One Silver Coin For a Pound of Demon

Chapter 9

Draft
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You think this is because the weather is getting colder.

Hell is a place full of fire, its residents are heat-resistant and afraid of the cold. Even if they hibernate, it's not a strange thing. The weather's getting colder and colder. It's not enough to just keep the bathroom lights turned on. You install other heating equipment to ensure that the bathroom could be as warm as spring all year round.

When the heating was first installed, 177 began to look a little better, at least it didn't curl itself up anymore. It stretched out its body and then slowly began to make some attempts- these attempts to escape weren't serious, it was akin to escaping from prison by just attempting to walk out. Later, you remember that this was the last attempt to strengthen its spirit, but at the time, you thought it needed more time. A freshly frozen snake needs to crawl in the sun for a while before it can return to its original state.

177 didn't return to its original state, after a short period of improvement, it quickly deteriorated.

Lack of response, lack of movement, it seemed to have lost interest in everything, either sleeping or wandering away. Then it no longer took the initiative to eat, you have to urge it again and again. You tell 177 that it has to eat, otherwise, it'll be forced to use a needle or stomach tube to let it eat. It eats obediently under your gaze, chewing very slowly, and often going to a daze after eating, as if it has forgotten that it was still eating.

You turn the food into liquid and feed it to 177. This decision made the situation a little better, but only for a few days. One day you deliver the cup to 177's mouth. 177 doesn't move away like before and doesn't open its mouth. You had to pour it down. It choked, coughed for a long time, and blinked as if awakened.

"What are you going to do?" 177 asked.

It's like your feet was suddenly braked. You turn around and look at it. It hasn't spoken to you for a long time, you're almost surprised. You wanted to give it a different answer, but your answer hasn't changed at all.

"I don't know." You said.

177 looks at you.

177 looks at you, and a certain kind of epiphany arise in its eyes. At this moment, it suddenly understands that this isn't an excuse at all. Suddenly, sparks lightened its face, they also illuminate you. It laughed suddenly, beckoning to you with a radiant look on its face- you have seen this look on children; when they laugh at each other and pinch their ears, sharing very interesting secrets. Your heart pounds suddenly, you squat down in front of it and put down your cup.

"Do you know why?" 177 said mysteriously.

You shook your head honestly.

"Because your method isn't right." It said courageously, "It's useless to keep me here, you have to kill me."

You've done so much to keep it alive, why would you kill it now? You subconsciously wanted to refute, it covers your mouth- its palm is warm- so you can't speak. "Yes, you prevented me from committing suicide." 177 said, "But it doesn't conflict with you killing me. The important thing is not my life or death, but what you did, right?"

It was a little confusing but inexplicable rational. Its eyes lit up like there was a wildfire behind them; as if it had taken illegal doses of certain medicine; as if it was going crazy. You're attracted by this fire like a moth fascinated by the flame, but you know something's wrong. Your brother looks at you coaxingly in your head and stuffs the candy into your mouth.

A: Reject it——

You won't believe in a crazy demon.

"No." You say.