The Cursebreaker #
Chapter 1: The Anonymous Letter #
Five years ago, a tragedy was buried in flames.
Now, the curse has returned.
Prologue #
In the depths of the bustling modern city, countless strange and sinister phenomena hide beyond the reach of science.
When night falls and the streets grow silent, strange and terrifying stories begin and end like scenes from a nightmare.
And by the time the truth finally comes to light, the curse has already revealed its hidden face.
But what does a curse really look like?
Are ghosts, spirits, and supernatural forces truly real?
Or are these terrifying phenomena merely manifestations of the darkness buried deep within the human mind?
To explain a series of bizarre and inexplicable incidents, an unusual profession known as the cursebreaker once emerged.
For a time, cursebreakers became widely sought after.
But as their reputation grew, unscrupulous feng shui practitioners began using the idea of curse-breaking as a convenient cover for scams and extortion.
Eventually, the profession faded into obscurity.
The city returned to a fragile sense of peace.
But the disturbances never truly stopped.
And when the truth about Luo Juexing’s identity is finally confirmed, a new curse returns with it.
The Forgotten Melody #
Ding… dong…
A broken melody drifted through the attic.
It was the sound of a piano.
Outside, the night sky was dark and gray, thick clouds swallowing the stars and leaving only a lonely moon wandering silently through the darkness.
The wind came and went in restless bursts.
It whispered through the treetops, swept across the ground, and lifted the curtains hanging beside the attic window.
The room itself was almost completely empty.
There was only a piano.
A chair.
And a woman.
She sat alone in the darkness, her long hair flowing freely behind her. She wore a simple white dress, and her delicate figure looked almost unreal beneath the pale moonlight.
Her slender fingers moved gracefully across the keys.
Each note echoed through the silent room.
She was playing Für Elise.
The song he had once loved so much.
The melody was delicate and clear, yet there was something painfully haunting about it. The music seemed to merge with the restless wind, circling endlessly through the attic.
Far away, thunder rumbled across the sky.
Judging by the weather, a violent storm was coming.
Then a figure slowly approached the attic.
A lonely path flickered beneath unreliable streetlights.
Every step felt unnervingly dangerous.
His shoes crushed the wet leaves beneath his feet.
Crk… crk…
The sound made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
She had thought he would never come.
He had thought he would never find the courage to return.
Yet here he was.
The old wooden door creaked open beneath a pair of rough hands marked by several fresh scars.
He stood just inside the doorway.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Should he go upstairs?
Before he could decide, a violent gust of wind swept through the building.
BANG!
The wooden door slammed shut behind him.
Yet the piano music upstairs did not stop.
There were no lights in the attic, but he knew every corner of the place.
He knew exactly where everything was.
To his left stood an elegant redwood staircase.
The only way to the second floor.
He let out a quiet sigh and began to climb.
Sighing had never been his habit.
But tonight, even he could not escape the weight of his own despair.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
His footsteps echoed against the staircase, blending with the distant piano.
With every step, the music grew clearer.
Until finally…
He stood directly behind her.
She was smaller than he remembered.
Seeing her fragile figure made his heart ache.
Then the piano stopped.
Silence returned.
Even the thunder seemed to hold its breath.
Moonlight quietly spilled across the attic floor, covering it in silver.
The wind slipped through the open window and began to move the curtains, her white dress, and her long hair.
She remained seated for another five minutes.
He stood behind her for another five minutes.
Neither of them knew how to begin.
Neither knew how this meeting was supposed to end.
What had happened could not be undone.
Some mistakes could only be corrected by confronting them.
But where would it all lead?
And who had the right to decide?
Slowly, she stood.
She stepped away from the piano.
Then she turned around.
Her face was familiar.
Yet under the moonlight, it had become deathly pale.
Her bloodshot eyes seemed almost ready to burst from their sockets.
She stared at him.
There was hatred in her gaze.
And beneath it…
A faint trace of pity.
He tightened his grip around the photo album in his hands and slowly stepped backward.
Her lips trembled.
They were unnaturally red.
“You’re afraid.”
The words came softly.
Yet they sent a chill through his entire body.
“Limi…”
He was terrified.
Still, he forced himself to say her name.
Just three months ago, someone had seen the two of them together beside the wishing fountain in Seaside Park, eating ice cream like any ordinary couple.
They had looked happy.
Sweet.
In love.
Now, the difference between that memory and the scene before him was almost impossible to comprehend.
“You didn’t have to come,” she said.
She continued moving toward him, dragging her feet slowly across the floor.
Her voice was cold.
Heavy.
It pressed against his chest until he could barely breathe.
“I…”
His throat tightened.
It felt as though invisible hands were squeezing his neck.
Then her pale, slender fingers closed around his throat.
Her long fingernails brushed against his skin.
“Why did you come back?” she whispered beside his ear.
“Wouldn’t it have been better if you had just run away? Far away?”
Her breath was freezing.
The cold traveled from his ear to the soles of his feet.
His body went rigid.
His thoughts froze.
His heartbeat grew faster.
His chest struggled beneath the pressure.
She loosened her grip slightly.
She did not want him to die yet.
Then she laughed.
“Heh… heh…”
It was the first time she had smiled since her disappearance.
Beneath the cold, beautiful moonlight, her laughter seemed to mock the entire world.
Suddenly, she seized him by the collar and hurled him across the room.
He crashed to the floor.
For a moment, he could only gasp for air.
It felt as though he had just escaped from the gates of hell.
The photo album slipped from his hands.
It landed on the floor.
Her eyes immediately fell upon it.
So he had brought this with him after all.
Did he really intend to burn everything?
The hatred in her eyes told him that she already understood what he was thinking.
He struggled to his feet.
Then he lunged for the album and pulled it tightly against his chest.
“If you have the courage,” she said, “then burn it.”
Her voice suddenly changed.
“Burn it, and end everything once and for all.”
She did not attack him.
Instead, she looked at him with something that resembled pleading.
His resolve began to weaken.
Then, in the very next instant—
She lunged forward.
A furious scream tore through the attic.
Her hands wrapped around his throat again.
This time, she would not show mercy.
His eyes widened in terror.
In the mirror near the corner of the room, he saw his own reflection.
Or perhaps…
He saw his death.
His body twisting.
His face contorted in agony.
His desperate struggle.
The suffering was unbearable.
Worse than being cut apart a thousand times.
His trembling hands were losing their strength.
He could barely hold onto the photo album.
Then, at the very moment when death was about to claim him, a voice whispered beside his ear.
Burn the photo album.
He looked down.
A lighter was suddenly in his left hand.
He was certain it had not belonged to him.
He did not smoke.
He never carried a lighter.
Click.
Click.
The lighter refused to ignite.
Of all the times it could fail, it had chosen this moment.
His arms were growing weaker.
His strength was disappearing.
He could almost feel his soul slipping free from his body.
Then—
Whoosh!
The flame finally appeared.
The fire caught the photo album in his right hand.
The pages fell open.
There was a photograph inside.
A woman in a white dress sat before a piano, playing the same melody.
The same woman.
Limi.
“Limi…”
“Limi…”
The flames rose violently.
Fire began to consume her.
He collapsed against the wall and watched helplessly as she struggled within the inferno.
Her expression was filled with pain.
Fear.
And something that looked like regret.
He grabbed his hair.
Then he began to cry.
The tears came uncontrollably, like a dam breaking after years of pressure.
“Ahhh!”
Her scream tore through the attic.
She struggled against the flames.
She did not want to leave this world carrying unfinished regrets.
The fire burned for ten full minutes.
At last, the thick photo album was reduced to a pile of smoking ashes.
And among the ashes…
Something glimmered.
A silver ring.
He sat motionless on the floor.
He stared at the dying flames.
Slowly, the fire disappeared.
Darkness returned.
He wiped away his tears.
Then, like a man moving through a dream, he walked over to the ashes and crouched down.
He picked up the silver ring.
At that exact moment, a violent gust of wind swept through the attic.
And with it came a cold voice.
“I’ll come back for you…”
He spun around.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
For one brief instant, the glass window reflected the face of a woman.
Then he saw movement in the mirror.
A figure.
Slowly approaching.
That presence.
That feeling.
He knew it.
He knew it all too well.
CRASH!
The lighter smashed into the mirror.
The glass shattered.
And the last thing he heard was a woman’s scream.
A scream that echoed into the night sky.
Then the rain finally came.
Chapter 1: The Anonymous Letter #
“Ah!”
Luo Juexing woke from a nightmare.
Outside, the wind howled uncontrollably as torrential rain hammered against the windows.
He hurried out of bed and reached for the window.
The curtains were soaked.
Rainwater had splashed across his desk, leaving a mess of wet documents behind.
He quickly shut the window and stared helplessly at the papers floating in the water.
“Not again.”
He sighed.
“That’s not the first time this has happened.”
He gathered the dozen or so sheets of paper and threw them into the trash.
Just as he was about to climb back under the covers, something caught his attention.
The drawer beside the bed was open.
Inside was a small silver wooden box.
Luo Juexing slowly pulled it out.
Then he opened it.
Inside lay a silver ring.
The moment he saw it, the deep, cold gleam of the metal dragged him back to that night five years ago.
His expression changed.
He quickly closed the box.
Then he returned it to the drawer.
Only after that did he sit against the headboard.
Today was Sunday.
He did not need to go to school.
And the rain had been falling for an entire week.
At this rate, the streets outside would probably be flooded.
The whole city might as well have become another Venice.
Just as his thoughts began to drift, the telephone suddenly rang.
The sharp sound dragged him back to reality.
He picked up the receiver.
“Weather forecasts say we’ll have another two days of heavy rain,” said a brisk voice on the other end. “Assistant Luo, you won’t need to come to school until Wednesday. Make sure you have the lecture materials ready.”
It was Director Wang from the laboratory.
“Understood.”
Luo Juexing hung up.
He glanced at the papers in the trash can.
Then he stretched.
Walking into the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror.
“Well, Luo Juexing…”
“Looks like this boring life is going to continue.”
He smiled weakly.
“Come on. You can do this.”
Luckily, all his files had been backed up on his computer.
There was no reason to redo everything.
For now, he just wanted to enjoy a quiet lunch at the restaurant across the street.
He straightened his collar, picked up the umbrella hanging behind the door, locked his apartment, and stepped into the elevator.
He had just reached for the close-door button when a small handcart suddenly came rushing toward him.
An elderly woman with a head full of silver hair reached out and stopped the elevator doors.
“Young man, could you give me a hand?”
“Of course.”
Luo Juexing immediately helped pull the handcart inside.
The elevator doors closed.
He glanced at the cart.
It was filled with bottles, jars, and other strange containers.
Then he looked at the old woman.
She was smiling at him.
Her eyes were narrowed into thin lines, surrounded by countless wrinkles.
Something about her face reminded him of someone.
Luo Juexing froze.
“No way…”
He quickly looked away.
“We meet again, young man.”
Her voice carried a distinctive tone.
The moment he heard it, his suspicion was confirmed.
Luo Juexing turned toward her.
“You’re Granny Luo, aren’t you?”
The old woman snapped her fingers.
“That’s right.”
She gave him a meaningful smile.
“Not bad. You still remember me.”
“You should come by my place sometime. I’ll make you some tea.”
The elevator doors opened.
Granny Luo pushed her cart out with a satisfied smile and turned left.
Luo Juexing remained standing inside the elevator.
He had no idea what her sudden appearance meant.
But one thing was certain.
Granny Luo was a good person.
At least, that’s what he believed.
He shook his head.
“Why am I thinking about such strange things?”
The elevator had no patience for him.
Ding.
The doors began to close.
Luo Juexing quickly stepped out and turned right, leaving the apartment building.
The rain was still falling endlessly.
He had no idea why the storm refused to stop.
The restaurant across the street remained as inviting as ever.
The aroma of freshly cooked food and sweet fruit juice drifted through the rain and reached him.
His stomach growled.
He opened his umbrella and headed across the street.
He had barely reached the middle of the road when someone suddenly rushed out of the crowd.
Bang!
The stranger crashed straight into him.
The umbrella flew from his hand.
Both of them fell to the ground.
For a moment, Luo Juexing wondered if he was still dreaming.
Then he turned his head.
A girl was sitting on the pavement.
Her hands were scraped, tiny spots of blood visible across her skin.
“Are you all right?”
Luo Juexing reached out to help her up.
She raised her head.
Their eyes met.
Her gaze was sharp.
Almost defiant.
The look hit him like a slap.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then voices came from the crowd.
“Don’t let that brat get away!”
Several fierce-looking men were running toward them.
Some of them were carrying what appeared to be sticks or metal rods.
The girl immediately hid behind Luo Juexing.
“Mr. Luo, please help me!”
Luo Juexing stared at her.
“Little Bell…”
His expression darkened.
“Don’t tell me you…”
“Yes.”
She did not even bother hiding it.
“I stole money from home again.”
She shrugged.
“So my dad sent his buddies to come after me.”
Luo Juexing slowly straightened his back.
The men charging toward them suddenly stopped.
They stood in the rain.
Watching him.
The man in front stepped forward.
“Mind your own business!”
Little Bell grabbed the hem of Luo Juexing’s coat.
She peeked out from behind him.
Then she stuck out her tongue at the men.
The leader’s expression changed.
“Fine.”
He gestured toward the others.
“Let’s see how long you can keep acting tough.”
The men prepared to move.
Luo Juexing grabbed Little Bell by the wrist.
“Run.”
That was all he said.
The two of them turned and sprinted back toward the apartment building.
One of the men lunged after them and missed.
Then the others followed.
Luo Juexing reached the first elevator.
He pressed the call button.
The moment the doors opened, he quickly pressed several different floors.
Then he stepped out.
He ran toward the second elevator.
When its doors opened, both of them rushed inside.
By the time the men chasing them reached the lobby, all they could do was watch as the two elevators began climbing toward different floors.
Luo Juexing didn’t mind.
If they wanted to climb the stairs, they were welcome to try.
Inside the elevator, Little Bell looked at Luo Juexing.
He was completely soaked.
She suddenly burst out laughing.
Then she nodded approvingly.
“Mr. Luo is still as impressive as ever.”
Luo Juexing didn’t understand why these two people kept appearing in his life one after another.
But his instincts were screaming at him.
The peaceful days were ending.
Something was coming back.
And he could not help remembering the words he had heard five years ago.
I’ll come back for you…
“Mr. Luo?”
“Mr. Luo?”
Little Bell tugged at his sleeve.
He finally snapped back to reality.
The elevator doors had already been open for several seconds.
They stepped out.
Luo Juexing turned right.
His apartment was just ahead.
He unlocked the door.
Little Bell walked in without hesitation.
She immediately began taking off her wet jacket.
“Hey!”
Luo Juexing stared at her.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking off my clothes.”
She didn’t even look at him.
“They’re soaked. I’ll catch a cold.”
“If you’re going to change, at least go into the bathroom!”
Luo Juexing turned on the bathroom light.
Little Bell looked back at his stern expression.
Then she smiled.
Without another word, she disappeared into the bathroom.
“I don’t have any clothes your size.”
Luo Juexing opened his wardrobe.
“You’ll have to make do with these pajamas.”
He handed her a set of sleepwear.
Little Bell looked delighted.
“Wow! These are so cute!”
She held them up.
“Only Sister Limi would love pajamas this adorable.”
Standing outside the bathroom, Luo Juexing’s expression immediately changed.
The old wound in his heart had opened once again.
“All right,” Little Bell called out.
“I’m going to find something to eat.”
“You can have your bathroom back.”
A moment later, she passed him with a smile.
“Just remember to take my clothes to the dry cleaner downstairs.”
She paused.
“Otherwise, I’ll have to stay here tonight.”
She laughed and walked directly toward the refrigerator.
It was obvious that she considered his apartment her own home.
Luo Juexing sighed.
Then he stepped into the bathroom.
Warm water poured over his body.
The sudden wave of exhaustion overwhelmed him.
He closed his eyes.
He tried not to think about what had happened back then.
But the grief he had buried for so long came flooding back.
He crouched down beneath the shower.
When he finally came out, Little Bell was asleep on the sofa.
She was lying on her side.
A half-empty bag of potato chips sat loosely in one hand.
Luo Juexing took the chips away.
Then he found a blanket and carefully covered her.
Her innocent face looked peaceful.
Tired.
Happy.
It was difficult to believe that this was the same girl who had once caused so much trouble.
No matter how mischievous or rebellious she could be, Luo Juexing still saw her as a child.
He couldn’t bring himself to turn his back on her.
Even though…
She had once hurt Limi.
Who was Limi?
She was a girl who had cared for Luo Juexing with all her heart.
He had never openly admitted how he felt about her.
But Limi had always known.
She knew that somewhere in his heart, he loved her.
That was why she had stayed by his side for so long.
A sudden telephone ring interrupted his thoughts.
Little Bell opened her sleepy eyes.
Luo Juexing answered the phone.
“Mr. Luo?”
It was Little Bell’s father.
“I’m Lingdang’s father.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with her again.”
His voice no longer sounded as angry as before.
“It’s all right,” Luo Juexing said.
“I’ll make sure she goes home soon.”
“But you should try talking to her calmly. Kids respond better to patience and guidance than violence.”
“Yes.”
“You’re right.”
“Please tell her that if she comes home, I’ll forget everything that happened before.”
“Please.”
“All right.”
Luo Juexing hung up.
Little Bell immediately pouted.
“I’m not a child.”
“Your father called.”
Luo Juexing looked at her.
“He wants you to go home.”
“And he promises not to hit you.”
Little Bell snorted.
“If promises worked, we’d never need the police.”
Then she picked up her milk.
“I’m hungry.”
“Make me something to eat.”
Luo Juexing stared at her.
“What do you want?”
“Egg fried rice.”
She paused.
“Make it taste like Sister Limi’s.”
Luo Juexing’s expression instantly darkened.
He had no idea why Little Bell kept bringing up Limi.
But this time, he was genuinely angry.
“Eat your dinner.”
“Change your clothes.”
“Then go home.”
Little Bell immediately heard the irritation in his voice.
She lowered her head.
For the first time, she looked like a child who knew she had gone too far.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Luo.”
“Please don’t be angry.”
Thirty minutes later, an employee from the dry cleaner returned her clothes.
After paying the bill, Luo Juexing urged her to change and leave.
Little Bell reluctantly put her clothes back on.
At the door, she turned around.
“I’m leaving.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re a good person.”
Then she flashed him a carefree smile and walked toward the elevator.
Luo Juexing stood in the doorway.
The elevator doors slowly began to close.
For one brief moment, something about the girl’s eyes reminded him of someone.
Someone he could never forget.
He stood there for several minutes.
Then he turned around and went back inside.
As he closed the door, he noticed something lying on the sofa.
A short jacket.
Little Bell had forgotten it.
“Honestly…”
“She’s such a careless kid.”
Luo Juexing picked up the jacket.
Then something slipped from inside.
An envelope.
He froze.
That should not have been possible.
His expression changed.
He instinctively stepped backward.
There was writing on the front.
Only a few words.
To Mr. Luo Juexing.
His hands began to tremble.
Slowly, he opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
Only one sentence had been written.
The curse has returned…
Luo Juexing stared at the words.
He knew that handwriting.
There was no mistake.
He flipped the envelope over.
No name.
No return address.
Nothing.
It was a completely anonymous letter.
His legs gave way.
He collapsed onto the floor.
He stared at those five words.
For a moment, the world seemed to disappear.
And suddenly…
It was as if time had turned backward.
As if he had returned to that night five years ago.
The night when everything began.
The curse had returned.