The Daily Life of the Demon King

While the woman-ghost was considering Alex's offer, he decided to look around. After all, it's not every day you find yourself in the middle of a massive car accident… even if it's only an illusion of past events.

Alex was impressed by the skill with which the mistress of the tunnel controlled her domain. The illusion was so realistic that, without knowing its true nature, one could believe it without a shadow of doubt. But Alex knew exactly how it worked: when a pusher opened the Red Door, the world beyond reflected the place where it had been opened.

He approached one of the frozen, running people. A grimace of panic was forever etched on the man's face. Looking closer, Alex realized this was no illusion — it was an actual ghost. The corner of his lips curled into a cold smirk — the woman-ghost's son had handed her control over the Red Door. Now, over and over again, day after day, she was forcing these people to relive the moment of their death.

Alex was once again convinced — women were the most vengeful creatures in the world. And he honestly admitted to himself: in her place, he would have done the same… if not worse. He knew exactly what he was, and if he had a Red Door, he would only strengthen its influence, destroying everything around and making everyone suffer.

Turning away from the frozen ghost, Alex walked over to an overturned burning car. The flames were motionless, yet when he reached out, he felt real heat. This only reinforced his opinion: the woman from the cursed tunnel was truly strong. Among the ghosts he had met, she could be considered the second most powerful — surpassed only by Zhang Ya, who grew stronger with every spirit she absorbed.

Having finished studying the illusion, Alex decided to find the Red Door the woman-ghost's child had opened. He quickly spotted it and, without asking permission, slightly opened it. Surprisingly, beyond the door was an evening landscape — though the Red Door usually opened only after midnight, for a few minutes, before disappearing. Here, however, it remained in place.

Alex understood the reason: this tunnel was, in itself, a unique cursed location, and so the Red Door never vanished, turning it into the woman-ghost's personal domain. This explained why so many spirits were drawn here — the door had become a beacon, luring them in like moths to a flame.

Slightly opening the Red Door, Alex peeked through, and, surprisingly enough, saw a cursed tunnel — but it was not quite the same as the one he was standing in now.

The cursed tunnel beyond the Red Door was like a twisted, horrifying mirror reflection of the cursed tunnel in the real world. From the darkness came cries of pain, the sound of people running in panic, and the noise of cars exploding in the endless traffic disaster — like a broken record stuck on an infinite loop.

Alex leaned further out and looked in both directions, spotting the tunnel's end, which opened directly onto the distant Red City. He wasn't surprised to see the Red City — every time the Red Door opened, it absorbed part of the real world, which eventually became part of the Red City, expanding its size.

But his beautiful ghost-wife Zhang Ya had managed to claim a part of that Red City for herself. In Alex's mind, a voice even whispered to him to go and see the Red City — specifically, to find the part Zhang Ya had taken for her own.

Alex quickly dismissed the thought — he didn't have much time to indulge his curiosity by exploring the Red City. Deciding to close the Red Door to avoid tempting himself into such an exploration, he suddenly remembered one important detail about this world: the benevolent part of Chen Ge's soul ruled the central part of the Red City — the area where the fiercest ghosts of the Red City resided.

And in that very second, something clicked in Alex's mind. When Zhang Ya had died, she had become a red ghost and eventually ended up in a school in the Red World, known as the School of the Afterlife.

And afterward, Zhang Ya escaped from that school and rushed into the city center, where she unleashed a true ghost massacre. Eventually, she encountered the benevolent part of Chen Ge's soul and made a deal with him. And if Zhang Ya now dwells in his shadow, then what ghost, for heaven's sake, is helping Chen Ge survive now? After all, Zhang Ya had always been the one to come to Chen Ge's aid in the most dangerous situations.

"Damn…" he cursed, slapping his forehead. "I should have checked."

A headache struck him suddenly. Alex rubbed his temples, trying to put everything in order. Logic suggested the obvious: another ghost, as strong as Zhang Ya herself, could have taken up residence in Chen Ge's shadow. That would explain everything — and, more importantly, it would save him from digging deeper for answers that might cost too much right now.

He knew full well that if he stayed here any longer, he would inevitably lose control and set out in search of the truth. And that was something he could not allow himself.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Alex returned to the woman-ghost. Her child — a spider with a boy's face — now stood beside her. Alex gave him a warm smile again, trying not to think too hard about how exactly the creature produced its web.

"So… what's your answer?" he asked quietly, drawing the woman's attention.

"Explain in more detail," her voice trembled with restrained fury, but her gaze was sharp. "What exactly are you planning to do?"

"Easy. Option one — relocation. My wife has her own Red City that she has claimed. I can move you there. Your son will be safe, and you won't have to guard him from every sound. Option two — I close the Red Door forever, and the two of you… well, let's call it 'move on to a better place.' Maybe reincarnation, maybe something else. There you'll be free from hatred and pain. But there's a catch — no one can guarantee you'll end up together. Reincarnation is like Russian roulette." Alex raised two fingers. "Choose."

"So, either live as ghosts, or final death?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Something like that," he shrugged.

The woman-ghost fell silent again. Her thoughts were torn apart by flashes of uncontrollable rage. The only thing restraining her was her son, clinging to the wall with his spider legs. His inhuman appearance only fueled her hatred toward the people who had left them to die. That hatred had burned in her since the moment she became a red ghost — and it would never fade.

She didn't attack Alex only because she felt that one wrong move and he would destroy her instantly, without giving her a chance to resist. Forcing herself to regain what little composure she could, the woman steadied her voice.

"What will happen to the Red Door if I agree to the relocation?" she asked. "And what do you mean by 'your wife has her own Red City'?"

Alex smirked, a shadow of memory flickering in his eyes.

"Well… that's a story of its own," he rasped, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips.

And then the woman-ghost was overwhelmed by a wave of rage and bloodlust — so powerful that her own hatred, which had fueled her existence all these years, seemed like a pitiful spark in comparison.

Slowly, from Alex's shadow, a pale female hand emerged, followed by the figure of a girl whose clothes were so red it seemed as if blood dripped from them.

The woman-ghost took a step back, feeling a deadly danger emanating from the ghost who had appeared from the shadow of the strange man offering her and her son help. Under the influence of Zhang Ya's presence, the illusion the woman-ghost had created in the cursed tunnel began to shatter, like breaking glass.

Alex, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all by the strength of Zhang Ya's influence over other ghosts — after all, she was bound to him, and could be considered his shadow.

Zhang Ya wrapped her arms around Alex's neck from behind, just as she usually did. Her red eyes stayed fixed on the woman-ghost, who, at that moment, felt a surge of panic — yet still shielded her son with her body, even knowing that if a fight broke out, she would have no chance of winning.

Alex gently stroked Zhang Ya's hand to lessen her influence on the surrounding world, so she wouldn't terrify the woman-ghost and her son with her presence.

"As you can see, this is my wife," he said. "She's also a ghost. I'll skip the details. The main thing is — she's taken over part of the Red City. Yes, there are plenty of dangerous beings there, but they've learned to coexist. Sometimes… let's call them 'prey' shows up. But that won't concern you."

"M-may I clarify… what exactly do you mean by 'prey'?" the woman-ghost asked cautiously, still shielding her son.

"It's related to my work," Alex replied. "Those people are scum — the kind who belong in hell. The Red City is a prison for them and a home for beings like you. There's housing, everything you need to exist in relative peace."

"So… if I agree, we won't have to hunt? We'll just be able to live?" she confirmed.

"Exactly. And here's a bonus." Alex stepped around her and placed his hand on the child's head.

As his palm rested on the spider-boy's head, the creature's arachnid body began to glow faintly. It happened so fast the woman-ghost didn't even have time to react. When the glow faded, her son stood before her looking exactly as he had before — no trace of the spider-like form with a child's face remained.

Seeing her son's restored, human appearance, the woman-ghost's eyes overflowed with bloody tears that streamed down her pale cheeks. She embraced her child, feeling that even if he was still a ghost, it didn't matter — what mattered was that he could once again look normal, not like a monster.

She had loved him even when he looked like a spider with a child's face, but her mother's instincts had always told her he was suffering more than she was. Now, seeing him as himself again, she could not hold back her tears.

The boy, returned to his original form, hugged his mother in return. Alex could only sigh as he watched them. He knew full well he could bring them back to life — but then what? What would this mother and son do afterward?

Their chance at a normal life was already gone, and there was no guarantee that their sudden resurrection wouldn't draw dangerous attention. Humans, after all, could be far more bloodthirsty than any ghost, demon, or monster.

The woman-ghost finally loosened her embrace and moved as if to bow to Alex, but he stopped her.

"Thank you…" she whispered, wiping away her tears. "I agree to the relocation if it will protect my child."

"Perfect. Then let's get to it. My wife will also take all the ghosts you've lured into this tunnel," Alex said, clapping his hands.

Zhang Ya didn't need Alex to explain — she knew what to do. Blood began seeping from beneath the cursed tunnel's road, oozing through old cracks in the pavement and walls.

When the blood had covered every inch of the road, a reflection appeared upon the crimson lake — an inverted Red City, one far more peaceful in appearance than the Red City the woman-ghost knew.

Looking down at her feet, the woman-ghost once again realized that the ghostly girl who had appeared from the shadow of the guy offering them help was far stronger and scarier than she seemed.

Zhang Ya touched the edge of the crimson lake with her toe, causing ripples to spread in all directions. Immediately after, pale hands emerged from the crimson lake, grabbing every ghost in the cursed tunnel and pulling them into the lake. No matter how much the ghosts resisted, they could not escape becoming residents of the Red City.

When all the ghosts, except for the woman-ghost and her son, had been swallowed by the crimson lake created by Zhang Ya, it was time for the red door. Pale hands appeared again from the lake, grabbed the door frame, tore the red door out, and dragged it into the crimson lake. The woman-ghost and her son watched this scene with complete astonishment. The woman-ghost felt her connection to the red door sever as it disappeared into the crimson lake.

"Now it's your turn," Alex said with a gentle smile. "Don't resist. There, you'll be able to choose any place to live. My wife's Red City is vast — you'll find a corner to your liking."

The woman-ghost responded with a forced smile to Alex's words. She picked up her son and hugged him tightly, then nodded to show she was ready. A kind smile appeared on Alex's face as he looked at the woman-ghost and her son.

When the woman-ghost showed her readiness, pale white hands emerged again from the crimson lake, grabbed her, and immediately pulled her down. Once the cursed tunnel was completely cleared of all ghosts, it returned to its usual dark, deserted state. When the one who ruled this tunnel disappeared, everything went back to its place.

But the catch was that the local curse connected to this tunnel had not vanished and would not dissipate anytime soon. Perhaps after some time, the cursed tunnel would again become a home to another group of ghosts — or maybe not.

Alex didn't know the answer, nor did he want to. Lighting a cigarette in the dark tunnel, he decided to return to Nyx and his daughters. Before Alex left the cursed tunnel, Zhang Ya gently brushed her cold hand over his cheek before disappearing into his shadow.

Leaving the cursed tunnel, Alex looked at Nyx's irritated face and the group of six gremlins who had crafted a makeshift table and were playing a board game.

"What took you so long?" Nyx snapped. "I'm tired of standing here."

"Hm. How long was I gone?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Daddy, you were gone for an hour and a half," Anya chimed in, pointing at him. "You're terribly slow."

"Strange… It felt like only about twenty minutes in the tunnel. Interesting," Alex noted, glancing at the dark entrance.

"Maybe you bumped your head in there?" Nyx snorted, kicking his leg.

"No. It's a feature of that woman-ghost's domain. Time inside flows slower than outside. Didn't expect to find myself in such a place," Alex said, stroking his chin.

"Alright, I don't care. The main thing — did you convince her to leave? Or did she kick you out?" Nyx asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex nodded, showing that everything had worked out. Deciding to tell them everything on the way back to the car, Alex picked up Nyaruko and Jinx, while Anya climbed into Nyx's arms.

On the way back to the car, Alex recounted everything he had seen and encountered in the tunnel, as well as his conversation with the woman-ghost. Nyx was puzzled as to why the woman-ghost hadn't chosen to move on instead of continuing to exist as a bloodthirsty spirit.

But the girls who had been watching the livestream understood perfectly why the woman-ghost had made that choice — she simply didn't want to part with her child.

Once they reached the car and settled the daughters into the back seat, Alex took the driver's seat and opened the navigator again — there was only one last place he wanted to visit. Glancing out the window, he realized the sun was already setting, and time was running out with each passing second.

"Where to next?" Nyx asked, watching him.

"Private Academy of West Jiujang," Alex replied without taking his eyes off the screen.

"A school with ghosts? Perfect!" Nyx perked up.

"We're not going there for a sightseeing tour," Alex answered, still not turning his head.

"Then why the hell are we going? You just want to stand at the gate and leave? Are you kidding me?" Nyx said, starting to kick him with her legs.

"No. We're going to tear it down to the ground. This is the place where Zhang Ya studied and died. And hidden there is a stash belonging to the bastard responsible for her death," Alex said, narrowing his eyes as he found the academy's address.

"You should've said that right away," Nyx smirked, crossing her arms.

The gremlins didn't need to hear more than the word "explosion" — their eyes lit up instantly. Alex started the engine, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel. This academy would be gone, even if it caused trouble afterward. The thought that Zhang Ya had suffered before her death only fueled his anger further. Tonight, he would give that anger an outlet: first, the academy's ruins, and then the hunt for the one who had condemned her to torment.

The six gremlins, having heard there'd be something to blow up, were more than satisfied. Plotting the route to the Private Academy of West Jiujang, Alex gripped the wheel harder. He would level this academy, no matter what problems it might bring. He wouldn't allow the place where Zhang Ya had died to remain standing. The idea that she hadn't died instantly, but had suffered for a long time beforehand, only stoked his fury. But tonight, he could finally unleash it — first by destroying the academy, then by going after the fat bastard who had caused her death.

The girls watching the stream thought about coming to see the explosion up close — they knew perfectly well Alex wasn't just going to "destroy" the academy. They knew he'd send it straight into orbit. They quickly decided to join Alex, Nyx, and the six gremlins.

Leaving New Century Park — having already had their fill of fun in the haunted house and even managing to cause trouble for its resident ghosts — the girls set off.

As Alex drove through the city's evening streets, he stuck his hand out the window, letting the wind brush against his skin. The road from the cursed tunnel to the academy where Zhang Ya had died was a long one. The cabin was quiet, with only a soft, calm tune playing from the radio. But in the back seat, the six gremlins were already animatedly discussing how they would blow up the academy.

Especially enthusiastic were Nyaruko, Jinx, and Anya. To them, Zhang Ya was one of their mommies, and as the best daughters in the entire multiverse, they felt obligated to help take revenge. So the upcoming explosion promised to be unforgettable.

Alex, humming a melody under his breath, felt completely calm — he knew he would carry out the plan no matter what.

As they approached the academy, he noticed a row of parked cars along the road and couldn't help but smile. He knew exactly who they belonged to. The girls, of course, couldn't stay away and miss such a spectacle.

After parking the car, Alex barely had time to open the door when Nyaruko, Jinx, and Anya dashed out squealing, rushing to their mommies, excitedly sharing their impressions of the trip all at once and so fast that their words were impossible to understand.

Alex smiled, looking at his family. Even Zhang Ya, hidden in his shadow, felt a strange warmth in her heart full of rage. Still smiling, he got out of the car, opened the trunk, and pulled out a backpack stuffed with explosives. Slinging it over his shoulder, he walked over to his group.

"And where's the main culprit?" Ada asked with a smirk. "We came to support her, but she didn't even honor us with her presence."

"You know she's shy," Alex replied, pointing at the recluse goddess. "Zhang Ya is even more of an introvert than Nyx."

"You're just jealous I can stay home while you have to run around worlds saving them," Nyx rolled her eyes.

Alex's eye twitched at Nyx's words, but he couldn't deny the truth in them. After all, all the girls in his family could do whatever they wanted, while he had to save worlds under the Creator's Enforcer's aegis. The girls looked at Alex's grimacing face and burst out laughing.

Alex smiled hearing their laughter and looked at the academy bathed in the rays of the setting sun. He stared at the gates of the abandoned academy. Chains and iron bars had long since fused together. The gates were too heavy even to budge.

The academy grounds were small — the entire area could be taken in with one glance. Several tall statue silhouettes stood on the grounds like lonely sentinels. The school's sign had been removed a long time ago.

Overgrown bushes swallowed most of the academy's paths. The girls also examined the abandoned academy's grounds with genuine interest; some even decided to take a few photos as mementos of their adventure.

"Girls, I don't mind your company, but we might attract unwanted attention," Alex noted.

"Don't worry, darling, Red's already taken care of everything," Yuriko said, photographing the girls against the rusty gates.

"What do you mean? What have you done?" Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at the Red Queen.

"Nothing. Red just hacked the database, bought the entire academy grounds, got permits for demolition and construction, and then hired a crew to build a children's shelter here," Sherry smiled, hugging him by the arm.

Alex froze, his mouth slightly open. His plan had been much simpler: blow up the academy, mask the noise with magic, and leave. But the girls had taken a meticulous approach, thinking everything through down to the smallest detail. Claire added that they had already set up a charity to fund the future shelter. Alex decided it was better not to ask where the money had come from.

Seeing his stunned face, the girls happily high-fived each other. While he and Nix had been making their way here, they had devised a plan that would conceal every reason why the cursed academy would vanish from the face of the earth. Alex easily guessed who the masterminds were — Koko, Yuriko, Brunhilde, Saya, and Nagahide were in charge of demolition; Freya and Alcina had suggested building the shelter; and Claire, Marie, Sherry, and Shizuka had organized the fund.

But he didn't object. Adjusting the backpack, he walked up to the gates and, with a single blow, knocked them off their hinges.

"Alex, we'll wait here," Chun-Li said with a smile. "Make it quick, and then the whole family can watch the fireworks together."

Alex nodded and led GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — a trio of demolition experts capable of turning any operation into masterful chaos. The girls stayed near the transport, holding back Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx: everyone knew those three gremlins could set off an explosion big enough to send the academy into orbit.

The path to the entrance was overgrown with tall grass. Alex and his team pushed forward until they reached the academy's main doors. Locked. But finding a detour wasn't his style. GIR, grinning, pulled out a power hammer and, with one swing, smashed the doors open.

Inside, in the dusty and lifeless lobby, Alex searched for a building map to mark the points for placing charges. Stitch, proud of himself, found it before anyone else. Consulting with the demolition crew, Alex marked every spot — from the main building to the girls' dormitory where Zhang Ya had once lived. The backpack full of explosives landed on the counter, and the trio grabbed the charges and vanished into the corridors.

Alex was left alone. He headed for the center for artistic activities — the place where Zhang Ya had spent countless hours. Lighting a cigarette, he began to climb the stairs. The feeling of being watched didn't leave him. There were plenty of ghosts in this place, but he wasn't about to indulge them.

A creak sounded behind him. Turning, he saw a wooden chair standing in the middle of the hallway.

"Just what I needed," Alex muttered and delivered a spinning kick to the chair.

The chair flew in an arc and slammed into the wall. Without slowing down, he kept moving. A sign reading "Vocal Room" told him the dance hall was upstairs. He headed for the stairs to the third floor, feeling the weight of a gaze from the darkness.

The creak came again — the same chair was now behind him once more.

"Bored, huh? Let me help you," Alex said, grabbing the possessed chair and hurling it out the window with full force.

Dusting off his hands, Alex began climbing the stairs, instantly forgetting that he had just been stalked by a ghost-possessed chair. Between floors, he was met by a rope with a "NO ENTRY" sign. Alex knew why: Zhang Ya's death had triggered a chain of strange events, and the third floor had become especially terrifying. According to legend, the souls of those responsible for her death wandered there, and the academy had soon closed afterward.

He tore down the barrier and stepped into the dark hallway of the third floor. The dance studio was at the far end. Alex stopped in front of the door. It wasn't fear holding him back — but the knowledge of what he was about to see. He already knew what Zhang Ya had endured. But if he saw it with his own eyes… his rage might break loose.

To be continued…

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