Reverse Invasion

"I think I remember...

"Did I kill Li Xing? Li Xing Sister is gone, but who is standing at the door?"

Gao Xi's expression shifted from calm and composed to flustered, then fearful, and finally, he lost all reason. He let out a scream and half-knelt on the ground, scrambling away from the rickety iron door as if trying to escape.

Gao Tian never expected that ghosts could be brainwashed, nor that ghosts could be afraid of ghosts.

It seemed "Gao Xi" had gotten too deep into character, completely seeing himself as human and being thoroughly influenced by the patterns of the Memory Ghost Gao Tian controlled.

But even though one "sister" had been influenced, it still wasn't enough. Don't forget he was currently dealing with a family of four; the Memory Ghost was playing three roles, and "Mother" and "Father" had yet to be won over.

"Father" suddenly became agitated, stood up, and walked in front of Gao Tian, pointing at the iron door and shouting angrily:

"Gao Tian, you're becoming more and more out of line. It's understandable that you and Li Xing had a conflict; young people are like that. But why would you make up such a bunch of nonsense to curse her to death? And scare your sister into this state?

"You have this Intermittent Memory thing, do you know how much your sister has helped you shoulder over the years? Is this how you repay our family?"

At the same time, "Mother" rushed to "Sister's" side, gently comforting her while trying to re-instill the memory that "Li Xing" was not dead. She attempted to regain control of the situation.

Seeing these two ghosts playing good cop and bad cop, Gao Tian couldn't let the little advantage he'd gained slip away. Facing "Father's" stern reprimand, he let out a cold laugh, pointing at the increasing number of palms on the iron door and the cracking marks:

"Open your eyes and look properly. Is this still the "Li Xing" who couldn't even lift a chicken and was afraid of a hamster?

"She's a girl who normally wouldn't even step on a blade of grass by the roadside, and now she's smashing a thick, brick security door like this, palm after palm. You tell me this is Li Xing? Even an adult man couldn't do this.

"Dad, Mom, I know you both really liked Li Xing. Last summer, after she left, you lamented that you'd never find such a good daughter-in-law in this lifetime. When you went grocery shopping, you were distracted several times, mistaking the backs of young girls walking by for Li Xing.

"But facts are facts. You have to accept them whether you like it or not. Li Xing is gone forever, and she's never coming back. What is standing at the iron door, banging on it, you should know better than I do.

"Dad, Mom, how much longer are you going to deceive yourselves!

"If you continue to deceive yourselves and open the door to let that thing outside in, not only will you and I die here, but Xiao Xi will die here today too!"

After Gao Tian's impromptu speech, coupled with the inhuman roars coming from outside the door, "Father" and "Mother" showed expressions of bewildered confusion for the first time.

Their memories were also beginning to be affected by the Memory Ghost.

"Honey, Tian Tian is right. The one standing at the door... is definitely not Li Xing.

"I've seen this young girl before. She was quiet and gentle; she even needed Xiao Tian's help to open a soda bottle."

"Father's" confusion was even more profound:

"But when exactly did Li Xing die? Which day was the funeral we attended?

"Why can't I recall even a single fragment no matter how hard I try?"

Seeing the main door on the verge of collapse, "Mother" forcefully pulled "Father" up, too impatient to explain:

"Let's get the two kids out of here first. What are you thinking about now!"

The memories of the "family of four," now three, were in turn affected by the Memory Ghost itself.

It seemed that getting too immersed in a role wasn't a good thing.

Since they had decided to escape, "Mother" hurried to the front, leading Gao Tian and the others through the corridor and into the study. This room connected to a small balcony, where they could use the Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit's Bracket as a foothold. Flipping from the fourth floor to the third wasn't difficult.

After entering the study, to be safe, "Mother" didn't forget to lock the inner room door behind them. If "Li Xing" outside managed to break down the Iron Door and rush into the living room, they would still have this relatively flimsy door for support.

The family of four gathered in the study, now facing a new problem. To descend the wall outside the balcony, they needed something like a Rope for support.

At this moment, in the study's cabinet, the only thing that could serve this purpose was a thin Blanket. And there was only one, meaning only one person could be tied to it at a time to descend from the balcony.

This meant that by the time "Li Xing" outside broke through the main door and reached the study, the first person to climb down the balcony would be the safest. The second person to descend would be in a more urgent situation, possibly being caught and killed by "Li Xing" as he broke in.

The third and fourth people shouldn't even think about surviving.

With a loud bang from outside the study, "Li Xing," who had been banging on the door for fifteen minutes, finally broke it down. The footsteps, heavy as a Giant Elephant, were rapidly approaching. The remaining time was barely enough for two people to get downstairs safely.

"Mother" took "Father's" hand and opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

Gao Tian understood her intention: she wanted "Father" to grab the blanket and swing down to the third floor first.

Such a thing absolutely could not happen. "Father" was already a ghost, immortal and indestructible. Why would he need to run?

But three out of the family of four were ghosts. If they reached a consensus, he alone wouldn't be able to oppose the three of them. Before "Mother" could speak, Gao Tian spoke first again:

"Father, you absolutely must not stay behind to cover our retreat!

"I knew you'd say that. You were just like this last year. At the Car Accident scene, several cars were burning together. The Car Owners were seriously injured and trapped inside, unable to get out. The situation was on the verge of explosion, and even the Fire Truck didn't dare to get close. You, risking your life, smashed the Car Windows and dragged the unconscious car owners out one by one to safety.

"It's you again. Every year, you donate over fifty thousand to various Charity Organizations. You never consider yourself, always trying to be a hero, even at the risk of your own life to save others. This time, you're going to volunteer to stay behind again, to buy us time, right?

"I'm begging you, Dad, you've already done more than enough. You really don't need to sacrifice yourself again!"

Hearing Gao Tian's words, "Father's" eyes gradually became distant:

"Did I really do these things?

"I don't seem to remember."

Gao Tian didn't give him time to react. To prevent "Mother" from escaping first, he immediately turned to her and said:

"Your feelings for Dad are the deepest. I know that if Dad stays behind to cover our retreat, you'll definitely stay with him to see him through this final journey. Even if you can't be born on the same year, month, and day, you'll definitely choose to die on the same year, month, and day.

"I'm truly in so much pain. Having parents with such a deep love. Do you know how painful it would be for us children to lose both of you at the same time?

"You don't care about your son's feelings at all. You only care about each other. Your eyes are only on each other!"

"Mother's" memories have been influenced by Gao Tian, and she grabbed "Father's" hand:

"Let the children go first, I'll stay here with you."

"Father" was still struggling to resist the Memory Ghost's interference:

"Wait, I think I remember donating before, but when did I ever save someone at a car accident scene?... I have no recollection of it."

"Gao Xi" tied one end of the blanket to the corner of the balcony, holding the other end, preparing to escape first.

Gao Tian shouted:

"Sister, although you have a terminal illness and only have a month left. You've said many times that you wanted to die anyway, but when facing life and death, as your older brother, I wouldn't hesitate to leave the hope of survival to you.

"Go down. Escape from here along this balcony and enjoy your last month. You don't need to remember us three family members. We, who are healthy and will live to be a hundred, are using our lives to hold back the ghosts, to buy you an extra month. It's what we should do."

As he said this, "Gao Xi's" face immediately showed an expression of extreme shame. (She) handed the other end of the blanket to Gao Tian:

"Brother, I'm not leaving. I'll stay here with Mom and Dad. You go down first."

Gao Tian didn't stand on ceremony with "Gao Xi." (She) was also using a Ghost Disguise. Moreover, "Li Xing" in the living room had already reached the study door. With just one punch, (he) shattered half of the study door.

A massive hole was revealed as the wooden planks broke off, and a furry Red Arm, still dripping blood, reached in. Outside the study stood a Black Figure with distorted proportions, its appearance unclear.

"Mother" was completely immersed in the act now. (She) used her body to block the hole in the door, turning her back to the two children on the balcony and shouting:

"Go!

"Don't worry about me and your Dad, hurry and go!"

Gao Tian wrapped one end of the blanket around his wrist and flipped over the balcony edge, his feet landing on the external air conditioning unit frame.

(He) heard the sound of the study above being breached. "Father" grunted and then fell silent. "Mother" resisted a little longer. "Gao Xi" stood to the side, screaming continuously, as if seeing something that shouldn't exist, screaming and screaming.

Gao Tian knew that the next step was the most crucial.

(His) feet left the support of the air conditioning unit frame. Using the support of the blanket above, (his) entire body began to descend, descend, attempting to reach the protruding window sill on the third floor.

As long as (he) could step on this window sill, (he) could leave the hellish fourth floor, reach the third floor, and gain a moment of respite.

Just then, Gao Tian felt a pair of eyes watching him from the balcony. (He) looked up--