Morbid love was easy to understand.
To put it bluntly, Jennifer's parents had divorced. She had lacked love since childhood, and witnessing her father's weakness had made her admire strength.
Li Dan fulfilled every one of her fantasies. In the end, he revealed that he was a church exorcist and stayed behind to face the danger alone for her sake. It was perfectly normal for Jennifer to fall for him under those circumstances.
As for why she believed it was for her, that was even easier to understand.
Wasn't that house her home? Hadn't he initially brought it up because he was afraid demons might appear in her house and wanted to protect her?
Once people started filling in the blanks themselves, they instinctively ignored anything that did not make sense.
This was common in America. It happened to both men and women.
That was also why some men went from man-on-man to becoming gay.
Because another man could give them a sense of security. It was just that few people were as pretty as Jennifer.
It was still a rainy night.
Jennifer's actions looked like she was going back to throw her life away, but she was not stupid enough to charge straight in.
She carefully observed her surroundings while trying to circle around through the backyard.
But when she arrived at the familiar home from her memories, a bewildered look appeared on her face.
The two-story house and the small cottage were gone.
In their place were shattered wood chips and bricks soaked in rainwater, as though a construction crew had just crushed everything flat and left only wreckage behind.
What kind of exorcism could destroy a house where it stood?
Jennifer nervously walked to the middle. There was nothing there, and Li Dan had vanished as well...
Round Clam Town Bar.
Neon lights glimmered as men and women danced wildly inside the bar.
Round Clam Town's four-man crew—Pete, Old Joe, A-Q, and Cleveland "Little Black"—were gathered together drinking.
So many murders had occurred in Round Clam Town lately, yet Pete, the chief, could still sit here drinking tea. That showed just how much of a bastard he was.
In a small booth not far from the four of them.
Li Dan slumped against the booth as though he had collapsed from exhaustion. The exorcism had not succeeded. It had failed.
The Ghost Card confirmed that the thing really was the Midnight Person.
Physical exorcism was useless against the Midnight Person. Even if it were chopped into eighteen pieces, it would still remain alive. On the contrary, Li Dan had nearly been eaten by that ghostly thing.
Their battle had practically torn the house apart.
Logically speaking, the neighbors could not possibly have failed to notice such a huge commotion, yet there had not been the slightest reaction.
After all, the one thing Round Clam Town never lacked was people who loved watching a spectacle.
Li Dan had most likely been trapped in some sort of barrier or inner world. Silent Hill belonged to that kind of special inner world.
Everything was normal during the day, but once night fell, it turned into another world—a deeper inner world.
In the end, he had thrown out the second Deformed Person to draw the Slender Ghost Shadow's attention, giving him the chance to break through that thin membrane and return to reality.
Just before leaving.
Li Dan looked back. Despite the second Deformed Person's frantic struggles, he was ultimately swallowed by the Slender Ghost Shadow and vanished with it.
Huff...
Li Dan looked at the Diamond Four in his hand. After all that circling around, he was back where he started.
Evil Spirit Wendigo still struggled too much against those ghostly things.
It was better suited to dealing with tangible monsters.
Once Evil Spirit Wendigo had recovered somewhat, Li Dan left the bar alone. When he stepped outside and checked his phone.
Oh.
He had signal.
"Jasper, Jasper!"
His phone vibrated with a ringtone, a classic lightning rod.
Jennifer was calling. Li Dan picked up the phone and answered.
"Darling, where are you? When I went back, the house had already been demolished. Are you okay?"
Li Dan said, "It got demolished during the exorcism."
Jennifer said, "I don't care about the house. I'm asking about you."
Li Dan said, "I'm fine. What's wrong?"
Jennifer said, "Where are you? Tell me, baby, please. Seriously."
Li Dan thought for a moment before saying, "On the street in front of Round Clam Town Bar."
Jennifer said, "Wait for me. I'll be there right away."
He hung up.
Li Dan glanced at the pitch-black sky. Even the torrential rain had been a phenomenon created by the Midnight Person's world?
Where had that demon gone?
In American Horror Story, whether demons, evil spirits, witches, clowns, vampires, or all kinds of other monsters, they all had a strong sense of territory.
Unless there was a huge difference in strength or some special circumstance, coexistence was impossible. One side would only enslave the other.
Either the demon had been eaten by the Midnight Person, or it had run away.
Both were possible.
"Li!"
Jennifer spotted Li Dan at the corner of the street and cried out in delight. Then, like a young swallow, she sprinted toward him.
Li Dan's English name contained the character Li. Many people at school were used to calling him Lee or Li.
The former had nothing to do with the character Li; it merely sounded similar. The latter was Li's English translation.
Li Dan had originally had both hands in his pockets. Seeing Jennifer, he helplessly pulled them out and spread his arms.
Jennifer charged forward and leaped.
They embraced tightly. Li Dan could feel the full impact of her body spread across his chest like cotton. Like a koala, Jennifer not only wrapped her arms around his neck, but also clung to his waist with her legs.
"Oh, come on!"
The two single men across the street suffered ten thousand points of emotional damage and swore that, no matter what, they would find girlfriends this year.
Li Dan looked at Jennifer in confusion. "Why are you so excited?"
Jennifer said nothing. In her excitement, she offered him a sweet kiss and sealed his lips. When they parted, a sugary strand stretched between them. She truly felt that it was a little sweet.
But how could saliva be sweet? Was it because she liked him?
Actually, it was not the saliva that was sweet. Li Dan had taken a few sips of a drink at the bar.
After they separated, Jennifer looked at Li Dan with burning eyes.
"Are we getting a room, or going back to your place?"
There was no coy hesitation. Once Jennifer was sure of her feelings, she wanted to enter the deepest parts of each other's bodies and souls with Li Dan.
"Let's get a late-night meal first. I'm a little hungry." Li Dan neither refused nor accepted. He really was a little hungry.
"Then let's eat. This time, it's on me!" You needed energy after a full meal. Jennifer found the only Chinese restaurant in Round Clam Town.
Well, at this hour, it was the only place still open.
It was truly the most hardworking business in Round Clam Town.
On the way, Jennifer did not mention the destroyed house. Instead, everything she said implied, I can only rely on you now. Will you let me stay with you?
Faced with her cautious probing, Li Dan pinched Jennifer's cheek. "Of course. Didn't I say I'd take you to see the castle?"
Jennifer affectionately rubbed against Li Dan's palm like an obedient calico cat seeking a mate.
Why a calico? Because Jennifer was fierce. Do not let her current meek, meowing pursuit of affection in front of Li Dan fool you.
Back when she was out in public, Jennifer had been fierce enough to become captain of the cheerleading squad and fend off the underhanded tactics of her pursuers. She practically bristled every day.
Xiangnan Chinese Restaurant.
There were still two women inside. Judging by how they were dressed, they had probably just come from the bar. Not long after Li Dan and Jennifer sat down.
Another customer entered the restaurant.
It was a strangely dressed clown carrying a woven plastic sack on his back.
Before you continue