C32 Contract

My throat burned as if it were on fire, and my blood felt like it was boiling. I gulped down water in an attempt to quell the worsening condition of my body, but it was futile.

As my consciousness began to blur, the image of a woman shrouded in a red veil and dressed in a red wedding gown materialized before me. I let out a wretched smile, dismissing it as a hallucination, but to my surprise, a woman's voice pierced the silence, "You're going to die."

"Yes... Ah, I am dying. The hallucinations have become so vivid. I... I really wish I could lift your veil to see what kind of demon you are..." I said weakly, slumping against the wall.

The female ghost let out a cold snort and challenged me, "What you're seeing isn't a hallucination. Haven't you noticed your body feels somewhat better?"

Confused, I examined myself and, indeed, the searing sensation had subsided, and even the skin on my arms looked normal again.

"What... What's happening?" I snapped back to full awareness, staring incredulously at the female ghost who had appeared so suddenly. The dim moonlight filtered through the door crack, casting an eerie glow on her red veil, adding to her enigmatic presence.

"How should I know? You were on the verge of becoming a mummified corpse. I was about to ask you what was wrong with your body," the female ghost retorted, her voice unexpectedly melodious and youthful.

"If I don't consume human flesh for three days, I'll die. You... How did you get in here? What do you want from me?" I asked, terror-stricken.

"Hmph, as if a mere iron door could stop me. I've come to offer you a way out," the female ghost replied.

"A way out?" I echoed, puzzled.

"Yes. I can help you survive, but in return, you must give me something from inside your body," the female ghost stated coldly.

Her words struck me like a bolt of lightning, triggering the memory of my adoptive father's last words. He had said that in his final moments, he glimpsed a trace of destiny. He warned that there was something inside me that must never fall into the hands of those with malicious intent...

With that thought, I couldn't contain my eagerness and blurted out, "What thing? What is it?"

"Your heart!" the female ghost declared icily.

"My heart?" I exclaimed, bewildered. The female ghost gave a slight nod.

I had thought there was a sliver of hope for me, but it turned out this female ghost was also after my life. I let out a wry smile and said, "You might as well say you want my life. Go ahead, I'm going to die one way or another. Just make it quick."

Bracing myself for the end, I closed my eyes. But then the female ghost proposed an alternative: "You could agree to do something else for me, and then I wouldn't need your heart."

"What would that be?"

"You have to marry me."

I was stunned. I had to ask again, "What did you just say?"

"I said you have to marry me. But don't get the wrong idea; it's not because I have feelings for you. If we become husband and wife, it will help me restore my soul," she explained.

"Fine, I agree. We'll be husband and wife in name only, right?" I nodded, willing to agree to anything if it meant I could survive—even marrying a ghost, or a corpse for that matter.

"Don't be so hasty with your agreement. Once we're married, you can't leave my side. How else could you help me regain my soul? Do you still agree?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mocking tone.

"Not leave your side? But I have so many things to do..." I frowned, but then an idea struck me. "Listen, I can promise to give you my heart and marry you, but can we postpone the wedding for three years? I need to fulfill my foster father's dying wish during that time. I made a vow at his grave."

The female ghost fell silent, leaving me feeling uneasy. She probably didn't know that I wasn't expected to live past eighteen.

I wasn't entirely lying; I truly intended to honor my foster father's wishes within the next three years. As for finding the thirteen life-altering corpses, I had no confidence at all.

After a moment, the female ghost spoke again, her request rather perplexing. "Take off your clothes."

"Strip? What for?" I asked, puzzled.

"I need to inscribe a contract on your body. Hurry up and take them off!" she insisted.

Left with no other option, I reluctantly removed my shirt. Just then, the female ghost lifted her voluminous sleeves to unveil her chilling, skeletal palm.