Haunting The Murderers' Chatroom

"Tell me more." Hearing those words, the system immediately began to explain itself.

"As the host heard from its murderer-" before the system could explain any further it was once again interrupted by Dean.

"Can you stop calling him my murderer? It makes me uncomfortable."

"As the host may have heard from that fellow from before-" the system didn't miss a beat as it continued its explanation, "there exists a chat group for individuals with nefarious and demented needs."

"The system has a method to access this chat group so that the host may interact with and deal with these individuals. All that is required is a cell phone or other device with access to the chat room and internet."

"And where would I find such a thing? I find it hard to believe that such a device would just conveniently find its way to us. Moreover, even if I found such a device how do you expect me to operate it with my little ghost body." To prove his point, Dean waved his hand through the walls of the dumpster to show that he was incapable of physically interacting with objects.

"If the host would place his attention to the body over there both of these issues may be addressed."

Looking at his corpse, Dean's face viciously contorted as he growled out, "And just how will my body help us?"

Not expecting its host to misunderstand things to such an extent, the system quickly clarified its intentions, "Host the solutions to our problems doesn't rest in your body but rather in the body of that fellow from before. Just look over there."

Despite the system existing as nothing more than just a voice, Dean was still able to somehow discern the direction it mentioned as he looked over before being stunned.

In his earlier panic, Dean had somehow missed the man's body that lay just several feet away from his own. The man's body lay sprawled haphazardly on the piles of trash. With a gaze of part terror and part incomprehension, the man lay dead despite the lack of any obvious wounds or injuries.

'Did the system do this? Just what could have happened for this deranged man to die in such a fashion?'

"System did you do this? Just what happened for him to die like this." Perhaps it was because he was looking at the body of his murderer or maybe it was because of his new ghost identity but Dean couldn't help but feel a slight trace of happiness and schadenfreude at the man's demise.

"Yes, upon binding with the host the system was able to deploy a one-time method that allowed for the system to deal with this fellow so that the host could survive."

"Survive?" glancing back at his body, Dean quietly shook his head as he rebutted the systems claims, "You were a little late weren't you?"

"The host misunderstands. Try touching the man's body and say the word 'absorb.'

Deciding to trust the system, Dean ignored the disgust he felt as he approached the man's body.

Surprisingly enough, after extending his hand Dean discovered that he could actually interact with the man's body. 'That's strange,' ignoring this peculiarity Dean said aloud "absorb."

At this word, strange red wisps of an ethereal gaseous substance rose from the man's body. Accompanied by a despairing scream that eerily sounded like himself, the red wisps writhed over the man before being seized by an invisible force that pulled the wisps to where Deans heart should be. Strangely enough, the red wisps didn't disperse but rather coagulated forming a makeshift heart.

After the red wisps left the man, his body began to crumble away to dust as if he'd never existed.

"System what was that? What is this disgusting stuff that just left that man and entered me?" Gazing down at the strange object in his c.h.e.s.t, Dean began to think that maybe he'd been too hasty in following the system's instructions. The more he interacted with the system the more Dean thought that perhaps the system wasn't anything good either.

"The red wisps that left the man was the manifestation of the resentment of his victims. In this case, the man's only victim was you, so the amount of malice points obtained is pitifully low, barely enough for our immediate needs."

"What are Malice Points?", despite his increasing weariness towards the system Dean couldn't but ask.

"Whenever someone sufficiently harms another person be it physically or mentally, the negative emotions experienced by the victim congregate before being absorbed by the assailant. This congregation of negative emotions within the assailant is responsible for the sense of bloodl.u.s.t and unease one often experiences when confronted with evil individuals."

"Malice points is the name the system has given the energy collected from the corpses of these evil individuals. Without Malice Points, improving the host's abilities and even survival are impossible."

"What do you mean survival is impossible without survival points?" Having just died, Dean was not looking forward to dying again as a ghost so he immediately focused in on this important detail.

"At the host's current level, you consume 1 Malice Point every day merely to exist. Should the host have insufficient Malice Points to maintain this expenditure, the host will cease to exist."

"Haha, so even as a ghost I can die huh?" It would seem that the shock of all of the recent events had warped Dean's emotions because he was surprisingly calm to this discovery.

"The host need not worry because the system has a way to ensure a steady supply of Malice Points.

"You do?" Now beginning to understand the importance of Malice Points, Dean was pleasantly surprised and allowed his imagination to run wild as he asked the system to explain further.

"What methods do you have? Do I get a spin at a prize wheel with heaven-defying items, or better yet are you about to give me a welcome package of sorts?" All of the systems Dean had read about always provided some perks and incentives, so he frantically fire off some questions to the system.

"The system has no such things." Quickly extinguishing Dean's wild imagination, the system continued explaining itself "but if the host would retrieve the man's cell phone we can begin accessing the chat room."

Hearing its instructions, Dean quickly shook off his disappointment before looking back to where the man's body used to be. Amidst the piles of trash. Dean discovered a white iPhone 7 quietly lying there waiting to be used.

"Well, here we go."