though the precise mechanism was not explained 32 33.

Relationships

• Zhu Yan — Deceived Walter through horror-creature disguises, obtained its house and belongings, and escaped after destroying the house. Walter threatened to kill him after discovering he was a player 33 34 36 37.
• Guan En — A player held in the Cannibal House. He tried to expose Zhu Yan’s deception and told Walter it had been tricked before returning to the real world 32 37.
• Cannibal House — A living house Walter rented and used to host an instance. Both Walter and the house were hungry before Zhu Yan took over 28 30 34.
• Witches — Described as mortal enemies of Plague Ghosts; their preference for cleanliness contrasts with the dirty, stuffy environments Plague Ghosts favor 32 39.

Story Role

Devouring Villa

Zhu Yan first intimidated Walter while disguised as a high-level horror creature, confronting it over three months of unpaid rent. Walter offered a player’s hand as payment, but Zhu Yan refused and ordered it to keep Guan En away 31.

After escaping outside, Zhu Yan returned in another disguise carrying human legs. Walter attacked him, but stopped when Zhu Yan called it by name. Zhu Yan then persuaded Walter to sign sublease contracts for the Cannibal House and its contents in exchange for a leg and a conditional promise of two Bone Coins 33 34.

Zhu Yan locked Walter in a room with the meat, then destroyed the house by stabbing its weak point, a shabby armchair. Walter survived the collapse and emerged from the ruins 35 36.

Zhu Yan escaped aboard the Monster Tram. Walter seized one of the contracts and discovered the new lessee’s mark was a player’s, realizing it had been deceived 37.

Plague Outbreak

The infections left by Walter continued to affect the story after the instance. Guan En withheld the plague risk from police, fearing quarantine would stop him from seeking a cure. An outbreak subsequently struck police officers and medical workers 41 47.

Zhu Yan and Guan En later sought a cure through a Demon. Guan En wished for two doses of medicine or, failing that, health and permanent immunity for both players 48 50.