Chapter 36 - 36 Belfast Library Ruins

Words : 1297 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

36: Belfast Library Ruins 36: Belfast Library Ruins [Dear Mr. Luli: From the moment we met, I knew I had found the partner for the rest of my life. My love for you is as fervent as fire, and nothing in this world seems more painful than being away from you. Please stop emitting your charming aura, for I have fallen into an abyss where I cannot escape from you, not even God can stop me. When the night composes the nocturne of my love for you, do you hear my longing for you? — An admirer unable to escape your omnipresent charm] After reading the letter, Lu Li fell into a long silence. “What did it say? Let me see...” Anna tiptoed to peek but was blocked by Lu Li’s shoulder. Eventually, she remembered she was a ghost and simply floated up. Rustle. By then, Lu Li had closed the letter, putting it back into the envelope. “It’s nothing.” He said. Anna narrowed her eyes, sensing something odd. Oliver had left in a hurry—he certainly had to leave in a hurry, so that Lu Li hadn’t had the chance to ask him if there had been any new assignments recently. However, that didn’t mean Lu Li had nothing to do. He still had several assignments to choose from and sorted them by priority. Topping the list was “The Haunted House incident at Simp Park,” but Lu Li was more concerned about two others: “The Ruins of Belfast Library” and “The Abandoned Asylum at the outskirts of Rodest Port.” The former gave Lu Li a chance to stumble upon the needed books, while in the latter... Bill Eddy, Asina’s husband, was last seen near the Abandoned Asylum. But each assignment had its hidden risks. The former was related to the night watchman. After learning some insider details from Anna, Lu Li’s suspicion about the library’s fire grew stronger, and he even speculated that the person who posted the assignment wasn’t a curator, but the night watchman himself. As for the latter, if the cultists who lured Bill Eddy into madness were there, Lu Li would undoubtedly encounter them if he went to investigate, and might even stumble into their den. Lu Li certainly intended to go, but not now, when his wings were not yet full. So, the answer became obvious. ... Belfast, Tulip Street. The smell of charred wood lingered at the tip of the nose, a scent anyone approaching the ruins of the library could detect. Passersby slowed their pace, sighing deeply. Most of them did not understand the value of books, but that didn’t stop them from lamenting the fire that had swept through the entire library. Fortunately, the incident had caused no civilian casualties, and the fire had been contained within the range of the library by the police who arrived for the rescue, with only the neighboring residences having their walls blackened. At least that was the case on the surface. In the information investigated by Oliver, a lady working in the library due to the sudden occurrence of the fire hadn’t managed to escape and was burnt to death inside. Theoretically, there could be a ghost here. Most of the library ruins had collapsed, only a small part barely remaining intact—the lounge and the basement being the most intact parts, where Lu Li was about to head. Creak— He stepped into the ruins, the charcoal under his feet making cracking and popping sounds. Several passersby glanced sideways, looking at the bold young man approaching the ruins of the library, whispering among themselves. Lu Li furrowed his brows as the scent of charred odors became more distinct. The smell wasn’t pungent; it was akin to ashes, yet far more intense inside than out, causing some discomfort in his throat. Lu Li walked across the ruins, quickly crossed what used to be the main book storage area of the library, and arrived at the rest area — near the entrance to the basement. Here, the extent of fire damage was less severe, although the room was utterly burnt out and its original appearance unrecognizable. Its structure, however, still remained. From a collapsed doorway, Lu Li entered the rest area, where the ceiling blocked out the light. Soot-blackened walls around seemed to swallow all sources of light, rendering the hallway pitch-dark, with the light behind him resembling the glimmer cast into the depths of a shadowy well. The odor of char rose another level here; Lu Li coughed lightly, soothing the itch in his throat, and took out the oil lamp he had prepared, lighting it up. The moment the oil lamp lit up, the surrounding boundless darkness abruptly transformed into a sinister black claw reaching out from the depths of the hallway! Lu Li’s pupils constricted for a moment, then returned to normal. He silently lifted his head, gazing at the wall beneath the oil lamp. Charred burn marks extended from a door at the end of the hallway, leaving licked traces on the walls, appearing abruptly like a twisted monster’s claw protruding from within the door. Lu Li was standing right in front of this monstrous claw. The ground floor areas were unlikely to contain the books he needed, yet he still searched the area. He wasn’t the first; many had rummaged through here before him, stuff had been moved aside, partially revealing parts of the floor and wall that had escaped the fire’s wrath. These unscathed areas stood oddly distinct amidst the charred surroundings. Upon confirming there was nothing of need here, Lu Li returned to the hallway, stepping into the jewel of the monstrous claw, and walked towards the door at the end of the passage. The basement door was made of sheet metal, which is why the basement didn’t end up like the library. The sign on the door was blackened and unreadable; Lu Li wiped his hand over it, the ash cleared, revealing a row of text. Basement Creeeak— As his palm brushed past, the partially ajar door suddenly opened a crack, leaving Lu Li’s hand suspended in mid-air, caught off-guard. A stench more intense than the surrounding area seeped out from the crack. Along with it, came wisps of chill, a sensation Lu Li had become very familiar with recently. If one were to describe it, it could be termed a ghost’s presence. Lu Li couldn’t confirm whether this chill was uniquely characteristic of the basement, or if there was a ghost inside. His palm subconsciously rested on the gun holster at his waist, gently prying it open. He exerted a little pressure on his hand on the door, and the door, pushed open, let out a coarse scraping sound echoing through the vacant corridor. A dark staircase extending downward emerged before his eyes. Lu Li held the oil lamp high and stepped down the stairs. Crack— The very first step Lu Li took landed on charcoal, producing a crisp sound, shattering into countless pieces when he lifted his foot. The oil lamp illuminated the door behind, revealing strangely scattered charcoal debris over several steps. Lu Li unconsciously painted a scene in his mind. The fire spread mercilessly consuming everything in its vicinity. The basement filled with billowing smoke, temperatures rising swiftly. A figure stood behind the door in desperation, coughs nearly drowning out the crackling burn, yet inadvertently drawing more smoke into their lungs. The last vestiges of strength in their body couldn’t budge the door an inch. Eventually, items with low ignition points in the basement caught fire first, flames and heatwave engulfing from behind; hair withering and curling, clothes igniting, the least heat-resistant eyes burst, and in excruciating screams, the figure painfully transformed into a lump of charred remains.

Chapter 36 - 36 Belfast Library Ruins

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