Reverse Invasion

"I think I remember now...

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

Gao Xi's calm gaze gradually turned frantic and fearful. At last, she lost her mind. With a shriek, she half-collapsed to her knees, scrambling away from the shaky iron door.

Gao Tian had never imagined that a ghost could be brainwashed, let alone that a ghost could fear another ghost.

It seemed "Gao Xi" had gotten so caught up in her role that she now completely believed she was human. She had been thoroughly affected by the rules of the Memory Ghost that Gao Tian had learned.

But even after influencing one "younger sister," it still didn't seem nearly enough. He couldn't forget that he was now in a Family of Four. The Memory Ghost was playing three roles, and the "mother" and "father" hadn't been won over yet.

The "father" suddenly grew agitated. He stood and came over to Gao Tian, pointing at the iron door as he angrily shouted:

"Gao Tian, you're getting more and more out of line. I can understand you and Li Xing having a falling-out. Young people are like that. But why are you making up all this ghostly nonsense and cursing her to die? And look at what you've done to your sister!

"You have some illness called Intermittent Memory or whatever. Do you have any idea how much your sister has shouldered for you over the years? Is this how you repay our family?"

At the same time, the "mother" rushed over to the "younger sister." She held her close and softly comforted her as she tried to replant the memory that "Li Xing" wasn't dead, hoping to regain control of the situation.

Watching the two ghosts play good cop and bad cop, Gao Tian couldn't just hand over the small advantage he'd fought so hard to gain. Faced with the "father's" stern reprimand, he gave a cold laugh and pointed at the ever-growing number of handprints and cracks on the iron door.

"Open your eyes and take a good look. Is that really 'Li Xing,' who couldn't hurt a fly and was scared of even a hamster?

"She was a girl who wouldn't even dare step on the grass by the roadside. Now she's pounding on a heavy, brick-thick security door, one blow after another, until it looks like this. You tell me that's Li Xing? Even a grown man couldn't do this.

"Dad, Mom, I know you both liked Li Xing a lot. After she left last summer, you said you'd never find such a good daughter-in-law again. When you went out to buy groceries, you'd lose yourself in thought and mistake the backs of young women passing by for Li Xing.

"But facts are facts. Whether you accept them or not, Li Xing is gone for good. She's never coming back. So what exactly is that thing standing at the iron door and pounding on it? You should know better than I do.

"Dad, Mom, how long are you going to keep lying to yourselves?

"If you keep deceiving yourselves and open the door to let that thing inside, then all of us—me, you, and Xiao Xi—will die here today!"

After Gao Tian's impromptu speech, and with the thing outside constantly making inhuman snarls, the "father" and "mother" both wore lost, bewildered expressions for the first time.

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

"Dear, Tian Tian is right. There's no way the person at the door could be Li Xing.

"I've met that girl. She was quiet and gentle; Xiao Tian even had to help her open a bottle of cola."

The confusion in the "father's" eyes deepened.

"But when exactly did Li Xing die? Which day did we attend her funeral?

"No matter how hard I try, I can't remember a thing."

Seeing the front door swaying on the verge of collapse, the "mother" grabbed the "father" and dragged him along, no longer bothering to explain.

"Let's get the children out of here first. Why are we still standing around thinking about this?"

By now, the memories of the three members of the Family of Four had been turned around and affected by the Memory Ghost itself.

It seemed getting too caught up in a role wasn't always a good thing.

Now that they'd decided to flee, the "mother" hurried ahead, leading Gao Tian and the others through the hallway and into the study. It connected to a small balcony, where the outdoor air conditioner's frame could serve as a foothold. Climbing down from the Fourth Floor to the Third Floor wouldn't be difficult.

Once they were in the study, the "mother" made sure to lock the inner door behind them. If "Li Xing" knocked down the iron door and charged into the living room, they would still have this relatively flimsy door to hold her back.

The Family of Four gathered in the study, where they faced a new problem. To climb down the wall from the balcony, they needed something like a rope to support them.

At that moment, the only thing in the study cabinet that could serve that purpose was a thin blanket. And there was only one, so it could support just one person at a time as they climbed down from the balcony.

That meant the first person to climb down would be safest while "Li Xing" broke through the front door and reached the study. The second person would be in much greater danger and might be caught and killed by "Li Xing" as she broke in.

The third and fourth people had no chance of making it out alive.

With a crash from outside the study, "Li Xing"—who had been pounding on the front door for a quarter of an hour—finally knocked it down. Heavy footsteps, like those of a giant elephant, came closer, one step at a time. There was barely enough time for two people to make it downstairs.

The "mother" took the "father's" hand and parted her lips, about to say something.

Gao Tian understood what she meant. She wanted the father to go first, gripping the blanket and swinging down to the Third Floor.

That couldn't happen. The "father" was a ghost to begin with, immortal and indestructible. Why would he need to run?

But three of the Family of Four were ghosts. If they reached an agreement, Gao Tian alone would never be able to overrule them. Before the mother could speak, he cut in again.

"Father, don't you dare stay behind to cover our escape!

"I knew you'd say that. You did the same thing last year. Several cars were burning at the Car Accident site, and their owners were trapped inside, badly injured and unconscious. They could have exploded at any moment. Even the fire engines didn't dare get close. But you risked your life, smashed the windows, and dragged the unconscious drivers out one by one to safety.

"And you donate more than fifty thousand every year to various charities. You never think about yourself. You're always trying to play the hero, risking your life to save others. This time, you're planning to stay behind and buy us time again, aren't you?

"Please, Dad. You've done more than enough. You don't have to sacrifice yourself again!"

As he listened to Gao Tian, the "father's" gaze gradually grew unfocused.

"Did I really do those things?

"Why don't I remember any of it?"

Gao Tian gave him no time to react. To keep the "mother" from being the first to flee, he immediately turned to her.

"You and Dad have the deepest bond. I know that. If Dad stays behind, you'll definitely stay with him and see him through to the end. Even if you couldn't be born on the same day, in the same month, and in the same year, you'd choose to die on the same day.

"It hurts so much to have parents whose love is so unbreakable. Do you know how painful it would be for us children to lose both of you at once?

"You don't care how I feel as your son. All you care about is each other. You only have eyes for each other!"

The "mother's" memories had already been influenced by Gao Tian. She grabbed the "father's" hand.

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

The "father" was still struggling to resist the Memory Ghost's influence.

"Wait. I think I remember making donations, but when did I ever save anyone at a Car Accident scene? I don't remember that at all."

"Gao Xi" tied one end of the blanket to the corner of the balcony and gripped the other end, ready to escape first.

Gao Tian called out:

"Little sis, even though you're terminally ill and have less than a month left to live, you've said so many times that you wanted to die anyway. But when it comes to life and death, your big brother still unhesitatingly gives you the chance to live.

"Go down. Escape from here by way of the balcony, and enjoy the rest of your month. You don't have to remember the three of us. We're healthy people who'll live to a hundred. Giving our lives to hold off the ghost so you can live one more month is only right."

At his words, "Gao Xi" immediately looked deeply ashamed and handed the other end of the blanket to Gao Tian.

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

Gao Tian didn't argue with "Gao Xi." She was a ghost in disguise too. Besides, "Li Xing" had already reached the study door. With a single punch, she smashed half of it to pieces.

A huge hole yawned where the broken boards had fallen away. A furry red arm, dripping with blood, reached through. Outside the study stood a black figure with distorted proportions, its features impossible to make out.

The "mother" was now completely immersed in her role. She blocked the hole in the door with her body and turned her back to the two children on the balcony.

"Go!

"Don't worry about me and your father. Hurry!"

Gao Tian wrapped one end of the blanket around his wrist and climbed over the balcony railing. Both feet came to rest on the outdoor air conditioner's frame.

He heard the study door being breached above him. The "father" let out a muffled groan, then fell silent. The "mother" held out a little longer. "Gao Xi" stood to one side screaming, as if she'd seen something that shouldn't exist. She kept screaming and screaming.

Gao Tian knew the most important part was still ahead.

His feet left the air conditioner's frame, and supported by the blanket above, his body began to descend, inch by inch, trying to reach the protruding window ledge on the Third Floor.

If he could land on that ledge, he could escape the hellish Fourth Floor, climb to the Third Floor, and get a moment to catch his breath.

Just then, Gao Tian felt someone on the balcony looking at him. He looked up—