Electronic Nezha

Chapter 100 Sleepwalking
I had a dream.

In my dream, I first saw Earth, standing there blue like in all aerial space footage. Then countless menacing-looking spaceships hovered above Earth, shooting down countless lasers. Earth instantly deformed rapidly like a rotten orange, and my ears were filled with the screams of humans.

Then, the spaceships began to project light and shadow, and in each patch of light and shadow, a group of tentacled, octopus-like monsters cheered and jumped for joy.

Earth has changed hands; it now belongs to the octopus monster.

Humans, of course, refused to submit. Led by a thin boy, they put up a fierce resistance, but their technological level was far behind that of the invaders, and they ultimately suffered a tragic defeat.

When I saw the octopus monster, my subconscious told me it was a dream. In a dream, one's rationality and logical thinking are almost nonexistent. Fortunately, when you realize you are dreaming, it means the dream is about to end.

As all the images gradually faded away, I pursed my lips in my final dream. How to put it? Aside from the fact that the boy looked a bit like Liu Zhenhua, which made me uncomfortable, the dream was actually quite interesting. To still have a boundless imagination in middle age is something to be proud of!

I don't believe in aliens at all.

In my half-awake state, I heard a voice repeating in my ear like a chant:
"Your son has been murdered."

"Your son is not human."

"Your son has been murdered."

"Your son is not human."

……

I suddenly opened my eyes.

It was the woman in the mask. She had been sitting on the ground beside me, massaging my feet, but now she was above me. When she saw that I was awake, she seemed a little surprised. Then, like she was performing a ritual, she waved her hands in front of me and continued to mutter, "Your son was killed. Your son wasn't human!"

I was furious. So it turns out you, you old rascal, have been cursing me these past two days!
"Your son is dead! At your age, you can't even speak properly?" I shouted angrily.

The woman in the mask took a half-step back in fright, and at the same time, I got goosebumps all over my body—she had taken off her mask, revealing the lower half of her nose and cheeks. I could clearly see that the skin on these parts resembled the skin of a marine creature briefly exposed to sunlight after leaving the water: delicate, shimmering with scales, definitely not that of a normal person! Or rather… a human.

"You weren't hypnotized by me?"

"what are you?"

Let's both shout it out!

The woman in the mask glanced at me, then suddenly raised the teapot on my bedside table high with both hands, as if to smash it down.

Actually, I saw the teapot too, but I just woke up and my reaction wasn't as quick as hers...

Just as the teapot was about to smash onto my head, a figure leaped up from the bed next to me, as agile and explosive as Bruce Lee—

"Go away!"

It was Hao Hao; he kicked the woman in the waist and abdomen.

boom--

The older sister flew straight out and crashed into the wall.

Snapped--

The sound was like some kind of mollusk being pried there.

My first reaction was: Oh no, she's trying to extort money from me and I won't be able to explain myself, after all, she's that age!

Then the woman in the mask twisted her limbs and her torso trembled as she slowly dripped onto the ground.

My second reaction was: This thing is definitely not human!
When Hao Hao tried to grab her, the masked woman sprinted to the door, then stumbled up the hallway. People outside only heard the sound of a teapot breaking inside and asked incoherently, "What happened?"

"What happened?"

Hao Hao didn't continue chasing, but instead turned around warily to look at the wrinkled, white-haired woman massaging his feet. The wrinkled-haired auntie sat on a small stool, her head tilted to one side, emitting soft snoring.

I went up to her and patted her, saying, "Auntie, wake up!"

The wrinkled, white-haired man suddenly woke up, wiping his drool and saying embarrassedly, "How did I fall asleep while massaging the guest?"

I asked her, "Do you remember what happened before you fell asleep?"

My aunt mumbled, "I only remember coming over on the 23rd and saying a few words to me..."

Number 23 is the masked lady who massaged my feet.

Just then, Lao Wang and Chen Feng returned. The bathhouse owner, having heard that a customer upstairs had smashed a teapot, rushed in and asked, "Boss, what happened?"

I said to him, "Find me your masseuse number 23."

"Number 23?" the boss asked, somewhat puzzled.

Someone next to him told him, "He's new here."

My boss asked me, "What did she do to offend you?"

"No, the massage was so comfortable, I want to ask her to extend the session."

The boss looked at the broken teapot on the ground and then at me, and imagined the whole thing. While telling someone to call number 23, he lectured the masseuses who were watching the commotion: "I've said it before, not all customers are tough. Don't be proud of making people scream in pain—" He said to me, "I'll call her over so she can apologize to you."

Number 23 arrived, looking like she had just woken up. She was the masked lady who gave me the massage, but she wasn't wearing a mask.

Hao Hao and I exchanged glances; neither of us was sure if this number 23 was the same number 23.

Do you remember when you massaged my feet?

The woman, number 23, said, "Impossible, I just fell asleep in the lounge."

The people around him clamored, "That's even more impossible. We watched you run out of this room right before our eyes."

The woman, number 23, said nonchalantly, "Then I must have been sleepwalking. I've had this problem since I was a child, but I haven't had it for over 50 years..."

The bathhouse owner said to her, "Do you know you hurt this owner? Apologize to him!"

The woman, number 23, didn't struggle at all, and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, boss!"

This is truly a case of being unable to explain myself; what kind of person have I become?
Old Wang smoothed things over, saying, "What's the big deal? Come on, you should have just given me a massage first, it's too much for me."

I had a sudden inspiration and said, "Yes, you massage him."

Old Wang lay down on the bed and said, "Come on!"

Number 23 looked down and found his box was still in the room. He gave me an apologetic smile, carried a small stool to Old Wang, and applied oil, massaged his toes, and patted his insteps with practiced ease!

Old Wang said, "Isn't this great?"

However, only Hao Hao and I understood that the person had changed! The person who massaged my feet... if that person also possessed this skill, she wouldn't need to pretend not to know it and arouse suspicion.

After watching the massage therapist's superb skills for a while, everyone in the room dispersed. It's not uncommon for customers and massage therapists to have disagreements. The boss was very considerate; he not only waived my massage fee but also didn't make us pay for the teapot. The problem is, I didn't even get a massage in the first place, and I almost lost my life because I didn't break the teapot. Who can I complain to?

By now, Number 23 had started massaging Old Wang's feet. Old Wang gritted his teeth and mocked me, "Fengzi, you're no good either. Have you been watching too many short videos? I can't feel... any pain at all!"

I said, "If it doesn't hurt, why are you all red-faced, sweating profusely?"

Old Wang picked up the ice-cold tea, took a sip, and said, "It's hot."

(End of this chapter)