Mad Demon Disease

"Ding-a-ling~"

The hoarse, whimpering sound of a bell roused Chen Mo from his sleep.

His mouth was parched, his entire body aching and numb. It took a long time to adjust before he could struggle to open his eyes and turn his head with great difficulty to survey his surroundings.

"How could this be..."

He was currently "crouched" inside a wooden jar, with only his head exposed. Directly in front of the jar sat an incense table holding an incense burner and several porcelain bowls filled with apples, bananas, sacrificial meat, and a half-cooked pig's head.

On either side of the incense table stood several female Paper Figure dolls dressed in red skirts, their cheeks painted with red oil paint, their eyes dotted red, and their bright red lips curved upward in a smile. The rafters were draped with red and white talisman papers that fluttered in the breeze.

Chen Mo could smell the aroma of the sacrificial meat and fruit on the table.

"Gurgle!"

He instinctively moved his right hand, and a piercing pain shot through him immediately.

Four iron nails, each a foot long, had pinned his hands and feet firmly to the jar.

Because of that slight movement, bright red blood trickled down from the wound on his right wrist, carrying with it a faint, metallic scent.

"It's the third day... every time I wake up, I'm nailed inside this wooden jar."

Chen Mo cried out in despair, nearly on the verge of a breakdown.

He had originally been a college student who had been hired as a Daoist for a film crew that needed someone to perform on wires. The head of the Daoist temple had thought Chen Mo was an educated man, perfect for promoting the temple's image.

Then Chen Mo went, the wire snapped, and he really "went"...

When he opened his eyes again, he had arrived in this place, nailed inside a jar.

Over the past three days, every time the sun set, he would be awakened by the sound of that strange bell. Then, an Old Daoist wearing yellow Daoist robes would enter to perform rituals, muttering things like "Goddess Hong Deng bless us."

Fortunately, the language, writing, and accents here were largely the same as in his previous life. But the surrounding environment was terrifying.

"What kind of place is this? Why must they nail me to death inside a jar?"

The extreme fatigue and pain kept his mind in a state of overloaded lethargy, a process that was agonizing to endure. But Chen Mo knew clearly that if he wanted to survive, he had to try his best to adapt to all of this and figure out his current situation as quickly as possible.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

Chen Mo immediately tilted his head, pretending to be unconscious, leaving only a tiny slit in his eyes.

Sure enough, he saw the Old Daoist in yellow robes enter the room.

Unlike the usual times when he only carried a horsetail whisk and a peach wood sword, today the Old Daoist was holding a statue covered in a red cloth, making it impossible to see what it was.

The Old Daoist placed the statue on the incense table and knelt down to pray sincerely.

"Believer Li Yuanlong pays his respects to Goddess Hong Deng. I beg the Goddess to bestow her grace and bless Second Young Master Chen so that his Mad Demon Disease may be cured soon."

With that, the Old Daoist performed three kowtows and nine prostrations, then stood up to begin the ritual.

The so-called ritual was similar to what Chen Mo had seen from sorcerers in his previous life. He muttered incomprehensible incantations, danced around with his peach wood sword, suddenly burned some talisman papers, waved them in front of Chen Mo, and finally sprayed a mouthful of wine onto the paper, causing a burst of flames to flare toward Chen Mo's face.

Not only did it singe several of Chen Mo's hairs, but it also sprayed his face with saliva.

Chen Mo: "..."

That's going too far.

But Chen Mo truly didn't know what kind of place this was, so he didn't dare move, enduring the discomfort as he continued to feign sleep.

Next, the Old Daoist sprayed a few more mouthfuls of wine and suddenly shouted: "I respectfully invite the Goddess's miraculous power! Second Young Master Chen, wake up quickly, wake up quickly!"

?

So, I'm allowed to wake up now, right?

I can't just keep pretending to be asleep and stay locked in this jar forever, can I?

Should I just go along with it?

Thinking of this, Chen Mo hardened his heart. Without further hesitation, he pretended to be in pain and opened his eyes.

Hiss!

When the Old Daoist in yellow robes saw Chen Mo open his eyes, he was greatly astonished, staring wide-eyed directly at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was genuinely rattled by the stare, wondering if perhaps it wasn't time for him to wake up yet.

But since he was already awake... he couldn't shrink back now.

He looked blankly at the man: "Daoist, what happened to me?"

"Immeasurable Longevity!"

The Old Daoist chanted, then put away his peach wood sword and shouted toward the door: "Master Chen, Madam, after three days of rituals, your son has awakened. You may come in now."

With a creak, the hall door opened. Following it was a middle-aged man dressed in fine silk and brocade, wearing a waist sash with a jade pendant, cloud-patterned boots, and his hair tied up with a hairpin.

He looked exactly like a wealthy merchant or a local squire from ancient times.

Right behind the middle-aged man was a beautiful, glamorous noblewoman dressed in a cyan silk dress, adorned with gold and silver.

"My son! You've finally woken up! You scared your mother to death."

The noblewoman lunged toward the wooden jar, cradling Chen Mo's head and wailing loudly. "The Eldest Young Master has already passed away from the Mad Demon Disease; if anything were to happen to the Second Young Master, this mother wouldn't want to live anymore."

Is this noblewoman my mother?

Have I become Second Young Master Chen?

Seeing Chen Mo staring blankly for a long time, the noblewoman burst into tears again: "Second Young Master, do you not recognize your mother?"

Chen Mo looked at the noblewoman before him in a daze, thinking to himself: I'm seeing you for the first time, how could I possibly recognize you...

Just as he was debating whether to call her "mother" to play along, the Old Daoist spoke up: "Madam, do not fret. Your son's Mad Demon Disease was already beyond saving, and his survival this time is entirely due to the protection of Goddess Hong Deng. It is normal for him to be a bit disoriented after waking from such a grave illness. He will be fine after a few days of rest."

"Many thanks, Daoist. Many thanks, Daoist." The noblewoman felt much more at ease.

The middle-aged man standing nearby hurriedly took out a bag of silver and stuffed it into the Old Daoist's hands: "My son's survival through this great tribulation is all thanks to your rituals, Daoist. This is a small token of gratitude from me, Chen Yin Fu. Please, accept it."

The Old Daoist accepted the silver with a beaming smile before departing in high spirits.

Before leaving, he did not forget to instruct: "Your son has just recovered from a serious illness and requires three days of quiet rest. Only if he shows no symptoms of madness within these three days can you have someone remove the nails from his body. Furthermore, the red veil on the statue of Goddess Hong Deng must not be removed or moved; it must remain in the Chen Family Ancestral Hall to suppress the house, only then can your son be safe. Remember this well."

"We will heed your instructions, Daoist."

Chen Yin Fu saw the Old Daoist out, and a moment later, he returned in high spirits. He lit three sticks of incense for the statue with the red veil, then knelt before the altar: "My Chen family has served the Goddess for many years. It is thanks to her protection that my son is safe."

After speaking, Chen Yin Fu gave the noblewoman a look. She understood immediately, knelt beside him at the altar, and prayed: "Eldest Young Master died too young, leaving only Second Young Master as our sole heir. It is all thanks to the Goddess's protection."

Watching the noblewoman weep uncontrollably, Chen Mo couldn't help but feel a touch of compassion.

The hearts of parents are truly pitiful.

It seems I have transmigrated.

It is just a pity that I did not inherit the original owner's memories.

As for this couple, they must be my parents in this world. Judging by their expressions, they dote on this Second Young Master very much.

When the prayer ended, the noblewoman was reluctant to leave, but was eventually dragged away by Chen Yin Fu.

"The Daoist said that Second Young Master needs quiet rest, so stop bothering him here, lest you delay his recovery."

The noblewoman wiped her tears and left, looking back with lingering attachment.

With a "click," the door closed.

The large room immediately turned dim. Because the window lattices were covered in talismans, the light was poor, and they had to rely on two horn lanterns for illumination.

The flickering candlelight cast upon the Paper Figure made it appear even more sinister. In particular, the statue with the red veil placed on the altar in front of him seemed to be staring at him like a demon, making Chen Mo feel an inexplicable chill down his spine.

Fortunately, Chen Mo had spent three days in this place and had somewhat adapted, so he was not overly panicked.

After suppressing his shock, Chen Mo began to ponder.

"This place should be an ancient society. Judging by the grandeur, I must have transmigrated into a wealthy family."

And not just an ordinary wealthy family.

The beams around the room were all made of golden nanmu wood.

Even if golden nanmu was not as precious in this world as in his previous life, it was certainly extremely valuable. It was clear the Chen family's assets were substantial, and as the only remaining legitimate son, he would have no worries about food or clothing in the future.

Furthermore, his parents' concern for him was genuine.

All of this brought Chen Mo a sense of relief.

That left only one problem.

The Mad Demon Disease.

The original owner must have died from the Mad Demon Disease.

And the noblewoman had just said, "Eldest Young Master died from the Mad Demon Disease."

It seems I had an older brother who also died from it.

One could imagine that this Mad Demon Disease must be quite terrifying.

What is the Mad Demon Disease?

Is it a physical illness? Or a mental one?

If it is a mental illness, now that I have taken over the original owner's body, the disease should no longer exist. Wouldn't it be wonderful to enjoy the life of a wealthy young master from now on?

If the Mad Demon Disease is a physical illness, it means my illness has not yet been cured.

That would be very dangerous!

Thinking of this, Chen Mo felt a sense of trepidation.

The most urgent task is to find someone to ask clearly, otherwise, I won't be able to rest easy.

Chen Mo had wanted to ask his parents in this world earlier, but being a newcomer, he couldn't bring himself to say the words "father" and "mother," so he hadn't been able to ask.

Perhaps due to extreme fatigue, Chen Mo drifted into a hazy sleep. When he woke up again, it was completely dark outside.

The statue with the red veil on the altar in front of him looked even more crimson under the glow of the horn lanterns.

At first, Chen Mo just assumed it was a statue of Goddess Hong Deng and that it should be harmless.

But soon, Chen Mo realized something was wrong.

The three sticks of incense Chen Yin Fu had lit earlier had not yet burned out, yet the scent of the incense was flowing into the red veil and never coming back out.

"This statue... it's absorbing the incense!"

Chen Mo was startled and hurriedly blinked his eyes, looking again, only to find it was indeed true.

Chen Mo stared fixedly at the incense for a long, long time.

A chill ran down his spine.

He knew that in his past life, temples set up statues of Bodhisattvas and offered incense as a form of superstition, meant only to bring peace of mind.

But this statue of Goddess Hong Deng was truly absorbing the incense.

Could it be that this Goddess Hong Deng... was a real person?

This was not a simple ancient society; were there actually demons and ghosts?

Just as Chen Mo was stunned and uneasy, a "knock, knock, knock" sound came from outside the door.

Chen Mo was already somewhat afraid, and upon hearing this sound, he felt as if he had seen a savior and hurriedly called out, "Who is it?"

A pleasant female voice came from outside the door.

"Second Young Master, it is I, Qiulan. Master sent me to bring you your meal."

"Come in quickly." Chen Mo was desperate for someone to enter.

With a "creak" of the door opening, a graceful young girl wearing a pink silk dress entered, carrying a food box in her hand.

Although she wore little makeup, she could not hide her exquisite and pretty face, though the way the girl looked at Chen Mo was filled with fear. She gathered her courage before walking up to Chen Mo and opening the food box.

There was fragrant white rice, braised pork, marinated duck, roast beef, braised shrimp, and lotus seed soup... it was extremely sumptuous.

As expected of a wealthy young master, the treatment and standards were still very high.

Chen Mo was already famished; he pointed to the dishes he wanted to eat, and Qiulan used her slender, jade-like hands to feed the food into Chen Mo's mouth. She did not forget to use a handkerchief to wipe the grease from the corners of his mouth.

When Chen Mo wanted to eat the shrimp, Qiulan personally peeled off the shells.

The service was impeccable.

After he was full and satisfied, Qiulan packed up the bowls and dishes, preparing to leave.

Chen Mo hurriedly called out to her, "Wait a moment."

Qiulan turned back, looking alert, "Does Second Young Master have any other instructions?"

Chen Mo figured it was unrealistic to ask Qiulan to release him, so he said, "Can you take this statue with the red veil away?"

Qiulan seemed to have heard something terrifying and hurriedly shook her head, "This is the dharma image of Goddess Hong Deng; this servant dare not touch it. Master has given strict instructions repeatedly."

Were the people here all this afraid of Goddess Hong Deng?

Chen Mo lowered his request, "Then... can you stay here and keep me company?"

Qiulan pursed her lips, clearly unwilling, but she dared not refuse, "As you command."

Thus, Qiulan sat down beside the wooden altar to keep him company, but she still looked at Chen Mo with great vigilance, clearly on her guard.

Chen Mo looked at the statue with the red veil, "Qiulan, do you see that statue with the red veil? It is absorbing the incense."

He had expected Qiulan to be very surprised.

Unexpectedly, Qiulan was accustomed to this, "I see it. The dharma images of Goddess Hong Deng can all absorb incense."

As expected...

Something was wrong with this world.

Chen Mo changed the subject, "Qiulan, are you very afraid of me?"

Qiulan lowered her head, "Everyone in the manor is afraid of Second Young Master. Except for... Master and the Mistress."

Chen Mo asked, "Because of the Mad Demon Disease?"

Qiulan dared not look into Chen Mo's eyes, "Yes."

Chen Mo asked, "Why?"

"Because Second Young Master is very frightening when the disease flares up."

Chen Mo could not remain calm, "How frightening?"

Qiulan looked up at Chen Mo, then lowered her head again, "Master forbade me from saying."

"Master is not here now, and I am the one in charge. Speak quickly."

Qiulan finally dared not disobey; she shrank her neck back and stammered, "I still remember how Second Young Master looked when the disease flared up three days ago. It was dusk, and Chun Lan and I were serving you dinner when you suddenly had a flare-up. You jumped up violently, bit through Chun Lan's neck, and even dug open her abdomen, wanting to eat Chun Lan's heart..."

Hiss!

Chen Mo gasped, feeling a chill run from his head to his toes.

He knew that Mad Demon Disease was not a good term, but he never expected it to be so horrifying.

No wonder the Chen couple had nailed him to the wooden altar.

Soon, Chen Mo felt a wave of nausea, "Then... did I end up eating Chun Lan's heart?"