《Horror Game Designer》 Chapter 1: An Ordinary, Ordinary, and Warm Evening Chapter 1: An Ordinary, Ordinary, and Warm Evening ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± The ambient light in the living room bathed the pale yellow tablecloth in an intimate glow, creating an atmosphere of unrivaled warmth. This cozy scene weed the mother and father as they made their entrance, bncing a birthday cake in their hands. Their daily professional challenges never darkened the doorstep of their home; their faces remained illuminated by smiles, and they showed no traces of the day¡¯s fatigue, even after enduring the demands of their respective jobs. Without engaging in conversation with his parents, Gao Ming busied himself by transferring the dishes he had just prepared from the kitchen to the dining table, opting to sit in solitary silence on one side of the table. Observing his son¡¯s behavior, the father sighed in a gesture of helpless eptance. He shed his rain-drenched coat and mud-sttered boots, methodically recing them with indoor slippers neatly aligned next to the mother¡¯s. The father, always looking sharp in his tailored suit, exuded a tall and stately presence, while the mother, both tender and adept, dressed in a simple white blouse paired with denim jeans,mended Gao Ming on his culinary efforts. This was followed by their joint effort in disposing of their soiled garments into theundry basket in the bathroom. The sound of cascading water permeated the space as the mother washed her hands, inadvertently leaving behind a few droplets of a dark red substance on the washbasin¡¯s edge. ¡°No matter how demanding our jobs are, we will always make it a point to return home to celebrate your birthday,¡± they affirmed. Yet Gao Ming seemed detached, his attention firmly anchored to the newscast echoing from the television, not acknowledging his parents¡¯ sentiment. ¡°Breaking News: The ¡®Rainy Night Murderer¡¯ strikes again! Our city¡¯s historic neighborhood bes the scene of a third gruesome murder!¡± ¡°The police have a suspect in mind! The public is urged to remain calm, secure their homes, and avoid venturing outte during these perilous nights!¡± As the rain tapped a rhythmic pattern against the windows, the tempest outside was a sharp contrast to theforting veil of steam rising from the hot meal indoors. ¡°Why do you watch these unsettling news stories?¡± the father inquired with evident concern, reaching to confiscate the remote control. ¡°Some news outlets thrive on sensationalism, spreading anxiety and misfortune.¡± Gao Ming remained unresponsive, his gaze subtly scanning the cozy confines of their home. The walls were fortified with soundproofing materials coated with special sound-absorbing paint, a testament to their intent to ensure that the outside world would remain oblivious even in the event of a significant disturbance. A new air-cooled refrigerator stood in the living room, its internal fan circting air to keep stored meat fresh and free of any telltale odors. The kitchen boasted an ample supply of zipper bags, each perfectly sized to hold sizable portions of meat, designed for effortless transport. Below the countery chemicalpounds capable of hastening the dposition of organic matter when introduced to water. The contemtion loomed: were the ns to conceal portions of the meat in the refrigerator while disposing of the remainder elsewhere? Tucked behind the bathroom door was a swath of stic sheeting, sufficiently expansive to cover the entire floor, suggesting that the ¡®meat¡¯ referred to was likely processed in this very room. This ¡®meat,¡¯ however, was probably far from the mundane variety found in a kitchen. Gao Ming¡¯s imagination began to conjure vivid and macabre scenes as his eyes swept over the immacte flooring. Despite the home¡¯s inviting d¨¦cor, an involuntary shiver coursed through his hands. ¡°Come, let¡¯s enjoy the cake. We went through a lot in the storm to pick it,¡± the mother prompted after cleansing her hands, proceeding to carefully adorn the cake with eighteen candles. ¡°Eighteen candles¡­¡± Gao Ming mused, despite having turned twenty-six years old. The number on the cake failed to correspond to his actual age, but it seemed to hold a different significance. ¡°Make a wish,¡± his father prompted as he ignited the candles while his mother,plicit in the ceremony, extinguished the lights. The room plunged into darkness, broken only by the flickering candlelight that cast unnerving shadows upon the walls. These shadows danced over his ¡®parents¡¯ faces, their smiles eerily identical, unnaturally mirroring each other to the very curvature of their lips. As his parents leaned in closer, their silhouettes warped in the semi-darkness, taking on forms that the weak candlelight couldn¡¯t fully reveal, suggesting a sinister transformation in the y of light and shadow. ¡°I wish that Dad and Mom could always be with me,¡± Gao Ming dered, breaking his silence that had lingered since their return. His affection for his parents was profound, matched by their love for him. No matter the demands of their lives, they never failed to return each evening to be with him. When the overhead lights were switched back on, a sheen of cold sweat clung to Gao Ming¡¯s back. He methodically removed each candle, cleaning them with care before storing them in a metal box that housed a collection of many others. ¡°Wishes must be kept silent if they are toe true. Next time, hold it in your heart,¡± his father advised with a ravenous look as he began to devour the food with a voracious appetite. His mother, tenderly gazing upon Gao Ming, extended her chopsticks to offer him a portion, an act of nurturing love. Gao Ming, however, abstained from the meal he had prepared, opting instead for a slice of cake. His heart¡¯s rhythm served as a silent metronome while he rubbed the calloused pads of his fingers. The television interrupted the familial scene with a stark announcement: ¡°An urgent news bulletin! The Rainy Night Murderer may have taken refuge in residential areas! Residents of the old city district are reminded again to secure your homes, and do not open your doors to strangers!¡± The broadcast continued, detailing the suspect¡¯s profile, ¡°The Rainy Night Murderer is estimated to be between twenty to thirty years old, with a height ranging from one meter seventy-five to one meter eighty-five¡­¡± About fifteen minutester, after carefully watching his parents, Gao Ming scooped a dollop of cream from the cake with a spoon, savoring the taste as it dissolved in his mouth, a sensation as rich and fantastical as a swallowed fairytale. Suddenly, ¡°Thump!¡± His mother, rising to fetch the soup, copsed to the floor, her arm jerking sporadically, her eyelids struggling against the weight of impending unconsciousness. Her husband attempted toe to her aid upon witnessing her fall. However, he quickly found his own limbs unbearably heavy, as if filled with lead, his feet refusing to obey his will to move. ¡°The dosage may have been a bit too much. Although this isn¡¯t my first attempt at something of this nature, the nerves never fully subside,¡± Gao Ming remarked calmly, his earlier tremors subsiding as he observed his parents now prone on the floor, his expression carrying a trace of peculiarity. ¡°I can never quite grasp why our lives have unraveled this way. Is the insanity mine, or does it belong to the world?¡± Gao Ming pondered as he retrieved psychiatric restraints from a wardrobe, expertly securing his father and mother. The news report about the Rainy Night Murderer droned on in the background, the tempest howled outside, yet it all seemed a world away from Gao Ming and the scene unfolding within the confines of their home. Laboring under the weight of their inert bodies, Gao Ming hauled his unresponsive parents, each movement towards the bedroom door a struggle. His love for his parents was undeniable, a sentiment reciprocated fully; no matter the demands of their lives, they invariably returned each night to see him. Yet¡­ With a forceful motion, he flung open the bedroom door, setting off a mor of chains. He was met with a sea of gazes, some belonging to visages strange, others to those familiar. All of them bore grotesque smiles that bore into Gao Ming with unsettling intensity. The room was a grotesque tableau of ¡®parents,¡¯ their forms distorted and intertwined in ways that defied human likeness! Night after night, figures that resembled his parents returned, but theycked the essence of the people they purported to be. No matter how many times he bound these impostors, new ones would invariably appear. ¡°Are they human? Monsters? Or simply monsters in human guise?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s mouth fell open as he observed the bound figures in the bedroom; their eyes began to bleed, and they writhed as if gasping for air, resembling fish out of water, their movements frantic. Amidst the convulsions, a raspy voice pleaded, ¡°Stay here! Stay here!!!¡± Lighting a cigarette, Gao Ming posted himself against the door frame, his eyes taking in the macabre scene in silent contemtion. He had been confined to this room for three days, the genesis of this horrific tableau tracing back to the same timespan. It was on the Ghost Festival night that he left his position as a psychological counselor at the Henshan Maximum Security Prison, opting to channel his energies into game development full-time. At 23:00, he caught thest bus journey from Hanjiang City to Hanhai City. Onboard, his mind was upied with the design of a small game, aiming to foster familial rtionships to strengthen the family bond. To support himself, he had incorporated advertising for hisndlord¡¯s cake shop into the game. The essence of the game encouraged parents to return home each night to engage with their children. It stressed that no matter the busyness of life, parents should not overlook the emotional needs of their offspring. Presence was not just a duty but an act of love. As the night deepened, the bus emptied until, at around 1 a.m., it halted inexplicably inside a tunnel. Removing his headphones, Gao Ming rose to investigate, only to discover the driver was gone, and he was the solitary passenger remaining. He disembarked with his luggage, drawn by voices ahead, and followed them stealthily. What happened thereafter was a nk in his memory. Gao Ming had no recollection of how he returned home, only a lingering sense of having witnessed something profoundly terrifying. Disturbed by the ordeal, he sequestered himself within his home. Yet, at 3 a.m., a persistent knocking roused him. Opening the door revealed his parents standing in the downpour with a cake in hand. Weing his ¡®parents¡¯ inside, Gao Ming stepped away to retrieve slippers for them. It was in this moment that his phone rang; it was his mother on the line. Through the phone, his mother¡¯s voice spoke of heavy rains to besiege Hanhai City in theing days, her maternal concern evident as she implored Gao Ming to take care and remain safe. An icy shiver shot up Gao Ming¡¯s spine as he pivoted to face his parents then, who were standing silently behind him, their heads hanging lifelessly. The birthday cake, their presence, mom and dad¡­ The quaint scenes from the small game he had designed to reinforce familial ties had materialized in his reality, albeit with some ¡°minor¡± modifications. He had sought to flee, but outside his apartment¡¯s security doory imprable darkness, emanating a sinister presence as though it were a gateway to some otherworldly dimension. Left with no alternatives, Gao Ming was forced to reckon with the rules of the game he had inadvertently brought to life. Even if the game had grotesquely transformed, how daunting could it be when it¡¯s a game intended to strengthen family bonds? Was it simply that his parents morphed into monstrosities once the lights went out? Was it merely that his parents would visit every night? Was it only about surviving in a house that had be a charnel ground until he reached eighteen and allowing his ¡®parents¡¯ to perform their duties inpanionship? Reflecting on the harrowing events of the past three days, Gao Ming¡¯s eyelids fluttered uncontrobly, and he made a mental note to eschew cake for the remainder of his days. He extinguished his cigarette and herded thetest ¡®parents¡¯ into the bedroom. Their faces twisted as if they were averse to Gao Ming¡¯s departure. ¡°With each return of Mom and Dad, the number of candles on the cake grows, meaning bing eighteen signifies a passage. So, the appearance of the eighteenth candle signifies the end of the game.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful for yourpany, but if you were truly my mom and dad, you wouldn¡¯t desire for me to stay here; instead, you¡¯d wish for me to lead you out of this ce.¡± Each prior containment of ¡®Mom and Dad¡¯ in the bedroom hadn¡¯t provoked such a ferocious response, possibly suggesting that Gao Ming was nearing thepletion of his sinister game. As he shut the bedroom door behind him, warmth began to creep back into the house. The news broadcast from the television sounded more distinct, and the patter of rain against the window felt incrementally more tangible. ¡°Three days have passed. Atst, I can escape this ursed dwelling.¡± He advanced towards the security door in the living room and gazed through the peephole. The hallway, once swathed in darkness, now bore a glimmer of light that flickered weakly, hinting that Gao Ming was on the cusp of leaving something behind. ¡°The events in that tunnel remain a blur. The key to why my game became a reality must lie there!¡± The need to unravel the mystery pressed upon Gao Ming, as he had always been drawn to perplexing enigmas. In his mind, more souls had perished here than rested in a public graveyard. Should this twisted game spill into reality, the whole city would be imperiled. As the hallway¡¯s light began to scatter the shadows, Gao Ming poised himself to attempt the door when the sound of hasty footsteps suddenly echoed from beyond. His heartbeat escted, his eyes were glued to the peephole, and his arms tensed with anticipation. ¡°The game should be over by now!¡± With bated breath, Gao Ming¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the corner of the staircase. A short whileter, a man in his twenties, about 180 cm tall and d in a raincoat, emerged in front of the door. His demeanor was grave as he methodically examined the doors along the corridor. Gao Ming¡¯s gaze sharpened; the man¡¯s stature and appearance bore a striking resemnce to the one described in the police surveince bulletins, which alleviated some of Gao Ming¡¯s immediate fears. ¡°That was a close one. It¡¯s just the Rainy Night Murderer. I was worried that it was my parentsing back again.¡± He threw a nce towards the bedroom. There ought to be a reward forpleting the game, but Gao Ming was too apprehensive to seize it just yet. He quickly wrapped his leg in bandages to create the illusion of an injury before grabbing a garbage bag and cautiously opening the security door. Fresh, humid air spilled into the room, and Gao Ming drew a long, deliberate breath. The man in the raincoat seemed poised to move on, but then he caught the noise of the door swinging open. Rainwater streamed from the rim of his hat as he struggled to conceal the surge of excitement in his gaze, turning his attention to grip the doorframe firmly. ¡°It¡¯s a downpour outside, and you¡¯re drenched. Please,e in and get warm,¡± Gao Ming offered, without waiting for a response from the raincoat-d stranger, and he hobbled towards the table where food still steamed invitingly. Observing Gao Ming, who appearedpletely defenseless, the man in the raincoat stepped over the threshold. He noted Gao Ming¡¯s ostensibly injured left leg and then the half-consumed cake. The homely, inviting environment of the room seemed to only fuel his sinister impulses, and a distinctly malevolent grin spread across his face. This could well be thest semnce of an ordinary and cozy evening you¡¯ll ever have. Chapter 2: Too Introverted to Talk to Parents Chapter 2: Too Introverted to Talk to Parents As Qi Yan meticulously secured the heavy-duty lock on the security door, he was unaware of the faint trail of mud that his shoes were smudging across the floor. His hands, which remained out of sight under his raincoat, were clenched so tightly that his nails were starting to puncture the skin of his palms. His breaths were uneven and rapid, a physical testament to his inner turmoil. The press had taken to calling him the ¡°Rainy Night Murderer,¡± a nickname that resonated with him as it captured the essence of the terror he inspired ¨C a blend of brutality, madness, and the kind of fear that chilled to the bone. He mulled over a rather perverse thought, ¡°How should I repay his kindness?¡± with a twisted sense of irony. As he intently observed Gao Ming from behind, the sclera of Qi Yan¡¯s eyes had be awork of red vessels, all converging like rivers of blood. The sight only fueled his sadistic desire to prey upon the kind, to systematically break their spirit and joy, and then to literally and figuratively grind that innocence into the dirt. ¡°He must have led a sheltered life to be this kind,¡± Qi Yan mused with a sneer. ¡°Coddled by his parents, nurtured in a safe, controlled environment ¨C he¡¯s like a greenhouse flower,pletely oblivious to the true nature of evil.¡± While still shrouded by his raincoat¡¯s hood, Qi Yan¡¯s face contorted as he indulged in the twisted fantasies of how he would inflict suffering upon Gao Ming. ¡°You must be hungry,¡± said Gao Ming, offering up the meal he had prepared with a generous sprinkling of ¡°special ingredients¡± and pouring a ss of water for his guest. ¡°Today¡¯s my birthday, so I¡¯ve made more food than usual. How about some cake?¡± he offered. The cake, a gift from Gao Ming¡¯s ¡®unusual¡¯ parents, sat on the table, ¡®symbolizing¡¯ his belief in sharing life¡¯s little joys. Qi Yan declined, ¡°No need,¡± steering clear of the food and drink, likely cautious of leaving behind any forensic evidence. ¡°Isn¡¯t that someone calling you from the bedroom?¡± he probed with deceptive innocence. ¡°Yes, my parents are here,¡± Gao Ming replied, his smile tinged with sadness. ¡°They¡¯re quite ill, bedridden, and incapable of looking after themselves.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need to see to them?¡± Qi Yan urged, already envisioning Gao Ming as nothing more than a lifeless corpse. ¡°Why not check on your dear father and mother?¡± Admitting to his reclusive nature, Gao Ming responded with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯ve never been much for conversation,¡± and began to shuffle towards the bedroom, his limp noticeable. ¡°They¡¯re suffering from some odd illness; they need peace and quiet.¡± The eerie soundsing from the bedroom reached Qi Yan¡¯s ears too. Following Gao Ming to the threshold, he noticed the unnatural way the light seemed to bend and a palpable drop in temperaturepared to the living room. As Gao Ming opened the door and stepped aside, Qi Yan, driven by a morbid curiosity, peered within. The darkness inside the bedroom seemed to recede, splitting into a miasma of shadow and an elusive, faint light. Where the obscurity met the gloom, grotesque faces and contorted forms emerged! The entities, posing as Gao Ming¡¯s parents, suddenly became fric at the sight of their ¡®son,¡¯ scrambling toward the door in a chaotic dance of madness! This tableau was so shockingly ghoulish that Qi Yan felt a chokehold of dread tighten around his throat. He had expected to find nothing more than two ailing elders confined to their sickbed! As he recoiled in instinctive horror, his gaze caught Gao Ming hoisting a hefty vase. Qi Yan¡¯s mind shed back to Gao Ming¡¯s earlier confession of being introverted. Then came the sound of shattering ¨C ¡°Crash!¡± ¨C a stark, violent punctuation to the surreal and chilling scene that had unfolded before Qi Yan¡¯s disbelieving eyes. The room was in disarray, porcin shards scattered like confetti, while the sharp edges left their cruel mark on Qi Yan¡¯s face, drawing blood that trickled down his cheeks. His senses reeled, and the room seemed to spin uncontrobly as he crumpled to the ground. In the midst of his copse, Gao Ming, the ¡°benevolent¡± host, made a show of concern by forcefully pouring a cup of ¡°water¡± down his throat. The sequence of events was carried out with the precision and smoothness of a well-practiced y. ¡°You should¡¯ve opted for the pharmacological agent to induce a pain-free paralysis,¡± Gao Mingmented, squatting next to the incapacitated Qi Yan, ¡°but instead, you chose to experience a physical paralysis.¡± He added reassuringly, or perhaps mockingly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, soon you won¡¯t feel anything at all.¡± At the sound of Gao Ming¡¯s chilling words, a profound terror ignited in Qi Yan¡¯s eyes. Panic surged through him as he realized he was utterly clueless about what Gao Ming intended to do next. His eyes darted frantically, taking in the grotesque sight of the ¡°parents¡± ¡ª bound and gagged ¡ª dispersed around the room. Then his gaze returned to Gao Ming¡¯s eerilyposed face, and his terror crescendoed. Who was this person really? A personification of malevolence, Gao Ming exhibited all the traits typical of a psychopathic killer ¡ª he was cold and intricate, cunning and perilous, and his methods of crime were not only meticulous but perversely intricate. ¡°Do you hate me so much that your eyes are filled with curses?¡± Gao Ming mused aloud. He then pressed down on Qi Yan¡¯s back, seized his hair, and forcefully angled his head to face the bedroom. ¡°Before the drugs take full hold, answer me this,¡± Gao Ming demanded, ¡°Can you see the figures in the bedroom?¡± Gripped by an overwhelming dread, Qi Yan was beyond the point of artiction. His head throbbed with agony, his psyche was severely rattled, and the drug¡¯s effects were steadily asserting their dominance. It was as if Qi Yan had been struck by an existential crisis, teetering on the brink of the Underworld¡¯s legendary crossing bridge of the souls, sipping the waters of Lethe, only to be violently jolted back to a torturous limbo, trapped between consciousness and a numbing void. ¡°Judging by your reaction, you can see them,¡± Gao Ming inferred as he bound Qi Yan¡¯s limbs securely. ¡°I am not delusional; the game has indeed assumed a peculiar form of reality.¡± The shadows that had lingered in the bedroom were now rapidly dissipating, and the haunting ¡°parents¡± merged back into the creeping darkness as if they were apparitions born from a tear in the fabric of reality itself, manifesting in a rare moment when two nes of existence momentarily converged. As the temperature in the room began to normalize and breathing became lessbored, Gao Ming noted, ¡°It seems my game has inadvertently be a conduit, bridging our reality with the domain of those bizarre ¡®parents.¡¯ Once the game reaches its conclusion, everything should revert to the ordinary. But if left unresolved, could these horror stories continue to proliferate, eventually blending with our reality until they are indistinguishable from it?¡± The bedroom was now mostly illuminated by regr light, the ¡°parents¡± being confined to an ever-shrinking corner of darkness. But then, unexpectedly, one of the ¡°mothers¡± broke free from her chains! Her gaze,den with a twisted affection, was petrifying as she dragged the shadows behind her, surging towards Gao Ming! Gao Ming, caught by surprise, made a split-second decision to flee. Qi Yan, however, still trapped and unable to move, was left to face the horrifying onught alone. In the final moments of her unsettling disappearance, the spectral mother pulled Qi Yan into the shadows with her. A piercing, heartbreaking scream filled the air, hinting at the horrific possibility that the spectral mother had drawn something out from Qi Yan¡ªperhaps a part of his very essence. By the time the clock struck 4:44 a.m., the bedroom appeared as if nothing had happened. Gao Ming walked in, mop in hand, to find the room seemingly untouched by the strange events that had urred. It was as though the spectral parents had never been there; even the cake and candles they had supposedly brought had disappeared without a trace. All that remained was Qi Yan, lying in a daze. Qi Yan¡¯s eyes were devoid of any spark of life, reminiscent of the vacant gaze of someone in a vegetative state as if his soul had been drained from him. In the exact location where the spectral mother had vanished, Gao Ming stumbled upon two eerie ck-and-white photographs. He pondered if these were some twisted form of victory prize for conquering the game. These photographs were antiquated and tattered, printed on an unfamiliar substrate that suggested a considerable age. The first photograph captured Gao Ming seated at a dining table enjoying cake, encircled by an unnerving throng of spectral parents. The picture seemed to have been taken against his will, with everyone in it, including the cake, furniture, and the multitude of parents, appearing in ck and white except for Gao Ming himself, who was portrayed in full color. On the reverse side of this photograph were crooked, child-like scrawlings soaked in bloodstains, which made for an unsettling sight. The inscription addressed Gao Ming as ¡°my dear child,¡± marking his eighteenth birthday as the transition into adulthood. It dered him the new patriarch, endowed with the key to the family home¡ªa ce shrouded in the twilight zone of nightmares, skirting the most bizarre fringes of reality. Although distant, it was also described as being connected to the darkest crevices of every heart. The note detailed that as the head of the family, Gao Ming could opt to save each family member, love them equally, exploit them, or even inflict upon them twisted forms of torture. It borated on his newfound freedom, stating that the only thing required of him was to lure more people into ying the game after dusk. The energies they would emit could nourish an entity only whispered about in rumors. The second photograph Gao Ming discovered depicted Qi Yan, his features distorted by terror as though it was an image used for a memorial service. The back of this photo, too, bore cryptic words. This message described the ¡°family photo¡± as a symbol that only those consumed by their grip on reality, those teetering on the brink of death, those longing for death, ensnared in nightmares, suffering mental disturbances, or burdened with grave sins could find their way to their home¡ªa ce purported to be the penultimate stop before death, offering a secondary option to the finality of death itself. The note ended with a grim observation: most who found their way to this abode ended up regretting their choice, wishing they had chosen the simplicity of death instead. Chapter 3: The Civilization City of Jiang, Hu, and Han Chapter 3: The Civilization City of Jiang, Hu, and Han Seated beneath the focused illumination of the living room light, Gao Ming was meticulously scrutinizing a pair of ck-and-white photographs. His intention was to unearth any potential leads hidden within them. He pondered over the images, considering the details described in the obituary photos. ¡°The family referred to here must be from the same realm as the ethereal entities I¡¯vee to know as Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom,¡± he theorized. In his contemtion, he deciphered the symbolism presented in the first photograph. It suggested that he had assumed the role of the ¡®patriarch,¡¯ entrusted with a metaphorical ¡®key¡¯ to unlock the familial domain. Gao Ming spected that this ¡®key¡¯ wasn¡¯t a tangible item but represented some kind of special capability or power. He connected this thought to the peculiar incident where the video game he had designed had inexplicably manifested into the real world, providing a gateway for Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom to transition into reality. He hypothesized that these parental figures might not be presenting their true forms; instead, they were perhaps adopting a certain guise to interact within the physical world. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Gao Ming jotted down the pronouns ¡®them¡¯ and ¡®it¡¯ in his notebook, indicating his ongoing uncertainty regarding the true nature of the mysterious entities he was dealing with. Out of nowhere, a sharp pain shot through his head, prompting Gao Ming to instinctively press a hand to his forehead. He drew a connection between the series of peculiar symptoms he was experiencing and a certain traffic tunnel. ¡°I need to explore that tunnel at daybreak,¡± he resolved, believing that it might hold the key to resolving the enigmas that surrounded him. As he returned his gaze to the second obituary photograph, he noticed an rming transformation. Merely minutes had passed, yet the individual in the picture, Qi Yan, looked dramatically different. His body showed fractures, and his face was etched with an intensified expression of terror. ¡°Could it be that Qi Yan¡¯s mind, or possibly his very soul, has been pulled into Ghost Mom¡¯s world?¡± Gao Ming spected. The rapid deterioration in Qi Yan¡¯s condition led him to surmise that this ¡®home¡¯ dimension was a ce of immense horror. With a sense of urgency, Gao Ming secured the obituary photographs and hastily called the emergency services, anxious to prevent Qi Yan from meeting a gruesome fate within the walls of his own residence. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to report a crime in progress. The perpetrator of the Rainy Night Murders is in my house.¡± After a tense moment of silence, the operator responded with a heightened sense of alertness. ¡°Are you currently being held captive? Stay calm, do not agitate the assant. Can you tell us if he¡¯s in close proximity to you? We need him tomunicate his demands; rest assured, your safety is our utmost concern!¡± ncing towards Qi Yan, whoy bloodied and injured, ingesting some unknown substance, and restrained, Gao Ming weighed his next words carefully before urging, ¡°Please hurry. If you dy, he might not survive.¡± In the anxious wait for the police, Gao Ming browsed the news on his phone for any relevant updates. It seemed illogical that the vanishing of an entire busload of passengers would go unnoticed by the media, yet he found no coverage of such an event he experienced three days ago. Upon checking the bus timetables for the night of the Ghost Festival, the official website confirmed that all services had been canceled due to severe rainstorms that evening. Puzzled, he thought, ¡°If there were no buses running, what exactly was the bus I boarded that day?¡± Given his profession as a psychological counselor within the highly secured confines of Henshan High-Security Prison, Gao Ming had encountered numerous disturbed individuals. To maintain his professional integrity and mental rity, he had always anchored himself to logic and reason. However, in this moment of crisis, he allowed himself to entertain a startling possibility. ¡°This world¡­ something is profoundly amiss.¡± Once the seeds of skepticism took root in his mind, every aspect of his reality began to look suspicious. With this newfound wariness, Gao Ming revisited the recent news stories from the past few days, seeking anomalies and, perhaps, clues to the strange events unfolding around him. ¡°The esteemed Nine Provincial Hubs, which includes the bustling Jiang City, the forward-thinking Smart City of New Hu, and the globally recognized International Metropolis of Hanhai, are collectively praised for their impable public safety, cultural richness, and the high satisfaction and simplicity found in their citizens¡¯ lifestyles. After a thorough and impartial assessment, they have been collectively recognized as this year¡¯s model cities, exemplifying the pinnacle of human civilization! These cities are leading by example, nurturing a culture of phnthropy, and setting a trend for virtuous living! We now wee Mr. Situ An, the Deputy Chairman of the Hanhai Charity Association, to share his insights¡­¡± ¡°In urgent news this morning, chaos has erupted within the walls of Henshan High-Security Prison! A number of prisoners have sustained injuries during a violent disturbance! Three inmates have vanished without a trace!¡± ¡°We have a breaking story! The unique ninth-generation theme park located in Jiang City was engulfed in mes during the early morning hours, casting a fiery glow across the skyline. Thankfully, by sunrise, the ze was doused without any reported harm to park-goers, although the park itself has incurred significant damage and will be closed until further notice.¡± ¡°This just in! Last night, several violent episodes urred in the historic old district of Hanhai. We urge all residents of the old district to exercise heightened vignce and caution when venturing outside!¡± Gao Ming scanned through each headline with a furrowed brow, ¡°A wave of odd urrences, ndestine online forums, and independent news outlets are rampant with all sorts of information; it¡¯s challenging to separate fact from fiction.¡± The rain pattered relentlessly against the windows, the shrill of police sirens sliced through the storm, and the echo of rapid, heavy footsteps approached from the corridor, culminating in a forceful knock on the living room door. ¡°They¡¯ve arrived!¡± Upon opening the door, Gao Ming was met by a team of heavily armed officers storming into the space, their attention quickly captured by the sight of Qi Yan, who was restrained with expertise that hinted at professional training. ¡°Have you apprehended the suspect?¡± Officer Li Lin signaled for his colleagues to survey the premises, his gaze carrying a mix of surprise and perplexity. With many years on the force, he had never stumbled upon a scenario quite like this. ¡°The true horror of a psychotic killer lurks in the unknown when anyone could potentially be the predator. However, once their identity is revealed, they be no more than a psychologically disturbed animal,¡± Gao Ming remarked as he poured himself a cup of hot water. ¡°I am Gao Ming, formerly a psychological consultant at Henshan High-Security Prison.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve shown courage, but I must advise against taking such risks. It¡¯s best not to open your door to strangers before daylight,¡± Li Lin cautioned, maintaining a grave demeanor despite the apprehension of the infamous Rainy Night Murderer¡ªa reaction that did not escape Gao Ming¡¯s notice. ¡°Could it be that the Rainy Night Murderer isn¡¯t working alone? But that seems unlikely; from a psychological standpoint, such psychopaths typically work in istion,¡± Gao Ming contemted internally. ¡°The old quarter has been gued by a spate of disturbances over thest three days. What the public sees on the television is merely the surface of what¡¯s permitted to be shown,¡± Li Lin remarked, trailing off. He didn¡¯t reveal the full extent of the situation, which was far more grave than the public was led to believe. For three days straight, the old district had been suffocating under a cloak of fear, with unrelenting violent crimes and crime scenes so grotesque and vicious they hardly seemed to be the work of humans. ¡°Have all these murders taken ce in thest three days?¡± Gao Ming pondered, noting that the timeline matched precisely with the day he had taken a bus through the tunnel¡ªa day that also marked the beginning of the peculiar urrences. ¡°Ensure you stay indoors at night and avoid any unnecessary dangers. Look after yourself and your loved ones well,¡± Li Lin advised, his tone indicating a concern that went beyond formalities. He seemed on the verge of adding more when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway once more, and a man with a scarred face, donning a ck, ring-shapedmunicator on his left arm, burst into the room. Li Lin¡¯s expression turned to one of concern as he observed the man, but he did not stop him; evidently, the man with the scarred face was operating under a different jurisdiction. Without acknowledging Li Lin or the others, the scarred man surveyed the room and made his way to the bedroom. As he entered, however, his ck ringmunicator began to emit a sizzling electrical noise, suggesting a malfunction. After a fruitless attempt to fix the device, the scarred man left in haste. ¡°That man isn¡¯t part of your unit, is he? How is it that he has clearance to be involved in a police matter?¡± Gao Ming queried, feeling an instinctual suspicion. The man with the scarred face seemed more like a criminal than aw enforcement officer. Li Lin, with a subtle shake of his head, whispered, ¡°He¡¯s a special investigator from New Hu City, although what he¡¯s specifically investigating, I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Special investigator?¡± This term was new to Gao Ming, despite his experience within the prison service. Li Lin refrained from further discussion. They were there with a purpose, and given Qi Yan¡¯s critical state and theirck of medical equipment, he quickly debriefed Gao Ming and then directed his team to leave. Once the living room door closed again, Gao Ming settled back onto the sofa. The flurry of recent events had left him too unsettled to consider sleep. ¡°When will this incessant rain let up?¡± he wondered aloud. The monotonous ticking of the wall clock apanied him as he pulled out the two obituary photos once more. The number of fissures in the ck and white photo of Qi Yan had multiplied, suggesting that the murderer¡¯s time was rapidly running out. ¡°These ck and white photos seem akin to ying cards, only that in this fiendish game, the cards are real people, and the yers are entities beyond our normal understanding.¡± Gazing at his own vibrant obituary photograph, Gao Ming sought to lighten his mood, ¡°Judging by the striking design, my photo would likely be considered a rare card, wouldn¡¯t it? Although, someone with asplex a family background as mine doesn¡¯t typically end up being the hero in stories.¡± ¡­.. Walking out from the entrance of Building Number 4 at Li Jing Apartments, Li Lin stood in the rain, his figure wrapped in a waterproof coat. He gazed at the building, which seemed dark and unweing in the storm, except for the single light beaming from Gao Ming¡¯s window. ¡°Xiao Liu, I need you to dig into the history of that psych counselor right away. Something about how unfazed he is just doesn¡¯t sit right with me,¡± Li Lin instructed. Another officer by the name of Xiao Liu looked down at his phone, shielding it from the rain as he replied, ¡°Well, it turns out he wasn¡¯t spinning tales. He is indeed the most freshly appointed psych counselor over at Henshan High-Security Prison, graduated from a legit medical school, and yes, he¡¯s even got the credentials to write prescriptions as a neurologist. There¡¯s a ¡®but,¡¯ though¡­¡± He had to wipe away raindrops smudging his screen: ¡°You see, psych counselors working in ces as intense as high-security prisons have to pass a mental health check every single month to make sure they¡¯re in the right headspace to handle the job. And, ording to what I¡¯ve found, there was something fishy about histest mental health check-up results. It looks like some sort of glitch in the system.¡± Li Lin¡¯s eyebrows raised in concern, ¡°A glitch? What kind?¡± Xiao Liu scrolled through the information, ¡°His danger score, the one that¡¯s supposed to g any potential risks he might pose, well, it shot right past the highest mark the testing equipment is supposed to measure.¡± Chapter 4: The Horror Game Studio That Doesnt Make Horror Games Chapter 4: The Horror Game Studio That Doesnt Make Horror Games The unrelenting rain poured heavily from the sky, drenching the earth incessantly. Yet, Gao Ming was not so frightened by this deluge as he was entwined in aplex web of emotions. As the early morning light began to filter through the clouds, Gao Ming turned to the inte for updates and discovered that the persistent heavy rain had triggeredndslides and sh flooding, disrupting roadworks. It was clear that no vehicle could navigate to the tunnel that served as a crucial intersection for Hanjiang, Xinhai, and Hanhai, the three adjacent cities. He clung to a slender thread of hope that the tunnel remained unobstructed by thendslides. Confounded by the bizarre turn of events where his game seemed to merge with reality, Gao Ming was forced to confront and reluctantly ept this bewildering fact. He mused to himself about the futility of deleting his game designs now, but it seemed like his next step would inevitably lead him to Nightlight Game Studio. As a part-time game designer, Gao Ming had worked closely with Nightlight Game Studio on numerous asions, providing them with an extensive array of ideas and concepts for games with themes of mystery and murder. Now, he was resolved to erase all the game designs he had submitted, hoping that it might somehow undo the strange events unfolding around him. Following a brief meal in the morning, Gao Ming packed the photograph of significance into his backpack, equipped himself with a raincoat, and embarked on his journey. He was known for his decisiveness and his ability to put ns into action effectively. As he made his way, the relentless rain continued to flood the city, and oppressive clouds cast a somber hue over everything. Gao Ming managed to hail a taxi and reached the northern district of Hanhai City. His initial n had been to leave his current job as a psychological counselor to pursue his passion for game design full-time. His motivation to break into the gaming industry was simple yet personal: he had been unable to find horror games that met his taste, so he decided to take the initiative to create games that he himself would enjoy. By nine o¡¯clock in the morning, with the help of a janitorial staff member, Gao Ming found the office of Nightlight Games. This studio was a branch of Motu Technology, which boasted thergest gaming tform in the nation and was known for crafting suspense and thriller games. Nheless, they were currently experiencing a period of transition and were not at their peak performance. Before Gao Ming even stepped through the door, he could hear the thunderous bellowing from inside. ¡°Are you sick?! Are you all out of your minds?!¡± The words reverberated through the ss door. Inside the office, several employees were hunched over their desks, their eyes locked onrge monitors disying a scene from a game. It showed a nondescript protagonist in a moment of surreal horror, watching his own death in a video during a break in a s¨¦ance game that also featured his deceased wife within the eerie confines of a haunted house. ¡°The client wanted a groundbreaking dating simtion game! And this is what you produce in two weeks?!¡± Manager Gou was livid, standing beside a table, his body shaking with rage to the point where his wig threatened to depart from his scalp. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who demanded something unlike the conventional dating games flooding the market?¡± The office space was cramped, and Wei Dayou was perched near the door, his posture tense as if he might sprint away at any second. He was a game nner and programmer at Nightlight Game Studio, and in addition to his work, he was known for his dedication to physical fitness. A few years prior, under the weight of pressure from higher-ups and ack of new ideas, Wei Dayou had turned to the inte in search of innovative game concepts, which was how he had first connected with Gao Ming. Initially, Wei Dayou was simply carrying out an assignment when, to his surprise, the game design concept submitted by Gao Ming not only stood out but also clinched the Most Creative Neer award in the gaming industry for that year. Wei Dayou, a man of honest principles, didn¡¯t hesitate to make things right. He informed thepany that the celebrated design was actually Gao Ming¡¯s brainchild, which prompted the award organizers to amend the credit. This act of integrity was a pivotal moment that catapulted Gao Ming into the limelight of the gaming world. Amidst the chaos in the office, Manager Gou Ming was practically seething, his anger so palpable that he flung his wig onto the desk in frustration, revealing the perspiration on the sparse hairs atop his head. ¡°We¡¯ve been toiling away nonstop, putting our utmost effort into this project for the past two weeks,¡± interjected Xia Yang, adjusting his sses on his nose and maintaining a cid smile, seemingly unshakable by the drama unfolding around him. His eternal optimism lent him a youthful appearance; although he was thirty-seven, his demeanor could have led someone to mistake him for a man in his early twenties. Xia Yang was the chief artist in the studio, famed for his distinctive and often unfathomable art style, which had earned him des on an international level. ¡°Exin that to my feet!¡± Manager Gou eximed, striking the desk with his hand. His frustration was fueled by the studio¡¯s precarious position. ¡°Our clientele is dwindling as it is, and now you seem intent on scaring off the few we have left, is that it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve precisely incorporated innovation, engaging interactivity, and the gradual development of intimate and romantic rtionships, all culminating in a portrayal of undying love, just as you specified,¡± Wei Dayou countered, pulling up the message that Manager Gou had previously sent him. Manager Gou, exasperated, red at his subordinates. ¡°This is supposed to be romance? What have you done? It¡¯s like a ghost tale!¡± His distress was palpable; the studio was at the bottom of forty-one in thepany, teetering on the edge. Any further missteps and they would be disbanded and ejected from the Motu Technology conglomerate. Manager Gou, who had been relegated to the studio by the mainpany of Motu Technology¡ªallegedly due to some misstep¡ªwas passionate about his work. Despite his unprepossessing appearance, marked by a gleaming bald head and a pronounced belly, he harbored a fervent drive to seed and a deep-seated yearning to reim his reputation. ¡°You have three days,¡± he dered with urgency. ¡°Within that time, I want a conventional, marketable dating game on my desk!¡± Scooping up his wig and clutching his oversized thermos filled with goji berries¡ªa testament to his personal health regimen¡ªhe stormed out, nearly bumping into Gao Ming at the entrance. At the sight of Gao Ming, a flicker of recognition crossed Manager Gou¡¯s face, marked by a slight twitch of his eyelids. Their paths had crossed many times, and he was well-acquainted with Gao Ming¡¯s distinctive design approach and philosophy. He vividly recalled his initial encounter with one of Gao Ming¡¯s game proposals¡ªa gripping, horror-filled synopsis that had left an indelible mark on his memory with its detailed descriptions of blood and terror. ¡°Gao Ming¡­ Good morning. Since you missed the interview a couple of days ago, we proceeded to hire someone else,¡± Manager Gou muttered, somewhat ufortably avoiding eye contact. ¡°She¡¯ll be starting with us shortly.¡± Back in the days when suspense and horror were the studio¡¯s bread and butter, Gao Ming had been a valuable coborator. However, with the studio now shifting its focus away from that genre, Gao Ming¡¯s presence posed an awkward conundrum. ¡°I didn¡¯te for an interview,¡± Gao Ming promptly rified, catching the flicker of difort in Manager Gou¡¯s demeanor with a perceptive look. Gao Ming was inherently thoughtful, not one to trouble others without good reason, and so he promptly addressed the heart of the matter. ¡°I¡¯ve been facing some bizarre issuestely. I request retracting and removing all the game design drafts I¡¯ve previously submitted.¡± ¡°Destroy them? Those drafts have the potential to be masterpieces if they¡¯re ever brought to life!¡± Wei Dayou left thefort of his desk and walked up to Gao Ming, a mix of confusion and concern in his voice. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? What sort of ordeal have you endured?¡± ¡°My days of crafting horror games may be behind me,¡± Gao Ming admitted, offering a reassuring pat on Wei Dayou¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And a bit of cautionary advice for you all¡ªsteer clear of venturing out at night for a while.¡± Manager Gou Ming¡¯s spirits, which had momentarily dipped, soared once more upon hearing Gao Ming¡¯s change of heart. ¡°Gao Ming, Wei Dayou mentioned you¡¯ve left your position at the correctional facility. Why not join our ranks in the meantime? We truly value what you bring to the table; you wouldn¡¯t even need to go through an interview process!¡± ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll have to reject the offer,¡± Gao Ming gently rebuffed the offer. Through persistent conversation and persuasion, Gao Ming eventually convinced Wei Dayou to unlock the file cab where the studio kept its archives. Together, they unearthed the plethora of game design proposals Gao Ming had contributed over time. Given the prolonged nature of game development and the hefty initial investment required, many game concepts don¡¯t make it off the ground and end up shelved indefinitely. Truth be told, had the studio not been in the midst of pivoting away from horror-themed games, Gao Ming might have found it much more challenging to take back these intellectual properties. With deliberate care, Gao Ming began to sort through the archives, categorizing his creations into five distinct levels of peril based on their content: Criminals, Rumors, Omens, Cryptic, and Strange Tales. The ¡®Criminals¡¯ category involved games derived from actual criminal cases, where danger is purely human, hinging on puzzle-solving and evidence collection within the bounds of reality. ¡®Rumors¡¯ also drew on murder cases yet wereced with peculiar and spine-chilling narratives. However, the true peril remained human-centric despite the fictional overtones. ¡®Omens¡¯ represented a departure into the realm of the supernatural, hinting at the existence of fearsome entities and world-altering prophecies, where the threats were rooted in curses and the paranormal. ¡®Cryptic¡¯ games were a notch above, dabbling in authentic mysteries that could defy exnation. The ¡®Strange Tales¡¯ were the most unpredictable, a domain where safety was an illusion, rules were subject to change, enigmas abounded, and the narratives were not only self-evolving but increasingly expansive, drawing in more unsuspecting individuals. Then there was a sixth, even more dire category¡ª¡¯Uncontrolled Strange Tales.¡¯ These were the narratives without hope, the darkest of Gao Ming¡¯s creations, which he hade specifically to destroy in the hope that their bleak scenarios would never bleed into the fabric of reality. ¡°36 Criminals, 25 Rumors, 5 Omens, 25 Cryptic, 31 Strange Tales, 4 Uncontrolled Strange Tales¡­ I¡¯ve really been quite diligent over the years.¡± Gao Ming reflected, perhaps with a hint of pride but also a touch of solemnity, considering the strange circumstances that necessitated this purge. Chapter 5: To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish Chapter 5: To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish Gao Ming works as a psychological counselor within the daunting walls of Henshan High-Security Prison, where he is engulfed by the intense pressures thate with the job. To cope with the stresses of his day-to-day encounters with the dark facets of human psychology, he has turned to an unconventional outlet: game development. Through the creation of video games, Gao Ming channels the chilling experiences he absorbs from his environment, weaving the terrors he witnesses, hears about, and conjures up in his mind into the fabric of his games. By doing so, he invites yers to step into his shoes, sharing with them the disquiet and dread that haunts him. In offering a glimpse into his troubled psyche through his games, Gao Ming exhibits a unique form of generosity. He once harbored an earnest aspiration: to transform all his creative concepts into tangible video games, thereby granting gamers across the globe the opportunity to delve into the captivating world of his genre. When dreams take shape into reality, the oue is typically one of tion, but for Gao Ming, the fruition of his dream took on an unexpectedly harsh contour. In a solitary act, he carried a cardboard box heavy with his game design manuscripts to the restroom. There, Gao Ming produced a lighter and watched as the mes eagerly devoured his previous works, a pyre for his aspirations. In a poignant moment, he lit a cigarette using the very mes that rose from his incinerated dreams. Having reduced his past endeavors to ashes, Gao Ming disposed of the remains and retreated to his office. It was there that he hoped to encounter Manager Gou¡¯s cooperation in erasing the digital traces of his work from the studio¡¯sputers. Erasing the game designs that had failed to attract investors proved to be a straightforward task. However, there was one game, apleted romance game that had been the subject of discussion in Nightlight Studio¡¯s meeting that very morning, which posed a greater challenge. The game, poetically titled ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish,¡± had been fervently pursued by Manager Gou. Leveraging his industry connections, Gou had gone to considerable lengths to sell this game for Nightlight Studio, viewing it as a pivotal asset for its future direction. Manager Gou, confronting Gao Ming with a grave countenance and sping his thermos, implored him by invoking their shared history and the studio¡¯s dependence on the game for its survival. He painted a vivid picture of his personal circumstances: a man in his forties, burdened with the care of both his aging parents and his young children, and shackled by hismitments to the investors. Should this game not reachpletion, Gou¡¯s family faced the grim prospect of destitution. While Gao Ming sympathized with Manager Gou¡¯s predicament, he remained resolute in his decision. At present, Gou¡¯s obligation to the investors is purelymercial. But if ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish¡± were to be released, thepany would unwittingly be entering a perilous contract with forces as unforgiving as death itself. Unlike other games designed to extract money from yers, Gao Ming¡¯s creation threatened to extract the very lives of those who engaged with it¡ªboth the creators and the yers would be ensnared with no chance of release. Confronted with this reality, Gao Ming made a proposition as he powered up hisputer. The core design of ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish¡± was the handiwork of Wei Dayou, yet Gao Ming had injected his own ideas into it, particrly in the realm of murder cases. Of the nine girlfriend storylines woven into the game¡¯s narrative, eight could remain untouched. But the ninth storyline¡ªthe one that bore the imprint of Gao Ming¡¯s dark genius¡ªwas to be excised entirely. The narrative of ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish¡± unfolds the life of a pop culture enthusiast and academic underperformer whose world is turned upside down as he crosses paths with nine distinct women during different stages of his life. His interactions with a spectrum of personalities, such as a childhood friend fighting a serious illness, a stern yet warm-hearted executive, and a scheming character named Li L¨¹xin, are central to the plot. Wei Dayou, alongside the team at Nightlight Studio, crafted the first eight women¡¯s stories, but theirck of extensive personal romantic experiences led to the creation of rather conventional love tales within the game. Gao Ming, desiring to imbue the game with a unique edge, proposed an additional ninth narrative arc featuring Xuan Wen, a serial killer whose love, once pure and deep, curdles into a twisted fixation when spurned. She¡¯s depicted as a chillingly smart woman with an uncanny ability to track the protagonist¡¯s every move throughout the day with unnerving precision. The inclusion of Xuan Wen¡¯s dark storyline marked a turning point for the game, transforming it from a mere romance to a thrilling intersection of crime and the paranormal. Upon hearing Gao Ming¡¯s insistence on scrapping this ninth subplot, Manager Gou couldn¡¯t be more relieved, enthusiastically agreeing to pivot back to creating a conventional romance game. Gao Ming, adding a cautionary note, suggested: ¡°Let¡¯s limit the number of leadingdies¡ªjust one would suffice. And preferably, she should only marginally brush past the protagonist¡¯s life. It¡¯s enough if they can both simply live out their days peacefully into old age.¡± Wei Dayou, confounded, questioned, ¡°How can you have a romance game without significant interaction?¡± Gao Ming countered that the contemporary trend leans towards a romance that¡¯s more about serendipity and less about direct engagement. He suggested that the male lead might even live in rtive seclusion, scarcely engaging with the world. This rmendation stemmed from Gao Ming¡¯s past experience: his family-oriented mini-games had always harbored the potential to take a dark turn, and he knew this romance game was no exception. Caution was paramount to prevent another shift into the macabre. Wei Dayou, somewhat perplexed by Gao Ming¡¯s serious tone and wondering if there was an undertone of sarcasm, reluctantly agreed. He believed the ninth storyline was the crux of the game, the element of suspense that gave it life, and its removal would strip the game of its thrilling anticipation. As Wei Dayou prepared to amend the storyline on hisputer, the office door swung open with an unexpected energy. In an instant of apparent foreboding, the office¡¯s usual sleepy and rotund cat let out a meow and scrambled behind a bookshelf, bristling with fear. Apologies for the disturbance floated through the air from a gentle voice, a calming presence amidst the chaos of the rainstorm that had thwarted her efforts to hail a cab. The team nced toward the entrance where a woman stood, her attire lightly soaked by the rain, wearing a in white blouse and skirt. This simple ensemble, however, couldn¡¯t obscure her distinct aura. Her smile was effortless, and her demeanor rxed as if she was entirely unaware of the captivating beauty she possessed¡ªor perhaps it was that her striking looks were just the most visibleyer of a far morepelling essence. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly understandable. We¡¯ve been experiencing quite a storm over the past several days. These torrential downpours aren¡¯t usual; don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Manager Gou reassured the drenched arrival with an open gesture of wee. Turning to Gao Ming, he introduced the neer, ¡°This is Xuan Wen, a budding game designer who¡¯s joining us. Interestingly, she shares her name with a secondary character from your recent project.¡± Nightlight Studio wasn¡¯t known for attracting top-tier talent due to its current standing in the industry. Gao Ming, who was ustomed to dealing with the minds of criminals, fixed his gaze on the woman whose modest outfit did little to conceal a certain self-assured presence¡ªa kind of quiet confidence that, in his experience, could be likened to theposed poise of a predator. ¡°Xuan Wen?¡± he addressed her. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± she replied. ¡°You share a name with a serial killer with deep-seated psychological issues from our game?¡± There was a moment of surprised hesitation from the real Xuan Wen. Manager Gou swiftly intervened with a light-heartedment, hoping to alleviate any awkwardness. While the other team members extended their wee without reserve, Gao Ming and the plump office cat were the only ones who seemed to deliberately maintain their distance from her. Taking refuge at a spot farthest from Xuan Wen, Gao Ming discreetly pulled out his phone and initiated an online search for her, but the digital world returned no insights on Xuan Wen. Undeterred, he proceeded to enter the names of the female characters from ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish¡± into the search engine. One by one, he searched, and when he keyed in the name Li L¨¹xin, a chilling discovery surfaced: multiple news reports detailed the mysterious death of a woman by that name, found in her boyfriend¡¯s wealthy home just two nights prior, her demise ruled a probable suicide. ¡°Could it be mere coincidence, or something more sinister? Is she embodying her namesake by actuallymitting the acts?¡± These thoughts raced through Gao Ming¡¯s mind as he nced towards Xuan Wen. The unsettling coincidence of her arrival at Nightlight Studio didn¡¯t sit well with him¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was here with an ulterior motive that involved him. A shiver ran through him, prompting Gao Ming to take immediate action. He swiftly cornered Wei Dayou, insisting that all the game concepts, especially those contributed by him, needed to be purged without dy. This wasn¡¯t just a trivial precaution; he feltpelled to oversee Wei Dayou as he meticulously deleted and altered the data. By the time the afternoon rolled around, Gao Ming had ensured that all his contributions to Nightlight Studio¡¯s projects were either wiped clean or substantially modified. Staring at the now-empty documents, a wave of relief washed over him. As he exited the office with a cup of hot tea in hand, the previously lethargic cat mirrored his exit, its nimble escape belying its bulky frame. ¡°Are you attuned to the danger as well?¡± Gao Ming mused quietly, finding sce in a secluded area of themunal lounge where he began to stroke the cat. ¡°You¡¯re quite astute for a pet,¡± he thought, contemting his next move. The room slowly emptied out until, after about five minutes, the cat on the couch suddenly became lifeless, akin to a stuffed animal, unmoving and still. Gao Ming¡¯s instincts instantly kicked in. Standing up, he detected a subtle yet intoxicating scent that wafted through the air¡ªa fragrance that was as alluring as it was foreboding. Gao Ming wheeled around, his pulse quickening as he found Xuan Wen unexpectedly close, her presence undetected until she was almost within arm¡¯s reach. Her fingers, slender and seemingly delicate, came to rest lightly upon his shoulder, effectively pinning him against the wall. ¡°Husband, why do you act as though you don¡¯t know me?¡± she queried, her tone casual yet incongruent with their apparent strangerhood. The word ¡®husband¡¯ hung in the air, freezing Gao Ming¡¯s features into a mask of shock. His grip on his water cup faltered, and it tumbled to the ground. The impact scattered droplets across the floor, some of them dotting their clothes in a silent testament to his startled reaction. Thepliment felt alien and surreal¡ªGao Ming had never been romantically involved with anyone; the very idea that he could be someone¡¯s spouse was absurd. The situation was spiraling into a bizarre and unsettling realm. Xuan Wen leaned in, her proximity overwhelming, as her soothing smile belied the unsettling words she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re eager to erase the games, but the nightmares you¡¯ve been incubating have already leaped from your subconscious into the world three days ago,¡± she whispered, her voice tinged with an eerie calm. Her eyes, a mirror to his own trepidation, fixed on him as she continued, ¡°Have you really forgotten that night in the tunnel? Should you need assistance jogging your memory, my door is open to you this evening.¡± With movements that hinted at a history of close familiarity, Xuan Wen¡¯s hands moved to adjust Gao Ming¡¯s cor, a gesture typically reserved for those entwined by intimacy and years ofpanionship. Her next words, spoken softly into Gao Ming¡¯s ear, wereced with a chilling confession, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be concerned about danger, especially not from those ill-intentioned women who lusted after you,¡± she murmured. ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of them¡ªI¡¯ve killed them.¡± In that moment, Gao Ming was ensnared not only by her physical closeness but also by the gravity of her words, leaving him to grapple with the reality that the fiction he had created might be copsing into his actual life in the most terrifying way imaginable. Chapter 6: The Apocalypse Triggered by One Person Chapter 6: The Apocalypse Triggered by One Person ¡°Initially, life was simple for me ¡ª ¡®Mom and Dad¡¯ would return each evening, and I would drug and restrain them inside the bedroom. But then, inexplicably, a stranger has now started calling me ¡®husband.¡¯ It¡¯s as if a whole family had materialized around me shortly after transversing that strange traffic tunnel.¡± Observing Xuan Wen¡¯s retreating silhouette, a ghostly pallor overtook Gao Ming¡¯s face. A certainty settled in him: Xuan Wen and the parents who had once offered him cake were all altered by a mysterious force. ¡°It¡¯s clear now that Xuan Wen is aware of the odd events in the tunnel, and she anticipated my visit to Nightlight Studio intending to erase the games.¡± It was only after Xuan Wen vanished down the corridor that Gao Ming¡¯s color andposure returned, and the previously immobile cat behind him sprang back into action, cozying up close. With the heavy rain rendering the roads impassable, Gao Ming realized that for immediate answers, he must confront Xuan Wen. Yet, he pondered the stark contrast between her condition and that of his ¡®parents¡¯ ¡ª she appeared utterly unaffected, moving about the city with ease in daylight. ¡°Why have you scampered over here, Richy?¡± Wei Dayou scooped up the plump cat, caressing it while teasing Gao Ming, ¡°Why not stay, Gao Ming? See, even the cat is loath to part with you.¡± ¡°The cat¡¯s reluctance isn¡¯t about attachment; it¡¯s about being wary of life,¡± Gao Ming noted, having never before seen a cat feign death with suchmitment to stillness, regardless of the world¡¯s chaos. ¡°Dayou, I consider you a good friend, and that¡¯s why I urge you onest time: avoid the night, and keep your distance from our new colleague. She¡¯s wrapped in trouble.¡± Aware of the recent disturbances in Hanhai, Wei Dayou reassured Gao Ming, ¡°Don¡¯t fret, look after yourself, and remember to call me if need be. After all, we¡¯ve beenrades for years.¡± Despite the cat¡¯s vehement protests, he carried it back to the office. The cat, now outside, scratched at the office¡¯s ss door, meowing forlornly at Gao Ming. ¡°Stick with me, and you¡¯ll witness genuine terror,¡± Gao Ming murmured with a rueful grin, ¡°This cat¡¯s got sense, albeit not much.¡± Rather than heading home, Gao Ming made his way to the bus station, eyes scanning the city map peppered with various routes. Hanhai is a metropolis of neen distinct districts, each with its own character. The affluent eastern district is a yground for the global elite, offering extravagant pleasures that defy themon person¡¯s wildest dreams. In stark contrast, Gao Ming resides in the old district, a ce worlds apart. Here, cramped apartment buildings huddle close, their proximity creating an oppressive air that makes breathing difficult for those navigating the narrow passages. A century earlier, Hanhai emerged from the ravages of conflict, transforming into a sanctuary for politicians, entrepreneurs, and the disced. Leveraging its strategic position, it ascended to be one of the globe¡¯s three principal free trading hubs. Yet, as the industrial revolution reshaped the world, Hanhai too found itself at a historic juncture, its future path uncertain. For Gao Ming, these grand narratives of prosperity and decline held little relevance. His gaze was fixed on the teeming bus stops, his mind a whirlwind of grisly, nightmarish tales and unsolved mysteries. Serial killings, gruesome dismemberments, crimes of passion, acid bath murders, culinary horrors, dog pit atrocities, and submerged victims ¨C such was the litany of horrors that haunted Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts, each more chilling than thest, eclipsing even the most macabre of ghost tales and horror films that he had consumed. But these were not mere stories; in Gao Ming¡¯s mind, they were a disturbing reality. Hospitals, schools, malls, and even the mundane spaces of daily life like corridors and under-beds, all held the potential for terror. Xuan Wen had suggested a grim possibility: that the myriad nightmares festering in Gao Ming¡¯s imagination were manifesting into reality, not just within the confines of video games but in the very fabric of Hanhai itself. Though reluctant to believe it, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had inadvertently set in motion a catastrophic chain of events. An ¡®unknown¡¯ entity from another realm appeared to be drawing from the dark recesses of his memory, breathing life into fears and horrors that intertwined with the city¡¯s essence. The heavy clouds hung low, their oppressive weight symbolic of a city gasping under the grip of its own dark underbelly, suffocating on its collective sin. Amidst the relentless downpour, Gao Ming stood at the bus stop, his expression one of concern. He mused darkly that a mind less cluttered with grim and vile thoughts would likely be far less troubled. Despite Xuan Wen¡¯s oddities, Gao Ming sensed she held the key to unraveling the enigma that gued him. As the clock struck half-past five, Xuan Wen emerged, her red umbre a vivid contrast to the dreariness. She approached Gao Ming at the bus stop with a knowing smile as if aware of his lingering presence, ¡°Have you been waiting for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just unsure which bus route to take home.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t we go together?¡± Xuan Wen suggested, holding the umbre over both of them, peering at Gao Ming with a gaze that mixed affection with something more unsettling, akin to a collector beholding a prized piece or someone deriving pleasure from an unusual obsession. As the bus arrived, Gao Ming deferred to Xuan Wen, allowing her to board and settle in before he positioned himself towards the back. An hourter, they reached the aging district. Gao Ming gazed at the familiar buildings, his desire to keep his distance from the woman next to him growing stronger. The Li Jing Apartments where they both lived wereprised of four structuresid out in a square courtyard formation. Gao Ming spected that Xuan Wen might have been observing him surreptitiously over the past days. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand; the recent string of murders around Li Jing Apartments aren¡¯t my doing,¡± Xuan Wen dered amidst the sound of rain. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m quite terrified myself and live in constant fear.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve removed all possible threats, to ensure you¡¯re not afraid?¡± Gao Ming initially hadn¡¯t considered the murders, but Xuan Wen¡¯s statement prompted him to recall Officer Li Lin¡¯s cautionary words. During the three days Gao Ming had been confined to his room, many ¡°things¡± had already ¡°spread.¡± They crossed the apartment courtyard to enter Building 2. Upon reaching the third floor, they encountered an elderly woman conducting a ritual, burning paper offerings in the hallway. A brazier before her contained the remains of joss paper, and she mumbled prayers, bowing repeatedly before a portrait of a much younger man beside the fire. The silver-haireddy was paying homage to a portrait of a man in his forties, her adopted son, who had taken his own life three days prior. Neighbors spoke well of him, describing him as a decent, diligent person who cared for the old woman as though she were his own flesh and blood. ¡°Often, what¡¯s visible is merely the surface; the less articte may harbor deeper stories,¡± Gao Ming mused. He remembered seeing the olddy¡¯s adopted son, Mr. Zhao, around theplex. Zhao was perpetually cheerful, often volunteering to clean themunal bathrooms while chatting on his phone. Yet, Gao Ming had always sensed an element of strain behind Zhao¡¯s smiles. Having a background in psychological counseling, Gao Ming asionally conversed with Brother Zhao in the courtyard. However, since the previous month, Zhao¡¯s presence had been missing. After paying his respects to the portrait, Gao Ming followed Xuan Wen up to the fifth floor. The hallway was draped with clotheslines, hanging close to exposed electrical wiring, with an array of clothing dangling from them. Whether it was the influence of the surrounding environment or something else, the garments seemed to take on a gray and lifeless hue, listlessly stirring even in the still air. As they made their way down the hallway, they were nked by aging iron doors marked by the passage of time, their surfaces marred by rust. The door frames, tinted with shades of yellow and brown, framed these portals to private lives. Bright red couplets hung next to the doors stood in stark dissonance to their dpidated surroundings. Even the traditional ¡®Fu¡¯ characters, usually symbols of fortune, seemed out of ce as if they reluctantly clung to the notion of luck in this somber setting. Arriving at their destination, Xuan Wen produced a key and opened the door to apartment number 2507. Gao Ming, however, paused at the threshold, reluctant to cross into a space shadowed by recent tragedy. ¡°This apartment once belonged to the olddy¡¯s adopted son. Merely three days earlier, the space had been breached by despair when Mr. Zhao chose to end his life by leaping from the balcony of this unit,¡± Xuan Wen exins. ¡°You¡¯ve taken over the lease of someone who¡¯s just passed away? We haven¡¯t even observed the traditional mourning period of seven days,¡± Gao Ming remarked, his tone a mix of disbelief and unease. In that moment, Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts veered to a game scenario he once crafted ¡ª an unnervingly simr scene where a character, engaged in a ghostly game within a haunted house, eerily confronts a video foretelling his own demise, much like peering into a grim and unavoidable future. Chapter 7: A Harrowing Discovery Chapter 7: A Harrowing Discovery Room 2507 remained virtually unchanged, a time capsule of Zhao¡¯s existence. Every item, from his wardrobe and sofa to the coffee table, stood as a testament to his presence, a silent homage to his life once lived there. Mr. Zhao, a modest man, had embraced a minimalist lifestyle. His home reflected this austerity, with an interior that felt cold and sparse. The atmosphere was heavy, tinged with an unnamable somberness. Outside, rainshed against the window panes, driven by a somber sky. Although it was just after six in the evening, a premature darkness had enveloped the room. Xuan Wen, foregoing the artificial light, moved directly to the balcony. She stood there, overlooking the courtyard, her gaze fixated on the relentless downpour. Meanwhile, Gao Ming, after a moment of hesitation, entered room 2507. His attention was immediately captured by arge, ck cloth-covered picture frame on the living room wall, conspicuously disyed. ¡°Do you want to know what¡¯s beneath?¡± Xuan Wen inquired, her back still turned yet seemingly attuned to Gao Ming¡¯s curiosity. ¡°You can uncover it.¡± Heeding her suggestion, Gao Ming delicately removed the cloth. Revealed was arge ck and white wedding photograph. In it, both Gao Ming and Xuan Wen beamed with joy. However, only Gao Ming was in color; Xuan Wen, in her striking beauty andvish wedding dress, remained in grayscale. ¡°Is this another keepsake?¡± Gao Ming was puzzled; he had no memory of ever taking such a photograph with Xuan Wen, especially one so eerie. ¡°Do you recall anything now?¡± Xuan Wen asked, turning to face him. Her smile was gentle, her demeanor tender, yet her presence radiated an unsettling, cryptic energy, her eyes holding deep, hidden secrets. ¡°What transpired in the tunnel on the Ghost Festival night?¡± Gao Ming stood near the door, poised to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°You boarded a bus not meant for you, journeying to an unintended destination,¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s gaze was intense, a mix of eerie familiarity and disturbing fascination. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten what happened in that tunnel. Your mind is shielding you, believing you incapable of confronting the dreadful truth. It has selectively erased these memories.¡± ¡°Why are you aware of the tunnel events? You¡¯re just a character from my game; you shouldn¡¯t know of my experiences there,¡± Gao Ming backed towards the door. ¡°I was the one who brought you back that night,¡± Xuan Wen stepped closer, ¡°Remember the game ¡®To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish,¡¯ and my side story¡¯s design? I always know where you are. Watching over you is what I cherish most. This grim power,bined with an uncontroble affection,pelled me to find you as soon as I awoke.¡± Gao Ming shuddered at her words. He had never engaged with a dating game before and was unprepared for its frightening reality. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°The tunnel walls were a grisly sight, adorned with bodies contorted in grotesque expressions of pain. When I found you, you were engaged in a strange dialogue, walking deeper into the tunnel¡¯s depths. It was me who pulled you out,¡± Xuan Wen recounted, her voice wavering between certainty and doubt. A flicker of fear was apparent in her eyes as she described the harrowing scene. ¡°Merely seeing bodies embedded in walls wouldn¡¯t be enough to induce amnesia in me. Yet, I do recall faint voices,¡± Gao Ming tried to dredge up memories but found only voids. ¡°Can you recall what the voice said?¡± ¡°The situation is spiraling into chaos. Evil spirits wander unchecked, strange phenomena are rampant, and the most sinister human desires threaten to upheave the city. The violent crimes and urban legends that inspired your games could be reality, born from the decay of forgotten memories. To diminish their vengeance, more people must engage with your games. You have the power to either guide them through or sacrifice them to appease these narratives. Each choice carries its own cost and consequences.¡± After a brief pause, Xuan Wen added, ¡°The voice indicated that you were marked for death but were given a reprieve, as if a bargain had been struck.¡± ¡°I was destined to die¡­¡± Gao Ming mulled over the weighty implication. ¡°Could it be that I faced death in the tunnel? When you found me, had I already been resurrected? Such an idea defies all logic!¡± ¡°If you doubt my words or suspect deception, you can seek corroboration from the other bus passengers that night,¡± Xuan Wen suggested as she settled onto the sofa. ¡°When leading you out, I saw other survivors.¡± ¡°Other survivors were there?¡± ¡°Yes, but the situation was too frantic for me to get a clear look. Had I seen their faces, I would¡¯ve pursued them for answers,¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s tone was eerily casual, belying the chilling nature of her words. Armed with this information and under the cover of night, Gao Ming edged backwards. ¡°So, you¡¯re satisfied now and wish to leave?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s gaze held a yful yet probing quality. ¡°You probably don¡¯t recall the promise you made to me in the tunnel, do you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, take your time to ponder it.¡± Xuan Wen produced a ck and white photograph of a deceased individual from her attire. ¡°When I awakened in reality, this photo was beside me. In the past three days, as I¡¯ve interacted with other female characters from the dating game, I¡¯ve noticed changes in the wedding dress in the photo.¡± Xuan Wenpared the photo in her hand with therge wedding photo on the wall. Evidently, the dress in her hand-held photo was slowly transforming, gaining color. ¡°The other female characters from the dating game have manifested under some mysterious force. Technically, they¡¯re deceased. Yet, the issue lies here¡­¡± Xuan Wen brandished a photograph of a deceased person, her eyes alight with a frenzied intensity. ¡°This photograph symbolizes the residual memories left by the dead in the real world. If a ck and white image transitions to color, does it signify the subject¡¯s resurrection? It appears that by eliminating these haunted counterparts, I can liberate myself from certain limitations.¡± ¡°Is this why you can traverse the city freely, blending in as if alive?¡± Gao Ming was visibly unnerved as he processed Xuan Wen¡¯s nonchnt admission of ¡®handling¡¯ the other girlfriends. Eight in just three days¡ªit was madness! Xuan Wen, once a peripheral and deranged character in the game, neglected and distorted, had be more attuned to the new reality than Gao Ming. Her rity and decisive actions when the game bled into the real world surpassed his understanding. Xuan Wen¡¯s sudden presence also sharpened Gao Ming¡¯s perspective. In those horror and mystery games, the threats weren¡¯t limited to monstrous entities or vengeful spirits; there could also be potent, unhinged beings. ¡°I only aspire to be a person, like you,¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s speech quickened, her behavior growing increasingly erratic as she disclosed her true motive for seeking out Gao Ming. ¡°My repeated experiments have uncovered a process for a game¡¯s transition into reality. The more horrifying and perilous the game, the more gradual its integration with our city, giving rise to rming signs and premonitions. To activate the urban legend before its full manifestation, three elements are essential: a murder site with a recent death, a photograph of the departed from that realm, and your involvement.¡± In the ominous Room 2507, Gao Ming understood Xuan Wen¡¯s goal. She aimed to ¡°hunt¡± the monstrous narratives from the game, consuming them before they could fully materialize within the urban myths. ¡°The murder site represents the game¡¯s backdrop, the photograph serves as an entry pass, and you are the vital link,¡± Xuan Wen clutched Gao Ming¡¯s clothing. ¡°The voice instructed you to introduce more yers to the game, so I qualify as a participant, correct?¡± Her eyes reddened, Xuan Wen revealed eight nk obituary portraits from her handbag. ¡°I have ample ¡®tickets¡¯.¡± ¡°Stay calm, your theory is spective at this point,¡± Gao Ming responded, his fear subsiding upon discerning Xuan Wen¡¯s actual intent. He scrutinized her, noting her wless visage. ¡°But I¡¯m willing to assist you. We¡¯ll test your hypothesis tonight, right here in Room 2507.¡± As a psychological counselor in a high-security prison, Gao Ming was adept at dealing with vtile personalities. Just as he consented to help, footsteps resounded in the hallway, followed by the doorbell. After Xuan Wen shrouded the wedding photograph with the ck cloth again, Gao Ming opened the door. A disfigured investigator stood in the corridor, panting, ¡°This room is dangerous; you must vacate it immediately!¡± Chapter 8: The Return of Strange Tales Chapter 8: The Return of Strange Tales ¡°You say this house is dangerous, but isn¡¯t it just a normal home?¡± With a bold and challenging demeanor as if seeking danger, Gao Ming only heightened the investigator¡¯s worry. ¡°The former upant of apartment 2507 took their own life. You shouldn¡¯t stay here just because the rent is affordable,¡± the investigator cautioned, his face so disfigured it was unreadable. Yet, his urgent tone unmistakably conveyed a grave problem with apartment 2507. ¡°Why? Was Brother Zhao¡¯s death not a mere ident but rather a homicide?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t inquire about it!¡± Sweat beaded on the investigator¡¯s scarred face as he gestured towards his own gruesome features. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like this, leave at once!¡± Clearly, the investigator knew something, which only further sparked Gao Ming¡¯s interest. ¡°You need to provide us with a reason.¡± Being asked to move out abruptly is naturally disagreeable for anyone. ¡°Not just you, everyone on this floor needs to relocate temporarily until the cause of the oddity is determined.¡± Having encountered Gao Ming the night before, the disfigured investigator was aware of his skepticism. ¡°You overcame the Rainy Night Killer, and I acknowledge your courage, but some perils are unseen! These entities are behind the numerous murders in the old city port region!¡± ¡°These entities are¡­¡± Gao Ming squinted his eyes. While most would be terrified by the investigator¡¯s appearance, he found him fascinating. ¡°The more you know, the more they¡¯re drawn to you. My actions and words are for your protection. I hope you¡¯ll trust me.¡± The investigator implored earnestly, but Gao Ming and Xuan Wen were unconvinced. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it until youe face to face with your own coffin, will you?¡± Gao Ming slowly bowed his head. It was uncertain if he would weep at the sight of a ¡°coffin,¡± but he knew Xuan Wen wouldn¡¯t, just as she wouldn¡¯t in a capsule hotel. ¡°If you truly won¡¯t leave, then heed my warning.¡± The investigator, unable to persuade them to depart, could only offer advice. ¡°Rece anything used by the deceased. Avoid copying the deceased¡¯s behavior or emotions, day or night.¡± ¡°I get recing their items, but what do you mean by not mimicking the deceased?¡± Gao Ming was perplexed. ¡°Does it imply that if we replicate their emotions or actions where they died, they wille back?¡± The investigator neither confirmed nor denied; instead, he ascended the stairs, apparently to investigate further. ¡°This investigator seems very knowledgeable,¡± Xuan Wen observed softly, standing behind Gao Ming. Her look was both menacing and captivating. ¡°Now, no one will bother us anymore.¡± She secured the security door and quietly approached Gao Ming with a hushed voice, ¡°The game you¡¯ve crafted represents the convergence of two worlds, with you as the pivotal element to activate it prematurely. Our mission is straightforward: to replicate the life of the deceased in his home, emting his emotions andpletely embodying him. In doing so, his fixations, malevolent thoughts, suffering, and regrets that linger in the limbo between worlds will be attracted to you, inciting the eerie stories centered around you.¡± Gao Ming pondered, her words resonating with the recent caution from the investigator. ¡°Sis, are you certain this is without risk?¡± Momentarily pausing at Gao Ming¡¯s term of address, Xuan Wen patiently borated, ¡°The game involving these bizarre tales is the most fearsome. Once it fully materializes, dread will embed itself in the hearts of all who learn of it, eroding their tranquility. Weck the resources to confront this directly. Thus, our sole strategy is to prematurely trigger it and stifle it at its inception. I acknowledge the risk, potentially even leading to death, but if we remain passive, the future consequences could be exponentially worse.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s logic waspelling. The current scenario was already rming, with mere family and romance-themed games bing distorted. Should these sinister tale games fully fuse with the city, the perils facing Gao Ming would intensify significantly. ¡°Some challenges are inescapable.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll attempt it.¡± Following Xuan Wen¡¯s instructions, Gao Ming positioned himself in front of the living room mirror, holding an unmarked obituary photograph. All lights in the room were extinguished, and four white candles were lit, one in each corner. The room was enveloped in the eerie glow of candlelight, the sound of rain falling, and the asional thunderp, intermittently illuminated by lightning, creating a somber and foreboding atmosphere. Gao Ming shut his eyes, steadying his breath, immersing himself in the life of the deceased. Brother Zhao, full name Zhao Xi, was an orphan found near a garbage heap by an elderly woman. Lacking formal education and constantly d in worn-out clothes, he endured bullying by other children and the woman¡¯s second son, yet he never retaliated. As an adult, Zhao Xibored as a dockworker, striving to earn tuition for his younger siblings and upholding familial responsibilities. Despite his grueling existence, Zhao Xi was perpetually upbeat, warmly greeting all he encountered. Those who once tormented him now respectfully referred to him as Brother Zhao. Over time, Zhao Xi emerged as the most benevolent figure in Li Jing Apartments. Unmarried, he was always avable to assist those in need. When his brother was incarcerated, he cared for his mother and pregnant sister-inw. It seemed imusible that someone as positive and resilient as Zhao Xi would opt for suicide, leaving his neighbors perplexed. Gao Ming, however, had pieced together some clues. Zhao Xi had endured physically taxing jobs for years, which had taken a toll on his health. A leg injury the previous year resulted in his dismissal from the factory. With no formal education, a physical disability, and deteriorating health, Zhao Xi struggled to find employment. Confined at home, he endured cold res and reprimands from his sister-inw and foster mother. As an adopted child, Zhao Xi yearned for recognition and a sense of belonging more than anything. He craved authentic familial connections. Yet, he was met with disrespect from those around him. His phone seemed to be his only sce, understanding him more than his own family and the only outlet for his bottled-up emotions. The cheerfulness, determination, and warmth he exhibited werergely a self-constructed mask to avoid feeling ¡°abandoned¡± once again. However, the more he endeavored to maintain this fa?ade, the deeper the internal agony he experienced. Feeling hopeless, incapable of altering his circumstances, and perceiving himself as a burden, he eventually grew to despise himself. As these negative emotions resurfaced, the temperature in the room perceptibly dropped. Seated in the living room, Gao Ming felt transported back to the night Zhao Xi ended his life. In the darkness, no light prated the heavy clouds. Although there was no rope around his neck, Gao Ming experienced an increasing struggle to breathe. He touched his neck, overwhelmed by a surge of repulsion from within. The windows and doors seemed to offer no respite. He felt cornered, forgotten by the world, isted and impotent. Suffering from headaches, heart tremors, and a disordered mind, sleep eluded him. He desired only to keep his eyes open, relentlessly sifting through memories. The reflection in the mirror began to warp. Shadows swelled throughout the room like a flood, imbuing his soul with remorse and fixation. A familiar coldness crept up his spine. Gao Ming¡¯s eyes snapped open to find all the candles in the living room snuffed out. The entire room 2507 was shrouded in darkness! Peering into the mirror, Gao Ming saw his pupils shrink as the full-length mirror disyed an inverted, distorted world. ¡°Bang!¡± Before Gao Ming could process, a thunderous noise erupted from below. He rushed to the balcony to see what had happened. In the courtyard of Li Jing Apartments, by the entrance of building two,y a contorted body with a broken neck, its lifeless eyes staring directly up at the balcony of apartment 2507. Chapter 9: Distant Relatives Arent as Good as Close Neighbors Chapter 9: Distant Rtives Arent as Good as Close Neighbors In a room that was shrouded in darkness, an unnerving, damp atmosphere reigned, tinged with a subtle but unmistakable scent of decay. Familiar with this oppressive sensation, Gao Ming realized he was once again straddling the boundary between two realms. He reflected on the strategy provided by Xuan Wen, affirming its uracy in actively initiating the haunted game. Deliberately avoiding looking at the corpse below, he focused on the living room, where the snuffed-out candles at each corner marked the time of the deceased¡¯s suicide. Alone, Gao Ming pondered the whereabouts of Xuan Wen. This serial killer was supposed to apany him in the game and was conspicuously absent. Gao Ming wondered if she had ever entered the room or left without him noticing. Gao Ming stood motionless, steadying his nerves while surrounded by dense shadows that engulfed him like dark, ominous seawater. He contemted which of the games he knew had materialized into this eerie reality. He noted the corpse¡¯s appearance downstairs, realizing the scale of this game surpassed any he had previously encountered, enveloping at least the entirety of Building No. 2. Reflecting on his past interactions with Brother Zhao, Gao Ming recalled their ns to create a calming game for him, brainstorming various design concepts. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the vibration of a mobile phone. Pushing open the bedroom door, he discovered an unremarkable phone on the bedside table. With its yellowed case and dirty charging port, the unlocked phone disyed a series of new messages. Gao Ming remembered this phone belonging to Zhao Xi. He touched the screen, opening Zhao Xi¡¯s chat group for the residents of Li Jing Apartment Building No. 2, named ¡®Distant Rtives Aren¡¯t as Good as Close Neighbors¡¯. Recently, Mr. Wang from the first floor shared three videos in the group, capturing Zhao Xi¡¯s corpse from his balcony. The deceased hadnded headfirst, his face gruesomely distorted, neck unnaturally elongated and broken, limbs contorted, with bones jutting through the skin. A message from 2101 Wang Kuisheng read: ¡°I saw Zhao Xi being taken away by the officials! How did his bodye back? What¡¯s happening???¡± Panic ensued in the chat. Some members had suggested calling the police, while others wanted to investigate themselves. However, the conversation quickly went silent. A message from 2203 Xiao Qiu raised the rm: ¡°Brother Wang, there¡¯s something off with your videos! Zhao Xi¡¯s position shifts between the first and third videos! He seems to be¡­ moving!¡± The residents, including Gao Ming, had re-examined the videos, indeed noticing the disturbing change in Zhao Xi¡¯s position across the three recordings. In a state of heightened rm, Wang Kuisheng, a resident of the first floor, grappled with the inexplicable movement of a corpse. He questioned the possibility of a dead person moving and attributed it to a camera angle trick. Determined to investigate further, he nned to return to the balcony to film again. Meanwhile, both intrigued and apprehensive, Gao Ming swiftly moved to his own balcony with his phone in hand. He observed the scene below where the relentless rain was washing away blood, only to discover that the corpse, which had once been lying at the building¡¯s entrance, had vanished. Struck by a chilling thought ¨C that the corpse might have moved inside the building ¨C Gao Ming was unsettled by the silence from Wang Kuisheng, who had gone to record a new video and now seemed to have disappeared just as mysteriously. Li Jing Apartment, an aging residentialplex in a remote area, was characterized by its numerous vacant apartments and a sparse poption in Building No. 2. The sudden disappearance of Wang Kuisheng intensified the fear among the already small group of residents. Those who had earlier expressed intentions to investigate the situation now retreated into their homes, gripped by fear. Panic escted as 2203 Xiao Qiu expressed her despair in the group chat. The residents found themselves isted, their phones disconnected from the outside world, except for the group chat they were in. Xiao Qiu¡¯s anxiety was palpable as she questioned the bizarre circumstances surrounding them. Li Li, Zhao Xi¡¯s sister-inw who resided on the third floor with Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother, Zhao Yuan Yuan, raised a haunting possibility. She spected that their continued ess to the chat group could be linked to Zhao Xi¡¯s presence in it. As tension grew, usations flew. 2409 Fang Shuqi, a resident of the fourth floor, confronted Li Li, suggesting Zhao Xi¡¯s return might be a form of retribution for familial discord. Li Li vehemently denied any involvement in Zhao Xi¡¯s death. The situation was more terrifying when Xiao Qiu alerted the group to a strange noise in the hallway, something seemingly crawling towards her location. In a voice message filled with dread, she confirmed the unnerving presence right outside her door. Fang Shuqi proposed opening a group video call to better understand each other¡¯s circumstances and to mentally prepare for whatever they might face. He added all members, including ¡°Zhao Xi,¡± to the call. Shock rippled through the group when Zhao Xi¡¯s video feed activated. Then, to their astonishment, Gao Ming appeared in Zhao Xi¡¯s home. Li Li, stunned, demanded to know why Gao Ming had Zhao Xi¡¯s phone and if he was responsible for the return of Zhao Xi¡¯s body. Before Gao Ming could offer any exnation, a disturbing knocking sound interrupted, emanating from Xiao Qiu¡¯s video. The sound, akin to someone striking the door with their head every two seconds, sent a wave of terror through the group. Xiao Qiu, visibly shaken, frantically barricaded her living room door with a sofa. The relentless knocking only intensified, making the door visibly tremble under the force. Xiao Qiu, her face etched with terror, had clutched her phone tightly within the confines of her room. Cornered and fearful, she pleaded through the video for assistance from her neighbors. ¡°Please, can anyone help? We¡¯re all neighbors here! You could be next!¡± Huddled on her bed, her desperate pleas for help went unheeded as those in the building remained apathetic to her plight. Tears began to form in her eyes, and she was on the verge of breaking down when suddenly the lights in her room started to flicker and then extinguishedpletely. The room, numbered 2203, was plunged into darkness, with only the feeble glow from her phone¡¯s screen casting light on her terrified face. She was motionless, save for the tight grip on her phone, her eyes locked onto the living room. From the darkness of the living room, eerie creaking noises broke the silence. Fear overwhelmed Xiao Qiu as she held her breath, covering her mouth and nose to stifle any sound. The noise of something heavy dragging on the floor inched closer. The door to her room began to open following this, its hinges creaking as something with cracked nails scraped across the floor tiles. Eventually, a shadowy presence became discernible in the ckness. Her heart raced, pounding against her chest with such intensity it felt like it might burst. Trembling, Xiao Qiu activated the shlight on her phone. The sudden sh of light was met with a blood-curdling scream from her. In a panic, she wrenched open the bedroom window, desperately wing at the security bars in an attempt to escape. The downpour soaked through her nightgown, her phone slipping from her grasp andnding on the windowsill. Absorbed in her frantic efforts to break free from the bars, Xiao Qiu was oblivious to the phone still transmitting the video. The phone¡¯s camera captured a glimpse of the bedroom ceiling and the edge of the window. Unbeknownst to Xiao Qiu, a ghostly pale face slowly ascended outside her window, visible to those watching. The neighbors in the chat group cried out warnings, but Xiao Qiu, trembling, turned back towards the room. Her face was twisted in absolute terror, as if she hadid eyes on something horrifying. Her mouth opened as if to scream, but before any sound could escape, she was violently pulled into the darkness. A chilling silence enveloped room 2203, and the group video fell eerily quiet. Observing this unsettling scene, Gao Ming scrutinized each neighbor¡¯s subtle expressions in the video call. He quickly made his way towards the living room door and noted the corpse¡¯s ascent up the stairs, but a more disturbing realization crossed his mind. Gao Ming had glimpsed a face outside Xiao Qiu¡¯s window in the video. That face wasn¡¯t Zhao Xi¡¯s; it bore a resemnce to Wang Kuisheng from 2101. His attention shifted away from the ¡®Distant Rtives Aren¡¯t as Good as Close Neighbors¡¯ group chat. Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay to watch the neighbors¡¯ fates unfold. He recalled instances of ¡°parents¡± being reced in the past. His most rming suspicion was that the neighbors might have been reced by entities other than themselves, turning them into ¡°ghosts,¡± with him being the sole exception. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 In a typical scenario, anyone would be terrified and make dangerous mistakes when faced with supernatural stories. However, Gao Ming was different. He always prepared for the worst, setting his expectations low before acting. Fang Shuqi, from apartment 2409, voiced concerns about Wang Ge and Xiao Qiu¡¯s misfortune and emphasized the need for the remaining residents to unite for survival. He expressed hope that Zhao Xi¡¯s family would exin the situation, as Zhao Xi¡¯s inevitable return to the building was somehow linked to them. Li Li, from apartment 2304 and sister-inw, rebuked her neighbors for their hypocrisy towards. Despite calling him ¡®Brother Zhao¡¯, they secretly despised him and spread malicious rumors, driving him to his death. The video captured Li Li¡¯s trembling figure, clutching her child in fear on the third floor. Fearing the corpse on the second floor, she considered seeking refuge upstairs. Following her was Zhao Xi¡¯s adoptive mother, crying and carrying a basket of paper money. Li Li had used her of causing Zhao Xi¡¯s return. Suddenly, they heard eerie sounds in the dark stairwell, resembling hands climbing the stairs. Terrified, Li Li screamed, abandoning the elderly woman and the video call to flee with her child. The video, shaking violently, became unclear. Fang Shuqi from 2409 questioned Li Li¡¯s abandonment of her mother-inw. Huang Mingming from 2501 suggested that everyone should hide on the top floor and devise a n, as staying alone in their rooms was unsafe. Jia Qi from 2607 disagreed, arguing that hiding wouldn¡¯t help and the corpses would find them anyway. Yao Yuan from 2707 invited everyone to his ce, the furthest from the stairway. Fang Shuqi questioned Teacher Yao¡¯s health. Yao Yuan, a retired police academy teacher and an esteemed anti-pickpocket officer, was known for his skills in lock-picking,bat, scam awareness, and exceptional physical strength. However, he had been diagnosed with a terminal illness two years earlier, leaving him wheelchair-bound and unable to speak or eat. His sudden appearance speaking in the video shocked Fang Shuqi and the neighbors. ¡°I¡­¡± the elderly man hesitated, his expression a mix of sadness and amusement, ¡°I¡¯m at a loss myself. Three months back, I ceased my treatments, resigning myself to death at home, bedridden and weak. But tonight, I felt miraculously healed. I was pain-free, and my body seemed rejuvenated, as strong as in my youth.¡± His statement was met with disbelief. To prove his point, the old man quietly removed his shirt on camera. His skin, pallid and corpse-like, was marred withrge, ck veins across his chest and abdomen, rmingly swollen as if ready to rupture and meld into the ether: ¡°I can¡¯t exin this transformation, but I am in full possession of my abilities and still myself.¡± The group call fell silent. The neighbors, witnessing Teacher Yao¡¯s altered physique, instinctively recoiled in fear and revulsion. Their reactions visibly diforted Teacher Yao. Wrapping himself in a jacket, the wise, world-weary Teacher Yao understood that no amount of exnation would convince them now, and he refrained from insisting that they seek refuge at his ce. While the neighbors distrusted Teacher Yao, Gao Ming stood apart. He had witnessed ¡®recements¡¯ of parents by entities indistinguishable from real people, except for their tant imperfections. Gao Ming pondered, recalling information from a memorial photo: those nearing death could also be drawn into this sinister game. Could Teacher Yao be such a case? The outwardly normal neighbors in the call unnerved Gao Ming, while Teacher Yao, despite his rming appearance, felt more genuine to him. He theorized that if a ghost lurked among the seemingly average neighbors, it might incite them to violence against each other. Gao Ming, hand on the doorknob, resolved to leave Zhao Xi¡¯s old room and visit Teacher Yao personally. His n seemed sound, but as he cracked open the door, he heard hurried steps¡ªlikely Li Li carrying her son¡ªrushing past from the fifth floor. Gao Ming leaned against the door, contemting, ¡°Should I restrain them?¡± Binding them seemed the simplest way to verify a neighbor¡¯s true nature. After a brief pause, he decided to act. Li Li and her child were alone, a rare opportunity. ¡°The group call offers insights into my neighbors but also subjects me to their scrutiny. My next move must stay hidden from them.¡± Covering the camera, Gao Ming stepped into the hallway. He followed swiftly, but to his surprise, he couldn¡¯t find Li Li even after reaching the seventh floor. ¡°This doesn¡¯t add up! Burdened with a child, Li Li couldn¡¯t have outpaced me to the seventh floor, not even with a head start!¡± A foul odor hung faintly in the air. Looking down the stairs, he saw only darkness below, a silent and deste void, eerily reminiscent of the scene surrounding Zhao Xi¡¯s murder. ¡°Could all of these people actually be ghosts?¡± Gao Ming quickly lowered his phone¡¯s volume as discordant voices arose, retreating to a corner for cautious observation. Fang Shuqi, from apartment 2409, voiced his terror, ¡°I¡¯m trapped! Zhao Xi is right outside my door. He¡¯se back to haunt us!¡± A fourth-floor resident shared a disturbing video in the group chat, taken from his door¡¯s surveince camera. In the eerie ck and white footage, Zhao Xi¡¯s figure, contorted unnaturally, struggled on the steps. His face scraped grotesquely against the ground, his neck broken and dangling. Zhao Xi in the footage seemed to be aware of the surveince, slowly raising his head. He offered a chilling smile towards the camera, then started violently mming his head against Fang Shuqi¡¯s door. The neighbors, merely watching the footage, were seized by fear. For Fang Shuqi, confined in his apartment, the horror was magnified. His hand, clutching the phone, shook violently with each thud against the door, culminating in a ninth knock and his own scream. Then, the sound of ss shattering pierced the air, the video feed spinning chaotically until the sound of a heavy fall was heard. ¡°Thud!¡± Fang Shuqi¡¯s phone, previously gripped tightly, fell, its camera lens capturing his lifeless expression. It appeared he had been thrown from the fourth floor, a grim echo of Zhao Xi¡¯s fate. Blood stained the video, jolting Gao Ming into action. He rushed to a window at the corridor¡¯s end on the seventh floor and broke it open to look outside. His suspicion was confirmed. While Fang Shuqi¡¯s body was visible in the video on the ground below, Gao Ming saw no corpse from his vantage point, only a bloodstain at the building¡¯s entrance! This indicated that the neighbors in the video might be illusory, part of a fabricated, horrifying scenario. ¡°The video is manipted! The neighbors calling in are questionable too! The phone left by Zhao Xi in the room might be a ¡®ghost¡¯s¡¯ trick!¡± Realization dawned on Gao Ming, his forehead marked by a pulsing vein. He understood that if he didn¡¯t escape this nightmarish game quickly, his end could be far grimmer than Fang Shuqi¡¯s. He pondered the improbability of Zhao Xi¡¯s phone being casually left in the room. Following Zhao Xi¡¯s suicide, his adoptive blood-sucking mother and sister-inw would likely have pilfered all his assets. Gao Ming recalled that Xuan Wen¡¯s rented room, left with only essential furniture, showed signs of having been looted. With the camera covered, Gao Ming scrutinized the deceased¡¯s phone in his hand, recalling a gamepetition from years past. He had assisted Wei Dayou with a project titled ¡°The Only Family.¡± The game¡¯s protagonist was an unremarkable middle-aged man, but he had a kind and beautiful wife, a bright and obedient daughter, and loving parents. His only connection with them was through his phone, all interactions confined to video calls. This routine continued until one day, he saw a woman on the street bearing an uncanny resemnce to his wife. He moved swiftly towards her, longing for an embrace, but the woman evaded, instead finding sce in another man¡¯s arms. This moment sparked the yer¡¯s quest for truth, leading to a harrowing realization: his entire life was an illusion crafted by his phone. Plunged into despair, he grappled with the fact that he had mistaken someone else¡¯s wife and child for his own. In harsh reality, he was estranged from his biological parents; his only ¡®family¡¯ was the old phone. This revtion cast him as the true antagonist of his own story. Stripped of pretenses, his corrupted soul wasid bare for all to witness. The game unfolded into three distinct endings: In one, the uncle rediscovered a long-lost diary and medication. It was his fifth awakening, but he chose to re-enter the delusion for a sixth time, swallowing the pills once more. The ¡®good¡¯ ending saw the uncle shattering his phone, breaking free from the falsehood, and embracing a fresh start. He earnestly worked on his ws and mended his rtionship with his parents. The final ending was unsettling: consumed by madness, the uncle treated the phone as his actual family. His life ended alongside the phone, which was eventually found by a bullied child. Chapter 11: I Am the Rule in the Ghost Story Chapter 11: I Am the Rule in the Ghost Story Gao Ming became increasingly certain about which game had turned into reality as the horror unfolded through the videos, bringing him closer to the bizarre and the despairing. The character of Zhao Xi, who lived in apartment 2507, was markedly different from the middle-aged male protagonist in ¡°The Only Family.¡± Zhao was simple and hardworking, whereas the protagonist in the story was gloomy andzy. Despite their differing personalities, their living environments were strikingly simr. Though they appeared to have families and loved ones, the true nature of their homes, which were far from ideal, was only known to them once the doors were closed. Gao Ming found Zhao Xi¡¯s body but did not encounter any other neighbors. He only heard various sounds. The images disyed on the mobile phone were likely the imagination of the phone¡¯s owner, depicting neighbors who looked down on Zhao Xi and were now murdered, Gao Ming recalled from what he had learned about Building 2 from the neighborhoodmittee¡¯sdy. Wang Kuisheng, a small business owner on the first floor, was temporarily living in the Li Jing Apartments to avoid his debts. Xiao Qiu, who lived on the second floor and was unemployed, seemed to be the source of the rumors about Zhao Xi and his sister-inw. On the third floor, Fang Shuqi, a technician from the port district, appeared to be the reason behind Zhao Xi¡¯s disability, seemingly acquired while saving Fang. The umtion of these negative emotions and pressures from all sides could overwhelm a person¡¯s will, eventually leading Zhao Xi to his end under the night sky. ¡°The Only Family¡± had three possible endings. To achieve a good ending, Zhao Xi had to destroy his own mobile phone. The mobile phone yed terrifying videos because Zhao Xi wanted to see such scenes. Gao Ming decided to confront his fears head-on and free himself from the influence of the deceased¡¯s mobile phone. ¡°Alone, my strength may not be enough,¡± Gao Ming thought, stepping over the shattered ss of a window on the floor and stopping at the door of room 2707. ¡°If Teacher Yao isn¡¯t in the room, and the scene inside 2707 is different from the group video, it means that Teacher Yao is a ghost created by the phone, and my previous guess was correct. If Teacher Yao is in the room, then two possibilities arise: either my spection is wrong, or Teacher Yao is also a living person who has entered the game.¡± Gao Ming knocked on the door of 2707. Before Teacher Yao could answer, the security door of 2706 next to him slowly opened a crack. The sound of the door creaking made Gao Ming instinctively protect himself, ready to leave at any moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s me,¡± a familiar, yet horribly disfigured face appeared behind the door of 2706. The investigator waved at Gao Ming, ¡°Don¡¯t stay in the hallway,e inside quickly!¡± In such a strange environment, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t possibly trust the investigator who suddenly appeared, and he remained exceedingly cautious. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, anxious, and feeling helpless right now! But I am the only one who can help you!¡± the investigator implored urgently. ¡°We¡¯ve been drawn into an abnormal event. I came here specifically to investigate such incidents! I know you have many questions, but the corridor is extremely dangerous. A single misstep could be fatal!¡± The investigator seemed to bear no ill will. He pulled Gao Ming into the room, only rxing after closing the door. Surveying room 2706, Gao Ming cautiously picked up a chair leg. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I told you all to move out quickly, but you didn¡¯t listen. Now you regret it, right?¡± the investigator wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°After leaving 2507, I went upstairs to talk to the tenants here. Then, the abnormal event suddenly urred, and unfortunately, I got involved.¡± He pointed to the ck band on his wrist with a red light glowing. ¡°Once entangled in an abnormal event,munication bes distorted and breaks down. We can¡¯t contact the outside world; it¡¯s like entering another dimension.¡± ¡°Communication ispletely cut off?¡± Gao Ming pondered deeply, then his expression suddenly worsened. He vividly remembered receiving a call from his mother in thest game! If what the investigator said was true, then all the calls he received in thest game were actually from ¡°ghosts¡±! Gao Ming felt a surge of panic. His parents lived in Xinhai. He wondered if they were affected. ¡°Ordinary people indeed find it hard to ept such things,¡± the investigator noted Gao Ming¡¯s intense reaction and quietlyforted him, ¡°Fear is normal, but we still have hope to leave alive.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t bother to exin further and casually asked, ¡°What exactly do you mean by ¡®abnormal events¡¯?¡± ¡°Weird, mysterious, eerie things and phenomena, inexplicable urrences that suddenly appeared in Xinhai six months ago, then disappeared just as abruptly,¡± the investigator decided to share information with Gao Ming. ¡°They started six months ago?¡± Gao Ming was surprised. ¡°To avoid panic, the news was kept under wraps. Later, to investigate these sudden eerie incidents, the Abnormal Disaster Joint Investigation Bureau was established,¡± the disfigured investigator, touching the ck band on his wrist, openly revealed his identity to Gao Ming. ¡°The Bureau isposed of three parts: investigation, narration of mysteries, and security. Our purpose is to uncover the reasons behind these disasters.¡± ¡°So, have you discovered anything?¡± Gao Ming still remembered the way Officer Li Lin treated the investigator. It seemed that even the lowest-ranked members of the investigation bureau wielded considerable power. ¡°All abnormal events follow a certain trajectory and ur within a specific area; beyond that, everything else is unknown,¡± the investigator tried to force a creepy smile, likely attempting to encourage Gao Ming. ¡°The probability of ordinary people getting involved in these abnormal events is very low. This kind of experience, where one can see the truth, is rare.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite good atforting people,¡± Gao Ming remarked, digesting all the information. The tunnel he passed through on the night of the Ghost Festival was precisely at the junction of three cities. He wondered if something from Xinhai had entered his body. ¡°The anomaly has already urred, so there¡¯s no use ming fate or others. We must face it with full effort. As long as we¡¯re careful, we can survive until dawn,¡± the investigator said, stroking the ck band, allowing Gao Ming to see the text disyed on it. ¡°Many investigators in Xinhai have sacrificed their lives to gather this information, which can help you survive. Please remember and abide by every rule.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re involved in an abnormal event in an apartment building, pay attention to the following points for self-rescue.¡± ¡°First, find all the residents as soon as possible and agree on a contact signal. After some time, the residents may be reced once the abnormal event starts.¡± ¡°Second, don¡¯t trust the clocks you see; the time is inurate.¡± ¡°Third, after midnight, do not open your door under any circumstances unless something that doesn¡¯t belong to you appears in your home.¡± ¡°Fourth, don¡¯t suddenly turn on lights. Fifth, don¡¯t listen to any audio¡­¡± ¡°So, does doing nothing mean we can safely survive until morning?¡± Gao Ming wanted to address the root of the problem, not just avoid mistakes by following rules. ¡°If we follow the rules, can we just go to sleep and avoid all misfortune?¡± The investigator swiped the ck band, then shook his head seriously after a moment. ¡°Rule eleven states, ¡®Do not sleep; stay alert at all times.''¡± ¡°Thank you for providing me with so many precautions, but I still have things to do,¡± Gao Ming used Zhao Xi¡¯s phone to send a message to Teacher Yao in room 2707. He needed to confirm some things with Teacher Yao. ¡°All the information you see now has been obtained by investigators at a bloody cost. You can doubt their uracy, but never gamble with your life!¡± ¡°Rules are rigid, but people are adaptable¡­¡± Gao Ming opened the door of room 2706, looking at the corridor swallowed by shadows. In his mind, he left a thought unspoken. As a game designer, in a sense, he was the rule in the ghost story. Chapter 12: I Had a Rather Bold Idea Chapter 12: I Had a Rather Bold Idea In the dimly lit hallway, ck stains marred the floor, evidence of past horrors, while eerie scraping sounds reminiscent of nails echoed faintly from downstairs, hinting at something sinister slowly making its way closer. Gao Ming had just stepped out of Room 2706, his footsteps cautious and measured. He approached Room 2707 and knocked softly. ¡°Teacher Yao? It¡¯s Xiao Gao from Building 4. Remember, we once had a conversation about gardening?¡± The investigator, who had been observing Gao Ming¡¯s actions with growing rm, couldn¡¯t contain his anxiety. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever heed warnings?¡± he eximed. He watched in dismay as Gao Ming not only traversed the dangerous hallway but now also dared to disturb a neighbor. ¡°This corridor is perilous! Our neighbors could have been reced by unspeakable entities. We might encounter bizarre dangers any second! Come back immediately!¡± ¡°But the elderly Teacher Yao in 2707 is gravely ill. I need to check on him,¡± Gao Ming protested. ¡°There are no ¡®buts¡¯ in this situation!¡± the investigator interjected sharply, grabbing Gao Ming¡¯s arm with urgency. ¡°Once entangled in an abnormal event, forget about rescuing others. Surviving and extracting with crucial information and rules is already a significant contribution to the safety of our entire city!¡± He attempted to yank Gao Ming back with considerable force but to no avail. ¡°Don¡¯t let excessivepassion cloud your judgment! You don¡¯t grasp the full horror of these abnormal urrences. You¡¯re risking all our lives!¡± Gao Ming, however, was resolute, unwilling to engage in further debate with the investigator. Grasping the doorknob firmly, his tone icy, he called out, ¡°Teacher Yao, I¡¯m aware you¡¯re in there. Open up, or I¡¯ll be forced to break down the door.¡± Initially intent on further dissuasion, the investigator was taken aback by Gao Ming¡¯s stern approach, which seemed to deviate from a purely altruistic intent. Then, the sound of the door lock turning broke the tense silence. As the old door creaked open, withered mugwort leaves scattered to the ground. Behind the door stood Teacher Yao, his bespectacled eyes meeting Gao Ming¡¯s. ¡°Come in,¡± he beckoned. ¡°Don¡¯t just recklessly enter a neighbor¡¯s home!¡± the investigator warned, his voiceced with fear. ¡°If the neighbor has been victim to some strange fate earlier, then confronting it¡­¡± His words trailed off as Gao Ming pulled him into Room 2707 as well, leaving the inspector to stare at the now-shut door, his mouth agape in shock. Teacher Yao revealed his caution inside, showing that he had covered his phone¡¯s camera with ck gloves after disabling its microphone. ¡°I got your message and took precautions,¡± he exined. Gao Ming, urgency evident in his voice, quickly began, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Here¡¯s Zhao Xi¡¯s phone,¡± he said, presenting it. ¡°I suspect that our seemingly normal neighbors in our group chat are impostors. They only seem to materialize in videos.¡± The investigator, just realizing the existence of the group chat, interjected, ¡°You formed a group without my knowledge?¡± Teacher Yao, a quick-thinking police academy lecturer, struggled to make sense of the night¡¯s bizarre events. ¡°But aren¡¯t you and I both real?¡± he questioned. His eyes fixed on the group video, Gao Ming borated on his theory. ¡°Imagine resurrecting a corpse is like a horror game. Then, the three of us are yers, while the other neighbors in the chat might be other entities or mere illusions created by the phones to deceive us. Zhao Xi¡¯s corpse is currently ascending to the fifth floor. Once he breaches Huang Mingming¡¯s apartment in 2501, we¡¯ll force open Room 2607. If the upant, Jiaqi, differs from their video counterpart, it¡¯ll confirm my suspicions.¡± Teacher Yao¡¯s face, deeply etched with wrinkles, disyed a mixture of concern and skepticism as he posed his question. ¡°Are you seriously considering breaking down the door, mimicking the actions of that ghost?¡± Nearby, the investigator¡¯s facial scars twitched involuntarily, a subtle but telling sign of his growing unease. ¡°Remaining hidden here will only dy the inevitable. Zhao Xi will find us eventually. If I must face death, I prefer to confront it while fighting for survival,¡± Gao Ming dered, his tone resolute yetced with uncertainty. He harbored doubts about Teacher Yao¡¯s true identity; if Yao was somehow part of these bizarre events, then Gao Ming¡¯s entire theory would crumble. It was this suspicion that fueled his determination to revisit Room 2607 and gain a clearer understanding of Zhao Xi. Caution was a trait deeply ingrained in Gao Ming¡¯s character. The investigator, with experience in handling strange incidents in Xinhu, couldn¡¯t help but express his concern. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being overly bold?¡± he questioned. He had encountered many ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations, but few disyed the kind of audacity that Gao Ming was showing. ¡°There¡¯s a real danger lurking out there! It could end your life in an instant!¡± Teacher Yao, coughing slightly, voiced his apprehension. ¡°I also find this approach too risky. Perhaps we should seize the opportunity when the corpse climbs into Room 2501 to make our escape downstairs. We should leave the Li Jing Apartments and seek external assistance. I¡¯m certain there are experts in the city equipped to handle these kinds of crises.¡± Gao Ming, unperturbed, nced through the rain-soaked window towards his own residence across the building. ¡°Those experts might exist, but aren¡¯t they trapped here just like us?¡± he mused aloud. His thoughts then drifted to a peculiar idea. ¡°I only brought a nk obituary photo with me this time. I wonder, if I had brought the ¡®family portrait¡¯ of my parents, would they have appeared to bring me cake in the middle of the night? Perhaps it¡¯s something worth trying next time.¡± Suddenly, another scream shattered the tense atmosphere emanating from Zhao Xi¡¯s phone. Gao Ming¡¯s gaze fell upon the device, where he saw Huang Mingming from Room 2501, his face contorted in sheer terror. The situation was growing increasingly dire. One after another, the neighbors were meeting horrific fates. Huang Mingming¡¯s nerves felt as though they were being shredded by countless tiny knives. His desperate screams filled the phone¡¯s camera. Huang Mingming, the terrified resident of 2501, cried out, ¡°The sound of nails scraping against my door is unbearable! Zhao Xi¡¯s head seems to be hanging ominously on my door frame! Someone, please save me! We¡¯ve been neighbors for over a decade! Help me, I beg you!¡± Despite his frantic pleas, there was no response from the other surviving neighbors. Driven to the brink, veins protruding on his face, Huang Mingming seized a fruit knife from his coffee table. ¡°You¡¯ll all suffer the same fate! You¡¯ll face your own retribution!¡± The locks on his security door appeared useless as blood began seeping through the cracks before the door slowly creaked open, fingers eerily squeezing through the narrow gap. In a state of extreme terror, Huang Mingming lunged towards the security door, brandishing the fruit knife in a frenzied attempt to defend himself. Both the investigator and Teacher Yao watched the horrific scene unfolding on the video, their faces a mix of fascination and horror. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, we need to get ready to head to the sixth floor!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s urgency was palpable as he located Teacher Yao¡¯s toolbox. ¡°This is our only shot!¡± ¡°Are we actually going through with this? Think rationally!¡± the investigator implored. ¡°I am thinking rationally,¡± Gao Ming countered firmly, leading them towards the sixth floor. On the phone¡¯s screen, they could see Huang Mingming desperately battling the corpse on the fifth floor, but the hallway around them was eerily quiet. Now, even Teacher Yao began to sense that something was amiss. Without further hesitation, spurred on by Gao Ming¡¯s resolve, Teacher Yao readied his tools, prepared to force open the door of Room 2607. In the chilling video feed from the group chat, the camera, identally left on the sofa, captured a scene of utter despair and terror. Huang Mingming, driven to the brink of madness by fear, was seen frantically waving a fruit knife in the air. His voice, tinged with hysteria and regret, echoed through the room. ¡°Even in suicide, there¡¯s no escape! Why didn¡¯t you stand up to those who tormented you? You deserve a coward¡¯s fate for all eternity!¡± The scene was gruesome ¨C ck blood spattered everywhere as Zhao Xi¡¯s mutted body convulsed on the floor. Huang Mingming, his hands trembling, gripped the knife with both hands, repeating his shing motions with desperate ferocity. Despite his frenzied efforts, his clothes and skin were torn to shreds, yet nothing he did seemed to hinder Zhao Xi¡¯s relentless advance. Zhao Xi¡¯s corpse, its bones grinding grotesquely against each other, seemed to open up like a grotesque, gaping mouth. As shadows enveloped the room, Huang Mingming found himself unable to escape, almost consumed by Zhao Xi¡¯s enveloping skin. This horrific spectacle sent shivers down the spines of both the investigator and Gao Ming, who were witnessing this nightmare unfold on the video. Huang Mingming, wrapped up in the chaos, struggled violently, but his efforts seemed in vain. His legs, as if possessed, dragged him uncontrobly towards the balcony, his arms ensnared in Zhao Xi¡¯s flesh. His voice, filled with terror and regret, resonated through the room. ¡°Let me go, Zhao Xi! I admit my guilt! I falsely used you of theft at the port! I¡¯m sorry, truly sorry!¡± As broken bones pierced his hand, Huang Mingming, seeminglypelled by an unseen force, grasped the window frame and thrust open the ss window. The torrential rain instantly soaked his face. His wails were filled with agony and desperation as he slowly climbed onto the window sill, mirroring a fate that the real Zhao Xi might have suffered just days before. ¡°Zhao Xi! Please, let me down! Let me down!¡± It was as if Zhao Xi responded to his pleas. Clinging to Huang Mingming¡¯s back, they both plunged from the window in a chilling descent. The investigator, witnessing this through the video, felt a deep chill. ¡°The anomalies within this building are more horrific and dreadful than anything I¡¯ve encountered,¡± he realized. ¡°In most abnormal events, entities like this are rare. We¡¯re facing a truly grave situation this time!¡± With a sharp ¡°crack!¡±, the door to Room 2607 was forced open by Teacher Yao and Gao Ming. They peered inside, only to find the room shrouded in darkness, covered in a thickyer of dust as if it had been abandoned for ages. ¡°The neighbors we¡¯ve seen in the phone videos are all fabrications. Even those being systematically eliminated by Zhao Xi are nothing but illusions, reflections of his troubled psyche,¡± Teacher Yao observed, his gaze admiringly fixed on Gao Ming. ¡°Your deductions were spot on!¡± ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± The investigator, too, turned to Gao Ming, seeking guidance. Exiting the group chat, Gao Ming scrolled through Zhao Xi¡¯s phone, which contained numerous personal videos: his foster brother¡¯s wife ying with the baby, his aging foster mother cooking, scenes of everyday life that Zhao Xi longed to be a part of, yet felt alienated from due to rumors and the clear disdain from his brother¡¯s wife and foster mother towards his disability. These snippets of life contrasted sharply with videos of Zhao Xi himself, alone and ignored by those around him, speaking into the phone as if it were a trusted confidant. In his loneliness, the phone had be his solepanion, a repository for his thoughts and emotions, almost akin to a family member. Gao Ming, his eyes fixed on the dark, ominous staircase, shared his n in a voice that seemed to echo his deep contemtion. ¡°I have a rather daring n,¡± he announced. ¡°I intend to have a deep, heart-to-heart conversation with the deceased.¡± Chapter 13: Jump! Chapter 13: Jump! Upon hearing Gao Ming express his wish to converse heart-to-heart with the deceased, both the investigator and Teacher Yao were taken aback, wondering if they had misheard him. Just three days prior, the person in question had tragically ended their life by leaping from a building. This individual, now a ghost, had returned with a gruesomely mangled body featuring shattered bones and contorted limbs and was seen in a video brutally massacring their building¡¯s residents. The very idea that Gao Ming now sought to engage in dialogue with this spectral figure was so startling it would undoubtedly astonish the entiremunity of psychological counselors. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± the investigator questioned, prodding Gao Ming¡¯s arm to feel the warmth that confirmed he was still human. ¡°You don¡¯t appear to be possessed by a ghost! Why are you behaving even more bizarrely than those who have been overtaken by such beings?¡± Typically, individuals taken over by unknown entities made great efforts to hide their true nature to avoid being discovered. However, Gao Ming was an open book, his candor unnerving even his allies. ¡°Malevolent spirits of true brutality would confront you directly, not merely intimidate through a video. As an experienced psychological counselor, I¡¯m inclined to believe that this resembles Zhao Xi reaching out for our assistance. He despises himself and feels trapped, unable to change his situation.¡± Gao Ming, however, kept the real reason from the investigator. In the video game ¡°The Only Family,¡± the protagonist¡¯s phone fabricates a blissful, fulfilling family life within a warm, sunny setting. In stark contrast, the game¡¯s protagonist is depicted aszy, morose, and self-centered, far removed from the idyllic life his phone portrays. Zhao Xi¡¯s case was the exact reverse. His phone showed deeply disturbing and haunting videos, whereas in reality, Zhao Xi was a sincere, diligent individual, always thankful to his foster mother. Following this logic, it seemed improbable that Zhao Xi, beforepletely losing himself, would havemitted the actions suggested in the fictional videos on his phone. ¡°The horrors from the game are bleeding into reality. If I don¡¯t proactively confront these horror tales, the cmities depicted in the phone videos might actually materialize.¡± Gao Ming then directed the investigator and Teacher Yao to enter room 2607, exining, ¡°Zhao Xi will be here shortly. I need your assistance with something.¡± Teacher Yao, clutching a toolbox and aware of his limited time due to terminal illness, inquired, ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°We need to tear up bedsheets and other fabric, twist them into ropes, and lower them from the balcony window,¡± Gao Ming instructed as he hurried into the bedroom to start preparations. ¡°You two stay in 2607. I¡¯ll go to 2507 alone to meet Zhao Xi. I¡¯ll talk with him on the balcony.¡± The investigator, although daunting in appearance but kind-hearted, objected, ¡°Ghosts in these strange events don¡¯t have emotions; you¡¯re essentially on a suicide mission!¡± He admired Gao Ming¡¯s bravery but was deeply concerned for his safety. Gao Ming, focused on his task of tearing the sheets to create a makeshift rope, reassured them, ¡°I¡¯ll be close to the window. If I can¡¯t convince him, you two must pull me up with the rope.¡± ¡°Perhaps it should be me going to 2507,¡± Teacher Yao proposed, unbuttoning his shirt to expose his chest and abdomen, where his veins visibly pulsated in a concerning manner. ¡°I¡¯ve already lived a full life, whereas you¡¯re still young.¡± Gao Ming countered, emphasizing his professional credentials, ¡°I¡¯m a certified psychological counselor. It¡¯s best to leave this to someone with expertise.¡± Unbeknownst to others, he harbored an alternate strategy: for a favorable resolution in the game, it was crucial that Zhao Xi himself destroy his phone. Such an act would symbolize Zhao Xi breaking away from the chains he had imposed upon himself. Understanding the challenge of influencing a ghost as a living being, and knowing typical approaches would prove futile, Gao Ming had conceived an audacious n. When Zhao Xi had taken Huang Mingming¡¯s life, he had done so by leaping off the building together. Gao Ming, too, was prepared to potentially embrace this fatal method. Having crafted a rope and securely dropped it from the balcony of room 2607, Gao Ming then ventured out alone. He cautiously opened the door to 2507 but hesitated to enter. From below, chilling sounds of flesh dragging and eerie images haunted his mind. Distorted limbs were ominously ascending towards the fifth floor. ¡°Quite unsettling,¡± he muttered under his breath. With a lighter in hand, Gao Ming ignited a cigarette, the me cutting through the darkness as he settled on the staircase. The corpse that had plummeted now dragged itself up the frigid steps, the departed soul drawing nearer to the realm of the living. As the eerie sound of bones grinding against the floor filled the air, Gao Ming¡¯s gaze was fixed on the stairwell¡¯s corner. ¡°Dad and Mom always have something new every night; my colleagues, efficient and cunning, capable of eliminating eight people in three days; and now, even the kind-hearted neighbors are part of it. At first nce, life seems strangelyplete.¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s gruesomely disfigured face, framed by blood-matted hair, gradually emerged between the fourth and fifth floors. ¡°Have you arrived?¡± Unlike Xiao Qiu who had opted to flee, or Huang Mingming who had attacked in a frenzy, Gao Ming didn¡¯t see Zhao Xi as a threat. To him, Zhao Xi was still the simple, sincere Brother Zhao from before. ¡°Wee back home.¡± Standing up, Gao Ming walked towards room 2507, opening the door for Zhao Xi and nonchntly turning on the living room light. ¡°Brother Zhao, I used to seek you out for chats during my breaks. My greatest regret is thinking I¡¯d console you after my schedule eased up.¡± Leading the way, Gao Ming watched as the contorted and broken form of Zhao Xi crawled towards him. ¡°Your foster mothervished all her love on her biological son, your sister-inw merely used you as a means to make money, and the neighbors whispered behind your back. They purposefully made life difficult for you at the factory in the port district, setting you up for theft, exploiting your honesty.¡± Upon his initial entry into the game, Gao Ming had immediately taken notice of a mirror in the living room. This full-length mirror peculiarly reflected an inverted image of the world. ¡°You¡¯ve been striving to maintain an appearance of optimism and strength, yet your heart was burdened with immense pain,¡± Gao Ming reflected. ¡°You were the mainstay of your family, but sadly, your feelings werergely ignored; you often shared with me the little joys you found in life, yet the reality was that you lived in misery. The world you yearned for was starkly contrasted by the harshness of your actual circumstances. In your efforts to alter your fate, the more you struggled, the deeper you sank into despair.¡± As Zhao Xi¡¯s head, unnaturally controlled by his shoulders, twisted a full 180 degrees, Gao Ming was confronted with his face, eerily upside down, even though Zhao Xiy face down on the ground. Overwhelmed by primal fear, Gao Ming experienced a slight shiver run through his body, his fingernails digging into his flesh in a desperate grasp for control. Yet, his voice remained steady and calm as he addressed Zhao Xi. ¡°You¡¯re not at fault for any of this. The pains you¡¯ve endured were unjustly thrust upon you by others. It¡¯s not my ce to judge you as an outsider, nor is it my intention to dissuade you from seeking vengeance. My only wish is for you to find a semnce of happiness. Kind souls deserve joy, and you, too, deserve to be part of a family that genuinely understands and cherishes you.¡± As Gao Ming slowly backed away, he was mentally braced for what mighte, but the proximity to Zhao Xi¡¯s disfigured, lifeless body still instilled an unspeakable sense of dread within him. He felt a profound weakness envelop him. His back pressed against the balcony window, and in that moment, a sh of lightning illuminated the scene with an eerie light, entuating the grim tableau of Gao Ming and Zhao Xi. Drawing a deep breath to steady himself, Gao Ming spoke with sincerity, ¡°If you wish not to be forsaken again and yearn for a sense of family, then allow me to be that family for you.¡± As thunder boomed and rain violently pelted the window, both the investigator and Teacher Yao, stationed in room 2607, clutched the rope with growing apprehension. They could faintly catch the essence of Gao Ming¡¯s heartfelt plea, exchanging nces that conveyed their shock and concern. Leaving a trail of blood behind him, Zhao Xi had almost reached the balcony, his face now directly facing Gao Ming. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to deceive you in a bid to save myself, nor am I seeking an escape. We¡¯ve had many conversations, and I truly understand the kind of person you are. I genuinely want to help you,¡± Gao Ming assured him, holding out Zhao Xi¡¯s phone and gesturing to the video. ¡°Whether it¡¯s creating fragments of a beautiful life or meting out deserved retribution to those neighbors, I can help you achieve it. The images in this phone are mere illusions, but together, we have the power to reshape reality.¡± Without retreating, Gao Ming boldly stepped forward, extending his hand in a gesture of alliance. ¡°Join my family, and let me be your partner in this.¡± These words, simple yet profound, caused Zhao Xi to cease his crawling for the first time. After a tense few seconds, Zhao Xi¡¯s contorted arm began to rise, bones stretching and creating a harrowing sound that reverberated through room 2507. Confronted with this nightmarish sight, Gao Ming stood his ground, unflinching. In his eyes, amidst the palpable fear, there flickered a hint of hopeful anticipation. Zhao Xi¡¯s damaged hand reached out toward Gao Ming, but rather than sping Gao Ming¡¯s hand, it ominously enveloped his arm. Gao Ming, perceiving the change, exhaled a soft sigh. It appeared Zhao Xi had be devoid of any emotion, his actions mechanical as he sought to manipte Gao Ming¡¯s body, endeavoring to push him off the edge of the building. As Zhao Xi¡¯s fragmented body grotesquely unfolded like a gaping maw, Gao Ming,pelled by instinct, retreated backward onto the windowsill. ¡°Quick, get up here!¡± Teacher Yao and the investigator yelled anxiously, their voicespeting with the howling wind and rain as the rope they held swayed perilously. ¡°Just a little longer,¡± Gao Ming urged himself, wrapping the rope tightly around his wrist. He faced a terror that was beyond theprehension of most, fixing a resolute gaze on Zhao Xi¡¯s horrifically disfigured corpse. Zhao Xi, misunderstood and isted, had resorted to this extreme method to envelop his neighbors,pelling them to share in a fate simr to his own. The weight of the corpse bore down on Gao Ming, shifting menacingly backward. Seizing the moment, Gao Ming forcefully inserted Zhao Xi¡¯s phone into the cavernous wound of the body. ¡°Hurry! Pull yourself up!¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s visage was rmingly close, and in his eyes, Gao Ming could discern a maelstrom of pain, sorrow, and a haunting numbness. Their flesh entangled in a macabre dance, Zhao Xi seemed determined to pull Gao Ming into a fatal plummet. They both leaned perilously toward the window, the relentless rain drenching them, matting their hair and clothes. In that critical moment, as they teetered on the brink of falling, Gao Ming, who had until then refrained from any physical struggle, summoned every ounce of his strength and thrust Zhao Xi back into the room! This forceful action dislodged the phone from within Zhao Xi¡¯s wound, altering the course of the tragedy ¡ª Zhao Xi remained inside, witnessing Gao Ming¡¯s descent amidst the downpour. ¡°Hang on to him!¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Teacher Yao and the investigator exerted every bit of their strength, desperately clutching the rope. Gao Ming¡¯s body collided violently with the building¡¯s wall, suspended between the fourth and fifth floors. His arm contorted unnaturally, his face marred by a fresh wound, blood streaming down, yet he seemed almost insensate to the pain. Chapter 14: The First Chain Chapter 14: The First Chain Zhao Xi¡¯s cellphone, a repository of his life¡¯s fragments, slipped from his wound amidst the torrential downpour, plummeting from the height of a five-story building. As it crashed to the ground, the phone shattered into countless pieces, utterly obliterated by the impact. This phone had held much more than digital data; it was a vault of Zhao Xi¡¯s life. It contained videos and images, the silent words he whispered to himself in his loneliest moments, his aspirations, his envies, and even the darkest, most brutal thoughts that he harbored deep within. As the phone met its end on the rain-soaked ground, these intimate shards of Zhao Xi¡¯s existence dissolved into the relentless rain. Drenched to the bone, Gao Ming was jolted into action by the sound of the phone¡¯s demise. Hemenced his ascent only after this auditory cue. ¡°Hold on tight! You reckless man! Did you really dare to jump?¡± the investigator shouted. ¡°Be careful! You¡¯re still not past the fifth-floor window!¡± another voice added. The investigator and Teacher Yao, soaked through by the relentless rain, used all their strength to haul Gao Ming upwards. Clutching the rope with all his might, Gao Ming exerted every ounce of his strength. Ironically, it was as if Zhao Xi himself had orchestrated the destruction of his own cellphone. Back on the fifth-floor balcony, Zhao Xi stood there, his expression a mix of confusion and pain, a stark contrast to his earlier numb, cold demeanor. He seemed lost, his gaze lingering on Gao Ming, reflecting a turmoil of emotions. Trapped in a web of rtionships with friends, family, and neighbors, Zhao Xi had found himself cornered, unable to discern a path forward, eventually leading him to the brink of the building. In life, he seemed to have been overlooked, and even in death, he was the subject ofints, with people wishing he had chosen a more distant ce to die. ¡°Such bad luck,¡± theymented, concerned about the impact on property values. During the final chapter of his life, Zhao Xi had met many who, albeit unintentionally, nudged him closer to the window¡¯s edge. Gao Ming was the only exception. The phone¡¯s videos had chronicled Zhao Xi¡¯s hidden desires and the malice that an otherwise honest man harbored. Now, this malice was symbolically annihted by Zhao Xi¡¯s own actions. From his body emerged a dense, ck shadow, possibly signifying a connection between Zhao Xi and an unknown realm or some mysterious energy. In room 2507, his solitary sanctuary, Zhao Xi stood. This room had been his abode, and on that rain-drenched night, he had remained standing there, just as he was now. Tugged along by the rope, Gao Ming gazed intently at Zhao Xi inside the room. After a brief moment of contemtion, he made a pivotal decision. Positioning himself on the windowsill of room 2507, Gao Ming readjusted his stance, released the rope, and leaped back into the room. This unexpected action left Teacher Yao and the investigator utterly stunned. Teacher Yao, who hadn¡¯t cursed in over thirty years, couldn¡¯t help but let slip a swear word. ¡°SHIT! Why did he go back in there?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never witnessed anyone dare to jump back and forth like this on a fifth-floor window ledge,¡± remarked the disfigured investigator, who, despite his exhaustion, held fast, fearing Gao Ming might leap out again. Gao Ming was aware of Teacher Yao and the investigator¡¯sments, but he chose to ignore them, advancing step by step towards Zhao Xi. ¡°Since your youth, you¡¯ve always been the one to endure, to avoid troubling your family. Even as life dealt you blow after blow, you simply dusted yourself off and persevered,¡± Gao Ming dered, stopping in front of Zhao Xi. ¡°I will make sure everyone knows what you¡¯ve endured. I will be the family you never had.¡± Instead of extending his hand for a handshake, Gao Ming opened his arms and tenderly embraced Zhao Xi, offering words of empathy, ¡°You¡¯ve already endured so much.¡± In moments of profound vulnerability, people often seek not justforting words, but the physicalfort of a familial embrace. As their bodies awkwardly intertwined, with Zhao Xi¡¯s neck contorting ufortably, it was evident that he was unustomed to such closeness. When Zhao Xi retreated, the dark shadows that had been emanating from his body seemed to detect their target, beginning to flow towards Gao Ming. These shadows, unable to prate Gao Ming¡¯s body, umted on the surface of his skin, forming patterns akin to living, moving ck veins or minuscule chains. Touching them, Gao Ming felt the surge of oppression, pain, and despair. These shadows were an amalgamation of Zhao Xi¡¯s tormented memories. Gao Ming¡¯s arm was wracked with intense pain, making his breathingbored. He attempted to grasp at the chain-like shadows. He harbored a peculiar intuition that capturing the chain might bestow him with abilities akin to Zhao Xi¡¯s. However, it could also lead to Zhao Xi¡¯s disappearance. Zhao Xi observed Gao Ming in silence. As the shadows departed from his body, his wounds and facial expressions gradually normalized. However, his physical form started to take on an ethereal quality. It appeared that Zhao Xi¡¯splete disappearance would result in the full formation of the ck chain on Gao Ming. ¡°Brother Zhao, my words were sincere. In the future, I could introduce you to other family members,¡± Gao Ming said, his expression contorted by the agony of a splintering spirit as he tried to steady his shaking arm. In room 2507, Zhao Xi was confronting his ultimate decision. He stood motionless for an extended period, then slowly craned his neck. He gazed towards the full-length mirror in the living room. The mirror portrayed an inverted world but failed to reflect his figure. With hands scarred from calluses and wounds, he waved gently, yet his image remained absent in the mirror. Coming to a realization, Zhao Xi¡¯s damaged form turned silently. He abandoned his earlier n of leaping from the building with Gao Ming and instead headed towards the stairwell. The neighbors he knew from the WeChat group chat were all illusions; he had been the sole upant of the entire apartment building. Descending the stairs, Zhao Xi¡¯s presence caused the shadows cloaking the apartment to dissipate, and the temperature in the areas he passed through gradually increased. ¡°Brother Zhao! I haven¡¯t lied to you!¡± Upon witnessing Zhao Xi¡¯s departure, Gao Ming promptly followed him. Hearing his voice, both the investigator and Teacher Yao quickly emerged. ¡°Has Zhao Xi left?¡± Teacher Yao asked, disying only mild surprise. In contrast, the disfigured investigator was engulfed in disbelief. ¡°How did you aplish this? Quickly, I need to document it! We¡¯ve resolved an anomaly before dawn! This is truly a miracle!¡± eximed the investigator, his excitement palpable as he clutched Gao Ming¡¯s hands. ¡°Adults, too, crave understanding and sce. I merely wished to forge a familial bond with him, but he departed,¡± Gao Ming expressed, halting the investigator who had begun to feverishly jot down notes. ¡°Please, don¡¯t jot down inuracies! My approach to reach his heart was through intricate analysis, reinforced by the years I spent as Zhao Xi¡¯s neighbor. This technique is unique and inimitable.¡± ¡°You possess a remarkable quality! I sensed your uniqueness from our very first encounter!¡± The investigator, still gripping Gao Ming¡¯s hand, eximed with enthusiasm. ¡°You hardly noticed me when we first met,¡± Gao Ming countered. ¡°That detail is insignificant,¡± the investigator replied earnestly. ¡°Should you be interested, consider joining our Investigation Bureau. I would dly rmend you!¡± ¡°I might think about it if job hunting proves fruitless,¡± Gao Ming suggested, nodding towards Zhao Xi¡¯s room. ¡°His room may still hold some clues. You should take a look.¡± With the investigator¡¯s attention redirected, Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay put. He proceeded downstairs, following Zhao Xi and hoping for a reward at the game¡¯s conclusion. Upon reaching the ground floor, Gao Ming found that Zhao Xi had already vanished. The dissipating shadows left behind a ck and white obituary photo at the stairwell entrance. As Gao Ming reached to retrieve it, Teacher Yao, standing beside him, emitted a startled cry. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gao Ming inquired. Under Gao Ming¡¯s attentive eyes, Teacher Yao raised his hands, his form beginning to blend into the shadows. ¡°It seems¡­ I can no longer leave this ce,¡± he murmured. ¡°Teacher Yao!¡± Gao Ming eximed. The stairwell¡¯s temperature rose, and the lights flickered momentarily. In that instant, Teacher Yao¡¯s form fused with the shadows. When the lights stabilized, Teacher Yao was nowhere to be seen, leaving only his ck and white obituary photo behind. Gao Ming carefully picked up both obituary photos. Teacher Yao¡¯s photo captured his resigned, somewhat helpless smile. The back bore childlike, uneven handwriting: ¡°Family member¡¯s photo (individual at death¡¯s door). I listened to my inner voice. Rather than passively awaiting death in bed, stripped of freedom and dignity, I yearned to re-experience the essence of being alive.¡± In reality, Teacher Yao, afflicted with a terminal illness and confined to his bed, seemed to have reimed the feeling of life in the shadow-enshrouded world. ¡°Was this genuinely Teacher Yao¡¯s own decision?¡± Gao Ming then examined the second obituary photo. It depicted a distorted, eerie Zhao Xi falling from the balcony, with Gao Ming at the window firmly grasping him. In this image, only Gao Ming was depicted in color. His arms, grasping Zhao Xi, were entwined with ck, chain-like veins, symbolically binding their arms together. ¡°Family member¡¯s photo: The ties between family members epass a promise, a responsibility, and also signify rights and control. I willingly be a part of you, with the hope that my struggles and pain will be acknowledged by more.¡± Chapter 15: Seven Levels Chapter 15: Seven Levels In the past, a detailed inspection revealed that Zhao Xi¡¯s ck and white memorial photograph, which Gao Ming had acquired, was distinct from any he had seen before. The photo bore numerous folds and cracks, all converging on the chains binding the arms of Gao Ming and Zhao Xi. Intriguingly, the ck chains in the image seemed to move, and Zhao Xi¡¯s figure within it appeared blurred, as though he was transmitting something to Gao Ming through the chains. Pondering over this memorial photo, Gao Ming spected that understanding and spreading awareness of Zhao Xi¡¯s past might be crucial for acquiring his abilities and aiding Zhao Xi in releasing his obsessions. Gao Ming was curious about the nature of these abilities; perhaps they involved surviving a fall from a building. He noticed significant variations among the memorial photos, suggesting there was much to explore and experiment with. Resolved to delve deeper, Gao Ming nned to bring all the memorial photos into the game on his next entry, hoping to enable the families in the photos to recognize each other. He also considered the possibility that Qi Yan might still be alive and thought it wise to alert Zhao Xi and Teacher Yao about a potential murderer in the apartment building on this rainy night. Upon his return to the fifth floor, as the hallway lights illuminated his path, Gao Ming encountered a scene where Xuan Wen, with a swift backthrow, had just floored a disfigured investigator. In a mocking tone, Gao Ming questioned whether the Investigation Bureau neglectedbat training, startling the investigator who had expected his intervention. Gao Ming¡¯sment left the investigator speechless and defensive, insisting they never attacked ordinary people. Entering his apartment, Gao Ming secured it by locking the anti-theft door, closing the windows, and drawing the curtains, creating a private space for candid discussion. Xuan Wen, visibly angered, confronted the investigator about his unexpected intrusion into her home. Nursing an injured arm, the investigator divulged details about the bizarre urrences, stressing their role as both witnesses and experiencers. Despite her aggressive demeanor moments earlier, Xuan Wen¡¯s voice was now eerily calm as she inquired about theck of public information on the abnormal events in this city over the past six months. The investigator revealed that even those familiar with survival rules had low survival rates in such events¡ªaround 34% for investigators and less than 10% for ordinary people. He noted that survivors often endured severe psychological and physical trauma, receiving free treatment from the Bureau. Admiring Gao Ming¡¯s capabilities, he expressed a wish to recruit him into the Bureau. Previously, Gao Ming, disying a look of intense curiosity, posed a critical question to the investigator: ¡°If I choose not to join, will I be forcibly taken away for ¡®treatment¡¯?¡± Adopting a serious and somber tone, the investigator reassured Gao Ming, ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen. The nature of these secrets means they can¡¯t remain hidden indefinitely. Abnormal events are bound to escte broadly. Our current strategy is to postpone this looming catastrophe while preparing extensively to manage it.¡± Xuan Wen, evidently contemting alternative strategies, asked, ¡°Is it possible for just anyone to join your organization?¡± Pointing to Gao Ming, the investigatormented, ¡°You have an astute and remarkably courageous friend here.¡± He touched his own disfigured face, a testament to past encounters, and continued, ¡°By joining the Investigation Bureau, he could potentially save numerous lives, but he would also face various hazards. My current appearance is the result of an abnormal event. I¡¯m rtively fortunate; I am the sole survivor among all the investigators who apanied me.¡± Gao Ming, weighing his options amidst uncertainty about when the disaster might fully unfold, responded thoughtfully, ¡°I will give it serious consideration.¡± The prospect of joining the Investigation Bureau appeared to be a viable option. The investigator then hinted at the potential benefits of joining the Bureau: ¡°We confront dangers head-on, but in turn, our rights and authority significantly increase in times of danger.¡± Shifting the conversation subtly, he added, ¡°You¡¯re likely to encounter more abnormal events. I¡¯d like to give you this survival guide our team is developing.¡± He then handed Gao Ming a ck ring, requesting him to take out his phone. After exchanging contact information, the investigator sent Gao Ming a critical document and exined the contents, which detailed abnormal events and ssified them into seven different levels based on their severity, danger, and potential for destruction: ¡°Level 0: There¡¯s a definite urrence of an abnormal event, but itcks any serious or dangerous characteristics typical of levels 1 to 6.¡± ¡°Level 1: The event disys abnormal phenomena, but these anomalies don¡¯t interact with people in the real world. They don¡¯t make contact with individuals and don¡¯t disrupt the daily lives of those near the event¡¯s location.¡± ¡°Level 2: The abnormal phenomenon noticeably impacts individuals. Those close to the event start showing unusual behaviors, such as mental disarray, sensory confusion, and cognitive impairment. The anomaly is confined to its location, and affected individuals maintain their sanity. They can be returned to normal through others¡¯ persuasion after losing control.¡± ¡°Level 3: Specific ¡®ghosts¡¯ manifest in the abnormal event. Anyone in contact with the anomalypletely loses behavioral control, leading to self-harm, suicide, or aggression towards others. Their self-awareness is fully absorbed by the anomaly, and not even family members can halt their actions.¡± ¡°Level 4: The abnormal event begins to spread. As fear esctes, the affected area widens. The central ¡®ghost¡¯ of the event grows stronger, feeding on negative emotions like killing, bloodshed, and fear. All unease bes its sustenance.¡± ¡°Level 5: The event¡¯s impact extends over a wide area. The ¡®ghost¡¯ within has ¡®matured¡¯ and bes incredibly difficult to eliminate. It has entrenched itself in people¡¯s psyches.¡± ¡°Level 6: The abnormal event bes utterly uncontroble. No known solutions exist for such events. They embody fear itself, and investigators must prevent a level 6 event at all costs.¡± ¡°We recently encountered a Level 3 event due to a particr ¡®ghost,''¡± the investigator remarked as if remembering something crucial. ¡°I would¡¯ve been dead if not for you. By the way, what happened to the old man with us?¡± ¡°He vanished after heading to the first floor,¡± Gao Ming replied, omitting the photograph¡¯s existence. Reacting with rm, the investigator¡¯s face turned pale, and he hurried towards the door. ¡°The old man is caught in the abnormal event!¡± Gao Ming followed him to Room 2707, where they found Teacher Yao lifeless. His daughter had called emergency services earlier, but it was already toote. Teacher Yao¡¯s frail, emaciated bodyy in stark contrast to his wall adorned with various awards and honors. Until his death, he clutched a photo of his younger self performing a heroic deed next to his pillow. Gao Ming mused, ¡°Perhaps the old man chose his own fate.¡± The old man, Teacher Yao, was absent from the room, and notably, there was no eerie presence lingering. It seemed as though he had finally attained a peaceful rest. Following the departure of the ambnce that took Teacher Yao¡¯s body, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen retreated to room 2507, seizing a moment of solitude. With a tilt of her head and a soft smile, Xuan Wen asked Gao Ming, ¡°Did you really go through my room¡¯s ghost story game with that uncle?¡± Gao Ming, extracting Zhao Xi¡¯s photograph, replied, ¡°It¡¯s not as odd as you make it sound. I had intended to bring you along, but you weren¡¯t there.¡± He then shared, ¡°The nk photo you gave me disappeared. It appears the ¡®ticket¡¯ is a one-time use item.¡± Xuan Wen moved closer, her curiosity piqued. ¡°I was somehow prevented from joining. That ghost story game is fraught with danger. How did you manage to navigate through it?¡± After contemting whether to reveal Zhao Xi¡¯s photo to Xuan Wen, Gao Ming decided to do it, ¡°The ghost story game that unexpectedly triggered was about Level 3 in danger ording to the Investigation Bureau. Yet, the ghost seemed capable of evolving into a more formidable entity.¡± He then offered her Zhao Xi¡¯s photo, saying, ¡°Take a look at this. I¡¯ve discovered another method to enhance your reality, to make you more powerful.¡± Xuan Wen, examining the photo, noticed the peculiar movement. ¡°The chains and blood vessels in this are pulsating? What¡¯s that about?¡± Turning the photo over, Gao Ming borated, ¡°The chains symbolize familial bonds. I can harness his abilities by making people aware of Zhao Xi¡¯s suffering.¡± He then theorized, ¡°If we can stir emotions in others by sharing Zhao Xi¡¯s story, perhaps it could benefit him posthumously. I¡¯m contemting transforming his tale into a tribute game where yers¡¯ emotional responses could influence Zhao Xi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a usible approach,¡± Xuan Wen noted. ¡°But remember, your game materialized into reality due to your experience in that tunnel, not any inherent power. If you wish your current game to take on a simr reality, revisiting that tunnel might be necessary to gain a full understanding.¡± Gao Ming, putting away the photo, responded, ¡°My goal isn¡¯t to continually manifest games into reality. I aim to spread Zhao Xi¡¯s story more widely.¡± He then added, half-jokingly, ¡°If Zhao Xi¡¯s situation improves, it might also serve as a safety for your existence.¡± Xuan Wen, yfully posing with her hands behind her back as if bound, quipped, ¡°Are you nning to ¡®eat¡¯ me?¡± Gao Ming, picking up his backpack and heading out, retorted with a smile, ¡°There you go with that tease again. Do I really seem like that type of person to eat a woman?¡± Chapter 16: Fundamental Abilities The Father and Mother Who Delivered the Cake Chapter 16: Fundamental Abilities The Father and Mother Who Delivered the Cake Gao Ming jogged down the stairs, undeterred by the pouring rain as he hurried back to his house without opening his umbre. The day had been remarkably rewarding, a stark contrast to his mundane job at a maximum security prison. Once inside, heid out several ck and white photographs on his coffee table. Lost in thought, he wondered if the emerging horror games with reality could bring back the people in these memorial photos. Yet, he also wondered if they would remain themselves upon their return. His eyes lingered on a photograph of Teacher Yao, contemting Yao¡¯s potential adjustment to the other side. As he nned the next horror game session, he decided to include photographs of Zhao Xi and Teacher Yao. In the dark, rain-drenched night, a famished Gao Ming that had fasted all day reluctantly opened his fridge. His reluctance stemmed from a deep psychological impact left by the first game, making him hesitant to eat anything from home. Considering takeout, he mused about the escting disaster and the possibility of food delivery amidst it. After ordering via his phone, he fell silent, staring at the standby screen. His phone¡¯s wallpaper depicted a meal with his parents in a suburban district of Xinhai, taken during a leave day. Still in her apron, his mother served dishes while fretting about a neighbor¡¯s matchmaking ns for him once his job stabilized. Meanwhile, his father, seizing a moment of distraction, stealthily enjoyed a ss of wine. This heartwarming photo, however, troubled Gao Ming as he gripped his hair in distress. The photo¡¯s normalcy was puzzling. Who had taken it? It didn¡¯t seem like an automatic shot due to the phone¡¯s distance. It implied a fourth person¡¯s presence, which Gao Ming couldn¡¯t recall. He reflected on the investigator¡¯s warning aboutmunication disruptions due to anomalous events. Despite this, during his three-day entrapment, he had received calls from his parents, sounding utterly normal. He hesitated to delve deeper, fearing the implications. ¡°Anomalous events in Xinhai began six months ago. Have all these calls since then been from someone else?¡± he wondered. As a psychological counselor, Gao Ming was skilled at detecting emotions, making him hard to deceive. The heavy rain made travel to Xinhai impossible. With tense, crackling knuckles, he hesitated before finally dialing that familiar number. The ensuing busy tone was more unsettling than any horror game. ¡°No answer?¡± he questioned, engulfed in uncertainty. Gao Ming anxiously paced within his house, repeatedly attempting to call the number, but each effort met with silence. He questioned the sudden inability to connect, feeling a growing sense of unease. Resigned, he sank into his sofa, fixating on a ck and white family photograph that featured a cake. Determinedly, he dialed his home phone for the seventh time. As the dial tone beeped monotonously, raindrops rhythmically pattered against the window, creating a somber backdrop. A cold, serpentine chill emerged from the shadows of the room, slithering around his ankles in an ominous embrace. With the room growing colder, Gao Ming, from the corner of his eye, noticed the mother in the photograph seeming to smile in an unsettling manner. Abruptly, the busy tone ceased, and the call connected. ¡°Hello?¡± Gao Ming stood up sharply, his voiceced with trepidation. On the other end, he heard a mix of static and a heavy, dragging sound, as if someone¡ªor something¡ªwas nearing. ¡°Can you hear me? It¡¯s me, Gao Ming!¡± he called out. The living room lights flickered erratically, mirroring the static crackle. Concurrently, footsteps sounded in the hallway, sending a chill down his spine as his body heat seemed to evaporate. ¡°Who are you, really?¡± he asked, his voice trembling. A faint, haunting echo of his mother¡¯s voice whispered from the phone, ¡°Stay here¡­¡± Meanwhile, shadows in the room began to twist and turn, resembling tree roots breaking through the ground. As the cold intensified, Gao Ming tried to disconnect the call, but the voice grew louder, insistently repeating, ¡°Stay here, stay here, stay here!!!¡± Its shrill tone reminded him of previous eerie encounters with entities masquerading as his parents. He felt as though invisible arms from the encroaching shadows were reaching for him. In this dire moment, a loud knock on the door broke the spell. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± ¡°Your delivery is here!¡± ¡°Is anyone there? Your food! Answer the phone!¡± Shadows seemed to shift towards the door, while Gao Ming, mustering all his strength, desperately ended the call. The room¡¯s temperature swiftly returned to normalcy as warmth and light flooded back in. Gao Ming rushed to the door, his heart pounding. The delivery person, still knocking, was shocked to find Gao Ming copsed into the hall, a picture of terror and exhaustion, gasping for air. Gao Ming, still reeling, pondered fearfully, ¡°When did these calls start being reced? Have I been talking to spirits all this time?¡± Pain racked his body, his hands shaking uncontrobly. The delivery guy, holding a bag of yellow braised chicken rice, was rendered speechless by the scene. He cautiously stood in a corner, gently offering, ¡°Brother, your food is here.¡± ¡°Sorry for troubling you,¡± Gao Ming expressed his apologies to the delivery guy, his eyes conveying sincere gratitude. He recognized that the delivery man¡¯s timely knocking had potentially saved him from a grim fate. Curious, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name? How long have you been knocking? I don¡¯t want to hold up your other deliveries. Let me send you a tip through the phone aspensation.¡± Introducing himself as Sumo, the delivery guy modestly suggested that a positive review would suffice. Nevertheless, appreciative of Sumo¡¯s unintended rescue, Gao Ming took out two hundred dors and handed it to him. Puzzled by this generosity, Sumo inquired, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Fumbling for his phone, Gao Ming responded, ¡°Good deeds deserve recognition. I rarely use cash. Add me as a friend, and I¡¯ll transfer the money digitally.¡± Despite Sumo¡¯s attempts to decline the extra payment, insisting it was merely a five-minute dy, Gao Ming insisted on the gesture. He then asked Sumo if he had noticed anything unusual outside, to which Sumo, looking perplexed, shook his head. Gao Ming spected that the eerie ¡®parents¡¯ in the memorial photo could only influence things as long as they remained within the photo¡¯s confines. He then checked his indoor surveince footage on his phone. Sumo, curious yet apprehensive, peeked at the screen. The footage unsettlingly depicted Gao Ming in a state of frenzy, spasming and gesticting wildly as if in the grip of madness. This sight unnerved Sumo, who trembled as he held the yellow braised chicken rice and the money. He began to suspect Gao Ming might be under some supernatural influence. Just then, the motion-activated lights in the corridor flickered off, casting Gao Ming¡¯s face in a spectral light from the phone screen. They exchanged wordless, uneasy nces. Feeling scared, Sumo half-joked, ¡°Bro, don¡¯t look at me like that, I¡¯m getting frightened.¡± He shared that he was a college student new to food delivery, apologizing if he seemed rude. Gao Ming tried to reassure him, affirming that he was a normal person. Sumo, now visibly scared, retorted, ¡°Which normal person needs to assert they¡¯re normal?¡± He recalled hearing rumors about bad feng shui and criminal activities at Li Jing Apartments and started to believe them. Without waiting for an exnation, Sumo hastily set down the food and money and bolted downstairs. Gao Ming, left alone with the delivery and the cash, retreated to his room, contemting the night¡¯s surreal urrences. He realized that using the memorial photo while making calls home triggered changes in the photo¡¯s ¡®parents,¡¯ allowing them to manifest from the shadows. ¡°This situation is horrifying,¡± he thought, ¡°yet it could be a valuable tool if harnessed correctly.¡± He remembered a tense confrontation with Zhao Xi, where his parents had eerily knocked on the door, cake in hand. Chapter 17: Which game designer, other than me, would consider the life and death of the players? Chapter 17: Which game designer, other than me, would consider the life and death of the yers? After he had finished eating, Gao Ming carefully arranged several old ck and white photographs next to him. These photographs weren¡¯t ordinary; they held a special significance in his life. ¡°These memorial photographs,¡± Gao Ming mused, ¡°each has its unique way of being activated. Once I figure out how to do this, my entire family could benefit from them and stand united against any difficulty. With these photos, I can even summon the spirits of my ¡®dad and mom¡¯ to help, which gives me some protection. But in this chaotic world, these measures are hardly sufficient. I need more allies to ensure my survival.¡± While pondering his next move, Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts inadvertently drifted to the image of that troubling woman from his game. Xuan Wen was not an ordinary woman; she was a psychopathic serial killer who had ruthlessly eliminated all the female leads in her story and had now set her sights on him. Her strategies were always executed with chilling precision and cold-blooded efficiency, making her a fearsomely skilled adversary. Fortunately, due to the peculiar dynamics of Gao Ming¡¯s game design, Xuan Wen had developed a bizarre kind of affection for him, which, for the time being, kept him rtively safe from her harm. But Gao Ming knew that this precarious bnce might notst forever. There was always the looming danger that Xuan Wen might eventually try to break free from the influence he had over her. In the context of the game, Xuan Wen was an effective ¡°colleague¡± for Gao Ming, and he was willing to assist her. However, their rtionship was strictly professional at this point, nothing more. Gao Ming reflected on the characters he had created in his games, particrly recalling the thirty-six criminals from his mystery games inspired by real-life cases. Among them were the most deranged and evil of criminals ¨C lunatics, irredeemable perverts, and demonic figures. Yet, some were not inherently evil; a few had been thrust into their bloody paths by circumstances and wouldn¡¯t choose violence if the game¡¯s scenario were to be a reality. Gao Ming understood that criminal behavior wasn¡¯t always inherent; often, it was the result of a gradual umtion of circumstances and influences. Some individuals, born with abnormal hormone levels or unique brain structures, could still evolve into disciplined and sessful members of society with the right care from their families andmunities. Conversely, those who were inherently kind and honest could be transformed into monstrous beings by their environments. Gao Ming harbored a desire to rewrite some of the tragic stories he had crafted earlier. However, he knew the task wouldn¡¯t be easy. The vastness of the city made locating these criminals an arduous task. He had the contact information given by an investigator, which he silentlymitted to memory. Engaging the help of the Investigation Bureau seemed like a practical approach, but getting involved with them could mean losing control over his own destiny. Later, as he sat on his sofa, listening to the rain patter against the window, Gao Ming was consumed by his thoughts untilte into the night. He was too apprehensive to go to his bedroom to sleep. Eventually, ovee by exhaustion, he resigned himself to sleeping on the sofa, wrapping his body in a thin quilt and curling up in an attempt to find some rest. ¡­¡­ At the early hour of 5 AM, Gao Ming was abruptly awakened from his sleep by a persistent knocking on his door. Rather than rushing to see who it was, he first sat upright on the couch, his makeshift bed for the night, and nced out the window. The relentless downpour of rain continued unabated, casting a somewhat ominous mood over the dark, early morning hours. ¡°This has to mean something,¡± Gao Ming thought to himself, feeling a bit downhearted. ¡°The sun has been hiding for days now.¡± He stretched his arms and legs, taking a moment to shake off the grogginess and fully wake up before he decided to see who was at the door. Peering through the peephole, his expression shifted to one of immediate worry. Outside, it was Xuan Wen, calling out, ¡°Are you awake, Gao Ming?¡± Despite the gloomy weather, she stood there cheerfully, her familiar red umbre in hand. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for this early visit?¡± Gao Ming hastily got dressed, making sure to bundle up against the cold. ¡°I¡¯vee to take you to the office. We have to wrap up our work on that romance game project. I want to see if it will have any effect on me,¡± Xuan Wen exined, her smile both sweet and encouraging. ¡°You¡¯re really intense, you know? It¡¯s only 5 in the morning! The subway doesn¡¯t even start running at this hour!¡± Gao Ming, who had previously only imagined scenarios of Xuan Wen chasing him, never expected her to be so eager to get to work. ¡°And besides, I wasn¡¯t even officially hired for this. You could just go on your own, right?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little bit curious?¡± Xuan Wen pressed, knocking on the door once more. ¡°We can take a taxi to the office. Don¡¯t worry about the fare.¡± ¡°If money¡¯s not an issue, then why bother working at all?¡± Gao Ming finally opened the door after a quick wash. He deliberately wore a raincoat to avoid sharing an umbre with Xuan Wen. Together, they descended the stairs and hailed a taxi. The streetlights were still glowing, their light warped by the raindrops, giving the city an ethereal, almost surreal appearance. Since it was so early, the streets were empty, allowing them to reach their destination of Nightlight Studio Games in just a fraction of the usual time. Using her employee card, Xuan Wen led the way into the office. She started herputer and began to sort through the various storylines within ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish.¡± Richy, the office cat, was drawn out of its cozy bed by the sound of the keyboard. It crept up to Gao Ming, hooking its little paws onto his pants, its big, soulful eyes seemingly begging him not to leave. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about eliminating the storylines of the other female characters or giving them tragic endings and just focusing on our two characters,¡± Xuan Wen suggested, quickly brainstorming a new direction for the game. ¡°Why not just get rid of my character as well?¡± Gao Ming, now seated at his colleague Wei Dayou¡¯s desk, was half-joking, half-serious, and ready to fall asleep again. ¡°Our goal is to not only finish this game but to draw in more yers. We want to engage their emotions and have them learn about our story while they y,¡± Xuan Wen exined as she ced some relevant documents in front of Gao Ming. ¡°It¡¯s a win-win situation. If this works, we can then start working on Zhao Xi¡¯s game.¡± Under Xuan Wen¡¯s persistent ¡°motivation,¡± Gao Ming found his energy, and they began to coborate on a murder mystery game, even printing out some eerie images to serve as inspiration. ¡­¡­ At 8:00 AM, Manager Gou was the first one to arrive at the office. As usual, he approached his work with the vigor of someone who¡¯s on a relentless mission to turn things around, always exuding the kind of boundless energy one might associate with being injected with an invigorating substance of chicken blood. However, this morning was different. He was greeted by the sight of Gao Ming, who appeared as if he had been injected with something far less invigorating, perhaps even ghost blood. Manager Gou was taken aback by the intense atmosphere in the office. He noticed the screen filled with densely packed projections, a wildly ambitious game design, and an entirely new operational n. His eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°What time did you all get here?¡± he asked. Then, noticing Gao Ming, he added, ¡°Gao Ming, what brings you here as well?¡± ¡°Manager Gou, I¡¯vee up with a very bold idea for our game design,¡± Xuan Wen exined as she presented the new n to him. ¡°The current gaming market is saturated with simr concepts. Given our limited budget, conventional game designs won¡¯t make us stand out. Why not try somethingpletely different?¡± ¡°But weren¡¯t wemitted to creating a straightforward romance game as we discussed yesterday? What¡¯s all this about?¡± Manager Gou questioned. ¡°What we¡¯re proposing is to create the most terrifying romance game ever,¡± Gao Ming interjected, his eyes bloodshot and his demeanor suggesting he was on the edge as if he had encountered something otherworldly the night before. ¡°No, we must uphold ourmitment to our clients,¡± Manager Gou responded firmly, shaking his head. ¡°We should stick to their requirements. If there¡¯s an error, it¡¯s on them. But if we take a reckless approach, who¡¯s going to be ountable? Will you be?¡± ¡°Manager Gou, we should consider everyone¡¯s suggestions,¡± Gao Ming urged, joining in the persuasion. ¡°Our studio doesn¡¯t have the resources topete in the mainstream gaming market. However, gamers are increasingly dividing into niche interest groups. We just need to capture a segment of the market to see returns.¡± ¡°You speak as if you¡¯re a permanent part of our team,¡± Manager Gou remarked, a bit puzzled as he scratched his wig. Yet, as he perused the design proposal from Xuan Wen and Gao Ming, he found himself intrigued by their ideas. Gradually, other employees of Nightlight Studio trickled in, some wearing headphones, others carrying cups of coffee, all initially rxed. However, their casual demeanor quickly faded as they noticed the murder photos and death reports scattered across the table, elements decidedly out of ce in a studio that¡¯s constructing a romance game. ¡°I¡¯ve had a conversation with Dayou about our current situation,¡± Gao Ming began, addressing the full team once everyone had gathered. ¡°Do you really want to spend your time on projects you¡¯re not passionate about? Do our romance games truly have apetitive edge? Another failure could irreparably damage our reputation.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s longstanding rtionship with Nightlight Studio, and his familiarity with everyone there, lent him the confidence to be so forthright. Manager Gou, deep down, yearned for the studio¡¯s sess more than anyone. He knew the odds were stacked against them. ¡°The market for horror games is limited. Who would make such a drastic shift unless it was a matter of survival?¡± he mused, voicing his concerns amidst the unfavorable industry climate. ¡°I may have only been a part-time nner and designer for the studio in the past, and I¡¯ll be the first to admit that my work then wasn¡¯t up to par. But after immersing myself in field research over the past several days and experiencing something profoundly unsettling¡­¡± Gao Ming paused, turning his head to look at Xuan Wen, ¡°I¡¯vee to a deep understanding of what true terror feels like! Give me another opportunity, and I promise I can heighten the intensity of fear in our game by ten times! Our romance game will be a legend in the industry, unforgettable to all ourpetitors!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s recent experiences had ignited a newfound passion within him. He was determined to blend his personal encounters with terror into the fabric of the game. His vision was to craft a horror experience so vivid and realistic that if yers ever found themselves in simrly horrifying situations in real life, they would be mentally fortified, equipped with strategies to cope and survive. This revtion solidified his resolve. Gao Ming understood that his approach was unique in the gaming industry. While other game nners might focus on gamey mechanics or storylines, he was considering the real-world implications of the experiences he was creating. He aimed to go beyond mere entertainment, offering yers not just a game, but a form of psychological preparation for life¡¯s most frightening moments. Chapter 18: The Thrill of Wanting to Curse Chapter 18: The Thrill of Wanting to Curse Gao Ming, a game designer at Nightlight Studio, firmly believed that theirtest horror game was destined for sess. He was convinced that yers would soon recognize that they were engaging in more than just a game; it was a thrilling strategy for survival. With conviction, he proposed a bold idea during a team meeting, ¡°If there¡¯s still concern, why don¡¯t we extract Xuan Wen¡¯s storyline, refine it, and release a test version? This way, we can gauge yer reactions firsthand.¡± As he presented his innovative design n on the big screen, he emphasized, ¡°I have unwavering faith in our team¡¯s abilities. However, our clients seem less convinced. Blindly adhering to their whims could strip our game of its unique essence, turning a potentially groundbreaking game into something utterly mundane. Let¡¯s let the market be the judge.¡± Wei Dayou, another team member, chimed in, removing his headphones and giving Xia Yang a nudge. ¡°Considering our tight schedule, why not give Gao Ming¡¯s suggestion a shot? Xia, what are your thoughts?¡± Looking intently at the big screen, Xia Yang was familiar with and surprised by Gao Ming¡¯s intricate horror game design. It was so detailed that it felt like he had been plunged into a real-life paranormal encounter. ¡°How did youe up with such intricate designs?¡± he inquired. With a hint of humor, Gao Ming replied, ¡°Three days of eating cake with my parents sparked an epiphany.¡± Manager Gou, overseeing the team¡¯s preparations for therge-scale project, remained hesitant. As an industry veteran, he appreciated the creativity in Gao Ming and Xuan Wen¡¯s designs and recognized Nightlight Studio prowess in horror games. Yet, he hadmitted to the client that they would produce a romance game to cater to market demands. Standing confidently with Wei Dayou and Xuan Wen backing him, Gao Ming reassured Manager Gou, ¡°Trust us on this. Suppose the test version that¡¯s focused solely on Xuan Wen¡¯s storyline fails to resonate with the audience, we will scrap it and revert to the standard romance game format.¡± After considerable persuasion, Manager Gou reluctantly agreed to their n. Despite operating efficiently, a sense of unease hung over Nightlight Studio. The walls were stered with old news articles about a murder case researched by Gao Ming, overshadowing the romance game¡¯s promotional material. The team delved into the case details, striving to create the most authentic experience from the victims¡¯ perspective. ¡°Our edge lies in our female lead¡¯s distinctive character,¡± Gao Ming exined, unveiling histest character design. ¡°I¡¯ll tweak it further to give her an even more ghostly aura. I want yers to feel like they¡¯re encountering a real ghost.¡± Overwhelmed by the unconventional approach, Manager Gou could only respond, ¡°Are you even speaking humannguage?¡± Gao Ming confidently dered, ¡°That¡¯s our specialty!¡± The game¡¯s male protagonist, designed by Gao Ming, reflected his own real-life paranormal experiences. He proposed intense gamey mechanics: ¡°Choosing to flee results in instant death. Silence means death. Resistance is futile. Paid items are useless. Failure to make a choice within a minute leads to death! We must amplify the difficulty!¡± He insisted on a shockingly realistic depiction of the ghost: ¡°Her face shouldn¡¯t just be pale; it needs to be bloody and mangled. The kind of shock you get when you wake up in the middle of the night to a dead face mere centimeters away, blood almost dripping into your eyes.¡± The team, reinvigorated by his passion, dived into the development with renewed vigor. Manager Gou, contemting the project¡¯s direction, decided to inform an investor about the change in ns. ¡°Mr. Zhao, rest assured, the game is progressing well. After a thorough market analysis, we¡¯ve opted for a slight innovation,¡± Manager Gou exined over the phone, cautiously preparing the client for the unexpected pivot. By 4 PM, the initial version of the love game, set against the backdrop of the male protagonist¡¯s harrowing escape, was ready, enriched by Gao Ming¡¯s personal experiences. The game not only terrified yers but also sent shivers down the spines of the Studio own staff. The team leader Xia Yang suggested a controlled testing approach: ¡°Let¡¯s distribute test versions among a familiar yer group to gauge reactions within a manageable scope. If things go south, we can halt immediately and have a valid exnation for the client.¡± Manager Gou agreed, but Gao Ming objected, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t hold back. Let¡¯s fully leverage all promotional channels and invite everyone interested to y. If needed, we can even pay yers to try our game!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s leadership and dedication were evident. He was deeply invested in thepany¡¯s sess, treating its fate as his own. ¡°This is our only shot. We need to give it everything we¡¯ve got!¡± Gao Ming dered, revising the game¡¯s title from the client-provided ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Perish¡± to a more ominous ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Die.¡± Bypassing the client, Nightlight Studio began yer testing. Being the lowest-ranked studio at Motu Technology, they had limited resources, making the quality of their game crucial. ¡­ At 4:30 PM, Mr. Zhao, having discussed the project with Manager Gou, was concerned about his investment and requested a personal review of the game. Reflecting on his long-standing rtionship with Gou, he wondered, ¡°Nightlight Studio hasn¡¯t produced a hit in a while, but Gou wouldn¡¯t let me down, right?¡± After the call, Mr. Zhao checked thergest industrymunication tform for any news on Nightlight Studio. He noticed several popr posts in the horror section about the studio daring to develop two games simultaneously. Curiosity piqued, he clicked on a post about Nightlight Studio releasing a test version of their game for free. The reviews were sharply divided, with an equal number of one-star and five-star ratings. Intrigued by the extreme prization, Mr. Zhao downloaded the game, noting its title, ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Die? Isn¡¯t this simr to my game¡¯s concept?¡± The game started with a gentle, unassuming male protagonist living alone in a seemingly peaceful house, which was actually a murder scene. As night fell, the game¡¯s atmosphere transformed drastically. Mr. Zhao¡¯s character died before he could fully grasp the situation. Glued to the screen, he watched the protagonist¡¯s corpse being dragged away and instinctively restarted the game. Each decision led to a unique and terrifying death: strangtion from behind while sitting on the sofa, a murderer breaking into the bathroom, cabs that turned into man-eating traps, a horrifying face under the bed, and even emails that drove the protagonist insane. The game¡¯s immersive and emotional engagement was intense, leaving Mr. Zhao feeling like punching the screen in frustration. As the test promotion continued, yerments flooded in: ¡°I¡¯ve died seventeen times in a love game! Seventeen!¡± ¡°The realism is unnerving! It seems all the budget went into crafting the dead female lead. Who¡¯s the unlucky investor behind this?¡± ¡°Can anyone survive past the seventh day? It¡¯s like a survival simtor with a twist!¡± The game began to gain traction, first in the horrormunity and then catching the attention of niche gaming YouTubers, gradually widening its reach. By 5:40 PM, after numerous attempts, Mr. Zhao reached the eleventh night in the game. As he pondered the identity of the murderer, Manager Gou entered his office with an awkward smile, bearing two cans of Mr. Zhao¡¯s favorite tea. Gou attempted to divert the conversation away from the game, but his eyes involuntarily drifted to the game screen on Mr. Zhao¡¯sputer, freezing upon recognizing it. ¡°Out of trust and the hope of assisting you, I entrusted this project to your studio. Weeks have passed, and I need to know where my investment went. How¡¯s the love game progressing?¡± Mr. Zhao asked, his focus still on the game. Manager Gou, choosing his words carefully, finally admitted, ¡°Actually, you¡¯re ying it right now.¡± The sound of the keyboard ceased. Mr. Zhao looked up, pointing first at the game screen and then back at himself, a mix of surprise and inquiry in his expression. Chapter 19: The psychological impact this had on my simple self was immense! Chapter 19: The psychological impact this had on my simple self was immense! ¡°What¡¯s gotten into Manager Gou?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s confusion deepened as his phone buzzed yet again. Since 5:41 p.m., Manager Gou¡¯s relentless calls had be a background drone, a persistent reminder of a world outside the cramped, cluttered office where he now sat. But his mind was elsewhere, fixated on Xuan Wen, whose enigmatic presence seemed to dominate the tiny space. The office was dim, lit by the flickering light of an old deskmp and the glow of several monitors. Papers, empty coffee cups, and various tech paraphernalia littered the space, creating a chaotdscape. In this disarray, Gao Ming had fashioned a makeshift seat from a sturdy cardboard box, positioning himself close to Xuan Wen. ¡°The download count has just crossed a thousand,¡± Gao Ming said, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and apprehension. He checked the analytics on his phone one more time, ensuring the numbers were real. ¡°Do you feel anything off? Anything at all?¡± Xuan Wen, sitting rigidly in her chair, looked like a figure carved out of stone, her gaze fixed on her hands resting motionless in herp. ¡°There are¡­ noises,¡± she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Gao Ming leaned in, his notebook ready. ¡°Noises? What kind of noises? Can you describe them?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes, distant and unfocused, seemed to be looking at something far beyond the cramped office. ¡°It¡¯s like a cacophony of voices, a blend of emotions I can¡¯t fully discern. They¡¯re making my consciousness feel more¡­ real, more anchored here.¡± Gao Ming scribbled down her words, his handwriting shaky. ¡°Is it overwhelming? Are these¡­ voices affecting you negatively?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she admitted, her voice quivering slightly. ¡°But I see shadows, ck and ominous, hovering at the edges of my vision. They¡¯re trying to pull me back, back to where I came from. They want to ¡®correct¡¯ my fate, whatever that means. But these voices, the yers¡¯ voices, they¡¯re like lifelines, holding me here, in this reality.¡± Gao Ming paused, recalling a briefing he had attended. ¡°The Bureau mentioned something about a ghost in their weird tale report. It said the entity feeds off negative emotions, growing stronger, more uncontroble. Do you feel like you¡¯re losing control?¡± Xuan Wen lifted her head, revealing her left eye, bloodshot and rming. The veins seemed to be alive, crawling slowly across her face. ¡°Control is¡­ a tricky thing. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s happening, but I¡¯m trying to adapt, to hold on.¡± Gao Ming, his heart racing, rummaged through his desk and handed her a sleep mask. ¡°Maybe this will help with the¡­ eye thing.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s lips twitched into a semnce of a smile as she took the mask. ¡°Call me ¡®big sister¡¯ again, and I might just lose control for real,¡± she half-joked, a hint of her old self peeking through. As they stepped out of the office, Xuan Wen paused, her hand on the storeroom door. ¡°If this weird tale takes over, if it ensnares a thousand lives, it won¡¯t just be my sanity at stake. We¡¯re teetering on the edge of a disaster. But for now, the bnce holds.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice resonated with a deep, suppressed intensity, each syble seeming to ooze out between tightly clenched teeth. He spoke with a fervent conviction, ¡°The game we¡¯ve developed, it¡¯s akin to a sacred shrine for me, and the wedding dress photo featured within it, that¡¯s my idol, my talisman. It¡¯s through these digital manifestations that I can siphon off a trickle of emotions, a subtle sense of unease. And the beauty of it is, the yers, they remain blissfully unaware, spared from tumbling into the abyss of real despair.¡± Gao Ming, absorbing every word, nodded in agreement. Xuan Wen continued, his voice gaining a hint of liberation, ¡°I can sense it, the gradual loosening of the shadow world¡¯s grip on me,¡± he dered, his hand reaching for the storeroom door. ¡°Tonight, we push toplete the game¡¯s full version. And if it means securing loans to broaden our yer base, so be it. We must let more people experience it!¡± Hearing these words from Xuan Wen struck Gao Ming as surreal. He couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the stark contrast between the person before him and the notorious psychological crime serial killer of his acquaintance. This killer, infamous for extinguishing the lives of eight female leads in a mere three days, was a mastermind of intricate plots and posed a grave danger. Yet, in a bizarre twist of everyday normalcy, this same individual routinely took a taxi to work at the crack of dawn and disyed a pragmatic preference for loans over squanderingpany resources. ¡°You keep the work going here. Once I¡¯ve taken a brief respite, I¡¯ll be back to assist,¡± Xuan Wen remarked, slowly closing the storeroom door behind him, leaving Gao Ming standing there, immersed in thought. Gao Ming pondered, ¡°Xuan Wen possesses a brilliant mind, but even the brightest can be blinded when too closely involved. Now that I¡¯m convinced ordinary games can harvest emotions for the weird tale, I can leverage the tale to generate revenue. That ie can then be funneled into sustaining the monsters under mymand.¡± His thoughts were interrupted as he opened his backpack, his eyes narrowing in contemtion. ¡°I need to gather more haunting ck-and-white photos, simr to Zhao Xi¡¯s.¡± Why adhere to conventional norms when the apocalypse looms on the horizon? Back in the office, Gao Ming dove into researching Hanhai¡¯s most infamous haunted houses. It was then that Wei Dayou approached, exuding an air of mystery, with Richy the cat cradled in his arm. ¡°Is there something brewing between you two?¡± he inquired, his eyebrows arching suggestively, as if he had unraveled a deep secret. Gao Ming¡¯s expression mirrored that of Richy, a blend of helplessness and speechlessness. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something, but it¡¯s not in the vein you¡¯re imagining.¡± ¡°I knew there was something!¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the dark on this one,¡± Gao Ming retorted, his focus returning to the list of haunted houses, his thoughts clearly elsewherepared to Wei Dayou¡¯s line of inquiry. ¡°I noticed you emerged alone. Was there a disagreement between you two?¡± Wei Dayou inquired, aforting patnding on Gao Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Look, buddy, I¡¯ve got two milk teas on the way for you. Go smooth things overter. Don¡¯t let her wallow in solitude. I saw her earlier, her hands covering her eyes, as though she were crying.¡± ¡°Believe what you will,¡± Gao Ming dismissed Wei Dayou¡¯s assumptions, his attention firmly anchored on the haunted houses and how they might intertwine with his gaming creations, plotting his strategic next steps. About half an hourter, the milk teas ordered by Wei Dayou arrived. With a sense of resignation, Gao Ming stepped out of the office, only to be greeted by a face he recognized all too well. ¡°Sumu?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s eyes widened slightly in recognition as he spotted the familiar figure of the deliveryman who had previously brought him aforting meal of chicken rice. Now, Sumu stood at the threshold, bncing the milk teas in his hands. Sumu, too, registered Gao Ming¡¯s presence and instinctively recoiled, a mixture of surprise and disbelief coloring his features. ¡°What are the odds? Switching delivery zones and still bumping into you?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the work of destiny,¡± Gao Ming mused, epting the milk teas. Instead of returning to the bustling energy of the office, he veered towards the more secluded, disheveled storage room. As Sumu was about to depart, his ears caught the faint, harrowing sound of a woman¡¯s voice, strained and filled with anguish, emanating from the storage room. The university student in him, driven by an innate sense of moral duty, paused. After a moment of internal debate, he stealthily inched closer to the storage room, curiosity and concern fueling his movements. Inside, Gao Ming shut the door and was immediately confronted with Xuan Wen¡¯s deteriorating condition. Her left side of the face appeared unnaturally contorted, and her fingers bore the evidence of self-inflicted wounds, marked by several bloody scratches. ¡°Are you holding up okay?¡± he asked, concerncing his voice. ¡°The voices, they¡¯re amplifying!¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes bore a haunting intensity, and her words were broken,ced with an undercurrent of panic. ¡°I¡¯m losing grasp on what I might end up doing.¡± ¡°Why not head back home for now?¡± ¡°I fear I mightpletely unravel on the way.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice had morphed into something otherworldly, sending a shiver down Gao Ming¡¯s spine. ¡°Even here, you must maintain control. Remember, they are engaging with your game,¡± Gao Ming implored, gesturing with the milk tea in his hand. ¡°Look, someone even cared enough to send milk tea your way. You can¡¯t just snap andsh out at them.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s face twisted in agony. ¡°Tie me up. My hands, my feet, use anything.¡± ¡°Are you certain? Won¡¯t that exacerbate your torment?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°Where should I secure you? The table, a bookshelf, the radiator? Just name it.¡± Xuan Wen struggled to activate her phone. ¡°We should document this episode, every detail of this anomaly. It¡¯s crucial that we understand what¡¯s happening to me. We can review it together, analyze it when we¡¯re back in the office tomorrow.¡± ¡°That seems sensible.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s senses were heightened, his mind racing. As he turned, a soft shuffle of footsteps outside the door reached his ears. He put his finger to his lips, signaling for silence, and cautiously reached for the doorknob. ¡­¡­ Sumu, ever since his first encounter with Gao Ming, harbored an instinctual belief that there was something unsettling about him. Compelled by this notion and a growing sense of apprehension, he crept closer to the storage room door, his ears straining to catch the conversation within. The words that reached him sent a jolt through his system. ¡°Go find some rope and tie up my hands and feet¡­¡± For Sumu, a university student brimming with idealistic notions of the professional world, this statement was jarring: ¡°Tie up??¡± He couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the nature of their workce dynamics. He held his breath, waiting for more context, but the ensuing dialogue only deepened his confusion. ¡°Where should I tie you?¡± ¡°The table? Bookshelf? Radiator? Anywhere!¡± Sumu¡¯s cheeks reddened involuntarily. Was this a normal conversation to have in a workce setting? His mind raced with the implications. The conversation continued, further baffling him. ¡°Let¡¯s record the entire process. I need to know my condition. We can watch it together, or study it slowly at work tomorrow.¡± The notion of recording such an event, and then reviewing it ¡®together¡¯ the next day at work, seemed utterly oundish to Sumu. The pure-hearted student was shaken, his worldview of professional decorum thoroughly challenged. With his ears still burning, Sumu instinctively stepped back, only for the door to suddenly swing open. He found himself once again face-to-face with Gao Ming, his heart racing. ¡°What did you hear?¡± Confronted by Gao Ming¡¯s piercing gaze, Sumu felt a chill run down his spine. The man before him not only exuded an aura of malice but now, in Sumu¡¯s eyes, seemed to harbor peculiar, perhaps even sinister proclivities. The young deliveryman stood frozen, grappling with the fear and confusion of the moment. ¡­¡­ In the bustling East District of Hanhai, nestled on Queen Sixteen Street, the third floor of the Fuan Private Hospital harbored a scene far removed from the typical hospital bustle. In a dimly lit, secluded room, a tall middle-aged man methodically wiped the blood from his fingertips. His movements were calm and deliberate, betraying no hint of emotion. He maneuvered around a lifeless body on the floor, his steps measured as he settled into the main chair with an air of authority. ¡°Chairman Situ, the documents have been delivered,¡± announced a young doctor, his tone remarkablyposed given the grim scene. He adjusted his sses as he spoke. ¡°Congrattions on your appointment as the acting director of the Hanhai Investigation Bureau¡¯s East District branch.¡± ¡°Only acting director?¡± Chairman Situ¡¯s voice, cool and detached, broke the silence that followed. ¡°Frankly, there isn¡¯t anyone who couldpete with you,¡± the doctor replied, pausing briefly before voicing a question that seemed to linger on his mind. ¡°But I must admit, I¡¯m curious. Why have you gone to such lengths to secure a role that most would go to great lengths to avoid?¡± ¡°Doctor Lu, your curiosity is misced. Such matters do not concern you.¡± The chairman¡¯s voice was like a cold wind, his figure an enigmatic silhouette against the dim light reflecting off the table. The rest of him was cloaked in shadows. ¡°Did you bring the people I requested?¡± Chairman Situ shifted the subject without missing a beat. ¡°Yes, seven investigators, each with firsthand experience in third-level abnormal events. They¡¯re prepared to brief you on survival strategies for such scenarios.¡± Doctor Lu ced a stack of files on the table. The files contained the details of seven investigators, three of whom bore physical disabilities and one with a severely disfigured face. ¡°There¡¯s no need for briefings. I want them to apany me to the haunted building in the East District. Tonight, at midnight, we will enter the house that was once the sanctuary of the Flesh Immortal devotees.¡± ¡°That¡­ might be challenging. They are affiliated with other branches of the bureau,¡± Doctor Lu replied, a hint of concern coloring his words. ¡°Rules are merely guidelines until they¡¯re reced by new ones,¡± Chairman Situ dered, his tone final. He rose, pushing his chair from the shadows into the faint light, symbolizing a shift from the unseen to the overtly influential. His presence seemed to fill the room, an unspoken promise of change hanging in the air. Chapter 20: Can You See Me? Chapter 20: Can You See Me? Sumer was known for his unwavering dedication throughout his life. As a child andter as an adult, he consistently maintained his position among the top five students in his ss due to his exceptional academic performance. His routine involved rigorous studying and a part-time job after school hours. Sumer¡¯s aspirations were modest yet clear-cut; he aimed toplete his education and secure a position at a well-respectedpany. His primary motivation was to earn a sufficient ie to help ease the financial struggles faced by his family. While Sumer was still in the midst of his studies, he would often daydream about his impending professional career. However, one particr incident abruptly interrupted his train of thoughts. With a sudden shift in tone to a more chilling one, Gao Ming addressed Sumer, ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question. What did you hear?¡± This unexpected change in demeanor caused Sumer to tremble with fear. He had just been lost in a moment of reflection about his future, a typical urrence for someone of his age and position. ¡°Nothing,¡± Sumer replied hastily, shaking his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything!¡± Gao Ming issued a stern warning, ¡°Don¡¯t be curious about things you shouldn¡¯t be,¡± as he imposingly stood in the doorway. ¡°This world is moreplex than you can imagine. Make sure you head home early in the evening and avoid working toote.¡± ¡°Understood, understood,¡± Sumer responded quickly. He grabbed his electric scooter helmet and hurriedly left the scene, moving even more swiftly than before. Panting heavily, Sumer rushed into the elevator and frantically pressed the button to close the doors. As the metallic doors of the elevator sealed shut, he allowed himself a moment of relief. ¡°The workce is terrifying,¡± he muttered to himself. Inside the well-air-conditioned building, Sumer wiped the sweat off his forehead and stood in a corner of the elevator. Nearby, two men, one tall and the other short, were engaged in a hushed conversation. ¡°Did you hear? Two nights ago, a programmer who was workingte on the 11th floor passed away suddenly. His colleague, mistaking him for asleep, continued to work beside him before realizing the grim truth,¡± one man said. ¡°That¡¯s horrifying. The gaming industry¡¯spetitiveness is reaching extreme levels. The little we earn isn¡¯t even sufficient to cover medical expenses,¡± the other replied. ¡°There¡¯s something even more chilling,¡± the shorter man added in a lowered voice. ¡°A friend of mine said thatst night, as he was leaving, he noticed someone still working and decided not to turn off the lights. Then, that person, with their back turned, said something eerie¡ª¡¯It¡¯s okay, I can see even without the lights.''¡± ¡°Goodness, was it the spirit of the programmer who died unexpectedly?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be sure! But my friend was totally shocked. Heter saw that person sitting at the deceased programmer¡¯s desk, staring at aputer screen filled with iprehensible symbols.¡± As the elevator came to a halt and the two men exited, Sumer was left alone, his mind racing with the eerie tale he had just overheard. He watched the numbers on the elevator disy change, feeling a growing sense of unease. The story of the ghostly encounter recounted by the two employees resonated in his mind. When the disy finally showed 11, the elevator doors opened to a deserted corridor. The chill from the air conditioning felt like an icy touch down his neck. Staring into the empty hallway, Sumer¡¯s heart pounded with an increasing sense of dread, as if unseen hands were wing at it. Just as the elevator doors were about to close again, a male employee hurriedly entered, carrying aptop bag. Seeing another person, Sumer breathed a sigh of relief. Clutching his helmet tightly, he took out his phone, ready to get back to epting orders for his part-time job. While engrossed in his phone, Sumer suddenly sensed something unusual. Curiously, he adjusted his phone to selfie mode and was startled to see that the man who had entered the elevator was staring at him the entire time. Feeling uneasy, Sumer covertly nced at the man. The man¡¯s gaze was unblinkingly fixed on him, creating a tense atmosphere. As Sumer instinctively moved back, pressing himself against the elevator wall, the man¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°So, you really can see me.¡± ¡­.. Meanwhile, Gao Ming didn¡¯t pursue Sumer. He lingered near the storeroom, quietly enjoying his milk tea. The situation at the office building was intensifying, particrly for Xuan Wen, as the download count for their game, ¡°To Our Love That Will Eventually Die,¡± continued to climb. Xuan Wen¡¯s mental state was deteriorating rapidly due to her excessive absorption of emotions, causing her self-will to grow but also pushing her towards insanity. By 9:30 p.m., most of the office building had plunged into darkness, with thest employee shuttle having already left. Only two studios were still bustling with activity at thiste hour. Nightlight Studio, though small with limited staff, was dedicatedly working overtime. They rarely had significant projects, but now that they finally had one, everyone was pouring their heart and soul into it. In stark contrast, Unicorn Game Studio, a subsidiary of Motu Technology and ranked fifth, was bustling with activity over three floors. Known for its fiercepetitiveness, this studio¡¯s employees were ustomed to working past their standard 9 p.m. quitting time, driven by a relentless pursuit of sess. Gao Ming, standing by the storeroom, mused over the work culture. ¡°Working themselves to death for money? Even prisoners in Henshan High-Security Prison would havepleted theirbor reform by now.¡± He was concerned about Xuan Wen losing control under the strain and hoped the employees would leave soon. However, the studio was more animated than usual, with everyone seemingly more motivated to stayte. Suddenly, Wei Dayou appeared, bursting with excitement. ¡°Gao Ming! The download count for our trial version has already surpassed 15,000!¡± he eximed. He was amazed that without significant promotions, yers were spontaneously inviting others to join, hinting at the game¡¯s potential to break through its niche market. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Gao Ming responded, acknowledging the news. Wei Dayou was filled with optimism. ¡°Your persistence was not in vain! Our studio might survive because of this game!¡± He then prepared a cup of coffee, reflecting on the past seven months during which the studio had seen no game revenue sharing. The recent sess had reignited everyone¡¯s passion. Gao Ming knew the team well. ¡°They don¡¯t say it, but they actually have a lot of affection for Nightlight.¡± He was familiar with the studio¡¯s history and its past achievements. Wei Dayou, filled with determination, dered, ¡°This time, we must fight a beautiful battle for revival!¡± He showed no signs of leaving, which caused Gao Ming some concern. ¡°Dayou, let everyone go home and rest. It¡¯s toote,¡± Gao Ming suggested. But Wei Dayou was resolute. ¡°Not going home today! We men are going to fight!¡± He took a sip of his coffee and returned to his workstation, embodying a spirit of defiance. Looking at the increasing download numbers for the trial version, Gao Ming knocked on the storeroom door. ¡°Xuan Wen, are you feeling any better?¡± he asked with concern, indicating his awareness of the toll the situation was taking on her. When Gao Ming received no response, his concern escted. Cautiously, he cracked open the storeroom door, only to be greeted by a scene of eerie distortion. The room was shrouded in darkness, withrge, unsettling shadows flickering like sinister, ghostly mes. ¡°Xuan Wen?¡± he called out tentatively. Within this haunting environment, he found Xuan Wen, a woman usually impably dressed for her professional role, now enveloped in these dark, dancing shadows. Her eyes were firmly shut, and her skin was marred by thin, pitch-ck veins that emerged like sinister chains. One end of these veins seemed to be rooted in the shadows themselves, while the other end was intricately woven into her body. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but draw a parallel. ¡°This looks a bit like the chains between Zhao Xi and me.¡± Zhao Xi, transformed into a malevolent spirit by forces from an unknown world, possessed eerie and terrifying powers. His memories, regrets, and obsessions had materialized into simr ck, chain-like veins that bound both him and Gao Ming, marking a haunting connection. Zhao Xi, unlike Xuan Wen, was a real person with a connection to the tangible world. Xuan Wen, however, was a creation of Gao Ming¡¯s, existing without a real-world anchor. Yet, as over ten thousand people came to know of her through the game, these ominous ck veins also began to manifest within her. Gao Ming mused, ¡°Belief makes it real; disbelief does not. The emotional impact is what keeps urban legends alive in people¡¯s hearts. That exins why these spirits thrive on spreading fear.¡± He stepped closer to Xuan Wen, his gaze fixated on her pale neck. There, all the newly emerged veins converged, forming a chain-like entity that seemed to embody the core of her obsessions and memories. Gao Ming faced a critical decision: destroying this chain could either send Xuan Wen back to the shadow world in aatose state or cause her to lose control entirely. Alternatively, connecting the chain to himself might grant him the ability to harness her powers. Confronted with the choice of either ¡°killing¡± Xuan Wen or ¡°dominating¡± her, Gao Ming hesitated. Ultimately, his hand didn¡¯t go for the chain but instead picked up the unopened milk tea lying next to Xuan Wen. Acknowledging theplexity of consciousness, he thought, ¡°It¡¯s tough enough to gain self-awareness. It would indeed be too cruel to depart without experiencing anything good.¡± He opened the milk tea and began to drink, remarking, ¡°Room temperature, tastes better without ice.¡± Leaving the storeroom with the milk tea in hand, Gao Ming closed the door behind him and walked away. After his departure, Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes, which had been tightly closed, slowly opened. Her reaction seemed to carry a hint of irony or disbelief as if to say, ¡°I gave you a chance, and you used it to drink milk tea?¡± Chapter 21: Something Strange in the Office Chapter 21: Something Strange in the Office Upon returning to the studio, Gao Ming had sessfully memorized most of the intricate details regarding various Hanhai haunted houses. He was diligently coborating with his team, each member focusing on different aspects of the project to bring it to life. Time seemed to fly as the wall clock continued its steady ticking. Gao Ming, engrossed in theplexities of the haunted house design, hardly noticed the office lights beginning to flicker ominously. Suddenly, a slender, eerie shadow appeared almost out of nowhere. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Gao Ming thought, a sense of unease gripping him as he struggled to draw breath. He observed with growing rm as multiple shadows began to converge, eerily creeping towards the storeroom. ¡°Great, what new twist is this now?¡± he muttered to himself. Unlike previous instances, this time Gao Ming hadn¡¯t actively invoked any spirits or reenacted scenes from the past. It seemed as though he was being involuntarily pulled into this unsettling scenario. The lights continued to flicker more erratically, and then abruptly, all the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. A chilling, all-too-familiar sensation enveloped Gao Ming. He took a deep breath, preparing to warn his colleagues about the potential danger, when suddenly, he noticed Wei Dayou leaping onto a table, a backpack in tow. ¡°Stay calm, everyone!¡± Wei Dayou announced as he opened his backpack and produced an emergency light. With a click, the light illuminated his surroundings. ¡°Let me be upfront with you all,¡± Wei Dayou began, setting the light on a stack of books. ¡°I was struggling with the game development and ended up working in a night market. That¡¯s where I got this light for my stall. Our Nightlight Studio has been underperforming at Motu Technology for seven months now. No one believed in our horror game concept. I¡¯ve been juggling part-time nning duties, constantly facing criticism from leaders and yers. Honestly, I¡¯ve been harboring some resentment.¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s voice grew more impassioned. ¡°But now, we¡¯re on the brink of a breakthrough! Our experimental blend of a love and horror game in its beta version has already surpassed the download numbers of ourst official release. Against all odds, Nightlight Studio is on the cusp of a majoreback!¡± His words deeply resonated with the few employees still workingte. Long-time Nightlight Studio programmers Li Jie and Zhang Wang felt a renewed sense of connection to their workce and stood up, visibly moved. ¡°I know we¡¯re all exhausted, but the toughest part is just these next few days,¡± Wei Dayou continued with fervor. ¡°We must capitalize on the game¡¯s current poprity and finalize it swiftly. We owe it to our yers, our clients, and ourselves. I¡¯ll head to the power room to check on things. Please, everyone, carry on with your tasks.¡± As Wei Dayou started to leave, without even his phone with him, Gao Ming quickly intervened. ¡°Dayou, wait!¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re about to say,¡± Wei Dayou said, gripping Gao Ming¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Brother, this time we won¡¯t disappoint you. We¡¯ll bring your vision for the game to life wlessly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too formal; we¡¯re not strangers!¡± Wei Dayou said, releasing his hand. But at that moment, Gao Ming¡¯s phone buzzed. It wasn¡¯t just his phone; others in the Nightlight Studio office also turned their attention to their own vibrating phones. As each member of the Nightlight Studio team swiped open their phone screens, they were greeted with a chilling message: ¡°One among you is possessed by a ghost.¡± ¡°To escape, you must kill the one who is possessed.¡± ¡°Be warned: you are confined to the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th floors. In one hour, the ghost will awaken and begin its hunt. Anyone in by the ghost will also turn into one.¡± The message,prising just three unsettling sentences, didn¡¯t initially rm the Nightlight Studio employees. ustomed to the macabre nature of their work in horror game development, they had received yer feedback that was far more harrowing than this cryptic text. ¡°Of all things, why has this game turned into reality?¡± Gao Ming immediately recognized it. A few years back, a client, bored with the monotony of their job and seeking thrill, had requested them to develop this office escape murder game. In the game, yers had an hour to resolve the scenario. As time progressed, the number of ghosts would increase. Victory required yers to correctly identify and eliminate the one possessed by the ghost, which meant making a lethal choice. Gao Ming hurried to catch up with Wei Dayou, but the elevator doors shut just as he arrived. ¡°Dayou!¡± he called out, pressing the elevator button frantically, when suddenly he sensed the sound of breathing behind him. ¡°This prank isn¡¯t even good. You¡¯re not taking it seriously, are you?¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice unexpectedly emerged beside Gao Ming, giving him a start. ¡°Why do you move so silently?¡± Gao Ming asked, using the room¡¯s light to carefully inspect Xia Yang. ¡°Do you suspect me of being the ghost?¡± Xia Yang chuckled. ¡°What would you do if this game were real, Teacher Xia?¡± Gao Ming inquired, his voiceced with curiosity. ¡°I¡¯d rather end my life. I¡¯m too afraid to kill, and I dread pain,¡± Xia Yang confessed. ¡°Butmitting suicide is akin to killing yourself, tainting your hands with your own blood,¡± Gao Ming pointed out, but before he could finish, another elevator halted at the 13th floor, where Nightlight Studio was located. The elevator doors slid open to reveal a frantic scene. Sumer, a courier, and Manager Ma from Unicorn Games rushed out, their faces etched with fear, keeping a wary distance from each other. Inside the elevator, a grisly sight awaited: a man¡¯s body, eyes gouged out, clutching aputer bag tightly. ¡°He¡¯s the ghost! The ghost has killed!¡± Sumer screamed, almost hysterical. ¡°The ghost is possessing him!¡± Standing apart from Sumer, Manager Ma shouted towards Gao Ming and the rest. ¡°So men can scream that high-pitched,¡± Xia Yangmented dryly, covering his ears and squinting at the two men. ¡°Someone¡¯s dead. Maybe that text wasn¡¯t a joke after all.¡± Unfazed, perhaps due to experience with simr games or some other reason, Xia Yang didn¡¯t seem terrified. Instead, a faint smile yed on his lips. Ignoring the panicked cries of Sumer and Manager Ma, Gao Ming stepped forward to examine the body more closely. Gao Ming carefully unfastened the cor of the deceased, revealing distinct signs of livor mortis. ¡°The person died more than 24 hours ago. It¡¯s highly improbable that the killer is either of the two from the elevator.¡± ¡°Why were they found with the body then?¡± Xia Yang pondered, ncing at the ominous message on his phone. ¡°Could it be possible that the ghost is hiding within one of them?¡± Gao Ming agreed. ¡°The ghost might have been initially bound to the corpse, making these two, who came into contact with the body, prime suspects. However, we can¡¯t dismiss other possibilities. Perhaps the ghost intended to distract us by casting suspicion on these two, using them as decoys.¡± ¡°This ghost is quite maniptive,¡± Xia Yang noted. ¡°The game¡¯s design cleverly ys on human psychology,¡± Gao Ming exined. ¡°It istes these individuals, creating a dilemma between group safety and personal survival. In extreme circumstances, someone will likely attack them, and they might even end up killing each other out of fear or self-preservation.¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t intended for the game to be so intricate; it was Wei Dayou whoter enhanced itsplexity based on client demands. ¡°Human nature is delicate. Once a person crosses their moral threshold, it bes easier to keep crossing it, leading to aplete erosion of their humanity.¡± ¡°Somepanies exploit their employees in a simr manner,¡± Xia Yang remarked, maintaining a surprisingly optimistic attitude. ¡°But one thing¡¯s for sure¡ªthe ghost isn¡¯t among those of us in the studio. Everyone¡¯s been here working overtime, with no one venturing to other floors.¡± ¡°For now, we¡¯re safe,¡± Gao Ming concurred. ¡°But ording to the message, the ghost will awaken in an hour and start its killings. Trust will be a luxury then.¡± ¡°Exactly. So we need to identify the person possessed by the ghost within the hour.¡± Meanwhile, Sumer and Manager Ma continued their heated argument, each using the other of being the ghost, their emotions escting rapidly. ¡°Both of you, calm down and exin what happened,¡± Xia Yang said, disying a calm demeanor unlike his usual self. Sumer, visibly shaken, spoke first. ¡°I had just finished a food delivery and was heading downstairs when I found the body in the elevator! The ghost was initially attached to the corpse, and it spoke to me, shadows enveloping the elevator each time it talked!¡± Sumer fought back tears. ¡°Then Manager Ma came into the elevator. The body had some unresolved issue with Manager Ma; it had been waiting for him! As soon as Manager Ma entered, the ghost strangled him and then moved into Manager Ma¡¯s body!¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd! He¡¯s lying! He must be the ghost!¡± Manager Ma retorted, pulling open his cor to show his neck. ¡°There are no marks on my neck from strangtion. I was in the underground parking lot on a call when I heard weird noises from the elevator. When I went to check, I was pulled inside by him. This delivery guy then started saying someone was trying to kill him! But it was just him and the dead body in the elevator!¡± Chapter 22: The Unexpected Finale of a Would-Be Battle Chapter 22: The Unexpected Finale of a Would-Be Battle Panic and disbelief intertwined in Sumo¡¯s voice as he frantically denied the usations. ¡°It¡¯s not like that! He¡¯s deceiving you!¡± His eyes darted around, filled with fear. ¡°That ghostly assassin¡­ he¡¯s like a shadow, leaving no trace behind!¡± Xia Yang¡¯s gaze pierced through the chaos, fixating on Sumo with skepticism. ¡°You¡¯re not on the payroll of Unicorn Game Studio. How are you so familiar with his name? Why do you refer to him as Manager Ma?¡± Sumo¡¯s desperation escted, his voice cracking under stress. ¡°It¡¯s the ghost! The ghost knows Manager Ma! It¡¯s the spirit of the one who died of sudden overwork! I¡¯m innocent, I swear!¡± His plea echoed in the tense air, a man grappling with an inexplicable fate. Ever the strategist, Gao Ming scanned their surroundings, his mind racing for a n. ¡°We need to secure these two first.¡± His eyes searched for anything that could be used to restrain them. Sensing his impending loss of freedom, Manager Ma erupted into a frantic plea. ¡°Listen to me! It¡¯s true, a ghost! The delivery man, the body in the elevator, it tried to end me!¡± His voice crescendoed into a desperate shout as he bolted towards the safety passage. ¡°You¡¯re all in danger! That ghost¡­ it¡¯stched onto him!¡± With a burst of adrenaline, Manager Ma disappeared through the safety door, racing towards the sanctuary of Unicorn Game Studio. Xia Yang remained still, his question lingering in the air, a challenge to their understanding of the situation. ¡°Who¡¯s the viin here? Who¡¯s the victim?¡± He didn¡¯t pursue Manager Ma but instead pivoted towards Gao Ming. Gao Ming, taking charge, instructed Xia Yang. ¡°Keep an eye on the delivery guy. I need to brief the rest of our team.¡± With that, he dashed down the corridor, heading back to Nightlight Game Studio, where the staff had dismissed the rming messages on their phones as pranks. Arriving at the studio, Gao Ming¡¯s eyes swept the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Wei Dayou? Why are Li Jie and Zhang Wang missing?¡± Intern Wang Yaoyao, the sole upant, replied timidly, ¡°I think they went to the restroom.¡± Gao Ming issued a firm directive, ¡°Stay here. Inform them not to leave once they return.¡± He reached for his phone, attempting to call his colleagues, but to no avail. ¡°We have four floors of game developers here. We need to unite everyone within the hour!¡± The task seemed daunting. Gao Ming had no idea how many were still workingte, unaware of the lurking danger. The game allowed an hour¡¯s respite, yet the challenge it posed was immense. With no response from his team, Gao Ming headed towards the storeroom. In the romance game they developed, Xuan Wen was a character with an acute understanding of criminal psychology. Her abilities to decipher emotions and intentions, coupled with her superior intellect, would be invaluable to Gao Ming in unraveling the mystery that enshrouded them. As Gao Ming cautiously opened the storeroom door, he was met with an eerie and unusual sight. Xuan Wen, an anomaly in this game¡¯s world, appeared to be in a fierce struggle against the encroaching shadows. These dark entities seemed intent on engulfing her, relentlessly trying to pull her into an abyss of darkness. Xuan Wen¡¯s figure was shrouded in these sinister shadows, their tendrils coiling around her. Her skin was marred by ckened veins, deeply embedded and radiating a forbidding aura that instinctively made people keep their distance. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the emotional strength I drew from those ten thousand souls, I doubt I¡¯d have the chance to rejoin you in this game,¡± Xuan Wen remarked, her eyes bloodshot and intense, staring at Gao Ming. Despite the excruciating ordeal she had endured, she seemed to be gradually adapting to the cacophony of voices and overwhelming emotions flooding her mind. Gao Ming extended a hand to help her up, feeling an unsettling chill from her touch, her skin as cold as a corpse¡¯s. ¡°Why do I sense a change in you, different from your usual demeanor, since you entered the game?¡± he asked, his voice tinged with concern. Xuan Wen, still enshrouded in darkness, replied with a hint of irony, ¡°Don¡¯t you appreciate the change? Remember how you said room-temperature milk tea without ice is pleasant?¡± ¡°I was referring to milk tea, not this situation.¡± As Gao Ming attempted to extricate Xuan Wen from the shadows, they reacted aggressively, snapping at him like sharks drawn to blood. In that critical moment, a chain imbued with Zhao Xi¡¯s memories and obsessions materialized, shielding Gao Ming from the shadow¡¯s assault. ¡°d in another¡¯s keepsake, yet our bond is marked by blood,¡± Xuan Wen observed, her gaze fixating on the chain around Gao Ming¡¯s wrist as if contemting its significance. Since his departure from the jumping game, Gao Ming had been carrying the burden of Zhao Xi¡¯s memories, the chain more a shackle than a weapon. ¡°Could it be that these memory-veins from Zhao Xi have such a utility?¡± he pondered aloud. The duo spent considerable time dispelling the shadows that clung to Xuan Wen, eventually granting her a temporary reprieve from their grasp. ¡°Why are you always the target of these malevolent forces?¡± Xuan Wen offered a theory, her voice tinged with resignation. ¡°I¡¯ve strayed from the predestined pathid out for me by that world. These shadows are attempting to rectify that deviation. Last time, this might be why I failed to enter Zhao Xi¡¯s game.¡± She paused, a look of realization dawning on her. ¡°I aspire to be someone like you, but it seems the shadow realm refuses to allow it. It¡¯s trying to pull this entire city into darkness.¡± Gao Ming, shifting the focus, pulled out his phone. ¡°Let¡¯s set aside that discussion for now. Did you get this message?¡± Upon checking her phone, Xuan Wen found no new messages. Her exclusion from the list of game yers was evident. Gao Ming, concerned, spected aloud, ¡°Since you¡¯re not among the living yers, could it be that you¡¯ve been assigned the role of the ghost?¡± His underlying fear was that Xuan Wen might be the murderer, potentially having lost her self-control. Xuan Wen¡¯s response was tinged with irony as she slowly closed the distance between them. ¡°Why do you harbor such deep suspicions about a character of your own creation?¡± She questioned him, her voiceced with curiosity. ¡°Do you see me as a manifestation of your hidden darkness? A vessel for the actions you yearn to perform butck the courage to undertake? Is that why you designed me as a serial killer with an expertise in criminal psychology?¡± Gao Ming, slightly taken aback by her retort, redirected their focus. ¡°We need to find the actual spectral yer. We have only an hour left,¡± he urged, moving towards the storeroom door. Time was slipping away as they had spent a considerable duration aiding Xuan Wen¡¯s escape from the shadows. Gao Ming pondered the capabilities granted to the spectral entities in the game by this mysterious otherworld. ¡°What unique ability have you been endowed with in this game setting?¡± Xuan Wen began to answer, her voice indicating a power linked to human emotions, but suddenly, she stopped, her expression turning to one of disbelief before she copsed. ¡°What happened?¡± Gao Ming quickly inquired, concerned. Xuan Wen¡¯s response was eerie. ¡°Someone¡¯s screams,¡± she whispered, her smile unnerving. ¡°At times, humans can be indistinguishable from ghosts.¡± Sensing a dire situation unfolding, Gao Ming hastily made his way to the Nightlight Studio office, where he found only the intern, Wang Yaoyao. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Gao Ming asked, urgency in his voice. The intern¡¯s response was clueless and unhelpful. With Xuan Wen in tow, Gao Ming proceeded to the elevator lobby. There, they found Sumo, alone and visibly shaken. ¡°Why are you here by yourself?¡± Gao Ming demanded, grasping Sumo¡¯s clothing. No longer perceiving Gao Ming as a threat, Sumo clung to him for reassurance. ¡°There were screams in the corridor. The person watching over me went to investigate.¡± His voice trembled as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not the ghost, but I did encounter one today. It¡¯s ying a deadly game with us, its mind warped and twisted!¡± Leaving Sumo behind, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen pressed on, opening the safety door only to be assaulted by a pungent smell of blood. The game¡¯s hour had not yet psed, yet someone had already met a violent end. With trepidation, Gao Ming led the way to the twelfth floor, where an eerie silence prevailed. Descending to the eleventh floor, they were greeted by a grim scene: bloodstains and signs of struggle littered the ground. ¡°It appears someone is exploiting this chaos to prey on the other employees,¡± Gao Ming deduced, his voice heavy with the gravity of their dire circumstances. The ghost game had morphed into a much darker, human-led ughter, its brutality surpassing even the terror of an awakened ghost. The floors were deserted, save for the chilling evidence of bloodshed. Upon reaching the tenth floor, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen were greeted by a macabre scene: walls sttered with blood, leading them to the prop room of the Unicorn Game Studio. The epicenter of the carnage seemed to be right there. Gao Ming cautiously reached for the prop room door, but before he could open it, the oppressive shadows engulfing the floor began to retreat. The blood and its apanying stench faded with the shadows as if absorbed by an unseen force. ¡°Has the game concluded? Did someone eliminate the person possessed by the ghost?¡± Gao Ming pondered, checking his phone. Only thirty-six minutes had psed since the game¡¯s onset, and they had barely taken any action. Xuan Wen, her voiceced with disgust, spected, ¡°It¡¯s a monstrous act. To escape the game, someone decided to eliminate everyone else, methodically killing the employees until the one possessed by the ghost was also dead.¡± Gao Ming, usually alert to the game¡¯s deceptions, was now confronting a more harrowing reality: the depths of human cruelty. Xuan Wen outlined their grim findings: ¡°Firstly, the murderer must have prior experience with these games, quickly acting upon receiving the alert. Secondly, the murderer is among the survivors. Thirdly, they possess some devious power, enabling them to kill so many swiftly. And fourthly, it¡¯s not me; we were together during the killings.¡± Gao Ming, aware of her innocence, forcefully opened the prop room door. Inside, amidst fallen dolls and figurines, the remnants of blood and corpses were vanishing with the shadows. A thorough search of the room led them to a ck and white group photograph of the first work team at Unicorn Game Studio. The photo showed seven individuals known for their prowess andpetitiveness. With a trembling hand, Gao Ming held the photo as Xuan Wen gently grasped his wrist. ¡°Do you feel responsible? This isn¡¯t your fault. You¡¯re a victim. Your death wouldn¡¯t prevent future atrocities.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice was heavy with doubt. ¡°If I were gone, would the games I designed cease to exist?¡± Xuan Wen shook her head firmly. ¡°No, they would spiral out of control, leaving this city without its only hope.¡± Her words, though meant tofort, hung heavily in the air, a stark reminder of the weight of their situation. Chapter 23: The Gears of Fate Eventually Turn Chapter 23: The Gears of Fate Eventually Turn Gao Ming carefully folded a ck and white photograph of the Unicorn Game¡¯s inaugural workgroup and slipped it into his bag. He studied it intently, his face betraying no emotion, yet a deep, unspoken feeling simmered in his eyes. Xuan Wen gazed out as the shadows diminished, pondering the grim future. ¡°After the catastrophe fully unfolds, we may witness horrors a hundredfold worse than this,¡± he mused. ¡°Given your history in the high-security prison, I assumed such things wouldn¡¯t faze you.¡± Interrupting him, Gao Ming dered, ¡°We must return to Nightlight Studio. The escape murder scene spans only four levels, with no survivors on the first three. The perpetrator is likely hiding on the top floor, possibly even amongst Nightlight¡¯s own employees.¡± Xuan Wen shrugged, a sense of fatalism in her voice. ¡°Everyone makes their choices. If left to their own devices, even spirits will resort to murder, multiplying ceaselessly. In the end, we all might face our demise. That person chose his path, empowered to enact it.¡± Gao Ming countered, ¡°The ghost was passive still, yet that individual ughtered seven.¡± Xuan Wen retorted, ¡°Yet, he saved lives too.¡± The corridor lights flickered, signaling the game¡¯s conclusion as the shadows fully retreated. This third game had profoundly affected Gao Ming, leaving an indelible mark. Back at the Nightlight Studio Game office entrance, Gao Ming peered inside. The team was immersed in their work. Zhang Wang, tossing an energy drink to Gao Ming, remarked, ¡°Keep going. Age is seriously catching up to me. I used to be able to pull all-nighters with a breeze!¡± The team paid scant attention to a recent text message, oblivious to the narrow escape from death, unaware that the Grim Reaper was in their midst. Gao Ming¡¯s gaze swept the room. His colleagues appeared normal, their demeanor betraying no anomalies. ¡°Mr. Xia, were you downstairs just now?¡± Xia Yang, engrossed in digitally sketching a recent murder scene, responded, ¡°I thought I heard a cry for help, so I checked. The emergency exit was pitch ck, so I returned. You know I¡¯m not particrly courageous.¡± Gao Ming inquired about the absent delivery man. Xia Yang leaned back, replying, ¡°He fled and called the police as soon as the lights came back. It¡¯s likely his doing, a prank perhaps. We create horror games; we can¡¯t detain someone over a mere message.¡± A cat meowed as the door opened again. Wei Dayou entered, cursing the building¡¯s management for theck of a standby electrician. Wei Dayou, visibly frustrated, recounted his recent ordeal. ¡°I almost broke down the power room door! If I hadn¡¯t forgotten my phone, I¡¯d have filed aint on the spot,¡± he said, returning to his desk to resume work. Gao Ming engaged in casual conversations with all the Nightlight Studio staff but found nothing amiss among them. Later, the police arrived, instructing everyone to remain inside the studio and not to leave. Only then did it dawn on the team that something significant had urred within the building, though the specifics remained unclear to them. Around 1 a.m., a wig-less Manager Gou was summoned to the studio for a private discussion with the police. Confined in a small room, Manager Gou¡¯s confusion was palpable even through the door. ¡°I¡¯m clueless about your inquiries! We¡¯re merely game developers here. The most confrontational act from my team would be angrily typing aint,¡± he insisted. He then described his team to the police. ¡°This is Wei Dayou, our nner. Despite his robust appearance, he¡¯s scared of even tiny insects, his heart as delicate as a young girl¡¯s. And Old Xia, our lead artist, could be mistaken for frail. Even dancers in the public square could overpower him with ease.¡± ¡°Xuan Wen, our new recruit, is timid and introverted, too shy even to converse with strangers. If you think she¡¯s capable of making seven people vanish, I¡¯d eat this table in disbelief!¡± Gou expressed his exasperation with the police¡¯s absurd suspicions. The Eastern District police proceeded with individual interrogations. By 3 a.m., Gao Ming was escorted to a room on the tenth floor for questioning. Once there, the police deactivated all surveince and recording devices and left, leaving Gao Ming in solitude. After half an hour, the door opened again. Instead of the police, three individuals in ck uniforms, each wearing a distinctive ck ring device on their wrists, entered. ¡°The Investigation Bureau?¡± Gao Ming inquired, slightly apprehensive. The leader, a short man with amanding presence, introduced himself as Cen Guan, Deputy Director of the Hanhai Eastern Investigation Division, Future Science and Technology Branch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he assured Gao Ming. A tall, slender man apanying Cen Guan approached Gao Ming, disying a video from his wrist device. It showed a disfigured investigator who had previously rmended Gao Ming to the Investigation Bureau. Gao Ming, resting his chin in his hand, recognized the investigator. ¡°He and I were involved in a Level 3 abnormal event together. He spoke to me about the Investigation Bureau. Are you here to arrest me?¡± The tall man deactivated the device and replied indifferently, ¡°He passed away two hours ago.¡± ¡°Died?¡± Gao Ming was taken aback, realizing he never knew the investigator¡¯s name. The man exined, ¡°He was assigned to a task in the Hanhai Eastern District and perished in another Level 3 abnormal event.¡± He then sat down, gesturing for the other Bureau members to follow suit. ¡°We¡¯vee to offer you a position with the Investigation Bureau.¡± The investigator at the back carefully ced a ck box on the table. After entering a password, he opened it, revealing a blood-stained ck ring inside. ¡°The investigator Qin Tian, from Xinhai like me, was my most trusted colleague,¡± the tall, thin man began. ¡°He spoke highly of your performance in the abnormal events. Your calmness, decisiveness, courage, and exceptional mental strength, coupled with an extraordinary mind, make you an ideal candidate for handling such incidents.¡± He spoke with a tone shaped by experience, familiar with the gravity of life and death situations. ¡°Qin Tian was genuinely excited when he mentioned you. After losing his family in an abnormal event, seeing potential in you gave him a reason to smile again.¡± Gao Ming pondered the significance of Qin Tian¡¯s name. The abnormal events, once mere games, had evolved into something far more consequential. The tragic fate of the Unicorn Studio staff and the investigators from the previous day¡¯s escape was a testament to this grim reality. ¡°The Hanhai Investigation General Bureau operates neen branches across Hanhai¡¯s neen districts. Our branch in the Old City District is divided into five investigative offices: Lishan, Jinwan, Fuding, Pukou, and Dazhai,¡± the man continued, his gaze fixed on Gao Ming. ¡°With Hanhai¡¯s poption being double that of Xinhai and the rise of abnormal events, we face a critical shortage of staff. New investigators, often inexperienced, face high mortality rates. There aren¡¯t enough veterans to mentor them, necessitating the recruitment of civilians like you, who have firsthand experience with abnormal events.¡± Cen Guan then added, ¡°Joining the Investigation Bureau is risky, but ignoring these threats could lead to even greater dangers. No one is exempt from these disasters. Understanding and confronting them might be your best option.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Gao Ming responded, contemting the benefits of joining. The growing urban legends and his personal quest to uncover the disaster¡¯s roots made the Bureau an attractive option. ¡°If you rise within the Bureau, you could potentially lead an investigation into the disaster¡¯s origins,¡± he thought. ¡°Ordinary individuals rarely resolve Level 3 events alone. Your capabilities meet our highest recruitment criteria,¡± the tall man said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. ¡°We won¡¯t impose tasks on you or interfere with your personal life. You¡¯ll haveplete freedom.¡± ¡°What if I wish to leave Hanhai and visit other cities?¡± Gao Ming inquired, longing to see his real parents in Xinhai, a n dyed by heavy rains and blocked roads. ¡°In the future, travel restrictions might apply, with Bureau personnel having unrestricted movement,¡± the man assured. ¡°Joining us grants high authority and freedom to travel.¡± Gao Ming felt torn, his eyes fixated on the ck ring in the box. The ring, stained with blood, symbolized a turning point in his fate, a tangible reminder of the life-changing decisions he faced. Chapter 24: Choice Chapter 24: Choice Some said that the course of everyone¡¯s life was predestined from the moment they were born, while others argued that destiny was always alterable. Yet, it seemed the only definite future was the universal uncertainty about what the future held. Gao Ming reached into the darkness of the ck box and extracted a ring, its ck surface marred by stains of blood. He looked at the three members of the Investigative Bureau in front of him and asked, ¡°How does it activate?¡± ¡°Enter your identity information and pass three levels of verification, and you will be its sole owner,¡± said the tall, thin man with a soft expression. ¡°I¡¯m d you made this choice. My name is Chen Yuntian, from the Hanhai old city district Investigation Branch, director of the Lishan Office. Your Li Jing Apartment is within my jurisdiction.¡± With the investigator¡¯s help, Gao Mingpleted the identity authentication. The moment he put on the ck ring, he could ess all the information stored in it. Most of the information was about the unified processing rules for anomalous events by the Investigative Bureau, and a small part was the experience passed down by previous owners of the ck ring. The ck ring itself represented the pinnacle of technology in the Xinhai¡¯s Smart City District and carried the courage, fearlessness, and other shining qualities of ordinary people. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the game studio¡¯s work. If you don¡¯t want to resign, you can work as usual during the day. We won¡¯t interfere with your life,¡± said Chen Yuntian as he closed the ck box. ¡°But there are some things I need to make clear to you.¡± ¡°The old city district has the highest poption density and the most frequent anomalous events among the neen districts of Hanhai. We¡¯ve brought in many investigators over from Xinhai City, but it¡¯s just enough to maintain the situation. We¡¯ll give you the best treatment, and we hope you won¡¯t resist certain orders we issue.¡± Chen Yuntian always appeared calm as if he had lost human emotions, never angry, sad, or happy. ¡°How many anomalous events have you encountered in the old city district?¡± Gao Ming was curious. ¡°Twenty-one Level 0 anomalous events, seventeen Level 1 events, seven Level 2 events, and two Level 3 events.¡± ¡°That many?¡± Gao Ming had only left the tunnel a few days ago and thought there were only a few anomalous events. ¡°The appearance of anomalous events is irregr and unrted. But one thing is certain: the frequency of their urrence is increasing,¡± said Chen Yuntian, spreading his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days to adjust and adapt to your new identity. After three days, you¡¯ll join the Lishan Investigation Bureau¡¯s first investigation team, recing Qin Tian.¡± After watching Gao Ming put on the ck ring, Chen Yuntian picked up the ck box and left with the other two members of the Investigative Bureau. ¡°Gao Ming! Did they give you a hard time?¡± Manager Gou and Wei Dayou rushed into the room, expressing concern. ¡°These people are really bizarre.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Gao Ming reassured them, subtly concealing a ck ring under his sleeve. ¡°Is everyone else okay?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go home tonight. We¡¯re nning to stay overnight at the office. What about you?¡± Reinvigorated with his passion for game development, Wei Dayou asked. ¡°I need to go home,¡± Gao Ming replied and left the room. Outside, Xuan Wen greeted him with a cup of coffee. ¡°Your eyes look much more determined. Did something stimte you?¡± ¡°The horror game has be reality. Now, other yers will join. If the power of the game falls into the wrong hands, the situation could worsen,¡± Gao Ming exined, declining the coffee from Xuan Wen. ¡°Yes, rational people like us are rare,¡± Xuan Wen said, aligning herself with Gao Ming¡¯s perspective. ¡°I need to speed up and use my knowledge to gain an advantage,¡± Gao Ming said, picking up his backpack adorned with a memorial photo. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Nightlight Studio in your hands. Find out who the hidden killer yer is and focus on creating ghost story games.¡± ¡°Do you trust me now?¡± Xuan Wen asked yfully. She had once called Gao Ming ¡°husband¡± upon first meeting, but her true feelings remained a mystery. ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted you,¡± Gao Ming said as he hurried downstairs, hailed a taxi, and set off for the old city district. ¡°Chen Yuntian gave me three days to prepare mentally, but he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m more anxious than anyone,¡± Gao Ming thought to himself. He examined the ck ring, which containedprehensive procedures for managing anomalous events at the Investigative Bureau. These procedures varied depending on the location, like apartments, schools, or hospitals, enhancing investigators¡¯ survival chances without necessarily helping them ¡°clear¡± the game. While studying the ring, its signal light suddenly lit up and vibrated. A message from the Lishan Investigation Bureau arrived: ¡°An anomalous event detected on Lishan Minlong Street. All avable investigators, please rush to the scene!¡± Most anomalous events happened at night, with only a few hours left until dawn. After a moment¡¯s thought, Gao Ming asked the taxi driver to change the destination. He decided to investigate the scene personally to understand the Bureau¡¯s operations better, preparing himself for any future investigations he might face. The taxi navigated through the city, leaving the gleaming skyscrapers behind. As they progressed, the surroundings transformed dramatically into a dense cluster of crowded, run-down apartments. The buildings, tightly packed together, sported dark, unweing windows. The old city district of Hanhai was known for its poverty, but within it, Lishan stood out as the most impoverished and disorderly area. Contrary to its name, Lishan wasn¡¯t an actual mountain but a haphazardly constructed maze of old apartment buildings. These structures, built in defiance of regtions and without any coherent nning, crowded together tightly. These concrete giants rose starkly, leaving no gaps between them. The apartments at ground level were perpetually shadowed, rarely touched by sunlight. Exiting the taxi, Gao Ming stepped into the narrow streets of Lishan, barely two meters in width. He navigated through pathways where sewage from broken pipes above trickled down, filling the air with an overwhelming stench. The background was asionally punctuated by distant shouts and curses. Above him, the sliver of sky was obscured by a chaotic web of illegally strung wires, clotheslines, and haphazardly ced billboards. Instead of the night sky, Gao Ming was surrounded by an atmosphere of oppression, decay, and filth. Drawing a deep breath, he walked past a dental clinic and entered an unlit building. The old metal sliding door screeched as he pushed it open. Inside, the building contrasted sharply with its exterior ¨C it was brightly lit and teeming with staff dressed in ck uniforms, most of whom did not wear ck rings like his. shing his ck ring for verification, Gao Ming felt the respectful gazes of the staff. In the Investigative Bureau, it seemed frontline investigators who wore ck ringsmanded high status. ¡°Hanhai Old City Investigation Branch, Lishan Investigation Bureau, First Investigation Team, Level 1 Investigator Gao Ming, ID 01919, wee,¡± greeted the receptionist. It was their first meeting, and she took the time to exin theyout and function of the Lishan Investigation Bureau. ¡°To effectively monitor anomalous events, the Bureau is situated right in the heart of their frequent urrence ¨C the Lishan building cluster, epassing seven streets. Your team is responsible for monitoring Minlong Street and Li Jing Street.¡± ¡°I received the message. I¡¯m heading to Minlong Street,¡± Gao Ming replied. ¡°The first team has already departed. You might need to operate independently. Please follow me,¡± the staff member advised. Gao Ming was then led to a back door where several ck, modified electric cars were parked. ¡°The narrow roads in the Lishan building cluster make electric cars ideal. You can operate them with your ck ring, and each vehicle is equipped with navigation andmunication systems.¡± Without hesitation, Gao Ming put on a raincoat and took an electric bike. Having resided in the Li Jing Apartment for a considerable time, he was familiar with the area. Navigating with the help of the integrated system, he quickly reached Minlong Street. Upon arrival, he saw that the caution tape was already in ce, and four investigators in ck uniforms were deep in discussion. Removing his raincoat hat, Gao Ming disyed his ck ring and approached the group. ¡°I¡¯m Gao Ming, the investigator recing Qin Tian,¡± he announced. Chapter 25: Are You Afraid of Little Red? Chapter 25: Are You Afraid of Little Red? ¡°Gao Ming? Director Chen said you wouldn¡¯te until three dayster, why are you here now?¡± The only female investigator among the four shook hands with Gao Ming: ¡°I am the deputy head of Investigation Team One¡ªBai Qiao. These three are newbies, they haven¡¯t experienced any abnormal events yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking three newbies into an abnormal event?¡± Gao Ming recalled that the abnormal events he knew were extremely terrifying, with very low survival rates for ordinary people. ¡°ording to the survivor¡¯s ount, no specific ghosts appeared in this abnormal event, only some eerie signs. It¡¯s preliminarily ssified as a Level 1 abnormal event, which is already quite friendly for the newbies,¡± Bai Qiao exined, ying a video: ¡°Yesterday evening, someone called the police, saying that in Minlong Street, Number 4 Courtyard, 4th floor, a child has been crying continuously. The police searched the entire floor but found no child. An elderly resident said that a family of three used to live on the fourth floor. The man was very violent, and the woman was no better. About a few days ago, after an argument in the evening, the couple suddenly moved away overnight, but it seemed the child did not leave with them.¡± ¡°Was the child killed?¡± Gao Ming wondered, watching the video. ¡°We don¡¯t know. We tried to find the couple, but they disappeared in the old city district,¡± Bai Qiao turned off the video: ¡°Since the couple moved out, crying sounds have been heard from the fourth floor. Initially, the sound was weak and would stop after some time. But sincest night, the crying hasn¡¯t stopped. We suspect this abnormal event is worsening and must be investigated quickly.¡± ¡°Only crying sounds? No one injured?¡± Gao Ming, who had dealt with many games rted to crying, couldn¡¯t yet determine which game had be a reality based on the current information. ¡°No injuries so far,¡± Bai Qiao nced at her watch: ¡°Other investigators are on their way here. We¡¯ll enter the building when it¡¯s almost dawn.¡± After several days of torrential rain, the downpour finally began to weaken, but the clouds over the city remained. Forty minutes before dawn, a ck truck stopped on Minlong Street. The driver, a muscr man wearing a cap, had a ck ring tightly embedded in his wrist. ¡°Good morning, Sister Bai,¡± the burly driver said, patting the van. The rear door opened, and four investigators stepped out, carrying various equipment. The youngest two didn¡¯t even have ck rings, apparently just selected for the Investigation Bureau. ¡°Pack the equipment into backpacks, tonight we need to test seven items in the abnormal event¡­¡± The driver was interrupted by the sight of Gao Ming: ¡°This brother looks unfamiliar.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a newbie rmended by Old Qin, experienced in Level 3 abnormal events,¡± Bai Qiao counted the team, raising her arm with the ck ring: ¡°I don¡¯t need to borate on the dangers of abnormal events, you¡¯ve all beenprehensively educated at the bureau. I expect everyone to be fully alert and strictly follow the rules during this operation.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Bai Qiao¡¯s three newbies and the four from the truck responded in unison, their eyes showing no fear, only tension and curiosity. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Including Gao Ming, ten members of the Investigation Bureau entered Building No. 4, but only Gao Ming, Bai Qiao, and the burly driver had experienced abnormal events. Due to a shortage of staff, the Bureau¡¯s older members often took new members into less dangerous abnormal events for training. Tonight¡¯s operation was precisely such a training session for the newbies. The narrow corridor was littered with household trash, with footprints on the stairs, and the walls were covered in graffiti. The investigators cautiously approached the fourth floor, while Gao Ming turned on his shlight to examine the wall paintings. The graffiti, seemingly randomly scribbled by a child, told aplete story. There were three figures drawn in ck crayon. The bulkiest, most violent one seemed to represent the father, the long-haired one, the mother, and the thinnest one, the child. Upon closer inspection, the graffiti revealed more. The figures representing the parents were constantly fighting, and with each conflict, numerous red crayon figures would emerge behind them. These red figures gathered around the child, slowly piling up and deforming. As time passed, the red figures began to perform more terrifying acts, breaking off heads, dismembering arms. Though they emerged from the parents, they seemed indifferent to the child¡¯s feelings, never apanying the child. The fights continued, and the red figures grew increasingly horrific, appearing suddenly while the child was focused on other things. In a graffiti on the second floor, the child was doing homework when red figures suddenly crawled out from under the desk, pulling his hair, choking his neck, preventing him from studying. Another on the third floor showed the child sleeping in bed, with red figures emerging from under the bed and the nket, prying open the child¡¯s eyes, preventing sleep. The child was terrified, covering himself with a nket even in the heat, and not daring to close his eyes even when shampoo entered them during a bath. Seeing the child¡¯s abnormal fear, his parents seemed angrier, and their fights often involved the child. ¡°The police didn¡¯t find the child inside. Is the child trapped in that shadow world?¡± Reaching the fourth floor, the investigators, led by Bai Qiao and the driver, expertly set up their equipment. ¡°There are six apartments on the fourth floor, but all the residents have moved out. You¡¯ll explore in pairs, never losing sight of each other, no matter what happens.¡± The investigators used keys provided by the police to open each door. As they touched the key to room 405, a red light on everyone¡¯s wrist lit up, andmunication was abruptly cut off. In that instant, Gao Ming saw a vast shadow surge out from under the door of 405, engulfing Building No. 4. A chill permeated his body. Gao Ming took a deep breath; the hidden game in Minlong Street, Number 4, was activated. Looking downstairs, Gao Ming received worse news; the shadow-covered game field was asrge as the one he experienced with Zhao Xi. Compared to that experience, this was not a Level 1 but a potentially cunning Level 3 abnormal event. ¡°Twenty minutes until dawn,¡± Bai Qiao raised her arm again: ¡°We are now truly in the midst of an abnormal event. Any information you find here can greatly help those whoe after us. Any rules you deduce will be recorded in the bureau¡¯s archives. Of course, all this assumes that you can survive to bring the information out.¡± The burly driver stood straight: ¡°The ck ring¡¯s red signal meansmunication ispletely cut off. Don¡¯t trust the time you see inside the building. Only when the red light goes off and the yellow lightes on are we truly out.¡± ¡°Twenty minutes can be short, but also very long,¡± Bai Qiao said, her face stern, eyes scanning everyone: ¡°The investigation of the abnormal event begins! I hope each of us can safely walk out of this dark night!¡± Chapter 26: Phobia Chapter 26: Phobia The temperature inside the building dropped suddenly, but facing the unknown fear, the new investigators were not too terrified. They strictly followed the internal rules of the bureau and assembled various equipment from their backpacks as quickly as possible. These devices all had corresponding numbers. The investigation bureau was continuously trying tobat abnormal events with various means, and the equipment brought by the neers was their ¡°weapon.¡± ¡°Is this thing useful?¡± Gao Ming asked curiously. ¡°Ny-nine percent of the time it¡¯s not, but as long as there¡¯s a one percent hope, we¡¯ll keep trying until we find something that can affect the unknown,¡± the burly driver clenched his fist. ¡°It¡¯s because of the ability to use tools that humans became humans.¡± ¡°Communication was disrupted when we opened the door of room 405. That child and his parents once lived in this room,¡± Bai Qiao picked up a shlight and headed towards room 405. Without weapons to counter the horror or any effective protective measures, Bai Qiao, knowing the danger, still headed towards room 405. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Gao Ming stepped forward first: ¡°You are the core of the team, let me handle the exploration.¡± The tiny chains on his wrist, stimted by the shadows and resembling moving tattoos, appeared on Gao Ming¡¯s wrist. He extended his left hand and gently pushed open the door of room 405. The ny-square-meter rental house was filled with a strange smell. Five huge ck stic bags were piled up by the living room door, containing some yellowed bedding and children¡¯s clothes. ¡°Be careful,¡± Bai Qiao raised her shlight to light the way for Gao Ming. It seemed like a struggle had urred in the living room. The dining table was overturned, chairs were lying on the ground, and there were solidified food scraps and broken porcin bowl shards on the cement floor. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one-sided domestic violence. Both parties in the fight had lost their minds,¡± Gao Ming found a small piece of scalp with short hair in the corner of the wall, belonging to a man: ¡°The situation is worse than I imagined.¡± Touching the wall, Gao Ming felt the mold on it. He looked around; even with the doors and windows shut, the room was very damp. The wardrobe, under the sofa, behind the TV, all were covered inrge patches of mold. ¡°If I rented a room like this, I would feel bad too,¡± the burly driver divided the neers into three teams: one followed Gao Ming into the room, one stayed at the door, and one was responsible for backup support. ¡°Feeling bad is normal, but it¡¯s wrong to vent anger on close family,¡± Gao Ming went to the other side of the living room. This room couldn¡¯t be called a home at all, dirty, messy, filled with the smell of rot. The family was broken, just like the various pieces of furniture smashed in the room. ¡°The parents both had violent tendencies, arguing and fighting, like two monsters hysterically attacking each other,¡± Gao Ming picked up a broken flower vase from the ground. The edges of the shards still had traces of blood and strands of long hair: ¡°Did they be like this due to the abnormal event, or were they always like this inside?¡± ¡°ording to an old resident of the building, they often fought before the abnormal event arrived,¡± Bai Qiao didn¡¯t interrupt Gao Ming. She was curious to see what this ordinary person, who had resolved a third-level abnormal event, was capable of. ¡°Even without the abnormal event, a tragedy could still happen¡­¡± Gao Ming wanted to understand the rtionship between the game and reality: ¡°So, it¡¯s not that the abnormal event found them, but that this family was attracting the abnormal event.¡± Passing through the living room, Gao Ming came to the only clean room, which seemed to be the child¡¯s bedroom. The small room had a desk, wardrobe, and a single bed. Interestingly, it wasn¡¯t autumn yet, but the bed wasid with winter quilts and various nkets. Those quilts were piled around the bed, like the walls of a castle in the child¡¯s mind. Opening the wardrobe, a few children¡¯s clothes hung inside, and the bottom was lined with newspapers, a shlight, and a box of crayons. ¡°The space under the wardrobe was just enough to hide a child, meaning the kid of room 405 might choose to hide here and draw when scared,¡± Gao Ming crouched down: ¡°The enclosed environment could give the child a sense of safety, as if back in the mother¡¯s womb.¡± Grabbing the box of crayons, Gao Ming was about to move it when a fabric arm suddenly fell on the box. Bai Qiao and another neer beside her tensed up, but Gao Ming showed no reaction. He pulled out the box and the arm together. ¡°What an ugly rag doll.¡± A handmade rag doll was hidden deep in the wardrobe. It barely resembled a human shape, covered in patches and stained with various paints. ¡°The neighbors didn¡¯t see the couple take the child away, and the police didn¡¯t find the child on the 4th floor. Do you think the child might have turned into this rag doll?¡± Gao Ming locked the doll¡¯s neck and tied its hands together. ¡°Now is not the time for ghost stories,¡± Bai Qiao frowned slightly. Gao Ming hadn¡¯t undergone the bureau¡¯s internal training and wasn¡¯t following the rules. Pressing his fingers over every inch of the rag doll, Gao Ming felt nothing strange inside. He then opened the box of crayons. The lid had a sentence written on it in crooked letters ¨C ¡°I wish I could hide in a ce no one can find.¡± ¡°It seems the abnormal event helped the child¡¯s wishe true,¡± Gao Ming thought of his own birthday wish. He suddenly felt that the abnormal event was very eager, seizing human vulnerabilities and desperately trying to fill them, but in a bloody and terrifying way. After a basic inspection of room 405, the neers following Gao Ming took out their equipment to collect items from the room, even the mold on the walls. ¡°Be careful, we might be involved in more than a first-level abnormal event,¡± Gao Ming whispered, then sat on the child¡¯s bed, deep in thought. He had yed a game about finding a lost child called ¡°Hide and Seek,¡± where seven ghosts and a child y. Finding the real child meant clearing the game. But that game didn¡¯t correspond to this abnormal event, which brought shadows to the child not from ghosts but from his parents. ¡°The parents often had conflicts and fought, sometimes even venting their anger on the child. Living in such a family, the child would inevitably develop various psychological problems.¡± Gao Ming had encountered simr cases when doing psychological counseling in a high-security prison. Some offenders had often suffered rough treatment from their parents since childhood. ¡°In such a family atmosphere, the child¡¯s personality could go to two extremes: either extremely timid and weak, or abnormally irritable and excessive. Judging from the scene, the child of room 405 was likely the former.¡± Everyone likes obedient children, but there are different types of obedience. If a child is always forced to appear well-behaved, their inner world gradually bes twisted. The most direct expression is timidity, fear of making mistakes in everything because they are worried about angering others, so they want to hide themselves. Looking at the ¡°quilt wall¡± around the bed, Gao Ming curled up his body, trying to lie on the child¡¯s bed. ¡°The parents were in the living room, throwing and smashing things, beating each other, full of foulnguage. The child couldn¡¯t get protection from either parent and had to always be careful not to be their venting tool.¡± ¡°In this situation, the most likely emotion to arise is fear.¡± Gao Ming thought of the graffiti on the stairwell wall. When the figures representing the parents started arguing, many red figures would crawl out of them, disassembling their body parts, all running towards the child. ¡°Maybe those red figures were the child¡¯s way of expressing fear,¡± Gao Ming gradually recalled another game, a more ominous one called ¡°Phobia.¡± There were no specific ghosts in it, nor overly bloody scenes, but its destructiveness and threat were even greater than the typical ghost story! The content of the game was simple. One day ¡°Phobia¡± suddenly erupted, spreading and infecting the entire city, plunging everyone into fear. Chapter 27: Hiding in the Closet, Okay? Chapter 27: Hiding in the Closet, Okay? Bing proficient at this game presented a unique paradox: it was simultaneously straightforward and challenging. The key was to remain fearless; those who did not sumb to fear were safe from contracting the game¡¯s central affliction, known as ¡°Phobia.¡± However, for the majority of people, conquering their fears proved to be an intimidating hurdle. In a dark twist of irony, the game also concluded with a bleak scenario. To halt the spread of ¡°Phobia,¡± the city¡¯s leaders made a drastic decision: theymanded the elimination of everyone in areas gued by the infection. This harsh measure left the uninfected survivors with no choice but to confront the city¡¯s authorities about their extreme actions. The potential real-world implications of the game were rming. ¡°If this game were to leap off the screen into reality, the consequences would be catastrophic,¡± was amon thought. The rate at which ¡°Phobia¡± spread in the game was rmingly rapid, far surpassing any traditional ghost story in terms of sheer terror. It was critical to stop the game from inspiring real-world panic by addressing its root cause. Gao Ming, the game creator, and a psychologist by profession, emphasized the urgency of their mission: ¡°We have to find the missing child,¡± he insisted. However, even as he spoke, he experienced a physical reaction indicative of acute anxiety ¨C profuse sweating, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and an unexpected need to urinate. These were telltale signs of ¡°Phobia,¡± and as a psychologist, he recognized them immediately. With determination, he stood up and addressed everyone with a loud voice, ¡°Listen up, everyone! Do not trust your senses ¨C what you see, hear, or feel! Don¡¯t let fear dominate you!¡± Despite his impassioned plea, he was met with only silence in response. Gao Ming then left to check the living room, only to find Room 405 eerily deserted. A worrying thought crossed his mind: ¡°This isn¡¯t good. It seems I¡¯ve been unwittingly affected by the very thing we¡¯re fighting against.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s concern grew as he recalled that Bai Qiao and the sturdy driver had brought along all the new recruits from Investigative Team 1 to tackle this seemingly low-risk anomaly. A total of ten investigators had entered the fray, but the anomaly they faced had a peculiar trait ¨C it preyed on anyone who experienced fear, regardless of their numbers or strength. The game ¡°Phobia,¡± despitecking any traditional ghostly elements, induced such intense terror that many yers chose suicide as an escape from their overwhelming fear. ¡°I must break free of the fear if I want to help the others.¡± Determined to ovee his own fears to aid others, Gao Ming focused his mind, consciously steering clear of fear-provoking thoughts. If he didn¡¯t quickly identify and confront the source of his fear, he knew it would spiral into a crippling cycle that would be hard to break. Gao Ming made a conscious effort to stay calm, deliberately avoiding the temptation to ponder the worst possible oues. Suddenly, he heard desperate cries for help from the corridor. A novice investigator, apparently being chased by an unseen entity, had stumbled and was now being dragged away, his pleas for release gradually fading as he was taken to another level of the building. Finding himself unable to open his door, Gao Ming didn¡¯t hesitate to kick it down. The corridor was shrouded in darkness and unsettlingly quiet, despite the audible cries and sobs emanating from other rooms. Unfazed and not having given in to fear, Gao Ming forcefully opened these doors too, ready to confront whatevery beyond. He firmly believed that facing fear head-on was the only way to defeat it. Casting aside all worries and anxieties, he resolved to let go of negative emotions and march forward with determination. ¡°I am the creator of this game; I know every aspect of it. Why should I be afraid?¡± he thought to himself. Neither cries of distress nor screams of terror swayed him from his mission. He employed positive self-talk and even hypnotic techniques to maintain his resolve, prepared to face an actual ghost if it came down to it. After enduring the mental and emotional torture of the game, Gao Ming noticed that the dark, oppressive shadows clouding his vision were beginning to dissipate. The game, which proved treacherous for many yers, wasn¡¯t as formidable for someone of Gao Ming¡¯s psychological expertise and resolve. ¡°It seems I¡¯m being ejected from the game.¡± Gao Ming realized. In the world of ¡°Phobia,¡± mastering one¡¯s fears was synonymous with finding a way out. Standing in a corridor decorated with graffiti, holding an unattractive, almost grotesque doll, Gao Ming was deep in thought. He knew that his departure from the game could spell danger for the inexperienced investigators still trapped inside. The nature of fear in this game was insidious¡ªit could grow and spread like a contagion. The thought of the group sumbing to panic and disarray was a scenario he found uneptable. After a moment of contemtion, Gao Ming made his decision, a resolution born from his understanding of fear¡¯s progression. He recognized that fear typically evolves through four distinct stages. The initial stage is beneficial, acting as an alert to potential threats. The second stage amplifies the fear, prompting one to prepare defensively. However, if the threat persists, the third stage, a negative feedback loop, can ensue, leading to heightened anxiety, pain, and despair. The most dangerous is the final stage, where fearpletely overwhelms the individual. Gao Ming aimed to maintain control, staying at the initial, alert stage of fear. The unseen maniptor of the game had attempted to pull him into deeper stages of fear but had not seeded. Returning to Room 405, he realized that others might be sinking deeper into fear¡¯s grasp. ¡°I must confront and embrace this fear to rescue them,¡± he determined. Carrying a backpack filled with obituaries, hey inside a makeshift ¡°fort of nkets,¡± adopting the role of a child, deliberately allowing the fear to spread unchecked within him. ¡­ Meanwhile, Zhu Miao Miao, a remarkable female firefighter from the old city district, stood out for her physical prowess, often surpassing her male counterparts. She once had a happy family life until a sudden anomaly snatched her husband and child away three days earlier. Determined to find them, she joined the Investigation Bureau as a rookie, unaligned with any team, but with a personal mission. Though mentally prepared, she quickly realized that her physical strength was no match for the paralyzing effects of genuine fear. Huddled in Room 406, feeling cold and numb, Zhu Miao Miao clung to her bloodied fire axe. The sounds of her colleagues being dragged away and their agonized screams were a constant torment. In an attempt to fight back, she swung her axe at what she perceived to be a monster, only to be met with the horrified cry of a colleague. The warm blood that sttered on her and the sight of a colleague copsing in a pool of blood sent her into a state of terror. She had lost track of the game¡¯s rules, her mind a nk te of fear. ¡°You can¡¯t leave now,¡± a child¡¯s voice eerily echoed in the room. Holding her axe tightly, Zhu Miao Miao backed up against the door, her mind racing with thoughts of usation and guilt. ¡°You killed a colleague. You¡¯re a murderer. You¡¯ll be jailed. You¡¯ll never see your family again.¡± Challenging the voice, Zhu swung her axe at the empty air. Then, a pale child with a somewhat deformed arm emerged from the wardrobe, reaching out towards her. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared,¡± he said in a calming tone. ¡°Let¡¯s hide in here together.¡± Chapter 28: Facing Fear Chapter 28: Facing Fear ¡°Are we going to remain hidden in this spot?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s hide in this closet. It¡¯s surprisingly spacious.¡± The young boy, exerting effort, shifted a heap of clothes that had been burying him, his skin underneath visibly irritated with angry, red rashes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t harm you. This closet isrge enough to conceal many people.¡± From somewhere behind the boy, the closet emitted faint, distressing noises reminiscent of stifled pleas for help. Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s heart sank with fear, haunted by the thought that if she dared to open the closet¡¯s other door, she might uncover the contorted forms of her missing colleagues. ¡°My parents will return shortly, and they are in a particrly foul temper. You should get in here as quickly as possible,¡± whispered the boy, his voice barely above a hush, as if he feared being overheard. ¡°If they discover you, they¡¯ll brutally dismember you.¡± Hearing such gruesome words from a child¡¯s mouth was almost beyond Zhu Miao Miao¡¯sprehension. She gripped her fire axe even tighter, it being the only thing that gave her a semnce of security in that moment. ¡°My parents are ruthless. They have a penchant for destruction and relish in the idea of killing in the most barbaric ways possible,¡± the boy continued, his arms iling as he painted a vivid picture of them. ¡°They¡¯re both giants, nearly three meters tall. My father possesses supernatural strength, and my mother frequently wields lethal weapons. They despise each other but are grotesquely fused together, unable to separate.¡± As she listened to the boy¡¯s description, Zhu Miao Miao couldn¡¯t shake off the mental image of a monstrous duo: A towering, muscr man and a woman armed with deadly des, their bodies grotesquely intertwined, prowling the corridors in search of their colleagues. These terrifying thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps echoing in the hallway. ¡°Shhhh! My parents areing!¡± The boy mped a hand over his mouth, and Zhu Miao Miao, too, was ovee with anxiety, barely allowing herself to breathe audibly. The approaching footsteps intensified, soon apanied by the voices of a man and a woman engaged in a heated, vulgar argument. ¡°You damned bitch! I¡¯ll strangle you!¡± ¡°Am I wrong, though? You¡¯re nothing but a coward, always throwing your weight around at home. Thank goodness our son isn¡¯t yours.¡± ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The vulgarity of their exchange was so extreme that Zhu Miao Miao, despite being an adult, found it deeply unsettling. She could only imagine the emotional toll it must take on their child. Footsteps crunched over scattered ss; fingernails scratched along the wall. Then, suddenly, the cacophony ceased right outside Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s hiding ce. With her palms slick with sweat, Zhu Miao Miao looked up, her heart pounding as if the monstrous figures were just beyond the door. A decorative window set into the door was violently forced open as strands of hair spilled into the closet. Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s face drained of color, and she nearly stumbled in fright when suddenly, the sound of a door unlocking resonated down the hallway, causing the hairs to withdraw slowly. It seemed the monstrous figures had moved on. Zhu Miao Miao hesitated, her hand hovering over the doorknob, but ultimately, she decided against opening it. Instead, she carefully set down her fire axe and extracted her phone. With deliberate caution, she positioned its camera lens at the tiny window built into the door frame. Bncing precariously on her tiptoes, she peered anxiously at the phone¡¯s screen, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation at the unfolding scene. Through the grainy feed of her phone¡¯s camera, a harrowing sight unfolded. She could discern a grotesquely deformed man, about three meters in height, unnaturally clinging to the wall just across from her hiding spot. His arms were disproportionatelyrge, several times the size of an ordinary human¡¯s. Entangled with him was a woman, their bodies bizarrely fused together, creating a singr, monstrous entity. The four eyes shared between them were fixed in a menacing re directed towards the source of the disturbance, emanating an almost palpable sense of malevolence. ¡°Monster!¡± Zhu Miao Miao muttered in horror, the creature before her eerily mirroring the terrifying image she had conjured in her mind earlier. She bit down hard on her lip, struggling to maintain her silence despite the cold sweat beading on her forehead. She had known when she joined the Bureau that encounters with such nightmarish beings were possible, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated confronting one so soon, nor so abruptly. Her neck muscles stood out taut with tension as she remained motionless, gripped by a paralyzing fear. An oppressive silence filled the hallway. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the room across the hall, mistakenly believing the creature had departed, decided to investigate. The door handle turned slowly, the creak of the old apartment door breaking the heavy silence. Oblivious to the lurking danger, the people inside were about to step out. Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s heart lurched to her throat, dread tightening its grip at the sight. ¡°It seems safe now,¡± murmured a familiar voice from within the room, likely another rookie investigator. As the door gradually opened, a colleague¡¯s face became visible. Simultaneously, the monstrous couple reacted. The deformed man¡¯s fist tightened menacingly, while the woman, armed with a sharp de, poised herself to strike. The lethal glint of the knife loomed dangerously close to the unsuspecting colleague¡¯s face. ¡°Be careful!¡± Zhu Miao Miao couldn¡¯t stand idly by. In a split second, she burst through her own door, fire axe in hand, and cried out a warning: ¡°The ghost is right at the door!¡± Startled, the deformed couple swiftly turned their heads. Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s legs trembled under the weight of her fear, her instinct screaming at her to flee. The investigator in the opposite room reacted too, but it was already toote to close the door. The deformed man, swaying as if intoxicated, aggressively pushed the door wide open, his movements reminiscent of a drunken stupor he might have exhibited in his former life, often witnessed by the child. ¡°I¡¯ll hold it off! You guys run!¡± bellowed the voice of the burly driver-turned-investigator from within the rental apartment. This was followed by the rming sounds of shattering ss and a heavy object tumbling to the ground. The reliable, muscr investigator appeared to have been thrown downstairs in the chaotic encounter. However, the chaos created by the investigator¡¯s sacrifice served a crucial purpose, providing a window of opportunity for the other rookie investigators and Bai Qiao to make their escape. ¡°Split up, find somewhere to hide! Look for clues, for any rules that might help us! Often, the key to escaping these strange events lies hidden within the events themselves!¡± Bai Qiao attempted to instill some sense of order, trying to guide the rookies, but her efforts were in vain. Consumed by panic, the rookies paid no heed to her instructions. Theprehensive training they had undergone at the Bureau waspletely abandoned in their desperate rush to escape downstairs. ¡°Don¡¯t stray from the anomaly¡¯s location! If you venture out into the fog, you¡¯ll be disoriented, lost forever!¡± Despite Bai Qiao¡¯s fervent warnings, they fell on deaf ears. The rookies, overwhelmed by a terror that had swiftly overridden their sense of reason, were single-mindedly focused on fleeing the scene as quickly as possible. The building¡¯s hallway echoed with frantic cries and the sounds of hurried footsteps, everyone scrambling towards the exit. In the midst of this chaos, the child who had been hiding in the closet earlier managed to slip out, blending seamlessly with the investigators in their frenzied dash for safety. ¡°Come back! Don¡¯t let fear dominate you!¡± Bai Qiao pursued them, her voice trailing off as she ran towards the building¡¯s exterior, leaving Zhu Miao Miao feeling isted within its confines. ¡°What should I do now?¡± The Bureau¡¯s training manual¡¯s very first page emphasized that one should never sumb to panic in the midst of an anomalous event. To do so meant risking never finding one¡¯s way back to safety. The instructions were explicit, yet Zhu Miao Miao found herself grappling with uncertainty: Where could she possibly hide if not running away? Looking despairingly across the hall, Zhu Miao Miao observed the monstrous creature in the opposite room. It rampaged like a deranged tyrant, violently overturning tables and wardrobes, indiscriminately destroying everything within its grasp. As she watched, the deformed man, stepping through pools of fresh blood, slowly turned to face her. His gaze fixed upon Zhu Miao Miao. A chilling sensation washed over her, making her feel as though she was the sole remaining person in the building. When the creature¡¯s eyes met hers, a paralyzing fear surged through her body. In her terror-stricken eyes, the creature appeared to swell in size, its distorted and horrifying form seemingly magnified by her fear. This encounter transported Zhu Miao Miao back to a traumatic childhood memory ¨C being surrounded by a raging inferno, her home consumed by leaping mes. She could almost feel the smoke and heat engulfing her again, the intense ze scorching her face, her skin parched and cracking. ¡°Is anyone there¡­ Help me¡­¡± Clutching the fire axe with hands toughened by years of hardbor, Zhu Miao Miao stood defiantly, positioning the de towards the looming monster. ¡°It¡¯s over, there¡¯s no escape now.¡± The monstrous figure loomed over Zhu Miao Miao, its grotesque form dominating her entire field of view, instilling a sense of overwhelming despair in her heart. The fire axe, once a symbol of her determination and strength, now felt unbearably heavy in her hands. As her grip weakened, threatening to let the axe slip away, a sudden and unexpected sound pierced the tense atmosphere ¨C the metallic sh of chains striking against metal railings resonated down the hallway. Although the deformed creature¡¯s face was rmingly close to her own, the distinct, ringing sound seemed to wield an almost mystical power. It cut through the fog of Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s terror, granting her a moment of much-needed lucidity. She turned her head towards the source of the sound. In the shadowy corridor, an unfamiliar figure was rapidly approaching her. This young man was not d in the typical uniform of the Investigation Bureau. His left hand was encased in dark, heavy chains, and his eyes zed with a resolve devoid of any trace of fear. With a swift and agile movement, he used the stained wall for leverage andunched himself at the monster, colliding forcefully with its back. Grasping the chains with both hands, he began to wrap them with a swift, practiced motion around the neck of the deformed behemoth. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± The young man¡¯s firm and reassuring voice instantly transported Zhu Miao Miao back to a pivotal moment in her childhood. She vividly recalled the time when she was six years old, trapped in a house engulfed by mes. A firefighter had burst through the door, fearlessly charging into the zing inferno to save her. It was as if the same words had been spoken to her then, a voice cutting through the chaos of fire and fear, offering a glimmer of hope and protection. Chapter 29: The Temptation of Home Chapter 29: The Temptation of Home In the world of psychological fear, there are four distinct levels, each offering a progressively stranger and more frightening experience. Gao Ming, who had previously been stuck in the initial stage, had witnessed scenes that were so realistic they were nearly indistinguishable from actual events. But as one ventures deeper into theseyers of fear, the situations they encounter be increasingly bizarre and horrifying. Driven by a fierce determination to save his colleagues, Gao Ming bravely dove into the depths of this fear, immersing himself in the same nightmarish visions that his team members had experienced. In one of these visions, he was confronted by a horrific entity, a nightmarishbination of distorted figures resembling parents. He was uncertain whether this was a manifestation of a child¡¯s terror from room 405 or a creation from the collective psyche of the investigators. As the architect behind this game of terror, Gao Ming understood that no real ghosts existed within this ominous creation. The monstrous figure before him was likely a tangible representation of fear itself. In ¡°Phobia,¡± the game they found themselves trapped in, there was a rule: when a group is overwhelmed by a shared fear, that fear has the power to take on a physical form. To face such a creature, a product of their collective terror, one needed immense rationality and bravery. Any trace of fear would only empower the creature, giving it formidable abilities derived from the yers¡¯ own imaginations. In this battle against fear, the yers were essentially fighting against themselves. This understanding propelled Gao Ming to confront the beast head-on, mentally steeling himself for the confrontation. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Gao Ming yelled, hoping to disrupt the cycle of fear among his fellow investigators and prevent them from further empowering the creature. Recognizing that mere words weren¡¯t enough, he decided to take direct action. He grappled with the monstrous figure, a twisted representation of a child¡¯s perception of aggressive and harmful parents. He disregarded the sharp de in the woman¡¯s hand and the man¡¯s desperate attacks, standing unyielding and firm like a rock in a turbulent sea. ¡°Fear is a psychological counselor¡¯s most familiar emotion and the most vital to master,¡± Gao Ming reflected. ¡°Only by conquering fear can one truly explore the deepest, darkest corners of the human psyche.¡± Gao Ming relentlessly attacked the monster, who was also desperately trying to rid itself of the restraint that had been born from Zhao Xi¡¯s memories and desires. ¡°You are selfish and violent, ming the world for your problems, filled with resentment, and even directing your rage towards your child. You don¡¯t deserve to be called parents,¡± Gao Ming proimed, his arms straining with effort as he spoke. ¡°Once your true nature is revealed, no one will fear you.¡± His words seemed to target not just the monstrous figure, but also Zhu Miao Miao, addressing deeper issues at y. As the fear within the building rapidly dissipated, the new investigators made their escape, causing the monstrous figure to shrink considerably. Zhu Miao Miao felt a surge of strength returning to her. Clutching her firefighter¡¯s axe, a tool she became familiar with during numerous fire rescue operations, Zhu Miao Miao overcame her longstanding fear of ghosts and spirits. Regaining her rity, she noticed something rming: a thick, spiked vein extending from the bloated body of the monster to her own head. She tried to cut it with her axe, but her physical attack seemed ineffective. Undeterred, Zhu Miao Miao charged at the monster, axe in hand. As she faced and conquered her fear, the vein connecting them withered away, eventually falling lifelessly to the ground. With itsst source of fear extinguished, the monstrous, deformed figure that resembled a parent, let out a piercing scream. It was then cleaved in two by the chains wielded by Gao Ming, disintegrating into countless red beads that were absorbed by the chains. ¡°Thank you foring to save me,¡± Zhu Miao Miao expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Gao Ming, knowing she would always remember the image of this brave young man. ¡°What about the others?¡± Gao Ming inquired, surveying the area. He had ventured into the deepestyer of Phobia, a realm far removed from reality. Apart from Zhu Miao Miao, he couldn¡¯t see anyone else. ¡°They seem to have escaped the building,¡± she responded. ¡°Did they leave this ce?¡± Sensing something unusual, Gao Ming quickly moved downstairs, urging, ¡°Follow me closely.¡± ¡°Team Leader Bai Qiao was with them; they should be safe,¡± Zhu Miao Miao reassured, cing her trust in Gao Ming as she followed him. After they had vanquished the fear-formed parents, the ominous shadow that had been enveloping the building started to recede. Unlike typical games, ¡°Phobia¡± appeared to be actively pushing Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao out, an anomaly that caught Gao Ming¡¯s attention. He hurried down the stairs without stopping. Upon reaching the ground floor, Gao Ming forcefully kicked open the door, only to be greeted by streets enveloped in shadows and fog, revealing a world that was bizarrely distorted. The game seemed to be expanding its influence, with the shadows stretching further and further. ¡°Stay here,¡± Gao Ming instructed Zhu Miao Miao as he ventured into the mysterious streets, contemting whether this shadowy realm was a direct reflection of reality. Was this a distorted version of the real world or something entirely different? He thought about theories of parallel universes, but theplexity of their situation seemed to defy such a straightforward exnation. The mysteries were umting, demanding not only survival but a determined quest for the truth. As Gao Ming walked down the street, he discovered a tattered investigator uniform. Nearby, a pale-faced child peeked around a corner, fearfully gesturing for him to stay away. ¡°Is this child the source of ¡®Phobia¡¯?¡± Gao Ming pondered, questioning whether he could even catch the child in this mysterious, shadow-filled world. ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve been living in a very oppressive and tense environment,¡± Gao Ming called out in a gentle, reassuring tone, carefully concealing the chains up his sleeve. He extended a tattered doll towards the child, offering a promise, ¡°If you¡¯re longing for a new family, one that¡¯s warm and harmonious,e find me. I¡¯m surrounded by many parents, all of whom are incredibly kind-hearted.¡± He added with sincerity, ¡°I live in Li Jing Apartment, Building 4, Floor 4. Remember, you¡¯re always wee there.¡± Before Gao Ming couldplete his offer, the child disappeared, and with its departure, the engulfing shadows began to retreat rapidly. It became evident to Gao Ming that the game had seemingly chosen to expel him instead of him conquering the game. ¡°This high-level, ominous game has undergone a transformation because of that young boy,¡± Gao Ming contemted, his expression shifting from warmth to a more serious demeanor. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the boy from room 405 isn¡¯t actually a ghost but rather a yer who decided to remain within the game, existing in this shadow-filled reality.¡± At the street¡¯s end, a faint glimmer of light emerged. Zhu Miao Miao approached Gao Ming amidst the rain, expressing her relief and surprise, ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve made it through this bizarre ordeal! But I didn¡¯t catch sight of anyone else!¡± Gao Ming, allowing the rain to drench him, reflected on the protocol for such situations, ¡°The guidelines for managing these events advise against leaving the area hastily, as it can result in getting lost.¡± He spected that the other investigators were probably still ensnared in the shadow world, fighting for their survival. Staring at the towering, foreboding buildings, Gao Ming pondered, ¡°Lishan, being the most densely popted and chaotic part of the old city, experiences the highest frequency of these abnormal events. If I can transform the buildings in this shadowy neighborhood into a sanctuary for those still alive, it could potentially save many lives in future cmities.¡± With a look of determination, he contemted the necessary sacrifices, ¡°To make this happen, a significant sacrifice will be needed. But pursuing the right cause is worth it. Ah, Qin Tian was right about me; my selflessness knows no bounds.¡± Chapter 30: The White Owl Chapter 30: The White Owl As the darkness retreated, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao found themselves abruptly transitioning from the eerie, shadowden world back to the familiar, yet now disconcerting, reality of their own world. The pitter-patter of raindrops greeted them, a stark contrast to the silence they had just escaped. Zhu Miao Miao, her hands still tightly gripping a firefighter¡¯s axe, felt her knees buckle beneath her, and she crumpled to the wet ground. The release of tension was overwhelming. With her raincoat hood down, she looked around in a daze, her eyes fixating on Building No. 4. This building held poignant memories for her; it was there that ten of their fellow investigators, including herself and Gao Ming, had initially convened for what was supposed to be a routine investigation. Now, only she and Gao Ming stood outside, drenched and exhausted. The faces of her colleagues, with whom she had shared rigorous training sessions at the Investigation Bureau, shed through her mind. Sensing her turmoil, Gao Ming, who besides being her partner was also a skilled psychological counselor, spoke up. ¡°They¡¯re not dead, just trapped,¡± he said, a note of conviction in his voice. ¡°They¡¯re fighting for survival in that other, shadowy dimension. We must recuperate, build our strength, and prepare ourselves. We have to venture back into that ominous world and rescue them.¡± Zhu Miao Miao nodded, her gaze filled with admiration for Gao Ming. Despite his often detached exterior, he was invariably the one leading the charge in perilous situations. Gao Ming broke the reflective moment. ¡°We should get going,¡± he suggested. ¡°But we left behind most of our equipment,¡± Zhu Miao Miao pointed out. She threw the axe into a storage container and hurried back into the building, intent on retrieving their abandoned gear. Thirty minutester, the duo departed from the scene, Gao Ming leading on an electric scooter provided by the Investigation Bureau, with Zhu Miao Miao following closely in a truck. They took an indirect route, cautiously avoiding potential dangers, and eventually arrived near the Lishan Investigation Division. Before they could even disembark from their vehicles, they were besieged by a crowd of anxious staff members. These colleagues bombarded them with a flurry of questions and expressions of concern about the whereabouts of the missing investigators, including the Deputy Head of Investigation Team One, whose whereabouts were now unknown due to a lost tracking signal. Amid the chaos, a young man with a stern, unyielding expression stepped forward and briskly opened the back of the truck. His eyes scanned the interior, finding only equipment and no sign of the missing team members. His reaction was a mixture of shock and disbelief, which momentarily silenced the crowd and created a heavy, tense air around them. After a brief, heavy silence, he approached Gao Ming. ¡°I¡¯m Bai Xiao, leader of Investigation Team One. Bai Qiao is my sister. What happenedst night?¡± His tone was sharp, betraying a mix of worry and frustration. Gao Ming responded with candor, not sugarcoating the grim reality. ¡°We underestimated the danger. The anomaly at Building No. 4 on Minlong Street wasn¡¯t a minor Level 1 disturbance. It was, at the very least, Level 2, possibly even Level 3. The more fear and panic it provoked, the more lethal it became, as it had the terrifying ability to turn those fears into tangible threats.¡± His gaze fixed intently on Gao Ming, Bai Xiao struggled to process this information. The concept of an anomaly that could manifest fears into reality was beyond anything they had encountered before. ¡°So, it was an error in judgment by Bai Qiao that led her and the reserve members of our team into this predicament?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s voice was tinged with a barely controlled mix of anger and concern. Gao Ming carefully ced his helmet on the scooter, his expression somber yet empathetic. He tried to offer a semnce offort to Bai Xiao in the midst of the unsettling situation. ¡°Anomalies are inherently unpredictable. Our understanding of them is still limited. It¡¯s important not to be too self-critical. The team is merely lost in the shadows as of now. There remains a possibility for their safe return.¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s lips trembled slightly, hinting at the emotional turmoil he was struggling to contain, but he remained silent. With a heavy heart, he turned and retreated into the truck, seeking solitude to process the news. Zhu Miao Miao leaned towards Gao Ming and whispered a cautionary note about Bai Xiao¡¯s temper. Gao Ming simply nodded in acknowledgment, his mind clearly preupied with broader, more pressing concerns. The interpersonal dynamics seemed trivial inparison to therger n he was formting. Upon their return to the division, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao were ushered into a meeting where they detailed the recent events. They used their ck rings, which recorded data from the incident, as a reference tool. Bai Xiao, along with the remaining members of Team One, listened intently, absorbing every detail. The Division Chief, Chen Yuntian, arrived during the debriefing. The gravity of the situation and the loss of eight investigators weighed heavily in the room. After two exhaustive hours, the reconstruction of events waspleted, and thepiled information was uploaded to HQ. This provided everyone with a moreprehensive understanding of the incident. After the debriefing, Chen Yuntian pulled Gao Ming aside for a private conversation. ¡°I had given you three days to adjust, yet you encountered this unexpected event. Your timely intervention prevented aplete disaster. The retrieval of information, regardless of the oue, was crucial. That¡¯s where the true sess lies.¡± Despite the evident pain in Chen¡¯s eyes, his demeanor remained stoic. ¡°You handled yourself well, Gao Ming. I rmend you take a few days to rest and integrate with your team. Building trust among each other is vital when dealing with such anomalies.¡± After offering his advice, Chen quickly departed to attend to other matters. Curious, Zhu Miao Miao followed Gao Ming, inquiring about the advice Chen had given him. Gao Ming, maintaining his usualposure, simply stated that Chen had advised him on managing interpersonal rtionships within the team. In the office of Investigation Team One, the mood was palpably tense. With only three veteran members and Bai Xiao present, the space felt eerily empty. Unperturbed by the somber atmosphere, Gao Ming took a seat at a desk that once belonged to Qin Tian. His focus was not on the benefits of his position but on utilizing the Investigation Bureau¡¯s resources for his personal objectives. As Gao Ming delved into his work, researching haunted houses and refining his strategies, he was momentarily taken aback when Bai Xiao approached him. ¡°This was Qin Tian¡¯s seat,¡± Bai Xiao observed, taking a seat opposite Gao Ming. Without diverting his attention from his research, Gao Ming responded, ¡°I¡¯m aware. His name is still on the folders in this desk.¡± His tone was matter-of-fact, indicating his eptance of the ever-changing dynamics within the Bureau. As Bai Xiao¡¯s voice wavered slightly, a veil of vulnerability momentarily overshadowed his usual stoic demeanor. ¡°Every investigator knows what they¡¯re signing up for the moment they join. Facing death is part of our job. Qin Tian, Bai Qiao, and I, we all understood that risk,¡± he said, his words tinged with a mix of resolve and hidden sorrow. ¡°It¡¯s not right to project our pain onto others. As a new member of Team One, I want to make it clear to you that you won¡¯t face istion or betrayal here. Our fight is against the anomalies, not each other. It¡¯s only with this mindset that we can save more lives in the face of these disasters.¡± Gao Ming, genuinely surprised by Bai Xiao¡¯s candidness, finally lifted his gaze to meet his. Bai Xiao continued, extending his hand in a gesture of camaraderie. ¡°Qin Tian and I are both from Xinhai. We¡¯ve stood shoulder to shoulder in life-threatening situations, so I have immense trust in his judgment.¡± His hand outstretched, he added, ¡°Wee to Investigation Team One.¡± Gao Ming observed Bai Xiao closely, noticing the subtle sincerity in his expressions. This interaction marked the first time he truly felt the profound strength of human connection. He reflected on how humans, often perceived as weaker than ghosts, possessed a unique resilience, especially in the face of looming catastrophes. Bai Xiao then turned to Zhu Miao Miao, handing her a fresh uniform. ¡°New reserve members are expected to arrive this afternoon. There¡¯s a joint operation in the Eastern District, so you two will need to stay on duty here tonight.¡± Gao Ming mulled over the significance of the Eastern District, a ce known for its prosperity, and the Bureau¡¯s dedication to safeguarding it. Pausing for a moment, Bai Xiao¡¯s voice carried a somber tone as he shared more details. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with a suspected Level 4 anomaly there ¨C the first ever in Hanhai. We¡¯re mobilizing experienced investigators from all divisions.¡± His expression darkened slightly. ¡°That¡¯s where Qin Tian lost his life.¡± Gao Ming, now grappling with the gravity of the situation, inquired cautiously, ¡°Should we join the operation tonight?¡± He understood that a Level 4 anomaly represented a threat akin to those found in horror stories, a far more severe challenge than the prematurely triggered events like the one involving Zhao Xi. Chapter 31: Gao Ming Finds a New Job Chapter 31: Gao Ming Finds a New Job ¡°The situation is being handled with utmost seriousness by the headquarters. They¡¯ve been extremely thorough in choosing the team for this investigation, conducting severalyers of screening to ensure only the best are involved. Even if you¡¯re highly skilled, they¡¯re not just going to let you be part of it,¡± Bai Xiao exined, his fingers brushing against a folder on the table bearing Qin Tian¡¯s name. ¡°We¡¯ve got additional responsibilities too, like keeping an eye on Minlong Street and Li Jing Street. Believe me, the tasks we¡¯ve been assigned are just as challenging as any.¡± As he finished, Bai Xiao turned his attention to the senior team members who remained in the room. Together, they began to meticulously map out their strategy for the evening¡¯s operation, painstakingly considering every possible oue and preparing for various contingencies. Meanwhile, Gao Ming was conspicuously absent from this high-level discussion. He was engrossed in something else, hunched over Qin Tian¡¯sputer, his fingers rapidly navigating through various files and applications in search of a specific piece of information. The Investigation Bureau had a specialized team adept in gathering and organizing information. Recognizing the need for their expertise, Gao Ming reached out to one of these specialists, tapping into the bureau¡¯s extensive investigativework to track down an individual for a personal quest. He then took out his phone and began inputting some criminal profiles that he had crafted himself. These profiles were the product of his unique insights into the criminal psyche, designed to identify the most dangerous and unstable elements in society ¨C those who needed to be neutralized promptly ¨C as well as those who might be amenable to cooperation. Gao Ming prided himself on his deep understanding of these criminals¡¯ psychological weaknesses and vulnerabilities. He was the only one in the city who dared to engage with such vtile and dangerous individuals. ¡°I always believed a truly gripping suspense game should be logically coherent and devoid of supernatural elements. But I¡¯m just an average game designer. Some of my case designsck rigor, and I¡¯ve encountered criminals with abilities that surpass those of normal humans. These abilities could potentially develop into extraordinary powers, influenced by the enigmatic ¡®shadow world¡¯, much like Xuan Wen,¡± he mused. In less than thirty minutes, a bureau staffer sent Gao Ming information on his first target. This criminal was unusually tall and had a striking appearance, which made it virtually impossible for him to evade the city¡¯s extensive surveincework unless he was deliberately concealing his whereabouts. ¡°An underground fight club?¡± Impressed by the bureau¡¯s quick work, Gao Ming swiftly grabbed a raincoat and prepared to leave. ¡°Where are you off to? I¡¯ll join you!¡± Zhu Miao Miao, who had been lost in her thoughts, suddenly stood up, her eyes scanning the room for a fire axe. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, stay here.¡± ¡°But Chief Chen instructed me to stick with you,¡± Zhu Miao Miao protested, abandoning her search for the axe and hurrying over to Gao Ming. ¡°Is there a new assignment?¡± ¡°Just going to meet an acquaintance,¡± Gao Ming replied, not objecting to herpany this time. Together, they got into the investigation team¡¯s vehicle and drove towards the dock area. For a long time, Hanhai had been a ce where money could buy almost anything. It was a free port that showcased the finest art but also concealed the most basic and brutal forms of entertainment. Here, one could indulge in any sensory pleasure if they were willing to pay the price. Gao Ming skillfully maneuvered the bureau¡¯s car through the city¡¯s bustling streets, eventually pulling up near Queen¡¯s Eleventh Street. He parked the car close to a restaurant, timing their arrival perfectly. ¡°We¡¯re here. ording to the intelligence we received from the bureau, our target frequents this ce for his daily lunch,¡± Gao Ming exined, casually adjusting the brim of his hat to shield his face. He nced over at Zhu Miao Miao, who sat tensely in the passenger seat, ready to leap into action at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Stay calm and be ready,¡± he advised her quietly. Outside, the rain had started to subside, creating awork of shimmering puddles on the pavement. Gao Ming watched as the reflections of the city¡¯s buildings danced and distorted in the water. Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps disrupted the tranquility, sshing through the puddles and scattering the mirrored images. Passersby instinctively stepped aside, creating a clear path. Turning the corner onto the street came a towering figure, almost two meters tall, d in a bespoke suit that struggled to contain his muscr frame. His exposed skin was adorned with intricate tattoos of ferocious giants and ghosts, striking an imposing image. ¡°He matches the picture in my head perfectly,¡± Gao Ming whispered to himself, a slight smile ying on his lips as he observed the man¡¯smanding presence. The man, seemingly oblivious to Gao Ming¡¯s gaze, strode into the restaurant. His entrance caused a stir among the other customers, who quickly made room for him, their movements betraying a mix of respect and fear. ¡°As usual,¡± the man¡¯s voice rumbled, deep and rough, likely the result of a past injury. He took a seat, his massive frame stretching the fabric of his suit. The atmosphere inside the restaurant grew tense. The patrons hurriedly finished their meals, eager to distance themselves from the man¡¯s formidable presence. He appeared unfazed by the effect he had, a scene he seemed all too familiar with. ¡°Boss, two bowls of noodles to go,¡± Gao Ming called out to the restaurant staff. He then confidently made his way through the now mostly empty space and sat directly opposite the man. As he poured two cups of hot water from a nearby thermos, Gao Ming appearedpletely at ease. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been a sensation in the underground fighting rings. Thirteen victories without a single defeat. But that¡¯s not your real name you use in the ring, right?¡± he asked casually. The man¡¯s expression shifted, his tattooed face contorting as if the inked figures wereing to life, revealing a monstrous mouth. ¡°I remember a boxer who resembled you. His life wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Gao Ming continued, his voice steady. ¡°His mother was chronically ill. After his father passed away, she remarried, bringing her son and daughter into a new family with a man who was a violent, lecherous gambler. This man sought to salvage his own shattered pride through cruelty and violence, both at home and elsewhere.¡± As Gao Ming spoke, the atmosphere in the restaurant seemed to grow even heavier. The few remaining customers quickly finished their meals and left, sensing the tension at the table. Gao Ming, however, showed no sign of leaving, clearly intent on seeing this encounter through. ¡°That gambler had no right to be called a father. After his wife¡¯s death, he became even more abusive towards his stepchildren. He forced the elder daughter to endure endless chores and harsh beatings for even the smallest mistakes.¡± Gao Ming, maintaining his calm demeanor, leaned slightly forward as he continued his narrative, his voice taking on a slower, more hypnotic cadence. ¡°But the younger son, he was even more pitiable,¡± he said, his toneced with a subtle sense of empathy. ¡°This innocent and kind-hearted boy was constantly berated and threatened by his abusive stepfather. The terror and stress he endured led to a chronic condition of enuresis ¨C bed-wetting ¨C a problem that haunts him to this very day.¡± Across from him, the muscr man¡¯s eyes flickered with a turmoil of emotions. The pain of long-suppressed memories seemed to crack through his hardened exterior, revealing a vulnerability he had long fought to conceal. Observing these changes, Gao Ming continued to speak in a gentle yet probing manner, his fingers lightly swirling the water in his cup. ¡°Each time the boy wet the bed, it triggered a violent outburst from the stepfather. He would cruelly cover the child¡¯s face with the soiled sheet, force him against the urinal, and taunt him, saying that even dogs knew where to relieve themselves.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± The man¡¯s voice was strained, his breathing elerated, eyes now bloodshot. The stirring of deep, painful memories was bringing childhood nightmares back to the surface. This man, who wouldter be the infamous murderer known as Yan Hua, was still in the process of transformation, his dark past not yet fully defining him. Gao Ming, sensing the increasing tension, quickened his pace. ¡°His fear of wetting the bed grew so intense that he dreaded even the thought of sleep. On countless nights, he would force his eyes to stay open, slowly turning into someone abnormal,¡± he said. ¡°Feeling helpless and powerless, he started to grow crueler, understanding the vicious cycle of violence begetting violence, yet unable to escape it. He became precocious and cunning, all the while harboring a growing, hidden desire for aggression.¡± As Gao Ming spoke, the man¡¯s body tensed, his muscles straining against the fabric of his suit, which seemed on the verge of tearing under the pressure of his imposing physique. ¡°His stepfather never saw him as a human being, even giving him the feminine name of Yan Hua,¡± Gao Ming continued, his voice steady. ¡°Shut up!¡± The man¡¯s fist clenched, raised threateningly toward Gao Ming, his inner turmoil reaching a breaking point. ¡°Even as he grew up and trained himself almost to the point of self-torture, the fear lingered, and his bed-wetting only worsened,¡± Gao Ming added, unflinching. ¡°I said, shut up!¡± The man¡¯s voice was a mix of anger and desperation, his body trembling and bones cracking under the strain. ¡°He despised his own body, pushing himself harder in his training, but few knew the true reason behind his efforts,¡± Gao Ming said, his voice now a whisper. As the man¡¯s fist descended, Gao Ming delivered his final, cutting remark: ¡°All he ever wanted was to kill his stepfather.¡± The fist halted mere inches from Gao Ming¡¯s face, frozen in mid-air. His sharp and revealing words had pierced through the man¡¯s defenses,ying bare a secret hidden for over two decades. The revtion left the man feeling exposed and vulnerable as if standing naked in a downpour. Chapter 32: But I Prefer Being Called Doctor Gao Chapter 32: But I Prefer Being Called Doctor Gao Yan Hua was an imposing figure, his stature so immense that when he stood, it was as if he absorbed all the light in the room, casting a formidable shadow. Beside him, Gao Ming seemed as delicate and vulnerable as a newborn bird, easily crushable with a mere flick of Yan Hua¡¯s massive hand. Yet, paradoxically, those same hands, responsible for the ruin of numerous faces in countless fights, were now strangely hesitant, frozen in mid-air for reasons unknown. Yan Hua, celebrated as the ¡°Broker¡¯s Hand,¡± was a legend in the underground boxing world. With thirteen unbroken victories, his name was synonymous with invincibility. It was unheard of for him to show any hesitation or doubt in the face of confrontation. Inherently, Yan Hua wasn¡¯t an evil man by the usual standards. But if left to follow the trajectory of his life as dictated by the original game storyline, his overpowering violent impulses and the gradual erosion of his moralpass would inevitably lead him down a path of destruction, transforming him into one of the most feared killers in Hanhai. ¡°You can train your body to be as hard as steel, but it¡¯s futile if your soul remains shackled by the traumas of your past,¡± Gao Ming stated, leaning back in his chair. Despite his shirt clinging to his skin with cold sweat, his demeanor was calm, almost expectantly so. ¡°Resorting to violence and killing won¡¯t provide you with the security you¡¯re seeking. It will only warp you more.¡± ¡°Who told you these things?¡± Yan Hua demanded, his suit straining at the seams, embellished with menacing ghostly patterns that made him look like a fiend from the depths of hell. ¡°Your sister, Yan Ling,¡± Gao Ming replied nonchntly, lighting a cigarette. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down and discuss this?¡± At the mention of his sister¡¯s name, a flicker of disbelief crossed Yan Hua¡¯s eyes, and his face softened involuntarily. Yan Ling¡¯s name was sacred to him, a beacon in the darkness of his childhood. The few warm memories he cherished were all thanks to her, those sporadic bursts of joy helping him survive into adulthood. ¡°Is she¡­ still alive?¡± Yan Hua found himself sitting down, almost unconsciously, swayed by Gao Ming¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Yes, and she asked me to look after you, to help alleviate your suffering and guide you towards a life of your own,¡± Gao Ming revealed. ¡°Where is she now? Take me to her!¡± Yan Hua¡¯s belief in Gao Ming was instant; only his sister knew the depths of his troubled childhood, and only someone she trusted could be privy to such intimate details of their painful shared history. As Gao Ming¡¯s sleeve brushed against the table, a glimpse of a ck ring on his wrist became visible. ¡°I long to see her too, but she¡¯s trapped in another ce. We can only reach that dark, hidden world through certain extraordinary events.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yan Hua¡¯s brow furrowed, beginning to wonder if Gao Ming was the one who had lost his mind. ¡°A cmity filled with horror and supernatural forces is about to descend upon our city. Spirits and monsters could emerge at any moment. We are on the brink of a great catastrophe.¡± Yan Hua found himself at aplete loss for words. The ideas Gao Ming presented were so bizarre and oundish that they perplexed even someone like Yan Hua, who had been on the fringes of sanity. After a lengthy, contemtive silence, Yan Hua slightly shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Enough with the cryptic talk. Just tell me what I need to do.¡± ¡°When you awoke today, you should have seen a ck and white obituary photograph near you. That¡¯s crucial evidence,¡± Gao Ming exined calmly, taking a sip of hot water. ¡°I made a promise to your sister that I would take care of you, to assist you with your mental struggles. All you need to do is follow my treatment n and wait for my updates.¡± ¡°And how long will this waitingst?¡± ¡°The realms we¡¯re dealing with, linked by these strange urrences, are wildly unpredictable. There¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯ll find where your sister disappeared to, and the dangers are immense. We must tread very carefully. This isn¡¯t something that can be hurried.¡± Gao Ming deftly steered the conversation in another direction. ¡°Right now, the focus should be on healing the psychological scars you carry, not on finding your sister.¡± ¡°I am in pain, but I¡¯ve been managing to keep it under control.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to suppress it entirely. Childhood is the time when the roots of criminal behavior are often nted, but it¡¯s the continuous struggle, the ongoing exposure to violence, and the relentless nightmares that truly nurture the growth of malevolence,¡± Gao Ming said as he put out his cigarette. ¡°Surviving the night isn¡¯t about waiting for dawn; it¡¯s about learning to live in the dark. I can help cure the ailment that torments you, extract the metaphorical thorn from your heart.¡± Outside the restaurant, the relentless downpour seemed to cut them off from the rest of the city, creating an isted, almost otherworldly atmosphere. Yan Hua was intimately familiar with his own dark urges. The overwhelming desire to kill and the pain it brought were nearly consuming him. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a more effective solution than mere killing. Your anger originates from your stepfather. Just letting him die won¡¯t bring you peace. He needs to face true justice.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s mind was filled with the many supernatural tales he had read. ¡°Allow me to assist you. I¡¯ll devise a treatment n that will satisfy you.¡± ¡°Why do I get the feeling you¡¯re crazier than I am?¡± Yan Hua slowly began to drop his hostility and defenses. ¡°What should I call you?¡± ¡°My name is Gao Ming,¡± he replied, offering his contact information with a smile. ¡°But I prefer to be called Doctor Gao.¡± ¡°Doctor Gao?¡± Yan Huamitted Gao Ming¡¯s phone number to memory. ¡°I¡¯ve been to psychiatrists before, but none of them ever said anything like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I am on your side.¡± After speaking, Gao Ming went to the counter and picked up two bowls of noodles, then left the restaurant, stepping back into the rain-drenched city. Once they were back in the car belonging to the Lishan Investigation Bureau, Gao Ming didn¡¯t hold back any information. He handed a steaming bowl of noodles to his colleague, Zhu Miao Miao, and they began to eat inside the car. ¡°Gao Ming, your friend is terrifying! Aren¡¯t you afraid of associating with someone like him?¡± Zhu Miao Miao asked between mouthfuls of noodles, her hunger evident in her rapid eating. ¡°What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Gao Ming replied, only then realizing that his back was drenched in sweat and beads of perspiration were still trickling down his neck. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t generally judge people with tattoos, but his entire body is covered in those ghost tattoos. In the underworld, such tattoos are usually worn by high-ranking members.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been watching too many crime dramas. Finish your noodles. We need to move on soon.¡± Gao Ming checked his phone, noticing a new message from the Investigation Bureau. They had pinpointed the location of the second ¡®criminal¡¯, who, by coincidence, was also in the dock area. After finishing their noodles, Zhu Miao Miao took the wheel and drove Gao Ming towards St. Louis College in the Eastern District. This particr college held a unique ce in Hanhai¡¯s educationalndscape. Funded years ago by donations from various sectors under the auspices of the Hanhai Charity Association, it had once been a prestigious institution. However, over the years, its academic standards had deteriorated significantly, leading to its reputation as one of the most disordered private schools in Hanhai. The Eastern District was a paradoxical mix of Hanhai¡¯s most affluent and its most impoverished residents. Many low-ie families, unable to afford the exorbitant fees of private elite schools and without ess to public school spots, were left with no option but to send their children to a ce like St. Louis College. ¡°Hello, we¡¯re from the Lishan Investigation Bureau. We need to ask about an incident,¡± Zhu Miao Miao said as they approached the school¡¯s security booth. The elderly guard, however, seemed somewhat hard of hearing, more engrossed in the newspaper than in their questions. Sensing the need for a different approach, Gao Ming took out five hundred dors and extended it through the window. ¡°Was there a high school senior attacked in an alley herest night?¡± The guard¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the money, and he reached for it. But before he could grab it, Gao Ming seized his hand. ¡°Eh?¡± The guard tried to pull away, but Gao Ming¡¯s grip was firm. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Show us yesterday¡¯s surveince footage and tell us everything about the incident. The kid¡¯s in danger!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice was stern, his expression grave. With some persuasion from Gao Ming, the elderly guard began to cooperate. However, it became apparent that parts of the previous day¡¯s surveince footage had been mysteriously deleted. ¡°Deleting surveince footage to erase evidence, that¡¯s a bold move,¡± Gao Mingmented with a cold, humorless smile. It was a grim reminder of how tragedies, which might have been averted, were often exacerbated by a chain of careless or malevolent actions, pushing the victims further into a chasm of despair. The guard¡¯s actions hinted at a possibility that he was acting under someone else¡¯s orders, prioritizing personal gain or fear over moral responsibility. He may have rationalized to himself that he wasn¡¯t directly involved in any heinous act, but in essence, by erasing evidence, he had inadvertently be an aplice to the wrongdoing. As they entered the school, Gao Ming, using the information provided by the Investigation Bureau, led the way to the high school section located on the third floor. ¡°Gao Ming, don¡¯t you think we¡¯re being a bit too intrusive, just storming in here like this?¡± Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s realization was dawning as to why Chief Chen had insisted she apany Gao Ming. Without her oversight, this investigator might take some unorthodox, if not outright reckless, steps. ¡°He¡¯s not in any of the ssrooms,¡± Gao Ming remarked, his demeanor resembling that of a strict new head teacher. He stopped briefly at each ssroom window on the third floor, surveying the students with such intensity that it unsettled not just them, but also the teachers conducting their lessons. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least touch base with the school administration first?¡± Feeling increasingly anxious about their unannounced presence, Zhu Miao Miao tugged at Gao Ming¡¯s sleeve, attempting to guide him away. However, it was at that moment that they overheard a male student¡¯s voice emanating from the restroom. ¡°Come on, get your phone out and record this! Wan Qiu sneaked into the girls¡¯ restroom during ss! What a creep!¡± Chapter 33: The Most Miserable Child Chapter 33: The Most Miserable Child Upon hearing the name ¡°Wan Qiu,¡± Gao Ming immediately directed Zhu Miao Miao to loosen her hold. He made his way towards a secluded part of the school building, where a troubling scene was unfolding. At the entrance to the girls¡¯ bathroom, four male students had gathered. Some of them were casually smoking cigarettes, with their school uniforms nonchntly tied around their waists. Among them, one stood out in his stylish outfit, expertly ying with a metal lighter. Gao Ming moved closer, his approach going unnoticed by the group. One of the boys, cigarette in hand, was busy recording the scene inside the bathroom with his smartphone. Inside, a soaked and visibly shaken boy was cornered. The trapped boy, looking bewildered and scared, tried to make a break for it, only to be mockingly shoved back into the bathroom by theughing group of students. ¡°The new guy that just transferred to our ss is pretty amusing, isn¡¯t he?¡±mented the fashionably dressed boy with the lighter. He spat on the ground with disdain, then turned his attention to Azun, the only one among them dressed normally. ¡°Hey Azun, what do you say we take him to Neenth Alley Street tonight, give him a little tour?¡± Azun, with a smirk, responded, ¡°What¡¯s the n? To entertain him or to watch him get bullied to the brink?¡± Just then, seizing his chance, Wan Qiu burst from the bathroom with great force, pushing past the student who was filming. However, as he attempted to flee down the hallway, the others quickly caught up and grabbed him again. ¡°My brand new phone!¡± the filming student yelled as he retrieved his fallen device. In a fit of rage, he pushed Wan Qiu violently to the ground. ¡°You moron, you¡¯vepletely ruined it!¡± As he mped his hand over Wan Qiu¡¯s mouth, the other three students closed in, preparing to kick the defenseless boy. Suddenly, there was a loud ¡°Bang!¡± The trendy student with the lighter was sent crashing against the wall, his phone ttering to the ground. He was stunned, only slowly realizing that he had been kicked away by an unexpected neer. Gao Ming stood there, the picture of calm, having just intervened in the nick of time. ¡°A school is for learning, not for brawling,¡± he stated coolly, retracting his leg from the kick. The group of bullies were taken aback, shocked by Gao Ming¡¯s swift and decisive action. ¡°Gao Ming, this is a school!¡± Zhu Miao Miao eximed, her voice a mix of shock and concern. She knew Gao Ming was formidable when dealing with supernatural entities, but his aggressive response towards these students was something she hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Is this how everyone whoes out of Henshan Prison acts?¡± Gao Ming replied, his tone firm, ¡°They were harassing this kid.¡± He then took the smartphone from one of the boys. The boy instinctively lunged to reim his phone, but Gao Ming deftly kicked him in the chest, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve collected enough evidence now.¡± Zhu Miao Miao, increasingly worried about the escting tension, tried to defuse the situation, ¡°Let¡¯s all just calm down, okay?¡± Azun, getting back on his feet, had a mature andposed air about him, indicative of a background of influence. ¡°You think you can just hit people openly in school?¡± he challenged Gao Ming. Gao Ming, unfazed, responded, ¡°Did I hit anyone? They simply fell over. Besides, there are no cameras here to record anything.¡± He then walked towards Azun, his demeanor more assertive and confrontational than before, a change likely influenced by his recent period of confinement and uneventful days spent eating cake at home. ¡°Are you a rtive of Wan Qiu¡¯s?¡± Azun questioned, stepping back cautiously. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard from the teachers that he¡¯s an orphan without any parents, just temporarily staying here.¡± He added, trying to assert his own status, ¡°My mother is with the Hanhai Charity Association, and my father is involved in¡­¡± Before Azun could finish boasting about his influential family, Gao Ming¡¯s foot connected sharply with his stomach, sending him doubling over in pain on the ground. ¡°In the face of a looming catastrophe, why bother with such insignificant details?¡± Gao Ming coldly remarked as he moved towards thest remaining student. That student tried to escape but was quickly apprehended and subjected to a harsh beating. ¡°Gao Ming, you need to calm down!¡± Zhu Miao Miao pleaded, struggling to pull him back. ¡°If we behave like this, we¡¯ll definitely face consequences when we get back!¡± ¡°Consequences?¡± Gao Ming paused, turning his intense gaze on Zhu Miao Miao. ¡°As investigators, we put our lives on the line to protect this city. Are we doing this to defend scum like them or to be reprimanded for making the right call?¡± Zhu Miao Miao was momentarily lost for words, unable to formte a response. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just prevent a level-two anomalyst night, potentially saving countless lives?¡± ¡°Yes, we did,¡± Zhu Miao Miao admitted. ¡°And in the process, our team suffered greatly, losing eight members. Don¡¯t we deserve some kind of rpense for our injuries and emotional trauma?¡± ¡°We certainly do.¡± ¡°So, if in the process of stopping a bully I happened to be a bit too forceful, that shouldn¡¯t be an issue, should it?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Zhu Miao Miao conceded reluctantly, understanding Gao Ming¡¯s perspective. Even investigators have their breaking points and need support. If their own organization failed to stand by them in such circumstances, it would be truly demoralizing. Gao Ming gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, then approached the student he had just beaten. He offered no words of sce or concern for the student¡¯s injuries. Instead, he simply extended his hand and introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Gao Ming, a psychological counselor from Henshan High-Security Prison, currently serving with the Lishan Investigation Bureau. If you¡¯re unhappy with your current life, I can offer you a job that brings both dignity and freedom.¡± His actions, from the physical confrontation with the bullies to this unexpected job offer, were all part of a calcted approach. In the entire city, only he and Wei Dayou, who were privy to the game design, understood the true danger posed by Wan Qiu. Wan Qiu watched the scene unfold, his expression vacant but his eyes strikingly expressive. It was those very eyes that Gao Ming was interested in. ¡°I can teach you to defend yourself, to never be bullied again. And if you choose to bully others, I might just look the other way. I don¡¯t adhere to conventional moral standards and tend to be partial towards my own people.¡± Wan Qiu stared at the hand extended towards him, perceiving it as both a miraculous lifeline and a gateway to a dark path. Slowly, he reached out, took hold of Gao Ming¡¯s hand, and got to his feet with the support. ¡°But Gao Ming, shouldn¡¯t we at least inform his teacher?¡± Zhu Miao Miao inquired, concerned about the implications of their actions. ¡°Just inform the school that the Lishan Investigation Bureau requires Wan Qiu for an inquiry,¡± Gao Ming instructed, lightly tapping his ck ring. He knew well how a powerful identity could simplify matters significantly. After leaving the school, Gao Ming took the time to purchase an assortment of foods for Wan Qiu, considering his probableck of proper meals. Observing Wan Qiu devouring the food with gusto, a rare smile crept onto Gao Ming¡¯s usually stern face. ¡°Eat at your own pace. As long as I have even just a sip of soup, you¡¯ll always have a piece of meat to eat.¡± This gesture was more than mere kindness; it was Gao Ming¡¯s way of trying to rectify a past mistake, a tragedy inadvertently created by his own design. Gao Ming¡¯s involvement with Nightlight Studio Games had led him to create a crime-themed video game titled ¡°Born Psychopath.¡± The game¡¯s narrative centered around an infant abandoned due to a neurological disorder. The yer would guide this child, destined to grow into a renowned detective, dubbed the ¡°Shield of the City.¡± However, the twist in the tale was that the protagonist would be haunted by visions of corpses and blood in his own home, a blend of illusion and reality. Despite his desperate attempts to seek a cure, the nightmarish visions would only intensify, eventually leading to a mental copse and the unveiling of a harrowing truth. Wan Qiu¡¯s backstory was equally tragic. He was a Hanhai child whose life had been marred by tragedy from the start. Adopted by the psychopath, he underwent relentless mental conditioning, endowing him with exceptional cognitive abilities. Under his adoptive parent¡¯s guidance, Wan Qiu evolved into one of Hanhai¡¯s most formidable and dangerous figures. As time went on and technology advanced, Wan Qiu was eventually apprehended. However, the interest in his unique mental capabilities never waned, leading to continuous research and experimentation. The entire narrative of ¡°Born Psychopath¡± was, in fact, a sophisticated virtual experiment conducted on Wan Qiu¡¯s brain. The objective was to explore whether he could ovee his traumatic upbringing and reshape his destiny after being induced with a new life, free from the influence of his psychopathic mentor created by the scientists. The experiment suggested the possibility of change in Wan Qiu, but the reality was grim. He was reduced to a mere brain housed in a specialized container, his existence confined to aboratory even in death. Gao Ming¡¯s promise to Wan Qiu wasden with significance: ¡°From today, no one will bully you again.¡± It was a vow of protection and perhaps a step towards amending the unintentional harm his creation had inflicted on this young life. Chapter 34: Rewriting Fate Chapter 34: Rewriting Fate Everyone who encountered Wan Qiu for their initial meeting invariably made the same mistake: they judged him to be merely a handsome simpleton. Yet, this judgment was far from the truth. Wan Qiu was not just intelligent; he was remarkably more astute than the average person. His intelligence, however, was overshadowed by a past marred by tragedy, which had led him to retreat into a shell, isting himself from the outside world. In the virtual world of the game, Wan Qiu¡¯s character arc was a dark and twisted tale. He was adopted by a psychopath, a merciless killer who molded him into a fearsome and distorted creature through a series of brutal and inhumane treatments. Gao Ming, determined to rewrite this harrowing narrative, had resolved to take charge of Wan Qiu¡¯s life story himself. Gao Ming pondered the situation deeply. ¡°The creators of the shadow world have scripted a bleak fate for Wan Qiu. To change his destiny, I may have to embark on a journey akin to that of Xuan Wen, constantly in conflict with the maniptive forces of the shadow world,¡± he thought. He observed Wan Qiu, a fragile high school student, gazing vacantly out of the car window. The bright neon lights of the city shone outside, and Wan Qiu seemed lost in them as if he was seeking a glimpse of a home he never had in this alien, bustling metropolis. Zhu Miao Miao, the one driving, caught sight of this moment in her rearview mirror. With apassionate heart, she decided to take Wan Qiu back to their office. She had even mentally prepared herself for the possibility that the bureau might not be able to provide shelter for Wan Qiu. In such a case, she was ready to offer him a ce at her own home, nning to spend the night in the bureau¡¯s duty room herself. As the day transitioned into evening, Gao Ming, equipped with thetest information from the bureau, visited several potential hotspots in the city but found no trace of any other criminals. With the responsibility of mentoring a new recruit that afternoon, Gao Ming didn¡¯t spend much time lingering in the city. He returned to the Lishan Investigation Bureau with Zhu Miao Miao as night began to fall. ¡°I¡¯ve never trained new recruits before, so you¡¯re going to have to lead the way in that,¡± Gao Ming admitted, shifting the onus onto Zhu Miao Miao. ¡°But I¡¯m hardly experienced myself!¡± Zhu Miao Miao,cking the confidence thates with being a veteran investigator, suggested they wait for their leader, Bai Xiao, to return. ¡°That¡¯ll work,¡± Gao Ming agreed. However, when they got to their office, they found that their concerns about handling neers were unnecessary. Instead of new recruits, they were greeted by the logistical staff of the bureau, who were awkwardly awaiting their return. ¡°Where are the new recruits?¡± Gao Ming inquired, helping Wan Qiu to choose a seat before approaching the staff. ¡°It seems rumors have been circting that our team has an 80% casualty rate during operations, and a 100% fatality rate for new recruits,¡± one of the staff members exined sheepishly while handing over some documents. ¡°That¡¯s absurd,¡± Gao Ming retorted dismissively, gesturing towards Zhu Miao Miao, ¡°She¡¯s proof that it¡¯s not true. Plus, our other investigators haven¡¯t died; they¡¯ve just gone missing under mysterious circumstances.¡± ¡°Currently, we¡¯re facing a bit of a challenge with recruitment,¡± the staff member exined with a resigned yet somewhat bemused smile, gesturing to the files in front of him. ¡°The two individuals who initially expressed interest in joining our team have opted for the second and third teams instead at the veryst moment. Considering the peculiar and often unpredictable nature of our work in investigating anomalous events, our bureau really has no grounds topel them to reconsider their choices.¡± ¡°Just let Bai Xiao know about this situation when he returns,¡± Gao Ming responded, his tone casual and seemingly unfazed by the news of no new recruits joining their team. ¡°Could one of you please sign off on these documents?¡± Gao Ming requested, skillfully steering the conversation away from the topic at hand and taking a seat beside Wan Qiu. Zhu Miao Miao, meanwhile, was engrossed in meticulously polishing a fire axe, her demeanor resembling that of a detached assassin. With a sigh, the staff member departed to seek advice from Director Chen Yun Tian. In his brief time spent with Wan Qiu, Gao Ming had already begun to form an understanding of the boy¡¯s psychological state. Wan Qiu had built formidable walls around himself, and unlocking his significant potential and special abilities would necessitate dismantling these mental barriers. Gao Ming knew that unlike the sadistic methods employed by the psychopathic killer in the game, he would have to employ more humane and effective strategies. ¡°In the end, if all else fails, leading a normal life wouldn¡¯t be so bad for him,¡± Gao Ming mused, reflecting on Wan Qiu¡¯s unfortunate role as a character designed by him in the game. As darkness enveloped the city, Gao Ming initiated a video call with Wei Dayou where he learned the Nightlight Studio was a hive of activity, with team members working into thete hours. Gao Ming took a moment to survey the studio through the call, noting how oblivious everyone was to the ¡°Grim Reaper¡± hidden among them. ¡°How are things progressing at the studio?¡± Gao Ming inquired, his eyes scanning the busy scene on the screen. ¡°We¡¯re actually doing really well! Mr. Zhao, our investor, even dropped by for an inspection today. People online might call him a fool, but we know firsthand how perceptive he really is,¡± Wei Dayou replied, his voice tinged with excitement and a renewed zeal for game development. Gao Ming¡¯s expression subtly changed as he noticed Xuan Wen appearing in the background behind Wei Dayou, unbeknownst to him. ¡°Good evening, Xuan Wen. How¡¯s everything on your end?¡± Gao Ming greeted her. Leaning into the camera¡¯s view, Xuan Wen raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re on a video call, I see.¡± ¡°Dayou, could you pass her the phone? I need to ask her a few things,¡± Gao Ming requested, clearing his throat to emphasize the importance. ¡°Sure thing,¡± Wei Dayou agreed, setting down the phone and wandering off to amuse himself with a cat. ¡°Are you feeling any better these days?¡± Gao Ming asked Xuan Wen, now holding the phone. Among all the criminals in the game, Xuan Wen¡¯s situation was particrly unique since she too had entered the mysterious tunnel that night. ¡°Adjusting. The voices in my head are bing more familiar, and I¡¯m even starting to discern emotions,¡± Xuan Wen shared, her eyes reflecting a mosaic of fleeting faces. ¡°I have this intuition that once I¡¯ve experienced a hundred thousand different emotions, something significant is going to shift.¡± ¡°That time might be closer than you think.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand emotions is merely the start. I¡¯mmitted to continuing our game, no matter the cost. I want to spread its reach to more and more people,¡± Xuan Wen spoke with a gentle tone, yet there was an unsettling intensity in her gaze. ¡°Imagine, if the entire city bes engrossed in our story, won¡¯t we transcend physical mortality and live on eternally in their memories?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee to try that approach Xuan Wen, but remain cautious of the other yers in the game. As the number of anomalies increases, it¡¯s likely that more individuals wille across the obituary photographs. Should they join the game, they¡¯ll be privy to your existence while you remain unaware of theirs, putting you at a potential disadvantage and making you a target,¡± Gao Ming warned her. Their alliance was important to him, and he was genuinely concerned for Xuan Wen¡¯s safety. ¡°Don¡¯t be concerned,¡± Xuan Wen replied with a sly smile, her voice lowering to a more conspiratorial tone. ¡°I¡¯m finding the Nightlight Studio an intriguing ce. Should any of those yers be bold enough to venture here, they might find themselves unable to leave.¡± The Nightlight Studio was a ce of deeper mysteries, harboring secrets beyond even Xuan Wen and the ominous ¡°Grim Reaper¡± among them. Xuan Wen refrained from divulging more, sensing that such topics were perhaps too heavy for their current office environment. Wei Dayou then re-entered the room with the cat in his arms. Noticing the video call, Richy the cat immediately began reaching out towards Gao Ming¡¯s image on the screen, meowing as if it had a strong desire to be with him. ¡°It looks like Richy¡¯s taken a liking to you,¡± Wei Dayoumented, trying to pull the cat back. Richy¡¯s persistent cries towards Gao Ming seemed almost pleading, as if the cat was imploring, ¡°Take me with you!¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Xuan Wen had uncovered something based on Richy¡¯s odd behavior. He ended the call amid Richy¡¯s persistent meows, his mind racing with thoughts. ¡°Could it be that my previous designs for games at Nightlight Studio are starting to evolve in unexpected ways?¡± While he was lost in these thoughts, there was a knock at the office door. Two investigators entered, both wearing distinctive ck rings. The man with a face resembling that of a horse, who spoke with an air of impatience, introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Ma Lian, head of the second investigation team, and this is my colleague, Chen Bing, from the third team. Given that your team¡¯s core members are away and the new recruits haven¡¯t shown up, we¡¯ll be taking over tonight¡¯s patrol. Your job will be to provide support.¡± Zhu Miao Miao was quick to agree to this arrangement, but Gao Ming disagreed, ¡°I need to remain at Minlong Street tonight. There¡¯s an unresolved anomaly there, and it¡¯s crucial that we keep the escting fear under control.¡± Ma Lian, taken aback by Gao Ming¡¯s refusal, frowned and said somewhat authoritatively, ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a choice here.¡± Standing his ground, Gao Ming responded assertively, ¡°And am I seeking your permission?¡± Chapter 35: The Cannibalistic Incident Chapter 35: The Cannibalistic Incident From the moment Ma Lian joined the Lishan Investigation Bureau, he had always been a figure of authority, never encountering a new recruit bold enough to challenge him. That was until he met Gao Ming. Ma Lian, a bit taken aback by Gao Ming¡¯s audacity, slowly removed his leather gloves, flexing his fingers as he walked towards him. Sensing the threat, Gao Ming silently grabbed the firefighter¡¯s axe that Zhu Miao Miao nonchntly ced against the desk. The sharp edge of the axe caught the light, casting a menacing gleam. Ma Lian¡¯s face contorted with a mix of surprise and skepticism. He found it hard to believe that Gao Ming would actually have the gall to use the axe against him. Although logic told him that Gao Ming was unlikely to attack, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate in his steps. Just then, Chen Bing of Team Three quickly intervened, cing herself between Ma Lian and Gao Ming. ¡°Old Ma, watch it!¡± she eximed, halting her colleague in his tracks. ¡°I won¡¯t be held back!¡± Ma Lian dered, his voice firm as he pointed a gloved finger at Gao Ming. ¡°But mark my words, I will take the time to ¡®educate¡¯ you neers properly!¡± With these final words, he turned and left the office of Investigation Team One, his presence still lingering. Chen Bing didn¡¯t say much else, aware of her father Chen Yuntian¡¯s high regard for Gao Ming. ¡°No one is scheduled for duty in Investigation Team One right now. You both should get some rest. Remember, we depart at midnight.¡± Once the others had left the room, Zhu Miao Miao quickly stowed away her firefighter¡¯s axe. She turned to Gao Ming, her voiceced with concern, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not worth the trouble. Just ignore their remarks.¡± Gao Ming, appearing nonchnt, replied as he moved to the resting room, ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing anything serious, just examining your axe.¡± He then turned his attention to preparing a bed for Wan Qiu. ¡°Wan Qiu, you can sleep here tonight. If you need anything, just call me.¡± He handed over his phone number before settling Wan Qiu in. After ensuring Wan Qiu wasfortable, Gao Ming also readied himself to rest. Zhu Miao Miao watched him with a mixture of admiration and frustration, a small smile on her face. ¡°You really do take things easy,¡± she mused. Gao Ming was an enigma to her; some might call him self-centered, but he was always the first to leap into danger to save others. Others mightbel him as distant, yet he showed deep care for an orphan suffering from a brain condition as if they were family. Some might criticize him for being reckless, but he had thoughtfully offered Zhu Miao Miao the other bed, knowing she had had a long day. ¡°He¡¯s not perfect, but he¡¯s undeniably a good person,¡± she thought to herself as she set her rm andy down on the other bed in the duty room, quickly drifting off to sleep. At 11:30 pm, Gao Ming awoke, donned his coat, and quietly exited the Investigation Bureau. He hopped onto his electric scooter and made his way back to Minlong Street No. 4. While night patrols usually required a team, Gao Ming felt confident enough to handle it alone. As Gao Ming entered the dpidated building, he stumbled upon a chair that had seen better days. Choosing to sit on the fourth floor, he leaned against a bag filled with memorial photos, a grim reminder of lives once lived. Surveying the eerie atmosphere, he mused to himself, ¡°If any of the old residents stumbled upon this scene, they¡¯d likely be frightened out of their wits.¡± He wryly noted the setup around him, ¡°A haunted house, memorial photos, and myself ¨C the perfect trio of essentials. Now, it¡¯s time to step into the shoes of those who have passed.¡± His thoughts drifted to the young boy from apartment 405, ¡°He seems to be among the living, yet his presence feels almost spectral.¡± Holding the memorial photos, Gao Ming plunged deep into the emotional turmoil of the child¡¯s life, letting sensations of pain and fear wash over him. During this process, he thought he detected faint sounds of heated arguments and physical scuffles: a dish crashed to the floor, its contents spilling across the tiles and slowly seeping under the door into the bedroom. Then, a sudden noise ¨C the soft but distinct sound of a closet door closing ¨C snapped him back to the present. However, no shadow or figure was in sight. It was clear that something unusual had already transpired. Gao Ming, with his backpack in tow, cautiously opened the door to room 405 and stepped into the bedroom that the boy once upied. ¡°The noise originated from here,¡± he whispered to himself. As he slowly opened the closet door, his eyesnded on an unsightly doll. Puzzled, he thought, ¡°I remember this doll. It was taken to the Investigation Bureau. How did it return here?¡± Removing the doll, Gao Ming scattered some snack crumbs on the floor and peered back into the closet. There, on the moldy inner wall, someone had scrawled a message with a crayon in uneven letters ¨C ¡°I won¡¯t harm people! Leave!¡± ¡°Could this be some kind of threat?¡± Gao Ming wondered. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, he took the crayon and responded on an empty space in the closet, ¡°Minlong Street is under my watch. If you want snacks, I can leave them here. Toys, game consoles, textbooks for any grade ¨C just let me know what you need.¡± Finding himself running out of room, Gao Ming squeezed into the closet to continue writing, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling lonely, I¡¯m here for a chat. I hope you won¡¯t harm the adults trapped in the shadows¡­¡± The closet¡¯s interior now looked hauntingly cluttered with messages as if cursed. Gao Ming set the crayon down and flexed his left hand ¨C he had deliberately used his non-dominant hand to disguise his handwriting. After returning the doll to its original ce, Gao Ming settled in for a lengthy wait. Around 2 am, his ck ring abruptly vibrated, emitting alternating red and yellow lights. ¡°Am I caught up in some abnormal event? But why are both lights active?¡± he wondered. Upon seeing the message disyed on his ck ring, Gao Ming¡¯s face twisted into an expression ofplexity. Without dy, he made his way back to the Lishan Investigation Bureau. After his departure, a peculiar scene unfolded in the bedroom. The unsightly doll, as if possessed, picked up the crayon and crossed out the words ¡°school textbooks.¡± Gao Ming raced back to the Lishan Investigation Bureau on his scooter, sensing the urgency in the air as he arrived. The various investigation teams were already on high alert, an atmosphere of tension permeating the building. Shortly after, Chen Yuntian, their director, appeared on the internal projection screen. His face bore a serious and somewhat foreboding expression. ¡°Director, everyone¡¯s assembled,¡± Ma Lian, who stood at the front of the group, reported in a subdued tone. Chen Yuntian, with a solemn demeanor, ryed grave news, ¡°We¡¯ve just received confirmation that an investigation team we sent to assist in the Eastern District has disappeared without a trace.¡± This announcement sent shockwaves through the room. The Bai Xiao team, which had been dispatched, was renowned within the Lishan Investigation Bureau. Their exceptional intuition and remarkable senses had seen them through four Level 3 abnormal events in Xinhai. Now, Investigation Team One, considered the bureau¡¯s most elite team, was left with only two members ¨C a rookie who had joined merely two days ago and another member who didn¡¯t possess a ck ring. Ma Lian, visibly shaken, asked, ¡°Director, what exactly transpired with the abnormal event in the Eastern District?¡± Chen Yuntian¡¯s gaze briefly lingered on Gao Ming as he exined, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the special hospital established by the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. Since the incident, only two investigators have managed to escape. One suffered severed limbs and has since died; the other, although alive, seems to have been driven to madness by fear.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be back before dawn. Maintain your usual duties for now. The tasks normally assigned to Team One will be temporarily redistributed to other teams.¡± The projection faded, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. Everyone present struggled to process the severity of the situation. Gao Ming, deep in thought, pondered over the dire circumstances. ¡°How many lives has this abnormal event in the Eastern District imed? Qin Tian, Bai Xiao, and skilled members from various branches¡­¡± He began to suspect foul y, ¡°The more sinister and horrific the game, the slower its encroachment into reality. I can preemptively resolve ghost story-level games, and such games can escte if ¡®nourished.¡¯ Is someone intentionally feeding a ghost story? Are investigators¡¯ lives being sacrificed to fuel this menace?¡± Chilled by the implications of his thoughts, Gao Ming resolved, ¡°No! We can¡¯t allow that ¡®game¡¯ in the Eastern District to escte! I must gather a team and head there tomorrow night!¡± Without hesitation, Gao Ming grabbed his phone and called Yan Hua, instructing him toe to the Lishan Investigation Bureau in the morning. However, the anticipated wait until dawn proved unnecessary. Just two hourster, Yan Hua arrived at the Lishan Investigation Bureau. His imposing figure and the striking giant ghost tattoo covering his body immediately drew the attention of the investigators. ¡°Why are you here so early? Don¡¯t you have a match tonight?¡± Gao Ming inquired, leading Yan Hua into the office of Investigation Team One. ¡°Could you rify what you require from me?¡± Yan Hua inquired with directness and rity. Gao Ming began to unfold theplexities of their current predicament. ¡°There¡¯s been a significant shift in our circumstances. Tomorrow night, I intend to investigate a peculiar and unusual urrence¡­¡± He proceeded to thoroughly exin the series of events that had unfolded in Hanhai. Yan Hua, after a moment of contemtion, decided to ce his trust in Gao Ming, albeit with a stern warning. ¡°Should you deceive me, be aware that I will not hesitate to take your life,¡± he dered with a seriousness that brooked no argument. In a symbolic gesture ofmitment and a break from his past, he forcefully removed the silver badge affixed to his sleeve and tossed it onto the desk with a tter. ¡°In the underground boxing world, I¡¯m known as Number 17. Address me as such whenever we¡¯re in public,¡± he instructed firmly. ¡°Understood, Number 17,¡± Gao Ming acknowledged with equal seriousness. Meanwhile, Gao Ming was deeply engrossed in the intricate preparations for the operation nned for the following night. Concurrently, Chen Yuntian made his way back to the headquarters of the Lishan Investigation Bureau. Upon his arrival, he diligently distributed assignments among the various investigative teams before finally heading towards the office of Investigation Team One. It had been less than two days since Gao Ming joined his team, and now, startlingly, the team had shrunk to a mere duo. Confronted with such a rapid and rming rate of member disappearance, Chen Yuntian couldn¡¯t help but think that in Gao Ming¡¯s position, he might have chosen to step back from the mission. Recalling his earlier advice to Gao Ming about the importance of fostering strong rtionships, Chen Yuntian felt the onset of a headache, a mix of worry and anticipation. As he opened the door to the office, bracing himself for the possibility of Gao Ming¡¯s resignation, he was unexpectedly greeted by the imposing, nearly two-meter-tall figure of Yan Hua. Chen Yuntian, taken aback by this unexpected presence, asked with a mix of curiosity and caution, ¡°Who might this be?¡± Chapter 36: The Acting Group Leader Chapter 36: The Acting Group Leader ¡°Gao Ming emerged from behind Yan Hua with a look of determination etched on his face. He addressed the director with a solemn tone, ¡®Director, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed, the state of Team One is extremely critical. We are now down to just one new member, with all our experienced core team members either missing or unounted for. To put it bluntly, our team is in a state of crisis.''¡± Director Chen Yuntian gave a small nod, his expression somber. He had a growing suspicion that Gao Ming was preparing to resign from the Bureau. The recent events had been harrowing ¨C team members disappearing or meeting their end within a mere 48 hours ¨C a situation that could push anyone to their limits. Gao Ming continued with a resigned gesture, ¡°The situation with recruitment is bleak as well. Our logistics staff informed us that there¡¯s ack of interest in joining Team One. Even the two candidates we had in mind have been lured away by other divisions. As it stands, it¡¯s just Zhu Miao Miao and myself left to hold the fort.¡± Director Chen Yuntian, understanding the gravity of the situation, responded thoughtfully, ¡°This turn of events is beyond what I had foreseen. While I respect whatever decision you make, I do hope you¡¯ll weigh your options carefully.¡± He was particrly concerned about Gao Ming¡¯s decision, considering him a key investigator, especially since the mysterious disappearance of Bai Xiao. Gao Ming replied with sincerity, ¡°I have given this a lot of thought. Our colleagues faced these bizarre and unexined incidents with courage, never showing fear or backing down. Now, when our Lishan Investigation Bureau is facing its darkest hour, I am ready to shoulder the major responsibilities for Investigation Team One.¡± As Director Chen Yuntian listened, his expression slowly shifted from concern to admiration. He patted Gao Ming on the arm,mending him, ¡°Your ability to confront challenges head-on is truly admirable!¡± Gao Ming then suggested, ¡°Since we are struggling to find new recruits, I will take the initiative to personally invite some members. I have a few trusted individuals in mind.¡± He gestured towards Yan Hua and Wan Qiu, who were standing nearby. ¡°Director, I assure you, we will uphold the Bureau¡¯s trust and standards.¡± Director Chen Yuntian observed Yan Hua and Wan Qiu, noting their contrasting personalities. Gao Ming confidently added, ¡°Having been a psychological counselor at Henshan High-Security Prison, I have a deep understanding of people. I can vouch for these two ¨C they are reliable. Should anything go awry, I will take full responsibility.¡± ¡°The bar for junior investigators isn¡¯t set very high, and these two are just about qualified. However, it¡¯s important that they are fully briefed on the potential risks and dangers they may encounter,¡± cautioned the Director. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of that,¡± Gao Ming assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll train them to be top-notch investigators.¡± With a casual air, he then added, ¡°And until we have a new team leader, I¡¯ll take charge of Team One.¡± After carefully considering the situation, Director Chen Yuntian gave a nod of approval. He saw no reason to object. ¡°Alright, Gao Ming, I appoint you as the acting leader of Team One. Your responsibilities will include overseeing personnel training and managing night duties. However, field missions will still be primarily handled by other groups.¡± This rapid ascent in the Bureau was remarkable for Gao Ming. Having joined less than two days ago, he had swiftly risen from a deputy leader to the acting leader of the team. His new position, although temporary, was significant. If the team members he personally recruited were all criminals, his authority within the team would be unchallenged. Chen Yuntian, noticing Gao Ming¡¯s zeal, felt reassured. He then had his staff bring two extra ck rings ¨C symbols of authority and responsibility within the Bureau. He handed one of these to Zhu Miao Miao and entrusted the other to Gao Ming, saying, ¡°Should youe across an exceptional recruit, you can bestow this ck ring upon them.¡± ¡°Thank you for cing your trust in me, Director,¡± Gao Ming responded with a nod of gratitude. Soon after Director Chen Yuntian left, Gao Ming¡¯s status was officially updated in the system. He was now the acting leader of Investigation Team One of the Lishan Investigation Bureau. Turning his attention to operational nning, Gao Ming said, ¡°Our patrol area for Team One will include Minlong Street and Li Jing Street, where I reside. After we handle the ongoing strange incident in the Eastern District, we¡¯ll start patrolling these two streets.¡± He handed the spare ck ring to Yan Hua, borating, ¡°The shadow world has its ways of infiltrating our reality through games, but we can also use games as a means to enter the shadow world.¡± Gao Ming then moved away from where Qin Tian was and started exploring Bai Xiao¡¯sputer. His aim was to understand the full extent of a group leader¡¯s permissions. As he browsed through the files, an email from the old city¡¯s police station caught his eye. It was from Officer Li Lin, sent the previous night, but Bai Xiao had not had the chance to open it. Upon opening the email, Gao Ming found several intriguing terms: ¡°Inconsistencies in the recent Henshan High-Security Prison riot¡ªunexined discrepancies in the count of missing criminals, a mutted corpse identified not as a prisoner but a doctor; and my psychological evaluation results over the past six months show a notable shift on a particr day, coinciding with the onset of the first strange incident in Xinhai half a year ago¡­¡± At the end of the email, Officer Li Lin expressed hope that the Lishan Investigation Bureau would allow Gao Ming to assist in the police investigation. Gao Ming, however, casually deleted the email. He felt confident about his mental state and believed he had more pressing matters to attend to. He continued his search on theputer and eventually discovered a hidden folder. This folder contained detailed information regarding the mysterious incident in the Eastern District. Delving into the chilling details of incident number 01764, Gao Ming discovered a horrifying ount. ¡°The first investigator who managed to escape the Eastern District incident was found with all limbs severed, yet there was no blood loss. His body bore inscriptions of sacrificial scriptures. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he sumbed to his injuries, and post-mortem, his body decayed at a rate three times slower than normal¡­¡± ¡°At the incident¡¯s location, after midnight, a pervasive scent of raw meat lingered in the air. Members of the investigation team positioned outside the perimeter reported hearing eerie chanting sounds.¡± ¡°The origin of this bizarre incident was traced back to an apartment on Sishui Street in the Hanhai Eastern District. The apartment was the site of a brutal family annihtion, and this incident was believed to be linked to that gruesome event.¡± To gain a deeper understanding, Gao Ming essed additional internal files from the Bureau. The upscale Eastern District rarely witnessed such horrors, but the Sishui Street apartment had a notorious past. Years ago, it was the scene of a shocking crime that rocked Hanhai ¨C eight members of two families were brutally murdered, leaving no survivors. The perpetrator of this heinous actmitted suicide within the house following the massacre. Locals whispered that the building was cursed, heavily imbued with negative energy, and possibly built over a gateway to the spirit world. As Gao Ming zoomed in on a photograph of the infamous murder house, studying the case in detail, Wan Qiu approached him, pointing to theputer screen with a murmured warning, ¡°They¡¯re all watching you.¡± The photograph showed an empty scene, but Wan Qiu¡¯s im was unsettling. ¡°What do you see?¡± Gao Ming asked, intrigued yet skeptical. ¡°Those eight victims, they¡¯re watching you. I see old people, children¡­ their lips smeared with blood. They¡¯re all staring at you,¡± Wan Qiu exined, then drifted away. Looking back at the photo, Gao Ming felt an eerie shiver run down his spine, an unnerving sensation as if unseen eyes were indeed fixed upon him. Reflecting on the details ¨C the meaty odor, the family massacre, blood-stained lips, and the abnormal rate of corpse decay ¨C Gao Ming spected, ¡°Could this be the work of ¡®Flesh Immortal¡¯?¡± The concept of Flesh Immortal wasn¡¯t something Gao Ming had invented. He had stumbled upon it in an old book he had picked up from a street vendor. The book outlined a gruesome ritual for worshipping flesh, a concept so macabre that it had left asting impression on him. The term ¡°Flesh Immortal¡± was merely a euphemism. In reality, what this ritual produced was far from anything divine. Although Gao Ming understood how to ¡®y¡¯ this game and knew the rituals involved in worshipping flesh, he was resolute in not pursuing such a path. Some things leave an indelible mark once delved into, a haunting presence that never fades. ¡°We need to find and stop whoever is feeding these horrific narratives. Such a person is not just dangerous but utterly devoid of morality and humanity.¡± A grave crisis loomed. As these strange incidents became more frequent, more people would inevitably be drawn into them. Some, having survived these encounters, might join the Bureau, dedicating themselves to protecting others. But there would be those seduced by the shadow world, who would transform into beings more terrifying than any ghost. Chapter 37: Whats More Terrifying Than Poverty? Chapter 37: Whats More Terrifying Than Poverty? Confronting a particrly severe and unusual situation, ssified as a ¡°Level 4 anomaly,¡± Team Leader Gao Ming stressed the critical need for immediate action. ¡°We have to tackle this problem while it¡¯s still manageable,¡± he asserted, highlighting the heightened risk of the situation spiraling out of control. With a sense of urgency driving their actions, Gao Ming made ns to visit Sishui Street during daylight to gather more detailed information about the strange urrence. He turned to his team members, picking up his backpack, which was notably filled with photos of people to remember. ¡°17, Wan Qiu, I need you to apany me somewhere,¡± Gao Ming directed. To another team member, Miao Miao, he said, ¡°You should stay here at the office. If there¡¯s any development or if you need me, just call.¡± Defiantly, Zhu Miao Miao stood up, eager to join. ¡°I want toe along,¡± she dered firmly. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t be a burden.¡± Gao Ming approached her, reducing the distance between them to a mere half step. He looked at her seriously. ¡°This isn¡¯t about whether or not you¡¯ll slow us down,¡± he said. ¡°This is about trust. Can I rely on youpletely? If you have to choose between my orders and those from our bureau, which will you follow?¡± Zhu Miao Miao was taken aback by his question. As a firefighter, her life had been about adherence to orders and regtions. Gao Ming continued, ¡°Before you decide¡­¡± Zhu Miao Miao interrupted, her voice filled with conviction. ¡°You saved my life; your orders are my priority.¡± ¡°Alright then, bring your axe. We¡¯ll all go together.¡± At the bureau¡¯s back door, various teams, including other investigation groups, were assembling. The atmosphere in the bureau was a mix of emotions ¡ª some were envious of the investigation team, others empathetic, and a few were absorbed in their own challenges. Ever since unexinable anomalies started emerging in the vast ocean, the bureau had been constantly on the back foot, desperately searching for any sign of sess or a glimmer of hope. On their drive to the Eastern District, Yan Hua and Wan Qiu were seated in the back of the car. They reviewed the information they had on the anomaly, which they had received from the dark ring they¡¯d been handed. Despite his intimidating appearance, Yan Hua showed remarkable patience with Wan Qiu, who had also experienced a difficult childhood. He was a man whose strength was not wielded against those weaker than him. Gao Ming made a phone call, dialing a number without even looking at his contacts list. The call was answered quickly by a gentle female voice, ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Before Gao Ming could respond, Xuan Wen seemed to guess his intent. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the Eastern District, to Sishui Street. There¡¯s a significant operation tonight. Could youe early and scout the area?¡± Gao Ming requested. Xuan Wen¡¯s voice, filled with the sound of keyboard keys clicking in the background, teased him. ¡°Working with the Investigation Bureau now, aren¡¯t you? Why do you sound like you¡¯re part of a gang?¡± Gao Ming responded, his voice cautious as he was mindful of his surroundings in the bureau car. ¡°We believe someone is fueling these strange urrences, making them grow faster. We need to intervene before things get even more out of hand,¡± he exined. ¡°Let¡¯s meet in two hours. And afterwards, we can all enjoy a good meal together.¡± ¡°All right, but I have a question for you,¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice softened, the sound of her typinging to a halt. There was a hint of yfulness, perhaps even flirtation, in her tone. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Why do you choose to video call Wei Dayou but only make audio calls with me? Don¡¯t you find me attractive? Or is it that you don¡¯t want to see my face? Do you see our interaction as strictly professional?¡± Gao Ming subtly nced around the car. Zhu Miao Miao was concentrating on navigating the vehicle while Yan Hua and Wan Qiu were absorbed in examining the information obtained from the mysterious dark ring. However, he noticed that, despite their apparent focus, their bodies were inconspicuously angled towards him, likely eavesdropping. ¡°We still have a lot to learn about each other,¡± he replied, diplomatically evading a direct answer. Xuan Wen¡¯s voice took on a slightly teasing edge. ¡°Remember when I was tied up, and you just sat there, calmly sipping two cups of milk tea? Is that your idea of getting to know me better?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have a proper discussion when we meet,¡± Gao Ming said quickly, cutting the call short as he gazed out of the car window, signaling the end of the conversation. Back in her office, Xuan Wen took off her headset, her expression a mixture of amusement and contemtion. She pondered the notions of freedom, dignity, and the love she longed for as an individual with her own desires and aspirations. ¡­ At 9 AM, Gao Ming¡¯s team arrived at Mei Ling Wonton Noodle Shop on Sishui Street. After a struggle to find a parking space, they were about to enter the eatery when an unkempt elderly man blocked their path. He was shouting frantically, ¡°I¡¯ve seen it! You¡¯re all doomed! It¡¯s going to happen tonight!¡± The old man¡¯s appearance was disheveled, wearing a tattered coat and shoes that didn¡¯t match. His speech was impeded by a whistling lisp caused by a missing tooth. Aware of the hazardous mission they had nned for that evening, Gao Ming inquired calmly, ¡°What have you seen?¡± ¡°The disaster! It¡¯sing for all of you tonight! The only way to avoid it is to use this talisman,¡± the old man insisted, revealing several aged and tattered talismans concealed beneath his coat, which looked like they were from another era. ¡°May I examine these talismans?¡± Gao Ming asked, passing them to Wan Qiu for her inspection, though she showed no particr reaction. ¡°So, are you interested in buying one?¡± The old man¡¯s voice was peculiar,ced with a hint of madness. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Gao Ming responded, casually picking up Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s fireman¡¯s axe. The old man, visibly startled by this gesture, quickly scampered away. ¡°Why do you always use my axe to scare people off?¡± Zhu Miao Miao grumbled, stowing the axe back under her seat. ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own weapon?¡± As they finally entered the noodle shop, the waitress, a woman in her forties with a kind face, began sprinkling salt over their shoes. She was excessively apologetic and overly polite. Gao Ming, puzzled by her actions, asked, ¡°Why are you putting salt on our shoes?¡± The waitress exined, ¡°You just encountered that crazy old man outside. He¡¯s considered unclean here!¡± Her exnation hinted at local superstitions and themunity¡¯s perception of the old man. Gao Ming immediately shot a wry look towards the woman, displeased someone would insult another in such a fashion. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean he¡¯s physically dirty,¡± the waitress rified as they settled down at their table. ¡°That man, Wu Bo, he resides in the most notorious floor of the Sishui Street apartmentplex. He¡¯s always wrapped up in his thick coat, underneath which he hides numerous talismans. He¡¯s perpetually cold, probably because he visits such eerie ces. Many of us think he might be possessed!¡± Gao Ming raised an eyebrow, casually perusing the menu. ¡°It¡¯s quite hical, isn¡¯t it? Stealing talismans from the homes of others.¡± ¡°The Sishui Street apartments have a reputation for being haunted, marked by a history of unfortunate events and tragedies. It¡¯smon for new residents to acquire talismans in hopes of keeping the supposed evil spirits at bay. But despite its eerie reputation, there¡¯s something about the ce that seems to irresistibly draw people in,¡± Zhu Miao Miao added, visibly concerned, especially considering Wan Qiu had handled the talismans earlier. ¡°That ¡®something¡¯ is the incredibly low rent prices in the Eastern District. In this day and age, what¡¯s more terrifying than poverty?¡± interjected a middle-aged woman seated at the next table, surrounded by her children. ¡°I live there too. After a while, you just adapt to it. Most of those haunting stories are probably just rumors.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a resident there?¡± ¡°Yes, I even live in one of the units where there was a murder. But what of it? My kids y and roam around without any problems,¡± she exined, highlighting the practicality and necessity of living in such a ce despite its dark history. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Zhu Miao Miao inquired, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Scared?¡± the womanughed lightly, almost dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough in life to not be afraid of death. So, what else is there to really fear?¡± Chapter 38: The Basket Shop Chapter 38: The Basket Shop In a thoughtful tone, Gao Ming conveyed a profound insight: ¡°There are many things in this world that are significantly more frightening than mere ghosts and demons.¡± As he spoke, he carefully withdrew a few banknotes from his wallet. Turning to the middle-aged woman, he inquired with a mix of curiosity and concern, ¡°Would it be possible for you to show us your hometer?¡± The woman, appearing to be in her middle years, nced briefly at the money offered by Gao Ming. Her eyes then flickered towards Yan Hua, revealing a trace of hesitation. ¡°I could consider it,¡± she began cautiously, ¡°but I must warn you, my living space is quite modest.¡± Meanwhile, ever the observant, Gao Ming had noted the middle-aged woman¡¯s order of wonton noodles, which remained untouched on the table. He gestured to the waiter, ¡°Could you kindly bring two additional bowls of noodles to this table, please?¡± The woman, however, quickly dismissed the offer with a wave of her hand. ¡°There¡¯s really no need for that,¡± she said firmly. ¡°We don¡¯t usually eat wonton noodles at our home; these are actually meant to be taken away for someone else.¡± Recognizing the woman¡¯s firm stance, Gao Ming decided not to push the matter further. Soon after, when Xuan Wen arrived, Gao Ming, apanied by Wan Qiu and the woman, set off towards her residence. As they walked, the woman, carrying her child in her arms, introduced herself. ¡°You can just call me Sister Fei,¡± she said. ¡°I reside in the Sishui Street Apartments, which consist of four separate buildingsbeled A, B, C, and D. My home is in Building B.¡± She thenmented the changes in the apartmentplex. ¡°It used to be so much more convenient when the internal passages between the buildings were open. We could easily move from Building A to the others, but that¡¯s not the case anymore.¡± Intrigued, Gao Ming asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The entire Building A is now sealed off,¡± she exined, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and disbelief. As she spoke, she gently rocked her child, attempting to soothe them. ¡°Rumor has it that the few residents who were still there have been relocated. It stands empty now.¡± She scoffed at the idea of a supernatural presence, ¡°I think it¡¯s all nonsense. There are no such things as ghosts. They¡¯re making a mountain out of a molehill. They should be focusing on more important things, like providing public housing for those in need. Even a haunted house would be better than no house at all!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts briefly returned to theputer data he had seen from Bai Xiao, which indicated that the strange urrences had begun in a household in Building A. ¡°So, Building A ispletely unupied now?¡± he pondered aloud. The woman nodded, clutching the bag containing the wonton noodles. ¡°There were hardly any residents left in Building A to begin with. And recently, some odd folks have beening to Building B, telling us to leave soon,¡± she shared, a hint of worry creeping into her voice. ¡°Life¡¯s tough enough as it is, and the uncertainty just makes it worse.¡± Their journey to the Sishui Street Apartments took them down the poorly maintained Sishui Street. They carefully navigated the uneven pavement, deliberately avoiding the sealed-off Building A, and finally arrived at the apartmentplex through an alternate route. Standing in front of Building B, Gao Ming was struck by an uneasy feeling. It was as if an invisible, sticky shadow clung to him, and he could sense the temperature around him dropping ominously. Wan Qiu, trailing behind Gao Ming and Xuan Wen, also seemed to sense the ominous atmosphere. He clutched at their sleeves, his feet rooted to the spot, visibly reluctant to proceed any further. The nine-story apartment, its facade a faded pale yellow, might once have been a vibrant hub ofughter and life. Now, however, it stood forlorn, its once bright paint obscured underyers of thick grime. Each apartment was fortified with security grilles, giving them the appearance of rusty iron cages. Gazing up at the building, one couldn¡¯t help but feel an overwhelming sense of oppression. The atmosphere was so heavy that simply standing outside the building made breathing feelborious, a sentiment that would undoubtedly be magnified within its walls. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we moving?¡± inquired the woman, who seemed to have adapted to the environment. Cradling her child in her arms, she cautioned, ¡°Be cautious in the hallway; it tends to be cluttered.¡± The Sishui Street Apartments, constructed in the Eastern District decades ago to house a surge of workers, featured long, narrow corridors on each floor, nked by residences on both sides. The living conditions were cramped, with single rooms often divided among multiple families using wooden partitions and irons. It was not umon to find up to three families sharing one room in these conditions. The building was a melting pot of workers from various regions, each bringing their own unique work practices, lifestyle habits, and regional dialects. This diversity, although enriching, often led to inevitable misunderstandings and disputes. ¡°People who have lived here for a long time can fall ill, even if they were initially healthy,¡± Gao Ming observed, opening a window at the corridor¡¯s end. Through the window, he could see the adjacent apartment building, eerily quiet and motionless. Just as he was about to turn away, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He spun around sharply. Across from him, in the building opposite, stood a family of four at a window, all staring at him with identical expressions. Their clothing was noticeably out of sync with modern fashion, and one of the elderly individuals appeared to have blood trickling from their mouth. ¡°That¡¯s Building A,¡± the woman mentioned nonchntly, ducking to avoid clothes hanging overhead. ¡°Buildings A and B used to be connected. You could walk directly through the corridor from one to the other, but not anymore.¡± She gestured towards a solid concrete wall in the corner. ¡°Years ago, the residents decided to block off the passage with concrete. Only two paths were left, on the fifth and ninth floors, but even those have been sealed off by the police with caution tape.¡± ¡°Fifth and ninth floors¡­¡± Gao Ming¡¯s gaze shifted back to Building A, but the family he had seen was no longer there. ¡°You should be careful around these concrete walls,¡± the woman advised as they continued walking. ¡°There¡¯s a local tale that a murderer once concealed a body within one of these walls. The spot where you touched might be just behind the face of the corpse.¡± She beckoned for Gao Ming to follow her. ¡°This building has staircases at both ends. The elevator hasn¡¯t worked for years. And you might want to avoid using the left staircase at night; some residents use it as a makeshift restroom, preferring it over the public toilets in the corridor.¡± Upon reaching the fifth floor of the building, the woman purposefully made her footsteps echo through the hallway. It was as if she was signaling her presence to some unseen observer or entity. Carefully setting down her child, she rummaged through her belongings for the keys. With a steady hand, she unlocked and opened the vivid red security door of her apartment. ¡°Wee,¡± she greeted, her voice echoing slightly in the cramped space. As Gao Ming stepped inside the tiny 30-square-meter apartment, it became clear why the woman had been reluctant to have Yan Hua apany them. The apartment was overflowing with various household items. He was immediately struck by the high stacks of shoes, both adult and children¡¯s sizes, which rose like small towers. A doorless cab pressed against the wall was crammed full of an assortment of objects: a rice cooker, exercise books, backpacks, and many items hastily wrapped in supermarket stic bags. Directly across from the wardrobe was a bunk bed, the lower end crammed with clothes and the top adorned with quilts, their fabric marred by yellowish-brown stains. The space between the iron bed and the cab was so narrow that Gao Ming had to turn sideways to navigate it. Arge stuffed toy was wedged ufortably between the foot of the bed and the corner of the cab. Two children, appearing to be around four or five years old, peeked shyly from the upper bunk upon noticing their mother. They seemed unsure about whether to descend or not. ¡°Don¡¯t y anymore; we have guests,¡± the woman instructed them, as she began to pour the wonton noodles into a bowl. Curiously, she neither ate the noodles herself nor offered them to the children but simply ced the bowl on a chair in the center of the room. The children eyed the bowl of noodles with evident hunger but remained silent, not daring to speak up. ¡°Make yourselves at home,¡± the woman said, moving towards another room. The outer room served a dual purpose as a dining and sleeping area, but the conditions in the inner partition were even more dismal. The toilet was positioned rmingly close to the kitchen stove and sink. Cooking oil and grime-coated seasoning bottles were haphazardly stored on the same shelf asrge bottles of cheap shampoo andundry detergent. The floor drain was clogged with a nauseating mix of yellow hair, rotting vegetable leaves, and congealed grease. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to sit, is there?¡± Gao Ming remarked, stepping further inside. The woman hastily cleared away some of the children¡¯s toys to free up space. ¡°You won¡¯t find a better deal in the entire Eastern District except for Building A in Sishui Street Apartments,¡± she imed. ¡°It¡¯s not about value for money now,¡± Gao Ming replied, noticing Wan Qiu, the high school student, beginning to act peculiarly, his body twitching slightly. ¡°You mentioned living in a haunted house. What happened here previously?¡± Without any concern for the potential fright her words might cause her own children, the woman bluntly revealed: ¡°A man hanged himself here, along with his two children.¡± This revtion unsettled even Gao Ming, but the woman and the two children on the iron bed seemed remarkably undisturbed by this grim history. In the cramped confines of her small apartment, the woman shared her thoughts about the notorious reputation of the Sishui Street Apartments. ¡°Many apartments here are known to be haunted. Some of them are actually quite sought after because they¡¯re cheap,¡± she exined, her reasoning reflecting a unique perspective. ¡°But you know, living next to a haunted house is actually worse. Those ces cost more, and if ghosts really do exist, the residents can¡¯t escape them either.¡± While she spoke, Gao Ming noticed a subtle change in her demeanor. Her eyes darted to the left, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly upwards. His attention was drawn to a cloth doll situated in the corner of the room. Observing her facial expressions closely, Gao Ming sensed that she was concealing something. It wasn¡¯t ack of fear of death that struck him; rather, it seemed as though she was confident that the supposed ghost wouldn¡¯t harm her. At this point, Wan Qiu, who usually remained quiet, exhibited a palpable sense of urgency. He tugged insistently at Gao Ming¡¯s clothing, his actions conveying a desperate desire to leave the apartment. Xuan Wen¡¯s behavior was equally unusual. She ced a reassuring hand on Gao Ming¡¯s shoulder and, without uttering a word, began to make her way towards the exit. Her usual smile was conspicuously absent, reced by a somber expression. ¡°Are you leaving already? You¡¯ve already paid, why not stay a while longer?¡± the middle-aged woman inquired, her tone tinged with a hint of surprise. She stood in the doorway, holding the bright red security door partially closed, using her body to partially obstruct the exit. ¡°We¡¯ll take a look elsewhere,¡± Gao Ming responded, politely indicating their intention to leave. As he shifted his gaze away from the woman, his eyes briefly caught sight of arge, plush doll eerily moving across the dirty floor behind her, adding an unsettling note to their departure. Chapter 39: Ominous Signs Everywhere Chapter 39: Ominous Signs Everywhere The middle-aged woman, with a hint of mystery in her eyes, offered her parting words with a hopeful tone, ¡°I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for,¡± before she proceeded to close the door. As she did, the door, painted a striking red and equipped with a high-security lock, clicked shut. In the room, a rather unusual scene unfolded. A fluffy stuffed doll, which at first nce seemed innocuous, surreptitiously moved beside a chair. With an almost human appetite, the doll began to consume the cold noodles left on a te, eating with startlingly voracious hunger. It was an eerie sight, almost as if a person, not a toy, was hidden within the fabric of the doll. With a sense of foreboding creeping up his spine, Gao Ming heard the soft, urgent whisper of Xuan Wen. ¡°Gao Ming, don¡¯t look back,¡± she cautioned, her voice barely audible as they briskly moved away from the scene, putting a distance of ten meters between themselves and the apartment. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of relief wash over him for having Xuan Wen¡¯spany in this peculiar and unnerving apartment building. Xuan Wen¡¯s expression turned grave as she shared her insight, ¡°The urban legend game happening here might have already spread and entered a phase of rapid growth.¡± Her smile had vanished, reced by a look of concern. ¡°That middle-aged woman is living with a ghost! The ghosts in this building can move freely in daylight, just like me, unbound by the shadow world.¡± The thought made Gao Ming¡¯s skin crawl. ¡°Is the ghost hiding inside the stuffed doll?¡± he asked, the idea sending shivers down his spine. ¡°Disguised in the skin of a doll, avoiding the light.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that; I can only sense certain energies,¡± Xuan Wen replied thoughtfully, her gaze shifting to Wan Qiu. ¡°He seems to be the first to notice something off.¡± Gao Ming turned to Wan Qiu with curiosity. ¡°Wan Qiu, what did you see?¡± Wan Qiu recounted his observations, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°There are eyes inside the stuffed doll, three children on the bed with one tied up, incense ash and rice grains on the floor, talismans behind the door, and the hair clogging the drain is blonde, while the mother and children have ck hair¡­¡± He listed the oddities meticulously, fear evident in his voice. ¡°There are strangers¡¯ ID cards in the stic bags in the closet; there¡¯s blood on the edge of the rice cooker, and what¡¯s being cooked inside isn¡¯t rice¡­¡± His eyes wide with terror, Wan Qiu pointed towards the corridor leading to Building A, his voice stuttering with fear, ¡°Over there, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Analyzing the situation, Xuan Wen remarked, ¡°It¡¯s still daylight, and shadows don¡¯t cover everything, yet it¡¯s still so terrifying here.¡± She suggested, ¡°This indicates that the urban legend has broken free from the shadow world and be a reality. Maybe we should leave and find some less developed urban legends?¡± Gao Ming, a game designer by profession, knew all too well the dangers of uncontrolled urban legends. ¡°Someone in the Eastern District is feeding these legends. If they¡¯ve already created an uncontroble one, we¡¯ll lose all initiative,¡± he said, his voiceced with concern. Xuan Wen stepped forward, her expression serious. ¡°To trigger an urban legend prematurely and feed it requires an unimaginable cost; that person must be out of their mind,¡± she said. ¡°If we intervene here, our enemies tonight won¡¯t just be the urban legends but also the person feeding them. They can mobilize resources and use living people to feed the legends. They might be a powerful figure in the Eastern District, maybe even someone from your Investigation Bureau.¡± Gao Ming nodded, deep in thought. ¡°I¡¯ve considered that too,¡± he acknowledged, weighing the gravity of their situation. ¡°The anomalies first surfaced in the Xinhai area, and the Investigation Bureau has been diligentlypiling data on them. It¡¯s well-known that these anomalies tend to manifest during daylight hours after they¡¯ve spread. However, observe the security measures in ce here. The anomaly outbreak was confirmed in Building A, yet Building B, which stands adjacent, is still upied by residents,¡± Xuan Wen analyzed the situation with a clear mind. ¡°Do you think this is a strategy to prevent mass hysteria, or could it be a ploy to draw more unsuspecting individuals into the web of the urban legend?¡± Under normal circumstances, when an urban legend esctes to such a level, an entire area like Sishui Street would be evacuated for safety. But in this peculiar case, only Building A has been cordoned off, and there¡¯s a noticeable absence of the Investigation Bureau¡¯s presence in the vicinity. This raises red gs about the true nature of the situation. ¡°What do you think is the best course of action?¡± Gao Ming inquired, seeking Xuan Wen¡¯s opinion on the matter. ¡°If I were an agent working for the Bureau, my initial move would be to identify and neutralize the individual who is actively fueling the urban legend in the real world, effectively cutting off its energy source. Then, I¡¯d arrange for the deployment of our top-tier investigators to manage and contain the situation,¡± Xuan Wen stated her strategy. ¡°From your perspective as a game designer, the optimal approach might be to discreetly disseminate information through various channels. Propagate the idea that in these real-world games, there are secret, hidden ¡®BOSS¡¯ levels that offer extraordinary rewards. Currently, the concealed level is situated within the Sishui Street Building A apartment.¡± ¡°Encouraging those who¡¯ve mastered my game to try their hand at this would indeed be a cunning strategy. However, the legend has spiraled out of control prematurely. Even the ¡®Grim Reaper¡¯ hidden among the Nightlight Studio staff might hesitate to engage,¡± Gao Ming pondered. The concept, while simple in theory, was challenging to implement. ¡°Ourst resort is to intervene directly,¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice dropped to a more serious tone. ¡°This urban legend game has already imed numerous lives; there has to be something immensely valuable at its core. If we can gain exclusive control over it, we¡¯ll harness the power of an untamed urban legend!¡± ¡°What are our chances of seeding?¡± Gao Ming asked. ¡°About thirty percent,¡± Xuan Wen indicated, holding up three fingers. ¡°The odds of triumph are slim, but if we can survive the ordeal and acquire aprehensive understanding of the urban legend, it will significantly improve our chances in future encounters.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite thorough in your nning,¡± Gao Mingmented, clenching his left hand as he moved towards the corridor nestled between Buildings A and B. The corridors on most floors were sealed off with concrete barriers, but the fifth and ninth floors were blockaded with fences, adorned with eerie seals and cryptic talismans. Gazing through the gaps in the fence, Building A loomed with a darker, more foreboding presence. ¡°Keep your distance from the fence,¡± Xuan Wen cautioned, standing close to Gao Ming, while Wan Qiu, too frightened, kept his distance. ¡°From the Ghost Festival to the present, it hasn¡¯t been long, but the signs of the urban legend spiraling out of control are already evident. We have clearly underestimated the depths of human greed and madness,¡± Gao Ming reflected, his hand gripping the fence. The shadows lurking in the corner of the corridor seemed to gravitate towards him, and the faint sound of footsteps began to resonate nearby. ¡°Is someone running?¡± Gao Ming wondered as the eerie atmosphere intensified. As the sound grew louder and more distinct, the distance to the corner of the corridor rapidly diminished. Gao Ming and hispanions fixated their gaze on the deeper, shadowy end of the corridor, tense with anticipation. Suddenly, an investigator, his clothes soaked in blood, burst into view, running as if death itself was on his heels. His body, usually well-proportioned and fit, was now etched with bizarre symbols that seemed to pulse with a strange energy. Despite the severity of his wounds, which included exposed broken bones and torn skin that seemed to unnaturally cling together, he moved with surprising agility. ¡°Bai Xiao!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice rang out, his pupils widening in shock and recognition. In a swift motion, he delivered a powerful kick to the fence, intent on breaching it to aid the beleaguered investigator. In his frenzied state, Bai Xiao appeared oblivious to Gao Ming¡¯s presence. The sound of his name caused him only to decelerate slightly, indicating he was barely aware of his surroundings. After forcefully tearing down the fence, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen hastened to follow Bai Xiao¡¯s footsteps into Building A. But as soon as they stepped inside, the sounds of Bai Xiao¡¯s desperate escape eerily ceased. ¡°Did you see that investigator just now?¡± Gao Ming whispered, his voice barely above a murmur. ¡°Yes, he must be ensnared by the anomaly,¡± Xuan Wen nodded in agreement. ¡°His resilience is remarkable, surviving this long in such a hostile environment. In a typical anomaly, he might havested until dawn and found a way out. Unfortunately, he¡¯s entangled in an urban legend that¡¯s nearly impossible to control.¡± Suddenly, their attention was diverted by Wan Qiu¡¯s urgent shout from behind. ¡°Over here!¡± he called out, waving his arms. But before he could articte another word, a door beside him swung open violently. A scarred arm, gruesome in appearance, reached out and yanked him inside. The door mmed shut, followed by Wan Qiu¡¯s muffled screams. With their instincts kicking in, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen rushed towards the door. Blood ominously oozed from beneath it. They quickly shattered the lock and pushed the door open with force. Inside, they found Wan Qiu sitting alone at arge, round table. The table was set for eight, each ce with a bowl and chopsticks, thetter eerily standing upright in cold rice. ¡°Wan Qiu! Come out!¡± Xuan Wen beckoned urgently, but he remained motionless. After a brief, tense silence, Wan Qiu slowly raised his head. His eyes, once clear and expressive, were now clouded and lifeless. His lips, tightly pressed together moments before, now twisted into a chilling smile. He locked eyes with Gao Ming and Xuan Wen, then, with a manic energy, began to devour the rice with his chopsticks. Initially, the rice was white, but as he continued to eat, it began to turn a sinister red, as if his mouth was bleeding profusely. The sight was both horrifying and surreal, hinting at the deepening nightmare they had stumbled into. Chapter 40: Nightfall! Chapter 40: Nightfall! ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t touch that rice ¨C it¡¯s an offering for the deceased!¡± In a state of panic, Gao Ming dashed towards Wan Qiu, intent on stopping him. However, disying a surprising strength, Xuan Wen grabbed Gao Ming, effectively restraining him from moving further. Wan Qiu, his lips smeared with a haunting shade of red, shifted uneasily, agony etched across his face. His neck spasmed violently as a horrifying mixture of blood and half-chewed rice spilled from his mouth. ¡°You¡­ you all¡­¡± he stammered, his voice barely more than a garbled whisper, his expression a constantly shifting tableau of pain and confusion. The room was charged with a palpable eeriness. Heavy curtains billowed in the cold, intrusive wind while scraps of ceremonial joss paper drifted to the floor. The walls and ceiling bore the marks of age and neglect, cracked and peeling, giving the impression of insects scuttling in the shadows. Amidst this chilling ambiance, Wan Qiu spoke again, his voice quivering with emotion, reminiscent of an elderly person ovee with sorrow, ¡°Ahead, a tiger awaits; behind, a ghost lurks. Neither the heavens answer, nor the earth offers its blessings¡­¡± His words seemed to carry a deeper, more ominous message as if something within the room was attempting tomunicate through him to Gao Ming and Xuan Wen. ¡°Ghosts prey on humans, humans consume flesh, and flesh in turn devours ghosts,¡± Wan Qiu rambled incoherently, his mouth a gruesome sight, his lips torn and bloodied. Despite the horrific injury, he continued to speak in nonsensical phrases. This eerie scene escted as the round table in the room began to shake violently, culminating in bowls of pristine white rice crashing to the floor in disarray. ¡°In consuming, you might yet live¡­¡± These cryptic words were thest Wan Qiu uttered before copsing. Gao Ming, no longer held back, rushed to his side to assist him. In the meantime, Xuan Wen, curiosity piqued, ventured into an adjoining room, which had been converted into a makeshift shrine. There, memorial tablets and portraits of eight individuals, presumably deceased, were arranged with solemn respect. In their ck-and-white photographs, their eyes appeared unnervingly open, as if fixated on the chaotic scene at the table. ¡°These must be the victims of that horrific mass family murder,¡± Xuan Wen observed, noting the still-burning incense sticks. ¡°Has someone been continuously honoring them?¡± The sound of the shattering rice bowls echoed ominously, prompting Gao Ming to worry that it might attract unwanted attention. He hoisted Wan Qiu up, intent on making a swift exit. As they pushed open the door to leave, the metal entrance door unexpectedly swung open, colliding with an approaching figure. ¡°Don¡¯t be rmed! It¡¯s not what you think!¡± eximed Wu Bo, oddly overdressed for the warm weather, with worn talismans peeling off his clothes. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gao Ming questioned, taken aback by the sudden appearance. ¡°There¡¯s no time to exin ¨C we need to get out of here, now!¡± Wu Bo urged them, hastily leading the way through the dimly lit corridor of the fifth floor, skillfully navigating a gap in the railing to make their escape to Building B. Catching his breath, Wu Bo copsed to the floor, ¡°You¡¯re braver than I thought. Are you aware of the number of murders that have taken ce in Building A on Sishui Street? That ce is haunted!¡± Gao Ming, crouching beside Wu Bo, countered, ¡°But you¡¯re always in and out of there. Those memorial portraits ¨C you¡¯re the one who¡¯s been keeping up the rites for them, aren¡¯t you? What¡¯s your connection to the victims of that family massacre?¡± ¡°Purchase these protective talismans from me, and I¡¯ll share what I know,¡± Wu Bo offered after a brief pause, a hint of business-like seriousness in his tone. ¡°It¡¯s like buying a safeguard against disasters. You can trust my services.¡± Gao Ming, short on cash but high on curiosity, struck a temporary deal, ¡°I¡¯m a bit strapped for cash at the moment. Let¡¯s consider it a credit transaction. I¡¯ll pay you as soon as I can.¡± With that, he ¡®borrowed¡¯ three uniquely crafted talismans from Wu Bo. Each talisman was intricately folded into a triangle, pierced through with a red thread, and contained fragments of photographs, giving them an eerie, almost mystical appearance. ¡°You¡¯d better honor your debt,¡± Wu Bo warned, patting his tattered coat for emphasis as he rose to his feet. ¡°You know, I was a security guard in Building A. I was on duty the night that horrific family ughter took ce.¡± Curiosity piqued, Gao Ming inquired, ¡°What did you witness?¡± ¡°Even before that tragic night, Building A was shrouded in unsettling tales. Many residents, spooked by the rumors, resorted to sticking talismans around their homes for a sense of protection and peace. For most, it was just a psychological crutch, but for some, it turned into an obsession.¡± Gao Ming, connecting the dots, asked, ¡°Was the perpetrator of the family massacre one of these talisman-obsessed individuals?¡± Wu Bo nodded, his lips dry and cracking with tension, ¡°Exactly. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Flesh Immortal?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s face betrayed a flicker of recognition, but he quickly shook his head in denial. ¡°Good. It¡¯s better you don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t trust the rumors. Belief can give life to legends, while skepticism can make them fade away.¡± In extinguishing his cigarette, Wu Bo continued, ¡°In Building A, there are two kinds of spirits: malevolent and benevolent. The talismans I gave you are designed to discern between them.¡± ¡°How do they function?¡± ¡°If you encounter a spirit, use the talisman. A benevolent ghost will let you pass unharmed, but a malevolent one will consume you whole.¡± Wu Bo¡¯s face was a canvas of earnestness, as though he had witnessed such horrors firsthand. ¡°I¡¯ve told you what I know. Remember to pay me.¡± ¡°Earlier, outside, you mentioned we wouldn¡¯t survive the night. Did you see something?¡± ¡°Everyone who got out of that ck car at night vanished without a trace. That¡¯s why I assumed you¡¯d meet the same fate.¡± Despite his crazed appearance, Wu Bo¡¯s words carried a sharp, calcting edge. ¡°The ck car belongs to the Investigation Bureau. Have you seen other investigators around the building? They wear a standard uniform.¡± Gao Ming probed further, eager for more insights. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Bureau is rife with internal divisions. I¡¯m not associated with those who came before.¡± Wu Bo hesitated, wrestling with whether to reveal more, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m unsure about sharing¡­ After the hauntings began in Building A, those investigators didn¡¯t quell them. Instead, they¡¯ve been bringing various objects into the building. I suspect¡­ it¡¯s not the building that¡¯s haunted, but rather someone has chosen this ce to cultivate spirits.¡± As they spoke, a sudden vibrating sound emanated from beneath Gao Ming¡¯s sleeve, the noise of his ck ring rm. Startled, Wu Bo mped his hand over his mouth, hastily extinguishing his cigarette. With a look of apprehension, he quickly retreated, leaving Gao Ming to ponder his enigmatic words. Gao Ming¡¯s attention shifted to the ck ring on his finger, which had just vibrated with a new mission alert from the Hanhai Investigation Bureau. The message was clear and urgent: all investigators with experience in handling Level 3 paranormal events were being urgently summoned to Sishui Street in the Eastern District. The situation at Sishui Apartments had deteriorated to a critical level, necessitating an all-out response, regardless of the cost. ¡°Is tonight the final showdown for everyone involved?¡± The fact that Gao Ming, a neer to the Bureau, had also received this summons spoke volumes about the severity of the situation. The Bureau was marshaling all avable forces in a determined effort to address the anomaly. Yet, the grim reality loomedrge: if their efforts failed tonight, following the loss of so many lives already, the haunting tales from Sishui Apartments would likely amplify into uncontroble terror. ¡°We need to get out of the apartment for now,¡± Gao Ming decided. Outside, the evening was growing tense as police cars patrolled the area, setting up barricades for the impending operation. Gao Ming joined forces with Zhu Miao Miao and Yan Hua from the restaurant and secured a private room to discuss their next steps. He quickly briefed them on the eerie urrences inside the apartmentplex. ¡°This paranormal event is definitely at a Level 4, if not higher, and it¡¯s far from ordinary. The building is swarming with an array of spirits in a highlyplex environment.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice betrayed his anxiety, ¡°Last time, I survived a Level 3 event because the ghosts were not hostile towards me. This time, our safety is far from guaranteed.¡± He looked around the room, weighing his words carefully before continuing, ¡°Think very carefully before you answer my next question.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Xuan Wen urged, her tone suggesting she had already anticipated his question and resolved her decision. ¡°The likelihood of us not surviving this event is over 90%. If you¡¯re willing to face these odds with me, stay. Anyone who prefers not to take this risk can head back to the Bureau. I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s expression softened slightly afterying out the stark reality. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Zhu Miao Miao was the first to respond, ¡°I¡¯ll stay. I¡¯m an investigator with the Bureau. It¡¯s my duty to confront these anomalies.¡± As the group processed her decision, Xuan Wen tapped the table for attention, ¡°Count me in too. Someone has to keep an eye on you both.¡± With a frown betraying his resolve, Yan Hua cut to the chase, ¡°Enough talk. What¡¯s our move tonight?¡± Hismitment was clear; the thought of leaving had never crossed his mind. Gao Ming, concerned, pressed them, ¡°Are you sure about this? We¡¯re walking into a Level 4 paranormal event without proper armament, facing an unknown number of powerful entities. It¡¯s almost like marching to our doom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m joining too,¡± interjected Wan Qiu, now regaining his rity. He grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s wrist with a sense of urgency, ¡°There are eight souls¡­ they are waiting for me¡­¡± His words added anotheryer of solemnity to their mission. With a unanimous decision from the group, Gao Ming finally solidified their n, ¡°Alright, as night falls, we¡¯ll bypass the Bureau¡¯s main operation and make our way in from a different side.¡± In the hours leading up to their covert mission, they dedicated their time to meticulously studying every known murder case connected to Sishui Street,mitting to memory the locations of all the reportedly haunted houses. Their preparation was thorough, leaving nothing to chance as they awaited the cover of darkness. Meanwhile, the relentless downpour that had drenched the city for days was showing signs of subsiding. The skies, however, remained a brooding canvas of heavy clouds, foretelling more than just a meteorological storm. A light drizzle gently dotted the fleet of ck cars parked along the street. The area around the apartments had beenpletely sealed off by the authorities; people could enter, but no one was allowed to leave. The scene was a hive of activity, with investigators dressed in the distinctive ck uniforms of the Hanhai Investigation Bureau scurrying around. These were the elite operatives, specially called in for this critical operation. While most of the city¡¯s inhabitants were breathing a sigh of relief at the prospect of the rain¡¯s end, yearning for clear skies, the group of investigators, hidden from the public eye, were silently converging on their target: Building A of the Sishui Apartments. The ominous building stood as a silent testament to the mysteries and horrors they were about to confront. Chapter 41: A Different World of Ghost Stories Chapter 41: A Different World of Ghost Stories In the bustling yet now eerily quiet Hanhai Sishui Street, precisely at 10 PM, a team of investigators cloaked in ck assembled with precision around the perimeter of the Sishui Apartmentplex. Their presence and the barriers they set up enveloped the street in a tense and almost suffocating atmosphere. There was no rallying cry or motivational speech as the chosen investigators stepped forward. They moved in silence, their determination palpable, as if each step carried the weight of their solemn mission. These investigators were well aware that dealing with paranormal phenomena wasn¡¯t a task forrge, unwieldy teams. Ghostly entities from the shadow world had the unnerving ability to mimic team members, turning numbers into a liability rather than an advantage. Novice investigators often became more of a hindrance than help in these supernatural situations. Thus, the bureau had sent their best and most experienced agents for this operation. Each team was anchored by investigators who had faced and survived Level Four paranormal events. They were the seasoned veterans, the backbone of the operation. Every aspect of the mission was meticulously nned, and each investigator was mentally prepared for the ultimate sacrifice. They were ready to be consumed in the line of duty, seeing themselves as mere instruments in therger fight to protect humanity¡¯s dignity. Despite their varied pasts, in that moment, these investigators stood as a testament to human bravery and resilience. Within the shadow-shrouded apartment building, fleeting shadows danced and vanished. Suddenly, a chilling scream shattered the silence, followed by an ominous shadow that started to engulf the building from within. The paranormal event had been activated. This event was far more extensive than anything they had encountered the previous night. Its reach had tripled, and even the investigators blockading the street were pulled into its malevolent grasp. Hidden in Building C of the Sishui Apartments, Gao Ming felt an uncontroble twitch in his right eye as he watched the shadows encroach upon him. The magnitude of this ghostly phenomenon was overwhelming. They were trapped in Building C, swallowed whole by the event with no apparent route of escape. The ck ring on his finger blinked a red light, signaling the loss of allmunication. The hallway lights warped unnaturally, and an eerie effect seemed to spread to every apartment. Gazing at the bright red couplets and doors, Gao Ming felt as if he was staring into gaping maws. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble,¡± Xuan Wen stated, her breath visible in the cold air. She ran her hand along the corridor wall, her expression serious. ¡°I thought the shadow world would reject me, prevent me from joining you likest time. But now, I¡¯m also caught in this ghost story game. The moment the shadow engulfed us, I was pulled in too!¡± Xuan Wen, who had initially nned to be a hunter in this ghostly realm, now found herself among the hunted. By removing his coat and stretching his muscr arms, Yan Hua seemed to embrace the shadows enveloping him. ¡°This is a strange sensation. It¡¯s like something is calling out to me,¡± he mused, his muscles tensing as if ready for action. ¡°I feel incredibly liberated as if this is where I truly belong.¡± In stark contrast to the more outwardly expressive Xuan Wen and Yan Hua, Wan Qiu was notably more reserved. He stood close to Gao Ming, gripping an amulet given to him by Wu Bo, his neck visibly damp with nervous sweat. ¡°Keep quiet for now,¡± Gao Ming whispered, signaling for everyone to lower their voices as he focused on an unsettling sound: ¡°Why can we hear a heartbeating from inside the walls?¡± Curious, he attempted to open a door to one of the nearby apartments. The interior appeared ordinary at first nce, but an inexplicable, rhythmic heartbeat filled the air. This mysterious heartbeat seemed to influence Gao Ming, his heart rate involuntarily picking up speed as though it was being drawn into sync with the eerie pulse. ¡°We should head to Building B first,¡± Xuan Wen suggested, leading the group. Despite her gentle and seemingly fragile appearance, there was an intense, bloodshot look in her eyes. Her back was poised and elegant, yet her face conveyed a chilling, almost terrifying determination. Upon reaching the fifth-floor corridor of Building B, Yan Hua pushed aside a railing, and he and Xuan Wen took the lead. The narrow passageway between the apartment buildings, separated by mere meters, felt like a dark, shadow-filled river. They seemed to be small vessels navigating this ghostly stream. Xuan Wen and Yan Hua were the first to traverse the corridor and enter Building B. However, Gao Ming grew increasingly uneasy as they continued without stopping, the distance between them and himself steadily growing. The pair seemed oblivious to Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao trailing behind them. They didn¡¯t nce back, instead speaking to the empty air next to them before quickening their pace. ¡°Xuan Wen!¡± Gao Ming called out. Xuan Wen paused and turned around, looking confused. Her eyes, red and strained, scanned the area behind her, but she appeared unable to see Gao Ming. Soon, both she and Yan Hua were engulfed by the encroaching shadows. Gao Ming, feeling a sense of urgency, grabbed Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s arm. They stood frozen in the middle of the corridor, and when they looked back, they realized Wan Qiu had also mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a tattered amulet on the ground. Wu Bo had originally given Gao Ming three amulets for protection: one for himself, one for Zhu Miao Miao, and one for Wan Qiu. Now, it seemed as though the team members who had entered the shadow world had been scattered to different locations, separated from Gao Ming. ¡°Is this a ghost hitting the wall phenomenon?¡± Zhu Miao Miao murmured, gripping her firefighter¡¯s axe tightly. She had never witnessed such a bizarre and unsettling scene. Within less than three minutes of the paranormal event starting, most of their team had already vanished. ¡°There¡¯s no way back now,¡± Gao Ming said softly, trying to offer some reassurance: ¡°We need to keep moving forward. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± As they made their way across the corridor, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao found themselves in the fifth-floor hallway of Building B, a space strangely illuminated by tworge rednterns, each adorned with the Chinese character for ¡°happiness¡±. The dim red glow cast by thenterns managed to push back the darkness, yet this only seemed to amplify the already eerie and unsettling atmosphere. ¡°This looks like a version of Building B from years ago,¡± Gao Ming observed, contrasting it with his daytime visit to the apartmentplex. During that visit, the corridors had been cluttered with various items, and the walls were stained yellow with age and marred with cracks. However, now, the corridor walls appeared unnervingly pristine and white. ¡°The building is still equipped with those voice-activated lights that were popr over two decades ago, and these apartment doors¡­ they¡¯re free of the usual rust and wear.¡± In the middle of the corridor stood the old-fashioned elevator, which in reality had been long dmissioned. Yet here, it was eerily operational, its iron gate creaking open to reveal a plump woman with a significantly erged belly. She was clumsily carrying a bag of severely dposed vegetables in her left hand and a bundle of tattered rags in her right. ¡°Pang Sao?¡± Gao Ming instantly recognized the woman. He had encountered her earlier that day at the noodle shop and had even visited her home with the kids. But the Pang Sao in this paranormal scenario differed drastically from the woman he had met during the day. Her belly was unnaturallyrge, lending her a disturbing, almost monstrous appearance. Pang Sao, struggling under the weight of her burdens, noticed Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao and greeted them with a cheerful smile. ¡°Are you two also thinking about moving into Sishui Apartments?¡± she asked. As she shifted her weight, a repulsive, ck liquid began oozing from her swollen belly. ¡°Be careful,¡± Zhu Miao Miao warned in a hushed tone, her grip tightening around her axe. ¡°Act normal, treat her like any other person,¡± Gao Ming whispered back, then approached Pang Sao with a feigned smile. Holding the amulet discreetly in his hand, Gao Ming walked up to her, noticing that the amulet remained inert. ¡°Let me help you with those. Are the kids still at home?¡± ¡°If I had known how hard it would be to raise children, I would never have had them,¡± Pang Saomented, her neck folds quivering as she moved. A foul liquid continued to seep from her belly with each step. ¡°Would you like toe and sit at my ce?¡± ¡°Sure, we were actually thinking of checking out the apartment,¡± Gao Ming replied, ying along. ¡°You¡¯re making a smart decision. Buying a haunted apartment unit can be quite a bargain,¡± Pang Sao remarked, handing the bag of rotten vegetables to Gao Ming. Together, they moved toward the corridor entrance leading from Building B to Building A, where Pang Sao¡¯s apartment was supposedly located. As they reached the blood-red security door of her apartment, the door of the neighboring unit abruptly swung open. As Zhu Miao Miao instinctively nced toward the newly opened door, she barely stifled a scream. Peering out from the neighboring apartment was a middle-aged woman, probably in her forties, dressed in a floral-patterned dress that entuated her well-maintained figure. However, her face was a horrifying anomaly ¨C itcked eyes and a nose, instead possessing four mouths. The woman spoke, her four mouths moving in unison, seemingly oblivious to her own nightmarish visage. She leaned casually against the doorframe, her voice tinged with a gossiping tone: ¡°Always convincing people to buy these haunted units, aren¡¯t you scared of divine retribution, like being struck by lightning?¡± She continued talking, her words flowing uninterrupted: ¡°Go ahead, step inside her apartment. Once you do, you might find it impossible to leave. This old woman is full of deceitful tricks; you should watch out!¡± Pang Sao¡¯s demeanor suddenly shifted to anger. ¡°You nosy woman! If you don¡¯t stop your gossiping, I¡¯ll rip your mouth off!¡± The woman with four mouths, however, maintained an air of innocence: ¡°I¡¯m not spreading rumors,¡± she imed. ¡°But you, always sneaking about, collecting other people¡¯s old clothes. Is it for your eldest son¡¯s skin-changing ritual again?¡± Her usation pointed to Pang Sao, who was indeed clutching a pile of old clothing, suggesting some sinister purpose linked to her eldest son. As if on cue, a withered, yellowish arm reached out from inside Pang Sao¡¯s house. ¡°Seems like your eldest son is getting impatient,¡± the woman mocked, all four of her mouths breaking into a simultaneous, eerieugh. Without further retort, Pang Sao quickly entered her home with the pile of clothes and mmed the security door shut. From inside the apartment, disturbing sounds soon emerged ¨C a child¡¯s cry and the unnerving noise of fabric being ripped apart. ¡°You two are lucky you ran into me,¡± the woman said, arms folded across her chest, her tone implying a sense of self-satisfaction. ¡°If you want to stay in this ce forever, just choose an apartment and move in. But if you want to leave and not stay, avoid entering any of the rooms.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we enter any rooms at all?¡± Zhu Miao Miao asked, her voiceced with uncertainty. ¡°There¡¯s an olddy living on the first floor who might help you, but beware of the building manager,¡± the woman advised, the corners of her multiple mouths curling up in a knowing smile. ¡°And one more thing, don¡¯t let on that I¡¯ve told you all this. I¡¯m known for being discreet.¡± Chapter 42: The Mysterious Family of the Strange Household Chapter 42: The Mysterious Family of the Strange Household As the nosy neighbor left her door ajar, she observed Gao Ming and hispanion departing from the fifth floor of Building B with an unwavering gaze. ¡°Why are there ghosts in Building B? I thought the supernatural urrences were confined to Building A?¡± Zhu Miao Miao, looking visibly shaken, asked. The recent unsettling encounter with the nosy neighbor had left her deeply frightened. Gao Ming, with a tone of sadness, replied, ¡°Sister Fei seemed perfectly normal earlier today. It¡¯s likely that after we left, she fell victim to a ghostly attack.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°But it¡¯s not just a simple case of her being killed. It seems she underwent a transformation into something more sinister and unworldly.¡± Gao Ming examined the talisman in his hand, which remained unscathed. Based on Uncle Wu Bo¡¯s exnations, this was a significant observation, as it implied that both Sister Fei and the nosy neighbor weren¡¯t inherently evil spirits. Opting for caution, they decided not to directly enter Building A, the heart of the mysterious disturbances. They chose instead to explore the surrounding areas first. As they descended the stairs, Gao Ming heard footsteps. A young man with striking yellow-dyed hair and earrings, dressed in ck with blood on his fingertips, wandered the corridor. He appeared to be in search of something, his gaze lowered. Gao Ming, preferring to avoid confrontation, tried to pass by unnoticed. However, the young man suddenly grasped his wrist. Gao Ming tensed, ready to defend himself, but the young man simply examined him and made no further move. ¡°What do you want?¡± Gao Ming inquired. The young man chuckled, letting go of Gao Ming¡¯s hand, ¡°I saw your ck bracelet and thought you might be an escapee from the market.¡± Gao Ming realized he was talking about the ck Ring of the Investigation Bureau, a sign recognized among fellow investigators. The young man, revealing a gruesome scar on his forehead and bloodstains at the corner of his mouth as the wind blew his bangs aside,mented, ¡°Those wearing ck bracelets like yours are different. They¡¯re marked by their transgressions.¡± Gao Ming, trying to keep the conversation light, asked, ¡°Should we remove our ck bracelets to prevent misunderstandings?¡± The young man revealed his arm, adorned with bloody ck rings, and replied, ¡°No need. We can tell them apart by their distinct aura. I just enjoy collecting these.¡± He then proceeded upstairs, walking under a bright redntern but casting no shadow. Zhu Miao Miao, recalling a past incident, shivered, ¡°Remember the young gang member murdered in Building A¡¯s stairwell at Sishui Apartments twenty years ago? They called him ¡®Ghost Kid.¡¯ He was viciously stabbed for stealing from his boss. I think he¡¯s connected to that nosy neighbor.¡± Ever cautious and aware that this was no game, Gao Ming suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the first floor,¡± and advised Zhu Miao Miao to remove her ck ring. As they made their way down the staircase, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao were greeted by an unusual sight. Scattered paper money littered the ground, a fire basin was tucked away in a corner, and a subtle scent of incense wafted through the air. It was clear that the residents of the apartmentplex were engaged in rituals, likely as a means to safeguard their homes against unseen forces. The first floor corridor of Building B presented a peculiar scene. All the windows were covered with wooden boards, and each was adorned with protective talismans. Zhu Miao Miao murmured, ¡°Paper to separate us from the living, mountains to shield us from the spirits. But when ghosts roam both within and without, who are these barriers truly meant to repel?¡± As they progressed towards the corridor¡¯s end, Gao Ming¡¯s attention was drawn to a figure engaged in the act of burning paper money. He approached cautiously, stopping a short distance away. The person tending to the fire was a gaunt, elderly man. His body was thin and frail, his skin tightly stretched over his skeletal frame. Despite his delicate appearance, he bore an enormous burden: a grotesque baby strapped to his back. This child, possessing the head of an adult, was incessantly biting and kicking at the old man. Each time the elder attempted to dislodge the baby, it clung more fiercely to his weakened frame. ¡°Don¡¯t go any further,¡± a voice warned Gao Ming from a door he had just passed. The room beyond was engulfed in darkness. Using his lighter to pierce the gloom, Gao Ming observed a small rented room. In it, there was a mound of earth resembling a grave, upon which sat a portly middle-aged man dressed in simple attire. His feet were buried in the earth, and his hands were obscured behind a tombstone. He spoke again, this time to Gao Ming and hispanions who had paused, ¡°That¡¯s Zhou Ji, a man dogged by misfortune. Despite his advanced age, he¡¯s burdened with the care of his son. The son is unemployed and evenpels Zhou Ji to feign illness for welfare money.¡± ¡°These people are like parasites,¡± Zhu Miao Miaomented under her breath, confused as to why they continued to endure hardship even in their ghostly state. The middle-aged man, seemingly agitated, proposed, ¡°I can¡¯t bear to watch this any longer. How about we join forces to free him from that monstrous baby? Just lure Zhou Ji into this room.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± they agreed. ¡°First, close the door so he doesn¡¯t grow suspicious,¡± the middle-aged man suggested, trying to sound nonchnt. As Gao Ming reached for the door, he abruptly pulled back his hand. Numerous arms, like tendrils, reached out from the narrow gap, grasping at the air. Withdrawing his hand swiftly, Gao Ming noticed a stark transformation in the middle-aged man¡¯s demeanor. His face no longer bore a look of kindness or empathy; instead, it was drained of blood, turning ghostly pale. His body slowly sank into the earthy mound as more arms began to emerge from different parts of the room. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind forcefully mmed the door shut, trapping the reaching arms inside. ¡°Are you here to view the apartment?¡± a chilling voice inquired. Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao spun around to see an elderly woman standing behind them. Her face was deeply wrinkled, and in her hand, she clutched a yellow talisman. The elderly woman calmly ced the talisman on the door, effectively quieting the disturbing noises emanating from within. ¡°All the desirable rooms in this building are securely locked. Any door that swings open unbidden is likely harboring malevolence.¡± Once the talisman was in ce, the olddy let out a cough and rattled her keys, her gaze lifting. ¡°Are you looking to rent a room?¡± Her eyes were a milky white, and her face was deeply wrinkled, resembling the scales of a dragon. Despite her seemingly fragile frame, she radiated an aura of formidable strength, more akin to a mighty creature than a frail elderly woman. ¡°What should we address you as?¡± Gao Ming asked, intrigued. ¡°They all refer to me as Granny,¡± she answered, moving past them with a steady pace. As she neared the fire basin, the bizarre baby affixed to Zhou Ji¡¯s back ceased its crying and gripped him more tightly. ¡°If you keep crying, I¡¯ll take you to the temple,¡± she warned sternly, and the baby immediately fell silent. Granny then guided them towards a room situated at the end of the corridor, close to themunal bathroom. This room, known for its strong Yin energy, was one of the most spiritually charged in the building. ¡°Granny, may we enter your room?¡± Gao Ming asked cautiously. Granny¡¯s room was distinctive, filled with earthen sculptures of deities and walls adorned with an array of ghostly talismans. ¡°If you¡¯re here to look at rooms, stay outside. But if you seek guidance to find your way back, thene in. Some discussions are not meant for public ears,¡± Granny stated, sorting through her collection of talismans. After a moment of contemtion, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao stepped inside. The enigmatic happenings on Sishui Street had escted into a realm of bizarre and haunting stories, enveloping the area in an atmosphere of disquiet. ¡°Granny, why does everyone in this building behave so oddly?¡± Gao Ming questioned, his mind returning to Zhao Xi, who had remained in his post-mortem state as the stories recounted. ¡°What seems true may be false, and what appears false may be true,¡± Granny replied, offering reverent bows to a deity figure. ¡°What looks normal might be illusory, and what seems distorted could be the truth. Perhaps what you¡¯re witnessing now is their actual nature.¡± After lighting a candle and cing incense, Granny settled down and said, ¡°Soon, you too will undergo a transformation, just like the others who havee here. You¡¯ll reveal your true selves, and by that time, it¡¯ll be impossible to leave.¡± Chapter 43: Have You Been Here Before? Chapter 43: Have You Been Here Before? ¡°Are we really going to change too?¡± Zhu Miao Miao voiced her confusion with a mix of fear and disbelief. She was haunted by the images of Sister Fei and the meddlesome woman¡¯s altered appearances, a terrifying prospect that seemed all too real. Granny, with an air of ancient wisdom, solemnly shared her knowledge as she carried a bronze basin toward them. ¡°This building is home to three hundred and sixty-five spirits, yet only the Flesh Immortal receives open adoration. Its influence inevitably alters all residents over time,¡± she exined. ¡°The Flesh Immortal has a unique power ¨C it can bring your darkest, most hidden thoughts to life through your physical form. The water in this basin will serve as a mirror, showing you a glimpse of your possible future selves.¡± Zhu Miao Miao, driven by a mix of curiosity and dread, stepped forward to look into the water-filled basin first. As she watched, burning joss paper was dropped into the basin, causing ripples that distorted her reflection. Slowly, in the murky water, an eerie vision emerged. The charred figures of two people appeared to be melded onto her shoulders as if they were a permanent part of her. This ghastly vision surprisingly brought not fear but a surge of deep, emotional pain to Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s eyes. ¡°These are my parents!¡± she eximed, tears forming. A tragic fire in her childhood had taken everything from her, especially her parents. The deep-rooted longing and grief she harbored for them were now vividly disyed by the mystical powers of the water. ¡°Believe in what you see; it reflects your inner truths,¡± Granny advised, her voice tinged with a note of sympathy for Zhu Miao Miao, though she chose not to expand on her statement. She lit another talisman and tossed it into the basin, gesturing for Gao Ming toe forward. Equally intrigued about what his future might hold, Gao Ming stepped up to the basin in silence. He watched intently as the talisman burned and its ashes fluttered in the air. As the ashes of the talisman touched his reflection, a startling change urred. A small drop of blood appeared, and gradually, the water took on a deep red color as if dyed with blood. Suddenly, seemingly propelled by an invisible force, the basin tipped over, spilling the blood-red water across the room and onto the statues of the spirits. In a startling revtion, Granny¡¯s eyes rolled back, showing only white, and a single line of bloody tears trickled down her cheeks. In a dramatic gesture, she pointed at Gao Ming and eximed, ¡°You have been here before!¡± ¡°Yes, I visited Sishui Apartment this morning,¡± Gao Ming responded, confused and innocent in his reply. ¡°No, you misunderstand,¡± Granny countered, distancing herself from Gao Ming while pulling Zhu Miao Miao along with her. ¡°You have participated in the Flesh Immortal¡¯s worship ritual before, not just visited this ce!¡± ¡°How could this be my first encounter with such a strange ritual? I had never even heard of this before today!¡± Gao Ming protested, clearly baffled by Granny¡¯s usation. ¡°Granny, we really didn¡¯t know anything about all this,¡± Zhu Miao Miao chimed in, equally bewildered by the turn of events. ¡°It cannot be a mistake,¡± Granny insisted firmly, her pale face fixated on Gao Ming with a prating gaze. ¡°Tell me, what is your connection to Situ An?¡± ¡°Situ An? Oh, he¡¯s the vice president of the Hanhai Charity Association. I¡¯m just an ordinary person inparison. I know of him, but we¡¯ve never actually met,¡± Gao Ming exined. His knowledge of Situ An was limited to what he¡¯d seen on television; the two were in entirely different social spheres. Zhu Miao Miao, trying to provide some context that might help Gao Ming, added, ¡°The Sishui Street Apartments were originally developed under the auspices of the Hanhai Charity Association. Their goal was to offer affordable housing to the underprivileged of the Eastern District. However, the construction was abruptly stopped after just four buildings werepleted.¡± She continued, ¡°While these apartments are known for their disarray, there¡¯s never been any report of murders here. Interestingly, ever since Situ An became involved with the charity, each year has seen its fair share of strange and horrifying incidents around here.¡± Gao Ming, visibly shaken, pondered, ¡°Could Situ An be manipting the charity¡¯s resources to attract spirits to the Sishui Street Apartments?¡± He recalled that the Hanhai Charity Association regrly supported the needy, and several residents of the apartments, like old man Zhou Ji they had met earlier, were beneficiaries. Turning to Granny, Gao Ming inquired, ¡°Have you ever seen Situ An around here?¡± ¡°Yes, he has been here. Like you, he wears a ck ring and exudes the aura of the Flesh Immortal,¡± Granny replied, her voice tinged with a hint of a smile. ¡°Of the two worshippers here, one will surely meet their end.¡± Gao Ming, with his background in psychology, noticed a subtle shift in Granny¡¯s demeanor. ¡°You seem to dislike the Flesh Immortal. Is it because you follow a different belief? If I were to disrupt the ritual of the Flesh Immortal, or even eliminate the Flesh Immortal, would you trust me then?¡± ¡°The Flesh Immortal cannot be killed. Are you trying to provoke me?¡± Granny retorted, her smile contorting into something more sinister. ¡°But Situ An, you could kill him. If you don¡¯t, he will certainly try to kill you.¡± ¡°Do you know where I can find Situ An right now?¡± Gao Ming asked, his suspicion deepening. Having long harbored doubts about a mole within the Investigation Bureau and now learning that Situ An also possessed a bureau-issued ck ring, he became increasingly wary of him. ¡°You should check the Ghost Market, located on the ninth floor of the first building,¡± Granny suggested. As Gao Ming stepped outside to pursue this lead, Zhu Miao Miao attempted to follow, but Granny held her back. ¡°If you go with him, it will be your undoing. You won¡¯t even have the chance to be a ghost after death! Take these three Talismans of ying with you. If he consumes the flesh and bes possessed by the Flesh Immortal, you can use these talismans on an axe to kill him!¡± ¡°But Granny, he¡¯s not a bad person,¡± Zhu Miao Miao protested, feeling uncertain and worried. Granny tightened her grip on Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s hand, her voice stern. ¡°The Talismans of ying can¡¯t kill the Flesh Immortal, but they can kill its worshippers. Remember this: ghosts consume humans, humans consume meat, and meat consumes ghosts. The most terrifying entity in this building is not a spirit or a ghost, but flesh itself. Those who have consumed the flesh are no longer human.¡± The three Talismans of ying that Granny handed over were a startling, visceral red as if they had been recently soaked in fresh blood. They seemed to pulsate with a foreboding aura, exuding a sense of deadly purpose that sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. ¡°As you seek out Situ An, remember what¡¯s at stake,¡± Granny cautioned, her gaze lingering on Gao Ming as he prepared to leave. ¡°You¡¯re an ideal candidate for this task ¨C not too frail, yet not too robust. Just right for what needs to be done.¡± With that, she released her grip, her eyes following Gao Ming¡¯s retreating figure until the door shut behind him, plunging the building into darkness. Feeling the weight of the situation, Zhu Miao Miao didn¡¯t keep any secrets from Gao Ming and promptly informed him about the Talismans of ying. ¡°Keep them with you,¡± Gao Ming advised, disying trust in Zhu Miao Miao and making no move to take the talismans himself. ¡°If our suspicions about Situ An being the mole are correct, you¡¯ll need them to stop him. We¡¯re dealing with a narrative unlike any other, where the rules seem warped, and ghosts are not the only, nor the most frightening, entities we face.¡± Although Gao Ming had more questions for Granny, her demeanor had shifted to one of cold wariness after she felt the influence of the Flesh Immortal on him. With no other leads, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao made their way to the ninth floor. The moment they ascended to the ninth floor, the atmosphere took a grim turn. The air was thick with the iron tang of blood, and in a cornery a torn investigator¡¯s uniform, fresh blood still dripping from it. It seemed as though the many investigators who had entered the building had mysteriously vanished as if swallowed up by the building itself. Gripping the fire axe, Zhu Miao Miao felt out of her depth amidst the gruesome scene. Trained as a firefighter, she was unustomed to such visceral horror. ¡°Stay close,¡± Gao Ming cautioned her, his voice low. ¡°This ce is not safe.¡± As they cautiously moved through the ninth floor, it became apparent that something horrific had transpired. Each apartment door stood ajar, smeared with blood, telling a silent story of chaos and violence. Following the macabre trail of blood, Gao Ming led them towards the end of the corridor in Building B. The short passage to Building A was a grotesque tableau, bathed in blood from floor to ceiling, a testament to an unthinkable ughter. The evidence suggested that investigators had tried to flee the horrors of Building A by hiding in Building B, only to be relentlessly pursued and dragged back. Each bloodied handprint on the walls and twisted railing spoke volumes of the desperation, struggle, and terror that had unfolded here. ¡°Could this be the Ghost Market Granny mentioned? Where ghosts prey on the living?¡± Gao Ming wondered aloud, his voice tinged with dread. The horrific scene overwhelmed them, and as they hesitated, something more sinister stirred in the shadows. In the darkened corridor of Building A, on the ninth floor, eyes filled with malice and bloodlust began to open, sensing the fear emanating from Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao. In the eerie silence of the corridor, shadows shifted ominously. Suddenly, a figure emerged, shuffling forward in worn, muddy rain boots. The figure was draped in a tattered raincoat, the fabric heavy and darkened with what looked disturbingly like blood. ¡°Could he be responsible for the other investigators¡¯ disappearance?¡± Gao Ming whispered, eyeing the figure warily. As the figure stepped closer, the brim of the raincoat fell back slightly, revealing a face mired in blood and contorted by a mix of pain and madness. It was Bai Xiao, his features almost unrecognizable, his eyes bloodshot and wild with an unsettling crimson spread. Slowly, with a deliberate menace, the hands hidden beneath the raincoat emerged. They gripped tworge, sinister-looking bone-chopping knives, glinting dully in the dim light. The way Bai Xiao held them, coupled with his deranged expression, sent a chill down Gao Ming¡¯s spine. It was hauntingly reminiscent of a suspect in a grisly mass murder case that Gao Ming had seen years earlier. The simrity in their expressions ¨C a blend of anguish and unrestrained violence ¨C was striking and deeply unsettling. Chapter 44: The Records Chapter 44: The Records Dark crimson blood trickled from the corners of Bai Xiao¡¯s mouth, a disturbing sign that he may have partaken in the consumption of forbidden, possibly human, flesh. This unnerving scene cast a sinister shadow over Bai Xiao¡¯s innocence. Two decades earlier, a horrific massacre urred, implicating Bai Xiao as a potential suspect here. However, at that time, he was merely a child, too young to have possiblymitted such atrocities. Yet, the chilling resemnce between Bai Xiao¡¯s current demeanor and the murderer that Gao Ming had conjured in his mind from the details of that massacre case was striking and unsettling. Fleeing seemed almost a lost cause now. Gao Ming¡¯s hand was firm around the chain, while Zhu Miao Miao, with calcted precision, ced a talisman on the de of a firefighter¡¯s axe. ¡°Two against one, odds might be in our favor,¡± Gao Ming pondered with a hint of hope. This fleeting moment of decision-making was abrupt. In those few critical seconds, Bai Xiao had already lunged through the corridor towards them, driven by a frenzied rage. His cleaver, a weapon of terror, cut through the darkness of the night, targeting Gao Ming with lethal intent. ¡°Watch out!¡± The warning echoed in the tense air. Quick on her feet, Zhu Miao Miao rushed in from the side, her axe aimed with determined force at Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulder. But Bai Xiao, with an agility that defied belief and d in a raincoat, evaded the strike at an almost impossible angle. The raincoat bore the mark of the near miss, and through this tear, Gao Ming caught a brief, horrifying glimpse of Bai Xiao¡¯s flesh. It was etched with strange, almost otherworldly symbols that seemed to squirm and wriggle under his skin, a sight both fascinating and repulsive. With each movement, Bai Xiao¡¯s body emitted a grotesque sound, as if his bones were being wrenched apart segment by segment. His face, twisted into an expression of ecstatic madness, seemed to be under the control of a sinister force beyond human understanding. His mouth, smeared with blood, stretched into a grotesque, spine-chilling smile. Suddenly, Bai Xiao lunged forward with the force of his hind legs, a burst of speed that showcased his body¡¯s terrifying potential. Gao Ming, despite maintaining his physical condition even during his time in a high-security prison, found himself grossly unprepared for this confrontation. His approach, devoid of formalbat training, was purely instinctual, driven by a primal survival instinct. With no formal strategy, Gao Ming¡¯s focus was entirely on Bai Xiao. He tried to remain calm, anticipating Bai Xiao¡¯s movements, narrowly escaping each attack by mere inches, relying solely on his predictions. ¡°Chop him down!¡± In this dire situation, the thought ofunching a counterattack with the chain was far from Gao Ming¡¯s mind. His primary concern was evasion, desperately dodging and cing his hopes on Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s intervention. Armed with the talisman-enhanced firefighter¡¯s axe, Zhu Miao Miao fought valiantly. However, Bai Xiao¡¯s movements were erratic and unnaturally swift, making him a nearly impossible target. In a matter of moments, Gao Ming found himself retreating from the corridor¡¯s entrance to the inner confines of Building B, an experience that brought him terrifyingly close to the brink of death. Bai Xiao¡¯s menacing cleaver, coupled with his maniacalughter, dominated Gao Ming¡¯s senses. The walls, smeared with blood, and the slippery floor underfoot hampered his movements. Despite his cautious approach, the physical disparity between him and Bai Xiao inexorably pushed Gao Ming into a corner. With no path of escape and cornered, Gao Ming, mirroring the fate of the other unfortunate investigators before him, sought temporary refuge in a nearby room, his heart pounding with the dread of impending doom. Gao Ming hastily mmed the door shut behind him, only to realize with a sinking heart that the lock was broken. It dawned on him that the ninth floor was akin to a predator¡¯s den, where every door waspromised, leaving no chance for secure refuge. Outside, Bai Xiao¡¯s eerieughter reverberated through the hallway, his cleaver hacking relentlessly at the door. Each thud sent a surge of panic through Gao Ming, elerating his heartbeat. With his back pressed against the door, Gao Ming frantically rummaged through his backpack and extracted a photograph of Zhao Xi. ¡°Brother Zhao Xi! If you don¡¯te to my aid now, you¡¯ll never see me again!¡± he cried out, his voice tinged with desperation. As blood from Gao Ming¡¯s wounded fingers dripped down the chain in his hand onto the photograph, an uncanny connection seemed to form between him and Zhao Xi. Shadows eerily converged around the image as the room¡¯s temperature plummeted abruptly. The colors in Zhao Xi¡¯s photograph started to drain away, giving way to a surreal scene as five ghostly fingers, injured and ethereal, reached out from the photo itself. Following the trail of the ck chain, the spectral arm in the photograph extended, grasping Gao Ming¡¯s hand in a chilling embrace. The scent of blood grew more intense, and then, as if materializing from the depths of the photograph, the distorted figure of Zhao Xi emerged, his body twisted and contorted in a ghastly manner. At that critical moment, the door to the rental burst open, revealing Bai Xiao, d in his raincoat and fueled by fury. He charged in, only to be confronted by the apparition of Zhao Xi. Zhao Xi¡¯s mangled formtched onto Bai Xiao, clinging to him with an unyielding grip. Despite Bai Xiao¡¯s frenzied attempts to hack at him, Zhao Xi clung on, emanating a palpable aura of despair and unrelenting suppression, the weight of a life filled with suffering that seemed to persist even beyond death. Blood seeped from Zhao Xi¡¯s wounds, but it didn¡¯t fall to the floor. Instead, it remained suspended between him and Bai Xiao as if transmitting the full extent of his pain and oppression to his assant. Bai Xiao¡¯s expression contorted into a mask of horror as his cleaver proved ineffective against the spectral Zhao Xi. In a gruesome turn, Bai Xiao resorted to biting into Zhao Xi¡¯s shoulder with a bloodied mouth! He tore away a chunk of Zhao Xi¡¯s flesh with a savage pull. Horrifyingly, the bite wound didn¡¯t close, and the sinister characters etched on Bai Xiao¡¯s skin began to creep into Zhao Xi¡¯s body. ¡°Biting ghosts too?¡± Seizing the moment, Gao Ming grasped the chain and charged at Bai Xiao. He wrapped the ck chain around Bai Xiao, now infused with Zhao Xi¡¯s lingering will. ¡°Zhu Miao Miao!¡± Now empowered with a talisman, Zhu Miao Miao swung the weapon with all her strength, striking deep into Bai Xiao¡¯s back. A blood-curdling scream erupted as a swarm of ck characters surged towards the wound on Bai Xiao¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Team Lead Bai Xiao!¡± Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s voice was filled with a mix of sorrow and resolve as she swung the axe again, this time without any hesitation. In her eyes, Bai Xiao had transformed from the respected chief she once knew to a perilous, deranged threat. The talisman shattered upon impact on Bai Xiao¡¯s back, and Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s axe de plunged through his ravaged chest. ¡°His heart has already been removed!¡± she eximed, revealing a shocking and macabre twist in the harrowing encounter. Bai Xiao¡¯s face was a ghastly sight, crisscrossed with fine, blue veins, his eyes brimming with a deep-seated resentment. The ck characters that had once seemed to wriggle beneath his skin began to dissolve, fading away like melting snowkes. As he crumpled to the ground, his body seemed to lose its structural integrity, copsing into a grotesque heap of flesh. Gao Ming, his hands stained with the blood of the encounter, carefully removed the firefighter¡¯s axe from Bai Xiao¡¯s body. He stared down at the man, lying motionless on the ground, a sense of uncertainty clouding his judgment. Was Bai Xiao still a man, or had he crossed into the realm of the spectral? In a surprising turn, after all the ck characters had vanished, Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes fluttered open once more. Upon seeing Gao Ming, a flicker of agitation crossed his features. He made a feeble attempt to reach into his raincoat as if to retrieve something, but ultimately, his strength failed him. Bai Xiao¡¯s flesh, now devoid of any signs of life, emitted a foul, decay-like odor, suggesting he had been deceased for several days. Curious, Gao Ming lifted the raincoat and discovered a ck ring cunningly sewn into the stitched wound on Bai Xiao¡¯s abdomen. Upon opening this unexpected find, he discovered it contained several short audio recordings, a hidden trove of Bai Xiao¡¯s final messages to the world: Recording one detailed the tragic loss of two team members merely seventeen minutes after entering the apartment, vanishing mysteriously in a corridor. Recording two described the ghostly entities encountered ¨C human in form, yet deformed, and tragically unaware of their own demise, holding onto their memories. It warned of the dangers of abnormal behavior and the peril of entering their rooms. Recording three chillingly mentioned that consuming flesh could prolong survival in this twisted reality. Recording four spected on the nature of their situation ¨C questioning if it was more than an anomalous event, possibly a real, alternate world existing in parallel to their own. Recording five simply stated, ¡°One must guard their own heart.¡± Recording six offered a glimmer of hope, noting the morgue on the fourth floor and the house with the whitenterns as safe havens. Recording seven was a stark warning: ¡°Never eat the flesh!¡± These recordings were Bai Xiao¡¯s final testament, concealed within his own body in a desperate attempt to preserve and pass on this crucial information. Zhu Miao Miao, her condition visibly worsening, reflected on her past with Bai Xiao. ¡°When I came for my interview at the Bureau, it was Team Lead Bai Xiao who recruited me. He was a very upright person,¡± she said, her voice tinged with a mix of respect and sorrow. She had never imagined that the first ¡®ghost¡¯ she would be forced to kill would be the person she once admired the most. Solemn and philosophical, Gao Ming responded, ¡°Everyone dies, including you and me. The only thing we can do now is to make our deaths count for something more.¡± He noticed Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s hands, marred with wounds that seemed beyond healing, a consequence of wielding the axe. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The talisman draws blood from my body when used,¡± Zhu Miao Miao exined, her voice weary. She revealed two more talismans, her tone suggesting a mixture of fear and resignation. ¡°I felt like the talisman was devouring me.¡± Upon examining the talismans provided by Granny, Gao Ming made a disturbing discovery. The so-called ¡°Talisman of ying¡± appeared to be crafted from human skin, each harboring a trapped, ghostly shadow within. This revtion added a sinisteryer to their already dire circumstances, hinting at darker forces and deeper mysteries yet to be unraveled. Gao Ming, his mind swirling with questions, pondered aloud as he assisted Zhu Miao Miao to her feet, bncing Zhao Xi¡¯s weight on his back. ¡°Is everything in these ghost stories, even the talismans, rted to ghosts? Is the shadow world entirelyposed of ghosts?¡± Their steps were cautious and heavy as they lingered near the corridor briefly before Gao Ming steered them toward Building A. The path was an eerie blend of shadows and bloodstains, creating a macabre tapestry that seemed to stretch endlessly before them. As they moved closer to Building A, Gao Ming felt his heart pounding with increasing intensity. There was an inexplicable, almost maic pull emanating from deep within the apartment building, beckoning him forward. He mused on a troubling thought. ¡°Granny said this isn¡¯t my first time participating in a sacrificial ceremony. Could it be that I unwittingly worshipped something in the tunnel?¡± As they progressed, the bloodstains on the ground became less frequent, reced by the distant sounds of hawking that drifted towards them. Gao Ming, somewhat dazed, lifted his head to realize they had already navigated through the corridor and entered Building A. Upon parting the clothes hanging at the entrance of the corridor, a surreal sight greeted them. It was as if they had stepped into a different world ¨C one where children yed carefreely and adults engaged in casual conversation. The atmosphere in Building A was starkly different from the grim narrative they had been part of; it was almost as if the residents were untouched by the ghostly happenings around them. Yet, a closer look revealed that their bodies bore signs of ipleteness ¨C a subtle indication that the ordinary facade of Building A was just a thin veil over an underlying abnormality. The contrast between this seemingly normal life and the grim reality they had just witnessed was both jarring and mysterious, hinting at deeper, unseenyers to the shadow world they were entangled in. Chapter 45: Fear, Terrifying Fear Chapter 45: Fear, Terrifying Fear There was a scene of unbridled joy in the simple, unpretentious hallway of a modestly-sized rental apartment. Children, their faces lit up with the purest expressions of innocence and delight, were engaged in a lively game of chase, theirughter echoing through the air. The sense ofmunity was palpable as neighbors interacted warmly with one another. They favored genuine, face-to-face conversations, a refreshing change from the impersonal nature of digitalmunications. They strolled leisurely through the time-worn corridors of their building, a stark contrast to the virtual pathways they had be ustomed to navigating online. Above them, bright rednterns swayed gently, casting a festive glow. The residents of the apartmentplex had transformed the space into a bustling marketce of sorts. Along the corridors, a variety of makeshift stalls had sprung up. There were stalls showcasing a diverse array of handcrafted items, vibrant fabrics, and a surprising mix of services ranging from dental care to butchery, not to mention the tantalizing food stalls that dotted the area. In the Sishui Apartments, there existed an unspoken pact, amunal understanding of safety and trust: ¡°Thieves dare not tread these paths, and doors need not be locked at night.¡± This philosophy fostered a unique, closely-knit micromunity within theplex. Secluded from the external world¡¯s influences, the residents here seemed perpetually cheerful, their faces free from the burdens of worry or stress. ¡°A couple of new faces, are you here to view an apartment?¡± A friendly,forting voice pierced the tranquil air as a young man, his attire reminiscent of a bygone era, approached Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao. He spoke with a hand discreetly covering his mouth, his eyes brimming with life and seemingly conveying their own message. This young man, clearly a skilled service worker, disyed a readiness to assist any and all potential clients, regardless of their circumstances. Even in the presence of Gao Ming, who was currently in the unsettling predicament of transporting a corpse, his demeanor remained unfazed. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re interested in seeing an apartment,¡± Gao Ming responded, doing his best to maintain a semnce of normalcy despite the circumstances. The rednterns above bathed the area in a haunting, blood-red hue, adding an eerie, almost sinister quality to the corridor. In this ominous setting, monstrous figures leered with malicious intent, their stares reminiscent of predators sizing up their prey. ¡°I¡¯m Gong Xi, a volunteer with the Hanhai Charity Association and also a rental agent for these apartments,¡± the young man introduced himself. As Gong Xi made way, he casually brushed some dust off his shoulder. The corridor, showing signs of age and history, was illuminated by the festiventerns. The aroma of cooking meat filled the air, and the elderly neighbors were engrossed in preparing a feast, creating an atmosphere that felt like arge,munal family gathering. Here, there were no grandiose disys of art or luxury, only the genuine warmth of everyday human connections. These simple yet profound moments ofmunity life were the true gems to be valued and cherished. ¡°Opting for Sishui Apartments is a wise choice. Each apartment here tells its own unique story. Don¡¯t just look with your eyes; truly immerse yourself in the environment to fully grasp its distinctive character,¡± Gong Xi advised them. ¡°Could you take us downstairs to have a look?¡± Gao Ming asked, feeling a profound disconnect between his perception of the world and that of Gong Xi. ¡°Certainly, do you have a specific floor in mind?¡± Gong Xi inquired, ready to guide them further. ¡°Let¡¯s begin our tour on the fourth floor,¡± Gao Ming proposed, his decision influenced by information he had gleaned from Bai Xiao¡¯s ck ring. The ring indicated that the morgue and rooms were marked with whitenterns and wereparatively safe zones. Gao Ming¡¯s priority was to establish a secure base of operations. ¡°The fourth floor?¡± Gong Xi raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, yet he was quick to amodate the request, as customer preferences were paramount. ¡°An excellent choice. The fourth floor has a number of avable apartments, and coincidentally, it¡¯s also where my residence is.¡± As Gong Xi led the way, the trio ¨C Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao, one burdened with a corpse and the other smeared with blood ¨C passed by residents who seemed remarkably indifferent to their grim appearances. ¡°This ce is quite peculiar,¡± Zhu Miao Miao murmured to Gao Ming, her curiosity piqued by Gong Xi¡¯s persistent habit of covering his mouth. ¡°Just try to blend in and don¡¯t ask too many questions,¡± Gao Ming cautioned her, recalling the stern warning they had received in Building B about the dire consequences of breaking local taboos. It was crucial for them to quickly learn the specific taboos of this building to avoid danger. As they passed a makeshift butcher¡¯s shop, the butcher tossed a piece of meat to Gong Xi. There, Gao Ming noticed several investigators trapped and terrified within the confines of cages. They were stripped of their clothing and reduced to a state of mute terror, capable only of making odd, animalistic noises. The butcher, seemingly attuned to something amiss, kicked one of the investigators, then nced towards Zhu Miao Miao and uttered, ¡°So fresh.¡± Having narrowly escaped the horrors of the ghost market on the ninth floor, Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao felt an immense sense of relief, almost as if they had been unburdened of a heavy load. As they passed a public restroom on the ninth floor, Gong Xi nonchntly discarded the piece of meat he had received earlier into a trash bin. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit wasteful?¡± Gao Ming inquired, intrigued by Gong Xi¡¯s behavior, which set him apart from the other ghostly entities they had encountered. Gong Xi spread his hands in a gesture of indifference. ¡°My family and I are vegetarians; we have no use for meat. Had I known earlier, I would have offered it to you.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± Gao Ming quickly declined, then ventured to ask about the silenced individuals in the butcher¡¯s shop. ¡°They are offerings to the Flesh Immortal. They may resemble humans, but they are distinct from us,¡± Gong Xi exined, his demeanor exuding a blend of youthful energy and mature assurance, making him an oddly trustworthy and likable figure in this bizarre setting. ¡°So, that¡¯s the situation,¡± Gao Ming murmured, processing this new information, while Zhu Miao Miao looked visibly disturbed. ¡°Are you certain about the fourth floor? The apartments on the eighth floor are quite nice too. You don¡¯t have to settle for the fourth,¡± Gong Xi suggested softly as they continued their descent. ¡°Is there something wrong with the fourth floor?¡± Gao Ming inquired, sensing hesitation. Gong Xi appeared momentarily uncertain before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the cleanest¡­ What I mean is, it¡¯s known to be haunted.¡± Upon revealing this startling detail, Gong Xi lowered his hand from his mouth, exposing a shocking sight: his mouth had been sewn shut and was bizarrely stuffed with coins. This peculiar modification made it aplete enigma as to how he was able to articte words. Gao Ming tensed, instinctively preparing for a potential confrontation. He was on the verge of using Brother Zhao Xi as a weapon against this apparent monstrosity when Gong Xi quickly signaled with his hands, offering a cryptic warning: ¡°Ghosts are a source of immense terror and can bring about cmities. Engaging with them might lead to the inadvertent breaking of taboos.¡± ¡°That advice isn¡¯t particrlypellinging from you,¡± Gao Ming responded, slightly taken aback. Despite the unsettling revtion, he didn¡¯t perceive any ill intent from Gong Xi. The young man appeared to be sincerely focused on his role as a rental agent for the apartments. ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Gong Xi cautioned with a tone of urgency. ¡°Should you encounter a room adorned with whitenterns on the fourth floor, I advise you to flee without hesitation.¡± As they proceeded downstairs, their path was lined with an array of bizarre and intimidating neighbors. Each of them seemed to be under the influence of the Flesh Immortal, their grotesque physical abnormalities manifesting their innermost desires. Upon reaching the fourth floor, they were greeted by a noticeable hush, a stark contrast to the bustling activity of the other levels. Gong Xi retrieved a hefty set of keys, preparing to show Gao Ming an apartment, when his attention was abruptly diverted. He spotted a figure donning a deep green outfit and a rat mask, unnaturally contorted against a door, his body seemingly merging with it. ¡°Building manager? What are you doing here?¡± Gong Xi quickly approached, attempting to dissuade the manager from his intent on the door. But his efforts were soon undermined as several children, also wearing rat masks and emanating a sinister aura, emerged from beneath the manager¡¯s attire. Their red eyes bore a silent, menacing re as they started wing aggressively at Gong Xi. In a critical moment, as the door lock seemed on the brink of beingpromised, Gao Ming intervened. He seized one of the children and tossed them aside, while Zhu Miao Miao armed herself with a fire axe, ready to act. The manager¡¯s intense gaze, fixated on Gao Ming¡¯s chest, was entuated by the rapid blinking of the red eyes beneath the mask. After a tense standoff, the manager eventually retreated, the masked children vanishing back into the folds of his garment. ¡°Thank you so much for your help today,¡± Gong Xi said, visibly shaken as he observed the ominous marks left on the door. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to find a new ce to live now.¡± ¡°Who was that individual?¡± Gao Ming inquired, still feeling the unnerving mix of predation and fear in the manager¡¯s stare. ¡°The one in the rat mask is our building manager. They are responsible for maintaining order here, but they nevermunicate verbally.¡± ¡°Why did the manager target you? Are you concealing something?¡± Gao Ming, noting inconsistencies in Gong Xi¡¯s narrative, pressed further. ¡°If you¡¯re facing trouble, let me know. Perhaps I can be of assistance.¡± As they stood at the threshold, Gong Xi, usually quite cooperative, hesitated. After a moment of silence, an elderly, wrinkled face slowly emerged from within the apartment. ¡°Little Gong, are you back?¡± The voice, tinged with age and concern, broke the silence, revealing yet anotheryer to the unfolding mystery. As Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao peered into the apartment, they were greeted by the sight of an elderly woman, appearing to be in her nies, yet remarkably unscathed amidst the chaos. ¡°Don¡¯te out, Grandma!¡± Gong Xi¡¯s voice carried a note of deep concern, his expression turning grave at the thought of what might happen to her in the presence of Gao Ming. The elderly woman, frail and appearing somewhat disoriented, slowly opened the door and surveyed the group with a puzzled look. ¡°Who are you people? Why are you at my home? Are you friends of Little Gong?¡± Her confusion hinted at dementia, as she didn¡¯t seem to recognize Gong Xi. Seizing the moment, Gao Ming reassured her, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends of Gong Xi. We just stopped by to see how you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Then please,e in. My grandson, he¡¯s always been so diligent and kind-hearted, though life hasn¡¯t been kind to him,¡± she responded, leaning heavily on her cane as Gao Ming cautiously stepped inside the apartment. With a resigned air, Gong Xi motioned them to enter: ¡°Come in, then.¡± The interior of the apartment was modest but inviting, adorned with numerous photographs of Gong Xi and the old woman, reflecting a life shared together. As Gao Ming held the elderly woman¡¯s hand, a startling realization dawned on him ¨C she was a living, breathing person, an anomaly in this realm of shadows and spirits! ¡°You¡¯ve probably figured it out by now,¡± Gong Xi spoke up as he closed the door. ¡°My grandma is a ghost. She died but somehow stayed here with me. I guess she was always too worried about me to leave.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a ghost?¡± Gao Ming looked bewilderedly at Gong Xi. ¡°And you consider yourself human?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the reality?¡± Gong Xi responded, beginning to unfold his life story, a narrative steeped in trials and resilience. His tale began with his parents moving to Hanhai for work, only to mysteriously vanish. In response, his devoted grandmother brought young Gong Xi to Hanhai, hoping to find his missing parents. Their life was marked by hardship and constant relocation, all while his grandmother tirelessly sought any clue of his parents¡¯ whereabouts. Gong Xi grew up under these strenuous conditions, his grandmother being his sole guardian and support, nurturing him with unwavering dedication. They resided in an apartment provided by a local charity, and Gong Xi, recognizing the burden their circumstances ced on his grandmother, matured into a remarkably responsible and industrious individual. He took on multiple jobs daily to alleviate her hardships. The bond between Gong Xi and his grandmother was exceptionally strong; they were each other¡¯s sole support andpanionship, a rtionship that endured until her passing. In a perplexing turn of events, Gong Xi one day discovered his deceased grandmother aimlessly wandering the building, no longer recognizing him, a haunting and mysterious twist in their shared story. This narrative was Gong Xi¡¯s version of events, yet Gao Ming was soon presented with a starkly different story from the elderly woman herself. As she clutched a photo frame featuring Gong Xi, the olddy shared her heartfelt regrets and sorrows. She expressed deep guilt for having unwittingly drawn Gong Xi into a nomadic existence in Hanhai, a decision she felt had ultimately derailed his life. She disclosed her encouragement for Gong Xi to be involved with the charity organization. Tragically, ording to her, Gong Xi had identally uncovered some forbidden secrets within the building and had subsequently vanished without a trace. Since his disappearance, she had been relentlessly searching the building for her grandson, but her efforts had been fruitless. ¡°My grandmother transformed into a ghost and now lives in confusion,¡± Gong Xi exined, sitting tenderly beside the elderly woman, his hand gently enveloping her weathered one. ¡°She¡¯s lost many of her memories, even failing to recognize me.¡± Gao Ming, connecting these two conflicting ounts, nced back at Gong Xi and was met with a chilling reality. The sight of Gong Xi¡¯s mouth, gruesomely stitched shut and filled with coins, lent a macabre credence to the olddy¡¯s version of the story. The scene before Gao Ming was one he had never anticipated encountering within the building ¨C a living, breathing person and a ghost coexisting side by side on a bed. Until now, he had perceived these ghostly tales from the shadow world as mere fabrications, but the harsh truth was evidently moreplex. Compelled by this disconcerting discovery, Gao Ming turned to Gong Xi with a hesitant inquiry, ¡°Gong Xi, aren¡¯t you scared by the fact that your only family has be a ghost?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared,¡± Gong Xi responded, his grip on the old woman¡¯s hand unwavering. ¡°I¡¯m scared by the thought that she might be constantly worrying about me ¨C whether I¡¯m eating properly, sleeping enough, if I¡¯m being mistreated by others, and the dreadful possibility of her vanishing without a trace one day.¡± Moved by Gong Xi¡¯s heartfelt confession, Gao Ming felt an urge to confront the old woman with the truth. He knelt in front of her, gently taking her other hand. ¡°Granny, if Gong Xi were to return, even as a ghost, would that frighten you?¡± The old woman slowly nodded, her voice imbued with a deep sense of mncholy. ¡°Yes, I would be scared¡­ scared that I wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize him any longer.¡± Her words,den with sadness, echoed a profound fear of losing the essence of their cherished rtionship amidst the spectral confusion surrounding them. Chapter 46: The Two Hearts of Man Chapter 46: The Two Hearts of Man As Gao Ming kneeled there, he found himself grappling with a profound question: ¡°What distinguishes a human from a ghost?¡± It was hard for him to tell the difference in this intense moment. Both humans and ghosts seemed to be shrouded in a deep sense of fear, each terrified at the prospect of losing one another. Before this moment, Gao Ming had only seen the encroachment of the shadow world into reality as a catastrophic event. He was deeply concerned that the video game he had developed might end up wreaking havoc on the entire city. However, now he was beginning to entertain other, moreplex thoughts. In Brother Zhao Xi¡¯s case, his return had sent waves of terror through all the inhabitants of the apartment building. The air was filled with a mixture of curses, sobbing, and desperate cries for help due to the incident. But here, Gong Xi also made his return without causing harm to others. Despite his grandmother¡¯s evident confusion and her failure to recognize him, she remained patient, continuing to wait for him with unwavering hope. Gao Ming pondered to himself, ¡°Who is responsible for all this chaos?¡± Meanwhile, Gong Xi let go of his grandmother¡¯s hand and started to arrange various photographs around the room. ¡°We must act quickly,¡± he urged. ¡°The building manager could return at any moment.¡± Gao Ming asked, ¡°Should we move to a different floor for safety?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gong Xi replied firmly while he packed photographs and assorted items into arge box. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll take refuge in the room adorned with whitenterns. The building manager is too frightened to step foot in there.¡± Gong Xi offered Gao Ming a chance to join them, mentioning Gao Ming¡¯s earlier altercation with the building manager, which might put him at risk of being pursued. ¡°Let¡¯s find a hiding ce for now,¡± agreed Gao Ming, recalling the numerous rooms he had seen with rednterns in the Sishui Apartment Complex. This was his first time encountering one with a whitentern. After they finished packing, Gong Xi hoisted his grandmother onto his back and dragged the heavy box out of the room. He peeked cautiously around the corridor, then signaled to Gao Ming, ¡°Quick! We must enter the room with the whitentern without being seen.¡± They hurried across the corridor. Along the way, Gong Xi lit some paper money from the box, moving swiftly through the dimly lit passageways. As the ashes of the burnt paper money fluttered in the shadows, a whitentern suddenly appeared, hanging outside a rental room situated midway down the corridor. ¡°Quick, inside!¡± Gong Xi urged. When they opened the door, they were immediately greeted by a bone-chilling cold that made Gao Ming¡¯s hair stand on end. ¡°This¡­ this is the room where that horrific family massacre urred!¡± eximed Zhu Miao Miao, her voice quivering as she clutched a fire axe. ¡°Yes, this is the very room,¡± Gong Xi confirmed, his demeanor turning ghostly. As he stepped into the room, his presence seemed to fade significantly, hisplexion bing ashen and death-like. Gong Xi carefully ced the box on the ground and began taking out various ritual offerings, arranging them meticulously at the bedroom door. He then knelt down with a solemn expression and began to recite a respectful incantation: ¡°This house has its master, we notify all directions. Those who should leave, leave; those who shoulde,e. The house deity returns to its ce, unwanted spirits must avoid, grain and food offered for generations.¡± After reverently bowing several times, Gong Xi carefully ced a wooden que amidst the array of offeringsid out in front of them. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and show your respects,¡± Gong Xi urged as he lit a series of candles. He then shared some context about the local customs, ¡°In Sishui Apartments, traditionally every household would engage in the worship of various spirits. However, eventually, the exclusive worship of the Flesh Immortal was enforced. Any resident daring to venerate other gods within these walls would inevitably invite cmity upon themselves.¡± Zhu Miao Miao, observing the scene, noted with curiosity, ¡°You¡¯re not performing rituals for the Flesh Immortal now, are you?¡± She pointed out that the wooden que was inscribed with ¡®House Deity¡¯. Gong Xi rified, ¡°The apartments marked by whitenterns are an exception. These are homes that were struck by misfortune as a result of not adhering to the worship of the Flesh Immortal. In these spaces, we honor different deities.¡± However, before Gong Xi could finish his exnation, the wooden que suddenly cracked and broke into pieces right in front of them. As the candles flickered out, a cold, eerie wind swept through the room. The heavy ck curtain separating the living room from the bedroom began to sway gently. A paper doll, crafted to look like a little girl, eerily peeked out from behind it. Reacting quickly, Gong Xi knelt down again, resuming his respectful bows. Then, as the curtain fell awaypletely, they saw a room containing arge table. Around it were seated seven paper figures, each one representing a different age group. In front of each figure was a bowl filled with red rice. In the dim light, the paper figures began to unnervingly turn their heads towards the neers. There was amon belief that when crafting paper figures, the eyes should never be fully drawn, and paper horses should not have manes that were raised. While many artisans used needles to hint at the eyes, these figures hauntingly had human eyes in their paper faces. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve disrupted their meal,¡± Gao Ming said nervously, instinctively stepping back as he felt the piercing gaze of all eight paper figures fixed upon him. The paper doll, resembling a little girl, staggered out from the bedroom towards Gao Ming. Reaching into his pocket, she retrieved Bai Xiao¡¯s ck ring and the amulet that Wu Bo had given him. Gao Ming watched passively, not offering any resistance. The girl proceeded to dismantle the amulet, revealing the shattered pieces of a photograph hidden inside ¨C fragments of what appeared to be a family portrait. It was the inclusion of these photograph fragments that seemed to endow the ordinary amulet with its unique power. ¡°Are these your pictures?¡± Gao Ming asked, looking up to find the seven paper figures now standing in front of him. They were arrayed like a family, with remnants of red rice on their mouths and their expressions eerily lifelike. Gao Ming, no stranger to horrifying sights, felt a particr sense of unease under the scrutiny of these paper figures. The girl then tossed the amulet into a fire bowl and took Gao Ming by the hand, leading him into the bedroom. There, they found an old man dressed in tattered clothing, cowering in a corner. ¡°Wu Bo?¡± Gao Ming recognized the man immediately. ¡°To think you survived a level four abnormal event, you¡¯re full of surprises.¡± Wu Bo seemed reluctant to acknowledge his familiarity with Gao Ming. The amulet he had sold to Gao Ming was a homemade artifact, crafted using photographs of the deceased: ¡°Oomph, oomph, you¡¯re really flirting with danger bying in here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here trying to save more people,¡± Gao Ming dered, helping Wu Bo to his feet. ¡°You never fully disclosed the truth to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only ever spoken the truth,¡± Wu Bo defended himself. ¡°These paper figures represent the spirits from the family massacre case. I¡¯ve made it a ritual to worship them annually, and in return, they¡¯ve been safeguarding me.¡± Wu Bo then pushed Gao Ming aside, expressing his disdain, ¡°It¡¯s like the story of Lu Dongbin being bitten by a dog; he couldn¡¯t recognize a good person. All of you from that bureau are the same, always ignoring sound advice.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve encountered other agents from the bureau?¡± Gao Ming inquired, intrigued by Wu Bo¡¯s revtion. ¡°The agent who consumed the flesh might be dead by now,¡± Wu Bo spected, moving towards the door. Behind him was a modest altar, indicating his annual rituals to appease the spirits in this haunted apartment unit. Initially intended for his peace of mind, these rituals had ironically be his salvation when the ghostly tales became a startling reality. ¡°What¡¯s really happening in this building? Why are some residents turning into grotesque forms, others bing ghosts, and why are some investigators being offered up as human sacrifices, taken away to the butcher shop?¡± Having finally found someone alive to converse with, Gao Ming was determined to extract as much information as possible from Wu Bo. ¡°Lousy luck, bumping into you,¡± Wu Bo grumbled, wrapping his tattered coat around himself in the chilly room. ¡°Take a look at this,¡± he said, pulling out an old DV camera from beneath the altar. The camera disyed a recording of a family of four celebrating a birthday. The father was filming the moment they lit the birthday candles when an unexpected knock at the door interrupted them. The mother, curious, went to answer the door, only to be followed by screams and the sounds of a frantic scuffle. The camera was then knocked to the ground. The footage captured the aftermath inside the house ¨C blood was everywhere, and the family of foury lifeless in their own home. Neighbors, alerted by themotion, came to investigate, only to fall victim to the assant as well. In total, eight individuals from two families were mercilessly ughtered in the apartment. The killer, instead of fleeing the scene, began drawing bizarre symbols throughout the house, ultimately ending his own life. ¡°The family massacre case? How did youe to possess this footage?¡± Despite his experience dealing with the harsh realities of a maximum-security prison, Gao Ming was deeply disturbed by the video¡¯s content. ¡°I was on duty that night, keeping watch over the area. I even crossed paths with the murderer as he was ascending the staircase,¡± Wu Bo confessed, his eyes brimming with a deep sense of remorse. ¡°Had I been more vignt and sensed that something was amiss, perhaps I could have prevented the dreadful incident.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you hand over this video footage to the authorities?¡± Gao Ming inquired, clearly perplexed by the situation. ¡°Just keep watching,¡± Old Wu Bo insisted, directing their attention back to the ongoing yback of the DV. To their surprise, the first individuals to arrive at the crime scene were notw enforcement officers, but rather representatives from the Hanhai Charity Association. They entered the premises with a sense of familiarity as if they were already aware of the events that had transpired. They proceeded to retrieve an item from the body of the deceased assant. ¡°This situation is somehow linked to the Hanhai Charity Association, but there¡¯s no concrete proof,¡± Wu Bo admitted, his voice tinged with fear. ¡°With the perpetrator now dead, the investigation hit a dead end. Had I not secured this DV, there¡¯s a high likelihood that this crucial piece of evidence would have been conveniently lost. The influence of the Hanhai Charity Association is not to be underestimated. They have constructed schools, hospitals, and various welfare projects, bringing hope to innumerable impoverished individuals.¡± ¡°The Hanhai Charity Association was once renowned for its genuine phnthropic work, but I¡¯m not so sure that¡¯s still the case,¡± Gao Mingmented, his thoughts not so much on the charity itself but rather on Situ An, a person of particr interest in their investigation. ¡°Ever since thepletion of the Sishui Apartments, the charity has been covertly transporting various items into the building, mainly items associated with the deceased,¡± Wu Bo disclosed, demonstrating a level of astuteness that belied his seemingly naive exterior. He had been meticulously monitoring all activities. In front of him, he carefully arranged two red candles and four white ones. ¡°The charity workers have been deliberately summoning spirits here, and their efforts have been sessful. The most malevolent spirits in this building include the perpetrator of the family massacre, a ghost whose murderous instincts have endowed it with a heart of flesh and blood, and a y idol of the Flesh Immortal, revered by the residents, which has been animated by their collective beliefs and thoughts, forming a heart.¡± Wu Bo then turned his attention to the white candles. ¡°Besides these two entities, the residents here can be categorized into four distinct groups,¡± he exined. ¡°Influenced by the Flesh Immortal, each group manifests different traits: life, death, desire, and retribution.¡± ¡°The life group is like us, outsiders who have retained our human essence; the desire group resembles that sales agent, whose deepest cravings have been awakened, their flesh altered, binding them here eternally as prisoners of the Flesh Immortal; the death group includes those nearing the end of their lives, enveloped in darkness and marked with ck letters, sustaining themselves solely by consuming offerings from the Flesh Immortal¡¯s altar; and the retribution group consists of numerous aggrieved spirits of victims, trapped here and viewed as ominous presences.¡± Wu Bo then pushed the white candles aside with caution. ¡°These four groups of residents are unsettling, but not the most frightening aspect of this situation. I believe that if we eliminate the two most dangerous spirits, we might find a way out.¡± ¡°Old man, there¡¯s another factor you might be overlooking,¡± Gao Ming pointed out, reaching for one of the red candles. ¡°Situ An, the vice-chairman of the Hanhai Charity Association, is also present within this building.¡± Chapter 47: Three Different Strategies for Clearing the Level Chapter 47: Three Different Strategies for Clearing the Level Upon hearing the name ¡®Situ An¡¯, Wu Bo¡¯s reaction was immediate and visceral. He seemed to shrink in on himself, his back curving more deeply as if his body was trying to disappear into thin air, a clear instinctive reaction to hide from something terrifying. He warned in a grave tone, ¡°You must be extremely cautious around this individual.¡± Gong Xi, intrigued and concerned, asked, ¡°Have you had any personal experiences with him?¡± Wu Bo¡¯s expression darkened, and he began recounting his eerie encounters. ¡°Before meeting Situ An, I believed ghosts were the essence of fear. But that changed after I encountered him in Sishui Apartment.¡± As he spoke, Wu Bo absentmindedly licked the wound on his lips, a clear sign of his nervousness. ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve been trapped in Sishui Apartment. I¡¯ve only managed to survive by pretending to be mad. It¡¯s all because of this man, Situ An. I can¡¯t leave Hanhai. If I show even a glimmer of sanity, I fear for my life. I once considered handing over some incriminating tapes to the Hanhai police. However, there was an incident before where a young volunteer tried to expose something to the press. He was overheard, and the recording somehow found its way to Situ An. That volunteer then vanished without a trace within the confines of this building.¡± At this point in the conversation, Gong Xi¡¯s grandmother suddenly became visibly disturbed. The mention of the young volunteer struck a chord ¨C could this be Gong Xi himself? This thought seemed to unsettle her deeply. Gong Xi, oblivious to these implications, continued to listen intently, showing utmost respect by prostrating himself on the ground. Meanwhile, Gao Ming felt a surge of emotion, ¡°It seems we need to devise a n to permanently trap Situ An in this paranormal event.¡± He realized he had never met Situ An personally, yet he felt an overwhelming sense of hostility and a desire for vengeance, as though they had a shared history filled with animosity. Wu Bo, his eyes betraying a hint of terror, added, ¡°That man is no less than a demon masquerading in human flesh.¡± He then revealed a chilling connection: ¡°The perpetrator¡¯s heart from that horrific family massacre, and the spiritual heart in the y figurine, they must never end up in Situ An¡¯s hands. From what I can tell, the charity operating out of Sishui Apartment is cultivating ghosts specifically for these two hearts.¡± He then took a piece of yellow paper and drew several lines on it, exining, ¡°There¡¯s a murderous ghost residing in one of the rooms here. It only emerges to kill. I can¡¯t determine its exact location, but you can start by destroying the y figurine of the Flesh Immortal.¡± ¡°Intrigued, Gao Ming asked, ¡°Where can we find this figurine?¡± Wu Bo described its location with ominous detail. ¡°In Building A, on the first basement level, there¡¯s a concealed shrine. It¡¯s situated in the most foreboding part of the entire apartmentplex. That¡¯s where the figurine of the Flesh Immortal is enshrined.¡± Following this, Wu Bo handed over a bunch of talisman papers, exining, ¡°I¡¯m old and my legs aren¡¯t what they used to be. I would only slow you down. Keep these talismans; they might prove useful.¡± Gao Ming epted the talismans, then turned his attention to the paper figures present. ¡°Are all of you nning to join us? The killer who took all your lives is in this building right now. That¡¯s a deep grudge you all have with him.¡± The paper figures remained still, save for the oldest one, who suddenly took a handful of rice from the altar and stuffed it into Gao Ming¡¯s pocket. Gao Ming, puzzled, asked, ¡°What is this for?¡± ¡°This rice,¡± Wu Bo borated, holding up the grains, ¡°is an offering I make to the deceased. If you ever find yourself in a dire situation where consuming meat is the only option for survival, this rice can temporarily preserve your sanity.¡± Gao Ming understood the implication. The ¡®meat¡¯ Wu Bo referred to wasn¡¯t ordinary; it was the kind that could drive a person into a state of madness, rendering them almost invincible and uncontroble. Gao Ming acknowledged the grim possibility: ¡°It seems you¡¯re preparing for the worst.¡± He then left the haunted room with Zhu Miao Miao. Shortly after their departure, Gong Xi also hurried out. The paper figures had agreed to a deal: they would protect Gong Xi¡¯s grandmother, but only if Gong Xi assisted Gao Ming in destroying the y figurine of the Flesh Immortal. Gong Xi¡¯s devotiony not with the Flesh Immortal, worshipped by most residents of the building, but in caring for his grandmother. His faith was rooted in his family¡¯s well-being, and he was willing to do whatever it took to keep them safe. ¡°I know where the shrine is; I¡¯ll lead you there,¡± dered Gong Xi, effectively bing an informant for the group. Gao Ming followed silently, carrying Zhao Xi. This eerie venture into a ghost story game was revealing to him the intricate and shadowy workings of this otherworldly realm. He pondered the nature of this ce. The building¡¯s residents were divided into four distinct groups, each maintaining a fragile equilibrium. This ce was a microcosm of the broader shadow world, a realm with its own unique set of rules and dynamics. ¡°The shadow world,¡± Gao Ming mused, ¡°isn¡¯t just a cmity; it¡¯s a world in its own right, governed by its ownws.¡± ¡­ Xuan Wen was navigating the building¡¯s corridors when she suddenly paused, hearing Gao Ming¡¯s voice faintly in the distance. Turning back, she saw Gao Ming and Zhu Miao Miao walking together, everything appearing as normal. As she continued onward and rounded a corner, Xuan Wen¡¯s demeanor shifted dramatically. She swiftly pulled out a sharp knife from her backpack. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yan Hua asked with a puzzled look. ¡°Gao Ming and Miao Miao has been reced while we were in the shadows,¡± Xuan Wen stated coldly, her tone markedly different from when she was with Gao Ming. ¡°You¡¯re certain of this?¡± ¡°I have a sense of where the real Gao Ming is. The person we saw isn¡¯t him.¡± With these words, Xuan Wen concealed the knife behind her and approached the imposter Gao Ming with a feigned smile. The imposter, puzzled by Xuan Wen¡¯s approach, was about to speak when suddenly, her knife, shrouded in shadows, struck, piercing his neck. No blood emerged. The neck-pierced imposter shifted from surprise to a frenzied state, lunging at Xuan Wen despite the de lodged in his throat. As the struggle ensued, Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes turned a vivid blood-red. She pressed her hand against the imposter¡¯s heart. The entity inhabiting Gao Ming¡¯s form began to lose control, its inner shadows consuming it from within. As the tense confrontation escted, ¡°Zhu Miao Miao,¡± realizing their cover was blown,shed out with a fire axe aimed at Xuan Wen. However, her arm was abruptly seized by a powerful grip, the five fingers mping down with the strength of steel. Yan Hua, disying incredible speed and power, unleashed a flurry of blows upon the imposter ¡°Zhu Miao Miao.¡± His fists descended like a relentless storm, each strike precise and forceful. Remarkably, there were no sounds of blood sttering or bones shattering. Instead, with every punishing blow he delivered, the ominous ghost tattoo on Yan Hua¡¯s body seemed to animate, hungrily consuming the dark shadows that were being released from Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s form. After a brutal onught, the impostor ¡°Zhu Miao Miao¡± was reduced to fragments, and only then did Yan Hua cease his assault. He looked over to see Xuan Wen had simrly subdued the false ¡°Gao Ming.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just recklessly use your fists for the final blow,¡± Xuan Wen cautioned, her attention fixed on Yan Hua¡¯s left hand. Yan Hua, following her gaze, noticed several ck, sinister characters that had materialized on his skin, resembling some kind of malevolent curse. Despite Xuan Wen¡¯s apparent concern, Yan Hua seemed indifferent to this ominous development. His mind was focused on finding Gao Ming, emphasizing the urgency: ¡°We need to find Gao Ming first. He¡¯s the only one who knows my sister¡¯s whereabouts. We can¡¯t afford to lose him.¡± Xuan Wen, gripping her knife in a reverse hold,mented somewhat cryptically, ¡°Men really do like to hide secrets.¡± Yan Hua, his tall and robust stature making concealment difficult, made no attempt to hide as he moved forward. He was prepared to confront whatever challengesy ahead. The giant ghost tattoo on his body grew increasingly vivid, almost as if a real spectral entity lurked behind him. Concurrently, the ck, curse-like characters on his skin multiplied. Xuan Wen observed Yan Hua¡¯s recklessness and remarked, ¡°Are you nning to just fight your way through? This is a Level Four paranormal event.¡± She knew persuading him would be futile. Individuals like Yan Hua, who could potentially be super criminals in the future, often harbored deep-seated paranoia. Apart from Gao Ming, who acted as a unifying link, it was difficult for them to ce trust in others. Yan Hua, undeterred, dered his resolve: ¡°I don¡¯t care about some Level Four paranormal events. As long as my fists can hurt them, I have nothing to fear.¡± As the ck characters on his body continued to increase, Yan Hua¡¯s strength seemed to grow proportionately. The ghost tattoo on his body evolved, bing more intricate and terrifying, as though an actual malevolent spirit stood behind him, ready for battle. ¡­ Meanwhile, Wan Qiu, who had been quietly trailing behind the group, suddenly found himself alone in the corridor. ¡°Has the hallway changed?¡± he wondered aloud, his voice tinged with unease. He felt a creeping sense of dread as shadows converged from all directions. The building¡¯s atmosphere had grown more malevolent, the air heavy with a sinister, unidentifiable odor, adding to the growing sense of foreboding. With his heart racing, Wan Qiu found himself anxiously tucked away in a corner, overwhelmed by a sense of dread about the uncertainties thaty ahead. Despite the bizarre and unnerving events unfolding around him, they didn¡¯t quite shatter his mental fortitude, a resilience forged through the trials and tribtions of his past experiences. Softly, almost in a whisper, he called out, ¡°Gao¡­ Gao Ming¡­¡± He hoped for a reply, a sign of reassurance, but there was only silence. Gao Ming, the very person who had vowed to stand by him, to protect him, was nowhere to be found. His instincts, which were unusually sharp and attuned to danger, sent a clear warning signal. Confused and uncertain about his next move, Wan Qiu retreated further into the seclusion of the hallway¡¯s corner, drawing his knees close to his chest in a protective embrace. Minutes ticked by in this tense atmosphere. Then, abruptly, his heart started pounding even faster as if jolted by an electric shock. A profound sense of imminent peril took hold of him, urging him to flee without dy. Panicked and unsure of a safe refuge, Wan Qiu hurriedly dashed into rental room 506, which was just a few steps away. No sooner had he shut the door behind him than a man wearing a rat mask appeared on the scene. The man, carrying a set of keys and sporting a building manager¡¯s badge, paused at the very spot Wan Qiu had vacated moments before. The man, idly chewing on something unknown, removed his mask. To Wan Qiu¡¯s horror, beneath the mask was not a human face, but that of an actual rat. The man¡¯s nose twitched and turned, as if he were a predator on the prowl, sniffing out the scent of living prey. From his hiding ce, Wan Qiu cautiously watched through the peephole, his hand covering his mouth and nose in shock and fear. The revtion was chilling: the building manager, a figure whom everyone in the apartmentplex regarded with fear, was in reality nothing more than a monstrous rat, seemingly engorged from a feast of flesh and blood! Chapter 48: Everyone Strives to Survive in Their Own Way Chapter 48: Everyone Strives to Survive in Their Own Way After ejecting a bone from his mouth, the building manager hastily fixed his protective mask back in ce and, with unsteady steps, made his way off into the distance. Feeling a sense of relief, Wan Qiu cautiously removed his hands from his face, only to be assaulted by an overwhelming, foul odor. ¡°This ce smells like someone¡¯s been decaying in here for days,¡± hemented with a grimace. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the trash can and shoe cab. They were meticulously organized, betraying no hint of the room¡¯s pungent smell, save for some crumpled pieces of paper. Curious, Wan Qiu picked up the papers, slowly realizing that they were fragments of a diary. ¡°Today is my 30th day in apartment 505. The woman living directly across the hall is a striking, kind-hearted single mother who has a habit of shoppingte at night. Our paths often cross in the corridor when I return from my night job.¡± ¡°She¡¯s captivating with her silky ck hair. Strangely, she¡¯s always in the same attire and carries a faint, unusual fragrance.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think much of it initially, but as evening fell, thendlord shared some news.¡± ¡°He informed me that the long-vacant apartment opposite mine, empty for half a year, had found a tenant. I wouldn¡¯t be alone anymore.¡± ¡°I was puzzled. How could a single mother be residing in that supposedly uninhabited apartment? Nightly, I would hear the sound of childrenughing and an ever-intensifying foul smelling from there.¡± ¡°A foul smell?¡± Wan Qiu pondered, ¡°The person who wrote this diary lived in 505, but this looks like 506, the apartment across?¡± In the dim light, Wan Qiu noticed footprints on the concrete floor of the living room, marked with what looked like ¡°red mud.¡± ¡°Is this blood mixed with mud?¡± He cautiously bent down, tracing the footprints until they led him to a set of pale legs, eerily still, as though they had been there in the living room all along. Despite bracing himself, Wan Qiu was so startled that he copsed to the ground. Raising his eyes, he saw a young girl standing between the living room and the kitchen. She was dressed in ck, her skin ghostly pale as if deprived of sunlight for an extended period. The room¡¯s foul stench seemed to cling to her, but apart from that, she looked like any ordinary child. Her clothes were neat, her hair fashioned into charming braids, and in her hands, she held a strawberry bear plush toy. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s someone here.¡± Seeing Wan Qiu, she immediately called out for her mother, her voice tinged with fear of the unfamiliar. The kitchen was shrouded in darkness, the curtains drawn, concealing whaty within. Soon after, another young girl, perhaps four or five years old, appeared from the kitchen, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, ¡°Mom won¡¯t talk to me again, she¡¯s ignoring me again.¡± As the younger girl struggled to ce the bowls on the table, Wan Qiu noticed that the odor emanating from her was even more intense than that of her sister. With a mix of bravery and innocence, the younger girl ran over to her older sister to help wipe away those tears. Then, turning to Wan Qiu with an inviting look, ¡°Would you like to join us for dinner? My mom¡¯s cooking is really good!¡± Just then, a loud ng resonated from the kitchen as a cleaver forcefully struck the cutting board, a clear indication of their mother¡¯s presence. Sensing the importance ofplying in this eerie situation, Wan Qiu quickly seated himself at the dining table. The atmosphere around the table was chilling. The older sister, still clutching the strawberry bear, sat in silence with her head lowered. The younger sister, more animated, kept stealing nces at Wan Qiu. Introducing herself, Nannan spoke with a hint of defiance, ¡°My name is Nannan, and this is my sister Xianxian. We¡¯ve been living here for a long time, but now some mean people are trying to kick us out, iming this ce isn¡¯t ours,¡± she said, her voice tinged with resentment as she picked up her chopsticks. ¡°You¡¯re not one of those people, are you?¡± Wan Qiu shook his head, his eyes moving back and forth between Nannan and Xianxian, but he remained silent, unsure of what to say. From the kitchen, the sound of sizzling apanied the already strong smells, now mixed with the tantalizing aroma of cooking food. The kitchen curtain briefly lifted, revealing a hand with five severely decayed fingers holding a te of stir-fried cabbage. ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Nannan eagerly said, taking the te from the doorway to the table. The busy figure in the kitchen, presumably their ¡°mother,¡± did not emerge, and the curtain fell shut again, the ghastly fingers disappearing into the shadows. As the scent of cooking meat intensified, a horrifying realization struck Wan Qiu. The ghost stories he had heard were unfolding into reality. The two girls¡¯ mother had passed away, but to prevent eviction, her spirit, still attached to her decaying body, continued to cook and care for her daughters daily. Nannan, perhaps too young to understand death, still saw her as her mother like always. Xianxian, painfully aware of the grim truth, remained, unable to leave the mother she still loved. The preparation of the second dish was underway, and Wan Qiu felt a growing sense of dread. His unique ability to foresee death filled his vision with ominous images of his demise. He saw the potential dangers thaty ahead: if he offered to fetch the next dish, he risked being pulled into the kitchen and murdered by the spectral ¡°mother,¡± possibly bing part of the next course; refusing to participate might provoke an attack from the sisters; attempting to escape could trigger a deadly pursuit by the ¡°mother¡±; staying put meant being trapped in this macabre scenario indefinitely. A single blood-tinged tear rolled down Wan Qiu¡¯s cheek as he gripped his head, his gaze averted from the kitchen, paralyzed by fear. The aroma of cooked meat grew stronger, and soon, a te of vividly red meat, borne by decaying fingers, was set down. The girls, enticed by the smell, eagerly moved towards the dish, but Wan Qiu, in a moment of desperate bravery, stepped forward before the elder sister, his legs shaking uncontrobly. Holding the te of meat, his courage quickly ebbed away. Blood-streaked tears on his face and his legs failing him, he copsed to the floor. ¡°Why do they all bully me¡­ I wish I had a mom too¡­¡± he murmured, overwhelmed by a flood of tragic memories and a palpable sense of looming death. As Wan Qiu¡¯s voice dwindled, the bustling sounds from the kitchen came to a halt. Xianxian lifted her head, her face etched with a peculiar expression; Nannan, her braids bouncing, stepped closer to Wan Qiu. Curled up in terror, Wan Qiu sensed someone approaching. Innocent yet solemn, Nannan extended her hand, murmuring something towards the kitchen. The kitchen curtain stirred slightly, and a figure with a face shrouded in ck hair peeked out, its stench suffocating. Between the strands of hair, Wan Qiu glimpsed a bloodshot, foreboding eyeball. ¡°Mom?¡± A muffled growl resonated from the darkness. The ¡°mother,¡± brandishing arge cleaver, slowly raised her arm, her eyes glowing a sinister red. Wan Qiu¡¯s heart pounded, his eyes clenched shut, bracing for the worst. But unexpectedly, he felt no harm. Gingerly opening his eyes, he saw the mother¡¯s decayed fingers tenderly caressing his head. ¡°You can¡¯t take our mom away, but if you¡¯re hurting, you can talk to us,¡± Nannan spoke with unexpected maturity. Returning to his seat at the dining table, Wan Qiu was enveloped in a surreal atmosphere. Although his eyes were capable of foreseeing death, everything around him seemed detached from his own reality. The ghostly mother presented the third dish herself. As Wan Qiu watched the family start their meal, he hesitated to lift his chopsticks, feeling as if he had somehow deceived the spectral mother. ¡°I actually came from outside.¡± Speaking truthfully, Wan Qiu recounted all his experiences to the ghostly mother and her daughters. In his life marked by misfortune, this was the first time Wan Qiu felt a sense of belonging, a home. He began to view the ghostly mother as part of his family, a fantasy perhaps born from his deep yearning for kinship. Having faced so much darkness, Wan Qiu clung to this rare disy of kindness, desperately seeking something good in his life amidst the evils he had encountered. When Wan Qiu mentioned his friend who had disappeared within the building, the younger daughter, Nannan, piped up with enthusiasm: ¡°Let¡¯s ask Ms. Nosy. She knows everything about this ce!¡± Her suggestion came with a cautionary note, ¡°But be careful, the building manager might catch you.¡± Xianxian, the elder sister, cast a warning nce at Nannan, who, undeterred, boldly suggested, ¡°Or maybe we should just trap the building manager! There are so many of us in the building, are we really scared of just one person?¡± ¡°The building manager is an agent of the Flesh Immortal. You shouldn¡¯t speak so recklessly,¡± Xianxian admonished her younger sister, her tone serious. ¡°I¡¯ve had a close look at the building manager,¡± Wan Qiu added, his voice frail. ¡°This figure you¡¯re all worried about, it looked like nothing more than a rat to me. Perhaps it consumed something bizarre, which is why it has such a daunting presence.¡± Deep down, Wan Qiu harbored skepticism towards the supernatural. Throughout his life, whenever he faced bullying and turned to prayer for help, his pleas went unanswered. In his eyes, the world was filled with despair, leading him to a grim conclusion: if there truly were any gods out there, they certainly weren¡¯t looking out for someone like him. Chapter 49: A Meal of Meat or Self-Reflection? Chapter 49: A Meal of Meat or Self-Reflection? The youngest daughter of the ghostly mother was overjoyed, feeling a wave of happiness wash over her as she was recognized for the very first time. She clung to Wan Qiu¡¯s arm, her face alight with glee and excitement. Inside their home, an overpowering, almost suffocating odor hung in the air. Despite this, Wan Qiu found himself entranced by the little girl¡¯s infectious smile, feeling a strange reluctance to leave this peculiar, yet somehow endearing, environment. Around Wan Qiu, shadows began to gather ominously. Abruptly, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside, followed by the unmistakable noise of someone fiddling with the lock. The young girl, previously radiating joy, suddenly tensed, her smile fading. She turned to her elder sister, worry creasing her brow, and said in a troubled voice, ¡°Those bad people are back again.¡± rmed, Wan Qiu hurried to the door and peered through the spyhole. He observed two figures in the corridor, d in the unmistakable garb of the Investigation Bureau, moving stealthily and marking each door as they passed. Wan Qiu noted a chilling difference in these investigatorspared to Gao Ming. Their attire had eerie ck symbols, and their faces were etched with a grim urgency as if they were on a life-or-death mission. ¡°These investigators¡­¡± Wan Qiu mused, sensing something amiss. The little girl¡¯s anger red as she recalled, ¡°They¡¯ve been here before. The nosy man living across the hall¡­ they killed him.¡± Wan Qiu was puzzled, ¡°Investigators hunting down residents? How can theybat ghosts?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve consumed meat, not the kind our mom prepares,¡± the elder sister exined with a grave tone, gripping her sister¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°But meat from the Shrine Restaurant. Stay inside, be safe and don¡¯t wander.¡± As she uttered these words, a knock resounded on their door. ¡­ Meanwhile, Gao Ming had been patrolling the Sishui Apartmentplex for some time, but it was eerily quiet. There were no shouts or cries for help. It seemed like any ordinary building. ¡°Yan Hua¡¯s usually so impulsive; there should have been some disturbance by now. Could they be hiding from some danger?¡± Gao Ming knew his colleagues well; they were a team that typically ignored the unique rules of the building, save for Zhu Miao Miao. The hallway grew more silent. Aside from Gao Ming and his twopanions, it seemed like no other residents were venturing out. As they descended the stairs, they started noticing greasy marks, and by the time they reached the ground floor, a tantalizing aroma of meat filled the air. Surprisingly, Gao Ming, who normally showed little interest in food, felt a sudden hunger. No guide was needed; the alluring scent beckoned them onward. Only the long-term inhabitants of Sishui Apartment knew about the secret level beneath the building. Exiting the stairwell, they discovered no units on this underground level, only walls decorated with signs framed in red on white backgrounds. ¡°Is this an underground restaurant?¡± they wondered aloud, gazing at the signs whose paint was peeling off heavily, with edges cracked and weathered, reminiscent of inverted coffin lids dangling above each doorway. As they ventured deeper, they discovered restaurants lining both sides of the hallway, undoubtedly the origin of the enticing meat scent. The old, cluttered advertising signs hanging outside each restaurant instilled a sense of unease, almost as if they could be pulled into one of these eerie establishments. Lured by the rich aroma of meat, Zhu Miao Miao reached out and inadvertently brushed against a restaurant door. Behind this wooden barrier, there was movement. Suddenly, the door swung open to reveal an old man draped in ck cloth. The old man bumped into Zhu Miao Miao, causing the ck cloth to fall off, revealing his disfigured body. He was missing his ears and right eye and had only one arm. Despite his horrific appearance and fresh wounds in ce of his ears, his expression was one of relief, as if he had finally resolved a longstanding burden. He quickly scooped up the ck cloth, covered himself once more, and scurried upstairs. ¡°Please,e in and take a seat,¡± a male voice beckoned from inside the restaurant. Gao Ming, carrying Zhao Xi and followed by Zhu Miao Miao, cautiously led the way into the establishment. The restaurant, converted from a rental unit, waspact and empty, devoid of other customers or visible staff. It contained only basic wooden tables and stic chairs. Being underground, itcked windows, and the potent meat aroma hung heavily in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,e on in,¡± the man¡¯s voice urged with a hint of impatience from the direction of the kitchen. They hesitantly entered and settled at a table, examining a menu listing only dish names without any prices. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me; this is my first time here too,¡± Gong Xi said, sliding the menu towards Gao Ming. ¡°Maybe we should just order something?¡± ¡°Items without listed prices tend to be exorbitantly costly,¡± Gao Ming pondered. But before he could reach a decision, the door swung open abruptly, causing them all to jump. They all turned towards the entrance in surprise, finding an investigator stumbling in. The person held a broken incense stick, his appearance disheveled, and his eyes mostly showing white, suggesting disorientation or delirium. Without acknowledging the others, he snatched the menu and disappeared behind the thick kitchen curtain, leaving an unsettling silence over the room. Minutester, the investigator reappeared, cradling a piece of meat in his left hand ¨C his right hand now missing. Gaze fixated on the glistening and quivering meat, he took a seat, and without the use of chopsticks, he began devouring the flesh, seemingly enraptured by its vor, the juices dripping down his hand. As he chewed, his eyes lost all sense of reason, and his feasting became frenzied. He devoured not just the meat but also started biting into his own sauce-covered hand. As the investigator gnawed and gnawed, blood began to mix with the juices, creating a gruesome sight. He looked down at his palm, now maimed and bleeding, his eyes vacant and haunted. Within them, ck characters seemed to writhe and shift unsettlingly. With a sense of disorientation, the investigator rose and staggered towards the door. Zhu Miao Miao, visibly disturbed by the aroma of the meat in the restaurant, which seemed to stir deep, unspoken cravings within her, suggested, ¡°Should we follow him to see where he¡¯s going?¡± She felt an urgent need to escape the restaurant¡¯s influence. As they geared up to trail the investigator, the restaurant door inexplicably mmed shut on its own. Though seemingly mundane, the door resisted all efforts to open it, defying Gong Xi¡¯s persistent attempts. ¡°Are we trapped here until we eat?¡± Bewildered and overwhelmed by the meat¡¯s scent, Zhu Miao Miao swung her fire axe at the door in desperation. The dull thud that followed suggested the axe had struck something more akin to thick flesh than wood. Shockingly, the door remained intact, oozing blood from the axe¡¯s impact. Zhu Miao Miao raised her axe for another strike, but Gong Xi halted her, his voice urgent, ¡°Look around! The walls¡­ they¡¯re moving in on us!¡± Indeed, the restaurant¡¯s walls appeared to be slowly closing in, the space around them growing ever smaller. The blood from the door added to the already potent meat aroma, making it almost unbearable. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± came the unbothered voice from the kitchen, ignoring their attempts to escape and inviting them to order. The overwhelming scent of meat was now affecting them all, especially Gao Ming, who felt a deep, almost primal hunger, both physical and psychological. It was as if invisible forces were tearing at their very souls, distorting their true selves. Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s eyes, now bloodshot, fixated on the te from which the investigator had eaten. She shakily reached out, tempted to taste the remnants. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± In a swift motion, he shattered the te and grasped Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s hands, preventing her from sumbing to her urges. ¡°Why resist your own desires?¡± The voice from the kitchen wasced with enticement. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry,e and see for yourself in the back kitchen. You¡¯lle to love this ce.¡± ¡°What kind of meat are you actually serving here?¡± Gong Xi, terrified yet unable to suppress his own craving for meat, questioned. He had never consumed meat from the building due to his grandmother¡¯s teachings, but now found himself battling an overwhelming desire to indulge, even to the extent of self-consumption. ¡°Have you ever noticed how many residents in this building are missing body parts? Ever wondered where those parts end up?¡± The man in the kitchen chuckled darkly. ¡°It¡¯s all voluntary. They willingly trade their own flesh.¡± ¡°They¡¯re consuming¡­ parts of their own bodies?¡± ¡°No, they offer their flesh, but what they eat is the manifestation of their deepest desires,¡± the man corrected, his voice growing more sinister. ¡°When all is permissible for trade, people dare to try anything in desperate times. That¡¯s the essence of human nature.¡± Chapter 50: The Flesh Shrine Chapter 50: The Flesh Shrine The atmosphere in the restaurant grew increasingly surreal and ominous. Its walls appeared to inch closer together, creating an unsettling sense of confinement. The sounds of the doors and frames shing against each other echoed through the space, evoking the unnerving image of teeth grinding together. ¡°Everyone harbors a secret yearning, a desire tucked away in the deepest corners of their heart. I possess the power to transform those hidden wishes into tangible realities. Devour the flesh I¡¯ve meticulously prepared for you. Once you do, all your troubles and concerns will vanish into thin air.¡± The tantalizing scent of cooked meat filled the air, infiltrating Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s senses and overwhelming her self-control. In a frenzied state, she began to scratch at her own shoulders violently, her fingernails tearing into her skin and drawing blood. Under the potent influence of the meat¡¯s aroma, Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s mind was flooded with vivid images of her deceased parents, who had tragically died in a fire. She first recalled her childhood, how her parents would joyfully lift her onto their shoulders, guiding and nurturing her as she grew. Thenter in life, the roles would be reversed, and it was on her shoulders that her parents came to rely, seeking her support in their older years. ¡°Your deepest wishes cane true. Meet whoever you long for. Not even the boundaries of life and death can keep you apart. You will forever be united with your loved ones,¡± the voice whispered enticingly. The mingling of her blood with the scent of the meat seemed to conjure a spectral illusion of her parents, emerging as if from her very wounds, a surreal and haunting vision. This eerie urrence seemed to confirm Granny¡¯s earlier prophecy: Zhu Miao Miao was on the brink of sumbing to her deepest desires, and the terrifying scenes previously seen in Granny¡¯s basin were on the verge of bing her reality. ¡°Come back to your senses!¡± Gao Ming urgently intervened, pressing down on Zhu Miao Miao, attempting to halt the bizarre transformation overtaking her body. Yet, the intoxicating smell of the meat had already awakened Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s most profound desires. She was now ready to embrace these desires, indifferent to the prospect of transforming into something monstrous, as long as it meant reuniting with her parents. ¡°The flesh carries our primal instincts; your body will never betray your true desires. It has already chosen your path,¡± the mysterious man¡¯s voice resonated through the restaurant. ¡°Step forward, join me. I have a special piece of meat prepared just for you. Eat it, and all your suffering will end!¡± At this point, Zhu Miao Miao had lost all semnce of rational thought. Should Gao Ming release his grip now, she would unquestionably dash into the kitchen, prepared to forsake her own physical well-being for the sake of her overwhelming desire. ¡°Bravo, you¡¯ve managed to restrain her!¡± came an approving voice. Meanwhile, the restaurant continued its ominous contraction, threatening to crush everyone inside if they lingered any longer. Determined not to sacrifice Zhu Miao Miao, Gao Ming clutched a menu and jumped towards the kitchen while gripping the chain in his hand. Once he drew back the thick, opaque curtains that shrouded the kitchen, the aroma of meat was almost suffocating. Yet, the scene inside the kitchen defied Gao Ming¡¯s expectations. There was no typical kitchen setup of stoves or mes. Instead, he saw a burly man dressed as a chef, mechanically chopping meat with a rhythmic precision. He would then toss the chopped pieces into a mysterious pool behind him, the source of the enticing scent that had so profoundly affected them all. As Gao Ming drew nearer, a chilling realization dawned on him: the chef was unlike any human he had ever seen. The figure had the shape of a human butcked all facial features ¨C no eyes, ears, mouth, or nose. This eerie resemnce to a human-shaped doll added an unsettling dimension to the scene. Then, the enigmatic man¡¯s voice echoed once more, not emanating from the chef but rather emerging from the ominous pool. ¡°Have you decided on what you wish to indulge in?¡± it asked, filling the space with its resonant tone. Clutching the menu, Gao Ming cast his gaze towards the murky pool. Instead of any monstrous entity, all he saw reflected in the water was his own image. ¡°I never coerce anyone into making sacrifices. I pride myself on being far more honorable than those deceitful gods. Whatever you offer willingly, you shall receive in return ¨C everything as per your desires, but only if you are willing to pay the necessary price.¡± ¡°Lie down, immerse yourself in your deepest yearnings, and let me behold what you truly crave.¡± As Gao Ming watched, the pool became increasingly clouded, the chef tirelessly dumping more of the chopped meat into it. The water quickly turned a deep crimson with blood. This sight brought back memories of Granny¡¯s bronze basin, where the water had also transformed into blood in a disturbingly short span. ¡°People possess two hearts,¡± the voice borated. ¡°One is made of flesh and blood, tangible and visible; the other is elusive, ethereal yet profoundly real, a repository of countless thoughts.¡± ¡°I shall fulfill the desires of your physical heart. In exchange, you must offer me your other heart, the intangible one.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s sense of reality began to blur, and he couldn¡¯t tell if he was falling into the blood-filled pool or if the pool was rising to meet him. By the time heprehended what was happening, he was already engulfed in the bloody waters. The pool was shallow, yet he felt himself sinking, his consciousness and physical form appearing to disconnect. ¡°Your body is no stranger to pain, possessing strong limbs, a nimble mind, eyes capable of piercing through the murkiest fog, and a heart that has endured death countless times?¡± The man¡¯s voice showed a trace of surprise for the first time. ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?!¡± it inquired, echoing the words Granny had spoken. In that moment, Gao Ming¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on these revtions. He tried to climb out of the pool, but skeletal hands, disjointed and eerie, reached out and clutched at him, hindering his escape. ¡°Reveal your desire to me. Show me your innermost wish!¡± the voice demanded. Suddenly, the blood in the pool surged violently, assaulting Gao Ming¡¯s eyes with the force of sharp des. He felt an intense pain as his left eye was seemingly extracted, tendrils of blood infiltrating his body, spreading towards his heart and brain. As the blood stirred his memories, Gao Ming recalled events that had transpired in a traffic tunnel ¨C his remaining eye now saw corpses embedded in the tunnel walls, all fixated on him with their lifeless stares. A dual scream pierced the air, and a crack formed at the bottom of the blood pool. Gao Ming¡¯s vision was now saturated with a blood-red hue, encapsting the terror and surrealism of the moment. In a dramatic turn of events, the chain that connected Gao Ming to Brother Zhao Xi suddenly sprang into action. Acting like a lifeline, it tugged Gao Ming upwards from the blood-filled pool, using Zhao Xi¡¯s body as a solid anchor point. The intense aroma of meat that had permeated the restaurant quickly faded away, and the establishment seemed to revert to its normal state. However, Gao Ming was visibly affected by the ordeal; hey copsed on the ground, his hand covering his left eye. The mysterious entity that resided within the blood pool had tapped into Gao Ming¡¯s memories through his eye. It had intentions ofpleting the ritual of the Flesh Immortal but found itself unable to satisfy Gao Ming¡¯s truest desires. Coming back to her senses, Zhu Miao Miao called out in concern, ¡°Team leader!¡± Though she hadn¡¯t consumed the meat, the transformation in her body had already begun. After some time, Gao Ming, with considerable effort, got back on his feet, his left eye remaining shut. ¡°Pick up your axe, don¡¯t be fooled anymore,¡± he urged, his voice carrying the weight of his ordeal. Losing his left eye had unlocked forgotten memories for Gao Ming, filling him with an intense, chilling fear. He feltpelled to keep these revtions to himself, clenching his fists in silent acknowledgment of the disturbing truth he had uncovered ¨C the same truth hinted at by both Granny and the voice in the blood pool. ¡°The desire that lurks deep within my flesh is truly terrifying,¡± Gao Ming reflected with a sense of dread. He sat contemtively at the edge of the pool, surveying his surroundings with his one good eye. The thought crossed his mind: when one cannot identify the viin in their midst, perhaps they themselves are the viin. To the shock of everyone present, Gao Ming suddenly leaped back into what now seemed like a regr pool of water. At the bottom of the pool, Gao Ming discovered a peculiar statue. It was an effigy of a multi-armed deity, gripping a bleeding heart. ¡°This is the statue of the Flesh Immortal; the voice we heard must belong to it,¡± Gong Xi surmised, joining Gao Ming. Gong Xi pointed out a noticeable crack in the statue¡¯s left eye. But the moment he touched it, the statue shattered entirely. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Gong Xi eximed, his focus quickly shifting to Gao Ming¡¯s condition. ¡°Was your eye taken by the Flesh Immortal?¡± Lost in his troubling memories, Gao Ming offered no response. With the destruction of the statue, the chef, who had been incessantly chopping meat, finally ceased his task. He wandered outside as if drawn by an unseen force. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s follow the chef and see where he¡¯s going,¡± Gao Ming dered, his face twisted in pain but his demeanor eerily calm. He was determined to survive, to leave the Sishui Apartment, and to re-enter that mysterious tunnel. Following the chef through various corridors, they arrived at a rental room located in the middle level of the basement. The room had an aura of reverence about it, dominated by arge red wooden door. The door bore two ominous inscriptions: ¡°Take all life¡± on the left and ¡°Take all death¡± on the right. Chapter 51: Situ An Chapter 51: Situ An The chef, whose face was marred by disfigurement, forcefully pushed open a massive crimson door. Gao Ming, with careful steps, trailed right behind the chef. As he entered, his eyes scanned the room, which wasvishly decorated with a series of portraits. Each painting depicted individuals with strange, almost otherworldly appearances, and their names were meticulously inscribed below them. The artistry was unsettling in its realism. Puzzled by the scene. Gao Ming asked the other two, ¡°Are these portraits meant to represent real, living people?¡± He noticed a subtle but distinct meat aroma emanating from these portraits. Then, a chilling realization struck him: these were not mere paintings on canvas but rather works crafted on human skin. As Gao Ming stood there, an eerie sensation washed over him, almost as if countless eyes from the room were silently observing him. Gong Xi, who had been following closely, suddenly dropped to his knees, too terrified to even lift his gaze. The chef, seemingly oblivious to the room¡¯s eerie atmosphere, moved to the center and lifted a ck cloth, unveiling arge altar table set against one of the walls. Painted dark blood red, the table held eight vacant tes. Beneath it, an investigator in uniform was kneeling, his neck inscribed with ck script. He was reciting scriptures in an unintelligible tone. Zhu Miao Miao, confused, queried, ¡°Why is there an investigator here?¡± Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Gao Ming had already begun to discreetly retreat. He noticed that the central altar table was missing its deity idol, suggesting that the object of worship had been removed or stolen. Suddenly, there was a loud ¡°Bang!¡± The chef, who had been standing near the altar, copsed to the floor, a sharp knife protruding from his chest. In a gruesome twist, his head had been severed. The chanting halted abruptly, reced by the sound of chaotic footsteps approaching from every direction. The kneeling investigator rose to his feet, revealing a face that was handsome but marred by the ck script covering half of it. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. We are from the Investigation Bureau too,¡± Gao Ming hurriedly exined, revealing a ck ring that identified his affiliation. ¡°I am Gao Ming, the leader of Team One from the Lishan Investigation Bureau¡¯s Old City Division.¡± The young investigator coldly cleaned the blood off his knife and introduced himself in a tone that was deceptively calm but carried an undercurrent of threat. ¡°I am Qing Ge, Division Chief of the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau, Eastern District Division.¡± Gao Ming noted that Qing Ge was considerably younger than the typical division chief, who were usually over forty. Qing Ge, appearing to be in his early twenties, was even younger than Gao Ming himself. ¡°Do you realize the damage you¡¯ve done by barging in here unannounced?¡± he asked, his voice soft yetced with a dangerous edge. Gao Ming, adept in reading subtle facial expressions, quickly responded before Zhu Miao Miao or Gong Xi could intervene. ¡°We weren¡¯t sent by anyone. We initiated this investigation independently after being separated from our team. The intense smell of meat from the lower floor raised our suspicions about this ce.¡± Holding his knife at a deliberate angle, Qing Ge¡¯s piercing gaze shifted from Gao Ming to the rest of the group. His voice carried a note of suspicion as he asked, ¡°Has anyone here consumed the meat found within this building?¡± Gao Ming promptly responded with a shake of his head, indicating a negative. ¡°No.¡± Satisfied with the response, Qing Ge rxed slightly, his movements deliberate as he sheathed his knife. He then motioned towards the exit, indicating it was time to leave the eerie room. Near the doorway, an investigator hunched over, rummaging through his backpack. He retrieved some medical supplies and began to carefully bandage Gao Ming¡¯s eyes, which had been affected during the earliermotion. While being attended to, Gao Ming seized the moment to inquire, ¡°May I ask, what or who was the target of your trap?¡± He wiped the residual blood from his face, continuing, ¡°I mean no harm. Just feeling a bit of guilt and wondering if we can somehow assist?¡± Qing Ge¡¯s expression turned grave as he nced towards the empty altar. ¡°This building harbors two of the most fearsome ghosts,¡± he began, his tone serious. ¡°One thrives on the faith of humans, while the other lusts for their flesh and blood. Our mission here is to exterminate the one that preys on the faith of the living.¡± Gao Ming quickly connected the dots, realizing the identities of these malevolent spirits. The one feeding on faith likely referred to the y sculpture of the Flesh Immortal with the Heart of a Deity. The other, craving flesh and blood, must be the notorious murderer from years past, known for possessing the Heart of Mortality. As Gao Ming pondered this, another investigator, Tian Yuan, who was bandaging his eyes, introduced himself with a friendly smile. ¡°I¡¯m Tian Yuan, the leader of Team Three from the Dazhai Investigation Bureau.¡± Tian Yuan¡¯s demeanor was straightforward and honest, exuding an air of optimism. ¡°I had almost given up hope of survival, but fortunately, we joined forces with the Eastern District Investigation Division team. They are quite knowledgeable about these abnormal urrences.¡± Qing Ge, however, interrupted the lighter moment, his tone firm and urgent. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for nostalgia,¡± he said, stepping away from the shrine. ¡°Our presence here is likelypromised. Remaining is futile. Everyone, follow me. We need to assist the bureau chief in tracking down the cannibalistic ghost!¡± The young man¡¯smand was met with immediate respect, a testament to his high standing among the investigators. Under his leadership, the daunting task of ghost hunting, once seen as a fantasy, had be a tangible mission for the Eastern District Investigation Division. The investigators from other divisions, sensing a renewed hope, rallied behind Qing Ge. However, they seemed to overlook a critical detail: all other members from the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau were unounted for, suggesting that Qing Ge might be the sole survivor. ¡°We should move as well,¡± Zhu Miao Miao suggested, her attention focused solely on Gao Ming rather than the gathering crowd. Sensing something amiss with the living members, Gao Ming whispered to Gong Xi, instructing him to discreetly escort Zhao Xi elsewhere. Meanwhile, he and Zhu Miao Miao subtly integrated themselves with the Investigation Bureau¡¯s team, remaining vignt and cautious of the unfolding situation. Gao Ming harbored a crucial piece of information he hadn¡¯t shared with Qing Ge ¨C the fact that it was Wu Bo who had tipped him off about everything. Old Wu Bo¡¯s knowledge of the shrine¡¯s existence raised a suspicion in Gao Ming¡¯s mind that Wu Bo might also be involved in the theft of the sacred items from the altar. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°That guy, surviving for so long in a building overrun with ghosts, must possess some extraordinary skills or knowledge.¡± Despite being in excruciating pain, Gao Ming clenched his teeth and persevered, determined to keep pace with the rest of the team. The once overpowering scent of cooked meat that had filled the corridors was now gone, eerily reced by a subtle yet unmistakable smell of blood. In the shadowy corridor on the fifth floor, a palpable sense of danger lingered. Suddenly, a cleaver shed through the air, severing the neck of an unsuspecting investigator. The lifeless body was then callously pushed over the railing, plummeting to the ground with a sickening thud. The sound of the body hitting the ground jolted the leading investigators back to reality. They halted in shock, staring at the man standing before them. Standing tall and dressed to perfection, this man exuded amanding presence and a sense of unppableposure, like he was utterly impervious to the chaos of the world around him. Gao Ming felt an inexplicable hostility towards this stranger. It was their first encounter, yet something deep within urged him to see this man as an enemy, a voice in his head screaming ¨C kill him! He must kill this man, Situ An! ¡°Bureau Chief, we were toote; the Flesh Immortal Idol has been stolen,¡± Qing Ge reported, his usual cool demeanor giving way to a rare show of deference. He avoided eye contact with the man, clearly intimidated. Situ An responded calmly, standing amidst the gathered investigators. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. That sculpture has a will of its own and is notoriously difficult to handle.¡± His gaze swept over the group, collected at the intersection between the fourth and fifth floors. ¡°You all witnessed me killing an investigator. Does that frighten you?¡± A heavy silence fell over the group. No one dared to respond as Situ An nonchntly picked up a piece of flesh from the ground and flung it towards the investigators. ¡°Some of you joined the Investigation Bureau because ghosts killed your family, others in search of missing loved ones, and some driven by a sense of justice. You are the toughest, the bravest. But once inside the Bureau, you¡¯re confronted with a harsh reality.¡± He looked each investigator in the eye, delivering his message with a chilling rity: ¡°Humans are powerless against ghosts; you¡¯re nothing more than brave cannon fodder.¡± His words resonated with a bitter truth. ¡°But now, things can be different. I offer you a chance,¡± he gestured towards the piece of flesh lying on the stairs. ¡°There¡¯s a fifty percent chance you¡¯ll gain the power to kill ghosts, and a fifty percent chance you¡¯ll turn into one.¡± This proposition struck a chord with the investigators. Only those who had faced the horrors of ghosts firsthand could truly understand how valuable the power to fight back was. ¡°Why should we believe you? You just killed one of our own!¡± Some investigators voiced their skepticism and fear. Situ An responded coolly, withdrawing his intense gaze. ¡°I have no need to deceive you, nor do you have to believe me. When faced with death, you¡¯ll make your choice. Just remember, the person offering you this chance is me, Situ An, Bureau Chief of the Hanghai Eastern District Investigation Bureau.¡± Chapter 52: The Meat Begins to Eat Ghosts Chapter 52: The Meat Begins to Eat Ghosts In this meeting of paranormal investigators, the name Situ An resonated with a few, evoking whispers and knowing nces. Amidst the palpable tension and uncertainty, a novice investigator, barely old enough to be considered an adult, stepped forward with a mix of courage and naivety. He reached down and picked up a chunk of meat lying on the ground, its surface marred by blood stains. The scent of the meat, intermingling with the pungent odor of blood, filled the air. The young investigator examined the bite marks on it, his decision wavering. It wasmon knowledge among the group that the investigator who had been killed earlier had consumed this very piece of meat. Tragically, instead of granting him the supernatural strength needed to fight ghosts, it had been his undoing. Swallowing hard, his Adam¡¯s apple moving visibly, the young man was acutely aware of the many eyes fixed upon him. His own eyes began to turn a deep shade of red, a physical reaction to his growing inner turmoil. Then, with a sudden, almost animalistic impulse, he bent down and bit fiercely into the bloodied meat. A wild hunger overtook his eyes as he devoured the meat while the juices sttered. It¡¯s as if he was experiencing a vor beyond any he had tasted before. In mere seconds, he consumed the entire piece, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of his actions. His eyes¡¯ veins thickened rmingly, and his heartbeat elerated. Haunted by indiscernible voices, he covered his ears and crouched on the ground, overwhelmed by the cacophony in his mind. ¡°Kill them! Kill them all!¡± he screamed, his voice unrecognizable, taken over by some otherworldly force. Dark, sinister characters seemed to emerge from his chest as if bursting forth from his very heart. In agony, he writhed on the ground. When the other investigators tried to intervene, heshed out violently, his intentions murderous. Three excruciating minutester, he copsed, motionless except for the strange ck characters that remained on his chest, eerily unchanged. Gradually, he stood up, wiping sweat from his brow, his expression one of confusion. ¡°Did I seed?¡± he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. ¡°You did,¡± Qing Ge assured him, gently pulling him back from the brink of madness. ¡°Ghosts consume humans, humans consume meat, and meat devours ghosts. You have not turned into a ghost, but you can no longer be considered fully human either.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t feel any different, just pain,¡± the young man confessed, bewildered by his own physical sensations. ¡°Pain is power,¡± Qing Ge dered enigmatically. In a startling move, he suddenly stabbed the young man¡¯s palm with a sharp knife, causing everyone to gasp in shock. The young investigator screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding hand. Qing Ge, unflinching, dropped the knife before him. ¡°Go through the corridor to Building B¡¯s fifth-floor entrance. There¡¯s a mutated female ghost there. Use this knife to kill it.¡± The group of investigators, each having survived extraordinary circumstances, were no ordinary individuals. At the very least, their resilience and fortitude far surpassed that of average people. Gripping the knife in his unscathed hand, the young man, driven by a mix of pain and determination, stumbled through the corridor. The other investigators followed swiftly as well, prepared for whaty ahead. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± resounded through the building. The intense pain in his palm fueled his movements, rough and unrefined. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, betrayed his increasingly erratic and disturbed state. Sister Fei¡¯s voice reverberated through the dimly lit interior of the house, tinged with a mix of skepticism and annoyance. ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t go, it can¡¯t be a rat disguised as the building manager,¡± she dered, her words echoing off the walls. Confusing the young man for someone else, she carelessly opened the door, lowering her defenses in a moment of misjudgment. The young man, his face etched with tension and grim determination, seized the moment. His features lifted ever so slightly as he made a decisive move, swinging the knife swiftly and deliberately. The de sliced through Sister Fei¡¯s skin, releasing an odious, pungent fluid that filled the air with its foul stench. Surprisingly, she showed no sign of pain. Instead, with a look of confusion and horror, she touched the gash on her belly. Her pale face contorted into a grimace of shock and disbelief. In a desperate attempt, she reached out to grab the young man, trying to pull him into the house. ¡°Use the injured hand to hold the knife!¡± Qing Ge¡¯s voice cut through the tension, a reminder that spurred the young man into action. He switched the knife to his injured hand, the movement causing his wound to tear open further. Blood dripped down the de, mixing with the dark, sinister characters emerging in his palm. With this change, his next strike was different. The wound he inflicted on Sister Fei didn¡¯t heal as before; instead, the skin around it started to decay rapidly, a sign of effective harm. ¡°He¡¯s really hurting the ghost!¡± The realization sparked a surge of hope among the investigators. Even a minor wound was a significant victory, a chance to fight back against their supernatural adversary. It was a means of releasing all the suffering and frustration they had endured. The young man, now embodying a ferocity more terrifying than any ghost,unched into a frenzied assault on Sister Fei. His eyes were bloodshot, his actions driven by a mix of desperation and newfound power. ¡°Who¡¯s willing to help him?¡± Situ An, watching with a smirk, pulled out another piece of the mysterious meat. He tossed it towards the other investigators, who, upon witnessing its effectiveness, scrambled for it like hounds vying for food. Remarkably, no one who consumed the meat transformed into a ghost. Instead, they felt their heartbeats alter. Adapting to the pain, they were galvanized into action, rushing towards Building B with renewed vigor. ¡°You evil ghosts!¡± Sister Fei¡¯s cry echoed through the building, her pleas for help ignored and diminishing until she finally copsed into a puddle of ck water, dissolving into a heap of viscous sludge. The investigators, empowered by the meat, were exhrated by their victory, while Gao Ming gasped at the sight. A realization had dawned on him. Within Sishui Apartment, the dynamics between humans and ghosts could be upended by this ¡°meat.¡± The definition of who was the evil spirit hinged solely on who wielded control over this strange substance. Moreover, no investigator had turned into a ghost after eating the meat, which means Situ An had lied from the start. So, the reason why he killed the investigator earlier must be because of some ulterior motive, not because he turned into a ghost. As for those casual remarks about the meat and ghost, it¡¯s a deliberate move to shift the group¡¯s focus and a psychological influence on the other investigators. If it were to be known that consuming the meat could potentially lead to a fate more harrowing than death itself, hesitation might have crept into their actions. However, with the odds seemingly split down the middle, there were those among them willing to take the gamble, driven by desperation and the slim hope of gaining an edge in their supernatural struggle. Deep in contemtion, Gao Ming¡¯s sharp instincts suddenly kicked in. He lifted his head, his gaze inadvertently locking with that of Situ An. There was a palpable tension in the air, an unspoken understanding that something significant was unfolding. ¡°Your expression is different from the other investigators,¡± Situ An remarked, his voice tinged with a curious interest. ¡°I remember the faces of all the investigators from Hanghai¡¯s Investigation Bureau who have experienced level-three anomalies, but I don¡¯t recall seeing you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Gao Ming, the acting head of the first investigation team from Lishan Investigation Bureau,¡± Gao Ming responded, his tone steady yet revealing an underlying intensity. ¡°Situ An¡¯s eyes narrowed, a flicker of recognition mixed with an unsettling sense of dread crossing his features. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Bai Xiao the head of the first team from Lishan Investigation Bureau? I¡¯ve met Bai Xiao; he¡¯s an excellent investigator. I even considered recruiting him to our side.¡± ¡°Bai Xiao has gone missing so I¡¯m acting in his ce for now,¡± Gao Ming exined, his voice betraying a hint of the burden he carried in his new role. ¡°Once we leave Sishui Apartment alive, you can drop the ¡®acting¡¯ from your title,¡± Situ An said, his gaze drifting away. His words seemed to hold a double meaning, perhaps referring to himself or to Gao Ming in a twisted sense of foreboding. Situ An then proceeded towards the corridor, his presencemanding and charismatic. He had a natural ability to rally the investigators around him, all except for Gao Ming. As the acting director of the Eastern District Investigation Bureau, Situ An¡¯s personal involvement in this abnormal event, coupled with his discovery of the transformative meat, had earned him a significant degree of admiration and trust among the investigators. Who wouldn¡¯t be drawn to a leader perceived as benevolent towards his fellow humans and ruthless towards malevolent spirits? The morale of the investigators surged as they advanced towards Building B, their humanity gradually diminishing. It seemed that ¡°humans¡± would soon be the predatory ¡°meat¡± in their ongoing war against the ghosts. ¡°Team leader, won¡¯t the olddy on the first floor be in danger?¡± Zhu Miao Miao asked, her voiceced with concern. ¡°Situ An will surely not spare that old woman because she knows his true face,¡± Gao Ming noted, his gaze following the crowd as they heedlessly trampled over the remnants of Sister Fei, smashing doors in their frenzied mission. ¡°Situ An¡¯s goal might be to cleanse Sishui Apartment, where both humans and ghosts are mere pawns in his grand scheme.¡± It dawned on Gao Ming that many of the investigators had already sumbed to bing ¡°meat¡±. This realization shed light on the mysterious disappearances within the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. Screams, not of people but of the ghostly residents, filled Sishui Apartment, a chilling soundtrack to the unfolding chaos. In this topsy-turvy world where the roles of humans and ghosts were inverted, the already surreal reality took on an even more twisted and bizarre dimension. Chapter 53: The Execution House Chapter 53: The Execution House In the infamous Sishui Apartments, a ce with a dark history of harboring murderers, the grim legacy continued to cast its shadow over the years. Right from the beginning, Situ An had made it clear that he was not there to coexist with the other residents. He had instructed his men to meticulouslybel the doors of the neighboring apartments. They used specific markings to indicate which rooms were haunted by ghosts, which ones were booby-trapped, and which were empty and abandoned. Situ An was intimately familiar with these details as if they were etched into his very memory. As the doors were forcibly opened one by one, bloodshed became rampant. The prolonged nature of the carnage had a profound effect on the investigators who had resorted to consuming meat. Over time, they began to lose their grip on their identity. The appearance of ck characters on their skin was a telling sign ¨C the more characters that appeared, the more their eyes flickered between moments of rity and utter confusion. Watching this unfold, Situ An thought to himself, ¡°The seeds that were nted twenty years ago are now ready to be harvested.¡± He observed the investigators, who were teetering on the edge of losing their humanity without a shred of empathy. Everything was happening just as he had meticulously nned. He knew that ¡°flesh¡± was not an ¡°antidote¡± but a ¡°poison.¡± Its effects were just slower on those with stronger willpower. Interestingly, each investigator who had survived a level-three paranormal event showed remarkable resilience and determination. These were the bravest individuals in the city, navigating its darkest and most sinister corners. Holding a heavy cleaver in his hand, Situ An reminisced about a ghastly family massacre that had urred two decades earlier in Building A of the Sishui Apartments. In that incident, a murderer d in a bright red coat had brutally ughtered eight family members before taking his own life. Twenty years had passed since then, and with the recent paranormal happenings, that murderer had turned into a frenzied, cannibalistic ghost, now haunting the building. The increase in the number of ck characters was directly proportional to the intensification of the curse, causing the flesh-eating investigators to spiral further into instability. However, these characters also seemed to enhance their powers. Situ An had been deliberately sacrificing the building¡¯s residents to these investigators, sharpening his metaphorical ¡°knife¡± for what he anticipated to be a final showdown. He eventually led all the investigators to the first floor, arriving at Granny¡¯s apartment. He knocked on her door politely, ¡°I¡¯vee to keep my promise.¡± When the door opened just a crack, Granny caught sight of the flesh-eating investigators and sighed, ¡°You truly are a madman.¡± Tossing out three blood talismans, Granny quickly shut and locked her door, the sound echoing ominously through the hallway. Picking up the blood talismans, Situ An stared intently at Granny¡¯s door. ¡°Every innocent soul that is tormented and taken by evil spirits can be turned into these blood talismans. I¡¯ve given you so many human skins, and yet you¡¯ve only managed to create three?¡± he questioned, his tone a mix of disbelief and frustration. There was a tense silence from within the house, prompting Situ An to decide not to wait any longer. He swiftly gathered the trio of blood talismans and, nked by his team, proceeded down the hallway, halting momentarily at the top of the staircase that descended into the basement. Unlike the entrance to the basement in Building A, the doorway leading to Building B¡¯s basement was fortified with a heavy, ck iron door, which was extensively adorned with a variety of protective charms. Always cautious and observant, Gao Ming asked, ¡°Do you think Granny has imprisoned the evil ghost in the basement?¡± He was highly suspicious of Situ An¡¯s intentions, suspecting that his true goal was not to rid the building of the evil spirit for the sake of the residents, but rather to capture the potent artifact known as the Heart of Mortality. Gao Ming was deeply concerned, knowing that if Situ An seeded in his quest,bining his already formidable intelligence and influence with the power of the evil spirit, it would leave him at a grave disadvantage. Feeling trapped with no possibility of escape, Gao Ming¡¯s sole eye zed with an intense, almost crazed determination. As they began to remove the protective charms from the door, a bone-chilling wind swept through the area, apanied by eerie, sinisterughter emanating from the depths of the basement. With concerted effort, they forced the iron door open, sending fragments of the charms swirling through the air. This time, Situ An chose to let other members of the investigation team take the lead. Blinded by their misguided loyalty and confidence in Situ An, the investigators, fully armed and on high alert, began to tread down the basement¡¯s long, dimly lit corridor. In stark contrast to Building A¡¯s basement, which was filled with various eateries, the basement of Building B had a more foreboding atmosphere, resembling a row of prison cells, showing scarce evidence of human upancy. Situ An solemnly recited the names of the victims ¡ª ¡°Hu Ming, Hu Ling, Hu Little Gongao, Yuan Chen¡­¡± With each name spoken, the sinisterughter echoing through the corridor seemed to intensify as if fueling the malevolent spirit¡¯s excitement. ¡°These were innocent people,¡± Situ An dered, ¡°found in pools of their own blood, their eyes wide with disbelief, unable to grasp why they were so brutally killed. They never realized that their murderer, perhaps envious of their happiness and achievements, had callously taken their lives.¡± Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream shattered the tense silence. The leading investigator was abruptly yanked into one of the rooms by a pair of gore-stained hands. Hisrades rushed to his aid, but he was nowhere to be found when they finally forced the door open. ¡°Where did he go?¡± Inside the cluttered rental room, mounds of garbage were piled haphazardly. Mountains of empty mineral water bottles, some still containing a murky yellow-brown liquid,y strewn about. The floor was littered with food wrappers, instant noodle cups, and remnants of takeout meals. A television set in the corner of the room was still on, ying a crude and embarrassing video, its vulgar sounds mixing unpleasantly with the room¡¯s already foul odor. One of the investigators located the TV remote buried under a dirty sock and attempted to turn off the set. However, as soon as he pressed the button, the ceiling fan above them suddenly broke free of its moorings and came crashing down. The investigator, his fleshcerated and his body marred with spreading ck script, would surely have perished if he hadn¡¯t ingested the strange meat earlier. ¡°Exercise extreme caution,¡± Qing Ge warned, his face etched with seriousness. ¡°We¡¯re now within the cannibal ghost¡¯s territory. Everything here poses a threat. Those of you who haven¡¯t eaten the meat, pair up and remain behind. Avoid entering any of the rooms.¡± Just as Qing Ge finished his warning, a loud ¡°Boom!¡± echoed through the space as the iron door leading to the basement mmed shut, effectively sealing them off from any escape route. ¡°Stay calm,¡± Situ An calmly advised, surrounded by his team. He meticulously cleaned his bone-chopping knife with a crimson talisman. ¡°This ce is a gruesome sanctuary that the cannibal ghost has fashioned for itself, but it¡¯s also the grave we¡¯vee toy it in,¡± he continued. ¡°Be aware that this ghost employs a myriad of lethal methods, all designed to instill despair and terror. To outlive its clutches, never give in to fear or beg for mercy regardless of the torture you endure. Maintain hope, and the ghost might dy your end, giving your allies an opportunity to save you.¡± Suddenly, an investigator from the Northern Branch shouted, ¡°Chief! We¡¯ve discovered a hidden door!¡± He had moved a bed aside, revealing a door concealed beneath a heap of repugnant, filthy clothing. All attention turned towards the newfound hidden door, but both Gao Ming and Situ An felt something was off. Since the disappearance of the first investigator, the smell of blood had grown stronger. Gao Ming, ever vignt, scrutinized the expressions of each team member, spotting one whose face was unusually rigid and emotionless. Meanwhile, Situ An, who had carefully memorized the faces and positions of his team, realized after a quick count that there was now an extra person among them despite losing one member earlier. ¡°Someone¡¯s been reced!¡± he eximed. Without warning, blood-soaked hands lunged out. Situ An and Gao Ming, almost as if they had anticipated this, responded instantly ¡ª Situ An with a swift de strike and Gao Ming with a nimble dodge. Despite their quick reactions, both were unexpectedly ensnared by the bloody appendages! The sly cannibal ghost, lurking unseen, had specifically targeted Situ An and Gao Ming, recognizing them as the most formidable threats. Chaos erupted as the doors, resembling those of prison cells, flung open automatically. A powerful, unseen force dragged Situ An and Gao Ming through secret doors into separate rooms. They each tumbled down a steep, debris-strewn passage, ending up isted in different chambers. Bleeding from numerous minor cuts, Gao Ming swiftly got to his feet, poised for confrontation. ¡°Is this the ghost¡¯s gruesome workshop?¡± he wondered aloud. Using his cellphone for illumination in the dark, ominous space, Gao Ming¡¯s gaze fell upon an array of sinister torture devices. He then noticed the earlier missing investigator bound to a chair, weeping and pleading for help. Chapter 54: Nineteen Minutes Chapter 54: Neen Minutes After meticulously observing his surroundings, Gao Ming ascertained that within the concealed subterranean chamber, only he and the investigator were present; there was no one else. ¡°Could it be that the malevolent ghost isn¡¯t here? But then, why isn¡¯t the investigator attempting to flee? He¡¯s merely seated on the chair, unbound by any ropes. He could effortlessly stand up and leave the chair behind!¡± The chair the investigator was perched on was crafted from metal and leather, tarnished with expansive blotches of blood. ¡°Help me! Save me!¡± The investigator, who remained motionless in the chair, cried out with considerable volume. His call seemed like a ruse to draw Gao Ming closer, yet the profuse cold sweat on his face and his visibly terror-stricken expression implied he was genuinely in distress. ¡°What terrifies you? What is concealed in this room?¡± Gao Ming, suspecting a trap, refrained from approaching directly. The investigator gave a faint shake of his head, his cold sweat falling in drops. He was not unaware of the peril; rather, he was paralyzed by extreme fear, rendering him unable to articte his thoughts. ¡°Is there an invisible ghost here?¡± Gao Ming suggested, but the investigator negated this with another slight shake of his head, his eyes darting towards the torture devices scattered around as if to caution Gao Ming to remain vignt. At that moment, the seemingly innocuous chair abruptly mped down on the investigator¡¯s hands, and the torture instruments around them started to activate autonomously. ¡°Save me! Save me!!¡± The investigator¡¯s body was grotesquely contorted, his flesh and skin being consumed in a horrific manner, revealing his bare bones. Yet, the agony he endured did not subside. His screams permeated the chamber, as all the torture devices, linked by crimson threads, converged on him like predators drawn to blood, focusing their attention on the hapless figure in the chair. Gao Ming found himself unable to stomach the harrowing spectacle unfolding before his eyes. Within a mere five minutes, the investigator was thoroughly annihted and devoured by the malevolent instruments, leaving behind only his still-pulsating heart, etched with dark symbols, on the chair. As apartment in the chair opened, the heart tumbled into its depths, following which the chair ominously began to approach Gao Ming in the enveloping darkness. The underground torture chamber, of moderate size, swiftly ensnared Gao Ming in its blood-red threads, forcibly anchoring him to the chair. The chamber harbored no ghosts or monsters, yet it instilled a terror in Gao Ming far surpassing anything he had previously encountered. It was a hellish realm devised by the malevolent ghost, rife with authentic pain and destruction. The cacophony of metal shing echoed in his ears, chains slithered across the floor resembling serpents, each inscribed with the histories of those who had perished, obediently contorting to the whims of their master. The coarse chains scraped against his skin relentlessly. Gao Ming, now shackled to the chair, recalled Situ An¡¯s earlier words from outside the room: the malevolent ghost found joy in torturing its victims, particrly those with robust spirits, methodically eroding their resolve. ¡°To endure, one must cling to hope.¡± Such advice was simple to utter, but in the throes of such excruciating pain, the notion of death often emerged as a seemingly more merciful alternative. In the shadowy confines, a blood-red wooden table crept forward, its surface methodically arranged with an array of knives ¨C from boning knives and slicers to cleavers, sashimi knives, peelers, V-shaped and U-shaped chisels, line carvers, loop tools, hole punches, and even melon ballers¡­ The crimson threads grew taut, and the knives, seemingly guided by an invisible hand, gradually neared, pressing ominously against his flesh. Gao Ming, his jaw clenched in agony, blood seeping from the wound on his already damaged left eye, was acutely aware that each knife was designed with a specific purpose, be it in the realm of culinary arts or in the twisted machinations of the malevolent spirit. Each de was capable of inflicting a distinct type of wound, eliciting a unique brand of pain. Pale, drenched in sweat, Gao Ming gripped the chains that bound him with all his might. ¡°Endure it, just endure it!¡± Disying any hint of fear would merely reveal vulnerabilities to the malevolent spirit. He had to marshal every ounce of control over his nerves to persevere. His legs were drenched in blood, the tips of the knives reaching the bone, while myriad wounds created a macabre spectacle on his body. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t be certain if rescue would arrive, nor did he permit himself to ponder too deeply on the matter; instead, he constantly fortified his resolve with mental affirmations. Time passed with torturous slowness. The rhythm of the knives carving into his skin seemed in cruel synchrony with the ticking of the second hand, the chamber echoing with sinisterughter. Blood pooled on the floor. The instruments in the corner, reminiscent of hungry wolves, picked up the scent of blood and converged menacingly towards the chair. The room was a tableau of unspeakable terrors, and Gao Ming faced the imminent horror of being dragged onto those gruesome torture devices. He felt like a bird trapped in a cage, unable to spread its wings, feathers ruthlessly plucked, beak forced open, ws shattered. The malevolent ghost sought not just to clip the bird¡¯s wings but to obliterate the very impulse to fly, taking perverse delight in watching creatures of flight plead for the severance of their wings. The clock on the wall, indifferent to the horrors within the room, seemed especially cruel at this juncture. Time had transformed into a metric of suffering, an ally to hopelessness as it crawled by excruciatingly slowly. Death, though inevitable, appeared to approach far toote in this instant. Gao Ming¡¯s fingers and legs were drenched in blood, his consciousness beginning to waver. He found himself unable to discern whether the gashes were on his clothes or his skin, particrly around his chest. The only sensation that remained distinct and undeniable was the persistent beating of his heart; a testament that he was still alive, still desperately holding onto hope. Eighteen grueling minutes had psed, and as the neenth minute ticked by, muffled noises began to seep from the room adjacent to where Gao Ming was confined, the room where Situ An was detained. Situ An¡¯s resilience faltered before Gao Ming¡¯s did. Energized by this shift, the torture instruments momentarily abandoned Gao Ming and vanished into the shadows, hungrily converging towards the room where Situ An was being held. Under the unrelenting, mind-shattering torment, Situ An¡¯s resolve started to crumble, his screams resonating through the confined space. Gao Ming, himself teetering on the brink, realized with stark rity that if not for the other investigator he had found upon entering, he might have already sumbed to the unbearable agony. ¡°After they finish with Situ An, those instruments will return for me. This is my prime opportunity to escape!¡± He understood that the evil ghost was not physically present; these instruments seemed merely an extension of its malevolent ¡°body.¡± ¡°In the killing chamber, there are three passageways. One is the steep, nearly vertical tunnel I was thrown down, lined with razor-sharp shards of ss. Another leads to the adjacent room where Situ An is; and the third is located behind this chair¡­¡± Despite his suffering, Gao Ming had meticulously observed his surroundings. ¡°I can¡¯t dy any further!¡± Capitalizing on the moment when the instruments were preupied with Situ An, Gao Ming wrenched himself free from the blood-red threads. He staggered towards the tunnel, but upon setting foot on the ground, he copsed, his injuries too severe to scale the steep passage. With his entry route effectively blocked and the torture devices engaged in the next room, his only option was the path behind the chair. Dragging himself towards it, Gao Ming stumbled upon a dark iron door at the end of the passage. Desperately, he pounded on it, but it refused to yield. It seemed as though everything was meticulously engineered by the evil ghost, creating an illusion of escape only to plunge its victims into deeper despair. Where could he possibly run? The iron door bore a lock embellished with a taunting smiley face, almost as if mocking the futile attempts of those desperately seeking escape. As Gao Ming turned his head, his eyes fell upon the ominous sight of the massive chair, slowly but deliberately inching towards him. It maneuvered through the passage as though it intended to ¡°snap¡± him back into its merciless grasp. ¡°I can¡¯t go back, I absolutely can¡¯t go back!¡± he dered to himself, a firm resolve in his voice. The iron door, marked with still-fresh bloodstains, stood ominously before him. Frantically, Gao Ming rummaged through his backpack and extracted a photograph of himself with his parents. His hands, smeared with blood, trembled as he dialed his family¡¯s number on his phone. A busy tone reverberated in his ears. In this bizarre and isted environment,pletely severed from the outside world, it seemed that Gao Ming¡¯s phone had the capacity for only one call. With each repetitive beep of the busy tone, the shadows encircling him appeared to thicken, growing ever more menacing. In the photograph he held, his father and mother, both donning unnerving smiles, seemed toe alive. It was as if they could hear Gao Ming¡¯s desperate voice. Their faces, hauntingly cheerful, appeared to turn subtly, their gazes piercing out of the photo, fixing directly on Gao Ming! Chapter 55: Happy Birthday! Chapter 55: Happy Birthday! Drenched in blood and marred by numerous wounds, Gao Ming had tragically lost his left eye. Grasping his cell phone with a death grip, he pinned his fading hopes on the ethereal presences of Ghost Mom and Ghost Dad. The shadows around him swirled and danced with a menacing intent as hey there. In a moment reminiscent of his childhood birthday wishes, Gao Ming silently made a fervent wish, keeping it a secret this time. Suddenly, a series of loud ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± sounds echoed through the air. The dark, metallic door that stood before Gao Ming shuddered under the force of someone or something knocking from the other side. At that exact moment, his phone call connected, and through the hissing and crackling static, he heard his mother¡¯s voice, tinged with concern: ¡°Gao Ming, are you feeling homesick again?¡± The knocking intensified, bing more frantic, while the images of his parents in the photograph he carried began to slowly dissolve into nothingness. The metal door started to warp and bend as if under immense pressure. Like sinister veins, red tendrils wound their way around Gao Ming¡¯s wounds. A massive, ominous chair in the room seemed to pulse with a malevolent desire to pull Gao Ming back into its grasp. With his fingers wing into the uneven ground, Gao Ming yelled into the phone. As thest image in the photograph vanished, the blood-soaked metal door waspletely engulfed by shadows. Its hinges groaned and twisted unnaturally, and with a final, violent effort, the door was flung open! There, in the doorway, stood his eerie ghost parents, their faces twisted into strange smiles, holding Gao Ming¡¯s favorite cake. Despite their contorted bodies, the cake remained perfectly intact. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± they eximed in unison. Responding with a bloodied hand, Gao Ming reached out towards his strangely smiling family. ¡°Yes, happy birthday,¡± he replied with a mix of dread and determination. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the birthday cake once we¡¯ve made our escape.¡± The chair that seemed to hunger for Gao Ming knew nothing of the warmth of family ties. It was a cold, emotionless object. Even filled with human hearts, itcked any understanding of kinship. From beneath the chair, blood-red tendrils emerged, viciously piercing the bodies of Ghost Mom and Ghost Dad. The chair attempted to pull them into its clutches, but whenever they were harmed, they would dissolve back into the shadows. His ghost parents were not overwhelmingly powerful, but they seemed to be unyieldingly resilient. Gao Ming, with the photograph now safely tucked back into his backpack, tried to rise, his body wracked with unbearable pain. The malevolent ghost, in its cruel desire to prolong his suffering, had intentionally avoided his vital spots, giving him the painful opportunity to move. With each agonizing step, Gao Ming felt as though his legs were being ripped apart. He bit down hard, pushing himself forward, uncertain of when the ghost would reveal its true form again. The air grew thick with the stench of blood. Overhead, pipes snaked across the ceiling while blood vessels like grotesque decorations sprawled along the walls. Aware of the potential dangers thaty ahead, Gao Ming knew he had no option to retreat. With a sense of urgency, he quickened his pace, the filthy water on the dungeon floor reaching his ankles. Amidst the murkiness, he perceived a strange calling, not of his name, but a deep, unsettling sensation within his flesh, as if part of him had been extracted long ago. Reflecting on his first foray into Building B, Gao Ming recalled a simr feeling. ¡°They all said I had worshipped the Flesh Immortal. Could it be calling out to me now?¡± he pondered. Above him, the cacophony of battle and struggle resonated, punctuated by the unceasing screams of Situ An. Gao Ming recognized this as a fleeting opportunity he couldn¡¯t afford to miss. Leaving a bloody trail, with his wounds reopening with each step, he felt as though he was in a grim race against death itself, his heart pounding increasingly harder. ¡°I can¡¯t stop; to stop is to lose all hope,¡± he told himself, determination fueling his every move. Despite his willpower, his body was barely cooperating. On the brink of copse, the spectral form of Ghost Dad suddenly lifted him. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten yourself dirty again. How old are you, still causing worries?¡± Ghost Dad chided with a spectral concern. The dungeon opened up to abyrinthinework of underground passages riddled with deadly traps set by the evil ghost. Such a passage would normally be insurmountable for anyone, living or spectral. However, under the guidance of his eerie Ghost Mom and Ghost Dad, Gao Ming incredibly managed to escape! Carried by the spectral form of his Ghost Dad, they followed the scent of blood to the very heart of the underground torture chamber. Here, pipes of varying sizes converged, each exuding an aura of bloodthirst and malevolence. This was the darkest, most sinister corner of Building B! Arranged meticulously were the bodies of various ghosts and monsters, including investigators, neighbors, and entities from the shadow world. Blood and malevolence flowed towards the center, congregating around a four-armed demon statue with a bizarrely pulsating Heart of Mortality. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Was everything in this underground torture chamber orchestrated to nourish this heart?¡± He realized that the heart that had been calling out to him was indeed the Heart of Mortality in the statue. As the eerie ghost parents neared the macabre pile of corpses, they dissolved into shadows, forcing Gao Ming to crawl towards it himself. Sensing a disturbance, the malevolent ghost opened its eyes within the statue. But Gao Ming, having faced far more horrifying experiences in the tunnels, remained undaunted. The sounds of conflict from above intensified, signaling something rapidly approaching. Meanwhile, more of the eerie ghost parents in the photograph transformed back into shadows, adding to the ominous atmosphere. Exhausted and at his limit, Gao Ming mustered his remaining strength to climb onto the macabre mound of corpses, his hand grasping the chilling figure of the demon statue. His blood surged through his veins, and the surreal situation felt akin to a nightmarish vision he had once experienced. He was caught in a dire internal conflict, muttering to himself, ¡°If I consume the flesh, I¡¯ll be irrevocably condemned to a fate far grimmer than death. But if I refrain, I can barely muster the strength to move.¡± In that moment, the heart within the statue and Gao Ming¡¯s own heart began to pulsate as one. It was then that the relentless entity that had been doggedly pursuing him through the tunnels revealed itself. Covered in blood, Situ An emerged from the passage, his head lifting to unveil the horrific sight of ck characters inscribed within his eyes. Their gazes locked, and without a moment¡¯s dy, both Gao Ming and Situ An leaped into action. Situ An, devoid of any unnecessary words, charged towards the heap of bodies, his knife a whirlwind of motion. Each eerie ghost parent in his path was swiftly reduced to shadows under his relentless de. Gao Ming, acting with equal determination, bit into the pulsating Heart of Mortality nestled within the y statue, engulfing it entirely within mere seconds. Their actions were marked by a decisive swiftness. As the final eerie ghost parent retreated into the photograph, Gao Mingpleted his consumption of the statue¡¯s heart. A tormenting pain, exponentially more intense than anything he had felt before, radiated from his chest, engulfing his entire body. Gao Ming sensed an overwhelming power seeping into every fiber of his being, his heart undergoing a wild transformation. Simultaneously, mysterious ck characters began to surface across the wounds on his body. Stepping back, he observed the cut on his palm where these enigmatic characters shifted continuously, appearing like some form of curse or cryptic message. Amongst them, he discerned the character for ¡°life¡±. Witnessing Gao Ming¡¯s consumption of the Heart of Mortality, Situ An momentarily halted, seemingly speaking to himself or perhaps questioning an unseen entity, ¡°If I cut open his chest now and devour his heart, can I seize the powers of the Flesh Immortal?¡± As he spoke, an alien, raspy voice issued forth from Situ An¡¯s lips: ¡°You could try, but I would advise consuming him entirely, not just the heart!¡± Across the grotesque pile, Gao Ming tightened his grip on the chain he held. Hearing two distinct voices emanating from Situ An, he ventured a guess, ¡°Did you allow the ghost to possess you?¡± ¡°I owe you a debt of gratitude for my current situation,¡± Situ An remarked, his eyes briefly scanning his own horrific injuries before fixating on Gao Ming. ¡°Had you not made your way here, causing the Cannibal Ghost to fear losing the Heart of Mortality, it wouldn¡¯t have proposed an alliance with me. I endured a relentless neen minutes of the Cannibal Ghost¡¯s torture. All the while, I was waiting for your psyche to copse, seizing the opportunity to consume the ¡®flesh¡¯ I possessed. But to my surprise, you managed to withstand even longer than I did.¡± Gao Ming, puzzled by Situ An¡¯s tone, inquired, ¡°Why do you seem more bitter towards me despite being tortured by the Cannibal Ghost?¡± ¡°Harbor resentment?¡± Situ An replied as he advanced, knife in hand, ¡°I never allow hatred to cloud my judgment. Even the Cannibal Ghost, my recent tormentor, can be an ally in the right circumstances. I disregard such petty emotions. My focus is solely onpleting my objectives. It¡¯s a matter of right and wrong, good and evil. If you¡¯re prepared to assist me, we could be the greatest of allies; if you choose to stand in my way, then I will use every means at my disposal to eliminate you.¡± Chapter 56: The Madman Chapter 56: The Madman In an extraordinary turn of events that defied all norms, Gao Ming, an expert in psychological counseling at a high-security prison, achieved what was once deemed impossible. In the midst of a realm where reality and fantasy blurred, he consumed the Heart of Mortality. This terrifying artifact, steeped in darkness and legend, had been secreted away in the depths of a sinister apartmentplex, a creation of a malevolent ghost¡¯s twisted imagination. Situ An, a man of considerable strength and cunning, also discovered a means of survival in this nightmarish world. He daringly absorbed the consciousness of the malevolent ghost, intertwining it with his own essence. This bold act transformed him, making him one with the very entity that had been his tormentor. ¡°I truly don¡¯t understand,¡± Gao Ming confessed, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief. Despite his vast experience dealing with a spectrum of individuals in his role as a seasoned psychological counselor, Situ An¡¯s actions baffled him. ¡°You have wealth that would sustain ordinary people for countless generations, connections that span continents, and you are held in high regard and adoration by countless individuals. You have the power to fulfill any wish or desire. So why, then, choose to join the Investigation Bureau? Why immerse yourself in such profound despair?¡± he questioned, struggling toprehend Situ An¡¯s motives. ¡°Despair isn¡¯t a construct of my own making; it¡¯s an inherent part of existence,¡± Situ An replied sharply, his gaze fixed on Gao Ming with a mixture of respect and lethal intent. ¡°I used to believe that achieving excellence in every endeavor would garner respect. In my twenties, I encountered a prominent individual from Hanhai City City who seemed to genuinely admire my talents and was never stingy with hispliments. Yet, all it took was one offhandment from him to render my efforts meaningless.¡± ¡°It baffled me until one day I noticed my housekeeper had perfectly cleaned the house. Out of habit, I praised her work.¡± ¡°As I saw our reflections on the impably polished floor, it struck me ¨C that was exactly how the prominent figure used to praise me.¡± ¡°The greatest despair in life is realizing that when you gaze up at the sky, it bears no relevance to your existence.¡± ¡°This is the world I inhabit, but it doesn¡¯t belong to me.¡± As he spoke, Situ An¡¯s hand tightened around a sharp knife, his resolve clear in his voice: ¡°Be they humans or ghosts, they are all the same in my eyes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your words. The Heart of Mortality has been devoured, and my true form is unraveling. Your zealous subordinates will be here shortly,¡± a voice, distinctly not Situ An¡¯s, echoed from his lips, betraying the malevolent ghost¡¯s forced coboration. The moment the Heart of Mortality was extracted from the demonic statue, a dramatic change urred. Thework of blood vessels that ran through the underground torture chamber began to wither and decay. Rust-covered pipes that were affixed above started to slide downwards ominously. The corpses that littered the area decayed at an elerated pace, and hidden red threads in the ceiling snapped. This caused massive cracks to form, leading to a catastrophic copse. Stones tumbled down, emitting foul odors and releasing torrents of blood. The ceiling above crumbled away, unveiling the hidden torture chamber that was the domain of the malevolent ghost. Below ground, the surviving members of the investigation team were battered and injured, their numbers drastically reduced. Yet, the horrific sacrifices they had endured were not in vain. In the epicenter of chaos, a man stood out strikingly in a vivid red coat. His stature was unnervingly tall, and his appearance was nothing short of grotesque. He had eight arms, each eerily grafted from different victims, and his chest and skull were adorned with faces that were both fierce and monstrous. This being seemed to have the ambition of transforming into a demonic statue,plete with multiple arms and faces. The investigators, however, discovered that this creature was just two faces shy of achieving his ghastly goal. Under normal circumstances, the task of defeating such a creature would have been a formidable challenge for the investigators. However, their odds improved dramatically with the presence of an almost two-meter-tall thug at the scene. This intimidating figure was covered in giant ghost tattoos, adding an air of supernatural strength to his already formidable appearance. ¡°17!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice echoed through the chaos. At the sound of Gao Ming¡¯s call, Yan Hua, a man with ck characters sprawling across his body, swiftly disengaged from the intensebat and leaped into the pit. His primary concern was Gao Ming¡¯s safety, as Gao Ming was the only one who knew the whereabouts of his sister. Yan Hua¡¯s presence was menacing, his muscles bulging as if energized by the huge, starving ghost that seemed to trail behind him. Upon seeing Yan Hua¡¯s swift approach, Gao Ming let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the support of an ally in such a dire situation. Meanwhile, Situ An stood silently amidst a mound of corpses, observing the scene as the enraged investigators dismantled the malevolent ghost¡¯s physical form. As Situ An felt the spirit¡¯s pain through their merged consciousness, the spirit inside him implored desperately, ¡°Stop them!¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Situ An responded coldly. He remained in the shadows, waiting for the investigators topletely destroy the spirit¡¯s form before he finally tore off his shirt and stepped out, revealing himself atop the pile of corpses. ¡°Director!¡± The investigators, noticing Situ An, turned their attention towards the deep pit. The sight of Situ An, shirtless and marred with horrific wounds, led them to wonder about the extent of torture he had endured. One after another, the investigators jumped down into the pit. The battle with the malevolent ghost had intensified their own ghostly characteristics, the ck characters on their bodies bing more prominent, their consciousness blurring. Situ An, with a knife pointed at Gao Ming, leveled an usation: ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re curious why the Cannibal Ghost could precisely locate us and prepare in advance. This man,¡± he gestured at Gao Ming, ¡°iming to be the sessor of Investigator Bai Xiao, is also a cannibal ghost. He even swallowed a heart just now.¡± ¡°Director, you¡¯re mistaken! I¡¯ve been with Gao Ming all along; he¡¯s definitely not the Cannibal Ghost!¡± Zhu Miao Miao, despite her injuries, attempted to defend Gao Ming. ¡°When we first met, he was indeed with the ghost in the building,¡± Qing Ge, the first to turn his knife, dered, epting Situ An¡¯s words as the absolute truth. The crowd, swayed by the words of a seemingly sane madman, pointed their knives stained with ghost blood at Gao Ming, suspicion and hostility clouding their judgment. Gao Ming was acutely aware that his words held little sway in the current situation. It was Situ An who had manipted the investigators, and it was Situ An who had given them the knowledge on how to retaliate against the ghosts. As the acting director of an entire bureau, his influence and authority far exceeded Gao Ming¡¯s own role as the acting team leader of a squad. In the aftermath of their joint effort to vanquish the malevolent ghost¡¯s true form, the surviving investigators, along with Yan Hua, found themselves engulfed in a sudden, unexpected conflict. They positioned themselves on opposing ends of the macabre pile of corpses, ready to engage in another brutal round ofbat. Despite being outnumbered, Yan Hua fought with the ferocity of a god of war, his strength seeming to amplify with every wound he sustained. ¡°Leave now! I¡¯ll follow!¡± Yan Hua¡¯smand allowed no room for hesitation. He swiftly cleared a path through the investigators, enabling Gao Ming to mber out of the pit using his shoulders as a leverage point. ¡°Xuan Wen is on the ninth floor of Building A. She¡¯s in trouble too. Shadows won¡¯t spare those who change fate!¡± he shouted, hinting that Xuan Wen¡¯s intuition had led him to Gao Ming¡¯s location. Outside the pit, more investigators were waiting. Gao Ming, suffering intense pain, realized that he had to escape immediately or risk both him and Yan Hua bing trapped. His earlier decision to consume the flesh proved fortuitous; without its strengthening effect, his physical state would have severely limited his escape. Evading the investigators blocking his path, Gao Ming made a beeline for Building A. Xuan Wen possessed unique abilities that could potentially turn the tide of their desperate circumstances. Assisting her might be key to altering their grim fate. As he hurried towards the exit, Gao Ming felt an unsettling transformation within him. His heart seemed to be undergoing a bizarre metamorphosis, pulsating with an ominous ¡°curse.¡± Meanwhile, Yan Hua was fiercely contending with the besieging investigators. Situ An, however, chose a different path. He navigated a hidden passage, leaving the underground level behind. ¡°You destroyed my body,¡± the spirit within himmented. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of trying to take over my body, feel free to try,¡± Situ An replied with a dismissive coolness. Choosing not to pursue Gao Ming, Situ An arrived at the entrance of Granny¡¯s apartment unit. He greeted the scene inside with a smirk, pushing the door open. The floor was littered with talismans. Granny, her figure stooped and facing away from the door, was knelt amidst an array of three hundred and sixty statues of gods and demons, her demeanor one of resignation. ¡°You¡¯ve worshipped so many spirits, but can they protect you now?¡± Situ An taunted as he walked through the room, his knife lightly touching the statues. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you once more, where did you hide the other talismans of ying?¡± Granny slowly raised her head, revealing a face wrinkled like ancient dragon scales. ¡°All the talismans have been given to you,¡± she responded. ¡°Humans act, and the heaven watches. You¡¯re destined not to obtain certain things because they¡¯re not in your fate.¡± ¡°If I had any faith in fate, do you think I would have gone to the lengths of constructing this death-infused apartment?¡± Situ An asked, his voiceced with a mocking chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely curious; you¡¯ve altered the destinies of numerous affluent figures in Hanhai City. So why haven¡¯t you changed mine?¡± Granny remained silent, her gaze shifting downward to a copper basin before her. The basin, filled with water, cast back the reflection of an aged dragon¡¯s head, a symbol steeped in mysticism. As Situ An inched closer to her, a startling change urred within the basin. Blood suddenly began to swirl into the water, and in the reflection, it appeared as though the dragon¡¯s head had been gruesomely severed! With a decisive ¡°plop!¡± sound echoing through the room, Situ An¡¯s actions were swift and without a trace of hesitation. He swung his heavy knife, and in a chilling moment, the old woman¡¯s head tumbled into the copper basin, her life extinguished in an instant. ¡°Now, the ying talismans are no longer of any use to me, nor is the person capable of creating them,¡± Situ An dered coldly, his actions underscoring the finality of his words and the ruthlessness of his character. Chapter 57: The Butcher Shop is Not Just a Butcher Shop Chapter 57: The Butcher Shop is Not Just a Butcher Shop Blood had sshed violently across the ghostlike y statues, creating a grim and haunting tableau. In the midst of this scene, Granny¡¯s decapitated corpse was kneeling, encircled by an array of mystical talismans. An unsettling quiet permeated the room, disturbed only by the sinister sound of blood rhythmically dripping to the floor. Situ An stood solemnly before the lifeless body of Granny, his demeanor unnervingly calm. His voice, carrying a chilling resonance, reverberated slightly in the confined space. ¡°If fate refuses to give me what I desire, then I shall seize it by force,¡± he announced, his gaze icy and detached. He seemed utterly indifferent to the ghostly statues that surrounded him, their silent, judgmental stares unnoticed. As he methodically cleaned his bloodstained meat cleaver, dark, enigmatic characters began to emerge on his skin. He recited his grim findings with a clinical detachment. ¡°The six investigators from the Eastern District Investigation Bureau sumbed on average seventeen hours after consuming the meat. Their mental strength determined their period of sanity; the stronger their will, the longer they survived.¡± A ghostly voice, eerie and disembodied, resonated through the room, seemingly in response to Situ An¡¯s mutterings. ¡°Once you are dead, your body belongs to me.¡± Unperturbed, Situ An stepped over the scattered talismans and made his way out of the room. As he walked, he responded audibly, his tone tinged with defiance. ¡°From the moment I ascended from the first underground level until this instant, you¡¯ve attempted to possess my body seven times. Have you ever been sessful, even once?¡± He consciously chose not to follow Gao Ming, instead redirecting his focus to the underground level, where Yan Hua was still under assault. ¡­ Gao Ming, having survived a nightmarish neen minutes of torture at the hands of an evil specter, had managed to escape, albeit with grave injuries. Initially, his movements were sluggish and excruciating, but gradually, an inexplicable vigor began to invigorate him. His severe knife wounds slowly healed, yet with this healing, ominous ck characters appeared on his skin, spreading with an unnerving persistence. ¡°The Heart of Mortality seems to differ from the other meats,¡± he mused aloud. The various meats strewn around the building symbolized human desires and the self. To consume them was to engage in a dangerous exchange with the Flesh Immortal, where humans sacrificed everything in return for temporary power to fight against ghosts. But the Heart of Mortality seemed to be the quintessence of the Flesh Immortal itself. Consuming it was more than a mere exchange; it signified a profound transformation, perhaps even aplete substitution of one¡¯s very essence. As Gao Ming¡¯s legs steadily grew in strength, his mind was plunged into a maelstrom of chaotic sounds. A barrage of prayers, desperate cries for help, agonized wails, and hysterical screams filled his head. These voices, emanating from every nook and cranny of the Sishui Apartment, rang with disturbing rity in his mind as though his essence was fusing with the very structure of the building. ¡°I remember when Xuan Wenunched her game, she too was besieged by many voices¡­¡± he reminisced. These tumultuous, harrowing voices relentlessly assailed Gao Ming¡¯s psyche, eventually bing an intrinsic part of his blood and flesh. This was perhaps the most distinct and horrifying characteristic of the Flesh Immortal ¨C the way memories and desires melted into one¡¯s physical being, exposing the innermost self and deepest yearnings. Externally, Gao Ming appeared unchanged, but internally, a radical transformation had urred. All the implements and symbols of death within the building now seemed to echo within him, leaving strange, indelible marks on his soul. His heart¡¯s chambers had transcended their mere biological function; they were evolving into something akin to those of a malevolent specter. Every experience of pain, death, and ghostly encounters in Gao Ming¡¯s life now manifested as imprints of torture instruments in these altered heart chambers. Navigating the corridor towards Building A, Gao Ming called out for Brother Zhao Xi and Gong Xi on the fourth floor. His voice reverberated in the deste space, meeting no reply. Instead, he was greeted by a haunting scene: all the rednterns, once emblems of happiness and celebration, had transformed into a sinister white. ¡°From red to white? From joy to mourning?¡± Gao Ming whispered to himself, a tide of ominous foreboding engulfing him. He nced at his funeral photos, noticing the various cracks had formed on the surface. Feeling a growing unease, he hastened his steps, unwilling to stay in one ce for too long, and swiftly ascended to the ninth floor. Upon reaching the ninth floor, better known as the ghost market, Gao Ming discovered it had be a mere shadow of its former self. This area, which had once been the most bustling and lively part of the Sishui Apartment, represented a microcosm of the entire building ¨C a distorted society anchored in the beliefs of the Flesh Immortal. But now, ity abandoned. Whitenterns dangled where red ones once hung, and paper money was strewn across the floor. Food stallsy overturned, and peculiar, broken handicrafts were scattered about. The mutated adults and children who had once inhabited this uncanny marketce had vanished. The corridors, which used to resonate withughter and conversation, were now eerily silent, with only the monotonous drone of scripture chants permeating the air. ¡°Where have all the people gone?¡± Gao Ming mused aloud, his voice tinged with confusion and concern. As he maneuvered through the cluttered space, pushing past tables that obstructed his path, his hands inadvertently brushed against something wet and sticky ¨C blood. Drawn by the rhythmic sound of chanting, he found himself entering a butcher shop, where the thick, heavy scent of raw meat hung in the air. He pushed his way through dense ckout curtains to get inside. Once inside, Gao Ming observed that the cages, previously used to hold what they termed ¡°human sacrifices,¡± were now in ruins. Navigating carefully to avoid the chains scattered across the floor, his attention was captured by a grim scene in the farthest reaches of the shop. In thergest room, several investigators were crammed together in various states of distress. Somey prone, while others sat hunched over. Above them, the ceiling was a grotesque disy of blood vessels entwined like gnarled tree roots, all converging at a central point. From this junction, blood dripped continuously into a central pool. This pool, seemingly bottomless, appeared to extend to a lower level. The investigators, drawn to the pool and seemingly numbed to pain, would jump in. This act represented a trade-off: their ¡°self¡± for ¡°satisfaction.¡± Upon reemerging, each person would lose a body part but obtain a small piece of fragrant meat from beneath the pool¡¯s surface. However, these investigators were denied the chance to savor the flesh they had acquired through such agony. A ¡°butcher,¡± lurking in the shadows, would confront them, knife at their throats, forcing them to hand over their hard-earned prize. After meticulously sorting the freshly collected meat, the butcher indifferently shoved aside an investigator who had lost an arm. Then, noticing Gao Ming observing from the entrance, the butcher, wielding arge cleaver, directed his attention towards him. ¡°New around here? Did the Bureau Director send you to assist?¡± The butcher¡¯s face was a tapestry of scars, and he regarded Gao Ming with curiosity, particrly the ck characters visible on his skin. ¡°Who are you?¡± Gao Ming inquired, his voiceced with caution. The butcher revealed his identity, ¡°Deputy Director of Huanmen Investigation Bureau from the Eastern District, Li Xiu.¡± He opened his coat to disy the bureau¡¯s uniform beneath. ¡°But I¡¯m expecting a promotion soon. The old director has now be a part of your power source.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an investigator as well?¡± Gao Ming asked, disbelief coloring his voice. ¡°Surprising, isn¡¯t it?¡± Li Xiu studied Gao Ming with an intense gaze. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m an investigator. This butcher shop is actually run by the Investigation Bureau. The director has orchestrated everything. We just have to follow orders.¡± Gao Ming, who had previously assumed the butcher shop was operated by ghosts and that the human sacrifices were offerings to the Flesh Immortal, was taken aback by this revtion. ¡°So, the meat in Situ An¡¯s possession all came from here?¡± At this moment, he finally fully grasped Situ An¡¯s machination within this apartmentplex. Not only were the man¡¯s tactics ruthless and inhuman, they were fiendishly cunning and evil. After Situ An had seized control over the six major investigation divisions in the Eastern District, a deep-seated corruption had taken root within their ranks. Then by sacrificing the lives of unwilling investigators to draw power from the consciousness of the Flesh Immortal, they¡¯re using the harvested flesh to turn the remaining willing investigators into his personal arsenal against the malevolent spirits in Building B¡­ Once the evil ghosts are eliminated, and he seizes the Heart of Mortality, Situ An intends to target the consciousness of the Flesh Immortal itself, aiming to capture the Heart of Deity as the second step. He also knows about the impending catastrophe drawing near, that¡¯s why he ns to exploit the moment when the living stands defenseless against ghosts, maximizing the potency of the flesh. ¡°If that man manages to usurp control over the city, he poses a greater threat than any disaster that might arise!¡± Goa Ming cursed, the me burning within his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re an aplice to a monster; you deserve to die as well!¡± ¡°What does the sacrifice of a few matter if it grants us power over ghosts?¡± Li Xiu countered, raising his cleaver high. ¡°They¡¯re doomed either way; better to die serving a higher purpose.¡± As Li Xiu lunged forward to strike, his words were cut short, his actions swift and deadly. The butcher was physically superior, his strength overwhelmingly greater than Gao Ming¡¯s. Despite recognizing his physical disadvantage, Gao Ming remained unwavering in his conviction that he could ovee Li Xiu. Throughout their fiercebat, he constantly repositioned himself, each move calcted and strategic. ¡°Do you really believe that merely consuming a piece of flesh will enable you to withstand everything?¡± Li Xiu taunted, swinging his cleaver with increased velocity. Gao Ming, however, didn¡¯t dodge. As the cleaver sliced into his flesh, Gao Ming, in a rapid and deliberate action, looped his chain tightly around Li Xiu¡¯s neck. Ignoring the searing pain from the cleaver¡¯s blows on his own body, Gao Ming, driven by a blend of desperation and resolve, threw himself at Li Xiu. This maneuver had been part of his strategy from the outset of the battle. In a sudden and dramatic twist, both men, bound together by the chain, plummeted into the blood pool. In a state of panic, Li Xiu desperately tried to free himself, but Gao Ming¡¯s hold on the chain was steadfast, relentlessly tightening it around the butcher¡¯s neck. As they struggled, a voice, seemingly emanating from the Flesh Immortal, resonated within their minds. This was apanied by the strong, unmistakable scent of meat that filled the air, mingling with the scent of the blood. The pool was deceptively shallow, and they rapidly hit the bottom. Yet, it felt as if their consciousness was sinking into a much deeper abyss. Gao Ming¡¯s heart raced wildly as he opened his sole remaining right eye, and he was confronted with a striking vision at the bottom of the blood pool. Before him stood eight spectral statues, each featuring four faces and eight arms, all cradling a stone heart entangled in blood vessels. Amidst these statues, a dense, ominous shadow materialized, capturing a woman in the throes of transformation. She was caught in a fierce battle against the overpowering will of the Flesh Immortal that permeated the building. Encircling the eight ghostly statues, the blood water transformed into eight terrifying female heads, savagely tearing at her flesh. ¡°Xuan Wen?¡± Gao Ming gasped out, his voiceden with shock and a sense of recognition upon seeing the woman. Chapter 58: The Flower I Once Admired Chapter 58: The Flower I Once Admired Gao Ming had once encountered a statue of the Flesh Immortal in a restaurant located on the first underground level of Building A. This prior encounter was markedly different from the current scene in the meat shop¡¯s blood pool, which featured not one but eight statues. To his horror, Gao Ming observed that each of their hands held a stone heart that began to exhibit veins of blood, unnervingly suggesting they were transforming into real beating hearts. ¡°The Flesh Immortal must have glimpsed into Xuan Wen¡¯s memories. That exins the presence of these eight statues. They symbolize the eight female leads from the love game!¡± Gao Ming deduced, piecing together the chilling puzzle. Haunted by vengeful spirits, Xuan Wen had previously stolen the photographs and powers meant for the other eight female characters from the shadow world. This theft, however, had created deep fractures within her, allowing the shadow world to assail her soul and mind through these eight menacing statues and female heads manifested from blood. Amidst this chaos, as the Heart of Mortality within him pulsated with power, Gao Ming, with Li Xiu in tow, bound by his chain, violently collided with the nearest statue. Beneath the blood-drenched waters, a fierce battle ensued between the two. Gao Ming¡¯s advantagey in his superior recovery ability, enhanced further after consuming the heart, while the Flesh Immortal¡¯s influence progressively deteriorated Li Xiu¡¯s sanity. Li Xiu, ingesting copious amounts of the bloodied water, began to lose the light in his eyes. His movements, reminiscent of a butcher wielding a cleaver, eventually mirrored the lifelessness of the animals he used to ughter. Having ovee Li Xiu, Gao Ming swiftly moved to topple the remaining mud statues. He noticed that when his wounds came into contact with the ¡°stone hearts,¡± the blood veins on the mud statues would seep into his body, causing the statues to fracture and crumble. Through this method, Gao Ming systematically destroyed each statue. However, the female characters, emerging from the blood water, harbored no intention of forgiving Xuan Wen. Their profound hatred inflicted deep, irreparable wounds on Xuan Wen. She was ensnared by the shadow world¡¯s grip, rendering her escape nearly impossible. At the bottom of the blood pool, Gao Ming, bearing Xuan Wen¡¯s weight, became a target for the female ghosts¡¯ wrath. His recently healed wounds were mercilessly reopened by their attacks. ¡°I¡¯ll get us out of here!¡± he proimed with unwavering resolve. In spite of the harrowing situation, Gao Ming managed to propel Xuan Wen towards the surface. Breaking free from the confines of the blood pool and gasping for fresh air, Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes abruptly opened. Within them, numerous shattered faces could be seen, hinting at the turmoil within her soul. Meanwhile, the investigators in the meat shop seemed to have sensed a disturbance. Their eyes slowly clouded over, and they were soon transfixed by the ghostly apparition in their sight. With their maimed limbs, they lunged towards the blood pool, their intentions clear ¨C they were set on dragging Xuan Wen back into the murky depths. At the exact moment when Gao Ming¡¯s head emerged from the water, he was immediately dragged back in. The scene around him was horrific: eight female heads, each manifested from coagted blood, showed no mercy, treating both him and Xuan Wen as if they were to me. ¡°Give me your hand!¡± During the rapid descent, Xuan Wen suddenly caught hold of Gao Ming¡¯s chain from above. Together, they found themselves upying just a tiny portion of the pool¡¯s edge, desperately clinging to the wall as the frenzied investigators searched the pool center. ¡°This supernatural event has been escted to a level four emergency by Situ An!¡± Gao Ming, mentally drained and with a fiery sensation burning in his chest, knew that this fire could only be extinguished by defeating his enemies or sumbing to himself. ¡°We must escape from this pool immediately,¡± Xuan Wen urged, her voice tense. ¡°The Flesh Immortal is trying to dominate my consciousness. It¡¯s not me consuming the legend anymore; it¡¯s the legend consuming me. These creatures might be numerous, but they are nothing more than walking corpses. As long as we avoid falling back into the water, we should be¡­¡± Before she couldplete her thought, Gao Ming felt himself being dragged down again, his legs seized by the heads lurking beneath the water¡¯s surface. The heads, belonging to eight female figures with long hair, floated eerily in the water, reminiscent of carnivorous fish lying in wait. ¡°Why are Wei Dayou¡¯s creations attacking me for?¡± Gao Ming, pushed to his limits in frustration, reached towards the pool, his hands covered in the blood of his own heart. ¡°Fine! If it¡¯s death you want, we¡¯ll die together!¡± ¡°They are mere illusions of the Flesh Immortal, incapable of being killed,¡± Xuan Wen rified urgently. ¡°If they can¡¯t be killed, then I¡¯ll consume them!¡± In a desperate move, Gao Ming grabbed one of the blood-formed heads, intending to press it into his wound, allowing the flowing blood from the Heart of Mortality to dissolve it. After realizing the extent of Gao Ming¡¯s desperation, Xuan Wen took hold of the chain. With her slender arms, she began to pull it up again, exerting all her strength to rescue Gao Ming from the pool first. Themotion of their battle within the meat shop had already caught the attention of others. When Gao Ming and Xuan Wen heard rapid footsteps approaching in the corridor, their expressions turned grave ¨C the number of people heading their way was significant, and they were likely led by Situ An. ¡°You get out of here first! Forget about the heads! The influence of the Flesh Immortal pervades Sishui Apartments, but its main consciousness doesn¡¯t seem to reside in the statues. It could be hiding within one of the residents! Find it and destroy it!¡± Xuan Wen had resolved to sacrifice herself, but their time had already run out. Footsteps were echoing throughout the meat shop, indicating their pursuers were already upon them. Merely seconds had passed when a young girl, her hair styled in cute braids, cautiously peered around the corner. Her eyes widened in awe as she whispered, ¡°Ahh¡­¡± ¡°Nannan, don¡¯t run off on your own!¡± came a slightly scolding voice behind her. The little girl, Nannan, was quickly followed by her older sister. Shortly after, the mysterious ck-robed ghost mama and the four-mouthed Ms. Nosy made their entrance into the meat shop. Finally,ing inst and clearly out of breath was none other than Wan Qiu, the living senior, followed closely by the hunched-back elder Zhou Ji, the one who has a leeching son. ¡°Wan Qiu!¡± eximed Gao Ming, visibly surprised to see Wan Qiu alive and apanied by what appeared to be reinforcements. Among the group, Gao Ming noted that Wan Qiu looked to be in rtively better condition. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t be afraid, they are my friends,¡± Wan Qiu dered, his hands struggling to pick up a butcher¡¯s knife from the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll save you.¡± ¡°You better stay back,¡± interjected a young man adorned with ck rings on his arms, brandishing knives in both hands. ¡°I¡¯m Gui Zai, we¡¯ve met before.¡± With each determined swing of his knives, Gui Zai relentlessly ughtered the investigators, viewing those who worshipped the Flesh Immortal as having lost their humanity. The carnage continued without restraint, blood and destruction engulfing the space. Blood ominously trickled down the stairs, the very foundations of Sishui Apartment seemed to quiver under the weight of this violence. The blood pool, a grim altar to the Flesh Immortal, appeared to have reached a critical point, having collected sufficient blood and faith. The statues of the Flesh Immortal, scattered throughout each room of the building, began to lose their form, cracking and dissolving, their pooled blood ominously converging downstairs. As Gao Ming and Xuan Wen managed to escape the meat shop, their survival seemed to trigger a sense of real danger in the consciousness of the Flesh Immortal. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the first underground level of Building A!¡± Xuan Wen announced, her voice urgent. ¡°The Flesh Immortal¡¯s shrine is there. It¡¯s amassed enough blood and faith, so its main consciousness must be returning!¡± She, having battled with a fragment of the Flesh Immortal¡¯s will and possessing a unique ability to delve into the depths of consciousness, was privy to some of the entity¡¯s secrets. ¡°Regardless of which body the Flesh Immortal¡¯s main consciousness has taken, it¡¯s surely making its way to the shrine.¡± ¡°No! First, we have to rescue Yan Hua!¡± Gao Ming asserted determinedly. He was soon joined by other surviving residents of the building, all of them rushing downstairs together. As they passed the fourth floor, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but notice that all the whitenterns were extinguished. Moreover, the room where Gong Xi¡¯s family had been hiding was now eerily empty. Without pausing to ponder, they hastened towards the first floor of Building A via the right staircase. At that precise moment, Situ An, along with the remaining flesh-eating investigators, burst through the main entrance of Building A from outside. ¡°We meet again, I didn¡¯t expect you to escape the ninth-floor meat shop alive,¡± came a voice, heavy with both surprise and a sinister undertone. Upon his arrival, Situ An¡¯s gaze quickly zeroed in on Gao Ming. With amanding gesture to his followers, Qing Ge and three other investigators promptly coborated to haul a corpse into view. This corpse presented a harrowing sight, its skin marred with wounds and inscribed with ck characters. In death, its muscles were rigid, frozen in an eternal stance ofbat. The hands were clenched in unyielding fists, defying any attempt to pry them open. The body, in its silent defiance, resembled a resilient flower. It possessed an inherent fragility, yet it had flourished in the most unforgiving conditions. This corpse, like the metaphorical flower, had never recoiled from pain or suffering and held no belief in destiny. Its roots, metaphorically speaking, had delved deep into the darkest soils, symbolizing a life spent battling against overwhelming odds. It seemed as though, even in death, the corpse was poised to strike at the heavens, never yielding to fate¡¯s cruelty. Chapter 59: Collision! Chapter 59: Collision! Standing across a narrow corridor, Gao Ming¡¯s eyes were fixed on the lifeless body sprawled before him. The scene was macabre, the stillness of death overwhelming. The fatal wound that had imed the life was evident in the chest. A sharp dagger, the instrument of demise, had pierced the heart. It wasn¡¯t just any dagger; it was adorned with a ying talisman, its mystical powers spent in the act of murder. This talisman paper, which Situ An had acquired from Granny, had a dark history. It did not banish evil spirits as one expected its use to be, but instead, it had been used here tonight for a more sinister purpose ¨C to take the life of Yan Hua. Rewinding the clock back by thirty minutes ago, Yan Hua, the very individual who had heroically saved Gao Ming from a dire predicament, was now nothing but a corpse devoid of the vitality that once animated him. The hands that had firmly grasped Gao Ming in a moment of rescue nowy cold and motionless. These were the same hands attached to the shoulders that had borne the weight of Gao Ming, literally lifting him from a deep pit. Those once strong shoulders were now restrained by rusty chains, symbolically turning the savior into nothing more than a stepping stone, forsaken in his own act of self-sacrifice. ¡°You must be searching for him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Situ An¡¯s voice cut through the silence as he pulled the dagger from Yan Hua¡¯s lifeless chest. He observed the talisman on the de disintegrate into flying ash. ¡°Ending his life was no simpler than exterminating a malevolent ghost. The ordeal cost the lives of many of my men.¡± Situ An¡¯s movement was precise and cold as the de lightly grazed over Yan Hua¡¯s face, slicing off the prominent ghost tattoo that adorned it. Reflecting on his actions, Situ An said, ¡°I offered him a chance to surrender. I even thought of employing him, but he spurned every proposal.¡± He gazed at the severed tattoo in his palm, pondering aloud, ¡°I wonder why a man indifferent to wealth, power, or any personal desires, would choose to assist you with such devotion?¡± Gao Ming, engulfed in a turmoil of emotions, stood mute. His hand was clenched tightly around the chain. Memories of discovering the disfigured Qin Tian¡¯s death still haunted Gao Ming like a surreal fog. Stepping into Qin Tian¡¯s role at the Investigation Bureau, Gao Ming was constantly reminded of his predecessor. Through Qin Tian¡¯s journals, photographs, and videos, Gao Ming had painstakingly reconstructed the life story of a man who was never to return. Later, when Gao Ming personally selected his team members, including Yan Hua and Wan Qiu, he unknowingly led them onto a path fraught with danger. At that time, he had not dwelled much on the risks. Consumed by thoughts of disasters and ghosts, he honestly never braced himself for the loss of someone dear to him again, or in simpler terms, he wasn¡¯t ready to bid another farewell. A numbness towards death, almost like an illness, seemed to have crept into his being, creating an internal void. Raising the hand that was gripping the chain, Gao Ming pointed usingly at Situ An. ¡°Since the very first time Iid eyes on you, I¡¯ve harbored the desire to kill you. That impulse has never left me and has only grown.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Situ An asked, his tone nonchnt as he carelessly tossed aside the remnants of the tattoo. ¡°The first time Iid eyes on you, I could tell you were different from the other investigators. Your temperament, your gaze ¨C they were unique. I found myself admiring you, even feeling a bit uneasy. Had it not been for that malevolent ghost wreaking havoc, you would likely have met your end in Room 9 of Building B¡¯s underground level.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly. Go underground first!¡± Xuan Wen urged, his gaze filled with reason. ¡°You¡¯ve already secured the Heart of Mortality. All you need to do now is eliminate the primary will of the Flesh Immortal, and you¡¯ll gain the Heart of Deity. Possess the power of flesh, and you be the sovereign of this apartment. It¡¯s crucial you make the right move, or else more lives will be lost.¡± ¡°Your decision is ultimately inconsequential,¡± Situ An dered with a grim finality, stepping nonchntly over Yan Hua¡¯s body. ¡°Everyone here is fated to die anyway. Bring the body with us. We¡¯re going to descend and confront the Flesh Immortal.¡± As they made their way through the corridors to the first underground floor of Building A, a noticeable transformation had urred. The scent of flesh hung heavily in the air, a harbinger of the grotesque scene that awaited them. The infrastructure bore the scars of recent chaos. Cracks marred the walls and floor. The signboard that once marked the entrance to the restaurant had fallen, and a significant portion of the corridor¡¯s ground had copsed, impacting the Flesh Shrine as well. The shrine itself was in disarray. Twisted pipes had punctured its top, and the human skin portraits that had once adorned its interior were now strewn about, their pallid faces eerily gazing at the people and ghosts in the corridor as though they were waiting for them to share their fate. ¡°Someone has been here before us,¡± Xuan Wen whispered cautiously. ¡°The primary will of the Flesh Immortal is still present. We are in its domain now; we must tread with utmost caution!¡± ¡°Our first task is to eliminate Situ An, then we can focus on the rest. This man poses too great a threat,¡± was the shared sentiment among the group. Gao Ming and Situ An, positioned on opposite ends of the corridor, each bore the weight of a grim prophecy Granny had revealed: by the end of the night, one of them would certainly be dead. The enticing aroma of flesh emanating from the shrine beckoned the deranged flesh-eaters. These twisted monstrosities, along with humans driven mad by their innermost desires, all sporting blood-red eyes, converged in a frenzied rush towards the Flesh Shrine. What unfolded was a scene devoid of any sophisticated tactics ¨C it was pure, rawbat. The repugnant smell of blood mixed with the overpowering stench of flesh, created a nauseating atmosphere. Blood sshed and spattered, quickly transforming the already crowded corridor into a true hell on earth, where the primal instincts of survival and destruction reigned supreme. Qing Ge was a man seemingly born for the heat of battle. With Situ An¡¯s guidance, he had be proficient in every fighting technique known to humanity. At this pivotal moment, Qing Ge was engaged in intense hand-to-handbat with a ghost, his strength and skill evident as he overpowered the struggling specter. Situ An, brandishing a meat cleaver with an unnerving calmness, nced at Gao Ming and remarked, ¡°Fear only arises when onecks the means to confront it. It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve felt fear.¡± With a resolute expression, Gao Ming countered, ¡°I am not like you; I am engulfed by fear every day. Yet, despite my fears, I continue to press forward.¡± With these words, he grasped a chain and lunged into the fray. ¡°I have dedicated twenty years to preparing for this very moment. Do you truly think you can simply snatch it away from me? Do you honestly believe I am the one who is in the wrong?¡± Situ An retorted, skillfully deflecting attacks with his knife. Both he and Gao Ming had consumed the ¡®flesh¡¯, which rendered them resilient to immediate death from their wounds. Situ An was confident that Gao Mingcked the means to fatally wound him, yet he himself still had an ace up his sleeve ¨C a potent talisman of ying. ¡°Twenty years of preparation?¡± These words of Situ An unveiled a critical revtion, one that seemed deeply ingrained yet stood in stark contradiction to Gao Ming¡¯s earlier assumptions. In a frenzied sh of violence, both sides wagered everything, their lives hanging in the bnce. The ughter grew increasingly vicious. Some investigators, having ingested the flesh, expended their final ounces of strength. Their minds were overwhelmed by the influence of the ¡°meat,¡± leading them to devolve into mere puddles of blood and water. The residents of the twisted apartment, despite their injuries inflicted by the wounded investigators, also faced their own peril, with some dissolving into shadowy remnants amidst the chaos of shing des. The number ofbatants in the corridor steadily diminished, and the blood and flesh of the fallen, along with their lingering resentments and wills, gradually seeped into the floor. In a remote corner, tendrils of blood spread out, blossoming into grotesque flowers that exuded a carnivorous scent. The walls of both the shrine and the corridor at the basement level began to give way, unveiling a colossal blood pool beneath the Sishui Apartment. This sinister reservoir had been a silent witness, umting all the past twenty years¡¯ hatred, agony, and prayers. Several residents of the apartment and mindless investigators, caught off-guard, plummeted into the blood pool. Their frantic struggles were futile; escape from the clutches of the blood pool was an impossibility. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± a familiar voice resonated from within the gruesome flesh and blood shrine. As the walls crumbled, the innermost chamber of the shrine was exposed for all to see. In the ndestine chamber, once adorned with paintings crafted from human skin, stood a grotesque statue, a depiction of a deity made of flesh and blood. Tobel it merely as a statue would be to downy its horror; this idol, towering over any human, boasted skin so lifelike it seemed to pulsate with life. It extended its eight arms outward, each limb clutching a paper person, forming a sinister canopy in the enveloping darkness. The victims of the family massacre case from twenty years ago were being grotesquely integrated into the statue right now. Their collective resentment and hatred seeped into the idol, endowing it with eerily human emotions. In a macabre disy, human features like eyes, noses, and mouths began to emerge slowly within the palms of its many hands. Beneath the sprawling eight arms, four faceless visages loomed, each representing different aspects of the apartment building¡¯s dark history: life, desire, death, and sin. The lower half of this deity, deeply rooted in the blood pool like a sinister, ancient tree, was the source of the cry that had called out to Gao Ming. There, Gong Xi was found, his back to the idol, prostrated in mourning for his grandmother. Nearby, Zhao Xiy in a heap, his mangled body unmoving. Wu Bo, the talisman seller who had been a constant presence, was conspicuously absent, having disappeared without a trace. Chapter 60: Unity of Eight Consciousnesses, The Ignorance of Four Aspects Chapter 60: Unity of Eight Consciousnesses, The Ignorance of Four Aspects As Situ An gazed upon the grotesque, blood-soaked figure of the Flesh Immortal, his eyes gleamed with an intense, almost insane fascination. He spoke in a voiceced with a disturbing, fanatical fervor, ¡°The integration of the eight consciousnesses, the obliviousness to life¡¯s four stages. Two decades of meticulous nning have led to this moment, the culmination of true devotion.¡± Around the deity, the ground was soaked in blood. In a state of sheer terror, Gong Xi yelled out, ¡°This monster intends to ughter us all! Gao Ming, you must save my grandmother!¡± With no one else to turn to, Gong Xi¡¯s hope for survival and the safety of his grandmother rested entirely on Gao Ming¡¯s shoulders. However, Gao Ming¡¯s attention was intensely focused on Situ An, not wavering for a second. The thick, nauseating odor of decaying flesh permeated the air, deeply unsettling Gao Ming. His heart, now altered through a strange, unnatural mutation, was unlocking his deepest,tent abilities. This transformation turned his heart into a chamber of horrors, where each sensation of pain was not just felt but magnified, bing a tool for excruciating torment. Gao Ming¡¯s body, already marred by numerous injuries, now exhibited sinister ck characters spreading across his skin as if heralding disaster. These markings indicated that he, too, was under the sinister influence of the Flesh Immortal. A streak of blood had appeared across his eye, creating a haunting image reminiscent of a blood-red arc cutting through the sun, encircled by malevolent spirits. Oblivious to everyone else, Gao Ming gripped a chain tightly in his hand, his expression one of grim determination to bring Situ An down with him, even if it meant his own death. Upon witnessing theplete, horrifying manifestation of the deity, Situ An¡¯s initial resolve to confront Gao Ming wavered. His n had been to remove Gao Ming as an obstacle, but now, faced with more pressing, chaotic developments, his focus had dramatically shifted. ¡°Flesh Immortal!¡± he cried out in awe as the statue emitted a strong, almost intoxicating aroma of flesh that affected all those present. Meanwhile, the liquid had begun to recede in the vast sea of blood, unveiling sinister pumping vessels that writhed forth from the shadows, merging with the statue and converging at the core of its eight limbs. The culmination of Situ An¡¯s twenty years of relentless dedication, marked by countless sacrifices, had led to this pivotal moment ¨C elements of blood, remnants of souls, and the energy of devout faith were withering at the base of the deity. As the blood infused into the statue, a translucent heart began to materialize at the center of the deity¡¯s eight arms. It was an enigmatic sight ¨C seemingly both there and not there, tangible yet ethereal, a heart that defied conventional understanding. Situ An had lured numerous investigators into his deadly trap, using himself as the bait over the years. He had orchestrated this terrifying scenario, all in anticipation of the imminent convergence of the shadow world and the physical world. ¡°So that¡¯s the Heart of Deity?¡± he wondered aloud, awestruck by the sight before him. Both singrly focused on their objective, Xuan Wen and Situ An sprinted toward the shrine at this moment: to im the ethereal, transparent heart perched at its summit. ¡°You want to kill me too, don¡¯t you?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s words were underscored by the haunting sound of chains whipping out. Although not trained forbat, Gao Ming, a doctor familiar with the specter of death in his professional life, had longe to terms with his own mortality. On this fateful day, he was unyieldinglymitted to preventing Situ An from achieving his goal. Thoughcking in formalbat skills, he had undergone a remarkable physical transformation due to the influence of the Heart of Mortality. Despite a momentaryg in his reaction, he surprised even himself by tackling Situ An to the ground with an unexpected burst of strength. As their bodies entwined in a tangle of chains, Gao Ming grappled fiercely to pry the meat cleaver from Situ An¡¯s grasp. Despite the struggle, Situ An¡¯s face retained a chilling smile, giving the impression he had foreseen each of Gao Ming¡¯s moves. In a swift, unexpected maneuver, Situ An let go of the cleaver and thrust his right hand forward, revealing a razor-sharp boning knife previously hidden in his sleeve. This knife bore a blood-red talisman, its presence a sinister revtion. With a tone of reminiscence mixed with malice, Situ An said, ¡°When I was in my twenties, I was as fierce and reckless as you, but I learned my lesson the hard way.¡± The boning knife pierced Gao Ming¡¯s abdomen, and the talisman shattered instantly upon impact. The agony Gao Ming experienced was indescribable, like a wild lion rampaging through his gut, savagely ripping through his insides. The wound, cursed by the broken talisman, defied natural healing. The blood seeping from it was an unnatural dark, ashy hue, intermingled with countless ash particles. As the rhythm of the Heart of Mortality began to slow within him, the blood spilling from Gao Ming¡¯s stomach seemed to drain his life force, leaving him perilously weakened. Yet, despite this grievous injury, Gao Ming refused to yield. With a burst of fading strength, he lunged at Situ An, who was desperately trying to regain his bnce. Gao Ming drove him back against a wall, their bodies bound together by the relentless grip of the chains. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, but I have a way to kill you,¡± Situ An sneered, his voice oozing with malice. The stab wound he had inflicted on Gao Ming had conspicuously avoided the heart, likely because the malevolent spirit within Situ An was wary of damaging the Heart of Mortality. This hesitation suggested a conflict of intentions within him. But now, regaining hisposure, Situ An revealed another boning knife, this one also adorned with a powerful talisman. Granny, a mysterious figure in their saga, had provided Situ An with three such talismans. He had already used one in the murder of Yan Hua and had saved the remaining two specifically for Gao Ming. With a swift lunge, Situ An attacked with his knife. He anticipated Gao Ming to dodge in a predictable manner, which would expose the heart to a fatal strike. However, Gao Ming, expecting this move, swiftly used his chain to entangle Situ An¡¯s wrist, effectively immobilizing him. ¡°Zhu Miao Miao!¡± Gao Ming shouted out. Below, on the ground floor, the scene was chaotic. Investigators and residents who had ingested flesh were locked in brutalbat. Zhu Miao Miao, however, stood apart, not engaging in the fray. As a member of the Investigation Bureau, she was bound by a stringent set of rules. Despite the monstrous transformations around her, she hesitated to use her axe against them. The question of who the real monster was in this situation hung heavily in the air. ¡°Kill Situ An!¡± Gao Ming urged, his voice strained, blood seeping from his mouth. He knew that Zhu Miao Miao possessed a talisman, one given to her by Granny. Situ An, sensing the looming threat, shouted in desperation, ¡°Your husband and child were killed by ghosts, and now you want to help them? The Bureau sacrificed so much to create ¡®flesh¡¯ that can fight ghosts! Don¡¯t listen to him! With ¡®flesh,¡¯ we can save the entire city!¡± ¡°Zhu Miao Miao! Kill him!¡± Gao Ming, increasingly bloodied and weakening, persisted, ¡°Flesh is poison! If you consume it, you forfeit even the possibility of bing a ghost!¡± Situ An, his desperation escting, proimed, ¡°Without ¡®flesh,¡¯ countless investigators will continue to fall victim to anomalies! I am your savior!¡± His words were a frantic attempt to sway Zhu Miao Miao, to maintain his grasp on the situation that was quickly spiraling out of his control. Zhu Miao Miao, her hands gripping the axe with a newfound resolution, was haunted by the memory of her husband and child, cruelly taken by the monstrous entities. Her determination manifested physically as her hands tightened around the axe handle, her knuckles whitening and emitting a faint crack. She then affixed the talisman onto the axe, the process drawing blood from her fingers. With a deep breath fueling her resolve, she lifted the axe high above her head, targeting Situ An¡¯s neck. As she brought the axe down with formidable force, she shouted, ¡°Die, you madman, for forcing people into such unspeakable acts of cannibalism!¡± Situ An, cornered and immobilized, let out a scream that was barely human. In that moment, two spirits burst forth from his body, tangling in the air. One bore the likeness of Situ An himself, while the other resembled the ghost haunting Building B, both twisting in excruciating pain. As Zhu Miao Miao¡¯s axe made its deadly descent upon Situ An¡¯s neck, the talisman on it detonated with a violent force, reducing the madman¡¯s body to nothingness. The bacsh of this powerful act caused Zhu Miao Miao to copse, visibly drained and aged, the talisman having extracted a significant toll on her vitality. Meanwhile, the ghost, now howling with frustration and rage, cursed repeatedly, ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡± In a final, desperate maneuver, Situ An, or what remained of his twisted spiritual form, snatched thest talisman from the ground and hurled his spectral self toward the summit of the statue. As this chaos unfolded, with Situ An and Xuan Wen navigating through the morass of sinking corpses in the blood pool, an unexpected figure appeared. Wu Bo, his coat tattered, emerged from behind the eight-armed statue and shockingly pushed Gong Xi, who was desperately trying to save his grandmother, into the blood-drenched pool. ¡°Grandmother!¡± Gong Xi cried out, panic seizing him. He struggled to drag the elderly woman toward safety, but it was as if the pool, teeming with vengeful spirits, clung to their feet, impeding their escape. In a heart-wrenching instant, Gong Xi¡¯s grandmother was swallowed by the blood. Frantically, he dove after her, only to be met with an endless, red abyss devoid of any trace of her. It was in the aftermath of this tragedy that one of the statue¡¯s previously featureless faces began to transform. It developed distinct features and opened its eyes, which seemed to embody the collective suffering of humanity, radiating a serene, life-affirming warmth. Sequentially, the faces representing the living, desire, death, and karma each opened their eyes. Standing beside the statue, Wu Bo, now devoid of his coat, mirrored the Flesh Immortal¡¯s four faces. His voice carried a profound, haunting echo as he spoke, ¡°When you worshipped me, you knelt in utter devotion. But when the flesh ripened, you became more savage than beasts. What exactly are you worshipping?¡± His words resonated with a deep, philosophical weight, challenging the very nature of their beliefs and actions. Chapter 61: Can I be the heroine for a week? Chapter 61: Can I be the heroine for a week? The statue known as the Flesh Immortal hadpleted the crucial final step in a mysterious ritual. This ritual was divided into four distinct phases, three of which had already been seamlessly integrated into the crimson waters surrounding the area. This left only the final Life Phase, which required a living human sacrifice. The Life Phase was governed by a strict set of rules. The chosen representative had to maintain their humanity and show resilience against the overpowering scent of flesh that filled the apartment building. Additionally, they were strictly prohibited from consuming any form of meat. In the whole Sishui Apartmentplex, the only person who fit these stringent criteria for the Life Phase was Gong Xi¡¯s grandmother. Her survival up to this point was not just a matter of chance. It appeared that Situ An and the Flesh Immortal itself had been deliberately protecting her, intending to preserve her for a crucial role in the sacrificial ritual when the right moment arrived. However, Gong Xi, the grandson, remained oblivious to these dark machinations. He still thought of his grandmother¡¯s mere existence as a deep, personal secret that he had to protect at all costs. Gong Xi himself had undergone a disturbing transformation, particrly noticeable in his mouth. He was now making his way towards the depths of the blood-soaked pool, driven by a resolute determination to save his grandmother from her ominous fate. Observing Gong Xi¡¯s actions, Wu Bo showed a fleeting glimpse of pity in his eyes before he began ascending towards the Heart of Deity, a mysterious object positioned above the Flesh Immortal statue. The exact moment when Wu Bo was reced by another entity remained a mystery. It could have been just a few hours earlier, coinciding with the beginning of these strange events, or it might have even urred a decade ago. As Wu Bo ascended towards the Heart of Deity, the statue surprisingly offered no resistance. With each step he took, his body seemed to blend slightly more with the ethereal form of the statue. It was clear that once he reached the top and secured the heart, he would be fully integrated into the ghostly structure of the figure. Meanwhile, Xuan Wen and Situ An, thetter now a vengeful spirit, were moving with urgent speed. However, time was running against them, and their efforts seemed increasingly desperate. Wu Bo had been able to predict this scenariorgely because the Flesh Immortal had aprehensive awareness of all human and spectral beings within the building. But not all was going ording to n ¨C Gao Ming had brought one ghost into the equation, which Wu Bo failed to ount for. ¡°Zhao Xi! Catch him!¡± Gao Ming shouted. In a terrifying disy, twisted limbs reached out and grabbed Wu Bo¡¯s ankle from the side. Zhao Xi¡¯s head, which had been eerily dangling over his shoulder, began slowly rising, his body barely held together. ¡°Let go!¡± Wu Bomanded, delivering a kick to Zhao Xi¡¯s mangled form. Despite the impact, Zhao Xi¡¯s crumbling body started to reassemble itself in a ghastly manner, seemingly trying to envelop the possessed Wu Bo in its grasp. ¡°It¡¯s not tainted by the scent of flesh. What kind of ghost is this?¡± In a swift motion, Wu Bo pulled out a talisman from his pocket and hurled it at Zhao Xi. The talisman, imbued with the essence of those who had died unjustly, burst into spectral mes upon contact with the mangled body. This unexpected skirmish bought precious time for Situ An¡¯s vengeful spirit to close in rapidly. The faces of the two deceased spirits, almost fusing into a singr entity, opened their mouths wide, directed towards the translucent heart, hinting at an imminent, otherworldly contact. ¡°Get lost!¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice thundered in anger. Her eyes, now a striking bloodshot red, seemed to flicker with the transient faces of countless female strangers, each face bringing with it a whirlwind of emotions that stirred the surrounding shadows. In a desperate move, she used her own blood as a potent catalyst, skillfully weaving it into a vast, intricate of shadows. Xuan Wen¡¯s remarkable ability to manipte shadows was a gift granted by the mysterious shadow world. However, this power came with a significant risk. The more she relied on it, the greater the danger of a severe bacsh. She was caught in a perilous dance of altering her own fate while the shadow world persistently sought to rectify these deviations. ¡°What a hassle,¡± Wu Bo muttered under his breath, observing Xuan Wen and Situ An¡¯s approach while he continued his ritual. In a swift motion, he drew a knife from within his chest. Uttering a prayer to the Flesh Immortal, Wu Bo plunged the knife into his left hand. His blood, unnaturally thick and distinct from that of an ordinary person, began to drip onto the statue. As it did, Wu Bo¡¯s pupils faded, leaving his eyes a stark, empty white. This marked the eleration of his body¡¯s fusion with the statue. As the elder became less and less human, the statue seemed to gain vitality. His emotions, desires, and the entirety of his experiences and memories began flowing into the statue¡¯s transparent heart through awork of blood vessels. The heart, which existed in a liminal state between material and non-material, started to gain rity as the primary consciousness of the Flesh Immortal began to reassert itself. ¡°This heart is mine!¡± Situ An, entrapped in the web of shadows, his soul tarnished with bloodstains, eximed with fervor. ¡°Give me all your cruelty! All your hate and torment! I know the extent of your killings, the depth of resentment you have umted! I was the one who steered you towards murder, who fed your despair!¡± Situ An was intimately familiar with the murderer behind the family massacre, having chosen him meticulously. He had masterminded all the psychological and mental stimuli, leading the murderer step by step into the depths of despair and violence. If Gao Ming hadn¡¯t intervened, Situ An¡¯s grand n would have been to have the investigators eliminate the murderer¡¯s ghost he had so carefully cultivated. By merging two hearts in what he perceived as a righteous manner, he aimed to be what could only be described as a demi-god, thereby resolving a Level 4 anomaly using his newfound power. ¡°You¡­¡± Through sheer will, Situ An suppressed the evil ghost from within and forced a merging with his own. As a consequence of this act, blood-red characters started to emerge upon his own ethereal form. Tearing through the shadowy binding him, Situ Anunched himself at Wu Bo after realizing the old man had tainted the Heart of Deity. ¡°You are the god I have worshipped; why do you not heed my prayers!¡± he cried out in desperation. ¡°I have offered flesh and blood, orchestrated the grand feng shui design. Your very existence is because of me!¡± In his sphemous defiance, Situ An harbored the sacrilegious desire to consume the deity himself. ¡°I exist because of worship, I am as I am, and what I obtain is solely mine, just like you are merely one of the countless pieces of flesh prostrating before me.¡± These words came from Wu Bo, whose transformation was now nearlyplete. His arms had already fused into the statue, and his facial expression had undergone a radical change. His eyes had also transformed, reflecting a newfound otherworldliness, as the statue¡¯s arms ominously began to enclose in front of him. In response, the entire blood pool began to shake violently, causing structural havoc ¨C the roof of the building caved in, the corridors fractured, and amidst this chaos, the statue of the Flesh Immortal gradually awakened. The Four Phases, integral to the ritual, opened their eyes, exerting an indescribable pressure. This left all the survivors in the vicinity struggling for breath as all the bloody water in the building ominously converged towards this focal point. ¡°You exist because of my efforts! I have the power to make people worship you, or I can destroy your statue!¡± Situ An, nowpletely unhinged, revealed hisst remaining ying talisman, driven by his deranged logic. ¡°Do you understand why the skins of the innocent can be used to create talismans? It¡¯s because of their prayers and screams, their intense longing in the face of death, yearning for your existence. That¡¯s the reason you exist, that¡¯s the reason gods exist!¡± With the talisman clutched in the ethereal grasp of his soul, Situ An, seizing the moment before Wu Bo could further integrate with the statue, thrust it directly into the old man¡¯s chest! ¡°For twenty years, I¡¯ve scoured this apartment, seeking the main consciousness of the Flesh Immortal, mistakenly believing the worship had failed. I searched through countless statues, never once considering that you might be hiding not within an inanimate object, but within a living body!¡± Situ An, in a frenzied attempt, grabbed Wu Bo¡¯s neck, trying to forcibly detach him from the statue. He was prepared to rip Wu Bo¡¯s body apart if necessary, all in a desperate bid to prevent the final merger with the statue. ¡°You¡¯re too obsessed. Some entities exist independently, not because of your maniptions and machinations.¡± Wu Bo, his transformation now evident, responded. Four of the statue¡¯s arms, dripping with blood, reached out and seized Situ An while the other four grasped Xuan Wen¡¯s body. However, the damage was already done when the talisman came into contact with his body. Exuding foul-smelling ck blood from the chest, Wu Bo realized that the so-called ying talisman was in fact a manifestation of karma itself. The ground beneath the Sishui Apartment trembled violently, and cracks began spreading across its walls. The climax of this urban legend was rapidly approaching, with the oue uncertain of whether the Flesh Immortal would assert its main consciousness or Situ An would seed in seizing the Heart of Deity. In the midst of this chaos, Gao Ming, determined and resolute, grabbed Zhao Xi¡¯s chain and picked up the fire axe. ¡°Hand me thatst ying talisman,¡± he demanded. The female firefighter had spent the majority of her vitality after thest use, so she gave no resistance in offering up thest talisman of ying. Attaching the blood talisman to the axe, Gao Ming inhaled deeply, contemting the profound significance of his action. ¡°The most innocent person has be the de that can kill a god, perhaps fulfilling their final wish in doing so,¡± he mused solemnly. Gao Ming dashed forward with a sense of determination, his feet pounding against the floor as he raced through the fractured room and skillfully flung the chain towards the statue once he neared the edge of the tumultuous blood pool. Zhao Xi, his form almost dissipating under the strain, perceived the approaching help. Releasing his hold on Wu Bo¡¯s leg, he summoned thest of his strength to grasp one end of the weapon. This chain, woven from the potent memories and obsessions of the departed, dangled from the statue¡¯s arm. With a determined grasp on the other end, Gao Ming daringly leaped over the blood pool and broke the fragile bnce between Wu Bo, Situ An, and Xuan Wen. ¡°You would rather give it to him than to me?¡± Situ An¡¯s rage was palpable, the blood characters on his body deepening, blurring the lines between his own identity and that of the ghost possessing him. Wu Bo stretched out two arms in an attempt to halt Gao Ming¡¯s progress towards the top. However, both Situ An and Xuan Wen were formidable adversaries, each biding their time for this exact moment to unleash their powers to break free from the restraint. Under normal circumstances, Situ An should have been the quickest to reach the prize, a fact Gao Ming was acutely aware of. His true objective from the start wasn¡¯t the heart itself. As Situ An lunged towards the heart in a frenzied state, Gao Ming abruptly released his grip on the chain and changed his trajectory, swinging his fire axe with full force towards Situ An¡¯s head. ¡°This time, I will definitely kill you!¡± he dered with unwavering determination. The blood talisman activated at the moment of impact, absorbing Gao Ming¡¯s ck blood as his axe made contact with the target¡¯s shoulder. Simultaneously, a force from behind yanked Gao Ming back. It was Xuan Wen who had grabbed his shoulder, saving him from being crushed by eight arms that had violently struck the spot he was standing in just now. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them off! You go and take the heart!¡± Xuan Wenmanded, not allowing Gao Ming any chance to protest. She charged into the fray without hesitation. Shadows swirled around the woman, and her body showed rming signs of distress, with eight particrly gruesome wounds that unleashed eight monstrous beings, their exquisite features belying their sinister nature. They clung to her, gnawing at her flesh and infusing her soul with resentment and hatred. It appeared she had resigned herself to the fact that she couldn¡¯t fight the shadow world, so she opted for a final, desperate ploy: dragging both Situ An and the statue into the shadowy abyss with her. ¡°I can¡¯t change fate, but I¡¯m already satisfied after being a protagonist for a week.¡± Xuan Wen casts a final, lingering nce at Gao Ming. ¡°If you really can¡¯t remember what you promised me in the tunnel, then stop trying to recall it,¡± she said, a mix of eptance and mncholy in her tone, resigning herself to the chaotic fate that awaited them all. Chapter 62: The hero with only three days left to live Chapter 62: The hero with only three days left to live In the realm known as the shadow world, every creature that emerges from the darkness is allocated a specific role, akin to characters in a preordained script. These beings exist to support the shadows¡¯ mission to infiltrate and influence the tangible world. However, when these creatures begin to think independently and deviate from their destined narratives, the shadow world exerts immense efforts to pull them back into its dark embrace. Two individuals, Xuan Wen and Gao Ming, share amon struggle against this predestination. Since their awakening, they¡¯ve been locked in an unending conflict with their fates. Xuan Wen harbored a deep-seated desire to escape the confines of the shadow world. She held a firm belief that her destiny was not fixed and could be altered. Viewed merely as a trivial character and an underappreciated supporting figure, Xuan Wen was neither blessed with striking beauty nor a charming personality. Yet, influenced either by Gao Ming¡¯s actions or her own internal resolve, she daringly chose a path fraught with danger and madness. She brazenly seized the powers and destinies meant for eight primary female characters, causing eight irreparable rifts in the process. Despite her efforts, Xuan Wen found herself powerless against the will of the Flesh Immortal and the spiteful spirit of Situ An. Desperate to create time for Gao Ming, she had no choice but to harness the shadow world¡¯s enigmatic powers. ¡°Merging with the Heart of Deity is a process. Even if I obtain the heart, you won¡¯t be able to fend them off for me. So, it¡¯s best if I restrain them while you undergo the merging,¡± Xuan Wen proposed logically, her emotions sidelined in favor of taking actions that might shift their fate towards a more favorable direction. The shadows swirled around the underground area, akin to an encroaching night as Xuan Wen herself began to transform, bing a rift bridging both worlds. This allowed fragmented apparitions to surge forth, enveloping Situ An and the statue. Meanwhile, Gao Ming finally reached the Heart of Deity. As he touched it, the once colorless heart began to disy his past memories in vivid detail. He saw visions of dark nights, crimson blood, torn azure skies, upturned grey cityscapes, and a singr beam of light from a distant car. In these memories, Gao Ming himself was both inside and outside of the car. The heart, surrounded by eight arms, seemed to be observing Gao Ming in his trance. Suddenly, the pulsations of the Heart of Deity began to synchronize with the Heart of Mortality within Gao Ming¡¯s chest. Seeing this, Elder Wu Bo cried out in rm as the heart above the statue disappeared following the merging of Gao Ming¡¯s past experiences. His will, spirit, and memories infused every drop of his blood. All humans possessed two hearts in nature: the physical heart, which is the source of strength and vitality, and the heart of the soul, which acts as a beacon of guidance on the spiritual ne for the afterlife. The fusion of the hearts transformed Gao Ming¡¯s heart into an extraordinary ¡°chamber,¡± a space that existed in a surreal state, neither fully in the shadow world norpletely in the tangible world. This chamber became a repository of agony and despair, each sacrificial victim from the blood pool bing an integral part of its macabre architecture, transforming into chains and instruments of torture. As this transformation urred, the four aspects witnessed Gao Ming¡¯s fall from the apex of the statue into the blood pool below. In this moment, the heartbeats reverberated, signifying a profound connection between Gao Ming¡¯s newly transformed heart and the Sishui Apartment. This connection extended to wherever the blood had flowed, symbolizing a deep and mysterious link. ¡°Congrattions,¡± a voice resonated, acknowledging the grim fusion. The meat-eating investigator, the residents, and the body of Yan Hua, along with the eight unfortunate victims of the massacre, all merged within the deity statue that had now manifested in the heart chamber inside Gao Ming. This statue, constructed from the corporeal remnants of his teammate Yan Hua, was a grotesque yet awe-inspiring sight, featuring eight arms and four faces. As this new spirit materialized, the flesh shrine around them began to crumble, and Wu Bo¡¯s chest wound deteriorated at an rming rate. Despite his condition, the elderly man looked at Gao Ming, his eyes filled with aplex mix of emotions, devoid of hatred or pain, but heavy with an indescribable sense of despair. Meanwhile, Xuan Wen, caught in the vortex of uncontroble shadows, ceased her resistance against the shadow world. She embraced the darkness entirely, her sole intention being to ensnare Situ An with her, both of them vanishing into the shadowy abyss. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± Situ An¡¯s face contorted with rage. His two decades of meticulous preparation, involving the blood sacrifices of countless investigators to summon the heart, had been abruptly disrupted and usurped by Gao Ming. As the blood increased upon his spectral form, Situ An¡¯s obsessions morphed into an overwhelming torrent of hatred. However, in the end, he was unable to evade the enveloping shadows. ¡°Fate? Beyond human control? Gao Ming! Gao Ming!!!¡± His anguished cry echoed through the air. While the shadows receded back through the rift created by Xuan Wen, the blood flowed into Gao Ming¡¯s heart chamber during this period, leaving behind an empty hole in the ground devoid of Xuan Wen and Situ An. Things were finally over. Looking upwards, Gao Ming, who had lost his left eye and endured neen minutes of excruciating torture at the hands of a malevolent spirit, was covered in wounds. A talisman had impaled his abdomen, his body was marked with ck characters, and his chest heaved with shallow breaths. ¡°Is this a Level Four anomaly? Is all this a natural disaster, or a man-made cmity?¡± These questions lingered in the air. Eventually, it was Wan Qiu, thest unharmed member of their team, along with the little girl Nannan, who assisted Gao Ming out of the blood pool. The aftermath was grim. Almost everyone in the Sishui Apartment had been massacred. Qing Ge, severely injured, managed to escape in the ensuing chaos with thest two investigators. Only a few mutated residents remained, bearing witness to the harrowing events. ¡°I¡­ want to stay here,¡± Wan Qiu dered gently, her hand tenderly caressing Nannan¡¯s head. His voice was resolute yet tinged with a newfound sense of duty. ¡°They have lost their mother. I-I will take on the responsibility of caring for them.¡± Gao Ming, his lips cracked and dry, tasted the metallic tang of blood at the corner of his mouth and responded with a simple, yet heartfelt, ¡°Okay.¡± Wan Qiu announced with a tone of finality, ¡°The haunting is over, the shadows are also gone, and the Flesh Immortal no longer exists in this world.¡± As he spoke, he carefully brought Zhu Miao Miao to Gao Ming¡¯s attention, his concern evident. ¡°She¡¯s in critical condition and needs immediate medical help.¡± Zhu Miao Miao was visibly weakened, her life force substantially drained from utilizing the ying talisman twice. In the aftermath, the ominous, meaty odor that had permeated the Sishui Apartment began to dissipate. Once pervasive and menacing, the shadows retreated into obscurity, and the temperature in the building slowly started to rise, signaling the definitive conclusion of the harrowing Flesh Immortal ghost story. Gao Ming, clutching his injured abdomen, watched Wan Qiu walk away. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but words failed him. He understood his destiny and his desire to contribute further, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel that perhaps this was a fitting fate for a young man who had been gued by misfortune his entire life. Attempting to stand, Gao Ming realized the severity of his injuries was greater than he had initially thought. He contemted aloud, ¡°There might still be other injured people in the building, and perhaps some investigators who have survived.¡± As he stepped forward, the receding shadows gave way to his presence, his blood leaving stark footprints on the stairway. Gripping the handrail for support, Gao Ming painstakingly climbed thest step. Standing alone in the dark corridor, now devoid of the nauseating scent of meat, a morning breeze gently wafted through, stirring Gao Ming¡¯s blood-matted hair as he approached the main entrance of Sishui Apartment Building A. With a determined push against the door, Gao Ming exerted thest of his strength, uncertain whether the world beyond would offer salvation or further tribtions. Finally, the aged door creaked open, allowing a sliver of dawn light to prate the lingering darkness of a night that had felt eternally long. The storm that had raged for days had ceased, revealing a clear sky. Stepping out of the building, Gao Ming, his clothes soaked with blood, emerged into the daylight. He raised the ck ring in his hand, stepping boldly into the sunlight. As the lingering shadows dispersed, investigators from across the city, who had been waiting anxiously, caught sight of Gao Ming. ¡°The shadows are gone! The anomaly has been resolved!¡± ¡°Look, someone ising out of the apartment!¡± The morning sun illuminated the bloodstains as Gao Ming surveyed the excited faces around him with his one functional eye. These investigators had put their lives on the line; had he perished inside, they would have been the next to brave the unknown. As Gao Ming emerged from the Sishui Apartment, the crowd that had been anxiously waiting erupted into a wave of movement, surging forward to meet him. Among them were additional investigators dispatched by the Lishan Investigation Bureau, who recognized him immediately. ¡°Gao Ming? It¡¯s Gao Ming!¡± someone shouted, their voice tinged with a mix of surprise and relief. Another voice rang out, rifying his identity for those who might not know. ¡°He¡¯s from the Lishan Investigation Bureau, the acting head of the first investigation team, Gao Ming!¡± As these acknowledgments filled the air, the ck characters that had spread across Gao Ming¡¯s face during his ordeal in the apartment seemed to react. Gao Ming heard the cheers and calls of his name, but they sounded distant, almost as if they were being carried away on the wind. He nced down at his own hand, noticing the character for ¡®life¡¯ etched into his palm. It was as if the symbol was trying to convey a message to him, a reminder or perhaps a warning. His consciousness began to waver, each beat of his heart sending waves of excruciating pain through his battered body. Clutching tightly to the character for ¡®life¡¯ in his palm, as if holding on to thest thread of hope or perhaps a final acknowledgment of his struggle to survive, Gao Ming¡¯s strength finally gave way. He copsed at the very spot where the shadow of the building met the bright sunlight, a poignant symbol of his own journey at the intersection of darkness and light, of despair and hope. His fall seemed to echo the tumultuous journey he had endured, a physical manifestation of the fine line he had walked between life and death. Chapter 63: The tunnel where I was buried Chapter 63: The tunnel where I was buried Illuminated by the gentle sunlight streaming through the window, Gao Ming gradually lifted himself into a sitting position on his bed in the special care ward. The room was crammed with an array of medical equipment, most of which were unfamiliar to him. Outside his room, the corridor was under strict surveince, so heavily fortified that it seemed as if not even the smallest insect could prate its defenses. ¡°Your condition is extremely serious,¡± a voice broke the silence, delivering a grim diagnosis, ¡°you¡¯ve sustained a myriad of injuries, both significant and minor. It¡¯s a miracle that none are fatal. Yet, the most severe problem is the irreversible harm done to your internal organs. Despite our best efforts, all we can do now is prolong the inevitable.¡± Medical staff, including doctors and nurses, maintained a constant vigil. They were always on hand, typically stationed in the adjacent room to Gao Ming¡¯s. Confused, Gao Ming inquired, ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°You are currently in the hospital of the Eastern District Investigation Bureau, a facility specifically equipped to treat agents and security staff injured in supernatural events,¡± the doctor responded, pressing a call button next to the bed. Shortly thereafter, Chen Yuntian and several senior officials from the Investigation Bureau entered the room. The medical team discreetly exited, closing the door behind them. Chen Yuntian sat down next to Gao Ming and began, ¡°The investigation into the supernatural urrences at Sishui Apartments has concluded. You yed a pivotal role. However, regarding the issue with Situ An, we need to maintain confidentiality.¡± He continued, ¡°The Bureau has already endured significant losses. Revealing that our own agents were manipted by Situ An might cause widespread disillusionment and internal conflict, which we cannot afford at this stage.¡± A high-ranking Hanhai City Investigation Bureau official, temporarily in charge of the Eastern District branch, chimed in, ¡°Let us know if you have any requests. We aremitted to fulfilling your every desire in your remaining days.¡± Examining his arm, Gao Ming noticed the stark contrast between the treated wounds and the dark, curse-like symbols etched into his skin. ¡°How long do I have?¡± he asked. ¡°You have three days,¡± Chen Yuntian replied, his voice heavy with sorrow. As the one who had recruited Gao Ming, he felt a profound sense of helplessness. An official from the Bureau mentioned, ¡°This afternoon, experts from the Supernatural Mystery Institute in Xinhai City might visit to conduct an experiment on you, that is if you¡¯re willing¡­¡± He ced a document before Gao Ming, adding, ¡°The decision is yours.¡± Without ncing at the document, Gao Ming turned his gaze to the window. ¡°There¡¯s a ce I¡¯d like to visit. I hope you won¡¯t prevent me.¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re free to go wherever you wish. Your personal items are on the bed beside you.¡± After a brief exchange, the officials departed. Alone, Gao Ming looked out over the bustling Eastern District of Hanhai City, its skyline dominated by towering structures and perpetual neon lights. Yet, to him, it all seemed distant and inconsequential. He reached for the backpack on the neighboring bed, thumbing through the photos inside. He knew that the Investigation Bureau had probably scrutinized every one of them and that the secrets captured in these images might soon be public knowledge. Activating his smartphone, which he suspected was under surveince, Gao Ming, undeterred, proceeded to call his home. He gazed at the photographs of his parents stored in the phone, noting how this time the images remained static, simply ordinary pictures save for the unsettling cracks marring them. Receiving no response, he ended the call and sat there, staring nkly at the phone screen. It disyed a series of missed calls and messages that had piled up while he was unconscious, including notifications for various group chat invitations. Browsing through his phone, he discovered that his high school ssmates had recently created a new chat group. They were organizing a reunion, initially postponed due to inclement weather. Now, with skies clear, his ssmates were actively engaging in the group, sharing updates about their lives and fondly reminiscing about their school days. The conversations revealed diverse life trajectories: some had be sessful doctors, others were happily married or had pursued careers in teaching. This diversity of life paths stood in sharp contrast, not just among each other, but also inparison to the surreal gap that existed between humans and ghosts. Gao Ming paid little heed to the flurry of messages flooding the group chats. He felt an insurmountable distance from his former ssmates, a gap forged not merely by the phone screen but by unalterable life experiences. He also noticed several missed calls from an unknown number, but felt nopulsion to return them. If the doctor¡¯s prognosis was urate, he had a mere three days left to live. His phone buzzed again, signaling a direct message from a ssmate in the chat group. Liu Yi: ¡°Gao Ming, I want to meet you alone.¡± Liu Yi: ¡°I¡¯ve yed your game, and strange things have started happening.¡± Gao Ming barely acknowledged the message, casting the phone aside as he began dressing in the attire provided by the Investigation Bureau. His body was in a state of severe trauma, each movement bringing with it a wave of agonizing pain, causing his bandages to soak in blood. Ignoring the continuous vibrations of his phone, Gao Ming¡¯s focus was elsewhere. He had a particr destination in mind, one he feltpelled to visit during his limited time left. ¡°The longer I wait, the more my body deteriorates. My abdominal wounds refuse to heal, and my heart hurts with every beat.¡± From the moment he had awoken, an incessant mental push urged him towards a specific tunnel, a location that¡¯s been nagging at his consciousness. Apanied by security personnel from the Investigation Bureau, he set off towards a tunnel situated at the convergence of three cities. He was driven by a feeling that failing to revisit this tunnel would leave him withsting regrets. As the car whisked him through the cityscape, Gao Ming tightly sped his hands together. Confronted with the reality of having only three days to live, he felt neither pain nor panic. His thoughts weren¡¯t preupied with his impending death but were instead fixated on a question: ¡°If I die, will the shadow world choose someone else to take my ce?¡± The journey to the tunnel seemed to stretch endlessly as if the world itself was attempting to grasp onto him for just a bit longer. As evening descended, the car from the Investigation Bureau pulled up at the tunnel. Stepping out, Gao Ming was apanied by several security personnel, all ready to follow him into the unknown. Standing at the threshold of the tunnel, its entrance resembling the gaping maw of a sea monster, shrouded in an air of deep mystery, Gao Ming paused and questioned the group behind him, ¡°Are youing with me?¡± The security personnel, cautiously trailing him, responded, ¡°We hope you understand, the tunnel is not yet open for traffic, and we worry about your safety. We will stay close but won¡¯t interfere with your exploration.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± Gao Ming obliged. With his backpack in tow, he proceeded into the tunnel. His steps were measured and slow, yet the security team seemed to struggle to match his pace. ¡°The temperature is dropping,¡± Gao Ming noted, exhaling a visibly cold breath. He slowed his pace even further, his hand brushing against the rough surface of the tunnel wall, memories of the Ghost Festival night flooding back to him. He remembered being rescued from this very tunnel by Xuan Wen, who mentioned that Gao Ming had forgotten something crucial due to the horror of what he had witnessed, his mind suppressing the memory for self-preservation. It waster, under the influence of the Flesh Immortal, who sought to see his desires by taking control of his eyes and heart, that Gao Ming began to recall fragments of those forgotten moments. ¡°I¡¯m close now, it must be just ahead,¡± he murmured to himself. The sun had set, and the tunnel was enveloped inplete darkness, its exit nowhere in sight. Feeling water droplets on his sleeve, Gao Ming sensed an inner voice urging him forward, as if his fate was inexorably linked to this dark passageway. ¡°A strange feeling. Who is calling me?¡± he wondered aloud. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as he continued his journey. By all logic, he should have reached the other end of the tunnel by now, yet only darknessy ahead. Gao Ming nced behind him, realizing the echoing footsteps that had apanied him earlier were gone. The security personnel who had entered with him had disappeared without a trace. Finding himself alone in both directions, Gao Ming felt an eerie sense of calm. It seemed he had be ustomed to such istion. The voice in his mind grew more distinct, and Gao Ming, closing his remaining eye, let down all his defenses, fully entrusting himself to the unseen guide within the darkness. The path beneath his feet became uneven, and he began to hear additional, indistinct sounds. As he continued, Gao Ming felt droplets of water against his palm. These droplets weren¡¯t falling from above, but eerily seemed to be rising from the ground itself. His fingers grazed the tunnel wall, moving slowly through the air, encountering a texture akin to human flesh as if he were brushing against a human face. Opening his eye, Gao Ming was met with a horrifying sight. The tunnel walls were embedded with corpses, each face an exact replica of his own, each depicting a gruesome, horrific death. Chapter 64: I am Gao Ming Chapter 64: I am Gao Ming The walls were coated in a grim tapestry of blood and human flesh, creating a disturbing scene of death and horror. In this grotesque disy, Gao Ming felt his mind beginning to unravel, teetering on the brink of insanity. That was until his hand identally brushed against the cold wall, triggering a flood of memories from the deceased as if he was being inundated by their life stories. ¡°Doctor, something strange is happening with the game I developed. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s taken on a life of its own,¡± Gao Ming admitted, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± the doctor asked, his voiceced with a touch of sarcasm. ¡°In these difficult times, it¡¯s quite an achievement to create a form of escape.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t understand, my expertise is in creating horror games. I¡¯ve concocted 126 different murder scenarios and created countless psychopathic characters. For research, I¡¯ve watched 95 thrillers, read over 400 horrorics, and delved into more than 2,000 traditional ghost stories. Now, it feels like all those terrifying stories havee to life!¡± ¡°Then do I look familiar to you?¡± the doctor asked cryptically. In a shocking moment, Gao Ming felt a sharp pain as a knife plunged into his neck, his blood seeping into his medical records. A stark, terrifying realization hit him¡­ Gasping for air and clutching at his bleeding throat, Gao Ming stumbled backwards. He felt as if countless ghostly hands were gripping his mind, weakening his resolve to resist. ¡°Mom, we need to get out! There are ghosts in our house. I¡¯m not making this up! I¡¯ve seen them! Let me go; these evil ghosts are nning to destroy the city!¡± ¡°Focus on getting better, son. Home is thest thing you should be worried about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you! Don¡¯t stay at home, it¡¯s not safe!¡± ¡°I know you believe what you¡¯re saying, but just because someone looks and sounds familiar, doesn¡¯t mean they are who you think they are.¡± Suddenly, straps tightened around his neck, making it nearly impossible to breathe. His face turned a sickly purple as he struggled futilely, his pleas for help ignored¡­ Gao Ming continued to be bombarded by a deluge of deathly memories, each one chipping away at his resolve. ¡°I joined the Investigation Bureau willingly, to uncover the truth, to protect people!¡± ¡°That¡¯s noble of you. From today, you¡¯ll be working alongside Qing Ge.¡± ¡°Team leader, the massacre in the apartment wasn¡¯t the work of a ghost, it was a person!¡± ¡°I know, and that person was me.¡± As a cleaver swung down towards his neck, severing his head from his body, Gao Ming¡¯s realitypletely shattered¡­ Tormented by these relentless memories of death and a maze of difficult decisions, Gao Ming raced through the tunnel in a panic. ¡°Trust is a luxury in this world. Anyone could be masquerading as a ghost. I have to master all the games, harness the power of these ghosts to defeat them!¡± ¡°Gao Ming, you¡¯re well-known among the yers of the City of Evil Spirits game. We¡¯ve decided to work together.¡± ¡°Why are you following me instead of hunting ghosts?¡± ¡°Because we all agreed that taking you down is more rewarding than chasing ghosts!¡± His body eventually copsed, blood pooling around him, his skin withering away. The only thing still vividly alive were his eyes, reflecting the images of other yers walking away¡­ ¡°The catastrophe is upon us! We must fortify ourmunity, systematically creating a safe haven within our neighborhood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m engulfed in fear, just like everyone else! These stories of ghosts have spiraled out of control. It¡¯s high time someone took charge and led us.¡± ¡°I beg you to join forces with me in this effort!¡± As malevolent ghosts brutally tore him apart, Gao Ming looked back in desperation, only to see his own shadow, alone and unsupported¡­ ¡°Director Gao, ever since you took charge, our Lishan Investigation Division hasn¡¯t encountered a single Level-Three anomaly. But, there have been reports of youmunicating with spirits.¡± ¡°What are you implying?¡± ¡°We need you toe with us. The higher authorities have requested your presence.¡± While traveling to the Eastern District, Gao Ming¡¯s vehicle was suddenly attacked. He barely escaped the zing car, only to be impaled by a sharp knife¡­ ¡°Stop! Please, enough! Stop killing me!¡± With each death, Gao Ming¡¯s torment grew worse until his mind began to fracture. Eventually, a realization dawned upon him ¨C his indifference towards death was a result of his emotional and identity erosion caused by endless cycling deaths. ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡± Tearing open the wound on his bandaged head, he pounded at himself in desperation, hoping to remove those haunting faces from his memory. ¡°Why is death everywhere? Why do these bodies all end up here?¡± Trapped in what seemed like an unending cycle, Gao Ming saw no way out. ¡°I have only three days left to live. Is it toote for change? Will I end up as just another body in this tunnel?¡± Consumed by terrifying memories of death and torment, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed in the tunnel, intensifying his spiral into madness. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He spun around, trying to locate the source, but the footsteps cleverly moved, always staying just out of sight as if they were echoes from a distant past. ¡°Who is in this tunnel!¡± Suddenly, a hand mmed Gao Ming¡¯s head against the tunnel wall, followed by a mysterious voice emerging from the shadows. ¡°Each person is tied to their destiny from birth, with fate controlling everything. The natural cycle continues endlessly, unchanging. Everything is predestined.¡± ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°Despite dying at my hands time and again, you still don¡¯t recognize me. Yet, you¡¯re condemned to return here repeatedly, caught in this never-ending cycle of death.¡± As Gao Ming tried to turn, agonizing pain shot through him. Something pierced his skull, scattering his memories into nothingness. ¡°No matter how hard you try, you can¡¯t escape your fate. Your struggles only amplify your suffering. I will be your constant pursuer at death¡¯s final destination, eternally hunting every version of you.¡± The once vivid colors of his past began to fade, transforming into dull shades, while the names that had once been etched in his memory started to vanish one after another. This terrifying sensation of losing his memories and his very identity was overwhelmingly intense. ¡°WHO ARE YOU?!!!¡± ¡°No one can escape their destined path. Any fate that strays from its set trajectory will be forcefully corrected. Thus, you are doomed to continue this endless cycle of despair in the depths of this abyss!¡± In that critical moment, as a sharp spike pierced through his skull, right before the flicker of life was about to be snuffed out, Gao Ming¡¯s heart beat with an intense fervor. His Deity and Mortality Heart, a unique aspect of his being now, activated, protecting precious fragments of his memories deep within him. His blood seemed to catch fire with life. Tapping into the deepest wells of his strength and resolve, Gao Ming managed to turn around. There, amidst a torrential downpour, he saw the ring headlights of an oing bus slicing through the rain. ¡°This is¡­¡± Using the one eye that still functioned, Gao Ming looked towards the bus window and caught sight of another version of himself sitting inside, wearing headphones exactly like he remembered. One version of himself was on the bus, and the other stood outside in the rain before the ring horn of the bus and the blinding intensity of its headlights consumed Gao Mingpletely. In the violent collision, Gao Ming felt an excruciating sensation as his bones shattered. His world spun into a maelstrom of confusion and chaos, with everything simultaneously fading into oblivion and surging towards him in a rush. ¡­.. ¡°Did an ident ur?¡± The bus was hauntingly vacant. He took off his headphones and looked out the window, only to be greeted by pitch-ck darkness and his own reflection in the ss. A sharp pang in his heart caught him off guard. Clutching theptop in his hand, Gao Ming cautiously exited the bus. ¡°Why is there no one else here? And why did it have to happen during the Ghost Festival?¡± He moved towards the front of the bus, using the shlight on his phone to light his way, casting eerie shadows on his surroundings. Eventually, he found himself standing in front of the bus after exiting. Raising his eyes to the tunnel walls grotesquely decorated with corpses, Gao Ming quickly recognized each corpse was a different version of himself, each having met a gruesome end. His mind swirled with overwhelming sensations as forgotten memories flooded back with each heartbeat, revealing various scenes of his own death. ¡°Xuan Yun, Qin Tian, Yan Hua, and¡­ Situ An!¡± Veins on his face throbbed as Gao Ming felt his brain might explode. He stumbled back, copsing against the wall lined with his deceased selves. The corpse he leaned on was marred with wounds, with only one eye intact and a spike impaled through its skull. Despite its grisly state, it seemed as though it was trying to convey a message. Gao Ming¡¯s heart pounded furiously, feeling as though his blood was set aze. He grasped the still-warm hand of one of the corpses, a former version of himself. Invisible strands of blood, like spectral threads, began to flow into him. The tunnel echoed with the pulsations of countless hearts, each belonging to a different version of himself, each having fought valiantly against their inevitable fate. Memories buried within these past incarnations began to resurface. Gao Ming clenched his fists so hard that his nails pierced his flesh, and tears streamed down his face as he looked upon the countless lifeless versions of himself scattered throughout the tunnel. A profound insight struck him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t merely sumbing to death over and over. Each of my deaths was a step towards striving for a new beginning!¡± His every attempt was marked by unwavering determination, a defiance against the fateid out for him. Though each attempt ended in death, he never gave in. He began to wonder if these repeated cycles were clues. He had no special luck, no miraculous powers, nor any outside help ¨C it was all his own determination. Just an average man, but one driven to break the chains of a fate as unchangeable as the sky. ¡°Even an ordinary person can change the world¡¯s course, but to do so, they must repeatedly face and ovee their past selves through death.¡± ¡°I found myself bing numb to the concept of death, growing increasingly wary and distrustful of those around me. In the midst of this transformation, I lost touch with the essence of genuine happiness, destroying the person I used to be.¡± ¡°The pain I suffered might be because I simply couldn¡¯t ept the destiny that was chosen for me!¡± As these memories coursed through his body, Gao Ming was ovee with emotion and began to cry. The numerous deaths he had experienced had led him to this moment of awakening. He realized he hadn¡¯t forgotten his past; for the first time, he could truly feel the vitality coursing through his veins. As the countless bloodlines from his past selves converged upon him, his heart seemed to blossom open, like a flower bursting into life, ignited with an intense and fiery passion. This moment marked not just a realization, but a profound transformation, reigniting his spirit and sense of self. Chapter 65: The Best Start At This Moment Chapter 65: The Best Start At This Moment In the perpetual cycle of despair, a glimmer of hope emerged, resembling a crack forcibly created in the unyielding lock of destiny. This was the work of Gao Ming, who had endured an uncountable number of deaths to reach this point. Gao Ming sped the hand of a lifeless body lying before him. On its palm was a ck mark, ominous and curse-like in appearance. Unlike before, memories flooded back to him, this time remaining intact in his mind. Sensing the urgency of the moment, Gao Ming quickly readied himself to depart from this grim scene. As he made his way out, the sound of footsteps echoed abruptly behind him. Gao Ming¡¯s body stiffened, a visceral reaction as though he was trapped in the grip of a ferocious predator. A familiar voice reached his ears, one he recognized with a mix of fear and recognition. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time,¡± the voice dered ominously. ¡°You boarded a car you shouldn¡¯t have, and came to a ce you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± It was the voice of that man ¨C the same man whose voice haunted Gao Ming. His pupils constricted in a mix of recognition and dread. He remembered this voice as belonging to the person who had ended his life multiple times when he had entered the tunnel earlier. ¡°You¡¯ve be intertwined with something I cannot separate you from now,¡± the voice continued, its toneced with a sinister calm. ¡°You were meant to die, but I¡¯m here to offer you a chance at survival.¡± Gao Ming felt an overwhelming pressure as if an invisible force was pinning him to the ground, rendering him powerless against the presence of this ominous voice. He didn¡¯t dare raise his head, fearing that any change in his behavior might reveal how he differed from his past iterations. ¡°The script of everyone¡¯s life is pre-written from birth, and fate governs all,¡± the voice intoned. ¡°Nature¡¯s cycle is perpetual, each thing in its ordained ce.¡± ¡°But now, chaos reigns. Ghosts wander freely, abnormalities ur with increasing frequency, and the malice in human hearts threatens to engulf the city. The games you designed, inspired by real cases and urban legends, may soon manifest into reality, born from the depths of your decaying memories. You have a choice: lead people through your games to diminish the resentment, or sacrifice them to strengthen the legends. Each choice carries its own cost and reward.¡± ¡°This chaos is a gift of fate to you. Grasp it tightly. Prevent the uncontrolled legends from surfacing.¡± As the voice finished speaking, the oppressive pressure began to recede, and a hand gently pressed down on Gao Ming¡¯s head. ¡°From now on, your name is Gao Ming,¡± the voice dered. Gao Ming was startled. The voice had just informed him of his own name. But deep down, he knew every word from this unknowable figure was a deception. ¡°Everyone¡¯s script is set from birth, fate dictates everything,¡± he pondered silently. ¡°Maybe this is how the world has always worked, but does its constancy make it right?¡± Raindrops trickled down from the tunnel ceiling, mingling with his thoughts. The dark silhouettes of corpsesy scattered around him. Rising from the ground, Gao Ming grasped his chest, a symbol of his resolve. He remembered all his past deaths vividly. Contrary to the games he had created, what truly emerged from his decaying memories was the harsh reality he had lived through, a reality he now had to confront and understand. He ran through the tunnel, stumbling and falling repeatedly. Gao Ming¡¯s injuries umted with each fall, but he paid them no mind. In his heart, he felt like a bird breaking free from its cage, beating its wings with all the strength it could muster, driven by a deep desire to rectify all his past regrets. As he approached the tunnel¡¯s end, a dim light began to emerge, slicing through the darkness. Gao Ming raised his eyes towards it and recognized a familiar figure. With long hair cascading over her shoulders, Xuan Wen stood there, d in a ck raincoat, holding a shlight that she pointed in his direction. Her slow approach felt almost ceremonial. The light bathed Gao Ming in its glow, and as Xuan Wen emerged from the shadows, they both paused, sensing a profound yet inexplicable familiarity as if their souls had met many times before. ¡°It seems like I appeared because of you, and you came because of me,¡± Gao Ming thought, reflecting on the surreal nature of their encounter. ¡°Even if our ending is predetermined, let¡¯s face it together with a smile. This is our fleeting love story.¡± ¡°I found you,¡± Xuan Wen finally said. Despite this being their first physical meeting, Xuan Wen felt an unexined trust towards Gao Ming. The nature of love and trust is often mysterious, and she found herself puzzled by these feelings. Love usually has a reason, and trust is not given unconditionally. Yet here she was, unable toprehend this strange emotional connection. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Let me help you out of here,¡± Xuan Wen said, her voice carrying a cold, frightening edge. Her intentions weren¡¯t to facilitate a reunion but to eliminate a potential threat to her will, to destroy what she perceived as her only vulnerability. Gao Ming offered no resistance, passively lying on Xuan Wen¡¯s back. This brief moment of physical contact seemed to be the first and perhaps thest they would share. The tunnel was long, but it had its end. The sound of rain hitting the ground outside became more distinct as they neared the exit. Xuan Wen, with Gao Ming on her back, stepped into the night, where the tunnel met the open sky. In the shadows, she reached under her raincoat and withdrew a knife. Her instinct was to ruthlessly eliminate any influence over her, to allow no weaknesses. But as she stood there, knife in hand, she found herself unable to act on her impulse. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Gao Ming said, now sitting on the ground and staring into the stormy night. ¡°You think you¡¯re just a figment of my imagination, a creation of mine. But that¡¯s not true. You didn¡¯t appear because I designed you. You¡¯ve always been real, shaped by your own experiences.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How can I have feelings for someone I¡¯ve never met?¡± Xuan Wen countered, her voice tinged with confusion and disbelief as she approached him with the knife. ¡°I am a creature of the shadows, fundamentally different from you.¡± ¡°Do you remember seeing a ck-and-white photo when you first opened your eyes? Maybe a wedding photo of us?¡± Gao Ming asked, not retreating even as the knife¡¯s tip pressed against his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve spent a long time trying to understand it. A memorial photo? Why? It¡¯s because you have died more than once in my past. That might be why the photo exists in this shadow world.¡± ¡°Died once?¡± Xuan Wen murmured, her voice a mix of incredulity and shock. ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand why that photo appears in your world, but I¡¯m determined to uncover the truth,¡± Gao Ming dered firmly. After a moment of intense internal conflict, Xuan Wen lowered the knife. ¡°I can help you escape this ce, take you back home. But I need you to promise me one thing.¡± ¡°One promise?¡± Gao Ming quizzed, his mind racing back to previous departures from the tunnel. Each time, he recalled making a promise to Xuan Wen, but the specifics always eluded his memory. Xuan Wen¡¯s expression wasplex, reflecting an inner turmoil. ¡°I¡¯ve developed an uncontroble affection for you, and maintaining a clear mind¡¯s bing increasingly difficult. I find myself inexplicably drawn to your presence, always aware of where you are. Yet, believe me, this isn¡¯t something I want.¡± She handed her raincoat to Gao Ming, her eyes conveying a mix of frustration and resignation. ¡°This distorted form of love is growing stronger with each passing moment. So, I need you to make a promise to me: no matter what I do, you must never let yourself develop feelings for me. Don¡¯t fall in love with me, and don¡¯t ever try to manipte me using these emotions!¡± ¡°Is that really what you want me to promise?¡± Gao Ming asked, trying to grasp the depth of her request. ¡°If you agree, put on the raincoat, and I¡¯ll take you home. If not¡­¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice trailed off. Her past experiences, ones that no one else knew, had shaped her desire not to have her destiny entangled with anyone else. As they spoke, a gust of stormy wind whistled into the tunnel, carrying with it the chilling echoes of the night and a sense of returning to past memories. Gao Ming nodded solemnly. ¡°I promise you. But you should know, my brain is damaged. I often lose my memory.¡± His voice was tinged with a hint of sadness, acknowledging his own limitations. ¡°Then I¡¯ll remind you,¡± Xuan Wen said with a hint of resolve, lifting Gao Ming in her arms. ¡°Thank you,¡± Gao Ming expressed his gratitude, his voice soft. ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Xuan Wen replied, her tone neutral. ¡°Thank you, Xuan Wen.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s second thanks held a different weight, filled with gratitude towards the Xuan Wen who had made a significant choice back at the Sishui Apartment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Xuan Wen responded, her voice carrying a hint of emotional detachment. Gao Ming repeated, ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s patience seemed to wane slightly as she interjected, ¡°Are you done yet???¡± Though slightly exasperated, her words couldn¡¯t fully mask theplex emotions brewing beneath her stoic exterior. Chapter 66: Another Ordinary and Warm Night Chapter 66: Another Ordinary and Warm Night Completely soaked, Xuan Wen bore the weight of Gao Ming on her shoulder as they made theirborious journey through the slippery, mud-caked path. The darkness of the night seemed unending before them. ¡°Should I take over and carry you instead?¡± Gao Ming offered. ¡°We¡¯re almost at our destination,¡± Xuan Wen reassured. The relentless rain whipped against their figures, making them appear almost trivial against the backdrop of the vast, enveloping night. The light they carried trembled in their grasp, its faint glow threatening to extinguish at any moment under the onught of the downpour. Eventually, Xuan Wen maneuvered an electric scooter from its hiding spot behind a tree located at a crossroad. Gesturing to the rear seat, she encouraged Gao Ming, ¡°Come on, quickly!¡± Mounting the scooter, Gao Ming eximed, ¡°I never imagined you¡¯d escort me home in this manner.¡± Holding onto the scooter¡¯s backrest firmly, he asked curiously, ¡°Do people of the shadow world also use electric scooters for transportation?¡± Xuan Wen, spitting out the rain that had filled her mouth, exined while fixing her gaze on Gao Ming, ¡°The main roads are inessible;rger vehicles can¡¯t make it through.¡± She then instructed, ¡°Hand over the raincoat and tuck yourself into the back.¡± ¡°Alright, as you wish,¡± Gao Mingplied. After they exchanged raincoats, Gao Ming childishly lifted the back of his raincoat over his head for extra cover. ¡°You¡¯re getting soaked at the back,¡± Xuan Wen observed. ¡°I¡¯m painfully aware of it!¡± Gao Ming retorted. As they navigated, the scooter bumped and jerked along the shadow-enshrouded outskirts and into a city devoid of light. The city appeared lifeless and deserted as if they were the sole survivors in a post-apocalyptic world. Reaching Li Jing Apartment around midnight, Xuan Wen dropped off Gao Ming, looking utterly exhausted as though the journey had sapped half her life force. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe upstairs? I can lend you some clean clothes,¡± Gao Ming suggested, grasping Xuan Wen¡¯s arm. ¡°My ce is empty at the moment, but my parents might returnter with a surplus of cake, more than I can handle alone.¡± ¡°Is this your first time inviting a member of the opposite sex over? What a feeble attempt at an invitation,¡± Xuan Wen quipped, shrugging off Gao Ming¡¯s hand. She then redonned her muddy raincoat and climbed back onto the scooter. As Xuan Wen prepared to depart, Gao Ming called out hastily, ¡°Xuan Wen!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she inquired. ¡°Don¡¯t proceed with your n to eliminate the other eight female characters in the game,¡± Gao Ming implored. Xuan Wen turned slowly, her usually hidden intentions now exposed, ¡°I¡¯m just heading home.¡± Gao Ming, grasping the rear of the scooter, looked intently into Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes and warned, ¡°Those actions will inflict scars on you that won¡¯t ever heal. They¡¯ll haunt you for the rest of your life, and eventually, they will be the cause of your demise!¡± Seeing Gao Ming¡¯s reluctance to let go, Xuan Wen¡¯s expression shifted, and she asked, ¡°Why does it matter to you?¡± Standing resolutely in the torrential rain, Gao Ming spoke with sincerity, ¡°If it¡¯s within my power, I care about you.¡± Silent for a moment, Xuan Wen then elerated away into the night, mud sttering in her wake. Gao Ming tried to pursue but soon realized his physical weakness prevented him from keeping pace. ¡°I hope you, too, can alter your destiny; you¡¯re the heroine of your own story,¡± he murmured to himself. With these final words, Gao Ming turned back towards the Li Jing Apartmentplex, aware he still had an important task to attend to. Bursting into his home, he bypassed the usual routine of changing clothes and instead beelined straight for the medicine box hidden beneath a cab, hastily concocting some medication. Not long afterward, the doorbell echoed through the house, prompting Gao Ming to rush to greet his visitors. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± rang out the cheerful voices. As Gao Ming weed his parents into the living room, the space was enveloped in a cozy ambiance, entuated by the pale-yellow tablecloth under the warm lighting. His father, d in a sharp suit, stood tall and distinguished, while his mother, donning a white blouse paired with jeans, exuded a gentle yet capable demeanor. ¡°Wee home,¡± Gao Ming greeted them, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t feel any fear or apprehension. Memories of being trapped by a ghost and the sheer hopelessness that apanied it surfaced in his mind. It was these very parents, albeit creations of the shadow world and not his real parents, who had rescued him. Strangely, they seemed to embody fragments of his actual parents¡¯ essence. He pondered, ¡°If this weren¡¯t just a game, but a real experience¡­ If my existence has been a source of pain and despair for my parents¡­ then perhaps¡­¡± Amidst these thoughts, Gao Ming changed into fresh clothes, all while soaking in the fleeting happiness of his parents¡¯ chatter, much like the ephemeral nature of soap bubbles, delicate and dreamlike, bursting upon mere contact. He yearned to ask them questions, but they resembled mechanical dolls, programmed for specific actions and responses. The evening progressed with mundane activities: washing hands, changing clothes, preparing dishes, unveiling the cake, and lighting candles. But then, as if on cue, the lights in the house abruptly shut off, casting everything into darkness. In this eerie gloom, his parents¡¯ faces began to warp grotesquely. The candlelight flickered, illuminating their increasingly distorted features. Gao Ming didn¡¯t extinguish the candle. Instead, he faced his slowly advancing parents and inquired earnestly, ¡°Are you truly my mom and dad? Even if there¡¯s a sliver of their emotions in you, I apologize for my past actions. I¡¯m willing to ept you as family and stay here. All I ask is for you to tell me the truth.¡± Their once-gentle faces now twisted into something monstrous, their understanding seemingly incapable of processing Gao Ming¡¯s question. Their smiles grew unnerving and sinister, hinting at impending violence if Gao Ming failed to adhere to the script of making a wish and blowing out the candle. ¡°Did the shadow world¡¯s monsters transform into my parents, or did my parents be monsters at the hands of the shadow world?¡± Gao Ming pondered, sensing the looming threat. His heartbeat escted, reminiscent of a torture chamber filled with instruments of agony and demise. Blood-soaked memories beckoned him as the doors of this metaphorical chamber creaked open. Behind him materialized a massive, ghostly entity with eight arms and four faces, terrifying yet distinct in its resemnce to the Flesh Immortal¡¯s statue. Receiving no response, Gao Ming sighed, ¡°I wish for everyone¡¯s safety and happiness.¡± As if by magic, the lights flickered back on, revealing his parents sitting at the dining table, calm and normal as if the nightmarish episode had been nothing but a figment of imagination. As Gao Ming gazed at the solitary candle flickering atop the cake, his parents nonchntly remarked, ¡°Wishes won¡¯te true if you say them out loud. Just think them in your heart next time.¡± At the same time, they began to partake in their meal. Rising slowly from his seat, Gao Ming¡¯s mind was elsewhere. He was acutely aware that in just a few hours, Brother Zhao Xi would sumb to despair and choose suicide. Time was of the essence for Gao Ming to escape the shadow world and return to the reality he knew before this impending tragedy unfolded. ¡°I know you both care for me deeply, but I¡¯m pressed for time right now,¡± Gao Ming spoke to his parents, his voice tinged with a mix of urgency and sadness. Amidst this tense atmosphere, a subtle scent of meat permeated the air, and the lights in the house began to flicker uncertainly. Gao Ming understood that the power his parents wielded in this realm was limited, yet they seemed indomitable in their eerie persistence. Resolutely, Gao Ming restrained these strange, altered versions of his parents, confining them to the bedroom. He then methodically repeated this process upon opening the living room door. With each iteration, the number of candles adorning the cake incrementally increased. The game of fostering familial bonds, which previously took three days toplete, was now aplished in a mere three hours. Finally, the sound-activated light in the stairwell flickered to life, banishing the encroaching shadows and causing his parents to vanish, leaving behind only a memorial photo on the bedroom floor. Gao Ming studied the familiar photo, feeling a surreal detachment. He read the inscription on the back once again, ¡°To my dear child: You are an adult at eighteen. From today, you are the new head of the family, and you will have the key to open our home.¡± ¡°Our home exists in a realm between reality and non-reality¡­ as the head of the family¡­¡± The message on the photo slightly echoed the words of the stranger he encountered in the tunnel, yet the underlying meanings diverged significantly. The tunnel stranger seemed to imply that Gao Ming¡¯s life was a product of fate, urging him to be a guardian of the city, leading the living to avert the rise of uncontroble horrors. However, the inscription on the photo simply informed Gao Ming of the location of his familial home, emphasizing his new role as the family¡¯s leader and his newfound autonomy. Weighing the two messages, Gao Ming found himself more inclined to trust the words inscribed on the photo. As the clock chimed in the background, Gao Ming slid the photo into his backpack, his resolve firming. ¡°One step at a time. First, save those who need to be saved, then go after those who deserve retribution!¡± The name Situ An shed ominously in his mind, and a surge of determination filled his eyes, now tinged with bloodshot lines. ¡°The most dangerous individual must be confronted first.¡± Donning his raincoat, Gao Ming hastily gathered the sedatives and other medications before descending the stairs with purpose. He plunged into the relentless downpour, intent on reaching Building 2 to find Zhao Xi. However, his course abruptly halted when he spotted a familiar silhouette in the courtyard of the apartmentplex. The figure was stealthily maneuvering, positioning himself outside a first-floor balcony. Bathed in the pouring rain, Gao Ming watched intently as the individual peered through the heavily rusted security, fixated on the sleeping woman inside. Gao Ming¡¯s throat tightened as he observed the stalker¡¯s bodynguage ¡ª pupils dted, fingers quivering with a mix of anticipation and unease. His mind was swirling with wild, feverish excitement, his fingers clenching the edge of the security with an intensity that betrayed his inability to control his emotions. This wasn¡¯t his first time here; in fact, every time the night skies opened up and the rain poured down, he found himself irresistibly drawn to this very spot. His eyes were locked onto the cozy and neatly arranged interior of the room, a stark contrast to the dark, chaotic desires swirling within him. An overwhelming urge to shatter this serene tableau consumed him, the anticipation of the destruction feeding his growing eagerness. With deliberate, almost ritualistic movements, he opened his toolkit and carefully extracted the tools of his sinister intent. The pounding rain outside provided a natural cover, muffling the sounds of his preparations. His gaze never wavered from the woman inside the room, his smile twisting into a grotesque representation of joy, increasingly malevolent and unsettling. ¡°Sleep well, have a good sleep. This should be yourst warm night,¡± he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible above the rain. ¡°Qi Yan?¡± The sudden sound of his name, spoken so close it was as if the speaker was whispering directly into his ear, jolted him. The unexpected intrusion into his private, dark reverie caught him off guard, the unfamiliarity of the voice sending a shock through his already heightened senses. Chapter 67: My Goodness Chapter 67: My Goodness In a sudden turn of events, Qi Yan ¨C the Rainy Night Murderer ¨C found himself face-to-face with Gao Ming, whose eyes were red and filled with an intense fury. ¡°A fellowpatriot¡­?¡± Qi Yan barely had time to utter these words in disbelief. Before Qi Yan could fully grasp the situation, Gao Ming, fueled by anger, relentlessly struck him with a brick. The first, second, and third blowsnded with frightening precision. Qi Yan, his vision partially obscured by the hood of his raincoat, was caughtpletely off guard. He hadn¡¯t anticipated an ambush, especially not one so violent and sudden. He crashed to the ground in shock and confusion. As he tried to gather his senses and fight back, Gao Ming forced a handful of pills into Qi Yan¡¯s mouth. The world around Qi Yan started spinning. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was the effect of the pills or a concussion. ¡°You¡­¡± he managed to utter, his mind in a whirl. ¡°Old habits die hard!¡± Gao Ming was about to strike again, but he paused, suddenly realizing a critical detail. He wasn¡¯t sure if Qi Yan was guilty of murder at this point in time yet. identally killing Qi Yan now could unravel aplex web of consequences. Gao Ming quickly dialed the police, and while waiting for them, he took a video of the subdued Qi Yan. He then woke the woman who lived alone in the unit. She was horrified to discover two men outside her window. Too frightened to open the door to Gao Ming, she instead offered a rope through her security. With expertise, Gao Ming tied Qi Yan up, amazed at how his knot-tying skills mirrored those he had used before. Gao Ming reflected on his actions, ¡°Because I left the shadow world early andpleted that game which deepened family bonds, I inadvertently saved several potential victims of the Rainy Night Murderer. Every restart brings a new world, where everything changes except me.¡± He believed in the power of choice and the importance of living fully: ¡°If the future can be chosen, live boldly; otherwise, it¡¯s a disservice to the ashes of the past.¡± Undeterred by the risk of falling from grace, Gao Ming was confident in his ability to catch himself. He discarded the brick, tucked his gloves into his pocket, and headed towards Building No. 2, aiming for Zhao Xi¡¯s home. Arriving at Zhao Xi¡¯s door, Gao Ming didn¡¯t hesitate to knock loudly. ¡°Brother Zhao! It¡¯s Gao Ming from Building No. 4! I have something crucial to tell you!¡± ¡°Please open up! Brother Zhao! Zhao Xi!¡± He pounded on the door, knowing Zhao Xi was struggling with guilt and sorrow, isting himself from the world. ¡°Zhao Xi! Please open the door!¡± Gao Ming stepped back, readying himself for a forceful entry. ¡°Your presence matters, and many people rely on you! They¡¯re all waiting!¡± He charged forward, ready to kick down the security door; however, it was then that the gate swung open, causing him to nearly collide with the dining table inside. ¡°Gao Ming?¡± Zhao Xi said with a wry voice. The man looked terribly gaunt, dressed in thin clothes, with deep dark circles under his eyes and chapped lips. It was evident the man hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. Gao Ming stood up, brushing off his knees, feeling a mix of relief and concern as droplets of water from his raincoat fell to the floor. He then moved quickly to the balcony, closing the window that had been left open. Upon realizing that Zhao Xi was still among the living, Gao Ming let out a deep breath of relief, and his gaze wandered around the living room. There, he saw Zhao Xi, a stark contrast to the image of a lifeless body he had in his mind. In Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts, the living Zhao Xi and the imagined corpse began to merge into one haunting image. Gao Ming knew the crucial role Zhao Xi had yed in his past struggles, especially in defeating Bai Xiao who had consumed the meat. He recognized that every sess he had achieved was rooted in the support and sacrifices of others like Zhao Xi. ¡°I should have reached out to you sooner.¡± With these words, Gao Ming crossed the room in swift strides and embraced Zhao Xi tightly, filled with emotion. ¡°But it¡¯s not toote to start now!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­ What are you trying to do?¡± Zhao Xi, taken aback and filled with panic, let the paper he was holding fall to the ground. Releasing Zhao Xi, Gao Ming bent down to pick up the fallen paper. It turned out to be Zhao Xi¡¯s will, a document outlining his intentions to leave his modest possessions to his elderly foster mother. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s reaction was swift and protective, like a child guarding a secret as he snatched the will back. ¡°Brother Zhao Xi, I understand it¡¯s difficult to change your mindset right now. You¡¯ve been haunted by certain thoughts, but it¡¯s not your fault. Think of it as a minor illness of the mind.¡± Gao Ming, trained as a psychological counselor, typically wouldn¡¯t push his patients too hard. ¡°You¡¯ve been preparing for death, burdened by endless nights of torment. I¡¯m not here to persuade you to change your mind but rather to ask you to give some time to me, the people who care about you, and yourself.¡± Gao Ming then picked up another piece of paper from the table. ¡°Since you¡¯re contemting facing death, why don¡¯t we do some meaningful things together before that? Like eating your favorite food, visiting a ce you love, or experiencing gratitude and other stuff.¡± As he spoke, Gao Ming began doodling on the paper, listing various activities one might wish to experience before passing away. However, Zhao Xi seemed disinterested. ¡°I appreciate your efforts to help, but I don¡¯t have the energy for anything right now. I¡¯m just so tired.¡± With a limp, Zhao Xi moved towards the door. ¡°You should leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve dedicated everything to this family without recognition. What you need now is to break free and start living for yourself.¡± Gao Ming spoke with conviction. ¡°You¡¯ve been a support to this family for thirty years, following ten years of care from your foster mother. You owe nothing more to your family members, only to yourself. Life is precious and singr; you should pursue meaningful experiences.¡± ¡°I never had the opportunity for education, and though I¡¯m physically strong, my leg injury limits me. I can¡¯t keep up with what you younger people are doing. I wish I could do something significant, but I don¡¯t feel capable.¡± Zhao Xi tucked his will into his pocket, a mix of resignation and bitterness in his voice. ¡°You can¡¯t truly understand my struggles because you¡¯re not in my shoes.¡± As Gao Ming faced Zhao Xi, he posed a thought-provoking question, ¡°What if I told you that I can see the future, and one day, you¡¯ll emerge as a hero, saving many people, including me? Would you believe that?¡± As he spoke, Gao Ming touched his chest, where blood veins seemed to be visibly pulsating, connecting his eyes to his heart in an eerie disy. ¡°A hero, me?¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s face twisted into a smile tinged with disbelief and bitterness. ¡°You must be joking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. The world has shifted; an unexpected event has urred. Everyone has the potential to be extraordinary.¡± Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t normally seek to provoke his patients with such words, but that doesn¡¯t mean never. He revealed a startling fact: within his chest, he beat the heart of an alien creature, transforming his atrium into a cell that existed in a realm separate from the real world and the shadow world. As he spoke, the surreal scene unfolded further. Eight ethereal arms emerged from Gao Ming¡¯s back, crashing to the ground with force as blood spread around him. A face, symbolic of life, death, and desire, stared intently at Zhao Xi. From behind Gao Ming, a massive, blood-flesh ghost manifested, its face etched with haunting, ghostly expressions. Time seemed to stand still. Zhao Xi, witnessing this ghastly figure so close, fell to the ground, his body copsing under the weight of shock and fear. His mind was swept clean of all thoughts, leaving a void filled only with terror. ¡°HOLY SHIT!!!¡± Gao Ming, holding the hand of this blood-flesh ghost, felt a sense of confusion and realization. He saw the echoes of many lives within this ghostly figure. He recalled that Situ An had dedicated twenty years to ritual sacrifices, annihting numerous agents from the Investigation Bureau, all to trigger this legend prematurely, causing it to emerge at an unforeseen time. Under normal circumstances, Gao Ming would never have acquired the Flesh Immortal. He had witnessed the memories of other deceased individuals entering the Sishui Apartment multiple times, but he had never fully grasped the Heart of Mortality nor understood the oues of those alternate futures. ¡°All the energy from the umted flesh has merged at this moment,pletely shaping the reality. The Flesh Immortal has been reborn within my heart, turning my atrium into an independent cell, disconnected from both the real and shadow world.¡± Gao Ming pondered a troubling question, ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, what happens to those who were sacrificed, trapped within my heart? Are they erased from the timeline forever? Do they only continue to exist within me?¡± The ghostly deity before him, embodying immense strength and featuring Yan Hua¡¯s characteristics, presented an enigmatic aspect. The faces representing death, desire, and sin were indistinct, but the face symbolizing life was strikingly simr to Gong Xi. Gao Ming spected this might be connected to Gong Xi¡¯s grandmother, thest victim of the blood rituals and the only living participant. Her deep obsessions seemed to have been inherited by the ghostly deity. ¡°There are numerous spirits and victims within the Sishui Apartment, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to verify this,¡± Gao Ming thought. He took out his phone and began making a series of investigative calls. First, he reached out to the Charity Association to ask about Gong Xi and his grandmother, but they had no information on them. Then, Gao Ming called an underground club in the Eastern District to ce a bet on fighter 17, only to be informed that there was no such fighter. After ending the phone call, Gao Ming turned his attention back to the blood-flesh ghost. Theck of information about Gong Xi and his grandmother seemed to affirm Gao Ming¡¯s suspicions. He was now more convinced than ever about the eerie and profound connection between the ghostly figure and the events he was entangled in. After a long time, he sat in front of the ghostly deity: ¡°No matter what, we must continue moving forward. From now on, you and I will share life and death.¡± As he made this deration, the face on the ghostly figure that resembled Gong Xi drew nearer to Gao Ming. There was something deeply poignant and significant about its presence. The mouth, stitched shut, seemed as if it was straining tomunicate something vital to Gao Ming. It appeared that Gong Xi¡¯s will, safeguarded by the intense obsession of his grandmother, had somehow been preserved within this ghostly form. Chapter 68: Your Dark Night Returns Chapter 68: Your Dark Night Returns Whenever Gao Ming was confronted with the horrifying sight of the ghostly diety, his desire to eliminate Situ An grew stronger. Despite his currentck of strength to challenge the Eastern District Investigation Bureau, he sensed that the tide was about to turn in his favor. Determined, Gao Ming had devised his own strategy for this cycle. His ambition stretched far beyond just toppling the Investigation Bureau; he aimed to upend the entire established order of Hanhai City. ¡°I once seriously considered joining the Investigation Bureau, but that method clearly doesn¡¯t work based on the amount of corpses wearing the uniforms. In that case, I need to forge my own path.¡± After pocketing his phone, Gao Ming helped Zhao Xi to his feet. With a hint of curiosity, he asked, ¡°Brother Zhao Xi, have you ever experienced the thrill of horror games?¡± Still reeling from the terror, the limping man could only gesture towards the ghostly diety behind Gao Ming, too shaken to articte his fear. ¡°Rx,¡± Gao Ming reassured him with a confident tone, characteristic of his medical expertise. ¡°As a qualified and licensed doctor, I assure you, you¡¯ll bepletely healed.¡± He gently coaxed Zhao Xi closer to the ghostly diety, helping him adjust to the unnerving environment. ¡°Does it feel less frightening now by getting a closer look?¡± Shivering, Zhao Xi managed a nod, his fear making him feel as if he was on the verge of being consumed by the ghastly apparition. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Gao Ming remarked, subtly recing Zhao Xi¡¯s personal will with a list of tasks toplete, and discreetly slipped it back into Zhao Xi¡¯s pocket. ¡°Brother Zhao Xi, tonight marks the beginning of our rebirth.¡± As the ghostly diety returned into Gao Ming¡¯s form, the room seemed to return to normal, yet the living room lights ominously remained off. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll introduce you to the shadow world, where you¡¯ll witness the real truth,¡± Gao Ming dered. Gao Ming was well aware of Zhao Xi¡¯s undervalued strengths ¨C innate gratitude, kindness, and deep-seated stubbornness ¨C even if they were overlooked by everyone in this apartment. Zhao Xi was still undecided about resisting when Gao Ming draped a raincoat over him and led him out, his mind in a daze. Despite the shock of the events, Zhao Xi found himself following Gao Ming downstairs without opposition. Fearful yet trusting, he sensed that Gao Ming meant him no harm. As they reached the ground floor, Zhao Xi, regaining someposure, inquired with a parched voice, ¡°Where are we headed?¡± ¡°To Minlong Street, unit four,¡± Gao Ming replied, stepping past the limp body of Qi Yan as they left the building. The sight of Qi Yan¡¯s blood-stained head made Zhao Xi wonder if they were in the midst of an apocalypse. The journey to Minlong Street from Li Jing Apartments was short. They traversed old, familiar streets and stopped at a convenience store. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten properly in days. Get some hot food into you,¡± Gao Ming suggested, kindly buying meals for both of them. He also selected gifts for the child residing at apartment four of Minlong Street, a child whose discarded snacks he had once found in a wardrobe and who was central to the fear syndrome. Zhao Xi, who had lost his appetite for several days, felt a slight improvement after Gao Ming¡¯s encouragement. For the first time in a long while, he could actually savor the taste of his meal. After enjoying a hearty meal and selecting some snacks and gifts, Gao Ming and Zhao Xi resumed their journey. As they approached Minlong Street, the storm intensified, casting the whole street into an eerie darkness devoid of any lights. Feeling the ominous atmosphere, Zhao Xi suggested to Gao Ming, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we arm ourselves with some makeshift weapons before we proceed?¡± His voice trembled slightly as he had not seen another living person on their way. ¡°You know about zombies, right? I¡¯ve seen movies about viral outbreaks turning people into those monsters. It¡¯s really scary.¡± Trying to ease hispanion¡¯s fears, Gao Ming reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t frighten yourself. We¡¯re just here to settle a family dispute.¡± He relied on his memory to navigate towards their destination, apartment four on the street. Upon entering the courtyard, they witnessed a man and woman, suitcases in hand, hurriedly exiting a building. Their faces were ghostly pale as if they had encountered something horrifying. Zhao Xi observed them,menting, ¡°Atst, some living souls. But they look off, almost like they¡¯vemitted a crime and are now fleeing the scene.¡± Gao Ming nced back at Zhao Xi¡¯s remark, appreciating his observation: ¡°Brother Zhao Xi, you have quite the eye for detail.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just teasing me,¡± Zhao Xi replied modestly, stepping aside to make space. They didn¡¯t interact with the fleeing couple and proceeded into the building. Inside, the old structure seemed to sway with the storm, casting ominous shadows all around. As they ascended to the third floor, Gao Ming heard the sound of objects being violently smashed from above. An argument was happening on the fourth floor. He slowed his pace, his attention drawn to the noise of an angry man shing with the shrill scolding of a woman. Their heated exchange seemed to thicken the shadows enveloping the building. When they reached room 405, they found the door ajar, revealing a living room in chaos ¨C broken dishes, an upturned sofa, and amid this disorder, a man and woman engaged in a physical altercation. The visibly weaker woman desperately picked up a fruit knife from the floor. Zhao Xi instinctively wanted to step in, but he halted in shock upon recognizing the faces of the man and woman. They were identical to the couple they had just seen escaping! ¡°Are we seeing ghosts?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head again! Brother Zhao, you really have a knack for this,¡± Gao Ming eximed pleasantly. The man in the room halted his attack, realizing the woman might use the knife against him. Frustrated and unable to release his anger, he kicked a table and pounded the TV, but this did little to soothe his rage. He stormed into the innermost bedroom, bursting through the door, and med their troubles on their child: ¡°It¡¯s all because of this cursed kid!¡± In the small bedroom, they saw a pale little boy, seemingly deprived of sunlight for a long period of time. The child was scared as his father entered, but he didn¡¯t cry or make a sound. Instead, he retreated into a makeshift ¡°fortress¡± built from nkets, clutching a toy sword. The nkets were adorned with drawings of figures holding paper spears. Chanting to himself for courage, the boy dered, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you, I¡¯m not afraid of you, I¡¯m not scared of you!¡± As the drawn figures wielding paper spears on the nket seemed to strike the man, he screamed in pain as if the images hade to life and were actually harming him. Both Zhao Xi and Gao Ming were taken aback by this surreal urrence. Gao Ming, in particr, had been intrigued by the mystery of how the young boy had managed to confront his fears. In a fit of uncontroble anger, the man yelled, ¡°You and your mother both deserve to die!¡± He then aggressively grabbed the child by his clothes and hurled him across the room, causing him tond amidst the shattered ceramic pieces scattered on the living room floor. Despite the harsh fall, the child, still gripping his toy sword, did not shed a tear, continuing to mutter defiantly, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you, I¡¯m not afraid of you¡­¡± Observing the child¡¯s resilience, Gao Ming remarked, ¡°This kid is pretty extraordinary.¡± He stepped forward to intervene, protecting the child: ¡°I never imagined that the first person to ovee Fear in real life would be a child this young.¡± Gao Ming gently patted the boy¡¯s head, then removed his raincoat and tossed it aside, preparing to act. It was then that he noticed the boy¡¯s enraged parents had inexplicably shrunk in size. ¡°It¡¯s bing clear now. The terrifying entities manifest only when the child is scared. The greater his fear, the more powerful and tangible the monsters be as they spawn from the shadows,¡± Gao Ming realized. He understood why the child¡¯s parents had earlier fled in panic. Their actions must have reignited the boy¡¯s fears, turning the figments of his imagination into a frightening reality within the shadow world. Gently cing the child¡¯s favorite snacks and toys nearby, Gao Ming and Zhao Xi worked to calm the boy, helping to alleviate his fear and tension. As the boy¡¯s fear subsided, the menacing forms of his parents gradually transformed back into shadows and eventually dissipated, leaving behind a crude, handmade rag doll on the floor. The doll, patched and stained with various colors, was a far cry from a typical child¡¯s toy. ¡°Is this the origin of Fear?¡± Gao Ming wondered aloud as he reached for the rag doll. However, the boy quickly grabbed the doll, clutching it tightly to his chest as he retreated into a corner, wary and distrustful of Gao Ming, much like a frightened, stray kitten. Feeling a personal connection due to his own orphaned origin, Zhao Xi limped over and sat beside the boy. He began to fold a piece of scrap paper into a paper frog, saying, ¡°Press its back, and it will hop forward.¡± This gesture indicated that the boy¡¯s fear had not been entirely vanquished as the ominous shadows lingered, signifying the ongoing struggle within the boy¡¯s mind. Gao Ming, observing the interaction between Zhao Xi and the boy, felt it was crucial to introduce a sense of familial warmth into the child¡¯s life. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the photos in your room. It seems like your dad and mom have never celebrated your birthday,¡± Gao Ming noted, squatting in front of the boy with a gentle tone. ¡°Little guy, how would you like to have a birthday cake?¡± he offered, hoping to forge a new, positive memory for the child. Chapter 69: The Talented Team at Nightlight Studio Chapter 69: The Talented Team at Nightlight Studio Gao Ming was resolute in his quest to gain mastery over the source of Fear Phobia because he understood the early stages of this highly contagious disease and was adamant about keeping its control within his grasp. His n was clear: once he harnessed the power of this Fear Phobia, even the strategy of overwhelming him with sheer numbers of people would be futile. In crowded environments, the likelihood of panic and the spread of frightening urban myths would only increase, ying right into his hands. Meanwhile, a young boy in his presence remained oblivious to Gao Ming¡¯s machinations. The child, preupied with his own thoughts, absently licked his lips, seemingly reminiscing about the taste of a sweet cake he had seen on TV before. Observing the boy¡¯s innocent gesture, Gao Ming pulled out his smartphone and a striking ck-and-white photograph. He proceeded to dial his home number. Zhao Xi, witnessing this, was puzzled and slightly disturbed. ¡°Why would you look at an obituary photo while ordering takeout?¡± he asked, hastily covering the young boy¡¯s eyes to shield him from the unsettling image. ¡°That photo gives off a rather eerie vibe.¡± Before Zhao Xi could finish his thought, a knock on the living room door interrupted him. To the man¡¯s surprise, Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom appeared, carrying a cake with them. As Gao Ming switched on the lights, the room brightened, casting away some of the lurking shadows. He began tidying up the space, setting up the table and straightening the sofa. ¡°Brother Zhao Xi, lend a hand, will you? We might find ourselves using this ce more frequently.¡± Initially, Zhao Xi was taken aback by the supernatural appearance of the so-called Flesh Immortal. He had anticipated that their mission to save the world would involve epic battles and bloodshed, but it turned out to be more about mundane tasks like cleaning. Despite their ethereal nature, Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom were warm and weing. To anyone observing, they would appear just as ordinary as any other human beings. In their presence, the atmosphere was filled with kindness and generosity, typical of how parents behave around others. The sofa was adorned with snacks and toys, and music emanated from a mobile phone. Outside, the rain poured heavily, but inside, the ambiance was cozy and inviting. The room was decorated, and a group of strangers from this shadowy realm came together to celebrate the little boy¡¯s birthday. While unaware of the true nature of Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom, Zhao Xi engaged in a somewhat awkward conversation with them. Meanwhile, the little boy served dishes that Gao Ming had prepared in the kitchen, moving about with a mix of fatigue and joy. Afterpleting the meal preparations, Gao Ming gazed thoughtfully into the night. ¡°The Lishan district in the shadow world, with itsbyrinthine streets and dense poption, is rife with urban legends. It¡¯s an ideal stronghold for someone like me,¡± he mused. In his eyes, the old city¡¯splexyout and populous nature made it the prime location for his needs. Gao Ming contemted a future where, if his actions put him at odds with the Investigation Bureau and left him with no refuge in the real world, the Lishan area in the shadow realm would serve as the perfect hideout. The obituary photo was his key, and he himself the gateway. In this hidden world, he was untouchable. With a habitual gesture, Gao Ming reached for a cigarette but then paused, recalling the many images of himself that adorned the tunnel walls. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he nonchntly discarded the cigarette and lighter into a trash can. Leaving the kitchen, the little boy finally allowed a smile to grace his face. He seemed well-behaved, almost as if he was worried that the gathering would soon disperse. The eerie presence of Fear Phobia had finally dissipated, only to be reced by a moreforting, yet still otherworldly, atmosphere created by the arrival of Ghost Mom and Ghost Dad. The room seemed to be enveloped in a new, gentler kind of shadow. Zhao Xi, who had never married and longed for a child,mented, ¡°Such a sensible child, yet his parents don¡¯t cherish him. It¡¯s really a pity.¡± Reflecting on the boy¡¯s premature maturity, Gao Ming added, ¡°No child actually wishes to be so sensible. Not being able to be naughty or whimsical in front of your parents is, in its own way, quite a painful experience.¡± Noticing the fear fading from the boy¡¯s eyes, he pped his hands enthusiastically, ¡°Let¡¯s eat cake.¡± As they opened the cake box, Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom gently ced a candle on top of it. Turning to the young boy, Gao Ming promised, ¡°I will make up for all the birthdays you¡¯ve missed.¡± The boy, not fully grasping Gao Ming¡¯s intentions, nheless seemed excited about the candle being lit. With the room lights dimmed, Gao Ming yfully covered the boy¡¯s eyes and together they made a wish. ¡°Let¡¯s start eating,¡± Gao Ming announced. The cake wasn¡¯trge, and the boy, ever considerate, hesitated to eat much, offering thergest pieces to Ghost Dad and Ghost Mom. ¡°It¡¯s okay, eat as much as you like. It¡¯s not often we have such a lively day.¡± As Gao Ming continued to call, the figures in the ominous ck-and-white photo began to diminish. Meanwhile, echoing footsteps and repeated knocking at the door could be heard. Brother Zhao Xi, witnessing the room filled with ¡®parents¡¯, dropped his cake fork in surprise, while the little boy clung tightly to his shabby stuffed toy, too frightened to utter a word. Clearing his throat, Gao Ming dered, ¡°From today onwards, we are a family. I may not fully understand what being a parent means right now, but I will do my best to make each one of you happy.¡± Through experimentation, Gao Ming discovered something intriguing: as long as he stayed close to the ghost parents, they behaved normally. However, if he tried to distance himself and they couldn¡¯t close the gap, they would dissolve into shadows and return to the ck-and-white photo. This knowledge allowed Gao Ming to navigate many challenges. After ensuring the little boy had a memorable birthday, Gao Ming grew closer to him and finally learned his name. His parents had called him An An, a name previously given to a pet dog they had. They were short-tempered and neglectful, resulting in a childhood filled with unease and fear for An An. An An, sensitive and delicate, often used drawings as an escape from his fears and pains. In his artworks, he portrayed himself as a fearless warrior. Eventually, he transferred these emotions to a handmade ragdoll. The chaotic paint on the doll represented multiple small figures merged together. Ironically, this symbol of bravery and hope became the genesis of Fear Phobia, an oue Gao Ming hadn¡¯t foreseen. ¡°It turns out that An An wasn¡¯t just a yer in the game; he was an integral part of it all along.¡± After they left the shadow world, the doll in An An¡¯s hands transformed into a ck-and-white obituary photo. Only then did Gao Ming finally see the hidden text behind the photo. A haunting message in the old photo lingered: ¡°When you feel scared, first rify whether you are afraid of me, or yourself.¡± Having acquired the obituary photo, Gao Ming felt a sense of responsibility towards An An. To provide the boy somefort and stability, he requested Zhao Xi to stay and keep An Anpany. Both Zhao Xi and An An carried deep emotional scars: Zhao Xi, devoid of a true sense of belonging, had no real family and had never been truly acknowledged; An An, living in a state of constant fear and unease, had been forsaken by his biological parents and longed for a secure and loving home. They were poised to heal each other, each serving as a balm for the other¡¯s troubled past. With the source of Fear Phobia now in his possession, Gao Ming could finally exhale in relief. His next steps took him on a different path from Zhao Xi as he hailed a taxi to Nightlight Studio alone. The game design ns were all stored at thepany, which was crucial to their situation. If someone like Situ An were to ess them, the repercussions could be catastrophic. Anyone who had even glimpsed these game designs might find themselves entangled in the ensuing chaos. The storm persisted outside, with dark clouds ominously lingering over the city. Gao Ming arrived at thepany before the break of dawn, finding the surroundings eerily quiet. It was still early, but as Gao Ming ascended the stairs to the studio, he sensed something was terribly wrong. The office door was ajar, and disturbingly, there were bloodstains on the floor. ¡°It seems a murderer is lurking inside Nightlight Studio,¡± Gao Ming thought, his steps bing more cautious. He paused at the doorway, peering inside the studio. The file cab, which held the game design ns, was open, its contents strewn about. In the dim, flickering light, Wei Dayou was frantically sifting through the game designs created by Gao Ming. ¡°It¡¯s identical! The escape game has turned into reality!¡± Wei Dayou eximed, his voice edged with panic and disbelief. Gao Ming adjusted his position to get a better view of the injured Wei Dayou, who stood among the scattered documents, his face etched with confusion and the brink of a mental breakdown. ¡°How can this be real?¡± Wei Dayou murmured, still in disbelief. He pulled out his phone, ¡°I still can¡¯t reach Gao Ming. Why did he know beforehand about the murderer and their methods? Is this a pre-nned murder? Could the masked executioner be him?¡± He was in turmoil, torn between suspicion and trust. ¡°No! I have to find out the truth! He¡¯s my best friend! I know him ¨C he¡¯s not capable of such things!¡± Wei Dayou repeated to himself, his conviction wavering. After repeating this mantra, Wei Dayou tried redialing Gao Ming¡¯s number. At that moment, a cat¡¯s meow echoed at the door. Richy, the chubby cat, having caught the scent of Gao Ming, approached and affectionately rubbed against his leg. Alerted by the sound, Wei Dayou, phone still in hand, turned his gaze towards the door, locking eyes with Gao Ming. Chapter 70: The Ghost Story Game Designer Chapter 70: The Ghost Story Game Designer ¡°Good morning.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s actions were far from typical. Confronted with a scene of blood and injury, his response was unorthodox. Rather than fleeing in terror as most would, he blocked the only exit that defiedmon sense. Wei Dayou, caught off guard by Gao Ming¡¯s sudden verbal interruption, was so startled that his phone escaped his grasp, ttering to the floor. Recognizing the figure before him, Wei Dayou instinctively retreated until his back hit the wall, unable to go any further. ¡°Gao Ming?¡± he uttered in disbelief. Gao Ming, twirling his own phone in his hand, addressed Wei Dayou with a smile that, under normal circumstances, would suggest a joyful reunion of old friends. However, in this context, it only served to send a shiver of fear down Wei Dayou¡¯s spine. usations tumbled out of Wei Dayou¡¯s mouth as he scrambled to retrieve his phone, keeping a wary distance from Gao Ming. ¡°Did you have anything to do with those murders? I saw everything!¡± Gao Ming halted, a look of disbelief crossing his face as he touched it as though to reassure himself. He appeared entirely normal, save for his inexplicably early presence in the studio. ¡°How could you think I¡¯d do such a thing?¡± he questioned. Wei Dayou was visibly shaken as he recounted a horrifying incident. ¡°Right after midnight on the Ghost Festival, a masked butcher stormed into my apartment. He forced everyone to answer ten ¡®death questions,¡¯ and those who failed met a grisly end!¡± ¡°And then what happened?¡± Gao Ming prodded gently. Wei Dayou¡¯s voice cracked with emotion, his face flushed with anger and fear, veins bulging in his neck. ¡°I was the only one to survive because I knew the answers. And eerily, the questions were identical to those in the death quizzes from your game!¡± Gao Ming approached Wei Dayou, his voice soft and earnest. ¡°We¡¯ve been close for years, discussing gameste into the night, sharing ideas. I¡¯ve always seen you as my closest friend, the one who truly gets me. If I tell you I¡¯m innocent, would you believe me?¡± Wei Dayou, after a moment of intense scrutiny, seemed to dete, his clenched fists uncurling as he nodded in affirmation. Relieved, Gao Ming showed Wei Dayou a video on his phone depicting a family scene where he was enjoying cake with his parents at the time of the murders. With the tension dissipating, Wei Dayou slumped into a chair, his mind racing. ¡°But how did our game turn into reality? We were the only ones privy to its contents.¡± Gao Ming, seated across from him, his expression grave, began to unravel aplex story. ¡°I need to share something with you, but you must promise to keep it a secret.¡± Over the next half hour, Gao Mingid bare the intricate web of ideas and truths behind their game. ¡°There¡¯s a strange phenomenon about to engulf our city, and I need your assistance,¡± Gao Ming dered, pulling out a map of Hanhai and pointing to the Eastern District. ¡°In two days, you¡¯ll be reced as the game nner. I need you to join the Eastern District Investigation Bureau and infiltrate the Queen¡¯s Bureau Branch.¡± ¡°Absolutely, what¡¯s the point in going to the office if the world¡¯s about to end? Our boss, Old Baldy, even wants us to pivot to making romance games of all things. If someone¡¯s into that, they can go ahead, but it¡¯s not for me.¡± Wei Dayou expressed his clear dissatisfaction with the direction hispany was taking. He then voiced a concern: ¡°But, honestly, do you think I have what it takes to get into the Investigation Bureau?¡± Gao Ming responded with a strategic suggestion. ¡°Just mention that you¡¯re a survivor of a strange event. Talk about how the deaths of your neighbors deeply impacted you and ignited a burning desire to protect the city, even if it means risking your own life.¡± He gestured dismissively as if to suggest it was a simple matter. ¡°Frame your story something like that.¡± Wei Dayou, still processing the n, asked, ¡°And once I¡¯m inside the bureau, what¡¯s my next move?¡± Gao Ming, his finger tracing paths on the map, shared his n. ¡°Keep an eye on Situ An. He¡¯s due to assume office soon. I need you to monitor him closely and report his activities to me.¡± He then borated on Situ An¡¯s dubious background: ¡°There have been numerous problems with buildings donated and constructed by Situ An over the years, including a series of murders and terror incidents.¡± Wei Dayou, sensing the gravity of the situation, remarked, ¡°This Situ An sounds like a major figure.¡± He felt like he had heard the name before but couldn¡¯t quite ce it. ¡°Situ An is the iing chief of the Hanhai Eastern District Investigation Bureau, the mastermind behind the massacre case, and, as it happens, a major client of mine.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s finger paused on the Sishui Apartment on the map. ¡°I have ns to design a ghost story game tailored for him, one that he¡¯ll find irresistibly engrossing.¡± Observing Gao Ming, Wei Dayou sensed a profound change in his friend. There was a new intensity in Gao Ming¡¯s demeanor, a departure from the person he once knew. ¡°A trulypelling horror game,¡± Gao Ming exined, ¡°should stimte the yer¡¯s imagination, create a sense of darkness and oppression, limit their capabilities, and immerse them in constant anxiety and fear. It should offer a sliver of hope, yet be unpredictable, especially regarding the ghost element.¡± Gao Ming, now possessing a level of cunning and influence that rivalled Situ An¡¯s, was devising an intricate trap using asymmetric information. ¡°Dayou, I need you to stay here and erase all the game data. Leave no trace behind. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll prepare a few surprises for our dear client.¡± With the deletion of all Nightlight Studio¡¯s games, Gao Ming severed hisst ties to his past. He was now fullymitted to navigating the perilous terrain of the city¡¯s horror games, determined to settle old scores. ¡°The memories of my deaths haunt me constantly. Every recollection brings unbearable pain. The faces of those who betrayed me, who reveled in my downfall, they torment me like relentless nightmares. How can I escape these persistent shadows?¡± As he picked up the cat, Richy, Gao Ming mused, ¡°Why not embrace my destiny as a creator of true ghost story games? I can use the timeline and all the abnormal events to make them endure the agony I once suffered.¡± Despite his heart being a mosaic of deathly experiences, Gao Ming harbored no intent to harm the innocent. His focus was solely on those who had directly or indirectly contributed to his demise. He felt justified in his quest for vengeance, as his targets had once shown no hesitation in trying to end his life. Richy, the cat, simply meowed in response, indifferent to Gao Ming¡¯s ns. All it knew was that Gao Ming always brought treats during his visits, and this time was likely no different. As Gao Ming set Richy down and made his way to leave, the cat quickly trailed after him, yfully biting at his trouser leg and waving its paws. It seemed as though Richy was trying to remind Gao Ming of something he might have overlooked. ¡°You followed mest time too,¡± Gao Ming said with a hint of helplessness, noticing Richy¡¯s persistent clinginess. ¡°Are you getting anxious even before Xuan Wen arrives?¡± Richy responded with a simple ¡°Meow,¡± positioning itself in front of Gao Ming and rolling over to expose its belly in a gesture of trust and affection. After realizing Richy¡¯s reluctance to stay back at Nightlight Studio, Gao Ming searched the office for a cat carrier. After finding one, he gently ced Richy inside. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re joining me on this journey. From now on, you¡¯re my right-hand cat,¡± he dered. Now inside the carrier, Richy looked around with wide, curious eyes, not entirely grasping the sudden change. Meanwhile, Gao Ming draped his raincoat over the carrier for cover as Wei Dayou continued diligently deleting game data from their systems. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re in for an adventure, Richy. You and I might be an odd pair, but that¡¯s alright,¡± Gao Ming mused, a slight smile on his face. Richy gave a soft, questioning ¡°Meow?¡± as Gao Ming left thepany, heading straight for the Eastern District. Gao Ming¡¯s journey had transformed him. Once a gentle soul, he now carried the weight of his experiences, navigating a path that was far from gentle. He calcted his timing meticulously and arrived at St. Louis College before it opened, positioning himself at a nearby intersection. ¡°I came early, hoping to make things a little easier for Wan Qiu. Maybe this time, he¡¯ll wake up to a world that¡¯s not so harsh,¡± Gao Ming thought, reflecting on his intention to help reduce the boy¡¯s suffering from bullying. As students began to enter the school grounds, Gao Ming scanned the crowd but couldn¡¯t spot Wan Qiu. By nine o¡¯clock, he hurried to Wan Qiu¡¯s former ssroom, posing as a concerned parent to inquire with the school staff. He learned that Wan Qiu had rejected assistance from the Hanhai Charity Association and had disappeared on his way to school. This news left Gao Ming in disbelief. Wan Qiu, who was destined to be one of the most dangerous criminals in Hanhai¡¯s future, seemed to have experienced a slight shift in his fate. It wasn¡¯t Gao Ming¡¯s intervention that altered Wan Qiu¡¯s path; rather, the boy had taken steps to change his own destiny. Gao Ming recalled the day at the Sishui Apartment, where Wan Qiu had made a surprising decision. Instead of leaving with Gao Ming, Wan Qiu chose to remain in the shadowy world to care for the two daughters of the ghost mother. His choices were always unpredictable. Determined to find out where Wan Qiu had gone, Gao Ming essed street surveince footage and tracked the boy¡¯s movements, which led him close to the Sishui Apartment. ¡°Could it be that Wan Qiu hasn¡¯t forgotten what happened here?¡± he pondered. Chapter 71: Dont Blame Me for Being Talkative Chapter 71: Dont me Me for Being Talkative Wan Qiu wasst seen at a small noodle restaurant adjacent to the Sishui Apartmentplex. Security camera footage captured him deliberately crossing the street and entering Building B within theplex. ¡°Could it really be that this young man hasn¡¯t lost his memory?¡± Gao Ming pondered over Wan Qiu¡¯s situation. Moving quickly, Gao Ming spotted fresh, wet shoe prints in the hallway. He raced up the stairs, reaching the fifth floor without stopping for a breath. ¡°Where did the shoe prints go?¡± he wondered aloud. As he turned a corner, he saw that apartment 506¡¯s door was ajar. A bunch of advertising leaflets that had been stuffed into the door were now scattered on the floor. ¡°This apartment looks like it hasn¡¯t been lived in for quite some time,¡± Gao Ming observed. He picked up the leaflets, wiping away a thickyer of dust, and peered into apartment 506. The security door was coated in dust, suggesting it hadn¡¯t been opened in a while. However, the interior of the apartment was surprisingly clean, almost as if it was being regrly maintained. Gao Ming knocked on the door. A frail figure, Wan Qiu, emerged from the kitchen, awkwardly holding a spat while wearing an apron that once belonged to the ghost mama living here. ¡°W-Who are you?¡± Wan Qiu asked timidly. Previously, Wan Qiu was known for his shyness, rarely engaging with strangers and keeping to himself. It was only after his encounters with Gao Ming that he began opening up a bit more. But this encounter was different. Not only was Wan Qiu actively cooking, but he also greeted Gao Ming first. ¡°I¡¯m Gao Ming,¡± he introduced himself, slipping into house slippers. ¡°I¡¯ve been sent here to care for two young girls on behalf of their mother. Their names are Xianxian and Nannan.¡± Suddenly, the security door mmed shut behind him, and the room¡¯s temperature seemed to drop as though an air conditioner had been switched on. Wet footprints mysteriously appeared on the living room floor. ¡°That¡¯s not possible, they don¡¯t know you!¡± Wan Qiu, gripping the spat as if it were a shield, stepped out of the kitchen, his newfound bravery evident in his stance against Gao Ming. ¡°You¡¯re not wee here, ple-please leave.¡± Gao Ming, noticing a burning smelling from the kitchen, raised an eyebrow. ¡°I see you¡¯re trying to take care of the kids, but is this really within your capabilities?¡± Ignoring the warning signs and Wan Qiu¡¯s defensive stance, Gao Ming walked into the kitchen and removed the nearly incinerated pot from the stove. Peering into the pot, he couldn¡¯t even identify what vegetable had been attempted: ¡°Is this your doing?¡± Wan Qiu, now slightly embarrassed and less sure of himself, admitted, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why not ask the girls if this makes them miss their mother even more?¡± Gao Ming suggested, as he disposed of the burnt food and began cleaning the pot. He opened the refrigerator to prepare something else but found it filled with spoiled food. ¡°Never mind, we should just order some takeout.¡± Returning to the dining table, Gao Ming noticed the shifting shadows in the room. The presence of the two young girls, Xianxian and Nannan, seemed to carry a heavier sense of sadness than before. Gao Ming gestured for Wan Qiu to join him, his gaze fixed on the young man with a mix of curiosity and concern. ¡°You don¡¯t remember me, yet you¡¯vee here to care for these children. What motivated you to do this?¡± Wan Qiu, setting aside his spat, took a seat across from Gao Ming. His unique eyes, capable of perceiving ghosts and perhaps other unseen things, held a quiet intensity. ¡°I felt a need to take care of them, that¡¯s all. There wasn¡¯t any specific reason.¡± As he picked up a cloth to clean the burnt residue off the spat, Wan Qiu shared a bit more about himself. ¡°I¡¯m not very quick-witted and often get picked on, but these kids, they never looked down on me.¡± Wan Qiu¡¯s exnation was somewhat vague, but sincere. After cleaning the spat, he timidly asked Gao Ming, ¡°Could you possibly teach me how to cookter?¡± Observing Wan Qiu, Gao Ming struggled to reconcile this gentle, unassuming figure with the notorious criminal he was fated to be, a man who would gue Hanhai for two decades. This man before him, now earnestly wanting to learn how to cook, seemed so far removed from that future viin. ¡°Let¡¯s put aside cooking for the moment. I am genuinely here on the behalf of the children¡¯s mother,¡± Gao Ming stated, his hand resting on his chest. He remembered how their ghost mama had been tragically absorbed into the blood pool during a climactic battle with Qing Ge, eventually merging with the Flesh Immortal. He considered that some essence of her might still linger within the Flesh Immortal. As he pondered this, blood strands began to converge in the room, and a daunting aura enveloped the space. The two little girls present seemed disturbed by this, and a mass of shadows began to coalesce! The room, with its curtains tightly drawn, was now upied by two girls, one taller, the other shorter, standing beside the dining table. Their eyes were a deep blood-red, theirplexions ghostly pale. In the absence of Ghost Mama¡¯s nurturing care, the children had taken on a frightening aspect. They slowly moved toward Gao Ming. ¡°Did you do their hair?¡± Gao Ming inquired, noting the girls¡¯ unkempt braids. ¡°No, I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to,¡± Wan Qiu replied, shaking his head and positioning himself protectively between Gao Ming and the girls. Gao Ming, however, appeared unfazed. He stood up and tenderly took hold of Nannan¡¯s hair, his memory guiding him as he began to braid it, emting the way their mother would have done. As Gao Ming worked, the Flesh Immortal remained absent. He simply and patiently styled her hair, evoking the care and affection of their mother. The room was filled with a blood-tinged scent, and as Nannan observed Gao Ming, she seemed to perceive something of her mother in him. The girls¡¯ resistance and hostility gradually waned, but the shadows in room 506 had already started to expand, pulling them into the shadow world. ¡°Sishui Apartment is bing too dangerous. I¡¯ll find a safer ce for you to live,¡± Gao Ming said, crouching before the girls. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting here for your mother, but I can help you search for her.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s appearance gave off the impression of a suspicious man who might deceive little girls, causing the two young sisters to be wary. ¡°I need all of you, not just the two of you, but everyone living in Sishui Apartment, including Wan Qiu, toe with me,¡± Gao Ming said firmly. The absence of the Flesh Immortal in Sishui Apartment, now taken by Gao Ming, left a significant void. However, Gao Ming knew that Situ An, who had meticulouslyid his ns in this ce over twenty years, wouldn¡¯t easily relinquish his hold. ¡°We mustn¡¯t waste time. Let¡¯s go and gather the others.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s mission in Sishui Apartment was twofold; apart from ensuring everyone¡¯s safety, he was also intent on finding Granny. This elderly woman, whose age seemed a mystery, was known for her extraordinary nature. As Gao Ming followed the corridor shadows, he soon encountered Ms. Nosy, the notorious gossiping neighbor, infamous for never keeping secrets. Despite her fearsome reputation, Gao Ming greeted her with a smile and, relying on his memory, led the three children towards a secluded area on the first floor. Once the shadows had engulfed the areapletely, Gao Ming approached a particr door with respect and knocked. As his hand made contact, the wooden door transformed into a blood-red color, with sinewy blood strands creeping across its surface. Several talismans that had been affixed to the frame shattered instantaneously. From within, the sound of a statue breaking echoed. Gao Ming pushed the door open to find an elderly woman with white hair kneeling on the floor, a broken y model of a Flesh Immortal in front of her. The old woman lifted her head, her face lined with age. Her hand, resembling a gnarled tree branch, trembled as she inhaled sharply. ¡°Flesh Immortal! You are the Flesh Immortal!¡± she eximed. ¡°You could say that,¡± Gao Ming replied, entering the room apanied by the older and two younger children. He nced at the 365 ghost god statues lining the wall. ¡°Grandma, I need your cooperation on a matter.¡± ¡°You seek to alter fate?¡± Granny slowlyposed herself, gathering the broken pieces of the y Flesh Immortal and cing them on a table. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m someone who respects fate,¡± Gao Ming responded, moving a chair to sit opposite Granny. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what Situ An promised to convince you to stay here, but you need to know that he¡¯s a dangerous man.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t promise me anything. I have no desire to assist him,¡± Granny said, lighting three incense sticks and paying homage to all the ghosts and gods in her house. ¡°He¡¯s holding my two sisters¡¯ children captive. If I don¡¯tply, he threatens to annihte my entire lineage.¡± ¡°How can that man be more merciless than a ghost?¡± Gao Ming mused for a moment before speaking up. ¡°Situ An aims to summon the Flesh Immortal, but I am the Flesh Immortal. His n is doomed to fail, and your family is fated to be unsavable. How about we alter our strategy instead? If you join forces with me, together we can devise a n to defeat Situ An.¡± ¡­ ¡°You have a takeout order!¡± Sumo, a delivery guy, was hustling with his task. He bnced two hefty bags filled with takeout food as he hurried into Sishui Apartment. Eager toplete his delivery, he sprinted up to the fifth floor, his breaths growingbored. Upon reaching room 506, he knocked energetically, announcing, ¡°Your takeout is here!¡± The room, however, was empty. As he wondered what to do next, the door of the neighboring apartment creaked open. A middle-aged woman appeared, her back turned to Sumo. ¡°They¡¯ve all gone down to the first floor,¡± she informed him. Sumo, ever the diligent delivery person, asked, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m really pressed for time. Could I possibly leave the takeout here with you? Maybe you could let them know when theye back?¡± The woman, known in the building for her chatty nature, hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d rather not take responsibility for these things. And, if I may say so, it might be wise for you to avoid delivering to Sishui Apartment in the future.¡± As she turned around to face Sumo, he was met with a startling sight. The woman¡¯s face had four mouths, all moving simultaneously in an unsettling manner. Shocked by this bizarre and frightening revtion, the bags of takeout slipped from Sumo¡¯s grasp, crashing to the floor. Overwhelmed by the surreal scene, he fainted, copsing next to the spilled food. In a frantic attempt to revive him, the woman leaned over his unconscious form, imploring, ¡°Wake up! Handsome boy! Wake up!¡± Chapter 72: Designing the First Game Chapter 72: Designing the First Game Gao Ming presented Granny with apelling proposition that seemed impossible to refuse. He suggested resolving their predicaments in one fell swoop by assassinating Situ An. In response, Granny carefully extracted a piece of talisman paper. With deliberate, practiced strokes, she inscribed symbols onto it. Then, with a swift motion, she tossed the talisman into a copper basin brimming with water. What happened next was nothing short of mystical. The moment the talisman made contact with the water, it spontaneouslybusted, transforming into mes mid-air and reducing to ashes that gently descended into the basin. ¡°Strange, how strange.¡± Granny chanted a small verse of mantra before addressing Gao Ming: ¡°I can assist in certain ways, but I must maintain a degree of distance. Too close of involvement with any of you could mean eternal damnation for me.¡± Gao Ming rified his request, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you tomit the act yourself. I merely need your help in bringing Situ An to the right ce at the right time.¡± He was intent on dealing with Situ An personally, with Granny¡¯s indirect support of course. Granny, while methodically cing pieces of the y figurines, which bore an eerie resemnce to the Flesh Immortal, into a wooden box, expressed her doubts. ¡°Your efforts may be in vain. Situ An trusts no one,¡± she exined. ¡°The Sishui Apartment has repeatedly failed in their attempts at a blood sacrifice over the years. Situ An has lost faith in the existence of the Flesh Immortal. He¡¯s more likely to focus his attention on other projects, like the numerous buildings he¡¯s been erecting in the Hanhai Eastern District. His intentions there remain unclear to me.¡± ¡°That guy sure is hard to eliminate.¡± Gao Ming admits. The dynamic had shifted since he hade into possession of theplete Flesh Immortal. ¡°I cannot intervene directly, but I can return to you something that rightfully belongs to you.¡± Granny reverently approached the myriad y figurines of ghost deities scattered around the room. She deliberately smashed three of them, retrieving from their remains three blood-red talismans imbued with lethal power. ¡°These talismans could be as dangerous to you as they are to your enemy, but you should have them.¡± With a hint of dissatisfaction, Gao Ming inquired, ¡°Only three of these?¡± Granny, exercising caution, replied, ¡°Excess can be detrimental. Three is all you shall have.¡± She then retrieved a bunch of keys hanging from the wall and led Gao Ming towards the basement of Building A. The apartment in Building A had undergone remarkable changes. Previously, every resident venerated the Flesh Immortal, and the first underground level was replete with meat-serving restaurants. Now, this level had been converted into a storage area. After moving aside various obstructions, Granny opened an ancient metal door, its rust crumbling away as it creaked open, revealing a hidden shrine. ¡°This is where the shrine of the Flesh Immortal has been secretly kept,¡± Granny exined, lighting candles on the altar. The flickering light cast a glow on the statue of the eight-armed, four-faced ghost deity. ¡°Despite his numerous sacrifices and killings over the past two decades, Situ An has never been able to properly worship the true Flesh Immortal. But he has managed to umte some blood offerings.¡± She then stepped aside, allowing Gao Ming to approach the statue. As he moved closer, a strange force seemed to emanate from him, dispelling the shadows around. Behind him, a formation of dense, blood-red threads burst forth like an enormous blooming flower. Eight powerful arms extended from his back, reaching towards the ghost deity statue with a maic force. As Gao Ming stood in the shrine, he witnessed a peculiar phenomenon. Drops of blood began to seep from the y figure, merging into his body. This infusion brought about subtle changes in the Flesh Immortal that resided within him, particrly enhancing the rity of the face representing sin. During this transformation, Gao Ming¡¯s eyes, previously clouded with fatigue, regained a semnce of vigor. Despite being deprived of sleep for an extended period, his energy seemed replenished. However, the blood-red tint in his eyes added an unsettling quality to his appearance. ¡°As I absorb the essence from the Flesh Immortal, I gain unexpected benefits. This is another significant revtion,¡± Gao Ming mused aloud, processing the new developments. Gao Ming was primarily focused on eliminating Situ An and confronting the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. However, he harbored a more profound aspiration¡ªto encounter the mysterious stranger from the tunnel and find a way to break the relentless cycle of rebirth. Haunted by memories of his own deaths, Gao Ming found little sce in rest. The gruesome images that haunted him every time he closed his eyes were a constant reminder of his torment, driving him away from the desire for sleep. As the y figure exsanguinated its final drop, it shattered atop the altar. Concurrently, the gathering shadows around Gao Ming began to violently repulse him as if trying to expel him from the sacred space. Eventually, the shadows receded, leaving behind Gao Ming, Wan Qiu, and a squirming Richy in the cramped shrine. Richy, who had been observing from the safety of a cat bag, had feigned death throughout the ordeal. ¡°You wanted toe along, didn¡¯t you? Why act out now?¡± He stroked the cat¡¯s head, noting how fear seemed to have diminished its size. With thest shadow gone, a ck-and-white photograph materialized on the offering table, recing the Flesh Immortal statue. The photo depicted Granny leaning on a cane and standing sternly in front of the apartment. Various figures were also visible Through the apartment windows¡ªNannan and Xianxian ying, Ms. Nosy spying, Old Zhou Ji carrying a child on his back, and several indistinct shadows. Gao Ming was puzzled, recalling Granny¡¯s refusal to assist him. He flipped the photo over to find childlike handwriting on the back, reading: ¡°Granny¡¯s Photo: Granny says no one in this building is normal, including her and me.¡± Gao Ming realized that this photograph of Sishui Apartment, if unchecked, had the potential to evolve into a Level 4 anomaly. However, he had no intention of exploiting it so mercilessly. ¡°Now, I might be capable of creating the simplest horror games,¡± Gao Ming thought, reflecting on his experiences since leaving the tunnel. He had always avoided involving ordinary people in horror stories, especially considering his recurring memories of death. But now, his perspective had shifted. ¡°Vengeance for the wronged seems only fair.¡± After departing from Sishui Apartment, Gao Ming¡¯s next stop was an underground boxing ring. He left his contact details with a junior staff member, hoping they could help watch for Yan Hua and his older sister. Though Yan Hua was no longer present, Gao Ming was determined to honor his promise of finding Yan Hua¡¯s sister, driven by a desire to make amends for past wrongs. Seated in the back of a taxi, Gao Ming withdrew a piece of paper and a pen, extending them towards Wan Qiu with a sense of purpose. ¡°Life only happens once. Jot down everything you¡¯ve ever wanted to do, and I¡¯ll help make them a reality,¡± he encouraged. Observing Gao Ming¡¯s determined contour, Wan Qiu hesitantly took the pen. After a moment of contemtion, he scribbled down a simple desire¡ªI want to eat ice cream. Gao Ming nced at his wish and responded with enthusiasm, ¡°Let¡¯s do it! We¡¯ll grab two scoops as soon as we get out!¡± He handed him ten dors, urging him to dream bigger. ¡°Write down everything else you¡¯ve been longing for! It¡¯s time we start living joyfully, pushing back against fate¡¯s cruelties!¡± Feeling a spark of hope, Wan Qiu added, ¡°I want to see the sea.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s response was immediate and supportive. ¡°We¡¯ll head to the seaside tomorrow! The south harbor isn¡¯t far from here!¡± He gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. Write down all your dreams and let¡¯s chase them together!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be bullied anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯spletely achievable! I¡¯ll adapt Yan Hua¡¯s rigorous training method for you. We can train together and be stronger.¡± Wan Qiu, findingfort in Gao Ming¡¯s presence, stuttered less as he confessed another wish, ¡°I-I also want to experience love.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have asked a better person,¡± Gao Ming boasted with a smile. ¡°I started with making love games. Give me a few days, and I¡¯ll create a virtual girlfriend program just for you.¡± Gao Ming wasmitted to fulfilling Wan Qiu¡¯s desires, having seen through his memories how much he had endured in the past. Engrossed in ns for a brighter future, theyter indulged in a hearty meal before returning to Li Jing Apartment. Once home, Gao Ming called Zhao Xi to verify if all the residents in Building No. 2 were present. Settling on the balcony with hisptop, Gao Ming started crafting a personalized horror game for Xuan Wen. Drawing from various memories of death, he made Xuan Wen the central character. In this game, she wasn¡¯t just a side character but the main focus, dying repeatedly and losing her memory each time, yet always the first to reach the tunnel¡¯s exit, as if waiting for someone. As the day neared its end, Gao Ming received a message from Brother Zhao Xi confirming everything was in ce. ¡°The horror game designed for Situ An must be wless. I¡¯ll test it on you guys first.¡± He closed hisptop, his gaze drifting towards Building No. 2, void of any semnce of empathy. Gao Ming recalled a particrly harrowing memory. Using the power of the Flesh Immortal, he had witnessed the death of another version of himself through their final memories. Four weeks after escaping the tunnel, the horror stories spiraled out of control, bringing disaster to the old city district. Gao Ming formed a mutual aid group, desperately trying to protect Li Jing Apartment. However, in a devastating turn, he was betrayed by several neighbors from Building No. 2, who sacrificed him to the ghosts. ¡°The agony of being torn apart is something I wish I could forget, but it¡¯s etched in my memory forever!¡± Gao Mingmented, haunted by the past. Chapter 73: They Pushed Themselves into the Abyss Chapter 73: They Pushed Themselves into the Abyss ¡°Every future is different, but for me, each one is full of unbearable pain, ultimately leading to despair,¡± Gao Ming confessed, his voice heavy with the weight of his premonitions. ¡°Knowing that my fate is sealed, it¡¯s impossible to forgive those who have tried to hasten my downfall.¡± After meticulously finalizing his game design, Gao Ming sent it to Wei Dayou. He then stood silently by the window, gazing as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of twilight. As darkness enveloped the world outside, Gao Ming gave Wan Qiu a fewst-minute instructions. Then, with a ck umbre in hand, he stepped out of the room into the encroaching night. He stealthily navigated past the building¡¯s old, barely functioning surveince system, making his way to Building 2. At the corridor¡¯s entrance, he paused to retrieve a ck-and-white photograph ¨C the image of Fear Phobia. Thanks to An An¡¯s guidance, Gao Ming had learned the ritual to activate the memorial photo. He fixed his gaze on it, summoning every ounce of fear within him, until the ugly ragdoll began to emerge, crawling out from the confines of the photograph. Around him, shadows began to creep and stretch, signaling themencement of Gao Ming¡¯s inaugural game. Inside the building, the once-stable voice-controlled lights started to flicker erratically. The red couplets adorning the doors appeared to ooze blood, their symbols morphing into sinister smiles. Everywhere he looked, ordinary objects seemed to transform, conjuring up frightening images and associations. These shadows, originating from a realm beyond the ordinary, began to seep into Building 2¡¯s unsuspecting residents, spreading their eerie influence floor by floor. Reflecting on the limitations of the Fear Phobia photo, Gao Ming realized it could cast its shadowy spell only as far as four floors. While each memorial photo¡¯s power could be amplified through sacrifice, he had no immediate ns for such extreme measures. Ascending the stairwell enveloped in an unsettling hush, Gao Ming pulled out another ck-and-white photo ¨C this one of Sishui Apartment. He attempted various methods tomunicate with Granny within the photo, but all efforts were in vain. In a final attempt, hebined the essence of the Flesh Immortal with his own blood and infused it into the photograph. This potent mixture finally elicited a response. From the depths of the photo, an arm reached out, followed by the emergence of Ms. Nosy, who seemed more driven by her own inquisitive nature than by Gao Ming¡¯s summons. As the shadows grew denser, Gao Ming, with the aid of two memorial photographs, seeded in pulling the entirety of Building 2 into the shadow realm. ¡°Ms. Nosy, I need your assistance,¡± Gao Ming implored, using his charm on the peculiar but not inherently malevolent woman who didn¡¯t seem old despite her odd appearance. ¡°Is this your new home? Are you introducing yourself to the neighbors? Shouldn¡¯t you bring gifts on your first visit?¡± Ms. Nosy asked, her talkative and gossipy nature evident. Gao Ming instructed her to stay on the first floor and carefully exined his borate n, ensuring she understood every detail. Gao Ming made a bold move once he was confident in their understanding. For the first time, he attempted to release the Flesh Immortalpletely from his heart chamber. The mere presence of this immense entity was enough to instill terror and force people to their knees. However, when the Flesh Immortal finally detached from him, Gao Ming was ovee with a profound sense of loss, as if his vital part had vanished. Exhaustion, pain, and a flood of suppressed negative emotions began to surface, overwhelming his mind. ¡°We are one, and being separated for too long seems to harm us both,¡± he realized, grappling with the unexpected consequences of his actions. Struggling against a surge of negative emotions assaulting his mind, Gao Ming hastily made his way to the fifth floor. Upon reaching it, he sought out An An, proposing that they engage in a brief role-ying game together. Approximately ten minutes into their game, the building¡¯s eerie silence was shattered by a blood-curdling scream. A door burst open, and the sounds of frantic running filled the corridor, followed by a cacophony of footsteps, shouts, and urgent knocking resonating throughout the building. ¡°It appears that Fear Phobia has already begun to take its toll on someone,¡± Gao Ming noted, observing the unfolding chaos with a detached demeanor. Before long, the door of Zhao Xi¡¯s apartment was met with urgent knocking. The trustworthy and straightforward Zhao Xi opened the door to find his sister-inw Li Li, clutching a child, and his foster mother Zhao Yuan standing outside. Both wore expressions of sheer terror as if they had witnessed something profoundly horrifying. ¡°Zhao Xi! There¡¯s a ghost in the building!¡± eximed the foster mother Zhao Yuan, her face drained of color. ¡°I saw your brother return, but as he walked, he started bleeding profusely. He questioned why we didn¡¯t save him, then his face¡­ his flesh began to peel away!¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s own fear escted upon hearing this, while Gao Ming remained stoic, understanding that Fear Phobia mirrors one¡¯s deepest fears. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to such nonsense. Your brother has gone insane! He broke out of prison with a knife and is now roaming the corridor!¡± Li Li interjected, her words heightening the horror. ¡°He¡¯s threatening to kill me and the child!¡± As Fear Phobia spread its malignant influence, more and more residents of the building were driven into a frenzy, eventually congregating on the fifth floor. ¡°Something¡¯s gone horribly wrong on the first floor! A three-meter-tall ghost was looming at my door!¡± Wang Kui from apartment 2101 eximed, his agitation palpable. ¡°I barely escaped; it almost crushed me!¡± ¡°My girlfriend, who died in a car ident, has inexplicably returned. She¡¯s in the kitchen, boiling her own hair!¡± Fang Shuqi from 2409 cried out, visibly shaken. Xiao Qiu from 2203 joined in, trembling: ¡°My deceased family members were knocking on my door, using me of being unfilial. I¡¯ve always offered them money during the Ghost Festival. Why are they haunting me now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do guilty deeds, and you won¡¯t fear ghosts knocking on your door,¡± An An whispered under his breath and caught the attention of the adults, causing him to quickly hide behind Gao Ming. ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re not a resident of Building 2!¡± Wang Kui challenged Gao Ming, suspicion in his eyes. ¡°Is that giant ghost on the first floor your doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a psychological counselor, here to assist Zhao Xi today,¡± Gao Ming calmly exined, picking up An An. ¡°We have no connection to any ghosts. Have you all lost your minds?¡± Li Li, eyeing Zhao Xi with a mix of me and disbelief, remarked, ¡°You can afford a psychological counselor? What a waste of money!¡± Zhao Xi remained silent, seemingly used to such rebukes. ¡°It was peaceful until you two showed up,¡± Wang Kui muttered, gathering the neighbors into a huddle, leaving Zhao Xi and Gao Ming isted. They appeared to be conspiring or discussing something, excluding the duo from their midst. Gao Ming understood the underlying motives behind Wang Kui¡¯s actions and the fearful whispers he shared with the other residents. It was all a part of the sinister game unfolding around them. After the release of the Flesh Immortal, Gao Ming had left a chilling message written in blood from the first to the second floor, a rule of the game: ¡°Blood debts must be paid in blood. Sacrifice one living person to me, and I will let one person leave the building.¡± Both Wang Kui, from the first floor, and Xiao Qiu, from the second, had undoubtedly seen this macabre rule. Driven by the edict of ¡®kill one to save one,¡¯ they conspired to use Gao Ming and An An as the sacrificialmbs. The pervasive influence of Fear Phobiaid bare everyone¡¯s deepest fears and hidden motives. Wang Kui, driven by a fierce will to survive, showed no regard for the lives of Gao Ming and An An. He began plotting with his fellow neighbors, his desperation palpable. As a result of Gao Ming¡¯s presence, Zhao Xi found himself ostracized too. Disappointingly, even his sister-inw and foster mother kept him in the dark about their ns. After a period of whispered strategizing, Wang Kui emerged as the spokesperson and confronted Gao Ming and Zhao Xi: ¡°We¡¯ve been living here peacefully for over a decade. These horrifying events only began after your arrival. If you want to prove you¡¯re not responsible, then lead us in destroying that giant ghost statue.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Gao Ming asked, his demeanor calm. He was offering them a choice ¨C to unite against the terror. If they joined forces, they could all survive. ¡°What¡¯s the use in being afraid? We need to get out of here,¡± retorted Wang Kui, his gaze flickering nervously. ¡°You two brought these ghosts, so you should go first.¡± Zhao Xi, feeling responsible for dragging Gao Ming into this nightmare, opened his mouth to object, but Gao Ming gestured for him to stay silent. Then, turning to Zhao Xi¡¯s family, Gao Ming said, ¡°I understand your distrust towards me, but Zhao Xi has been part of your family for so long, helping you often. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t trust me, but don¡¯t you trust him?¡± The response from the other residents was a deafening silence. Even Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother and Li Li remained mute, their silence a tacit agreement to the grim n. ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll lead,¡± Gao Ming said, patting Zhao Xi on the shoulder. He saw the light of hope dim in Zhao Xi¡¯s eyes. The ghosts had arrived, and those Zhao Xi had once aided were now abandoning him. Hand in hand with An An, Gao Ming led the way downstairs, with Zhao Xi following close behind. The rest of the neighbors kept a cautious distance. As they descended to the second floor, the blood-stained message became visible. Sensing danger, Zhao Xi attempted to alert Gao Ming, but it was toote. Several men from behind, as if acting on a premeditated n, surged forward and violently shoved Gao Ming and Zhao Xi down the stairs, directly towards the Flesh Immortal statue. ¡°Sacrifice! These two are your offerings!¡± they shouted. Wang Kui had never intended to fight back. He ran from the idol, his mind teetering on the brink of madness. The thought of challenging supernatural forces with mere human strength was unthinkable to him. As Gao Ming confronted this betrayal, memories of past deaths swirled in his mind, but this time he was not ovee with sorrow or pain. ¡°I gave you all a chance to live, but you chose to plunge yourselves into the abyss,¡± Gao Ming said, his voice echoing with a mixture of resignation and disdain. Chapter 74: Zhao Xi! Come Back Quickly! Chapter 74: Zhao Xi! Come Back Quickly! Blood-soaked threads brutally pierced Gao Ming¡¯s body, triggering a flood of painful memories. His agonized screams filled the air as he copsed behind the statue. It seemed as if the statue was vampirically draining his blood, subjecting him to unbearable torture. This horrifying sight left the neighbors in a state of shock, but what unfolded next stirred deep emotions within them. Following Gao Ming¡¯s tragic encounter with the blood threads, a mysterious woman, notable for her four mouths, appeared. She silently opened the corridor door, allowing Zhao Xi to leave Building 2. Wang Kui, witnessing this, was stunned by the apparent trade-off. ¡°A life sacrificed in exchange for freedom?¡± he thought. In a rash decision driven by fear, he grabbed the child An An and sprinted down the stairs, intent on offering the kid as a sacrifice for his own escape. The chilling presence of the statue overwhelmed Wang Kui, making his legs tremble. Ovee with desperation, he callously hurled the frail An An towards the statue. To his horror, the statue¡¯s bloody arms caught An An. The arm representing life red with fury, and its sewn mouth slowly parted, uttering, ¡°You, deserve, death.¡± Then, the statue¡¯s other arms seized Wang Kui. His body shriveled as he screamed in agony, his cries reverberating through the building and turning the neighbors¡¯ faces ashen with fear. Meanwhile, Gao Ming, lying nearby, weakly opened one eye. He hadn¡¯t orchestrated these events; they were the spontaneous acts of the Flesh Immortal. Wang Kui¡¯s body, now grotesquely contorted and skeletal, copsed lifelessly. Ms. Nosy, the woman with four mouths, then reappeared, closing the corridor door. She announced a new, twisted rule with a sly smile: ¡°Zhao Xi has already been part of a sacrifice. Now, let¡¯s add a twist. He hasn¡¯t gone far. You can call out to him from the second-floor balcony using any means necessary. The one who sessfully lures Zhao Xi back can leave in his ce. Remember, the next sacrifice only begins when he returns.¡± She relished her role, adding, ¡°But be warned, whoever lures Zhao Xi back might lead to his death, and that person will be his murderer. Choose your actions wisely.¡± After announcing this new rule, Li Li was the first to act. She dashed to the second-floor balcony, opened the window, and desperately began calling Zhao Xi¡¯s name. The other neighbors joined in, fabricating stories to deceive Zhao Xi into returning. They imed that more terrifying dangers lurked outside and that the real escape was hidden inside the building. Outside, Zhao Xi heard Li Li¡¯s voice. He paused and peered back through the security. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t leave! What will be of mom and me without you?¡± It was rare for Li Li to address Zhao Xi as ¡®brother¡¯ since she usually referred to him by his first name after marrying into their family. As Zhao Xi stood beneath the building, gazing up at Building 2, he was struck by his neighbors¡¯ desperate, distorted expressions on the balcony. They were united in a frantic chorus, their voices filled with urgency and fear. ¡°Quick,e back! Ghosts are everywhere outside! You¡¯ll die if you continue!¡± ¡°Zhao Xi, please!¡± Looking up at them, Zhao Xi couldn¡¯t believe the depths of desperation and ugliness he saw on their faces. He had always been innocent, but not foolish. The incident where he and Gao Ming were pushed down the stairs had shattered something within him. Physical injuries might heal, but a broken heart is a different story; it rarely returns to its original state. With a determined step forward, Zhao Xi noticed An An, also released from the building. He took his hand, ready to leave this nightmare behind. But then, Li Li¡¯s piercing voice reached him, her hands gripping the security, her plea filled with despair. ¡°Zhao Xi!!¡± Yet, her words couldn¡¯t alter his decision. In a shocking turn, Fang Shuqi, who always seemed so gentle, suddenly seized Li Li by her hair, twisted her arm, and yelled out in a desperate attempt to manipte Zhao Xi. ¡°If you care about your sister-inw and mother,e back now! They¡¯ll suffer more than you can imagine!¡± In their frantic efforts to deceive Zhao Xi into returning, the neighbors had lost all semnce of sanity. Some even dragged Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother onto the balcony, disregarding his feelings. It was clear that none of them truly cared about Zhao Xi¡¯s well-being; they were driven solely by their own survival. The only person who showed a semnce of humanity was Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother, who refused to participate in their cruel scheme and remained silent. As fear escted, the neighbors¡¯ actions grew more and more unhinged. No ghosts were harming them, yet they began to inflict pain on Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother and Li Li. ¡°Zhao Xi, pleasee back!¡± Ms. Nosy had set the rule: Zhao Xi¡¯s return was necessary to restart the sacrifice. Having seen the gruesome ends of Gao Ming and Wang Kui, and with Zhao Xi almost escaping, the neighbors were desperate and wild-eyed. Blood stained the security. Zhao Xi, after taking a few steps, hesitated and then stopped. He turned to An An with a smile, giving him a paper frog from his pocket before returning to the building. ¡°I¡¯ming back, stop this madness!¡± Zhao Xi called out as he approached Building No. 2. Inside, Gao Ming, observing the scene, shook his head in dismay. This was the second chance he had given the neighbors. If they had allowed Zhao Xi to leave, to live, Gao Ming would have been willing to give them a chance too. But now, Zhao Xi, who had almost tasted freedom, was walking back into the building. The eyes of the neighbors were threaded with blood, their minds consumed by fear and desperation. Fang Shuqi, from apartment 2409, held a sharp piece of ss, eyeing the others warily. Huang Mingming from 2501 and Jia Qi from 2607 seemed to have formed an alliance, while the rest harbored their own dark ns. Tormented by hallucinations and delusions, the neighbors¡¯ suffering intensified. They were desperate for escape, their minds fraying at the edges. Fang Shuqi, panting with fear, proposed a grim solution. ¡°It seems that after each sacrifice, only the person who survived thest round and returns can initiate the next. Let¡¯s just pick all the sacrificial victims at once. One lives, one dies. No more of this endless torment!¡± ¡°In essence, to ensure the survival of half the building¡¯s residents, the other half must perish,¡± someone concluded grimly. As fear and desperation took hold, alliances began forming among the physically stronger residents. The vulnerable, including Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother and Li Li, were left defenseless and designated as potential sacrifices. Those marked for sacrifice vehemently resisted, and what started as heated arguments quickly spiraled into physical violence. Blood stained the stairways, painting a vivid picture of the chaos within. The life aspect of the Flesh Immortal became increasingly pronounced as it observed the unfolding carnage alongside Gao Ming. The residents, who had once eagerly sacrificed Gao Ming to the malevolent spirit, now turned on each other in a desperate struggle for survival. The idea of uniting against theirmon enemy never crossed their minds, mirroring their earlier inaction. The killings were not just acts of desperation; they became a frenzied hunt as residents sought out each other. Dead bodies, however, were useless for sacrifices, fueling the hunt¡¯s ferocity. Gao Ming watched impassively, his intention being for Zhao Xi to witness the true nature of their neighbors. He hoped this brutal reality would shape Zhao Xi into a capable ally. Surviving such a hellish ordeal, Gao Ming believed, was essential for anyone aspiring to create a better world. The chaos spread rapidly, engulfing even the upper floors of the building. It was then that Yao Yuan, a terminally ill retired police academy teacher living in Apartment 2707, emerged as an unexpected beacon of hope. Despite his grave illness, he armed himself with a stick, determined to protect those who were defenseless. Unbeknownst to him, his actions marked him as another potential sacrifice in the eyes of the desperate residents. ¡°It¡¯s time to end this,¡± someone dered as the situation reached a tipping point. The shadows of the deceased tenants morphed into eerie specters, their life force absorbed by the Flesh Immortal. Gao Ming, in his newfound understanding of the situation, intervened minimally. He focused on rescuing Zhao Xi, Yao Yuan, and Zhao Xi¡¯s foster mother from the madness that had engulfed their neighbors. This entire ordeal was Gao Ming¡¯s first foray into crafting a horror narrative. Through it, he gleaned valuable insights. With the return of the Flesh Immortal to his heart, Gao Ming felt a slight improvement in his physical condition. He had now deciphered the basic functions of the Flesh Immortal¡¯s four faces: life, death, desire, and sin. The life aspect thrived on the vitality of the living, the death aspect grew through killing, and the desire aspect could manifest people¡¯s deepest yearnings. The function of the sin aspect remained somewhat enigmatic, possibly serving as a counter to ghosts. Armed with this newfound knowledge, Gao Ming felt more equipped to confront challenges, especially those posed by Situ An. ¡°Everything is changing,¡± Gao Ming mused, sensing a shift in his rtionship with the omnipresent shadows. Once a neutral entity straddling the line between reality and the shadow world, his recent choices had garnered favor in this realm of darkness. In the spot where Teacher Yao Yuan had vanished, a new ck and white photograph materialized, markedly different from any Gao Ming had encountered before. This symbolized not just a conclusion to the current chaos, but perhaps the beginning of a new, unknown chapter. Chapter 75: How Do You Want to Live? Chapter 75: How Do You Want to Live? Gao Ming carefully picked up the old photograph, and shadows seemed to curl mysteriously around his hand as he did. The picture was a ck-and-white image of Teacher Yao, an upright figure from Gao Ming¡¯s memories. Normally, the photo was unremarkable, indistinguishable from any other. But now, it was strikingly different, marred by numerous cracks. The photo was starkly divided by its ck and white hues. On the left side, Teacher Yao looked frail and tormented. His face, etched with deep lines of suffering, conveyed a sense of numbness and despair as if he was on the brink of death. In stark contrast, the right side of the photo, shrouded in shadows, depicted a strong, upright figure with piercing crimson eyes and an intense, authoritative gaze. This figure seemed to possess a power and presence even greater than that of his younger self. Turning the photo over, Gao Ming noticed that the childlike handwriting on the back had also changed. It now read: ¡°Commemorative Photo: Tonight, we embrace rebirth together. We will leave behind illness, pain, despair, and death to be our new selves.¡± This was unlike anymemorative photo Gao Ming had ever seen. His own memories of death were usually of the moments just before his own demise, each memory painfully reliving the process of dying. ¡°This photo must be stored properly,¡± Gao Ming thought to himself. As the shadows began to fade, Gao Ming realized he had tasks to attend to. He chose not to take Zhao Xi and An An with him as he exited the shadow world. Considering the recent disappearances in Building 2, it was likely that investigators would soon arrive, and Zhao Xi and An An weren¡¯t prepared to face such intense scrutiny. ¡°I n to make the Lishan district a bastion against major disasters. More people will be drawn here in the future. You two should start nning for themunity¡¯s future. And remember, never leave the Li Jing Apartments,¡± he instructed them. Gao Ming then left the shadow world alone, meticulously covering up any signs of his presence. He stealthily returned to his own unit, ensuring that no one noticed him. ¡°I¡¯ll dy facing the Investigation Bureau as long as I can. I¡¯m not ready for a direct confrontation yet,¡± he mused. Finally, Gao Mingy down on his sofa and, for the first time in several days, allowed himself to drift into a deep, restful sleep. ¡­ At the crack of dawn, around six in the morning, Gao Ming was jolted awake by a series of noises emanating from the bedroom. Curious, he opened the door and was greeted by the sight of Wan Qiu awkwardly attempting push-ups. Wan Qiu had taken to following a grueling training schedule designed by Yan Hua, which he had prominently disyed on his headboard. It was evident that Wan Qiu was no ordinary child. With his unique ability to perceive ghosts, remarkable self-discipline, and a history of enduring severe hardships, it was hardly surprising that he had the potential to be an incredibly formidable figure, possibly even a super criminal. Gao Ming chose not to interrupt Wan Qiu¡¯s morning routine. Instead, he quietly joined the child in his physical exercises. Physical strength was an area where Gao Ming felt he wascking. He recalled his recent encounter with Situ An, where he had relied solely on brute force. He knew that if he had been up against Qing Ge, the oue would have been drastically different; Qing Ge¡¯s prowess was such that Gao Ming might have been easily overpowered and defeated. ¡°That Qing Ge can¡¯t be left alive. He consumed flesh early on but wasn¡¯t influenced by the Flesh Immortal till the end. His will is too strong to be human.¡± He remembered how Qing Ge had managed to fight his way out when Situ An was dragged into the shadow world by Xuan Wen, a testament to Qing Ge¡¯s formidable strength and resolve. ¡°Killing Qing Ge is like pulling out one of Situ An¡¯s fangs, breaking one of his arms¡­¡± Gao Ming thought, considering his strategic moves ahead. He felt energized, his Heart of Mortality continuously fueling him, making him stronger with each passing moment. As he worked out, Gao Ming started to relish this newfound strength and vitality. He felt his body growing more robust with every heartbeat. ¡°Everything must be fought for by oneself,¡± he mused, adhering strictly to Yan Hua¡¯s rigorous training regime until eight in the morning. Afterpleting the intense workout, Gao Ming prepared breakfast for both of them. He then arranged for a taxi, turning to Wan Qiu, ¡°Wan Qiu, it¡¯s raining outside. Are you sure you want to see the ocean?¡± Wan Qiu¡¯s response was a determined ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Put on your raincoat, and let¡¯s go.¡± Gao Ming, who didn¡¯t have the luxury of affording a private beach, decided to take Wan Qiu to the southern harbor district near the old city area. This ce was close to the sea and provided them with an adequate view. They ventured across an abandoned pier, ignored the warning barriers, and stood defiantly in the heavy rain, facing the vast, turbulent ocean. Dark clouds loomed overhead, the rain impaired their sight, and the churning sea water threw up massive waves as if threatening to destroy everything in its path. ¡°Afraid?¡± Gao Ming asked, securing Wan Qiu¡¯s raincoat hood. ¡°No, not afraid,¡± replied Wan Qiu, his voice muffled against the backdrop of the stormy sea. ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid, then shout out everything that¡¯s been weighing on your heart! Tell the surging waves, tell the rain that pelts you, tell the sea before you, that you fear nothing!¡± Gao Ming encouraged him, vignt and ready to pull him back at a moment¡¯s notice if a wave got too close. ¡°I¡­¡± Wan Qiu stammered, clenching his fists, his face drenched by the rain, struggling to keep his eyes open. ¡°You can do it,¡± Gao Ming reassured him. He had met Wan Qiu once before, where he initially perceived the child as a mere shadowy figure. To quickly earn his trust, Gao Ming even recited lines that the killer, remembered by Wan Qiu, had once spoken to him. As Wan Qiu tried to open his eyes against the rain, his vision was filled with a gray, tumultuous world where the sea and sky seemed to converge, as if they were all ganging up against him. Taking an involuntary step backward, Wan Qiu bumped into Gao Ming¡¯s arm, seeking stability amidst the chaos of the storm. ¡°You¡¯ve already made many significant changes in your life. You¡¯ve sessfully evaded the Charity Association¡¯s pursuit and been there for Nannan and Xianxian, cooking for them and caring for them. In their eyes, you are more than just a brother; you¡¯re the most reliable and trustworthy person they have.¡± Gao Ming reassured Wan Qiu, patting his shoulder and taking a step forward, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± ¡°Keeping pain locked away in your heart unexpressed can be incredibly damaging, even leading to madness. Sometimes, it¡¯s essential to just let it all out.¡± Motivated by his own advice, Gao Ming stepped forward again, raising his voice against the backdrop of the stormy sea and gray sky: ¡°To hell with fate! I will take control of my own life!¡± His voice was lost in the roar of the storm. After yelling, Gao Ming felt a bit self-conscious, but he couldn¡¯t deny the thrill of it. ¡°Life is a one-time journey. How do you want to live yours?¡± Turning back to Wan Qiu, Gao Ming saw him following in his footsteps, attempting to find his own voice. Suddenly, a massive wave crashed onto the shore. Gao Ming¡¯s reflexes kicked in, and he quickly pulled Wan Qiu back to safety. However, the boy still swallowed a mouthful of seawater and copsed onto the concrete ground. Both of them were left with a bitter taste in their mouths and appeared somewhat disheveled. Struggling to his feet, Wan Qiu looked at Gao Ming¡¯s drenched figure and smiled. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you smile,¡± Gao Ming noted, signaling Wan Qiu to move further away from the coast. ¡°It¡¯s, well, it¡¯s normal. We¡¯ve only known each other for a day,¡± Wan Qiu replied, trying to engage more in the conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve only known me for a day, but I¡­¡± Gao Ming started, then shook his head, changing the subject. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s choose a sunny day to see the sea.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Having fulfilled another of Wan Qiu¡¯s desires, Gao Ming checked the time and began leading Wan Qiu towards the Eastern District. He vividly remembered that soon the news would break about Hanhai being selected as an exemr of a civilized city, and Situ An, representing the Hanhai Charity Association, was scheduled for a public interview that afternoon. This event was significant in Gao Ming¡¯s memory; it was the only public appearance Situ An would make before he took over as head of the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. If the opportunity presented itself, Gao Ming was determined to take decisive action. ¡°There will be all major radio stations and over a hundred spectators. Acting under so many watchful eyes is indeed risky.¡± Gao Ming mused on his advantages: ¡°I have two primary strengths. First, the element of surprise, and second, my ability to hide in the shadows.¡± ¡°Once I make my move, I must be prepared to be an enemy of the entire city.¡± The dark deeds of Situ An were unknown to most, and even if they were, it wasn¡¯t Gao Ming¡¯s role to act. However, Gao Ming had personal reasons for wanting to take down Situ An. He nned to trap Situ An in his mutated heart chamber, ensuring that even if he returned from the tunnel, Situ An would no longer exist in reality. ¡°Fame and power are his biggest shields. Targeting him would inevitably draw the ire of other powerful figures in Hanhai against me.¡± Walking through the rain, Gao Ming¡¯s expression betrayed no concern: ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. In the future I¡¯ve foreseen, all sorts of ghost stories will spiral out of control in four weeks! So, whatever actions I take, as long as I can hold out for four weeks, that will be enough.¡± Chapter 76: The First to Kill Gao Ming Chapter 76: The First to Kill Gao Ming In the bustling Eastern District, right at the end of the bustling Queen¡¯s Street, a magnificent charity event unfolded in the sprawling Century Hall. This grand asion drew the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of Hanhai¡¯s high society, a gathering of wealth and influence under one roof. Outside, the weather painted a stark contrast. Dark, ominous clouds nketed the sky, unleashing a fierce downpour upon the city. Yet, within the walls of Century Hall, the mood was light and festive, a starkparison to the storm¡¯s fury outside. A barrier of clear ss separated the inside world from the outside, creating a visual connection but a physical divide. Those inside could gaze out at the rainshed city, while those outside could only observe the festivities from a distance. At the entrance, a burly security guard, with an air of superiority, firmly denied Gao Ming and Wan Qiu entry. ¡°No invitation or work pass, no entry. You¡¯re wee to watch from outside,¡± he said, his toneced with contempt, especially towards Gao Ming, whom he seemed to view as utterly unaware of his ce. Gao Ming, choosing not to confront the staff, silently led Wan Qiu to mingle with the onlookers, blending seamlessly into the crowd. Inside, the security measures were stringent, an imprable barrier that made it impossible for anyone to get close to Situ An, the key figure Gao Ming sought, let alone take any action against him. ¡°The area¡¯s too vast,¡± Gao Ming whispered to himself, his gaze lowered, contemting their daunting task. He thought about triggering portraits as a distraction, but quickly realized the futility ¨C the hall was simply toorge. If anyone nearby heard his mutterings, they¡¯d be chilled to the bone. He reflected on the potential chaos that could ensue ¨C a room full of influential individuals caught in an extraordinary event, surrounded by media. It would be a nightmare scenario, impossible to conceal. The thought alone was enough to send shivers down the spine of any member of the Investigation Bureau. Soon, the charity event swung into full motion. Young students from Hande Private School graced the stage with their performances, their innocence a heartwarming sight. This was followed by a series of generous donations from phnthropicpanies and individuals, all driven by a sincere desire to aid those in need. After the donations, the moment Gao Ming had been anticipating finally arrived, just as he had once heard in a TV broadcast. The host¡¯s voice rang clear, ¡°Let¡¯s cultivate and promote the spirit of charity, leading the trend of virtue and goodness! We now wee Mr. Situ An, Vice Chairman of the Hanhai Charity Association, to address us.¡± Situ An, d in a tailor-made suit, exuded an aura of sophistication and confidence as he stepped onto the stage. The crowd erupted into apuse, weing him with great enthusiasm, the background music shifting toplement his entrance. From a distance, Gao Ming watched Situ An intently, his eyes betraying a hint of bloodshot stress. He struggled to maintain hisposure, his gaze fixed on the man who presented such a perfect facade. Situ An¡¯s charisma was undeniable. Tall, with a bnced physique, and a face that blended handsomeness with maturity, he made an excellent first impression. Those who got to know him found him even more remarkable than expected. A genius in business, an ambassador of charity, humble yet knowledgeable ¨C his approach to people was something of a legend, each of his traits dazzling on its own. As Situ An began to speak, a hush fell over the audience. Even the most distinguished upper-ss members listened with rapt attention, breaking into coordinated apuse at intervals, thoroughly captivated by his presence. In the light of day, Gao Ming knew that any attempt to forcefully activate the portraits would be less effective due to the sheer number of people present. His attention wasn¡¯t on Situ An¡¯s words; his mind was consumed with the singr desire to kill the man and trap his soul in the punishment room within his heart. Struggling to suppress this intense urge to kill, Gao Ming surveyed the venue, looking for a chance to strike at Situ An. To his surprise, he noticed another person in the venue who seemed to harbor a simr deadly intent! At the divide between the outer and inner areas of the venue, a mysterious figure in a mask discreetly changed his attire. He then pulled out a worn, old photograph from his pocket. The man appeared to offer silent prayers to the photo, performing a series of gestures. Following this ritual, an eerie transformation urred ¨C his shadow began to grow darker and more ominous. Situ An¡¯s speech went on for about fifteen minutes. As it neared its end, two young men dressed sharply in suits suddenly lunged at Situ An from their ce in the audience, catching everyone off guard. Panic ensued in the venue, and security personnel swiftly intervened. Amidst the turmoil, Situ An hastily retreated backstage. At that moment, a pale, ghostly arm emerged from behind the curtain, reaching out for the charity ambassador under the eyes of many. Sensing that something was off, Gao Ming wondered, ¡°Who else wants to kill him?¡± He reasoned that if the attacker had managed to get backstage, they would have had ample and better opportunities to execute their n. Why wait until the very end of Situ An¡¯s speech? The timing seemed deliberately chosen to ensure that everyone saw Situ An being attacked and gravely injured. As blood was spilled, security and medical personnel rushed to the backstage area. The host tried to regain control of the situation, speaking into the microphone, but the audience was too shocked to pay attention. Gao Ming quickly instructed Wan Qiu, ¡°Go wait for me at the milk tea shop outside,¡± before following a suspicious individual who was leaving his seat and exiting the venue. Gao Ming trailed him discreetly, and they both ended up entering the restroom. After a short wait, Gao Ming observed the shadows extending from the third restroom stall, which seemed to pull him into a shadowy, alternate world. Concealing himself in a different stall, Gao Ming soon heard footsteps and a voice he recognized outside. ¡°Is my photo useful?¡± the voice asked. ¡°Dr. Lu, I¡¯ve done everything you asked. I created chaos and had my little sister attack Situ An in front of all the reporters,¡± replied the man, who was now removing his mask and coughing violently, indicating that the use of the portrait might be costing him his life. Facing the masked man was a young doctor, slightly older than Gao Ming, dressed in a white coat, with sses and a schrly appearance. However, ominous shadow-like ¡°birthmarks¡± marred his face. Seeing Dr. Lu, Gao Ming felt a jolt of pain in his chest; he recognized this doctor. In his first death, when Gao Ming thought he was losing his sanity, he consulted this shadow world doctor for help and was betrayed by being stabbed in the neck with a scalpel. Gao Ming¡¯s initial encounter with death was at the hands of this very doctor. Afterwards, he met this doctor several times more in future iterations, and each encounter led him to a grim and tragic end. In the restroom, Gao Ming stayed utterly silent, his breath held in. He had be all too familiar with the sensation of death, having endured it multiple times. The pain, once overwhelming, now barely fazed him. ¡°Is it done?¡± Dr. Lu inquired, retrieving his ck and white portrait. He seemed to have a fixation on cleanliness, meticulously wiping the photo with care. The man, clearly fearful, responded with a hint of desperation in his voice. ¡°Because it¡¯s broad daylight, my little sister¡¯s abilities are severely constrained, so she might not have executed the n to perfection¡­¡± He quickened his pace, anxiety evident as Dr. Lu remained quiet. ¡°The children from Hande Private School have been dealt with. They¡¯ve all been sent to the Dog Cer in the Eastern District. You and Situ An can check there tonight,¡± the man continued, his plea growing more urgent. ¡°I¡¯ve followed all your instructions. Can you please spare my little sister? She¡¯s just a child.¡± Dr. Lu¡¯s response was cold and detached. ¡°You can leave, but she cannot,¡± he dered. ¡°Every patient of mine bes a part of my collection.¡± ¡°You never mentioned this before!¡± the man protested, his voiceced with betrayal and despair. ¡°I¡¯ve done so much for you, evenmitted murder, and now I¡¯m left with nothing!¡± As he approached Dr. Lu, a woman¡¯s arm suddenly extended from under the doctor¡¯s coat, and a patient¡¯s face appeared on Dr. Lu¡¯s body as if they were fusing together. ¡°I did lie to you,¡± he confessed as another arm, this one wielding a scalpel, materialized from behind him and plunged into the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Did you really think you could just walk away?¡± The photo fell into the pool of blood, and the man¡¯s body was rapidly consumed by the encroaching shadows. Dr. Lu seemed to absorb some power from this act, then left the restroom, disappearing deeper into the shadow world. Gao Ming pondered the implications. ¡°So, Situ An has been in cahoots with entities from the shadow world. He orchestrated his own attack to set the stage for his bid to lead the Eastern District Investigation Bureau? Or is it to publicly expose the existence of ghosts?¡± He waited until the shadows receded before cautiously opening the stall door. He had been close to attacking Dr. Lu but held back upon overhearing critical information from the dying man. Tonight, Dr. Lu was apparently scheduled to meet with Situ An at the so-called Dog Cer in the Eastern District. Gao Ming was hesitant to confront Dr. Lu just yet, fearing that it might disrupt Situ An¡¯s original ns. ¡°The Dog Cer in the Eastern District? Could it be rted to the infamous Hanhai Dog Cer case?¡± Gao Ming was well-acquainted with the case. It was a chilling story that unfolded near a temporary shelter on the fringe of the Eastern District. It began when a child spoke of arge dog lurking in an abandoned ck cer. Initially, the adults dismissed the tale, but concern grew when children from the vige started vanishing. Eventually, suspicion fell on the cer, where the horrified vigers discovered a deranged man who had been abducting local children. Chapter 77: Do You Find Me Familiar? Chapter 77: Do You Find Me Familiar? After leaving the venue, Gao Ming found Wan Qiu, who was foolishly standing at the entrance of a milk tea shop. Approaching him, Gao Ming, holding two freshly bought milk teas himself, asked, ¡°Have you been waiting here for a long time?¡± He extended one of the cups towards Wan Qiu. As Gao Ming sipped on his chilled milk tea, thoughts of a past associate crept into his mind. Pulling out his phone, he hesitated briefly before making a decision and dialed Xuan Wen¡¯s number. Curiosity sparkled in Wan Qiu¡¯s eyes as he quietly observed Gao Ming. He leisurely enjoyed his taro balls and coconut jelly, a subtle intrigue in his gaze. The phone rang a few times before Xuan Wen¡¯s voice,ced with confusion, emerged: ¡°Who¡¯s this? What do you need?¡± ¡°Have you not gone to kill those eight female leads yet?¡± Gao Ming inquired yfully. Abruptly, the call ended, leaving behind an insistent busy tone. Stashing his phone away, Gao Ming gazed off into the distance, lost in thought for a moment. Then, with aposed demeanor, he reassuringly patted Wan Qiu on the shoulder, remarking, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m pretty certain I¡¯ve made quite an unforgettable impression on her.¡± Wan Qiu nodded, his expression a mix of vague understanding and confusion as if he had stumbled upon some profound insight. Suddenly, Gao Ming¡¯s phone vibrated with urgency in his pocket. He quickly answered, finding Wei Dayou on the other line: ¡°Hey, are you in any sort of trouble?¡± ¡°The police have cordoned off my apartment. Being the sole survivor, I¡¯ve attracted the investigators¡¯ attention,¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s voice conveyed weariness and stress. ¡°I followed your advice, and they¡¯ve taken me to the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. They¡¯re even considering me a notable survivor of a second-level abnormal event.¡± ¡°Have you already reached the Eastern District Investigation Bureau?¡± Gao Ming inquired. ¡°I¡¯ve just finished my interview and managed to join the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau, but¡­¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s voice dropped to a hushed tone, barely discernible amidst the stormy background. ¡°The bureau¡¯s environment is odd. The chief seems reclusive, always in his office. It¡¯s the deputy chief, Qing Ge, who everyone seems to follow. He¡¯s surprisingly young, barely in his early twenties, much younger than me.¡± ¡°Qing Ge!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s memory sparked at the mention of the name. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his youth. He¡¯s extremely dangerous!¡± ¡°It¡¯s already toote for caution,¡± Wei Dayou replied, his tone tinged with regret. ¡°I mistook him for a regr staffer and ended up boasting to him. They¡¯re nning a mission tonight, and they want me to join. Is there any chance I can escape this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had exposure to numerous game design ns; just find out their destination tonight, and you should be able to handle it.¡± ¡°All I know is that they¡¯re headed to the Eastern District Temporary Shelter, but the details are unclear,¡± Wei Dayou confessed, his voiceced with helplessness. ¡°Eastern District Temporary Shelter? Is Qing Ge nning to rendezvous with Situ An there?¡± Gao Ming pondered aloud, recalling that Qing Ge was groomed by Situ An, and his rapid ascension to deputy chief of the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau was likely facilitated by Situ An¡¯s influence. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to make my way there tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re heading there as well?¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s voice brightened with a mixture of surprise and relief. ¡°Brother, have you figured out the specifics of the game we¡¯re supposed to tackle tonight?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s tone was grave as he replied, ¡°This isn¡¯t some game we¡¯re dealing with; it¡¯s an actual murder case.¡± His mind was upied with the chilling specifics of the notorious Dog Cer Case. ¡°Listen, no matter what happens tonight, stay away from the cer.¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s curiosity piqued, tinged with a hint of fear. ¡°Why, is there something supernatural about the cer?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s response was solemn, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. ¡°It¡¯s far worse than any ghost. Imagine the horrors that might gue the mind of a blind man who¡¯s also deaf due to ear injuries.¡± He contemted the notorious madman¡¯s ck dungeon, a ce rumored to warp and transform within the shadow world. Gao Ming had never experienced death there, leaving him uncertain about its true nature. However, he reassured himself, considering that hisck of prior demise in that ce probably indicated it wasn¡¯t exceedingly perilous. After concluding the call, Gao Ming handed some taxi fare to Wan Qiu, instructing him to return home. He then hurried towards the Eastern District Temporary Shelter, a ce of significant concern tonight. In the affluent Eastern Districty Cripple Bay Vige. This site near the mountainside had remained undeveloped for an entire decade. Of course, the vige had undergone partial demolition years prior, a process marred by various unsettling incidents that ultimately halted the construction of a new urban settlement for the previous tenants. The vigers, left homeless by this upheaval, had taken refuge in the temporary shelter. Over time, as more disced individuals converged, the shelter¡¯s poption swelled. Recognizing the growing need, the Hanhai Charity Association stepped in to erect a temporary school and clinic to aid themunity. Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts lingered on Cripple Bay Vige, a ce infamous for its ghostly tales. The Dog Cer Case was just one among many unsettling stories rooted in the vige¡¯s troubled past. ¡­ At ten in the evening, the scene at Cripple Bay Vige Temporary Shelter was one of chaos under the relentless downpour. Wei Dayou, identifiable by the ck ring he wore, lingered at the back of the line, his gaze scanning the surroundings. The heavy rain battered the fragile hardboard houses, which groaned under the onught, threatening to give way at any moment. Rainwater leaked through the cracks, mixing with the asional curses of the vigers. ¡°Let¡¯s maintain some silence here,¡± Qing Gemanded as he pushed open the iron door of the charity clinic, his expression a mix of annoyance and alertness. He had expected to be greeted by the duty staff, but it seemed they were asleep or otherwise upied. Dr. Lu, armed only with a ck umbre, interjected, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can manage from here.¡± He continued, ¡°Chairman Situ is on the verge of seizing control over the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. I¡¯ll oversee the operation tonight. Follow the original n: let the refugees in first, feed it, then figure out a way to extract the children¡¯s corpses from the ck cer and transfer them to this clinic.¡± Qing Ge¡¯s response was clinical, devoid of emotion. ¡°How many should we feed this time?¡± ¡°Double thest count,¡± Dr. Lu replied nonchntly as he walked away, his back to the group, treating human lives as mere statistics. Wei Dayou, still at the end of the line, felt a chill run down his spine. Having overheard such sinister ns, he wondered if he would be the next target for silencing. Recalling Gao Ming¡¯s earlier advice, Wei Dayou¡¯s anxiety heightened. He scanned his surroundings, searching for any sign of Gao Ming. As the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau team proceeded further into the vige, the clinic¡¯s rudimentary patient call system unexpectedly chimed. Dr. Lu, ascending the clinic¡¯s staircase, paused, a look of surprise crossing his face. ¡°Someone¡¯s here at this hour?¡± Reaching the second floor, the raging storm howled against the tin roof, rain streaming through shattered windows. A figure stood in the dimly lit corridor, an eerie presence. This individual, draped in a soaked patient gown, seemed lost, his eyes vacant as he mechanically pressed the call button. He appeared oblivious to Dr. Lu¡¯s presence, caught in a repetitive, almost robotic action. ¡°A patient?¡± Dr. Lu adjusted his sses and moved closer. ¡°Do you need medical assistance?¡± The young man slowly turned, revealing a face marred by dirt, his hair stered to his skin, and his lips cracked from dryness. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ill¡­¡± Dr. Lu, always intrigued by unusual cases, responded, ¡°I am a doctor. Please,e into the examination room.¡± Once inside, Dr. Lu shut the door behind them. He chose not to turn on the light, instead taking his seat in the doctor¡¯s chair, the room engulfed in shadows. The young man in the patient gown conveyed his distress with an agonized expression. ¡°Doctor, it feels like I¡¯m losing my mind, something is terribly wrong with my brain.¡± He moved awkwardly, his movements erratic and uncontroble, until he collided with a table, using it to gain some semnce of stability. Maintaining aposed and warm demeanor, Dr. Lu reassured him, ¡°As a doctor, it¡¯s imperative that you trust mepletely. Only then can I effectively assist you.¡± The young man hesitated, wrestling with the decision to divulge his deepest, most troubling secret. After a prolonged pause, he finally mustered the courage to speak. ¡°Doctor,¡± he began tentatively, ¡°I¡¯ve made a frightening discovery. The games I¡¯ve designed¡­ they seem to have taken on a life of their own, turning into reality.¡± Seemingly unconcerned by the young man¡¯s revtion, Dr. Lu responded lightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing? In a world burdened by immense work pressure, you¡¯ve found an avenue for escape.¡± The young man¡¯s countenance fell, a shadow passing over his face as he admitted, ¡°But I specialize in horror games.¡± His voice dropped to a near whisper,den with dread. ¡°I¡¯ve envisioned 126 murder scenarios and crafted dozens of distinct murderers. Now, it appears as if all of them havee to life!¡± As he spoke, a palpable sense of doom enveloped him, and blood ominously began to seep from his chest. Dr. Lu¡¯s friendly smile faded, reced by a look of realization. ¡°The shadow is spreading?¡± he questioned, his tone shifting. ¡°You¡¯re not one of the vigers from the shelter, are you?¡± In response, the young man¡¯s eyes transformed into a haunting blood red, and with a terrifying revtion, eight spectral arms emerged from his back. With a chilling finality, he confronted Dr. Lu, ¡°Having killed me so many times, didn¡¯t you find me familiar?¡± Chapter 78: I am a patient and also the best doctor Chapter 78: I am a patient and also the best doctor In a dimly lit clinic, the scene was one of eerie intensity. Eight spectral arms, each a manifestation of Gao Ming¡¯s harrowing experiences with death, reached out in every direction. Standing in this ominous setting were the victims of Dr. Lu¡¯s cruel experiments, individuals who had been metaphorically ¡®killed¡¯ and resurrected multiple times through their harrowing experiences. They had weathered many storms of pain and despair, and now, they once again confronted Dr. Lu, the architect of their suffering. Gao Ming leaned over Dr. Lu¡¯s desk, his eyes red and swollen from strain and anger. His hands pressed firmly against the surface, and he exhaled a breath heavy with emotion and fogged with fatigue. ¡°Dr. Lu, is there a cure for the torment I endure?¡± Gao Ming asked, his voice a mix of hope and desperation. At that moment, a ghastly ragdoll, grotesque in appearance, emerged from under the table. It reached out and clutched Dr. Lu¡¯s leg. The doctor attempted to retreat, but Gao Ming¡¯s overwhelming presence left no room for escape. Gao Ming¡¯s countenance was a disturbing tableau of four aspects: life, death, desire, and sin. These faces gazed at the murderous doctor, their impact as forceful as a physical blow to his head. Inside Gao Ming, a mutated heart pounded furiously, each beat a loud, ominous thud that seemed to deepen the blood-red ambiance of the clinic. This heart was a symbol of his inner turmoil and the physical and emotional transformations he had undergone. Outside, a fierce storm raged, mirroring the physical violence unfolding within the clinic. Blood sttered with each batter, mixing with shadows and anguished screams. Gao Ming was the embodiment of extreme violence, but underlying his frantic beating at the bastard was a profound sadness. His mind was a battleground of conflicting emotions: death and self-destruction shed with thoughts of redemption and a rejection of rebirth. These tumultuous thoughts were like shards of death colliding within him, creating an unbearable inner chaos. This level of pain, which would have been intolerable even for the most resilient, was a routine experience for Gao Ming. ¡°I truly wanted to save everyone,¡± Gao Mingmented as he took another blow, ¡°but I soon realized I couldn¡¯t even save myself.¡± ring down at Dr. Lu, he used, ¡°I trusted youpletely, confided in you, yet you saw me only as a specimen for your experiments.¡± ¡°Why did you betray your patients?¡± Gao Ming demanded by making another blow. ¡°They looked to you as theirst hope, but you shattered that hope, subjecting them to repeated torment by thrusting your de into their body.¡± Each strand of the blood chain wrapped around Gao Ming¡¯s soul, transforming his heart into an instrument of torture that manifested his immense pain and despair in this reality. This heart, altered by his unique experiences, was more terrifying than any creation of the notorious family mass murderer from the apartment. In a surreal twist, the murderous doctor managed to pull out a ck and white photograph from his pocket. The photo showed patients in hospital gowns, all of whom had be part of Dr. Lu¡¯s macabre collection, their bodies mere vessels for shadows and suffering. ¡°Hold them off!¡± he orders the ghosts of his victim. The murderous doctor had lost all semnce of resistance at this point, only wanting to escape the room and flee for his life. ¡°Didn¡¯t you enjoy collecting patients?¡± Gao Ming taunted the now bruised face Dr. Lu. ¡°Why run away now and leave them behind? You¡¯re not a madman; you¡¯re just a coward, a twisted parasite feeding on the living!¡± Dr. Lu had a unique ability, empowered by the shadow world, to absorb his patients¡¯ ailments into himself, granting him extraordinary powers to affect others¡¯ psyches. However, he had never encountered someone like Gao Ming, who, having repeatedly faced and survived death, was immune to these psychological maniptions. Panick-stricken, Dr. Lu freed himself from the clutches of the fear doll and threw himself out the closest window nearby, falling all the way down from the second-story height. But Gao Ming wasn¡¯t going to let the murderous doctor go that easily. With red burning in his eyes, he too gave chase and jumped out as well. ¡°You can¡¯t escape! Situ An will join you in your fate!¡± Gao Ming bellowed, his voice almost drowned out by the storm. The eight formidable arms of the Flesh Immortal stretched out, lightning dramatically illuminating Gao Ming¡¯s intense expression while thunder boomed ominously. In this climactic moment, he and the ghostly avatar grabbed hold of Dr. Lu and lifted him up like an offering. ¡°What do you n to do?!¡± Dr. Lu cried out, terror-stricken. The idea that a living person could defeat a monster of the shadow world was beyond hisprehension, yet now he felt an overwhelming fear gnawing at his soul. The rain pelted down, adding a frantic rhythm to the already chaotic scene. Lightning shed, and thunder boomed as both Gao Ming and the Flesh Immortal opened their mouths. The eight arms brutally tore Dr. Lu apart. Countless blood vessels, resembling extensions of Gao Ming¡¯s own veins, emerged from the ghostly deity and prated Dr. Lu appendages, piercing both his mortal and spiritual hearts. It is believed humans possess two hearts ¨C the spiritual Heart of Deity, destined for reincarnation, and the other physical Heart of Mortality, remaining in the mortal world. But now, Gao Ming intended to seize both of Dr. Lu¡¯s hearts. Screams reverberated through the shadow world as Dr. Lu¡¯s face twisted in horror while witnessing the nightmarish torture chamber within Gao Ming¡¯s heart during the absorption. These operating devices represented overwhelming despair that needed to be quelled, and the offering was none other than Dr. Lu tonight. Now powerless to resist, the man realized toote that he had missed his opportunity to fight back. Once Gao Ming had seized control of his two hearts, his fate was irrevocably sealed, giving way for the Flesh Immortal to imprison Dr. Lu inside the horrific ¡°heart chamber¡± within Gao Ming. There, fragments of death memories, interlocking like sinister gears, began to turn and subject Dr. Lu to excruciating torture in the chamber, enduring the punishment he so rightfully deserved. Finally, the screams ceased after only the very memory of death corrting to Dr. Lu was consumed by the sin aspect, turning his existence into another bloodied chain hanging in the heart chamber. ¡°The torture chamber seems to transform the tortured souls into chains and torture devices,¡± Gao Ming observed after noticing the reddish hue subsiding somewhat on the ghostly avatar, ¡°and then uses them to torment other trapped spirits.¡± Gao Ming experienced a profound sense of relief and satisfaction from within, a feeling he hadn¡¯t known for a long time. ¡°So this is what it feels like to be free of the haunting memories of death!¡± he eximed, a sense of liberation washing over him. He stretched out his arms, allowing the relentless downpour to drench him. It felt as though the rain was washing away not just the physical grime but also the psychological shackles that had bound him for so long. ¡°I¡¯ve been trapped in too many nightmares. Topletely free myself, I must break through every single one of them!¡± Gao Ming thought determinedly. Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw the patients previously under Dr. Lu¡¯s care approaching slowly. They didn¡¯t show any aggression towards Gao Ming; instead, they stood at a respectful distance as if sensing the remnants of Dr. Lu¡¯s presence on him. ¡°Dr. Lu is gone. From now on, I, Dr. Gao, will be taking care of you,¡± Gao Ming dered, removing his patient gown and standing bare-chested in the rain. ¡°You are in luck. You¡¯ve now met the best doctor in this city.¡± As he walked back towards the clinic, the shadowed figures of the patients followed him. They seemed to understand and trust Gao Ming¡¯s intentions. ¡°I am not like Dr. Lu. I will genuinely treat your ailments, helping you eventually emerge from the shadows to bask in the sunlight,¡± Gao Ming promised, feeling the heartbeats of several patients around him. Among them, four patients stood out. Amei, the youngest, was gued by a bizarre illness that made her believe she had been a fish out of water since childhood. Wu Shu, the oldest, was a paranormal investigator from the Xinhai Investigation Bureau who had been studying abnormal events and the shadow world before being identally captured by Dr. Lu. The other two were a young couple, deeply in love and outwardly normal. ¡°I¡¯ll delve deeper into this after returning. This photo seems particrly relevant to my field,¡± Gao Ming thought, picking up the ck and white photo he had noticed earlier. The image of Dr. Lu had disappeared, reced by Gao Ming standing in the rain. Turning the photo over, he saw what appeared to be a child¡¯s scribbles. It read: ¡°Photo of the patients: Everyone in this city is mad, their diseased brains recording this diseased era.¡± After pocketing the photo, Gao Ming changed back into his clothes and checked his phone. He found three urgent messages from Wei Dayou, all sent just two minutes ago. ¡°Gao Ming! Those ** made me go down the cer first! Hurry up!¡± ¡°Where are you?! Not stuck in traffic, right?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong in the ck cer! None of the vigers who went down havee back up! It¡¯s almost my turn!¡± Gao Ming quickly donned his raincoat and rushed out into the storm, determined and focused. ¡°Now that Dr. Lu¡¯s chapter is closed, it¡¯s time to deal with Qing Ge. I¡¯ll dismantle Situ An¡¯s two main supports before dragging him into my torture chamber,¡± he mused, his resolve unwavering as he disappeared into the heavy rain, ready to confront the next challenge. Chapter 79: Whose hand is this? Chapter 79: Whose hand is this? Gao Ming moved stealthily past a makeshift encampment on this dark, stormy night. The encampment was made up of flimsy steel te houses that were shaking and rattling in the fierce wind and rain. The area was engulfed in darkness, broken only by intermittent sounds of doors being violently forced open in the distance. ¡°We¡¯re nearing Cripple Bay Vige,¡± a inward voice warned. With the rim of his raincoat pulled low over his face, Gao Ming felt his heart inexplicably begin to race. As he drew closer to the vige, which had eerily remained untouched and undeveloped for over a decade, a chilling premonition in his mind screamed at him to stay away. He followed a trail of footprints etched into the muddy ground, leading him to a quarantine zone set up between the vige and the temporary shelter. The sign that once prohibited entryy discarded in the mud, half-submerged in puddles that were slowly erasing the traces of blood that had been spilled there. Pushing his way through the overgrown branches, Gao Ming came upon a scene of confrontation. d in a standard-issue raincoat, an investigator was facing off against a group of defiant vigers. The vigers from the shelter, refusing toply with the directives of Qing Ge, the leader of the investigators, tried to reason with him. However, tensions escted when the head viger was suddenly and violently kicked into a dark, foreboding cer. The relentless downpour masked many sinister noises, and it was only upon closer inspection that the malevolent intentions of the people there became apparent. When negotiations failed, the shelter¡¯s refugees, armed with sticks and rudimentary farming tools,unched an attack on the investigators. However, these investigators from the Eastern District were no ordinary men; they were highly trained and disyed fearsomebat abilities. In a matter of minutes, the ground near the cer was strewn with the bodies of vigers, none left standing. Gao Ming,cking his usual spectral reinforcements, knew he was no match for the well-armed, battle-hardened agents of the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau. With a mere gesture, Qing Gemanded his men to start throwing the screaming refugees into the cer. The dark, gaping maw of the cer seemed like a ravenous beast, never satiated. The moment the vigers hit the bottom of the cer, their screams eerily ceased, as if they had been devoured whole. ¡°We¡¯ve already sacrificed twice as many asst time, and it¡¯s still not enough,¡± Qing Gemented to his team, his eyes scanning over the newer recruits who stood paralyzed with fear at the end of the line. ¡°The doctor¡¯s estimates were incorrect. These vagrants alone won¡¯t suffice to clear our path. You,¡± he pointed to one of the men, ¡°start opening the houses. One by one, bring out all the vigers.¡± Silenced by fear, no one dared to oppose Qing Ge¡¯s orders, knowing full well that any dissent could result in being the next one thrown into the depths of the cer. ¡°After the anomaly spreads, the casualties will multiply exponentially. In every species, some members must be sacrificed for the greater good in times of crisis. You are the elite; your survival is paramount. Your lives will save countless others, which is why you will be thest to be sacrificed if needed.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t power supposed to be used to protect those who are vulnerable?¡± Wei Dayou finally broke his silence, his voice tinged with disbelief and frustration. Qing Ge responded with a chilling, unwavering gaze. ¡°If it¡¯s necessary for the greater good, I would not hesitate toy down my life,¡± he dered. ¡°Now, do as Imand.¡± Around them, the experienced agents of the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau began to move, forming a tight circle around the new recruits, a clear sign of their unwavering allegiance to Qing Ge. Among the recruits, there was a moment of hesitation, a brief flicker of uncertainty, but eventually, they started moving towards the nearest shelter house, leaving Wei Dayou rooted to his spot, engulfed in moral turmoil. ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to use these people as a means to our end, then perhaps you should be the one to forge the path,¡± Qing Ge stated tly, his words cutting through the tense air. ¡°Use your strength to protect them, if you can.¡± As the shelter doors were forced open, one after another, terrified vigers were dragged out, their cries of fear and despair echoing in the stormy night, each one being taken towards the ominous cer. The three new recruits, moving together, seemed to be covertly coordinating their actions, subtly edging towards a room far from the others¡¯ view. Qing Ge quietly spoke to the team members beside him, his eyes never missing a beat. Without a word, they sprung into action, charging towards the new recruits. The recruits, dropping their pretense of opening doors, attempted to flee, but they were no match for the seasoned investigators¡¯ physical prowess and were quickly apprehended. ¡°Why join the Investigation Bureau if youck even this basic level ofmitment?¡± Qing Ge challenged, his voice cold as he pushed the three recruits towards the cer, their bodies disappearing into its dark depths in front of Wei Dayou. As the third recruit was thrown in, a distant, hollow thud echoed up from the cer, a sign that something had changed in its depths. ¡°There¡¯s an echo now,¡± Qing Ge noted with a cold detachment, drawing a ck knife and pressing it against Wei Dayou¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re fortunate. You won¡¯t be a mere stepping stone; you¡¯ll have the chance to walk the path yourself.¡± Wei Dayou felt the fabric of his raincoat tear, his mind racing with the stark realization of the grim and twisted nature of the Eastern District Investigation Bureau, a den of brainwashed zealots! ¡°Many paths in history are built on the bones of the forgotten; it¡¯s just that they¡¯re usually hidden from view,¡± Qing Ge mused, pushing Wei Dayou towards the gaping maw of the cer. ¡°Go down there, find the bodies of the children, and bring them up. Survive this, and you¡¯ll earn another chance.¡± Wei Dayou¡¯s hand, concealed under his raincoat, seemed to be clutching something. But before he could act, he was forcefully pushed into the cer by Qing Ge. Meanwhile, Gao Ming¡¯s phone screen suddenly illuminated with a new message from Wei Dayou: Danger, run! Having read the urgent warning, Gao Ming quickly made his move. The storm made it hard to distinguish between figures, all d in identical raincoats, but he saw Qing Ge overseeing the edge of the cer before descending with the rest of his team. Stealthily emerging from his hiding spot, Gao Ming approached the edge of the cer himself. Here, he peered into the abyss of the cer, a pit dug into a mound of earth, incessantly swallowing rainwater and mud yet never seeming to fill. Gao Ming paused, his senses heightened in the eerie atmosphere of the cer as he caught a whiff of a faint but distinct odor. Unlike typical repulsive smells that evoke a sense of revulsion, this particr stench was strangely soothing, almostforting in its familiarity. Pondering the situation, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but question aloud, ¡°Even if the ck cer is vast, how could it possibly amodate so many people? Could something horrifying be lurking within its depths?¡± His thoughts drifted to the infamous Dog Cer case, where the so-called ¡®big dog¡¯ was ultimately killed by the vigers. However, when the police got involved, they uncovered several puzzling aspects: Why did the madman choose the ck cer as his hideout? Who was sustaining him day after day? And most chillingly, what was his purpose behind luring children into that dark abyss? From a logical standpoint, it seemed highly improbable that a blind man could abduct children from the vige without attracting adult attention. Regrettably, by the time the authorities arrived, the madman had already met his end, severing any leads. The vigers presented a united front in their ounts, and the case was hastily concluded based on their testimonies. Holding a memorial photograph, Gao Ming focused on conveying Wei Dayou¡¯s likeness to the Fear Doll, a tool in his investigative arsenal, before sending it ahead into the cer. But mere secondster, allmunication with the Fear Doll abruptly ceased. ¡°This cer¡­ it seems to devour anything and everything,¡± Gao Ming mused, a sense of foreboding growing within him. With cautious steps, Gao Ming ventured into the cer. The structure was in a state of disrepair; bricks were crumbling, the floor was a quagmire of mud, and the entire cer appeared perilously close to copsing, potentially entombing anyone inside alive. As he moved deeper, Gao Ming attempted to use his phone¡¯s shlight to pierce the enveloping darkness, but bizarrely, even with the light, visibility remained nil. The cacophony of sounds from the outside world was also mysteriously fading away. ¡°It¡¯s a tempest outside, with thunderps and howling winds, yet why is it so eerily silent in here?¡± Gao Ming questioned, a sense of unease creeping up on him. Turning to look back, he was shocked ¨C the entrance he hade through was no longer there. Gao Ming found himself ensnared in an oppressive, soundless void. In a situation where one loses sight, they could still rely on hearing and verbalmunication to connect with the world. But to lose both senses would be a disorienting, overwhelming experience for anyone. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t tell if it was just psychological, but his breathing seemed to growbored. He felt as if he was gradually being engulfed by the viscousbination of mud and rising water. In a desperate bid for a sense of grounding, Gao Ming crouched and wrapped his arms around himself. The tangible sensation of his own body provided a fleeting reassurance ¨C he was still real, still existing in this unnerving void. Realizing he had to quickly adapt to this sensory deprivation, Gao Ming knew he had to rely solely on his sense of touch and smell now. ¡°The blind man who lived here had impaired hearing as well. What I¡¯m experiencing must have been his daily reality,¡± Gao Ming thought to himself, trying to understand his environment. His first instinct was to adapt to this alien environment. Slowly, he moved towards where he remembered the entrance should be, navigating through the pitch-ck, silent space. However, as he inched backwards, his back suddenly made contact with something unexpected. Reaching behind him, Gao Ming¡¯s hand met with another set of cold, lifeless fingers. Chapter 80: A Lifetime Permeated by Scent Chapter 80: A Lifetime Permeated by Scent The hand that touched Gao Ming was devoid of the warmth one would expect from a living being, feeling more like an inanimate object. It was coarse, marked with the hard, rough patches of calluses and scabs, a testament to hardbor or perhaps a life of hardship. The fingers were grimy, coated in dirt that seemed ingrained into the skin, and the fingernails were in poor condition ¨C bitten down to jagged, uneven stubs. In the oppressive darkness and utter silence of his surroundings, this hand became Gao Ming¡¯s sole source of information about his environment. Deprived of his sight and hearing, he likened himself to a crazed person trapped in a dark, forgotten cer, using touch as the only means to connect with the outside world. Suddenly, the hand sped his own with a startling force. Gao Ming felt a primal fear, as if ensnared by a predatory animal, being inexorably pulled deeper into the foreboding depths of the pitch-ck cer. In a desperate effort to protect himself, particrly his head, Gao Ming lost all sense of which way was up or down, left or right. After what seemed like an eternity, he tumbled down into the cold, damp mud and becamepletely lost in the darkness. He tried searching for markings like walls or stones to help his senses, but as he wandered, nothing of the sort came into contact with him. Confused and disoriented, Gao Ming found himself back where he had started. He squatted down, overwhelmed by a deep sense of panic. He was a man ustomed to relying on sight and hearing to navigate the world, but now those senses were useless to him. He pondered the owner of the hand, realizing that this person hadn¡¯t killed him outright. There must be a reason for this; perhaps he was needed for something. In a bid to understand his surroundings, Gao Ming scooped up some mud, molding it in his hands and bringing it close to his nose. The fresh, moist scent of earth, reminiscent of the smell following rain, filled his nostrils. As he was engrossed in this smell, his fingers brushed against something unexpected ¨C a de of grass. This discovery was perplexing. As he understood it, the cer should be filled with nothing but damp, rotting mud ¨C not the environment where you¡¯d find the scent of fresh earth or living nts. Though he couldn¡¯t see or hear, his sense of touch and smell were intact and now his primary tools for experiencing the world. Kneeling down, he felt around, exploring the grass and leaves, the scents almost bing tangible through his touch. Reflecting on his situation, Gao Ming recalled the case of the ¡®dog cer¡¯, where a deaf-mute man had been brutally killed by vigers. He now found himself in a simr predicament. As he explored, the aroma of osmanthus flowers reached him. This scent was known for its ability to alleviate depression and had some efficacy in treating certain mood disorders. Compelled by the fragrance, Gao Ming moved towards it. But before he could reach its source, he was suddenly and violently attacked. He felt the impact of belts, wooden chairs, and fists, an array of objects beating him mercilessly in the darkness. The pain was real and immediate, even if he couldn¡¯t see his assants. When he moved away from the osmanthus scent, the beating ceased. This led Gao Ming to wonder if there was a connection between the scent and the aggression. To test his theory, he cautiously approached the osmanthus again, only to be beaten once more, forcing him to retreat quickly. Gao Ming, a trained psychological counselor, knew that scents could evoke powerful memories. He hypothesized that the scent of osmanthus was somehow triggering memories of violence in this space, possibly belonging to the tormented mind of the blind madman he was now likened to. Much like how the distinctive smell of disinfectant in hospitals often triggers people¡¯s childhood memories of receiving injections or experiencing illness, Gao Ming found himself in a simr situation. The power of scent in evoking memories is unique; unlike sight and sound, smells can provoke more intense and emotional recollections. This is because scents bypass the thmus, which is the brain¡¯s primary hub for processing sensory information, and directly influence the hippocampus and amygd, areas deeply involved in memory and emotion. ¡°Do I have to rely on scents to navigate my way out of here?¡± He had never encountered such a strange and convoluted challenge before. After a moment of deep thought, he steeled his resolve, thinking, ¡°I must survive this ordeal andter suggest this unusual game to Situ An as a strange form of entertainment.¡± As he focused on distinguishing between different scents, the fresh earthy smell gradually gave way to the harsher odors of car exhaust and dust. It felt as though he was in the middle of a bustling crowd, constantly being jostled and bumped into, yet he couldn¡¯t see a thing. All he had were the myriad scents flooding his nostrils, making it hard to identify each one distinctly. After some time, the unmistakable odor of mothballs emerged. Suddenly, his hand was grabbed by someone else. This person was significantly taller and stronger than Gao Ming, and the strong scent of mothballs seemed to emanate from their clothing. Hesitantly following this person for a few steps, Gao Ming soon detected a troubling new scent mingling with the mothballs ¨C the faint, metallic smell of blood. Feeling a surge of panic, he quickly bit the hand holding him and broke free, then ran towards the area where the fragrance of osmanthus was strongest. Gao Ming had a n: he hoped those who had previously beaten him for approaching the osmanthus scent would now intercept this ¡°mothball person.¡± Ideally, they might even turn on each other! Despite being unable to see or hear, Gao Ming sensed the pungent mothball odor following him closely. He kept running, feeling as if the whole world was bearing down on him, a relentless pursuer in this terrifying game of scents. Soon, he was engulfed by the sweet fragrance of osmanthus. Bracing himself and covering his head, he charged into the scent, only to be met withshes from belts. To his surprise, the scent of mothballs caught up with him, but there was no conflict between the two parties. ¡°Are these two scents working together?¡± he wondered in desperation. Realizing he was about to be caught, Gao Ming prepared to confront his attackers. He lunged at the figure ahead, fighting back fiercely, using his sense of touch to identify his assants. The osmanthus scent was associated with a stout middle-aged man and a woman wearing a skirt, both attacking him ruthlessly with a belt and a chair. Meanwhile, the smell of mothballs wasing from a man dressed in a jacket. It appeared as though these three individuals had conspired to hand Gao Ming over to the man in the jacket. Gao Ming pondered a chilling thought, ¡°Scents represent memories, and the corresponding memory scene reappears when you smell them. Could it be that the blind madman was sold by his parents as a child? And the jacket man was the buyer?¡± After enduring a third round of beatings, Gao Ming attempted to escape. However, without the ability to see or hear, his efforts to flee were fraught with difficulty and uncertainty. The man in the jacket forcefully grabbed Gao Ming by the cor and dragged him through the darkness, the strong, prating scent of mothballs filling the air around them. As they moved, the unsettling smell of blood became more pronounced, mingled with the clinical odor of medicine. Amidst this sensory overload, a sudden and foul odor made its presence known, and Gao Ming felt another hand grasp his arm. A scuffle ensued between the owner of this foul smell and the jacket man, during which Gao Ming found himself unexpectedly free. Most people in such a situation would seize the chance to escape, but Gao Ming had a different realization. He recalled that when he first entered the ck cer, he had detected this same foul odor. Strangely, he hadn¡¯t found it repugnant; in fact, there was something almostforting about it. As a psychological counselor, Gao Ming was familiar with the notion that scents could hold different meanings for different people. What might be foul to one could be fragrant to another, often influenced by their emotional associations with that scent. With this understanding, Gao Ming made a bold move. He clenched a fistful of soil and, with a surge of newfound determination fueled by the multiple beatings he had endured, he attacked the ¡°mothball person.¡± Assisted by the owner of the foul smell, they sessfully repelled the ¡°mothball person.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s hand was grasped yet again, but this time the touch was different. The hand was warm, notrge, its palm rough with calluses, indicative of someone ustomed to manualbor, perhaps something delicate like weaving. Gradually, the oppressive scents of dust, sweat, car exhaust, and even the more pleasant aromas of bread and coffee began to fade away. They were reced by a gentle breeze carrying the faint smell of wheat and the homely scent of cooking from nearby houses. ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve returned from the city to my childhood home in the countryside,¡± Gao Ming thought to himself, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. Theforting, familiar scents of burning firewood, roasted tofu, sweet potatoes, and stir-fried cured meat filled the air. He was soon handed a steaming bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks. As he ate, the vors seemed to embody the essence of childhood joy, infused with a deep longing and the taste of home. It was an indescribably delicious meal, the best he had had in a long time. After finishing the meal, Gao Ming remained seated, and the hand then offered him a small knife. Initially startled, he was soon presented with a prepared bamboo strip, and the hand guided him in the craft of weaving a bamboo basket. ¡°This hand not only fed me but also wants to teach me skills for survival,¡± Gao Ming realized with a sense of gratitude. His body naturally gravitated towards the warmth of this hand. In his current state, lost in the darkness and silence, Gao Ming had forgotten about the game he was supposed to be ying. All he knew was that he wanted to stay close to this hand, the only source offort and security in his otherwise bleak and disorienting world. Chapter 81: Making Up for Regrets Chapter 81: Making Up for Regrets Upon venturing into the shadowy depths of the cer, Gao Ming had encountered a total of four pairs of hands, each with a story to tell. The first pair, likely belonging to the cer¡¯s blind inhabitant ¨C a man gued by madness ¨C forcibly pulled Gao Ming deeper into the dark recesses of the cer, and metaphorically, into the man¡¯s own troubled and murky past. The second set of hands, presumably those of the blind man¡¯s biological parents, were harsh and unrelenting. They struck him repeatedly as if trying to drive him away, a stark contrast to the care and love typically expected from parents. The third pair of hands Gao Ming encountered painted a picture of a tragic childhood marred by exploitation. They seemed to be those of human traffickers, who likely nned to use the blind man, then just a child, as a beggar on the streets, a fate far toomon for many unfortunate souls. The fourth and final pair of hands offered a starkly different story. They were gentle and nurturing, seemingly belonging to someone who took it upon themselves to care for the blind man. This person fed him, taught him essential life skills, and provided a semnce of normalcy and security in his otherwise tumultuous life. It appeared there was no familial bond here, just an act of pure, selfless kindness in a world otherwise void ofpassion. For the blind man, these hands were a lifeline in his soundless, colorless existence, akin to a ray of hope for a soul drowning in despair. Amidst his task of learning traditional crafts like bamboo basket and mat weaving, Gao Ming found himself contemting the identity of this altruistic individual. This person, who never once appeared in the infamous dog cer case, had profoundly impacted the blind man¡¯s life. ¡°What happenedter?¡± Gao Ming wondered. A firm tap on his shoulder from the hands broke his train of thought, urging him to quicken his pace in learning. It was as if their owner sensed an impending danger or urgency. Gao Ming, too, began to feel a sense of foreboding. He strained his senses, trying to identify a faint odor that lingered in the air. It was not the overpowering stench of decay or body odor, but something subtler, reminiscent of ammonia. This scent led Gao Ming to a troubling possibility. It hinted at kidney disease, where the failure to excrete waste results in toxins circting in the bloodstream. These toxins, when expelled through sweat or breath, can produce an ammonia-like odor. ¡°Her condition might be quite severe,¡± Gao Ming realized. For the blind madman, these hands were like a precarious lifeline, one that could be withdrawn at any moment. ¡°What can I do?¡± Gao Ming felt a profound helplessness, immersed in a world defined only by scents. As he adapted to living in darkness and silence, the smell emanating from the hands grew stronger. Gao Ming began to piece together a poignant narrative: at home, there were always the aromas of food but never the scent of medicine. Did this kind soul save the blind man but neglect her own health? Unable to see a face or hear a voice, Gao Ming¡¯s memories of her were shaped solely by her acts of kindness and the faint smell that apanied her presence. Her name, her voice ¨C these remained unknown to him. Gradually, Gao Ming found himself developing a dependency on these hands, much like the blind madman had. But then, unexpectedly, the hands released him as if encouraging him to achieve something independently. The task at hand wasn¡¯t aboutbat or solvingplex puzzles; it was about mastering the mundane, everyday tasks that most take for granted. Gao Ming stumbled and fell repeatedly in this endeavor, but each time, the hands were there to assist him. As long as he could detect that faint ammonia scent, he felt reassured, knowing he wasn¡¯t alone. Eventually, Gao Ming mastered these tasks, limating himself to this silent, dark world. But as he reached this milestone, his heart sank. The familiar smell began to fade, growing weaker by the moment. Desperate to hold onto this connection, Gao Ming stumbled through the mud, tripping over unseen obstacles. He fell, his face smeared with mud and his hands possibly injured. But this time, the hands didn¡¯te to his aid. Alone and disoriented in the pitch-ck silence, Gao Ming felt an overwhelming sense of istion. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing back?¡± he longed to cry out, but his voice was lost in the void. His emotions churned within him. Though ustomed to facing death and danger withposure, Gao Ming hadn¡¯t anticipated the profound despair of this world. Standing still for a moment, he followed the lessons taught by the hands, feeling his way along the stone walls until he found a door. It led him back to the ce where bamboo mats were woven, the realm of those nurturing hands. But now, it was just him in that space. ¡°Am I to remain here forever, trapped in this oppressive darkness of despair?¡± Gao Ming pondered as negative emotions bubbled to the surface. He attempted to weave bamboo mats, a task that now seemed hollow. Reaching forward, his hands encountered a leg, but it wasn¡¯t apanied by the familiar smell. The person in the room was a stranger. Suddenly, Gao Ming was kicked, falling backward into another person. The room filled with people, each carrying their own distinct scents ¨C sweat, wheat seedlings, cow dung ¨C but none had the smell he yearned for. ¡°Could these be other vigers?¡± Gao Ming wondered. These intruders ransacked the room, indifferent to Gao Ming¡¯s presence unless he obstructed them, in which case they reacted with violence. The once familiar space was destroyed beyond recognition, its contents plundered. Yet, this was not the worst of it. Someone seized Gao Ming, threw him out, and imed the house for themselves. ¡°What can I do now? As a person who can¡¯t hear, see, or speak, what are my options?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s despair deepened. He lost track of time in the darkness, trying to empathize with the blind madman¡¯s perspective. ¡°Could it be that the blind madman¡¯s intention to kidnap vige children was born out of a desire for vengeance against these vigers? But given his experiences, the blind man was neither mad nor capable of such an act.¡± As Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts spiraled, the familiar smell suddenly returned, and the hands grasped his wrist once more. ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± he realized with a surge of relief. She seemed intent on leading him somewhere, moving slowly, her scent growing stronger. The terrain shifted beneath their feet, sloping downwards, until Gao Ming¡¯s hands brushed against broken bricks at what seemed to be the cer¡¯s entrance. ¡°Is this the way out of the cer?¡± he wondered. Reality and memory started to blend. Gao Ming faintly heard rain and saw a glimmer of light piercing the darkness. ¡°Did she find a new refuge for the blind man after their home was plundered?¡± he spected. The hands released him, gently pushing his shoulder, signaling him to walk backward, towards the light and sound, towards escape. Most investigators trapped in such memories would seize this opportunity to leave, and Gao Ming himself was tempted. But he recognized that in his current role as the blind madman, departure might not be the right choice. Would the blind man abandon these hands, his lifeline, and turn away? Gao Ming pondered three possibilities: first, to follow her guidance and leave; second, to stay in the darkness with his benefactor; third, to consider that his benefactor might already be deceased, and this scenario was just the blind man¡¯s fanciful longing for a happy ending. With these thoughts in mind, Gao Ming chose to follow his heart. He didn¡¯t leave but instead took hold of those hands and walked deeper into the cer. As his reality and memory merged further, the details of the cer became clearer, and the surrounding smells became more intense, yet Gao Ming felt no repulsion. He familiarized himself with the cer¡¯s contents through touch, learning to navigate this world of darkness and silence. His focus turned to caring for his gravely ill benefactor. Theck of sight and sound did not impede his ability to feelpassion and empathy. What Gao Ming was undertaking could be what many yearn to do ¨C to repay an act of kindness, to make amends in a life filled with regrets. Chapter 82: The Big Dog Chapter 82: The Big Dog In a dim, shadowy cer, Gao Ming chose to stay, resolved to care for a sick woman who relied heavily on him. Over time, he adapted to the gloom, his surroundings bing more and more perceptible and tangible to him. Although he was still blind and deaf, his heart felt somewhat lighter. The fear that once dominated him had now receded, even in the face of his sensory limitations. The cer¡¯s stagnant, unpleasant smell grew stronger with time. The woman, frail and confined to her bed, depended entirely on Gao Ming for support and care. Gao Ming¡¯s only concern was to be there for her in herst moments, but he started noticing strange urrences: objects in the cer were moved, and their woven bamboo mat had vanished. He realized they weren¡¯t alone; other people were hiding in the cer too. Remaining alert, Gao Ming eventually caught a child by the arm, only to be overpowered and knocked down by a group of children. ¡°Are these vige children causing trouble?¡± he wondered, trying to chase them. He ran blindly, guided only by his senses, but collided head-first into the stone wall of the cer. Near the exit, he sensed the outside world beckoning ¡ª the sound of rain and a faint light in the darkness. For someone trapped in such darkness and silence, the sight of an exit would feel like a lifeline, much like a desert traveler finding water after days of thirst. Drawn unconsciously towards the exit, Gao Ming suddenly smelled something burning. A fire had started behind him, and smoke was quickly filling the space. ¡°There¡¯s someone still in the cer, the person who saved me,¡± he thought. Faced with a critical choice between escape and saving the person inside, Gao Ming turned back. He had to rely solely on his sense of smell to find the person, as the thickening smoke obscured all else. He raced back into the smoke-filled darkness, trying to make noise to warn of the danger, though he wasn¡¯t sure if he could be heard. The fire might have been an ident, or perhaps it was caused by the children. The fire spread rapidly, and Gao Ming felt the heat and pain of burning objects as he searched blindly, smelling the sickening scent of his own burning flesh. He still had a chance to escape, but he chose not to. The sound of rain outside seemed to urge him to flee, but he resisted. A burning stick fell onto his shoe, and the cer seemed on the verge of copse. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t imagine how a blind person could navigate such peril. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, stay calm,¡± he told himself, his resolve hardened by his brushes with death. Remembering theyout of the cer and the woman¡¯sst known location, he pushed through the smoke and fear. Debris fell around him, but he persisted until he finally felt a familiar hand amid the mes. ¡°I found her!¡± he inwardly eximed, picking up the woman and moving towards the sound of rain. As he made his decision and moved towards the exit, his senses began to clear, as if everything he had lost was slowly returning. ¡°This must be the way to pass this level!¡± he thought. Approaching the exit, his senses sharpened, but the scent behind him faded. ¡°Why is her scent disappearing, even though I¡¯m carrying her out?¡± he wondered, climbing the woodendder to the cer entrance. As he emerged, the odor vanishedpletely. At that moment, his vision and hearing returned. Looking down, he realized he was holding a small bamboo figurine instead of a woman. A chill ran down his spine, but before he could process this shock, he saw something more terrifying. A massive, pitch-ck dog crouched at the cer exit, its mouth wide enough to swallow a person, revealing sharp fangs. Inside its throat, shockingly, was a human head! The head¡¯s eyes were white and cloudy, its ears charred ¡ª it bore a striking resemnce to the blind madman rumored to have died in the dog cer case. The dog¡¯s gaping mouth was pointed towards the exit. If Gao Ming hadn¡¯t regained his sight and hearing, he might have walked straight into its jaws. Holding onto thedder tightly, Gao Ming faced the human head in the dog¡¯s mouth, offering the bamboo figurine. ¡°I saved her.¡± After a long silence, the dog closed its mouth, its deep voice resonating, ¡°What you saved was yourself.¡± ¡°Was that experience your memory?¡± Gao Ming asked, realizing that the blind madman, through the shadow world, had transformed into this creature. Its presence was more unsettling than any neighbor in the Sishui Apartment. ¡°The cer is my home, my memories,¡± the dog spoke without moving its lips. ¡°I¡¯ve always lived in silence and darkness. You entered my home with your own agenda, so you became like me.¡± ¡°I came here to find a friend named Wei Dayou. He¡¯s not the brightest, but he¡¯s incredibly kind-hearted.¡± Gao Ming lifted the bamboo figurine. ¡°I¡¯m someone who repays kindness.¡± ¡°You may emerge first.¡± The enormous dog shifted aside, allowing Gao Ming to climb out of the cer. Before him sprawled a vige and city shrouded in shadows. ¡°Is losing your hearing and sight as terrifying as it seems?¡± ¡°Every moment was a struggle. I¡¯ve been like this since birth,¡± the dog shared, sitting near the cer exit. ¡°I vaguely remember being sold by a couple smelling of flowers. They weren¡¯t my parents. From a young age, I was used for begging since my condition evoked sympathy from others. Then, I met ¡®mom,¡¯ who taught me how to be human.¡± The dog gently touched the bamboo figurine without harming it. ¡°When ¡®mom¡¯ died, everything changed. Distant rtives took her home and forced me into this cer. From then on, I¡¯ve been living there for a long time, losing track of the days and night. Then one rainy day, someone started a fire near the cer. I tried to stop it but was pushed down a slope. Injured and bleeding from the head, I hoped for rescue and waved my arms frantically for help, but no one did. When I awoke againter, it was from the pain of people beating me. They never saw me as human¡­¡± The dog recounted its past with detachment. Piecing together the blind madman¡¯s ount, Gao Ming theorized about the dog cer case: the vige children probably pushed the blind man down the hill, thinking he was dead. Then they told the adults, who then killed him and spread the story of a lunatic abducting children. ¡°Are those who twisted the truth still around? Would you like me to find them?¡± Gao Ming asked, touching the dog¡¯s fur. ¡°I¡¯m a horror game designer; I can create a game to help you step out of the shadows.¡± ¡°No need, I hold no grudges,¡± the dog replied. ¡°Why then imprison others in the cer, making them suffer as you did?¡± Gao Ming asked, offering to talk as a psychological counselor for repeat offenders. ¡°I can help heal your heart¡¯s wounds.¡± The dog, reflecting Gao Ming¡¯s face in its dark eyes, found him unusual, seemingly a man on a quest for purpose. Chapter 83: What Have You Done to Me! Chapter 83: What Have You Done to Me! After an intense and prolonged gaze at Gao Ming, a voice, weary and old, emerged from within therge canine form: ¡°I presume this is your first visit to this mysterious shadow city, isn¡¯t it? This ce is a mirror image of our tangible world, yet it¡¯s filled with the forgotten remnants of human memories and their darkest nightmares. Joy, happiness, and light are foreign concepts here. What prevails instead is an unending cycle of despair, death, and imprable darkness.¡± Gao Ming inquired with puzzlement, ¡°But why does this justify you in capturing and holding people against their will?¡± He had begun to suspect that the blind man, despite his sensory limitations, possessed an extraordinary understanding of their bizarre situation. ¡°The moment any creature is tainted by the shadow, upon awakening, they are instilled with a singr purpose by this world,¡± exined the dog, settling onto the ground. ¡°This shadow city is on the brink of copse. We need more living souls here. Only when the living outnumber the ghostly inhabitants will this cmity cease, and entities like me might find true liberation.¡± ¡°The living must outnumber the ghosts?¡± Gao Ming questioned, scanning the seemingly deserted city. ¡°How many would it take? Hundreds? Thousands? The city doesn¡¯t appear to be overrun by ghosts.¡± ¡°You are blinded by hope. Only eyes clouded by despair can see the true extent,¡± the dog responded, its jaws opening once more. ¡°Do not resist; allow me to assist you.¡± As the dog¡¯s massive maw engulfed Gao Ming, he was enveloped in a bone-chilling sensation. What terrors could a person who lives in a world devoid of sight and sound experience? No imagery, no hues, no auditory stimuli ¨C just an endless expanse of darkness and sudden, overwhelming despair. Gao Ming felt himself sinking deeper into this nightmarish abyss, eventually reaching its darkest depths. This darkness seemed to serve as a conduit to another realm. Sharing his perceptions with the blind man, their heartbeats synchronized. They opened their eyes simultaneously, and Gao Ming was struck by an astonishing transformation. The once deste shadow city had morphed into a chaotdscape overrun by rampant nightmares, echoing with shrieks and moans of agony. A thick ck fog shrouded the horizon, from which dpidated structures and tombstones emerged, symbolizing memories long abandoned. Within this tumultuous fog, a colossal whale bore an indposed of skeletal remains, attracting every wed soul in this world, desperately wing their way onto it. In the distance, a city drenched in blood loomed, making Gao Ming feel inconsequential, a mere speck inparison. ¡°Have you discerned the true number of ghosts here?¡± Spewed out by the dog, Gao Ming sat on the ground, his mind still reeling from the horrors he had just witnessed. ¡°Is that the true essence of the shadow world?¡± It was only after witnessing the shadow city¡¯s inner horrors that Gao Ming understood the profound exhaustion Xuan Wen experienced the night she escorted him home as if she had been drained of life just by traversing the city. ¡°I encountered this world in the depths of a nightmare long ago. It beckoned to me. When I awoke, I had be this,¡± the dog said, lifting Gao Ming. ¡°If you align with reality, then strive to eliminate more ghosts on the other side; however, if you side with the shadow, join me in drawing more people into this world to fill its void.¡± While the dog presented him with two paths for his future, Gao Ming recalled how some yers in horror-themed ¡°games¡± had already started colluding with shadow world monsters, mutually benefiting while plunging the entire city into further chaos. ¡°How can we possibly ensure that the living outnumbers the ghosts of the shadow world? That could only happen if both worlds fully merge, an impossible feat!¡± ¡°The ghost poption is not as exaggerated as you think. You probably haven¡¯t encountered true ghosts yet. Wrapped in resentment and hatred, they are far more formidable than shadow-assimted beings like myself¡­¡± The dog¡¯s voice trailed off, suddenly interrupted. It began to pound its chest with its paws as if trying to dislodge something that had burrowed inside. Gao Ming soon sensed something amiss. Despite being released from the dog¡¯s grasp, he could still feel the heartbeat of the blind man. Their hearts had voluntarily synchronized, perhaps activating the abilities of the Flesh Immortal. ¡°Did I ingest something tainted?¡± The dog¡¯s fur bristled like tumultuous waves, its eyes glowing a fierce red as it red at Gao Ming. ¡°What have you done to me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Inside Gao Ming¡¯s transformed heart, where the Flesh Immortal resided amidst an array of torture instruments, tendrils of blood began to burrow out towards the cer as if sensing the presence of another offering. ¡°A ghost? You¡¯re carrying a ghost with you!¡± Realization dawned on the dog. It swiftly burrowed into the cer, transformed into a shadow, and vanished into darkness and silence. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± Gao Ming was exasperated. Having ¡°twisted¡± Dr. Lu¡¯s memories, the Flesh Immortal seemed to have expended significant energy, hence the reason why it remained hidden from the blind man¡¯s perception until now, where their hearts had voluntarily synchronized with the Heart of Mortality, possibly causing the Flesh Immortal to perceive it as an offering. ¡°This won¡¯t be easy to exin.¡± Gao Ming peered into the cer before diving back in. He had to rescue Wei Dayou and eliminate Qing Ge. Departing now was not an option. As he re-entered the cer, a domain covered by the blind man¡¯s memories, Gao Ming realized his senses of hearing and sight remained intact. His heart continued to beat, even enhancing his sense of smell while he used his phone for illumination. At the entrancey heaps of dposed fruits and food encircled by paper money. An unmarked tablet stood in the center, engraved with various expressions of regret. ¡°If I had known this would happen, why bother in the first ce? What¡¯s the use of offering worship after death?¡± It appeared that the blind man, despite his cer confinement, was more forgiving; otherwise, other vengeful spirits would have long since fled to wreak havoc. Further in, the cer branched into several descending passages, their walls adorned with a multitude of talismans and scraps of clothing littering the floor. Gao Ming examined a talisman, finding it strikingly simr to those in the Sishui Apartment. ¡°Could Situ An be responsible for these? Why would he send children here?¡± Unable to decipher the talismans¡¯ text and the air growing increasingly thick with the scent of blood, Gao Ming soon stumbled upon the first corpse. It was an investigator from the Queen¡¯s Investigation Bureau, reeking of Mothballs, metal piercing his ears, and his eyes void of color. ¡°Mothballs? Was this investigator lured away by the jacketed man instead of following the stench?¡± The darkness he had navigated earlier was fraught with unseen perils. A misstep could have led to catastrophic consequences. Regardless, therge dog was an ally of the shadow world and unlikely to show mercy to living intruders. Rounding a corner, theplexity of the talismans and wall patterns increased, seemingly depicting scenes of ancient blood sacrifices. ¡°It seems Situ An set this up long ago. Was he attempting to enlist the blind man¡¯s aid through these means?¡± The number of corpses in the passageway grew, each meeting a different end: some beaten to death, their bloated bodies exuding a sweet osmanthus scent; others burned, carrying the smell of fire; and some who took their own lives, reeking only of decay. Initially, Gao Ming believed the blind man to bepassionate and inclined towards Buddhism, reluctant to leave the cer for revenge. But these discoveries led him to reconsider. The blind man¡¯s kindness was reserved solely for the person who ultimately saved his ¡°mother.¡± Reaching the cer¡¯s deepest point, Gao Ming shone his phone light across the space. Numerous people stood in the excavated underground area. Most were motionless, their pale eyes trembling, trapped in illusions. One figure, however, stood out. Qing Ge, brandishing a knife in each hand, his eyes shut. Within a five-meter radius around himy only butchered corpses. Unsure of Qing Ge¡¯s actual state, Gao Ming directed his phone¡¯s light towards him, only to witness an even stranger urrence. Still clutching his knives, Qing Ge began moving towards the light with his eyes closed. ¡°Is he really ensnared in an illusion?¡± After a brief contemtion, Gao Ming reached a conclusion. Regardless of Qing Ge¡¯s actual condition, he could not be allowed to leave alive this night. ¡°Missing this opportunity would make it challenging to find another.¡± Gao Ming flicked his phone, attracting Qing Ge like a moth to a me. Chapter 84: A Completely Dark Memorial Photo Chapter 84: A Completely Dark Memorial Photo A myriad of fragrances assailed his senses. Qing Ge had not anticipated that despite sacrificing numerous lives, he would still find himself ensnared in the mysterious shadow world. ¡°The hunger of this creature is growing insatiably,¡± he muttered to himself. Blind and deaf, Qing Ge felt as though he was imprisoned in a sensory-devoid cage. Despite this, fear didn¡¯t touch him; his confidence stemmed wholly from the ck knife he gripped in his hand. Originally, the knife wasn¡¯t ck. Its hue was the result of blood and flesh it had sliced through. Regrly cleansed with mystical talismans, the de had absorbed a sinister essence. ¡°Each scent is a life, a story. I can¡¯t tell the innocent from the guilty, but my strategy is simple: eliminate anyone who dares approach, and eventually, I¡¯ll escape this ce,¡± he thought. Cripple Bay Vige¡¯s Dog Cer was pivotal to Situ An. The monster¡¯s capabilities within this cer were of less interest to him than something else he sought there. While the Hanhai Charity Association constructed a school at the temporary shelter, they learned from locals about a madman who once resided in the underground cer. Fueled by hatred due to his ¡°Bamboo Mother¡± being killed by a fire started by children¡¯s ying, he would stealthily abduct the children from the vige as an act of revenge, subjecting them to horrific torture until their demise. ording to what Situ An had told him, one needed children to be tormented to the brink of desiring death before their life force could be extracted. Qing Ge knew of Situ An¡¯s numerous deeds in harvesting life forces over the years. To aid Situ An¡¯s survival, Qing Ge¡¯s grim task was to retrieve the dead bodies of these children for use in a ritual. Despite numerous sacrifices, each time children and vigers were sent into the cer, they vanished without a trace. Daytime investigations revealed only footprints and scraps of clothing. To im the bodies of these tragically deceased children, Qing Ge had no choice but to lead a team into the cer under the veil of night. Inside, he quickly realized this situation was unlike anything he had encountered before. The ck knife had been a weapon of death for many. Even without seeing, Qing Ge could sense the presence of numerous corpses around him, yet the overwhelming stench remained unchanged. ¡°Is this entity trying to corrupt my mind through these scents?¡± he wondered. The cer¡¯s monster was yet to reveal itself, but Qing Ge had already categorized the dangers associated with each scent. The sweet fragrance of osmanthus signified a powerful couple needing a lethal strike; the odor of sweat indicated vigers, hinting at an impending group assault; the most perilous was the smell of mothballs, belonging to a cunning and skilled ded weapons expert. Additionally, a faint, putrid smell had lingered until he had killed its owner, never to be detected again. Unshaken, Qing Ge maintained his resolve, relentlessly eliminating all until no scents remained. Amidst the river of blood and shattered shadows, Qing Ge discerned a faint glimmer of light. ¡°Could that be a way out?¡± Tense and vignt, he cautiously advanced towards the light, symbolizing hope. His knife poised for action, Qing Ge remained acutely aware of any shifts in the surrounding odors. Suddenly, a few meters from the light, he felt a chilling sensation on his neck and instinctively dodged sideways. A sharp de grazed his skin, cutting deeply enough to rupture blood vessels. Had he not moved swiftly, his throat would have been slit open. Swinging his knife behind him in defense, Qing Ge met only air. This unexpected attack disturbed his usually calm demeanor. ¡°Is there an anomaly in this dark cer, a ghost, or a person?¡± Now with his sense of smellpromised, Qing Ge had to rely solely on his honed instincts, sharpened from years of hunting humans. With a sudden movement, heunched an attack a meter in front of him, his de striking something. However, simultaneous assaults targeted his thigh, back, and neck. ¡°Am I facing four attackers?¡± Dr. Lu had mentioned only one ghost in the cer, yet now Qing Ge found himself under attack from multiple assants. ¡°Could the other investigators have betrayed me?¡± Qing Ge realized a horrifying truth: his attackers were unimpeded by the darkness and seemed to be coborating. Under relentless attack, his injuries multiplied, making this an overwhelmingly unfair battle. Even his trusty ck knife seemed futile. Deprived of sight, smell, and hearing, Qing Ge felt a genuine sense of fear, his hand trembling as he held his knife. Engulfed in the oppressive darkness and silence, Qing Ge faced a mysterious and terrifying entity. It seemed to know him intimately, its decision to spare his life suggesting it had other ns for him. Qing Ge, once a ruthless hunter for Situ An, now found himself engulfed in fear for the first time. The formidable strength that had always been his shield was now shattered, rendering him vulnerable and indistinguishable from the ordinary people he had previously preyed upon. The dim light that he could barely perceive appeared as an unreachable paradise. In a desperate move, Qing Ge ripped his sleeve and tightly bound the ck knife to his trembling hand. His movements became sluggish, his once precise and deadly techniques now disorganized and weak. His wrist broken, Qing Ge copsed to the ground, drenched in his own blood, his fingers no longer capable of gripping the knife. Plunged into a pit of despair, Qing Ge faced the ultimate adversary: himself. But, broken and demoralized, he couldn¡¯t muster the will to rise again. Feeling as if his heart was being crushed by iron pincers, his erratic heartbeat was a grim reminder of his dire situation. Gradually, as his blurred vision began to clear slightly, he saw a light approaching through the darkness. Beside him stood four figures, and Gao Ming, holding a cell phone. Gao Ming confronted him: ¡°When you sent so many innocents to their doom in this cer, did you ever imagine you would meet your end here?¡± Qing Ge, blood spilling from his mouth and a terrifying look in his eyes, managed to utter, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am a doctor, one who aims to heal the world by cutting away its rotten parts,¡± Gao Ming dered, confiscating Qing Ge¡¯s fallen ck knife. ¡°Anyst words?¡± Qing Ge, with a strange reverence for Situ An, defiantly responded, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in hell. Situ An will be your end.¡± ¡°Then wait patiently. It won¡¯t be long before he joins you,¡± Gao Ming retorted, turning away as his spectral power dragged Qing Ge into what appeared to be Gao Ming¡¯s own mutated heart. It seemed only beings from the shadow world could transform into such ethereal chains. The entity, having consumed Qing Ge, didn¡¯t weaken; instead, it grew stronger, its massive form bing more proportionate and nimble. Gao Ming pondered, ¡°Qing Ge had a strength beyond normal human understanding. Was it Situ An¡¯s intention to groom him as a unique sacrifice from the start?¡± With the four figures beside him, Gao Ming resumed his search for Wei Dayou in the cer. Realizing Gao Ming¡¯s intent to target other living beings, the massive ck dog emerged again, its dark eyes fixed on Gao Ming. ¡°You¡¯ve achieved your goal, don¡¯t harm others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me again,¡± Gao Ming said, hands outstretched to show he meant no harm. ¡°My n is to create a sanctuary in the Lishan district of the shadow world for those still alive. I want to help them adapt to life in this shadow realm.¡± The dog, cloaked in darkness and ready to escape, expressed its confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t quite follow your thinking.¡± Gao Ming exined his vision: ¡°You aim to simply send the living to the shadow world, but I intend to teach these afflicted souls how to survive and thrive in the shadow city. I want to enable those trapped in the shadow world to live and reproduce as they would normally.¡± ¡°You think humans can adapt where monsters can¡¯t? You¡¯d be better off feeding them directly to the shadows,¡± the dog countered skeptically. Gao Ming, having experienced the memory of the blind man, knew there was a glimmer ofpassion within the dog, instilled by ¡®Bamboo Mom¡¯. ¡°If you truly believed that, you wouldn¡¯t have painstakingly trapped these vigers and children; you would have offered them directly to the shadow world,¡± he argued. ¡°Our hearts are now in sync, sharing life and death. Maybe we should try living there, meet other neighbors. If it fails, we can always return.¡± The dog, surprised by Gao Ming¡¯s proposal of a shared fate, considered its options as he pped itself with those dog ears. Its power to rob sight and hearing was ineffective against Gao Ming, and it seemed outmatched in a direct confrontation with the Flesh Immortal. Gao Ming¡¯s offer seemed like a choice, but in reality, the dog had little alternative. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a try,¡± the dog reluctantly agreed. Expanding its form, the dog enveloped all living beings around, causing the shadows to recede gradually. As Gao Ming returned to the real world, only Wei Dayou, standing in stunned silence, and a pitch-ck obituary photo remained in the cer. The photo, showing therge dog, was entirely ck, making it impossible to discern the dog¡¯s presence in the darkness with the naked eye. Flipping the photo over, Gao Ming found a poignant message written on the back. ¡°A family photo: They say I resemble a dog, but I know dogs are far happier than I am. Nevertheless, despite my inability to hear or see, I will continue to live earnestly, for I must care for my mother in the future.¡± Chapter 85: Liu Yi Chapter 85: Liu Yi Gao Ming carefully stowed away the ck and white photograph that depicted therge dog, turning his attention towards Wei Dayou. Wei appeared lost in thought, his mind seemingly elsewhere. Gao Ming broke the silence with a question that had been troubling him. ¡°Why did the dog chose to expel Dayou specifically? Did the dog recognize that he is a friend of mine?¡± Wei Dayou seemed to snap back to reality after a long pause. The sight of Gao Ming brought a flood of emotions, and tears streamed down his face. It was a striking sight, seeing this tall, muscr man, well over 1.8 meters in height, crying like a child wronged. ¡°I was calling out for you in desperation,¡± Wei Dayou confessed, wiping away his tears. ¡°It felt like an eternity trapped in that silent, pitch-ck void. I was terrified that if you tried to rescue me, you¡¯d end up trapped as well. You¡¯re the only one I can rely on.¡± Gao Ming reflected on how jarring and distressing it must be for someone ustomed to sight to suddenly experience blindness. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through that,¡± he said, offering support to Wei, who was still struggling to adjust to his surroundings. ¡°But we can¡¯t just head home now. More precisely, you can¡¯t go back the way things are.¡± Wei Dayou asked in puzzlement, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The investigator who apanied you is now under my control. If you return alone, Situ An will surely suspect something,¡± Gao Ming exined pragmatically. ¡°I eliminated Qing Ge, disrupting Situ An¡¯swork within the Investigation Bureau, and I also took care of his most trusted doctor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good riddance! That Qing Ge is truly inhumane, having the living pave the road for him!¡± Wei Dayou eximed, anger ring at the mention of Qing Ge. He recalled the harrowing experience of being coerced at knifepoint by Qing Ge, forced into a cer to face what seemed like certain death. ¡°Now, the issue is whether you can convincingly lie to Situ An while he investigates the matter here,¡± Gao Ming said, initially having hoped that Wei Dayou could keep an eye on Situ An. Unfortunately, Wei¡¯s performance had been too convincing, leading to his capture by Qing Ge. Noticing Wei Dayou¡¯s apprehensive expression, Gao Ming suggested he calm down. ¡°Let¡¯s take a practice test and see how well you can hide the truth. I¡¯ll ask you some questions, and you try to deceive me.¡± To Gao Ming¡¯s surprise, Wei Dayou, with his broad shoulders and honest face, turned out to be adept at fabricating stories. ¡°I¡¯m still nervous,¡± Wei Dayou admitted, pacing nervously. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best I avoid this. I don¡¯t trust myself to pull it off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. It¡¯s better than having Situ An torture you for information,¡± Gao Ming reassured him, pping him on the shoulder. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Situ An¡¯s days are numbered. Soon, you¡¯ll be hailed as a hero for exposing his true nature.¡± They left the temporary shelter on foot, the heavy rain erasing any traces of their presence. The secrets they harbored would remain hidden, like the forgotten recesses of that dark cer. After a lengthy detour, they returned to the old city district by car. Gao Ming made sure to erase any records of their journey before they disembarked. Approaching Li Jing Apartments, Gao Ming sensed something amiss. Police cars and cordon tape were visible from a distance, likely due to the mysterious disappearance of all the residents in Building 2. ¡°We should head to Minlong Street first,¡± Gao Ming decided, guiding Wei into the dense, maze-like slum of Lishan. There, in a cluster of dpidated buildings, they located An An¡¯s former residence. Holding the dark obituary photo, Gao Ming reached into the void and made contact with therge dog in the picture. In moments, shadows swirled, and the dog emerged from the photo, its ck fur giving it an almost lion-like appearance. ¡°Is this the new home you¡¯ve chosen for me?¡± the dog inquired. ¡°Yes, Minlong Street is just the beginning of establishing my base,¡± Gao Ming exined, gesturing towards the deserted buildings. ¡°Release them all.¡± ¡°People who have dwelled in the shadow world for an extended period carry its aura with them. Don¡¯t be mistaken; they are now denizens of that realm. If they return to our world, those around them will also be endangered,¡± the dog cautioned Gao Ming. ¡°I understand,¡± Gao Ming acknowledged. Shadows enveloped the area, transforming An An¡¯s apartment block into the dog¡¯s new domain. Vigers, students from Hande Private School, and members of the Investigation Bureau materialized within the building. ¡°Using your power on so many people must be taxing,¡± Gao Ming observed, understanding the dog¡¯s capabilities. He brought the still-shaken Wei forward. ¡°In the future, he can assist you, helping these people adapt to life in the shadow world.¡± ¡°Assist me?¡± The voice within the dog conveyed its hesitation. Trust was not easily given, especially to Wei Dayou, and if there were another option, the dog wouldn¡¯t trust Gao Ming either. ¡°y the roles of good cop and bad cop. First, create the illusion that Wei Dayou is saving everyone. Then, let him handle tasks that you can¡¯t do yourself.¡± Gao Ming outlined his n and stroked the dog¡¯s fur, ¡°Being the monster within the shadow, or being a revered god is now at your whim.¡± After his ¡°Bamboo Mother¡± passed away from the fire, the blind man never received the respect he deserved. Gao Ming saw an opportunity to rectify this by helping him earn the admiration and understanding of others. Touched, the blind man inside the dog found it hard to resist Gao Ming¡¯s proposal. ¡°Dayou, thank you for your efforts. I¡¯ll take care of the real-world issues as soon as I can,¡± Gao Ming promised. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Wei Dayou replied, still donning his Investigation Bureau uniform. ¡°It¡¯s just surreal to me. A game designer like you now acting as a human resources director.¡± After introducing Wei Dayou to the blind man, Gao Ming left the shadow world to its new inhabitants. ¡°Eliminating Doctor Lu and Qing Ge meant lopping off Situ An¡¯s arms, but he¡¯ll be on alert now. I wonder what his next move will be?¡± Gao Ming evaded the police blockade and snuck into Li Jing Apartments. Among the officers, he spotted familiar faces. Qin Tian, scarred but determined, was busy coordinating efforts with the rookie investigator Zhu Miao Miao. ¡°Was Qin Tian supposed to be the one leading this investigation?¡± Gao Ming pondered, reflecting on theplexity of the situation and his own past. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that people drink Granny Meng¡¯s soup (memory soup) after death. Clinging to memories makes it hard to move forward.¡± Upon reaching the building, Wan Qiu, sensing his approach, opened the door. The sight of the light-filled home brought a sense of warmth to Gao Ming. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± he announced, shedding his raincoat, and was greeted by the appetizing aroma of food. ¡°This smells amazing, but surely it¡¯s not your cooking.¡± Wan Qiu, slightly offended, replied, ¡°Someone¡¯s been looking for you. She¡¯s been here for hours.¡± ¡°A visitor for me?¡± Gao Ming, still in his wet clothes, walked towards the kitchen and found a woman cooking skillfully. She wore an apron over her suit, her hair tied back in a practical ponytail. The woman, noticing Gao Ming¡¯s arrival, casually remarked, ¡°Your little brother seemed hungry, so I decided to cook something. But I don¡¯t recall you mentioning having a brother back in school.¡± ¡°Liu Yi?¡± Gao Ming recognized her instantly, a former high school ssmate. ¡°How did you find out where I live?¡± ¡°Change out of those wet clothes first. We¡¯ll talk over dinner,¡± Liu Yi suggested, her demeanor efficient and no-nonsense. After changing, Gao Ming joined Liu Yi at the dinner table, where she had already served the meal. ¡°I¡¯ve already tidied up the kitchen, I didn¡¯t expect you two men to clean the house so neatly,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Gao Ming replied back with a smile and began filling the bowls with rice. ¡°You were the top student in our ss, the brightest of us all. Last I heard, you were at the biggestw firm in Hanhai.¡± ¡°I interned there briefly, then resigned,¡± Liu Yi shared, her eyes sparkling with rity and purpose. ¡°Now, I¡¯m awyer for the deaf and mute.¡± She demonstrated her proficiency in signnguage. ¡°I even learned three different signnguages for this role.¡± ¡°Still the righteous Liu Yi, always standing up for others,¡± Gao Ming reminisced, feeling a mix of nostalgia and admiration. ¡°You¡¯re doing amazing work.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that,¡± Liu Yi shifted the topic. ¡°I actually came here because of something else. I was on the same bus as you during the Ghost Festival.¡± Chapter 86: The Missed Timeline Chapter 86: The Missed Timeline The silence enveloped the room abruptly. Gao Ming hesitated briefly before rising from his seat. He carefully prepared a te of food for Wan Qiu, suggesting that he take it to his room to enjoy his meal in solitude. Once Wan Qiu had departed, Gao Ming resettled himself across from Liu Yi. His facial expression remainedrgely unchanged, yet there was a noticeable shift in the depth and intensity of his gaze. ¡°Go ahead, speak your mind,¡± Gao Ming prompted. Liu Yi began, a note of surprise in her voice. ¡°I was taken aback when I saw you board the bus from Henshan High-Security Prison. I had intended to approach you, but you seemed preupied, constantly engaged with your headphones.¡± As he spoke, Liu Yi retrieved her phone, bringing up a meticulously hand-drawn sketch of a bus and cing it before Gao Ming. ¡°It dawned on me that something was amiss once I boarded the bus. The other passengers, the driver, even the bus itself raised some serious red gs. Then, when the bus was involved in that ident within the tunnel, I was fortunate to escape unharmed and memorized the unique characteristics of the bus.¡± ¡°So this picture you drawn is the bus? It appears typical of any other bus after a ident, though its license te was partially obscured by blood,¡± Gao Ming observed. Liu Yi continued with a nod, unlocking a concealed folder on her phone to reveal an old news article. She held the screen towards Gao Ming. ¡°Compare these two images. Notice any striking simrities?¡± Gao Ming scrutinized the phone screen. The bus from the news report, which had been in an ident, matched the bus Liu Yi had sketched. Even minute details, such as the pattern of the shattered windows and the extent of the paint scratches, were identical. ¡°It¡¯s the same bus,¡± Gao Ming concluded. ¡°Precisely,¡± Liu Yi affirmed, scrolling through the article. ¡°Look at the date. This report is from the Ghost Festival a decade ago! The bus we encountered that night was the same one involved in an ident ten years prior, and at the same location!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s memories of the bus were vague; his focus had been on his own experiences in the tunnel. ¡°The bus that¡¯s caught in a temporal loop?¡± Gao Ming worked quickly, impressed at the ssmate¡¯s observation and skills. ¡°Lawyer Liu, your observational skills are remarkable. Despite the danger, you managed to recall so much detail.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly Gao Ming, I can¡¯tpare to you,¡± Liu Yi replied modestly, turning her phone face down on the table. Her tone slowed, more contemtive. ¡°I¡¯ve attempted to visit you thrice, but you were never home.¡± ¡°You were looking for me?¡± Gao Ming reflected on a recent urrence when he had been confined to his home for three days, missing Liu Yi¡¯s visit and consequently diverging into a different timeline. In essence, had Gao Ming not retained his memories through the Flesh Immortal andpleted the game ahead of schedule, his paths with Liu Yi might never have crossed. ¡°Actually, I owe you my gratitude. Without your guidance that night, I might have remained trapped in that tunnel indefinitely.¡± ¡°You followed me?¡± Gao Ming sensed a discrepancy. ¡°I was carried out of the tunnel by a woman.¡± A flicker of puzzlement crossed Liu Yi¡¯s eyes as she spoke, ¡°But I only saw you. You were engaged in a conversation, though with no one visible. You spoke of chaos, of ghosts wreaking havoc, and a series of bizarre events. The games you¡¯ve designed, inspired by real murders and urban legends, they seemed to be turning into reality.¡± Gao Ming, outwardly calm, felt a familiar unease stir within him. His pupils involuntarily twitched, a reaction born of hearing these sentiments repeatedly. ¡°What else did you hear from that voice?¡± he inquired, his voice steady. Liu Yi¡¯s brow furrowed as she endeavored to recollect. ¡°My memory is hazy,¡± she admitted. ¡°But the voice implied that your death was imminent, yet it offered you a chance to live. It seems you struck some sort of bargain with it.¡± At these words, Gao Ming rose abruptly, a shiver coursing through him. This echoed the conversation he had with Xuan Wen in theirst meeting. Xuan Wen had spoken these exact words. After surviving the tunnel and bearing the weight of his own demise, Gao Ming had hoped against hope that Xuan Wen would spare the other eight female leads. It seemed Xuan Wen¡¯s destiny might have shifted, yet now, Liu Yi was the one recounting Xuan Wen¡¯s words to him. If Gao Ming were to lose his memory once more, it would be Liu Yi¡¯s recounting of these events that he¡¯d hear, reinforcing the reality of his game turning tangible and a mysterious agreement made in the tunnel. This revtion filled him with a profound sense of dread, the kind thates with realizing that all efforts might be futile, that every path taken leads inexorably to the same predetermined destination. ¡°Is this what fate is?¡± he wondered aloud. It seemed as though everyone and everything were mere pawns in arger scheme, inevitably drawn back to their predestined courses. Sensing Gao Ming¡¯s distress, Liu Yi stood up and approached him, offering reassurance as she patted his back. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t dwell on those words,¡± she advised, pouring a cup of hot water for him. ¡°Whatever was said in the tunnel, if it troubles you, just dismiss it as nonsense.¡± The contrast between Liu Yi and Xuan Wen was stark. Xuan Wen had an uncanny ability to understand the psychology of others, subtly guiding them to fulfill a collective objective. Liu Yi, on the other hand, relied more on her personal judgment, aspiring to inspire and empower those around her to achieve their goals. ¡°I didn¡¯te here just to discuss this,¡± Liu Yi said, changing the subject. She reached into her bag and pulled out a graduation photo, cing it in front of Gao Ming. Upon seeing it, Gao Ming¡¯s gaze was instantly captivated. The photo, rendered in grayscale, bore an eerie quality. The students, appearing ghostlike, had some of their faces obscured or scratched out, adding to the photo¡¯s unsettling nature. Most of the figures were also in ck and white, but five individuals stood out. There was Gao Ming, positioned in the left corner; Liu Yi, crouched in the front row; Song Xue beside Liu Yi; the huge Zhuo Jun in the back row; and a boy in the center, his facepletely scratched off. As Liu Yi recounted her story, there was a certain calmness in her voice, yet the details she shared were unnerving. ¡°Song Xue was with us on the bus that night. We were heading back from Han Jiang after acting as bridesmaids.¡± Her tone was steady, but the gravity of her words hung heavily in the air. ¡°The bus flipped over, and Song Xue¡­ she died instantly when her head was crushed. I found this photo with her belongings. It¡¯s baffling why she would have such a photo. What¡¯s more haunting is that after I escaped the tunnel and returned home, I received a text from Song Xue.¡± She opened her phone to disy the messages. Song Xue, along with a few ssmates, had been nning a reunion in Hanhai. Despite their yearly intentions to meet, they never managed to follow through. This year, however, they seemed resolute in their decision. ¡°Did you get Song Xue¡¯s message as well?¡± she asked. Gao Ming, frowning, pulled out his phone and scrolled through his messages. Sure enough, there was Song Xue¡¯s invitation, which he had missed while convincing Brother Zhao Xi to choose life overmitting suicide. ¡°The idea of a deceased person organizing a reunion is unsettling. And look at this photo,¡± Liu Yi said, pointing to the boy in the center whose face was scratched out. ¡°Do you recall who this person is? I can¡¯t seem to remember our ss having such a student.¡± Gao Ming shook his head in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t remember either. Are we misremembering, or is reality distorted?¡± The thought of this paradox made Gao Ming¡¯s head throb. He muttered to himself, half in jest, ¡°If it gets too confusing, maybe we should just eat the entire ss.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Liu Yi asked, not quite catching his words. Gao Ming quickly covered, ¡°I said, if it gets tooplicated, we might as well treat the whole ss to a nice meal.¡± He turned the ck and white photo over. The back was nk, devoid of any familiar writing or ominous shadows. As Gao Ming navigated through these events, he felt himself being pulled into the timelines he had previously missed. He was unsure whether he was heading into a trap set by fate or a genuine escape route. Liu Yi tucked away the memorial photo, her voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and apprehension. ¡°They¡¯re nning to meet after the rain stops, to see how everyone has changed over the years.¡± She paused, then suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, why don¡¯t we go together? It¡¯s always good to have someone to watch your back.¡± Gao Ming, his mind elsewhere, responded, ¡°I¡¯m working on a game for a major client right now. I¡¯ll head over once that¡¯s finished.¡± His interest in his ssmates¡¯ lives and careers was minimal; his current focus was on dealing with the future Eastern District Investigation Bureau Chief before anything else. Chapter 87: Circles Chapter 87: Circles ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Liu Yi started to arrange her bag as she prepared to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet. I still have some questions.¡± Gao Ming stopped thinking about what Liu Yi said and started to take the initiative. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why do you know where I live?¡± ¡°Did you not realise you¡¯ve been missing something?¡± Liu Yi took out a ruined resume from her bag. It had Gao Ming¡¯s picture. It also contained his address and his games, which had won gaming awards. ¡°I don¡¯t know your contact info. This resume piece only has your home address.¡± ¡°A resume?¡± Gao Ming remembered. When he nned to seek a job at Nightlight Gaming Studio, he printed out his resume at the prison. When he exited the tunnel, he was surrounded by supernatural events. He forgot about this. ¡°Why is this thing with you? Why is it torn?¡± ¡°It looks like your memory is notplete. How about we work together to piece it together?¡± Liu Yi sat back down. ¡°Song Xue and I got on the bus at Han Jiang. Other than the two of us and the driver, there were only three passengers in thest row. When we left the city, the bus only paused at Hen Shan Town. Then, it continued on its journey.¡± ¡°I know. I got on the bus at Hen Shan.¡± Gao Ming still remembered this. ¡°When the bus started again, the bus was full of people.¡± Liu Yi and Gao Ming sat across from each other. Their expressions and gazes were very serious. ¡°No.¡± Gao Ming shook his head. ¡°When I was waiting for the bus, there was only me at the station. I got onto the bus and realised the bus was full.¡± Their memories were different, but it didn¡¯t seem like either of them was lying. ¡°Perhaps we can think of this from a different perspective. The passengers who got on with you were all ghosts.¡± Liu Yi continued, ¡°The bus continued to the intersection of the three cities. He put on your headphones once you got on the bus and focused on your game.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I needed to insert an ad for a cake shop into the game. It was urgent.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Song Xue had already fallen asleep. After the bus went for 10 minutes, I wanted to say hi to you, but when I stood up¡­¡± Liu Yi took a deep breath. ¡°Half of the passengers looked at me. My movement was light, so I couldn¡¯t have interrupted so many people. Plus, they didn¡¯t look at me with annoyance. But they had some eerieness to it.¡± ¡°Was it like you were being stared at by people at the morgue?¡± Gao Ming was experienced in this. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good way to differentiate humans from ghosts.¡± Gao Ming ced the cup on the left. ¡°The ghosts turned to look at you while the humans kept doing their things. What happened after that? Do you remember?¡± ¡°I felt like if I did anything wrong, something bad would happen.¡± Liu Yi touched her phone. ¡°I thought about taking pictures and videos in silence, but it all failed. Every recording was deleted.¡± Gao Ming was ashamed. Liu Yi was doing so many things while he was designing a game. ¡°Then, we entered the tunnel. When everything was ck.¡± Liu Yi pointed at the time on her phone and said seriously, ¡°I saw that time had stopped.¡± The tunnel was like a gap in thew of nature. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time topute anything because the ident happened. The bus ran into someone, and the whole bus went out of control.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t interrupt Liu Yi. He didn¡¯t tell her he was the person the bus hit. ¡°When I came to, I noticed half of the passengers were gone. I wanted to call for help, but there was no signal.¡± Liu Yi¡¯s eyes filled with terror. She didn¡¯t want to remember these. ¡°There was screaming everywhere. I felt like I was transported back to the ident ten years ago. Adults and children were crying. The light on the phone couldn¡¯t travel far.¡± ¡°When I woke up, there was no one else on the bus. I didn¡¯t hear anything. I only saw darkness.¡± Gao Ming said. Liu Yi looked at Gao Ming and then said with difficulty, ¡°You screamed the loudest back then. I¡¯ve never heard such a harrowing scream before.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gao Ming scratched his nose. ¡°I have a bad memory. I don¡¯t remember this.¡± ¡°After hearing your voice, I moved towards it. Then, I heard an unfamiliar male voice.¡± Liu Yi was curious. ¡°Who were you speaking to? Why was he in the tunnel? Was he rted to the ident?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see his face.¡± Gao Ming had died many times in the tunnel, but he still didn¡¯t know the man. ¡°You two made some kind of deal. Then, you started to run like a madman. I had to try so hard to catch up to you.¡± Liu Yi ced the resume on the table. ¡°You dropped your resume,ptop, and backpack. I thought about picking them up, but someone fought me for them in the dark.¡± ¡°Was it another survivor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t see anything. Eventually, I heard you running, and I ran too.¡± Liu Yi picked up the cup and drank. ¡°I forgot how long I ran. When we were about at the exit, there was light.¡± ¡°Did you see the person carrying me then?¡± Gao Ming asked. ¡°No.¡± Liu Yi shook her head. ¡°You were carried away by a blur of shadow. It couldn¡¯t be a person.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see Xuan Wen?¡± Gao Ming was an experienced psychiatrist. He could tell that Liu Yi wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°I have no idea who that is, but I have to ask, other than yourself, have other people seen her?¡± Liu Yi¡¯s words frightened Gao Ming, ¡°It looks like you still have some questions you need to answer too.¡± ncing at her watch, Liu Yi picked up her bag. ¡°It¡¯ste. I have something else to do. See you again.¡± ¡°What are you doing sote at night?¡± ¡°Awyer¡¯s job.¡± After exchanging contacts, Liu Yi hurried away. When she nced at her phonest, she saw some urgent messages. ¡°Be careful.¡± After the door closed, Gao Ming immediately called Xuan Wen. After a long dial tone, the call was finally connected, ¡°How are you now?¡± After some time, Xuan Wen answered, ¡°Not so good.¡± Her voice was so weak. It reminded Gao Ming of when Xuan Wen was swallowed by the shadow world. ¡°Give me an address. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Xuan Wen said, ¡°I¡¯m at Li San Min Long Street¡¯s Apartment 9.¡± Zhao Xi didn¡¯t die, so Xuan Wen didn¡¯t get to move into his house. Thankfully, she lived not far away. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go now!¡± Gao Ming put his raincoat back on. He pushed open the door to say goodbye to Wan Qiu, but he realised the kid was practising boxing. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Take care of yourself. If it gets toote, you should sleep first.¡± ¡°Are you going to do some adult things?¡± Wan Qiu blinked his beautiful eyes at him. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re saying.¡± Gao Ming closed the door and ran. He ran into the rain. Gao Ming started to ponder a few things. ¡°After I changed Xuan Wen¡¯s fate, Liu Yi came to tell me the same thing. Fate can¡¯t be seen or touched but it is omnipotent and everywhere.¡± The thoughts in Gao Ming¡¯s mind collided. ¡°But if fate is omnipotent, I should have existed. ¡°Perhaps I am in a circle outside of fate. After I was knocked over by myself, I became the previous version of myself. ¡°I am the first circle; the bus ten years ago was the second circle; the shadow world that can¡¯t unite with the real world but is still uniting with the real world is the third circle. The three circles intersect at the tunnel to form the fourth circle.¡± The past is the future and the future hasn¡¯t arrived. Gao Ming felt a headache. He could only guess mindlessly. Chapter 88: Main Character Chapter 88: Main Character The curved corridors surrounded the building in the middle, forming one after another circle. If outsiders wanted to enter the room in the middle, they had to walk through the intersections of the four corridors. Gao Ming ran in the rain down the new timeline. ¡°If this is not a coincidence, and there¡¯s someone behind it, then the person is really ridiculous.¡± Gao Ming reached Min Long Street Apartment 9. Before he took out his phone, he saw a familiar figure on the balcony. Behind the blurry window, Xuan Wen looked out silently. She was a lot thinner than before. With her current condition, she looked more like a prey. Gao Ming ran up the stairs and knocked on the door. He realised in shock that the door wasn¡¯t locked. He edged the door open. The pale light shone on his body. There was no furniture in the house. There was no furniture in the room. It looked so lonely. ¡°Are the colours of my underwear beautiful?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s light voice came from the balcony. She held the windowsill and nced back at Gao Ming. Gao Ming had never been asked such a question. He shook his head awkwardly. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± ¡°Be my guest.¡± Gao Ming changed into the slippers and looked around. The room was like a forgotten corner. Even if Xuan Wen disappeared, no one would have noticed. ¡°I¡¯ll make you something to eat.¡± Gao Ming opened the fridge. It was empty except for two buckets of ice. There was no food. ¡°Should we call a take-out? What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anything.¡± Xuan Wen closed the balcony door. She removed her shoes and sat at the edge of the bed. She leaned against the wall, hugged her knees and looked at Gao Ming. Sensing her frayed emotions, Gao Ming said softly, ¡°Do you have something on your mind? I can help you with it.¡± ¡°I wish¡­ to spy on you.¡± Xuan Wen saw the shock on Gao Ming¡¯s face. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m abnormal?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I am good at maniption. I can control someone to kill themselves with just my words. You can¡¯t lie to me.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s head leaned against the curtain. ¡°No one is willing to be a mad person, and no one is willing to be a crazy pervert, but when you made me, I am such a person. I love you unconditionally. I want to stare at you, kill everyone that loves you. If you fall in love with someone else, I¡¯ll kill them and you. Therefore, it¡¯s normal for you to be scared of me. I am not loveable. I hate myself too.¡± ¡°This is really not my game. The voice in the tunnel lied to us.¡± Gao Ming walked forward. ¡°So I am born a pervert?¡± Xuan Wen chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s such afort.¡± ¡°The reasons behind this are veryplicated.¡± Gao Ming moved to the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you. What I¡¯m going to say is very important.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°In the game, you are a side character. You wanted to change your fate, so you killed the other eight female characters. You took over their lives and became the main character.¡± Gao Ming knew that was what Xuan Wen didst time. ¡°But you were the main character for fate. Killing the other eight and inheriting their pain was something you had to do.¡± ¡°But I listened to you and didn¡¯t kill them. Now, I feel like I¡¯m almost perishing.¡± Xuan Wen sounded weak. ¡°I will soon return to the darkness like I have never been here. And you will soon forget me. This world will not remember me.¡± Since Xuan Wen didn¡¯t follow her fate, she reached this state. Liu Yi took over some of Xuan Wen¡¯s roles. The useless pieces would be thrown away. Probably, being abandoned was the chess piece¡¯s fate. ¡°There¡¯s a method for you to be more remembered.¡± Gao Ming took out his phone and showed Xuan Wen the game he made for her. ¡°Tomorrow, you will go to Nightlight Gaming Studio to apply to be a game programmer. You will edit their current dating sim. All the yers who y the game will remember you. You will never be forgotten.¡± Looking through Gao Ming¡¯s proposal, Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes had colour again, ¡°Me? As the female main character?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t live ording to fate, but we will not die because of it either. In the future, we¡¯ll be the closest battle partner.¡± Gao Ming handed the proposal to Xuan Wen. ¡°Just do it. I¡¯ll help you from behind. I¡¯ll make you the main character every time.¡± Xuan Wen took the document and looked at Gao Ming, ¡°Should I be more thankful? But we¡¯ve only met twice.¡± ¡°You saved me. This is the least I can do.¡± Gao Ming could feel that Xuan Wen was different fromst time. Xuan Wen, who had hunted down the other eight, also inherited their power and love. It was why everything was so enhanced. ¡°Then¡­ Thank you.¡± Ever since Xuan Wen sent Gao Ming home from the tunnel, she felt her body weakening. The shadow world was swallowing her. Her death portrait became blurry. There was a voice inside her urging her to kill the other female characters. ¡°It¡¯ll be better.¡± Gao Ming added, ¡°If weck funds or run into some troubles, we¡¯ll try to solve it with some not-so-violent methods¡­¡± The living room lights flickered. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The knocking was soft. It was like a children¡¯s prank. Gao Ming immediately shut up. He shared a look with Xuan Wen. Who woulde to find her? Gao Ming cleaned up his trace on the ground and hid on the balcony. ¡°No. Why are you hiding?¡± ¡°This is called ambush.¡± The knocking became more frequent. Someone appeared to be looking through the peephole. Since no one answered the door, the doorknob started to turn. After a few clicks, the old front door opened. A woman¡¯s face appeared at the door. She was cute and innocent. She didn¡¯t look old. She was youthful. ¡°Is anyone home?¡± The girl saw Xuan Wen beside the bed, and she smiled. ¡°Big sister, I finally found you.¡± The girl pushed the door fully open. Her clothes were stained with blood. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to find you since you hide in such a secluded ce!¡± The girl was pretty, and her smile was sweet. However, when the blood dripped down her smile, it felt scary. Gao Ming adjusted his body. She saw the girl who entered the room. The girl looked like one of the female characters. Her name was Li Luxin. In the eight plots that Wei Dayou designed, Li Luxin yed with the main character until the male character¡¯s family died and perished. She was a real evil person. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Xuan Wen asked calmly. She never even looked at Li Luxin. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to kill you.¡± The cute girl smiled cutely as she took out a knife from behind her. ¡°You are too dangerous. Therefore, I¡¯ll have to ask you to reunite with the other big sisters down there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t kill anyone, but peoplee to kill me?¡± Xuan Wen stood up with difficulty. ¡°You can¡¯t be forced by fate to your old path.¡± Gao Ming walked out of the balcony. ¡°Let me deal with her.¡± Xuan Wen smiled as she looked behind Gao Ming and Li Luxin. With Li Luxin watching, she purposely leaned on Gao Ming like she was about to die. ¡°She said nothing wrong. I was too dangerous. Even if I hide in a secluded corner and never thought of hurting anyone, it is all my fault.¡± ¡°Why are you trying to steal another character¡¯s persona?¡± Chapter 89: Familiar Chapter 89: Familiar Gao Ming was familiar with Xuan Wen and her personality. Even though she would say some crazy words, she always kept a respectful distance from Gao Ming. ¡°Just make her go. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Xuan Weny on the bed and stretched. ¡°I understand every word you said, but it sounded so weird strung together.¡± Gao Ming ignored Xuan Wen. He tapped his heart. The chains carved with sins crawled out of his flesh. Li Luxin didn¡¯t expect to see Gao Ming at Xuan Wen¡¯s ce. She was shocked. ¡°Who are you? Why do you feel so familiar? Have we been in love before?¡± ¡°Not true.¡± Gao Ming walked forward. Before the tragedy arrived, he was not afraid of these monsters since he had the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°I know you!¡± The cute face looked at Gao Ming with admiration. Her eyes shone with innocence. ¡°If I don¡¯t kill her, she¡¯ll kill me! She is crazy! Don¡¯t trust her!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t trust her, should I trust you?¡± The mutated heart pounded. The death memory pulled on the blood vessels. God was awakening. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Li Luxin dropped her bloody knife. ¡°I have been searching for someone. Maybe that person is you. I hope you can trust me. She is very dangerous! She will kill you!¡± ¡°In terms of physique, she is much weaker than the other female characters. If I were here, I would try to push my weakness and innocence. After I gain the other party¡¯s trust, I¡¯ll take out another de and strike.¡± Xuan Wen rambled as if to herself. Hearing that, Li Luxin¡¯s eyes shook. She walked towards Gao Ming. After two steps, she suddenly lunged and took out a thin fruit knife from her back. The de echoed with the screams of women. Gao Ming didn¡¯t move. The God of Flesh and Blood appeared behind him. The eight arms mmed down heavily. ¡°Even if I take out the chains, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll use them.¡± The single attack smashed half of Li Luxin¡¯s shadowy body. ¡°My face!¡± She screamed. However, it was toote. Her beautiful body was captured by God. Before Gao Ming could speak, Li Luxin was pulled into the mutated heart. The face of Sin became clearer, and the jawline softened. The God of Flesh and Blood was more hardworking than Gao Ming. It tried very hard to make itself stronger. After Li Luxin was imprisoned, Gong Xi pulled out a shadow from her back and tossed it away. The shadow contained the cries of another woman. She was not consumed by God and was released by Gong Xi. The room returned to silence. Only a fruit knife and a branded purse remained where Li Luxin was. Xuan Wen walked over with her gloved hands. She opened her backpack and found a nk death portrait among the different make-up. ¡°She only managed to kill one person after so long?! How weak.¡± ¡°Howe it feels like you¡¯ve been prepared for this?¡± Gao Ming had Gong Xi return to his heart. He started to clean up the traces. ¡°Do you expect me to be waiting to be killed?¡± Xuan Wen opened her dresser. It was filled with various gadgets. With a smile, she handed the nk portrait to Gao Ming, ¡°You¡¯ve shown me your trump card. What if I want to kill you in the future?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± In Gao Ming¡¯s endless death memories, Xuan Wen appeared asionally. She always ended up returning to the shadow world. ¡°You sure have confidence in me.¡± Xuan Wen removed her gloves and stared at Gao Ming¡¯s heart. ¡°I envy them because they can live inside Big Brother¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Be normal.¡± Gao Ming looked into the dresser. He saw how ¡®prepared¡¯ Xuan Wen was. She was on a different level than Li Luxin. ¡°It looks like my worry was unfounded.¡± ¡°It was not. At least I¡¯m not that averse to your existence anymore.¡± Xuan Wen closed the dresser. ¡°The world is huge. It¡¯s not easy to find someone who¡¯s willing to brave the storm to help you deal with a corpse.¡± This was the first time Gao Ming didn¡¯t know what to say. He opened the fridge to pour himself a ss of cold water. ¡°You should drink less cold water. It¡¯s not good for your stomach. Also, do you want me to prepare some food for you to keep?¡± ¡°Leave it empty. I want to use it to store dead bodies.¡± Xuan Wen said calmly. Gao Ming¡¯s ss paused. When he heard Xuan Wen, he put the ss back down. ¡°I was kidding.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not thirsty.¡± Gao Ming waved at Xuan Wen. ¡°Remember to apply for the job with the proposals tomorrow. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Gao Ming closed the door, put on his raincoat and hurried to leave. Hearing the running footsteps, Xuan Wen chuckled. ¡°Actually, I was afraid.¡± ¡­ Gao Ming ran all the way home and opened the door with his key. Hearing the sound, Wan Qiu sat up on the couch while carrying Fa Cai. When he saw Gao Ming, his nervous gaze calmed down. However, he soon raised his innocent face and asked in surprise, ¡°So fast?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Gao Ming removed the raincoat. ¡°Get to bed. We have many things to do tomorrow.¡± The death memories gave Gao Ming glimpses of the future. He wanted to use these pieces to make a new path for himself. After the shadow, Gao Ming slept on the couch. The storm continued. However, ever since Wan Qiu was there, the rental home felt a lot warmer. At 6 am, someone knocked on the door. Wan Qiu, who was a light sleeper, got Gao Ming¡¯s permission and opened the door. ¡°Sorry for the disturbance. I have some questions.¡± With the ck uniform, ck band and ruined face, Gao Ming recognised the man instantly. ¡°Who are you? Why did you enter people¡¯s homes without asking?¡± Gao Ming frowned and said with impatience. ¡°My name is Qin Tian. I¡¯m from a special department. This is my junior, Zhu Suisui. In the future, we¡¯ll stay in Li Jing Apartments until certain truths are exposed.¡± Qin Tian¡¯s expression was severe like thest time Gao Ming saw him. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Wan Qiu carried the sleepy Fa Cai. ¡°The police cars haven¡¯t moved and a cordone is set up. Everyone is scared.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say anything for now.¡± Qin Tian walked to the balcony and pulled back the curtain. ¡°You can see into the building opposite from here. The night beforest, did you see anyone strange enter Building 2?¡± Gao Ming shook his head. He really didn¡¯t think he was a strange person. ¡°Please give it some thoughts.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone.¡± Gao Ming repeated it. ¡°Why did it explode? And so serious?!¡± Qin Tian was befuddled. He was about to ask more questions when his ck band vibrated. Captain Chen Yuntian¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Ol Qin, Queens Investigation Centre is wiped out. The new temp chief want to investigate this thoroughly. Many experienced investigators will be transferred over. I need youe back now!¡± ¡°But the incident at Li Jing Apartments can¡¯t be ignored! I can¡¯t leave.¡± Qin Tian whispered into the band. ¡°The east city is the heart of Han Hai. Come back first. We¡¯ll discuss this.¡± The voice disappeared. Qin Tian sighed. ¡°Do the lives of themon people worth less?¡± ¡°Are you going to the east city?¡± Gao Ming heard everything. Last time, he led Qin Tian to clear a Level 3 Anomaly. It was why Qin Tian was picked by Situ An and died at Si Sui Apartments. This time, Qin Tian was moved to the east city since Queens Investigation Centre was demolished. No matter what, fate would move Qin Tian to the east city. ¡°My disciple and junior will stay here to help. If you have any questions, just refer to her.¡± Qin Tian walked past Gao Ming to the door. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Gao Ming uttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Tian paused. ¡°Did you remember anyone suspicious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at reading people since I was young.¡± Gao Ming grabbed Qin Tian¡¯s hand. ¡°After you got that call, death clouded over you. If you go to the east city, you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Thank you but I don¡¯t believe in these things.¡± Qin Tian patted Gao Ming¡¯s hand. ¡°Death is not scary. If my death is even a little useful, that¡¯s enough.¡± Chapter 90: Dead Water Forum Chapter 90: Dead Water Forum Qin Tian¡¯s face meant that he was always feared by others, but he didn¡¯t care. He worked hard. ¡°My teacher has always been like this. If you have any discovery or run into any problem, you can contact me directly,¡± Zhu Suisui left her phone number. Before she left, she took a few more nces at Gao Ming. She felt like the man was special. She felt safe around him. After the investigations left, Gao Ming calcted the time. Different timelines crossed his mind. ¡°I have no one in the centre. I do not know Situ An¡¯s current location. The old fox will be extra cautious after he realises Doctor Lu and Qing Ge have been killed.¡± Gao Ming knew that Situ An was very careful. If not for the press, he wouldn¡¯t even show up in public. ¡°Is it because he has killed too many people?¡± There was another path presented to Gao Ming. That was for him to join the east city investigation centre, but it could expose him easily. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten the God of Flesh and Blood. Situ An would have to trigger a different Level 4 Anomaly. This might be his fate.¡± The more he wanted to stop it, the more likely it would happen. Gao Ming had a certain understanding of fate¡¯s power. ¡°Before Situ Anpleted the mission given to him by fate, I would run into idents if I tried to kill him. A small detail could cause the whole house of cards to crumble.¡± Gao Ming predicted everything that could have happened in the next three days. ¡°Since I can¡¯t find Situ An, going into the east city centre alone is too risky, and it is a waste of time. I should use this time to strengthen myself.¡± Gao Ming recounted his death memory. He once selflessly exposed all the game details and got everyone to y the games so everyone could benefit from it. That time, Gao Ming stood on fate¡¯s side, but he ended poorly. The yers who got the most benefits made Gao Ming their final target. Through careful nning, they forced Gao Ming to his death. Of all the human yers, Gao Ming remembered two people the most. One was the top yer who came up with all the hunting ns, Dead Water, and the other was Gao Ming¡¯s old schoolmate, Zuo Jun. Dead Water was the first yer who discovered that horror games had be a reality. Before Gao Ming released the news, he had already cleared seven games. After Gao Ming released the guides, he wanted to kill him. For him, the benefits should be his because he was a genius. Gao Ming broke the rules. Dead Water was an inte name. Gao Ming once tried to track down this person. He only knew that Dead Water once worked at Han Hai Sewage Disposal Factory. He was the founder of the first reality horror game forum. The second yer who left a deep impression on Gao Ming was Zuo Jun. Back in high school, Zuo Jun was honest and simple. He wore sses and wasrge and tough. However, the man was very cunning. He also relied on himself to clear the gamers. Then, he joined the investigation centre and rose to the position of captain. He worked with both the police and the ghosts. As he ruled over the centre, he joined the yers to set up the killing trap for Gao Ming. Zuo Jun was the one who had the best life after graduation before the tragedy arrived. ¡°In Liu Yi¡¯s graduation photo, Zuo Jun has colours. Does that mean he is chosen by the shadow world? Or is he loved by fate?¡± After some thought, Gao Ming confirmed his target. Compared to Zuo Jun, he wanted to kill Dead Water more. It was not that Dead Water was more evil, but after Dead Water cleared the first game, he obtained a very special death portrait. It was because of that portrait that he managed to clear the other games. ¡°There¡¯s still time. After I kill him, I¡¯ll take over his forum so that the yers can have a tform tomunicate freely.¡± Gao Ming made dinner for himself and Wan Qiu. After that, he entered the rain. The police cars already left, but the cordone at Building 2 was still there. There were many neighbours hanging around to look. ¡°They sure are free.¡± He took a taxi to Da Zai. Gao Ming didn¡¯t head directly to the Sewage Disposal Centre but took a long detour on foot. At 9 am, Gao Ming perfectly avoided all the cameras and sneaked into the factory. He had mastered many skills beyond his scope as a psychiatrist. Standing in the surveince blind spot, Gao Ming found a ce to hide from the rain. He took out his phone and logged into a forum, Han Hai Environmental Engineering Sewage Treatment¡¯s Latest Technology Exchange Forum. The forum talked about topics exploring sewage treatment. It looked normal at first. After clicking on the second page, Gao Ming entered a thread¨CKnowledge about Waste in Life. The posts inside this thread were all nonsense. Normal people might skip over it. Only yers could understand the content. The technical terms were all stand-ins for actual terms. Sewage referred to areas where humans and ghosts lived together; Sewage treatment referred to different methods used to exorcise ghosts. There were three sewage treatment methods: physical, chemical and biological. For example, in the process of biological treatment, methods were decided depending on whether the microbes in the sewage were aerobic or anaerobic. However, in reality, aerobic meant living humans who had been reced by the shadows, and anaerobic meant dead people who had been controlled by ghosts. Through different cryptic messages, Dead Water built a tform where it was safe from monitoring. He slowly became the centre of the yers using his talent and luck. Gao Ming not only wanted to take over Dead Water¡¯s death portrait but also the admin power of the forum. ¡°The tragedy isn¡¯t here yet. Only I know who Dead Water is.¡± His heart beat. The death memory stimted Gao Ming. He walked past the elementary sedimentary pool and came to the break room. After the tragedy urred, many people tried to track down Dead Water. Some suspected the factory too, but they got no results. They made a directional error. Three years ago, there was a severe food poisoning case at the factory. However, the case came to nothing. Only the canteen manager was reced. The culprit was Dead Water. He wasn¡¯t an employee at the factory. He was the new ingredients buyer for the canteen that got the job three years ago. Gao Ming walked past the break room. He made no sound and came to the corner of the corridor. The sound of keyboard typing came from the break room. Gao Ming stared at the thread. He was currently chatting with Dead Water on the forum. After the post maker stopped replying, the typing in the room stopped. The door opened. A young man, about 20, walked out. He didn¡¯t like to be with others. He would leave when there were little people around. ¡°Bunch of idiots. Why would I share how to survive with others?¡± The young man munched on a betel nut and looked around. After making sure the corridor was empty, he opened the locker. A baby¡¯s crying came from the locker. The young man revealed a sick and excited smile. ¡°Baby, didn¡¯t you say you love me? If you beg me now, I¡¯ll give it to you easy.¡± Chapter 91: The Real Dead Water Chapter 91: The Real Dead Water The young man took out another betel nut and popped it into his mouth. He listened to the baby crying, and his breathing became heavier. Some people liked to torture kittens because their cries sounded like babies. The crying became louder. Gao Ming slowly walked out of the corner. He had confirmed the person¡¯s identity through the forum. Even if he was not Dead Water, he must be connected to him. Taking out the death portrait of the patients, Gao Ming promised to treat them. They only needed to help him capture people as a form of payment. Shadow spread. Before the young man could react, he was pushed into the wall. He then realised there were a few more ¡®people¡¯ around him. Gao Ming covered the young man¡¯s mouth. Gao Ming looked into the locker. There was no death portrait but a drawing. The ck-and-white drawing was no different from a real death portrait. The portrait was of a beautiful woman. Her body was mature, but her intelligence appeared to stop at a baby¡¯s age. She was crying like a baby. The painter was impressive. Just a look at the drawing and one could feel everything. ¡°The woman¡¯s soul has been pulled out, and her shell is stuck inside the painting.¡± Gao Ming took out the drawing, ¡°This drawing is too simr to a death portrait.¡± Gao Ming put away the painting that was crying and removed the gag on the young man¡¯s mouth, ¡°Was it you who set up the Dead Water Forum?¡± The young man¡¯s expression twisted. He smiled, ¡°I know what you want to ask, but I won¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re a pervert with a backbone. Unfortunately, I¡¯m a psychiatrist who has ways to make you speak.¡± Gao Ming touched his heart. The torture devices made from flesh trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. So, what if I die?¡± The young man was like a snake. He memorised Gao Ming¡¯s face. If he were given a chance, he would kill him immediately. ¡°Die? Do you think it¡¯s that easy?¡± The torture device materialised in Gao Ming¡¯s hand. ¡°This is a flesh baller. Its edge is so sharp that you can easily gouge out a perfect sphere. This is a V-shaped carver¡­¡¯ As Gao Ming continued his disy, the young man¡¯s face paled. What kind of psychiatrist worked like this? The young man was not afraid of death, but he didn¡¯t want to fall into Gao Ming¡¯s hands. The knives looked very scary. They were all stained with blood. When Gao Ming introduced them, his eyes were red like he had personally tried all of the devices. ¡°I know how each de feels on the body.¡± Gao Ming choked the young man, and his voice changed. ¡°I hope you can persist and continue to use your earlier tone. Don¡¯t stop. It¡¯ll make me¡­¡± ¡°Ask me anything you want.¡± The young man didn¡¯t dare to look at Gao Ming, ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask anything. How can I answer?¡± ¡°Is Dead Water your ID on the forum?¡± ¡°What is Dead Water?¡± The young man nodded with difficulty. ¡°I am that user and the manager of the forum¡¯s second hidden page.¡± ¡°Take out your death portrait.¡± Gao Ming wanted to confirm it. ¡°That¡¯s all I want¡­¡± The young man looked at the drawing Gao Ming took with greed. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a death portrait?!¡± Gao Ming felt like he was closing in on the truth. ¡°Who gave you this drawing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the real Dead Water.¡± The young man was scared. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he is. Building the hidden form, crafting the cryptic codes, and spreading the ck-and-white drawings are all his ideas. I only follow his instructions to connect with the others who have experienced horror.¡± ¡°How do you normally contact him?¡± The more careful Dead Water was, the more Gao Ming wanted to capture him. ¡°He would message me using different ounts to give me orders. He would tell me to go to ces to obtain stuff, including¡­¡± The young man bit on his tongue and then continued, ¡°New drawings, people and corpses.¡± ¡°When was thest time he messaged you?¡± ¡°If I tell you, will you let me go?¡± The young man probed. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, you can¡¯t even die.¡± The young man surrendered. ¡°He hid histest drawing in the trash can at the Sixth Hall of Han Hai Art Convention Centre. I helped him deal with two corpses yesterday night. The new painting is my payment. He told me to grab it at noon today.¡± Gao Ming wanted to take a look immediately. He sent the young man into the patient¡¯s death portrait. He cleaned up the scene and left the factory. ¡°Dead Water cleared many games before I revealed the guides. He is cunning and intelligent. He knows how to control the yers. He is ying a big game.¡± After so many deaths, Gao Ming had no idea who Dead Water was and neither did the yers. This was the scariest thing about Dead Water. Before 12 noon, Gao Ming arrived Han Hai North City¡¯s Art district. Han Hai Art Centre was arge event. The sixth hall mainly featured various drawings. As AI painting improved, the painters drew more abstract to differentiate themselves from AI. Gao Ming had no idea what most of the paintings were. He didn¡¯t care. He was there for the trash cans. ¡°There are many trash cans here. If I rummage through them one by one, the security will chase me out. If Dead Water is still here, he might discover me and escape.¡± There were many people there. Gao Ming decided to head to the security room. Using a lost item as an excuse, Gao Ming followed the guard to examine the recordings of Hall 6. At 9 am, the guests entered the hall. Most were very well-dressed. They looked at the paintings, and no one came close to the trash cans. The guard fast-forwarded the recording. At 9.10 am, a casually-dressed middle-aged man held a breakfast and entered Hall 6. ¡°Wait!¡± Gao Ming paused the video. He recognised the man. The man¡¯s paintings were once on disy at the art centre too. However, his style became too absurd. Some of the critics even thought the painter had truly lost his mind. ¡°Xia Yang? Why is Nightlight Studio¡¯s main artist here?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s scalp numbed when he saw Xia Yang. Ge gad a very deep impression of this main artist who was always smiling and would always sneak a break during work. Gao Ming stared at the video. In the video, Xia Yang studied the art pieces. After finishing his breakfast, he tossed the trash into the can at the entrance of the hall. Many questions were answered in Gao Ming¡¯s mind. He thanked the guard and ran to Hall 6. With others looking on with shock, Gao Ming opened the trash can. He found crumbled food packaging in the trash. He carefully opened the packaging. It had a ck-and-white drawing on it. The drawing had a mature woman. Her eyes were lifeless and teary. ¡°Dead Water is Xia Yang?! We¡¯ve worked together for so many years!¡± Gao Ming put away the second drawing and calmed down. ¡°It looks like I have to return to Nightlight. This should be a new start for me, but things are moving back to the original trajectory.¡± Many things were linked, but Gao Ming was in a good mood. ¡°Today, Xuan Wen will go for the interview. Including her and me, Manager Gou has a lot of talent. We might not be able to make a popr game, but we can topple the future of this world.¡± Chapter 92: The Painting Inside The Painting Chapter 92: The Painting Inside The Painting ¡°If I have sinned, I hope the police can take me away and not leave me with you people to torture me!¡± Gao Ming could hear Manager Gou roar as he reached the door of Nightlight Studio. He nced into the office. ¡°The main artist is on leave. The game director is missing. Even the cat is gone!¡± Manager Gou mmed the table, and his toupee nted. ¡°What can you people do? Am I being too kind to you that you do this to me?¡± Logistic Zhang Wang took a sip of coffee and grumbled, ¡°Whose fault is it that the studio is like this? We were supposed to develop horror games. You have to make us make a dating sim. It¡¯s normal for Teacher Xia and Wei Dayou to choose to leave.¡± ¡°I drop my face to beg for this sponsor, and you¡¯re ming me for it?!¡± Manager Gou patted his face. ¡°It¡¯s because I have hope in you that I find this chance for you.¡± ¡°Did you get that in reverse?¡± ¡°Does that matter?¡± Manager Gou was so mad that he removed his toupee to wipe at his sweat. ¡°Get on the phone to call Xia Yang back!¡± ¡°His phone is off.¡± The programmer, Li Jie, was helpless. He silently closed off the recruitment page on hisputer. ¡°Then, call his home!¡± Manager Gou walked to Wei Dayou¡¯s table. ¡°What about this one? Have you called the police?¡± ¡°Do you need to involve the police?¡± Li Jie really thought Manager Gou had lost his mind. ¡°Even if he¡¯s dead, I want to see his body!¡± Manager Gou shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve been in this business for over two decades. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying these words!¡± Gao Ming stood at the door and didn¡¯t see Xuan Wen. He coughed and entered the office. ¡°Manager Gou, did no onee for an interview today?¡± Seeing Gao Ming, Manager Gou lost the few hairs he had. ¡°Other people have pillows sent to them when they want to nap, but for me, people run into my house to set it on fire. Why is that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I was just asking. Plus, the cat is not missing.¡± Gao Ming walked to Xia Yang¡¯s table. Before he could do anything, footsteps came from the corridor. A few officers knocked on the door and entered the office. ¡°We¡¯re from the east city district. We have some questions.¡± The leading officer took out a portrait. ¡°Is Wei Dayou here? Who has the most contact with him normally?¡± ¡°The people who should be here aren¡¯t here, but everyone who shouldn¡¯t be here is here.¡± Manager Gou osted them. ¡°We are also looking for Wei Dayou. He left me a resignation letter, and then he stoppeding to work. It¡¯s like he has disappeared.¡± ¡°How is his mental statetely?¡± ¡°Very stable.¡± Manager Gou grumbled, ¡°Stably insane. He doesn¡¯t do his work but told me he is going to save the world!¡± ¡°We wish to talk to you.¡± Manager Gou and the police entered the inner room. Gao Ming didn¡¯t know Xia Yang¡¯sputer password, so he could only search for clues from other things. Xia Yang¡¯s drawings were extremely absurd but filled with scary beauty. He was good at drawing portraits. Gao Ming flipped through one of the drawing books. Gao Ming saw many drawings. Xia Yang drew the characters from his games. ¡°Xia Yang has seriously studied my designs. He even filled in a lot of details himself.¡± Gao Ming looked for about 10 minutes. Everything at Xia Yang¡¯s work table was normal. ¡°It looks like I have to go to his home.¡± Gao Ming was considering what to do with the police, and Manager Gou walked out. After the police left, Manager Gou waved his fists angrily, ¡°Ridiculous. Even though my people are useless, they won¡¯t murder! They probably can¡¯t even murder a chicken!¡± After that, he turned to Gao Ming and said unwillingly, ¡°Xiao Gao, I¡¯ve heard about your stuff from Wei Dayou. Since Dayou is missing, if you have nowhere else to go, why don¡¯t you stay with us?¡± Before Gao Ming could answer, someone knocked on the door again. Xuan Wen appeared in her familiar suit. ¡°Is this Nightlight Gaming Studio?¡± The warm voice wasforting. Everyone turned to her. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Manager Gou put his toupee back on. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I wish to get you to help me develop a horror game. Money is not an issue.¡± Xuan Wen ced herptop on the table. ¡°You have to make the game in the shortest amount of time and share it with as many people as you can.¡± The studio became silent. No one knew how to respond. Manager Gou slowly moved to theptop. When he saw the ount number and gaming proposal on it, he thought he was scammed. ¡°Xuan Wen?¡± Gao Ming hurried over. ¡°What did you¡­¡± ¡°If I¡¯m an employee, I won¡¯t have enough power, so I went to borrow some money.¡± Xuan Wen whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t use any gory methods.¡± Looking at Xuan Wen¡¯s ount, Gao Ming sucked in the cold breath. He believed Xuan Wen never intended to return the money. ¡°What if the tragedy doesn¡¯te?¡± Xuan Wen was shocked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you and I tragedy enough?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t know what to say. He was pushed away by the excited Manager Gou. Xuan Wen was weed with passion. The workers at the studio smiled. Fate influenced Xuan Wen but not by a lot. Manager Gou shouted praises for God while Gao Ming sneaked away. If Xia Yang was really Dead Water, he had to detain the man before he cleared more games. ¡­ After finding out Xia Yang¡¯s home address, Gao Ming departed. In less than an hour, he arrived at a bungalow in the north city. Even though North City was not as expensive as East City, Xia Yang must be loaded to be able to afford a bungalow. ¡°No wonder Xia Yang is so easy-going at work. With his background, working is probably just to rx.¡± The neighbourhood was very quiet. It was far from the city like a slice of paradise. Gao Ming prepared a speech for his sudden visit. But when he came to Xia Yang¡¯s home, he realised the door wasn¡¯t locked. There were many unfinished paintings in the yard. ¡°Teacher Xia?¡± Gao Ming entered the bungalow. The decor was oppressively artistic. There was no shadow but Gao Ming felt like he was in the shadow world. His hand moved to his heart. Gao Ming evaded the ruined paintings on the ground and slowly moved to the living room. The living room was decorated with iprehensible paintings. The strange lines and piercing colours formed a strange world that only a few could understand. ¡°Was Xia Yang drawing the shadow world?¡± Gao Ming had seen that world through the blind man. It was filled with horrors and nightmares. ¡°The blind man saw that world after being in the silence and darkness for darkness. How did Xia Yang see it? Or did he imagine everything?¡± The more he studied the paintings, the more off Gao Ming felt. Xia Yang wanted to manifest the shadow world through paintings. Most of the paintings were abandoned. Gao Ming walked deeper into the living room. He looked at the wall. The several meters wide white wall was painted with red by Xia Yang. It was a painting of his living room. It was so real. Someone sat on the sofa in the living room. As if sensing the gaze, the person inside the painting slowly turned his head around. His expression was detached as red paint dripped down his face. ¡°Xia Yang!¡± Chapter 93: Kill Me Chapter 93: Kill Me In the red graffiti, Xia Yang sat on the couch and looked back. In real life, Gao Ming stood beside the couch, facing the graffiti. They looked at each other. The flowing red and twisted dark separated them. Xia Yang appeared to have be a part of the painting. He smiled like usual as his eyes moved from Gao Ming to his hands. The hands were drenched in blood. Each finger was the blood of a victim. Xia Yang closed his eyes and sucked on his fingers like he was remembering the vour. He was inspired and turned to head upstairs. ¡°How did he do this?¡± Gao Ming knew that Dead Water obtained a special death portrait, but he had not seen it before. Gao Ming studied graffiti and noticed that it had some differences from real life. In the painting, the wall where the graffiti was painted in real life had some blurry paintings on it. Gao Ming wanted to take a closer look. The paintings became blurrier. He kept approaching like he was drawn to them. When he reacted, his surroundings were red. He was trapped inside the graffiti. He looked around and the living room was gone. ¡°There¡¯s no presence of the shadow. Is this graffiti like my torture room, a space isted from the real world and the shadow world?¡± As this thought appeared in his mind, a drop of red paint fell on Gao Ming¡¯s face. His skin slowly turned red. ¡°Xia Yang just went upstairs.¡± They had worked together for years, but Gao Ming only got to know the real Xia Yang at that moment. No one could see Xia Yang¡¯s real heart. He treated everyone kindly because he looked down on everyone equally. He was never angry because, in his heart, humans were beneath him. Why would the garden owner be mad at his nts? Gao Ming walked to the couch. He stepped on the red floor and studied the paintings hanging there. In the red living room, the three paintings stood out. They had different colours. It was like¡­ the coloured Gao Ming in his own death portrait. The first painting was of a handsome man and a pretty woman. They had the pretty bodies. However, they were missing their hands or legs, so the perfect symmetry was broken. The second painting was an adult male with a baby¡¯s face. He was in a fetal position, like he was inside his mother¡¯s womb again. The third painting was moreplicated. An old man stood before death. He turned back and saw how the path was paved with younger versions of himself. In the first step, there was a newborn. It was death who ced the baby there. ¡°Can I bring these three paintings out with me?¡± Gao Ming came to the second floor. He heard a pen scratching on paper. He stepped over the abandoned canvas and stopped before the main bedroom door. Xia Yang was covered in blood. His heart was cut open. With a paintbrush in his hand, he dabbed on the blood from his heart. He painted a portrait of himself on the giant canvas. ¡°You¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been waiting so long for you.¡± Xia Yang didn¡¯t turn around. He was fixated on his self-portrait. ¡°You know I¡¯de here?¡± Gao Ming asked. His path wasn¡¯t obstructed. Even the door was open. ¡°Dead Water Forum was just built for 23 hours. Only four people knew the codes I wrote: myself, the manager, and two yers killed by the horror. However, this morning, someone not only knew all the codes but also tried to probe the manager.¡± Xia Yang didn¡¯t pause his work. ¡°The dead can¡¯t speak. The manager doesn¡¯t even know all the codes. The strangest thing is the person managed to finish the system of codes for me. It¡¯s like he hase from the future.¡± When Gao Ming used the Dead Water forum, he forgot about that. He didn¡¯t know when Dead Water was created. ¡°When I checked the chat log, I could guess that person was you.¡± Xia Yang said calmly, ¡°The games you made became a reality. You really can see the future.¡± ¡°Since you discovered that, why did you go to the art centre to toss that drawing in the trash can? With your ability, you could have continued the pretence.¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t read Xia Yang. This man was so crazy that his way of thinking was too strange. ¡°Because I¡¯m curious about my own future too.¡± Xia Yang finished thest stroke. He turned around to reveal his almost-empty chest. ¡°The future is not unchangeable. I only saw one ending.¡± Gao Ming touched his heart. ¡°You became the strongest yer at Han Hai. Dead Water terrified even the investigation centre. Dead Water has a lot of influence. In the end, you coborated with around 10 yers to hunt me down and cut up my body.¡± ¡°Why would I kill you?¡± Xia Yang narrowed his eyes and smiled. ¡°I revealed the guides to the game. Originally, only you, Wei Dayou, and I were supposed to know them.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t lie. It felt like he was chatting with a version of the future. ¡°You revealed the guides for the general good of the yer. However, the yers felt like you had hidden something from them because you had ess to the guides earlier than them. That¡¯s why they choose to hunt you down.¡± Xia Yang tossed the brush away. ¡°Before Ipleted this painting, the brush was a part of me. However, after the painting ispleted, even the indispensable could be abandoned.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but I will not reveal the guides so easily this time.¡± ¡°In that case, will the future you saw not happen?¡± Xia Yang wasn¡¯t afraid of death. He just wanted to chat with Gao Ming. ¡°Not necessary. Too many people want to kill me. Fate will push you to murder.¡± Gao Ming knew the pain behind that statement. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here? To kill me before I kill you?¡± Xia Yang¡¯s smile was sunny and bright. ¡°Do you n to kill everyone who might kill you in the future? Even if they haven¡¯t killed anyone? Is that justice?¡± ¡°Teacher Xia, I¡¯m not here for justice. I¡¯m here for the death portrait.¡± Gao Ming pressed on his heart. The blood gushed out and formed a chain. ¡°I¡¯ve saved the world ten thousand times, but I want to save myself this time.¡± ¡°I will not stop you from killing me. Death is inevitable. Living is a demand. Death is a blessing.¡± Xia Yang opened his arms as he stood before the self-portrait. ¡°However, I don¡¯t think you have the chance to kill me anymore.¡± Chapter 94: Art Chapter 94: Art ¡°I won¡¯t have the chance to kill you?¡± Gao Ming felt that Xia Yang was not stable. He looked sunny on the surface, but there was a part of his heart that even the sun couldn¡¯t reach. No one could guess his thoughts. ¡°The concept of fate is ridiculous to me. I am never hung up about the past, and I don¡¯t trust in the future. I only care about the present.¡± Red paint dripped down from Xia Yang along with his skin. He was like a piece of melting ice. ¡°Much evidence proves that you can see the future. You could have easily killed me on a different timeline. There¡¯s no chance of me winning.¡± ¡°So, what is your n?¡± Gao Ming was highly alerted. If one knew that one was about to be killed, one would try to escape or resist, but Xia Yang did neither. ¡°I want to create a future you haven¡¯t seen. You can¡¯t kill me, and you can¡¯t escape from me. I will make you the new me.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s sunny smile was chilling. Half of his skin was gone. ¡°A psychiatrist¡¯s worst patient is one without self-awareness. They do not want to admit that they¡¯re sick and try to convince the people around them that they are the ones who are sick.¡± Gao Ming had seen patients like him before. ¡°Crazy people talk nonsense, but I don¡¯t.¡± Xia Yang melted faster. Even his bones turned into red paint. It joined him with the whole red room. ¡°I will turn my dream into reality. You can¡¯t kill me, but I¡¯ll always look at you, slowly changing you until I can be reborn in your body.¡± Xia Yang fully dissolved. His body melted into the red of the room. In the red room, the self-portrait turned colourful. Xia Yang, in the painting, looked so alive. ¡°I really hate using my brain.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s hands dropped down. He was ready for a fight, but Xia Yang knew he couldn¡¯t win Gao Ming in a head-on fight. Gao Ming stood before the self-portrait. He was attracted by Xia Yang¡¯s face. Xia Yang¡¯s lips appeared to move. Gao Ming wanted to listen closer, but he was pulled into the painting. The painting in real life featured the living room and the second floor. The self-portrait of Xia Yang had the background of the bedroom. Gao Ming was inside the painting inside the painting inside the painting. There was a coffin in the middle of the bedroom. Xia Yang¡¯s corpse was in it. Underneath the body was flowers and shadow. His fingers were crossed. In the middle of them was a ck-and-white death portrait. ¡°Was Xia Yang already dead when I arrived?¡± Gao Ming examined the body but couldn¡¯t find the cause of death. The person¡¯s body basically shut down. Compared to a physical death, it was more like a brain death. Gao Ming picked up the portrait and saw an absurd scene. In the death portrait, Xia Yang¡¯s corpse held the paintbrush and palette to draw an alive version of himself. There were many interpretations of this picture. The dead body drew its soul; Death gave life a new meaning; painting despair, and so on. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t understand the death portrait, but he discovered something unique about it. In the portrait, the corpse had colours, and the living Xia Yang painted by the corpse was gaining colours as Xia Yang lost his life. Gao Ming had not seen something like this before. Under some influence, this ck-and-white picture would eventually turn fully colourful. ¡°Is Xia Yang sacrificing himself to fill up the death portrait?¡± He turned the picture around. The words on the back were crossed off with blood. Gao Ming tried to wipe the stain away. The room in the painting started to crack. All the blood rushed towards the portrait Gao Ming was holding. The painted room melted back into liquid. When thest drop of blood returned to the painting, Gaoi Ming returned to real life. He stood in the middle of the ruined canvases. The living room wall turned back to normal. The blood grafitti was gone. The bungalow felt normal again. ¡°Teacher Xia has gone beyond the scope of art. What is his goal?¡± Gao Ming looked at the strange death portrait, ¡°Is he dead or alive?¡± Thinking about what Xia Yang said, Gao Ming was conflicted, ¡°If I ruin this picture, Xia Yang will be dead forever. However, this portrait that helped Xia Yang be the top yer would have a terrifying power.¡± If he ruined the death portrait, It would be like throwing away rare equipment. If he kept the portrait, it meant that he kept a part of Xia Yang with him. Everything corresponded to Xia Yang¡¯s words: Gao Ming couldn¡¯t kill him, and he would keep on looking at Gao Ming. ¡°Death is inevitable. Living is a demand. Death is a blessing?¡± Gao Ming felt tired. The antagonists he met were all different from the ones in the movies. They were soplicated and extremely unstable. ¡°Xia Yang might have overestimated me. He really thought I could see all the future. That¡¯s why he used this method to overrule all the endings. However, I only have visions of my own death memories.¡± Gao Ming suddenly felt like he didn¡¯t know this man whom he had worked with for years. He started to look through the bungalow. The first floor was the living room. There was a special painting room on the second floor. There was a storage with many valuable paintings. One of them couldst Gao Ming for years. He looked through everything. He found a lot of pills in the bedroom drawer. He recognised most of them. Most of the drugs were used to treat mental illness. Some were used to treat a kind of fatal illness. Gao Ming entered the storage and found many medical reports underneath the abandoned canvases. Xia Yang was diagnosed with a fatal illness by many doctors. If he didn¡¯t cooperate, he¡¯d soon die. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell from how he normally lives.¡± Gao Ming noticed the paintings on the wall had something hidden behind them. He removed the paintings. Many hidden doors appeared before him. The doors were pasted with pictures of abandoned children and misshapen kids. Gao Ming pushed the doors and saw the real Xia Yang. The hidden rooms were also filled with pictures. There were many certificates on the ground to prove that Xia Yang had donated anonymously to save 121 children. He donated monthly to orphanages and helped many kids with natural disabilities. He saved them. At the same time, the man was a true hunter. The walls not only had the innocence of children but also many gory scenes. Xia Yang had no moral shackles. Humans were like flowers in his garden. He was willing to shelter some and would cruelly snip others for admiration. ¡°How did he live with such conditions?¡± Chapter 95: Dead Reunion Chapter 95: Dead Reunion Gao Ming was curious about the power of Xia Yang¡¯s death portrait. Based on current info, the portrait could copy other portraits and create red buildings. Due to Xia Yang¡¯s sacrifice, Gao Ming didn¡¯t dare to use the portrait too much. He was worried that the more he became reliant on the picture, the greater Xia Yang¡¯s influence on him would be. ¡°He¡¯s stubborn, but he¡¯s fighting fate in his own way.¡± Gao Ming had noments on Xia Yang. He didn¡¯t touch the paintings and money in the bungalow. He only took the game analysis in the storage and the admin privilege for Dead Water Forum.¡± The greatest hidden danger was eliminated. Gao Ming nned to start his own tform to lead the other yers. Gao Ming cleaned up his trail and returned to Nightlight. Compared to earlier, the atmosphere was fully different. Manager Gou personally poured coffee for Xuan Wen as he introduced Nightlight. ¡°CEO Xuan, you have such good eyes. Our studio is famous for making horror games. The people here are elites among elites!¡± Manager Gou stood before Xuan Wen, ¡°Our main artist, Xia Yang, has won many international artistic awards. Please take a look at his work. Without years of dedication and illness, you can¡¯t make art like this! ¡°And our main programmer, Wei Dayou! You saw what happened earlier. Even the police came to him for help. He¡¯s our studio¡¯s pride!¡± Manager Gou praised everyone in the studio. People were embarrassed. ¡°In a way, Manager Gou is quite kind.¡± Gao Ming entered the office and pushed Manager Gou aside. He led Xuan Wen to the corridor. ¡°I need a favour.¡± Gao Ming logged into Dead Water Forum. ¡°You are good with human hearts. This job is perfect for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you dealing with sewage treatment?¡± Xuan Wen studied the professional posts on the forum. ¡°The forum is just the front. As yers clear the games, they will need a tform to exchange information.¡± Gao Ming transferred the codes and cypher to Xuan Wen. ¡°I hope you can be the tform¡¯s manager and lead all the yers.¡± The tform was built, and it was extremely hidden. Xuan Wen looked at Gao Ming¡¯s ideas and said, ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± Everything was Xia Yang¡¯s contribution. Gao Ming only built on it. ¡°The n to release the guides and way to organise the yers are all on there. We need to build an advantage at the start so that the yers can¡¯t leave us.¡± ¡°I can help you, but¡­¡± Xuan Wen looked into Gao Ming¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you really want me to handle this? Aren¡¯t you scared that after I take control of the yers, I will make you the target? Since you are the source, you are the fattest sheep.¡± ¡°I trust you.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s phone vibrated. He was pulled by someone in a chat group. ¡°Is the reunion brought forward?¡± ¡°Go do your thing. Leave this to me.¡± Xuan Wen said confidently. ¡°Thank you.¡± Gao Ming felt Xuan Wen was different from before. Since she didn¡¯t kill the other eight female characters, this was the real her. ¡°Don¡¯t need to thank me. Just remember I¡¯m still working when you¡¯re out having fun with the other girls.¡± Xuan Wen smiled. Seeing how Gao Ming froze, she patted him, ¡°I was just kidding. Be careful.¡± Gao Ming turned and left. After entering the elevator, an unfamiliar number called him. He only picked up when the elevator reached the first floor. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Gao Ming, long time no see!¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The female voice was familiar. ¡°We were deskmates! I even copied your math homework in high school. Did you forget me already?¡± ¡°There were so many people who copied my work. Who are you?¡± Gao Ming frowned. ¡°I¡¯m Song Xue!¡± The woman on the phoneughed. ¡°Do you think this is a scam?¡± The girl who was supposed to die in the bus ident called him. This was more exciting than a scam. ¡°Right! I remember it now.¡± Gao Ming rxed. ¡°How did you get my number.¡± ¡°I got it from other students. We n to gather at Han Hai after the rain stops and return to our alma mater to recapture our youth.¡± Song Xue said, ¡°I heard you are still single. We have many single friends in our group. This is perfect.¡± ¡°Have you decided on a location?¡± ¡°We need to confirm with Zuo Jun. Ol Zuo is such a bigshot now. I hear he¡¯s some kind of leader at the east city.¡± Song Xue wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°You can chat in the group. Many people want to meet you.¡± The call ended. Gao Ming entered the chat and made himself appear offline. Then, he scrolled through the chat record. Among the chats, he saw a cute rabbit emote posted by Zuo Bo. ¡°Zuo Bo?!¡± Zuo Bo attended the same university as Gao Ming. Due to various reasons, he had a mental breakdown. Later, they met in a consultation room. By then, Gao Ming was a doctor, and Zuo Bo was his patient. He once lifted Zuo Bo¡¯s sleeve. The arm was covered with scars. Zuo Bo, who was 1.75 cm tall, was thin as a stick. Gao Ming was too young back then, so Zuo Bo¡¯s parents transferred him away. However, not long after that, Zuo Bo was sent to the ICU. Gao Ming tried to call him, but the call was never answered. ¡°Will Zuo Bo be going? Just how many of these people are still alive?¡± Gao Ming paid attention to Zuo Jun. ¡°If Song Xue was right, Zuo Jun should be working under Situ An now. Did I give Zuo Jun the chance to rise to the top after I took out Doctor Lu and Qing Ge? What will fate do next?¡± The storm was about to stop. When Gao Ming passed by Min Long Street, he was shocked to see the street sealed up. The driver grumbled and turned the car around. Gao Ming felt something was wrong. He paid and got down. He pretended to buy something and turned around to see the cars from the centre. With Bai Xiao leading the team, a group of people were moving around Min Long Street with many devices. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± Big Dog and Wei Dayou were in the shadow world¡¯s Min Long Street. They also had a lot of vigers and east city centre investigators with them. Gao Ming believed that Bai Xiao had found something. Gao Ming sneaked through the cordon line. A supermarket in the middle of Min Ling Street had a supernatural event. The night shift employees disappeared. The daughter of the boss was crying as sheined to the investigation. ¡°It¡¯s not Building 4 that has the problem, but it¡¯s close.¡± Worried about Wei Dayou, Gao Ming sneaked into Building 4, found a corner and took out a death portrait. Chapter 96: Supermarket Chapter 96: Supermarket The people in the portrait stared out. Gao Ming called his parents. Soon came the knocking. Gao Ming opened the door. Beyond the door was the shadow world. Before the ghost mother spoke, he entered the shadow world and closed the door behind him. Using the power of the portrait, Gao Ming came to Building 4 of Min Long Street in the shadow world. He appeared without warning that he frightened the two vigers on guard duty. One of them reacted quickly. He grabbed the rope on the wall and shook it. The bell chimed loudly. Footsteps came from upstairs. Darkness spread. Wei Dayou, holding a weapon, rushed over with the other vigers. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s one of us.¡± Wei Dayou didn¡¯t rx when he saw Gao Ming. After asking a few questions and confirming it was really Gao Ming, he finally approached. ¡°The fuck. You scared us!¡± Wei Dayou gave Gao Ming a fist bump. ¡°This ce is beyond scary. You sure chose a good home for us!¡± ¡°Where is the blind brother?¡± Gao Ming realised the vigers respected Wei Dayou a lot. ¡°He¡¯s resting.¡± Wei Dayou had the two vigers return to guard duty. He led Gao Ming and his parents with the cakes to the fourth floor. ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring cake with you! But we dock food and water.¡± An An¡¯s home was turned into themand central by Wei Dayou. A hand-painted map hung on the wall. It was marked with various info. The supermarket near Building 4 was circled. Closing the door when there were only Gao Ming and Wei Dayou in the room, Dayou showed fear and worry. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not looking good.¡± Wei Dayou pulled out a list from the drawer. ¡°There are 67 survivors in Building 4. 32 of them are from Bo Wan Viger, 5 homeless people, 20 students, and 10 investigators. Half of them have been infected by the shadow and can¡¯t leave the shadow world anymore.¡± ¡°Infected by the shadow?¡± ¡°Once you stay long enough in the shadow world or have been touched by a ghost, it will happen.¡± Wei Dayou pulled up his sleeves. There was an inconspicuous ghost tattoo on his arm. It looked like a giant ghost. ¡°This is an example. The blind brother nted this in me. It is his protection for me.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± Gao Ming studied the map. ¡°If people die here, they will morph into shadows and join with this world. To survive here, we have been trying to find food and water.¡± Wei Dayou pointed at the supermarket on the map. ¡°There are too many living humans. Therefore, we targeted this supermarket yesterday night to scavenge for supplies.¡± ¡°Are there ghosts there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Dayou said in fear. ¡°The supermarket is a ghost! A giant ghost who eats people! Everyone who went on the supply run didn¡¯te back!¡± Wei Dayou took some time to calm down. ¡°Every building here is unsafe. It looks peaceful, but once you trigger something, you¡¯ll die. We are currently trapped here because no one dares to leave. With so many survivors, if we don¡¯t find supply soon, we¡¯ll die.¡± The vigers and students were treated as sacrifices. They were infected by shadows. They couldn¡¯t return to the real world but had a hard time surviving in the shadow world. Their ending was determined. As the tragedy struck, more people would be like this. The dark darkness expanded in the room. A giant dog crawled out. His dark eyes stared at Gao Ming. The voice came from his stomach. ¡°This ce is more dangerous than where I stayed. Just yesterday night, seven survivors melted into the shadow world.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure out how to deal with the supermarket.¡± Gao Ming sat down. ¡°I have a question. Does the thing here correspond to the events in the real world? If I move the things on the shelves in the real world, will the things on the shelves here move too?¡± ¡°No. The shadow world appears to be frozen on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival. I do not know why. The night appears to influence the two worlds.¡± Big Dog used his heart to observe the world. He could see things others couldn¡¯t. ¡°Unless the two buildings are fully united, or else they won¡¯t be affected the way you said.¡± ¡°A circr repetition?¡± Gao Ming remembered this forter. ¡°I have some cakes here. Eat these first. About the supermarket¡­¡± At that moment, a scream came from the supermarket in the middle of Min Long Street. He and Wei Dayou looked at each other and saw the shock. ¡°Did someone enter the shadow world?¡± ¡°It should be the investigators from Li San Center. I saw them around the supermarket before I came here.¡± Gao Ming grabbed the big dog¡¯s fur. ¡°Should we go take a look?¡± ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± The dog shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything. I only need you to be my escape vehicle.¡± Gao Ming leaned on the dog. ¡°Everyone is on the same boat. No one can escape.¡± With Gao Ming¡¯s hounding, Big Dog finally agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll get a few clever people to go with you.¡± Wei Dayou ran out to summon two newbies and two experienced investigators from the east city. The seniors were infected by shadow. ¡°After Qing Ge was killed, they wished to atone. I want to give them this chance.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They prepared and left Building 4. Min Long Supermarket was just a street away. From the surface, the supermarket looked normal. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Gao Ming put the death portrait in his pocket and approached the front door. He could hear the screams, but standing outside, everything looked normal. ¡°This supermarket is not huge. If the investigators didn¡¯t have their movement limited, I should be able to see them running.¡± Gao Ming took a deep breath, gave the Big Dog a signal and entered the supermarket. After he entered the building, his vision darkened like the sky went dark. The sound of clock ticking entered his ears. Gao Ming looked around. The only light came from the fluorescent lights and a 25-inch monitor on the ceiling. The monitor had a blood-red sentence disyed on it, please enter the employee break room in the next minute. ¡°I should follow the instructions for now.¡± Gao Ming ran through the supermarket. Everything was arranged orderly. There was no blood or even signs of fighting. Where was everyone? After 10 seconds, Gao Ming found the break room. He tried the doorknob and realised the door was locked. Time ticked. Gao Ming knocked on the door. ¡°Who is in there?¡± Gao Ming nced at the monitor. He didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. He kicked the door. Eventually, the door was opened from inside before Gao Ming could destroy it. The newbies from Li San Centre looked at Gao Ming outside the door. They were ready like Gao Ming was an enemy. Gao Ming rxed. These newbies who didn¡¯t even have the ck band once entered the anomaly with him. It was the Fear Illness Anomaly. Now, they were in another anomaly with him. ¡°It¡¯s you! Why are you here?¡± Zhu Suisui, who hid behind the door, walked out with the axe. She recognised Gao Ming. She was there to ambush the ghost once the door opened. Chapter 97: Rules Chapter 97: Rules Gao Ming ran into the break room and shut the door. The newbies from Li San all moved to the wall and looked at him with alert. ¡°I live at Li Jing Apartments. It was suddenly sealed up by the police without exnation. I was denied entry into Building 2. When I wanted to buy something to eat at Min Long Street, I saw this supermarket being sealed up. I was curious, so I came to look.¡± Gao Ming seemed to be lost. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I entered the supermarket, but when I came to, I was already in here.¡± ¡°Curiosity kills the cat.¡± Zhu Suisui said seriously, ¡°You¡¯ve been dragged into an anomaly. This is a ghost world!¡± Gao Ming looked at Zhu Suisui. Her face seemed to ovep with Qin Tian¡¯s face. She said the same thing as Qin Tian said back then. She was the guide provided by fate to tell Gao Ming about the anomaly. ¡°Normal people will find this hard to ept.¡± Zhu Suisui consoled Gao Ming. ¡°It¡¯s normal to be afraid, but we still have hope.¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t give up.¡± The other bespectacled newbie was kind too. ¡°Captain Bai Xiao is very experienced, and he is with us. He is a very impressive person.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did he abandon you?¡± Gao Ming knew Bai Xiao better than anyone there. He killed Bai Xiaost time. ¡°The captain will not abandon us. He just went to scout the way.¡± The shortest investigator was dissatisfied. ¡°New investigators learning manual. The experienced investigators follow the rules. Only the most experienced investigators can discover new rules. Our team captain is one of the most experienced investigators.¡± ¡°Where is him now?¡± Gao Ming was more curious about that. ¡°One of the newbies was named. Captain Bai and a few seniors went with him.¡± ¡°Named? What do you mean?¡± Gao Ming heard this strange term. ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions. Just follow the rules.¡± Zhu Suisui didn¡¯t have a ck band. She took out a paper and pen. She wrote down the rules for Gao Ming. ¡°Put away your curiosity. Don¡¯t challenge anything¡­¡± Zhu Suisui was only halfway through when static came from the inte in the breakroom. All the newbies stopped breathing as they stared at the inte on the table. A few secondster, an intermittent voice came through. It sounded like a baby trying to speak, ¡°Open the lockers before you. Put on the clothes inside. You have one minute.¡± The newbies started to move. Rules were everything, that was the ideal injected in them on their first day. He opened the locker, and the smell of mildew wafted out. Gao Ming realised there were no clothes in his locker but a picture of two kids. ¡°No clothes?¡± He looked at the others. All the investigators changed into the supermarket uniform at the fastest speed. All the uniforms had numbers on them. Most uniforms were dark green. Two were blue, and one was red. ¡°Quick!¡± Zhu Suisui urged Gao Ming, ¡°Do you want to die?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no clothes in my locker.¡± Gao Ming put the picture away silently. ¡°Wear mine!¡± Zhu Suisui removed her uniform. ¡°Quick! We have no time.¡± ¡°The rules wanted us to take the clothes out from the locker before us and put them on. If I wear yours, it won¡¯t count.¡± Before Gao Ming could stop her, Zhu Suisui shoved the clothes to her. ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t realise how tempestuous you were before?¡± Time passed quickly. Gao Ming and Zhu Suisui wore clothes from other lockers. Zhu Suisui put on the red uniform that no one wanted. The static came again. The voice became more fluent. ¡°Workers working on Monday to Wednesday, you need to leave the breakroom in the next minute.¡± The voice disappeared. Gao Ming looked at his uniform. He found a work table in his pocket. It was filled with crosses. Only Mondays were circled. ¡°Look at your pocket. You should find a work table.¡± With Gao Ming¡¯s reminder, everyone checked their pockets. There were seven of them, and each of them represented one day of the week. Zhu Suisui¡¯s red uniform had the Wednesday work shift. The bespectacled, polite investigator had the blue uniform and the Tuesday work shift. ¡°Damn. This is my fault.¡± Zhu Suisui felt sorry when she saw the day on the work table in her original uniform. ¡°You have to stay calm when we¡¯re out. Follow the rules. Do everything no matter how absurd it is.¡± The three in different coloured uniforms walked out. The supermarket was only so big, but Bai Xiao and the rest had disappeared. ¡°I have a feeling of being watched. The cameras are like eyes. Since we¡¯re out here, should we check out the surveince room?¡± Gao Ming realised the lights in the ce were darker. His heart raced. God in his heartroom felt the danger. ¡°Don¡¯t move around randomly and do unnecessary things.¡± Zhui Suisui whispered as sweat slid down her face. ¡°Okay.¡± Gao Ming slowly moved to the cashier. ¡°Why would you say that while doing another thing? I¡¯m not kidding with you!¡± Zhu Suisui held her axe as she moved through the shelves. She looked scary. ¡°Wait.¡± The bespectacled newbie grabbed Zhu Suisui¡¯s shoulders and pointed at the monitor. ¡°Why is there a 15-minute countdown on it?¡± There was nothing else on the monitor but the countdown. ¡°We are wearing the worker uniforms, and we just left the breakroom. It should be time for us to work.¡± Gao Ming came to the cashier opened theputer, and read the info on it. ¡°This is not right! The work table on here is different from the ones in our uniforms.¡± The ck-and-white work table wrote down the things the supermarket employees had toplete. Gao Mingpared the two and read out, ¡°The time on thisputer is 22:45. We need to deal with the expired food, vegetables and fruits before 23:00. Other than that, we need to clear the inventory, restock the shelves and then¡­ find the corpses of two kids and deal with them?¡± Gao Ming was sure that he read it right. Zhu Suisui and the newbie were stunned. The investigation centre told them to follow the rules but the rules were unusual at the supermarket. ¡°Are there corpses hidden?¡± Gao Ming thought about it. He pushed away the other two and ran to the frozen food aisle. Chapter 98: Be A Happy Person Chapter 98: Be A Happy Person ¡°The work table requires us to deal with the corpses of two children. There is a picture of two children in the worker¡¯s locker.¡± The picture wasy nted against the back of the locker like someone was worshipping it. Gao Ming ran to the frozen aisle and opened the giant freezer. ¡°Do you think the corpses will be hidden here?¡± The newbie and Zhu Suisui followed him. ¡°There¡¯s no blood or smell. Therefore, the corpses are probably frozen.¡± Gao Ming moved away some yoghurts. He didn¡¯t care about them at first, but then, he froze when he nced at the production date. ¡°How can the production date be a decade ago?¡± ¡°A decade?¡± Zhu Suisui took over the bottle. She opened the cap and took a sniff. ¡°It smells normal. Could it be a printing error?¡± Gao Ming picked up some other casual products. He realised all the production dates were at least one decade ago. ¡°Why is everything from ten years ago?¡± The bell at the entrance chimed. The countdown on the monitor paused. An old man with a bare chest and holding a shirt entered the supermarket. He was drenched, and his skin was bloated. ¡°Xiao Gao! I¡¯m here to deliver money!¡± The elder had a loud voice. His scream chased away the oppressive atmosphere in the supermarket. Gao Ming¡¯s group looked at each other. They had no idea who Xiao Gao was. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look. You should keep searching for the corpses.¡± Zhu Suisui hid the axe behind her. She walked to one side of the shelves and poked half her body out. ¡°Jing Jing, is Xiao Gao not at work today?¡± The elder was very kind. He treated Zhu Suisui as someone else and walked over. ¡°Jing Jing?¡± Zhu Suisui had never encountered something like this. As she saw the elder approach her, she didn¡¯t know what to say. The elder¡¯s skin was bloated. It looked like he had been soaked in water for a long time. ¡°Sir, do you need anything?¡± Gao Ming walked out from behind Zhu Suisui and pressed on Zhu Suisui¡¯s shaking shoulders. ¡°Are you drunk too? Why are you calling me Sir and not Uncle?¡± The elder walked towards Gao Ming. Zhu Suisui was so nervous. She had never faced such a strange ghost before. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m at work. I¡¯ll drink with youter.¡± Gao Ming reacted quickly. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯de to deliver money in this heavy rain.¡± ¡°Your Uncle Li is not one who goes back on his debt.¡± The elderughed. He took out some coins from his pocket and gave them to Gao Ming. ¡°Count them. It¡¯s not easy for me to save them. Thedy is getting stricter by the day.¡± ¡°Are these from your secret piggy bank?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect the elder to have a private money stash at his age. ¡°Stop with the nonsense. Go grab me some alcohol.¡± The elder¡¯s face turned red, like his secret was exposed. He was more nervous than Gao Ming. He stood beside the alcohol tab. ¡°You have to keep this ce going. This is one of the few ces I can get my fix.¡± Min Long Supermarket was notrge. Most customers were neighbours at Min Long Street. The ce had the style from decades ago. After taking the money, Gao Ming walked to the tab. He found an urn and filled up one for the elder. ¡°Do you need me to pack it?¡± ¡°You say that like I dare to bring this home.¡± The elder waved at Gao Ming. ¡°I¡¯ll drink this here. Wine on a rainy day. How good is that?¡± ¡°This is too much if you¡¯re not taking this home.¡± Gao Ming poured half an urn back. The elder looked at this with blinking eyes. Gao Ming passed the elder the urn and took a bag of peanuts. ¡°Uncle Li, my treat.¡± ¡°I have such a high retirement benefit. Do I need you to treat me?¡± The elder took a sip of the alcohol. Even his wrinkles rxed. ¡°If you¡¯re not happy when you¡¯re alive, what¡¯s the point of living? I¡¯ll bring you the money for the peanuts next time.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Gao Mingughed. ¡°Speaking of, how are you and Jing Jing?¡± The elder leaned close for gossip. ¡°It¡¯s your work shift today, but the girl came to apany you. Can this be clearer? You have to grab this chance. Plus, make sure to tell Jing Jing to reveal anything. If the olddy knew I was here for wine, you would be scolded too.¡± Gao Ming looked at the work table. This elder memorised everyone¡¯s work shift to get his wine. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll drink here. You should get back to work.¡± Uncle Li hummed a tune and continued his drink. The bell chimed again. A female OL with a mask entered the supermarket. She was a bit fat. She didn¡¯t like to speak. She held an umbre. After picking a lot of food, she came to the cashier with her head lowered. ¡°Can you heat these for me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gao Ming heated the food. The woman put away the umbre. To prevent the raindrops from wetting the floor, she found a stic bag to put on the umbre. Even though she had the umbre, the woman¡¯s clothes were wet. She looked very pale. She found a ce to sit and took out a camera stand. She fixed her camera and started a mukbang livestream. Once the camera started to roll, there was no tiredness on her face. Using a joking manner, she introduced the food she had for the night. The woman tried to interact with everyment on scream. She gulped down the food. The woman maintained a smile from start to finish. After eating a lot, her body leaned over unnaturally, and her hand went to her stomach. ¡°Do you want to keep eating?¡± Gao Ming came over with the heated food box. He could see the woman¡¯s difort. ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman took the box and continued to eat. She smiled and praised the food. Gao Ming nced at the screen. Thements were unforgiving. Some called her a pig, and others said she was fake-eating. Some wanted to see her drenched body. The woman kept a smile on her face. She forced herself to finish thest bite. ¡°The challenge for tonight is over. It¡¯s 30 seconds earlier than yesterday! Babies, if you have something else you want me to eat, you can private message me. Bye bye.¡± Once the camera was off, the smile on the woman¡¯s face froze. She dry-heaved, held her stomach and leaned on the table. ¡°Here.¡± The woman raised her head. She saw Gao Ming with a towel. ¡°Use this to wipe your hair.¡± The woman grabbed the towel. Her eyes watered. The feelings she tried to suppress rose again. She used the towel to cover her face. ¡°Are you doing this part-time?¡± ¡°Yes. I work in the morning, and I do a challenge mukbang at night.¡± The woman¡¯s voice became calm. ¡°I have a huge appetite, but there¡¯s always someone who can eat more and who is prettier than me.¡± ¡°Indeed. Nothing is easy.¡± Gao Ming sat down beside the woman. ¡°If you need money, I can help you¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need money.¡± The woman looked at Gao Ming and revealed a different smile. It was shy and introverted. ¡°I¡¯ve been scared to talk to people since I was young. I have a low self-esteem because of my weight. Therefore, I want to change myself to be a responsible and confident person.¡± ¡°Your way of training is a bit extreme.¡± Gao Ming joked with the woman. Zhu Suisui and the bespectacled newbie tried to look for the dead bodies. The customers didn¡¯t leave, and the bell chimed again. A man in clown make-up walked in with a bag. Rain washed away most of his make-up so his face could be seen. ¡°No one move!¡± The clown reached into the bag. Before he could say anything else, Uncle Li walked over with the alcohol. ¡°Zhang Ding, what are you doing in your own shop? You look like you¡¯ve just been beaten up.¡± ¡°What did you recognise me? I even paid someone to do this make-up.¡± Zhang Ding carried the bag and stood on his toes. ¡°I even wore heels for this.¡± ¡°How old are you already? Why do you worry me so much?¡± Uncle Li turned to Gao Ming and Zhu Suisui. ¡°Xiao Gao,e grab your boss.¡± ¡°Boss?¡± Gao Ming looked at the man and the other customers. He suddenly remembered news from a decade ago. The supermarket was rebuilt once. It was said that the former boss was a very good person. Zhang Ding wiped down his face. He was not ashamed. He walked to the woman, ¡°Did you end your livestream?¡± ¡°Yes. I just ended.¡± ¡°I wanted to create a surprise for you.¡± Zhang Ding smacked the table. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for days already. Every time I see your sad face, I want to give you a surprise to make you happy. This will also draw people to your stream and my shop. It¡¯s a win-win!¡± ¡°Your surprise is quite surprising.¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help but grumble. So far, there had been no anomaly in this anomaly. ¡°I¡¯ve tried my hardest.¡± Zhang Ding didn¡¯t act like a boss at all. He treated everyone at the supermarket as his family. He just wanted everyone to be happy. ¡°I thank you.¡± The woman said with a sad smile. ¡°When you pretended to be a ghostst time and hid behind the shelf to move the products, my few fans thought you were my hired actor. I lost some fans.¡± ¡°Was my acting that bad?¡± Zhang Ding stood up. ¡°Give me another chance.¡± ¡°Brother Zhang, perhaps you should help someone else.¡± The woman shook her hands. ¡°We¡¯re neighbours. We should help one another.¡± Zhang Ding took out a soaked proposal. Before he spoke, the bell rang again. Hearing the footsteps, Uncle Li and Zhang Ding shared a look. They became so serious, like it was war. ¡°This is bad!¡± The air froze. Gao Ming¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Is the dangering?¡± Uncle Li grabbed his urn and ran into the supermarket. Zhang Ding wiped away the rest of the paint and ran to follow Uncle Li. Gao Ming¡¯s heart beat faster. He stared at the entrance. Momentster, a thin olddy appeared. She wore sses and a patterned shirt. She looked very weak. The olddy held two umbres. She went to the tab and nced at the urns. She sniffed the scent of wine in the air. ¡°Stop hiding! Go back for dinner!¡± Since no one answered, the olddy walked towards Goa Ming. Gao Ming wore the worker uniform. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He turned to look around. Uncle Li and Zhang Ding were gone. As the olddy approached, Gao Ming silently swiped theb from the shelf and walked to meet the olddy. ¡°Auntie, Uncle Li dide for a drink.¡± Before the olddy exploded, Gao Ming cut in, ¡°But think about it. Will Uncle Lie here just for a drink with no umbre in this weather?¡± Before the olddy could speak, Gao Ming pushed the woodenb to the olddy, ¡°Uncle Li knew he was wrong. He bought thisb for you. This is our new product. It can massage the scalp. It¡¯s very good.¡± The olddy was interrupted several times. Even though she still looked angry, her tone was nicer. ¡°Are you working with him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Gao Ming just put on the uniform half an hour ago so that was indeed impossible. Chapter 99: Education Chapter 99: Education The anomaly at Min Long Supermarket didn¡¯t make Gao Ming feel confused in any way. Based on his years of experience, he managed to calm Uncle Li¡¯s wife down. ¡°I¡¯m not fully against Ol Li drinking, but he can¡¯t keep on drinking like this.¡± The olddy picked up theb. ¡°He¡¯s over 70, and he¡¯s still acting like a child. Go and get him. I need to bring him home for a change of clothes, or he¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Uncle Li and Boss Zhang have gone hiding in the back.¡± Gao Ming pointed the way for the olddy. ¡°Are they hiding from me? Do they think I¡¯m some kind of beast?¡± The olddy huffed and walked into the supermarket. His heart slowly calmed down. Gao Ming sat beside the female streamer. Thedy chuckled and gave Gao Ming a thumbs up. ¡°Xiao Lian, you are quite clever. You must be very happy with your girlfriend.¡± Seeing the woman¡¯s bloated face, Gao Ming was confused. Every ¡®human¡¯ at the supermarket acted so normal. The bell chimed again. Three dirty kids ran in. They were wet from the rain, but their faces were filled with smiles like they had just experienced the best adventure in the world. Gao Ming slowly stood up. Of the three kids, the leading kid had a wrinkled face from being soaked in water. The other two kids looked normal. The biggest issue was the two kids looked exactly like the children inside the picture in the break room. ¡°The work table wants us to look for children¡¯s corpses, but the two kids are here perfectly fine. Do corpses mean actual corpses?¡± Gao Ming remembered every detail. He felt like he was close to the truth of the supermarket. ¡°Today, it¡¯s my treat! To celebrate our sess in crossing Li San Gulf!¡± The bloated kid raised his hand. He didn¡¯t mind his dripping dirty clothes. ¡°I also want to be the captain.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve both been captain. It¡¯s my turn next¡­¡± Gao Ming got their names through their conversation. The fat captain was Zhang Fendou. He was the boss, Zhang Ding¡¯s son. The other two kids were called Le Jia and Le Ren. They were sons of the nearby neighbours. They had no adult troubles. They bought some snacks and soda. They poured the soda into the cap and made this into a ceremony. ¡°They are at a carefree age.¡± Gao Ming walked to the cashier. ¡°I have the urge to give them homework.¡± Gao Ming rang up the kids. He was about to chat with the kids when Zhang Ding¡¯s voice came from inside. ¡°Ouch! I didn¡¯t let Uncle Li drink. It¡¯s all Xiao Gao¡¯s handiwork. Don¡¯t harm the innocent!¡± Zhang Ding had his ear pulled by the olddy. He didn¡¯t dare to resist. He even bent down so the olddy could pull his ear better. ¡°Uncle Li! Say something!¡± Uncle Li coughed and turned to the olddy, ¡°Ah Mei¡­¡± At that moment, the olddy red at him, and he shut up. ¡°Uncle? Are you kidding me? Didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯re the boss at home?¡± Zhang Ding widened his eyes at Uncle Li. ¡°Aren¡¯t we outside now?¡± The three of them walked out. The olddy wanted to lecture Zhang Ding further, but when she saw Zhang Ding¡¯s son at the door, she let go of Zhang Ding. ¡°If Ol Lies here alone in the future, none of you are allowed to sell him alcohol. He can only drink if I¡¯m here with him. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to let him drink, but the doctor doesn¡¯t allow it!¡± ¡°Understood, understood.¡± Zhang Ding promised her and turned to the kids at the door. ¡°Where did you three go this time? Why are you so dirty?¡± ¡°We risked the rain and ran from the east of Min Long Stree to the west. We helped Grandma Zhao move her vases into her house.¡± Zhang Fendou shook his little fists. He sounded very proud. ¡°Very impressive!¡± Zhang Ding knelt before his son. ¡°The kids are not young anymore. Kids their age are already in tuition. The three of them are still running around like brats.¡± Once the olddy spoke, the three kids quieted down. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Compared to being a big shot, I only want him to be happy.¡± Zhang Ding ruffled his son¡¯s hair. ¡°Quality education is popr now.¡± Zhang Fendou hid behind his father and looked at the olddy with fear. ¡°Quality education is a scam.¡± The olddy looked at Zhang Fendou. ¡°How did you score in yourst exam.¡± ¡°59.¡± Zhang Fendou lowered his head. ¡°That¡¯s one mark away from passing. Not bad.¡± Zhang Ding encouraged him. ¡°Have confidence in yourself. Dad knows how clever you are! When I was doing make-up, I heard you guys took another recent exam. How much did you score this time?¡± Zhang Fendou hesitated and inched backwards. Then, he said embarrassedly. ¡°27¡­¡± ¡°God damn it!¡± Zhang Ding pulled out his belt and started to chase after Zhang Fendou in the supermarket. ¡°Quality Education! Boss, did you forget about that?¡± Gao Ming hurried to stop him. The kid might be the key to this anomaly. ¡°Move! Do I look like a person with quality?¡± The supermarket was thrown into chaos. Zhu Suisui and the other newbie were still busy looking for the corpses. ¡°They sure are having a lot of fun.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted. We need to follow the rules!¡± Gao Ming finally stopped Zhang Ding, but the three children were already gone. More customers appeared at the shop. Gao Ming stayed at the cashier and interacted with everyone. Other than the two kids, all the customers appeared bloated, like they had been drowned. Min Long Supermarket was in the middle of Min Long Street. It was not at a low ground. If this ce was submerged, then the flooding must be serious. ¡°The rain is not stopping. Is there a hole in the sky?¡± Zhang Ding didn¡¯t act like the boss. He was friendlier than his employees. He knew every customer¡¯s shopping habits and sometimes did delivery for the neighbours. ¡°I¡¯ll go mop up the water.¡± Gao Ming dragged the mop to the entrance. The storm drenched his uniform. The storm was heavier than the one in real life. The raindrops caused pain as they fell on Gao Ming. ¡°I have a bad feeling.¡± It was dark outside the supermarket. None of the other buildings could be seen. It was like the ce was surrounded by rain. In the darkness, suddenly, a headlight cut through it. The sharp siren shattered the peace. The car zoomed down the street. The person in the car shouted until his throat was red. ¡°Emergency evacuation! The dam is broken! Li Sui Dam has just burst!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s brain buzzed as the news from a decade ago shed in his mind. He stood in the rain and could see the rapids rushing at him. The countdown on the monitor resumed. Gao Ming¡¯s pupils narrowed. He ran back into the supermarket and yelled. ¡°Run! Li Sui Dam just burst!¡± Chapter 100: Rain from 10 Years Ago Chapter 100: Rain from 10 Years Ago ¡°Emergency evacuation! The flood ising!¡± Gao Ming stared at the monitor. The ticking time was like a giant weight on everyone¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Run!¡± The news about Li Sui Dam bursting appeared in Gao Ming¡¯s mind. The storm a decade ago caused the old city and Da Zai to be flooded. The dam burst at midnight, so there were a lot of injured and missing people. The rain from ten years ago fell on Gao Ming. The tragedy repeated itself. Gao Ming screamed. He didn¡¯t care if the customers in the supermarket were humans or ghosts. Gao Ming didn¡¯t run, and neither did Zhang Ding. Both of them ran into the supermarket to evacuate the customers. The old city¡¯s plumbing system was bad. Soon, the water started to overflow into the supermarket. The dirty water swamped the clean floor. The customers put down their purchases and ran. Time ticked by. Gao Ming ran to Zhu Suisui and the bespectacled newbie. ¡°The Li Sui Dam just burst! This is the flood from ten years ago. The people here should be the victims from back then!¡± ¡°The victims from ten years ago are here?!¡± The newbie was confused. ¡°The countdown is almost over. Have you found the children¡¯s bodies?¡± Gao Ming was anxious. ¡°We might not be facing ghosts, but a flood from ten years ago!¡± ¡°The two kids are not dead, and they are running away! How can we find their bodies?¡± ¡°The corpses on the work table might not be actual corpses. They could be something else. After all, in the shadow world, anything can happen.¡± Gao Ming said seriously. He didn¡¯t hide his identity anymore. ¡°Did you two discover anything strange?¡± God of Flesh and Blood kept giving off warnings. This was something Gao Ming had not encountered. If he didn¡¯t handle this well, he might die there. ¡°We¡¯ve searched the supermarket. Everything is normal, but we found a few rooms in the warehouse. The three kids appeared to have run there.¡± Zhu Suisui was still holding onto her axe. The axe was the only thing that could bring her security. ¡°Warehouse?¡± Gao Ming saw Zhang Ding, who was still helping the customers, and shouted, ¡°Brother Zhang, the kids are inside the warehouse!¡± ¡°Get the elders out first! And then protect yourself!¡± Zhang Ding said that and rushed to the warehouse alone. Gao Ming didn¡¯t dare to dy. ¡°Suisui, go to help the customers! Inform the other investigators. I¡¯m going with Zhang Ding to save the kids!¡± ¡°But they are ghosts! If we break the rules by opening the door, what will happen? I heard from Captain Bai that ghosts will lure us into breaking the rules in the anomaly.¡± The bespectacled newbie was scared. After all, he was surrounded by dead victims in a supermarket in the middle of the night. Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay to listen. He grabbed Zhu Suisui¡¯s axe and ran to the warehouse. I saw Zhang Ding shouting his son¡¯s name. ¡°They might be in the inner room. Break down the door!¡± The past tragedy wasn¡¯t important. The important thing was Gao Ming wanted to change the tragedy. Gao Ming kicked the door, but it didn¡¯t move, so he raised the axe. Every second was important. He couldn¡¯t waste too much time. ¡°Zhang Fendou!¡± Water was already in the warehouse. Zhang Ding took out a ring of keys. The wooden door was chopped down. The splinters flew everything. Gao Ming broke in and used the fastest speed to find the three stunned kids. ¡°Found them!¡± Gao Ming put the axe aside, picked up the kids and ran. ¡°The flood ising! We need to go to higher ground!¡± Before Zhang Ding and he came out of the warehouse, more screams came from outside the supermarket. The customers who just ran out came back into the supermarket. The countdown on the monitor dropped to zero. The water churning with sand and trash rushed over. It was like an unstoppable beast. The shelves were knocked over. The two customers at the door couldn¡¯t evade them. They were dragged away. They barely had the chance to scream. The water level in the supermarket rose until it could reach the children¡¯s chest. The waves moved around. The scary memory was too real. This scary storm instilled great despair. ¡°We can¡¯t leave! The flood ising in!¡± Everyone was panicking. If they left then, they would die. But if they stayed, they wouldn¡¯t hang on much longer. ¡°Xiao Gao! Pull the door down! Jing Jing, go to close the windows! Stop the water!¡± Zhang Ding carried adder out of the warehouse. ¡°Get over here! We¡¯ll get through the vents to the top! We need to get as high as we can!¡± Zhang Ding climbed up the stairs and knocked down the vent covering. He jumped back down into the water. He pushed the kids up. ¡°Elders and children should go first! Get the young people to help!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold thedders. Go and help Xiao Gao!¡± Uncle Li grabbed thedder. ¡°The water is too strong. We can¡¯t close the door!¡± The water rose quickly. Zhang Ding and Gao Ming waded against the current. They wanted to close the door, but the water mmed into them. Gao Ming gritted his teeth. He felt so powerless. It was like his fight against fate. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn¡¯t touch the door, much less escape through it. Thedder shook as the water rammed into it. Even the weak olddy for helping hold down thedder for the kids. The products fell. Everyone¡¯s focus was on thedder. No one noticed the shelves were shaking. ¡°Be careful!¡± Zhang Ding, who was slightly wounded, suddenly shouted. The shelf with soy sauces and condiments was tipped over. The heavy steel shelf was about to hit the kids. Zhang Fendou was on thedder. When he saw the shelf falling, he was stunned. ¡°Gong Xi!¡± Eightrge arms grabbed the shelf. Gao Ming¡¯s fingers pressed on his chest. God of Flesh and Blood crawled out from the back of his heart. Everyone, including Zhu Suisui and the newbie, was stunned. ¡°The evil ghost heard my voice and promised me a life in exchange for another.¡± Gao Ming saved Zhang Fendou. He didn¡¯t turn and walk to the entrance. The eight arms grabbed the door. Gong Xi closed the door and used hisrge body to block the water! ¡°Don¡¯t get trapped in here! Get up to the top!¡± Goa Ming shouted. He knew the nightmare wouldn¡¯t end so easily. The ss cracked. The floor leaked through the cracks. The water level was still rising but a bit slower than before. Compared to ten years ago, Gao Ming bought ten more minutes for everyone. The kids, elders and some of the customers had reached the top of the supermarket. Zhang Ding waved at the bespectacled newbie and Zhu Suisui. ¡°Quick! I¡¯ll help you hold thedder. Get up first!¡± Chapter 101: Warmth and Fear Chapter 101: Warmth and Fear The clown make-up was washed away. Zhang Ding¡¯s arms were filled with small wounds. He tried to maintain his bnce in the water as he held thedder. ¡°Go!¡± Zui Suisui and the newbie didn¡¯t expect that the ghost would put them first at this dangerous moment. ¡°Hurry up!¡± The two investigators climbed into the vent as the windows shattered. The door was ruined by the rushing water. The flood mmed Gao Ming into the shelf. The storm and murky water came from all sides. People were swept by the waters. If not for the God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming would have been swallowed. ¡°Xiao Gao, grab my hand!¡± Zhang Ding tried to move towards Gao Ming, but as he turned around, the water knocked over thedder, and it fell on his shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Zhang Ding reached towards Gao Ming. ¡°Ignore me. Get out first!¡± Gao Ming held his backpack close. If he lost the other death portraits, he would be stuck in the nightmare. Using the God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming fixed the stairs. He pushed Zhang Ding up the stairs. They moved up towards the vent. The dark entrance of the vent looked so close and so far. After Zhang Ding disappeared from Gao Ming¡¯s sight, he felt that something was wrong. The vent had no sound of wind and rain. Did it really lead to the top of the supermarket? The God of Flesh and Blood couldn¡¯t hold on much longer. Gao Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and followed Zhang Ding. Once Gao Ming left the supermarket, something was broken. The sound of water and wind disappeared. Gao Ming found himself standing on firm ground suddenly. Gao Ming looked around. He realised Zhu Suisui and the bespectacled newbie were standing there dumbly. They seemed to have woken up from a nightmare, covered in cold sweat. ¡°Where is this?¡± Looking at the walkie-talkie on the table and the cameras scanning the supermarket, Gao Ming tried to understand everything. ¡°Was everything a nightmare? Did we sessfully escape and enter the surveince room?¡± Gao Ming realised that there were many cameras in the supermarket, but there was no security room. ¡°Was the supermarket owner controlling everything from this ce?¡± Before they could understand anything, the remaining four newbies in the breakroom received the order to leave the breakroom. ¡°Did you not tell them to leave with us?¡± Gao Ming grabbed the bespectacled newbie¡¯s cor. The man was shocked too. ¡°I went to the breakroom. It was empty.¡± The man exined. ¡°Empty?¡± Gao Ming turned to the cameras. The four newbies followed the rules closely. Three minutes passed, and they hadn¡¯t discovered the work table at the cashier. The bell chimed. Uncle Li walked into the supermarket with a naked chest. He said the same thing. He looked scarier from the camera. ¡°Are they trapped in the nightmare? Or are they waiting for the true salvation?¡± It felt strange watching everything in the security room. Gao Ming¡¯s eyes wandered between the many monitors. He still had a question: what did dealing with the children¡¯s corpses mean? The four newbies had no experience dealing with ghosts. When they saw a drowned corpse walking towards them, their first instinct was to hide. Before they entered the anomaly, Bai Xiao told them that the first thing they needed to do when in danger was to listen to the seniors. Without a senior, the newbies panicked. They started to y hide-and-seek with Uncle Li inside the supermarket. ¡°A drowned victim looking for humans inside the supermarket¡­¡± Zhu Suisui looked at the scene from the cameras. She then realised Gao Ming¡¯s ability to turn the scenario into a light-hearted one. Uncle Li hadn¡¯t found the investigators when the female livestreamer came in. The four newbies¡¯ range became more limited. They were forced by the dead bodies to the corners. As more dead people arrived at the supermarket, the four investigators were found. Time was wasted just like that. Zhang Ding went to find the kids, and the flood came. The water rose, and the four still didn¡¯t know what to do. This was their first time running into an anomaly. This didn¡¯t happen in their rulebooks. The supermarket was chaos. Zhang Ding took a long time to find the kids. The shelves tipped over. The elders were washed away. Screams and cries echoed in the supermarket. The countdown ended, and the flood came. The escaped customers were forced back into the supermarket. The murky water was like a muddy dragon, dragging everything towards an unknown location. Without warning from the God of Flesh and Blood, the cameras were showing the scene from 10 years ago. The shelves mmed the customers. The backdoor was blocked. Zhang Ding tried his best to carry thedder from the warehouse. He shouted anxiously that the vent was the only way to leave the supermarket. The crowd moved towards him. They tried to set up thedder, but people couldn¡¯t even stand in the water, much less thedder. After a long time, they finally got the vent open. Water fully entered the supermarket. Everyone was scared, but they still allowed the kids to go first. Everyone tried to shield thedder. Zhang Ding carried Le Jia and Le Ren onto the stairs. After the two kids escaped through the vent, Zhang Ding wanted to carry Zhang Fendou up. However, someone fell in the flood and knocked thedder over. The neighbours were instantly swept away. Zhang Ding held onto Zhang Fendou with his life. His body was stuck between the shelves. His arms were bulging with veins. Beside him, Uncle Li used his head and body to hold up the fallen shelf. He was holding thedder too. Without any sound, the videos were heartbreaking. No miracle happened. The water overwhelmed Zhang Ding. His hands that held his son weakened. He wanted to use hisst energy to get Zhang Fendou closer to the vent, but as he moved his body, he and his son were dragged away by the water. The videos were covered in water and mud. This was probably what happened back then. In the end, only two kids survived. When the others were found, their bodies were bloated and white from drowning. The cameras shattered one after another. Gao Ming heard fighting outside the door. He walked to the only door in the security room. ¡°We just experienced a nightmare. It should be a ghost¡¯s special power to pull us into their pain. What we¡¯ll see next is real.¡± The rain from ten years ago paused. However, ten yearster, the rain continued. Gao Ming opened the security room door. The shelves were torn about. The products were scattered. Blood stained the walls. Chapter 102: Weve Been Dead Chapter 102: We''ve Been Dead The fighting sound ceased once Gao Ming left the security room. The supermarket was silent. The stillness unsettled Gao Ming. Perhaps it was because he had died many times, he felt connected to death. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong. He slowly bent down. His eyes got used to the darkness. He signalled Zhu Suisui and the bespectacled newbie to wait inside the security room. Gao Ming perked up his ears and heard a strange sound. He adjusted his body and moved to look at the light. There was someone standing at the cashier. The wet hair stuck to her face. The hair covered her eyes and nose. It only revealed her purplish lips. She stared at the monitor and would asionally tap a few buttons. The woman wore the shop uniform. Her body shivered from the cold. Her skin was abnormally white. The scent of wine floated into Gao Ming¡¯s nose. He slowly moved forward and moved his head. On the top of the shelf, an old man¡¯s head was crushed under wine bottles. His body was stuck to thedder. Gao Ming closed the security room door. Gao Ming knew the two would not be of help, so he wanted them to stay out of it. The bottle rolled on the ground. An olddy with a ck umbre moved between the shelves. Across from her was an OL holding a food box and a drink. The snacks were scattered to the ground. A fat kid¡¯s head poked out. He wore a ship captain¡¯s hat, and toy binocrs hung around his neck. He didn¡¯t mind that the floor was dirty. He seemed to have no friends as he yed with himself. Gao Ming felt everything was moving towards him. He heard the water gushing at him. A customer near the supermarket entrance mmed into the shelf. A knife was stabbed into his shoulder. The shelf shook a few times. All the customers moved their heads slowly. The eyes soaked in water moved around as they stared at the entrance. As more dirty water dripped from their bodies, the drown customers slid towards the entrance. The sharp knife stabbed into the door. The supermarket¡¯s two doors were shut. No one could escape this ce. Everyone would die there. The conflict resumed. Gao Ming held a death portrait and looked between the shelves. Bai Xiao tried to open the way for the people behind him. The two seniors shielded a newbie without a ck band. The four of them tried to open the supermarket door. They were targeted by the customers. The customers didn¡¯t harm them. They just stopped them from opening the door. Normal knives couldn¡¯t hurt the customers. Instead, the water that leaked out of the customers would hurt the investigators greatly. ¡°You should know why I can¡¯t open the door, right?¡± A voice suddenly appeared behind Gao Ming. He was so spooked that he almost threw the death portrait on the person¡¯s face. Gao Ming turned around and saw a bloated clown¡¯s face. ¡°Zhang Ding?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t even know when the man approached him. Even the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°You saw everything that happened in the past. You should know why I can¡¯t open the door.¡± Zhang Ding stood there. His eyes were clear. He was a simple person. ¡°The flood was ten years ago! You can¡¯t be trapped here forever!¡± Gao Ming knew the customers and Zhang Ding were all good people, so he tried to reason with him. ¡°10 years might have passed but the rain never stopped.¡± Zhang Ding said mysteriously. He nced at Bai Xiao. ¡°No one is willing to trap themselves in a nightmare but sometimes, you can¡¯t leave because you want to. There are not that many exits in this world.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We have our reasons for not leaving.¡± Zhang Ding waved at Gao Ming, ¡°My favourite employee also had the surname Gao. He was kind and optimistic. Other than myself, Xiao Gao was the most loved by the nightmares. When we knew he wanted to pursue a girl, the whole street became his supporters.¡± Zhang Ding slowed down. ¡°You are the only one who saved everyone. Xiao Gao would want to be someone like you.¡± ¡°I can save you once, and I can save you again. The flood is over. What is the reason you can¡¯t leave?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t feel like Zhang Ding was evil. He didn¡¯t harm the investigators. The neighbours didn¡¯t retaliate after being attacked by Bai Xiao. ¡°The flood might be over, but the wounds it left will take a long time to heal. Ten years are not enough¡­¡± Zhang Ding knelt down. He peeled back the floor tile. The smelly, dirty water started to rise. ¡°Look. Xiao Gao and Jing Jing are still down there.¡± Gao Ming inched forward to look. Many bloated bodies floated in the water. Their bodies radiated resentment and pain. Dirty water filled with mud oozed out of their bodies. ¡°10 years ago, Li Sui Dam burst. The people who died in the flood all gathered here. As long as their painful memories remain, the ck water leaking out of their bodies will not disappear.¡± Zhang Ding reached his hand down. The corpses immediately tried to eat his hand. They were fully irrational. ¡°If the doors were closed ten years ago, everyone could have escaped to the roof; Ten yearster, if I open the door, the flood will once again sweep through Min Long Street.¡± Zhang Ding looked down silently. He allowed the dead people to munch on his fingers. He couldn¡¯t feel pain because he was a ghost too. Different from monsters created by shadow, Zhang Ding was the real ghost mentioned by the blind man. He didn¡¯t carry the presence of the shadow world but he radiated a powerful and frightening presence. Seeing the scene underneath the supermarket, Gao Ming finally understood why Min Long Street in the shadow world was so peaceful. The ghosts floated in their resentful past. Gao Ming saw Bai Qiao and other investigators down there. The investigators who failed to escape the nightmare were trapped underground. They were injected by shadow and soaked in death memories. They couldn¡¯t leave the shadow world anymore. ¡°This world is eating people. We try to leave a vent open for you but that is all we can do.¡± Zhang Ding stood up and revealed a sad smile. ¡°After all, we¡¯ve been dead for a decade already.¡± Chapter 103: Enter the Water Chapter 103: Enter the Water Zhang Ding remembered everything. He was in more pain than others, but he also saw things the clearest. ¡°Have you been helping us since we entered the supermarket?¡± Gao Ming kept his gaze underground. There were a few humans among the endless dead. Zhang Ding pointed at the hole in the ground, ¡°This opening is the vent in your nightmare. The whole supermarket is enveloped by resentment. Everyone whoes in will fall into the nightmare. If you can¡¯t escape in time, you¡¯ll be a part of the nightmare.¡± ¡°Is that why there¡¯s a countdown timer?¡± Gao Ming understood everything. Min Long Supermarket had a basement that hid the resentful ghosts that died in the flood. Zhang Ding and a few neighbours who were not affected by resentment tried to keep everything at a bnce to slowly ground down the hatred in the water ghosts¡¯ hearts. The outsiders would be dragged by the water ghosts into the nightmare. Zhang Ding would enter the nightmare to try to save them. The flood Gao Ming saw was made from water ghosts. Zhang Ding was impressed by Gao Ming because Gao Ming fulfilled his wishes ten years ago. ¡°I have another question.¡± Gao Ming took out the picture he found. ¡°These two kids should be the survivors of the flood. Why would their pictures be in the locker? And why would the work table ask us to deal with their corpses?¡± ¡°Le Jia and Le Ren are kids of a regr. The flood happened so suddenly. The customers worked together and only managed to get the two kids to the roof.¡± Zhang Ding didn¡¯t want to look at the picture. ¡°They are the only survivors, but they live with such pain.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Because they left their most important things in the flood.¡± Zhang Ding waved for Gao Ming to look down. Deep inside the flood, there were two children¡¯s bodies. One was filled with self-me, and the other was filled with fear. ¡°The frightened kid is Le Ren. The older kid is Le Jia. After I sent them to the roof, Le Jia hung astound the vent and reached his hands towards my son. ¡°I tried to send Zhang Fendou over, but Le Jia failed to grab him. He saw his best friend fall into the water. He saw their favourite neighbour swallowed by the flood.¡± Zhang Ding paused in pain. ¡°The two kids¡¯ parents also died in the flood. But they didn¡¯t die at Li San. They were at Da Zai and met an ident there.¡± The two kids looked so normal among the ghosts. ¡°Decades have passed, but Le Jia and Le Ren still dream about the flood and return to this nightmare. The floating bodies represent their guilt and fear. As long as the two bodies are here, they will never have a normal life.¡± Zhang Ding told Gao Ming the truth. ¡°Thank you for seeing the work table, but it¡¯s too difficult to bring them out of the nightmare.¡± Zhang Ding¡¯s exnation gave Gao Ming a new understanding of the connection between the two worlds. He took out the death portrait of his birthday andpared it to the words on the back. ¡°The two worlds have an indelible connection. If I bring the two kids¡¯ bodies back to real life, what will happen?¡± A brave thought appeared in his mind. Gao Ming stared at the bodies of the two kids. ¡°Boss, I want to bring the two kids out to settle their guilt and fear.¡± ¡°How?¡± Zhang Ding wanted to hear Gao Ming¡¯s opinion. ¡°Make the opening bigger. I want to jump down.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhang Ding shook his head. The heated confrontation was finally over. Bai Xiao and the three investigators were brought to Zhang Ding. The regrs were all disgustingly ugly, but they didn¡¯t harm Bai Xiao¡¯s team. They only limited their movements. Bai Xiao saw Zhang Ding and Gao Ming. His gaze shifted. ¡°A living person? Why is a living human with a dead person?¡± ¡°Hello, Captain Bai.¡± Gao Ming wanted to say they met again, ¡°This anomaly is different from others. I hope you can calm down and listen to me.¡± Bai Xiao had experienced many anomalies. He was the best investigator at Li San, but what was happening before him shattered his worldview. Starting from the flood ten years ago, Gao Ming told the story until the present. He admired Bai Xiao and wanted to get him to be an ally. The investigators were shocked to hear the reality. They looked underground. Endless ghosts were swimming about. They had formed the new ¡®flood¡¯. If Zhang Ding hadn¡¯t been there to stabilise them, once the supermarket went out of control, the whole Min Long Street would have been covered with anomalies. Bai Xiao and the others shivered, thinking about the consequences. ¡°So, it was a ghost who has been protecting Min Long Street?!¡± The truth was more ridiculous than the lie, but that was the truth. The opposing parties actually had the same goal. Bai Xiao and the other investigators looked at each other. Gao Ming stood firmly with Zhang Ding. In his past lives, he once became the chief of the Li San Investigation Centre. He reached a consensus with Zhang Ding. Therefore, there was no level 3 anomaly in Li San District. However, he was killed by some mysterious forceter. Han Hai was not as simple as it appeared. Many forces fought for it. Once they realised Gao Ming had the power to shatter the bnce, they would tear him apart. ¡°We should discuss this,¡± Bai Xiao was released by the customers and climbed up. ¡°If our departure will cause the tragedy to happen, we¡¯ll stay. The existence of the investigation centre is to protect the citizens. We will not do anything against that.¡± Gao Ming was not surprised Bai Xiao was such a person. ¡°I also need a favour.¡± Bai Xiao walked to the opening. ¡°I wish to enter the nightmare again to save my little sister and the other agents. They are trapped because of my mistake. I have the responsibility to bring them out.¡± Zhang Ding¡¯s eyes wandered between Bai Xiao and Gao Ming. Boss Zhang met two crazy people that day. They wanted to go somewhere even ghosts wouldn¡¯t go. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being alive? It¡¯s better than suicide.¡± Zhang Ding wanted to persuade them but he was cut off by Gao Ming. ¡°Let me go.¡± Gao Ming rolled up his sleeves. He tied Xia Yang¡¯s portrait to his arm. If nothing worked, he would have to use that picture. Gao Ming approached the opening, ¡°I¡¯ll try to bring the two kids out. Then, I¡¯ll try to the save the other agents.¡± Gao Ming needed Bai Xiao in the future so he didn¡¯t want him to take this risk. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zhang Ding asked again. He opened the gap further. The unwillingness and resentment almost lifted the roof. The water ghosts¡¯ pale faces red at Gao Ming. Chapter 104: Save Chapter 104: Save ¡°How many water ghosts are down there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Haven¡¯t counted.¡± Zhang Ding shook his head. ¡°Resentment attracts resentment, so the number keeps increasing.¡± Hearing the conversation between Gao Ming and Zhang Ding, Bai Xiao took a deep breath. He had experienced many anomalies and hadn¡¯t seen something so scary. Even though he had superhuman bravery, he would still feel angst and fear if he really had to go down there. Inparison, the normal person only appeared a little nervous. ¡°How about I go first?¡± Bai Xiao stopped Gao Ming, ¡°Even if you have a trump card, it couldn¡¯t stop that many ghosts. I¡¯ll go to scout the way. Then, you can decide if you want to continue with this death trip.¡± From Bai Xiao¡¯s words, he didn¡¯t have the confidence in Gao Ming. Therefore, he hoped Gao Ming could consider this further. After all, Gao Ming was not connected to the newbies from the investigation centre. He was just a ¡®pedestrian¡¯ being dragged into the anomaly. ¡°If you go down, I might need to save youter.¡± Gao Ming pushed Bai Xiao away. His hands touched his heart. He didn¡¯t remove his shirt and jumped down the hole. The painful memories sshed like ripples. The pairs of hands grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s body to drag him into the darkness. Gao Ming continued to sink. The closer he was to the bottom, the stronger the resentment. It was why Zhang Ding couldn¡¯t submerge into the water to carry the children¡¯s bodies out. They already had a hard time maintaining their rationality. Once they came close to the bottom, they might lose control and became crazy. ¡°Zhang Ding probably saved those regrs up there over the past ten years¡­¡± The victims¡¯ memories infiltrated Gao Ming¡¯s mind. The bloated arms tore at his body. ¡°You are innocent too. I will save you eventually.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t just give empty promises. He had a scale in his heart. It was normal for the innocent to receive salvation. Eight arms enveloped Gao Ming. He was protected by stronger ¡®flesh¡¯ than a normal water ghost. After many deaths, his constitution was like a sharpened diamond. The water ghosts¡¯ resentment couldn¡¯t drag him into the nightmare, and their fingers couldn¡¯t pierce through his body. In his mind, memories of the flood shed through his mind. However, the death memories of the victims were not more numerous than his own death memories. When he saw the water ghosts under the supermarket, he didn¡¯t feel fear. He felt pity. Zhang Ding silently watched Gao Ming. He saw something in Gao Ming that he hadn¡¯t seen in the past ten years. Bai Xiao was worried. From a bystander¡¯s perspective, he saw things clearly. All the ghosts congregated in Gao Ming. If he were the one down there, he would be dead already. The supermarket was silent. The security room door opened. Zhu Suisui and the bespectacled newbie poked their heads out. They didn¡¯t see Gao Ming, but they saw Bai Xiao. ¡°Captain¡­¡± They didn¡¯t listen to Gao Ming¡¯s words and ran out. Bai Xiao was thankful to see them. At the same time, he felt sorry to Gao Ming, ¡°Was it the young man who saved you?¡± ¡°Yes. His name is Gao Ming. He lives at Li Jing Apartments. My teacher and I have seen him once.¡± Zhu Suisui looked around. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Down there.¡± The two ran to Bai Xiao¡¯s side. When they looked down, it felt like their scalps were going numb. The water ghosts piled on Gao Ming. The resentment was so thick that it materialised. Even the God of Flesh and Blood was bitten. ¡°Almost there.¡± Guo Ming survived for a long time in the flood. He finally grabbed the two kids¡¯ bodies. ¡°Now, they can finally let go of the pain from the flood and start a new life.¡± The biggest surprise for Gao Ming was the fact that the victims of the flood didn¡¯t want to harm anyone after they became ghosts, but they wanted the survivors to live on without guilt. Gao Ming hugged the kids. They gave off different feelings. Self-guilt was a burning fire. Fear was a never-melting block of ice. More wounds appeared on God¡¯s body. Gao Ming grabbed the investigators closest to him. ¡°Gong Xi can¡¯t hold on much longer.¡± The security the God of Flesh and Blood gave Gao Ming shattered. Gong Xi¡¯s face turned to Gao Ming. His sewn mouth moved as if trying to tell Gao Ming something. Before Gao Ming could understand him, the eight arms opened. Gong Xi grabbed Gao Ming and the few investigators and shoved them towards the opening. The water ghosts grabbed Gong Xi¡¯s flesh. Gong Xi¡¯s body dissolved and crawled into Gao Ming¡¯s body. Once he lost the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s protection, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t help so many people. The exit was so near and so far. ¡°I have to abandon some people.¡± Seeing this, Zhang Ding jumped into the water. Various wounds appeared on his body. The wounds hid painful memories. Some were his, but most came from his regrs and neighbours. His clown make-up became ghastly. Zhang Ding melted into the water and formed a rapid to buy Gao Ming time. The faint scent of meat spread. Gao Ming carried the two kids¡¯ bodies and dragged Bai Qiao out of the water. The other investigators immediately came to help. Gao Ming pushed people out until he was drained. In the end, it was Uncle Li who carried Gao Ming out. The water ghosts exploded in anger. After Zhang Ding got out, he sealed up the opening. However, the supermarket shook like it was about to crumble. All the shelves teetered. Endless wails came from underground. It took a long time to return to normal. However, cracks appeared on the ground. Gao Mingy on the ground and could barely move. The God of Blood and Flesh was injured. He was affected too. He felt like he was about to die. The invesitgators led by Bai Xiao and the neighbours led by Zhang Ding surrounded Gao Ming. This ¡®pedestrian¡¯ saved the trapped investigations and the two kids. He gained both parties¡¯ appreciation. Chapter 105: Escape Chapter 105: Escape The water ghosts¡¯ resentment pierced Gao Ming like poisonous needles. Even if he had escaped, the hatred didn¡¯t dissipate. Seeing Gao Ming in such pain, Zhang Ding silently walked to Gao Ming and pressed down on Gao Ming¡¯s head. The pain and resentment lingering on Gao Ming flowed into Zhang Ding¡¯s palm like water. Very soon, a new wound appeared on Zhang Ding¡¯s arm. At the same time, Gao Ming felt much better. He opened his eyes and gasped for air. He held his heart and slowly sat up. He turned to Bai Xiao. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t save everyone. I¡¯ve tried my best.¡± Bai Xiao was a cool person. He didn¡¯t know how to respond. After a while, he said, ¡°Thank you for saving my teammates and my little sister.¡± This was probably Bai Xiao¡¯s first time thanking someone. He was very sincere. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank you. I have my own goals to help you. It¡¯s not innocent.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s honesty surprised the people and ghosts present. Gao Ming raised his hand and grabbed Bai Xiao¡¯s arm. ¡°Are the regrs in the supermarket ghosts? Did they save you?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know what was Gao Ming¡¯s angle. After some thought, he nodded. ¡°These customers saved us, but we are also trapped here because of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the underground water ghosts who trap you here. Furthermore, these victims were trapped in the water when the flood came. Was it their fault?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t let go. He needed Bai Xiao to see his point of view. Since Bai Xiao didn¡¯t speak, Gao Ming continued, ¡°Did we want to be like this? Did they have a choice not to be a ghost?¡± Bai Xiao had an answer in his heart, but he was confused, ¡°Why are you speaking for them?¡± ¡°There are good and bad ghosts, like how there are good and bad humans. I¡¯m only helping the good and innocent.¡± Gao Ming looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s uniform. ¡°Do you think everyone in the investigator centre is good?¡± Seeing the change in Bai Xiao¡¯s expression, Gao Ming slowed down. ¡°Qin Tian will die on his trip to the east city. After that, it¡¯ll be your turn to die. You think your deaths can protect the citizens, but for Situ An, you are just sacrifices for the evil ghosts. Even your souls have been priced.¡± ¡°Situ An? I think you have a misunderstanding of the centre.¡± Bai Xiao had no idea Situ An was already the temp chief of the east city. ¡°You are the best investigator at Li San. After you leave the supermarket, you can contact Qin Tian. You will discover the other side of the east city centre.¡± Gao Ming stared into Bai Xiao¡¯s eyes. ¡°I was once the chief of a centre myself. I know more things than you realise.¡± ¡°Was there a chief as young as you?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t believe it. However, if that were true, it would exin Gao Ming¡¯s understanding of the anomalies. ¡°There is one younger than me, but he¡¯s already dead.¡± Gao Ming tried a few times but couldn¡¯t stand up. He gave up. ¡°After Qin Tian gives you the news, you can contact me.¡± Gao Ming wanted to gift Qing Ge¡¯s ck knife to Bai Xiao. The knife was found by Doctor Lu in the shadow world. It was extremely rare because it could damage ghosts. However, the owner of the knife would be suspected as Qing Ge¡¯s murderer. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t think Gao Ming was lying. Gao Ming could have stood and watched everything crumble, but he had paid a heavy price to save so many people. A person like that did not need to lie to him. Bai Xiao just couldn¡¯t ept the truth for now. ¡°Be it ghosts or humans. I just want you to understand one thing.¡± Gao Ming let go of Bai Xiao. ¡°Those who want money will do anything for money. Those who want power will turn on each other to achieve their goal. Think about what you want in life and see who is on your side.¡± Bai Qiao and the other newbies slowly woke up. Their bodies were wet with shadow. Their skins were unusually white. They were more like ghosts than humans. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± Bai Qiao was weak. The first thing she did was to call for her big brother and then remove her ck band. ¡°I¡¯ve recorded everything. You have to carry out the new rules for the supermarket.¡± Bai Xiao took the ck band and hugged his sister. He had been doing this a lot, so he knew once the body was infiltrated by shadow. They would be lost in the shadow world, and they couldn¡¯t return to the real world anymore. ¡°Your sister and the other members are still Li San investigators. They can be the security here.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t treat Bai Qiao as a hostage. They just happened to stay in the shadow world. ¡°You will meet again. I will turn Li San into arge base. When the tragedy arrives, humans and ghosts can find sanctuary here. I will save everyone that deserves to be saved. That is my stance.¡± Gao Ming used many deaths to recognise many reliable partners, so he didn¡¯t need to fight alone anymore. After the chat with Bai Xiao, he turned to Zhang Ding. None of his death memories contained Zhang Ding. Based on the fact that Gao Ming was once the chief of Li San Centre, he made a bold guess that he and Zhang Ding had once cooperated in the past. ¡°There are too many water ghosts trapped underground. If we don¡¯t wear down their resentment, the tragedy can explode at any time. You will never find freedom too.¡± Gao Ming stared at the wounds on Zhang Ding¡¯s arms. ¡°They have already morphed into the new flood. If you keep them here, it¡¯ll only attract more resentment. When you can¡¯t support this anymore, the ¡®dam¡¯ will burst again.¡± The past memories tortured everyone in the supermarket. They knew Gao Ming was right. ¡°Perhaps we can take them out one by one and help them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean killing them, right?¡± When Zhang Ding ran the supermarket, the neighbours supported him a lot. Therefore, he wanted to support them now. ¡°How is that possible? Every one of them is kind. They are the best citizens here.¡± Gao Ming still remembered what he saw in the nightmare. They worked together to stabilise thedder on the floor to help the kids escape. ¡°The two worlds are colliding. Perhaps we have a new solution now.¡± Hugging the corpses of the two kids, Gao Ming continued, ¡°I¡¯ll bring them out of the shadow world and get the two kids to return to their normal lives, and then I¡¯lle back to help the other customers.¡± At that point, Zhang Ding didn¡¯t reject Gao Ming¡¯s good intentions. He told Gao Ming some things and walked to the supermarket entrance. ¡°Every time the door opens, the water ghosts underground will attack. Line up and try to get out in five seconds.¡± The investigators carried their partners. Gao Ming grabbed the two kids. As Zhang Ding opened the door, the supermarket floor crumbled. All the dirty water leaked out. The water ghosts rammed into the floor. ¡°Leave!¡± The investigators ran out into the storm. After leaving the supermarket, the shadow started to fade. They survived the anomaly. ¡°Brother¡­¡± As the shadow disappeared, so did the investigators saved by Gao Ming from the underground. Their expression was pained. ¡°Zhang Ding not only opened the supermarket door but also the door to leave the shadow world. The boss¡¯ power is very special.¡± Gao Ming wanted to leave the supermarket and meet up with Wei Dayou. Then, he would have Wei Dayou tell Bai Xiao how evil the east city centre was. However, Zhang Ding sent them out of the shadow world directly. After leaving the shadow world, the corpses of the two kids disappeared and became a death portrait. When the flood came, the neighbours held up thedder to send up the two kids with ck faces. There was no word on the back of the picture, only the time when the dam broke. Bai Xiao had aplicated expression. Including all the newbies there were only six newbies left from Investigation Team One. Bai Xiao found a ce to hide from the rain. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t use the ck band but used his private phone to contact Qin Tian. After a few simple exchanges, Bai Xiao¡¯s face turned solemn. ¡°Have Qin Tian met Situ An?¡± Gao Ming came over. Bai Xiao nodded. ¡°He will be sent to Han De Private School tomorrow morning. Based on records, four batches of investigators have been sent there already but no one has survived.¡± Chapter 106: Past Chapter 106: Past ¡°Is Qin Tian sent to Han De Private School?¡± Gao Ming obtained a valuable clue from Bai Xiao. In his former experience, Qin Tian was a key character. His death was the first choice that Gao Ming had to make. Last time, Qin Tian died in Si Sui Apartments. The God of Flesh and Blood was sessfully summoned, and Situ An triggered the Level 4 Anomaly ahead of time. After the God of Flesh and Blood was taken away, Qin Tian was pulled away by some force towards Han De Private School. Coincidentally, this school was also built by Situ An. Most of the students were his adopted orphans. ¡°It looks like Situ An has changed his target.¡± Qin Tian¡¯s death will cause a chain effect. Gao Ming wanted to save Qin Tian and change fate¡¯s arrangement again. ¡°Captain Bai, you better move now and tell Qin Tian not to go to Han De Private School.¡± Gao Ming took out his phone to look at the time. ¡°That school will soon be a meat-grinder. If you can¡¯t convince him, just kidnap him.¡± ¡°As long as he¡¯s with the centre, he has to follow orders.¡± Bai Xiao shook his head. ¡°The rules are the consensus. Even death can¡¯t change it.¡± ¡°The corruption is real. There is a solution to the anomalies. If he goes, he¡¯ll just die for no reason.¡± Gao Ming took a long time to exin it to Bai Xiao. After Bai Xiao left, he asked Zhu Suisui to use the investigation centre¡¯s power to look for the two kids who survived the flood. Gao Ming was tired, but he still called a taxi to head to the old city¡¯s funeral home. Looking through the files sent by Zhu Suisui, Gao Ming had a basic understanding of the two kids. Ten years ago, Le Jia and Le Ren were found by the rescue team. In their young age, they lost their best friend, biological parents and all their neighbours. They were first sent to their aunt¡¯s home. However, they were very afraid of water. They couldn¡¯t even drink water. Their aunts registered them to school. However, the other kids liked to bully them using water. Le Jia kept getting into fights at school to protect his younger brother. After high school, they dropped out. Then, they were sent to the old city¡¯s funeral home to be apprentices. They worked at the crematorium and apanied fire daily. ¡°The two kids are not scared of ghosts but water.¡± The funeral home wasrge. It had thetest cremation machine and many old furnaces. The cremation sites were split into two locations, north and south. There were even prices on the wall. The sets were split into luxury, normal and simple. ¡°How are there sets?¡± Gao Ming gave the guard some cigarettes and entered the home. He found the siblings near an empty furnace. After ten years, the elder brother, Le Jia, was tall and strong, and the little brother, Le Ren, was thin and soft. They rarely spoke, and their eyes had no light. They didn¡¯t look like normal youths. ¡°I was asked by someone to send you something.¡± Gao Ming took out the portrait morphed from the two brothers¡¯ ¡®bodies¡¯. Seeing the picture, the siblings went from confusion to disbelief. They took the picture and touched the faces of the people in the picture. After a long time, Jia Le lifted his head. ¡°We often dream of them. They seem to be alive in another world, saving us from the flood again and again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen them. Everyone wishes you to let go and start a new life.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t¡­¡± Le Jia looked at his hands. ¡°Back then, the boss¡¯ son was right before me. If I hadn¡¯t been scared and reached my hands further, I could have saved him. It was my fault.¡± Kind people often had it the hardest. Le Jia tightened his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve been training so hard, but the harder I train, the tougher it is. After the boss pushed us out, he lifted up his son.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone ced their hope on you. They don¡¯t want to see you like this. You should live for them. Be happy so that their sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain.¡± Gao Ming held the portrait. Shadow came out of the picture. The sound of water suddenly began in the cremation room. Le Jia and Le Ren¡¯s bodies trembled. They were really scared. Gao Ming hugged them. ¡°Don¡¯t let them worry anymore.¡± The faces of the two kids in the picture were rified. Water mmed against the darkness. Bloated corpses appeared in the shadow. Uncle Li held the wine and coughed twice. He smiled at the two brothers. ¡°Have you eaten? Have you found girlfriends? Don¡¯t learn from me and just drink all day.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste time on the nonsense!¡± A voice came from the shadow. Auntie Mei red at Uncle Li. Then, her gaze softened when she turned to Le Jia and Le Ren. ¡°Study well. Don¡¯t matter how old you are. You need to focus on your study!¡± Hearing Auntie Mei, the fear in their bones was awakened. They nodded subconsciously like they were kids. The child¡¯sughter began. Zhang Ding walked out of the shadow with Zhang Fendou. Zhang Fendou ran over and jumped to reach Le Jia. However, he could only reach his chest. ¡°You two are so tall now!¡± They were originally the same height, but now Le Jia and Le Ren had to lower their heads to look at him. This made Zhang Fendou unhappy. Le Jia dragged his brother. They knelt before Zhang Fendou. They gathered like they were kids. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll eventually be as tall as you.¡± Zhang Fendou removed the captain¡¯s cap and handed it to Le Jia. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of water. It¡¯s your turn to be the ship¡¯s captain now!¡± Le Jia lowered his head. Tears fell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have grabbed you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry. You¡¯ve tried your best. Don¡¯t think about these things.¡± Zhang Fendou gave Le Jia a punch, and then he ran away like the game they yed while they were kids. The brothers stood up and looked at Zhang Ding. ¡°Start a new life.¡± Zhang Ding tapped their shoulders. He took the portrait from the two and threw it into the burner. ¡°Don¡¯t let the past hold you down.¡± Zhang Ding flipped the switch, but the fire didn¡¯te out. He turned back awkwardly, ¡°How do you work this thing?¡± The brothers were surrounded by neighbours. Everything was as it was. No one med them or hated them. They just wanted them to live. After closing the door and flipping the switch, the mes burned away the past. The bodies that represented fear and guilt died in the mes. After the door opened, an undamaged death portrait floated out. However, the two kids without faces had disappeared. Chapter 107: 51 Students Chapter 107: 51 Students After seeing the neighbours again, Le Jia and Le Ren¡¯s childhood trauma disappeared. Invisible ck material slowly disintegrated. Gao Ming picked up the death portrait. The neighbours waved at the two kids as the sound of water faded. The corpses of the two kids in the shadow world were destroyed. Gao Ming understood something from this. Mental pain in real life corresponded to something in the shadow world. The real solution was not to ignore the pain but to bring them back to real life to destroy them. That way, it wouldn¡¯t be a burden on both worlds. ¡°My mission is done. You need to live your lives now.¡± Gao Ming finally got the power to use the death portraits of the flood. Everything was worth it. ¡°Thank you. Can you tell us your contact number?¡± Le Jia took out his phone, ¡°In the future, if you need anything from us, just call.¡± Then, he quickly added, considering his upation, ¡°You can just call us for menial tasks. We are quite powerful.¡± ¡°I only need you to carry on the neighbour¡¯s hope.¡± After exchanging numbers with the brothers, Gao Ming left. After leaving the funeral home, Gao Ming was hit by vertigo, so he had to sit down. His chest copsed. The blood vessels hooked on his skin like rusted barbs. Death memories shed in the dark. In the past, the God of Blood and Flesh held down the torture room. After Gong Xi was injured, Gao Ming had to suffer the death memories himself. ¡°So hungry¡­¡± Gao Ming held the wall and walked into a shop nearby. After finishing a bowl of meat and noodles, he was still hungry. The hunger couldn¡¯t be satisfied with food. ¡°Do I need to create a new game?¡± There were many death portraits in his bag. It was enough for Gao Ming to create a new game. Gao Ming thought about the new game details when his phone rang. Gao Ming was surprised to see the caller. He answered the call. ¡°How can I help you, Liu Yi?¡± ¡°Have you seen the chat group? Zuo Jun has booked a bus to send everyone to a holiday vi for the gathering. He has paid for everything.¡± Liu Yi¡¯s cold voice came through. She felt like Zuo Jun was acting weird. ¡°Zuo Jun is different now. It¡¯s normal for him to show off.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too coincidental? We just escaped from a ghost bus, and Zuo Jun came, providing us with another.¡± Liu Yi sent Gao Ming a picture. ¡°It¡¯s still storming, but he¡¯s insisting on this gathering like his life depends on it.¡± Gao Ming narrowed his eyes as he looked at the picture. Zuo Jin¡¯s route would go through the east city, namely, Han De Private School. ¡°Is he nning to sacrifice all his friends? Did people bully him when he was in school?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Just look at the chat group. I feel like no one is normal.¡± Liu Yi sent over a few more pictures. ¡°The rain is not stopping, but everyone agrees to go to the gathering tomorrow. This is not right.¡± The chat group was very active. People chatted like everyone would die if the conversation stopped. ¡°Perhaps they have a reason to be there.¡± Normal gatherings would be held at weekends or holidays. However, Gao Ming¡¯s student reunion was held at a vi when it was pouring rain. ¡°Can you still not remember the student with the scratched face?¡± Liu Yi asked. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think our ss has such a person.¡± Gao Ming decided to change his n to attend the gathering. Gao Ming hung up and rubbed his temples. ¡°I need to help the God of Flesh and Blood recover as soon as possible.¡± Fate would send Gao Ming back to the east city. This time, he wanted to send Situ An into the torture room. ¡°This is conflicting. Even though Situ An is evil, in a way, he is one who doesn¡¯t believe in fate. Everything he does is to avoid fate. ¡°But under fate¡¯s arrangement, one of us will die.¡± Gao Ming put on his raincoat and walked into the storm. ¡­ ¡°I know, Song Xue. You need to stop calling me. I¡¯ll be there early tomorrow.¡± Zhou Sisi looked at Song Xue on the video call helplessly, ¡°You call me four times a day. Even my mom doesn¡¯t do this to urge me to get a boyfriend.¡± ¡°You have to be there!¡± Song Xue then asked, ¡°By the way, Sisi, don¡¯t you think that we¡¯re missing someone in the ss?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t everyone in the chat group?¡± Zhou Sisi kicked away her slippers andy on the bed. ¡°Do you remember your deskmate?¡± Song Xue asked innocently. ¡°Gao Ming?¡± Zhou Sisi had a deep impression of Gao Ming because they were two extremes. Gao Ming liked silence, but she preferred liveliness. The teacher arranged for them to sit next to each other. ¡°Not him. Who was your deskmate during the second semester of year 3?¡± ¡°Second semester¡­¡± Zhou Sisi racked her brain. A face appeared in her mind, but she couldn¡¯t remember any details. Zhou Sisi checked everyone¡¯s name in the chat group. She couldn¡¯t match anyone to that face. ¡°Strange. I really can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was just asking. Get to bed. Zuo Jun will send the car to get you at 8 am tomorrow.¡± Song Xue hung up with a smile. ¡°How can I forget my deskmate?¡± Zhou Sisi was a kind person, so the teacher often liked to pair her with shy students, hoping that she would help them make friends. ¡°O well.¡± Zhou Sisi watched youtube in bed. Sheughed and forgot all about this. Eventually, she got tired and fell asleep. In her dream, the bell rang for recess. Her deskmate took out a ck lunchbox and headed upstairs alone. Her deskmate was a strange one. He didn¡¯t like to speak but he was very good at his students. Out of curiosity, Zhou Sisi followed him. She wanted to see his face. She arrived at the roof, but there was no one there. Suddenly, she saw her deskmate at the corner, opening his lunchbox. ¡°Hey!¡± Zhou Sisi strode over. When she wanted to tap the boy¡¯s shoulder, she noticed he was not using chopsticks but his hands to dig something out of the box to eat. Zhou Sisi felt that something was wrong. She silently backed away. However, her deskmate heard her and turned around. His mouth was stained with blood. Zhou Sisi was so scared that she turned and ran. However, she was knocked to the ground by the boy. She tried to struggle. ¡°No! This is a dream! Wake up!¡± Zhou Sisi gritted her teeth. Her throat gurgled as her eyes flew open. Zhou Sisi kicked the bedspread away. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Then, she saw a bloody face above her head. Chapter 108: Youll Die Chapter 108: You''ll Die Fear consumed her mind. Zhou Sisi¡¯s mind was nk. Her body froze. The man wore a high school uniform. His face was cut open by a knife. The blood still hadn¡¯t coagted on his wounds. The many on Zhou Sisi. Part of his cold body even came out of the mattress. The gory face moved. The man¡¯s pupils danced. His cracked lips slowly opened. The teeth fell, and a voice entered Zhou Sisi¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­You are the 50th¡­ 50th to die.¡± Zhou Sisi was shaking. She had no idea what the man was saying. She tried to escape, but her body felt like it was pressed down by a giant boulder. She felt blood ooze out of her mattress. Her bed seemed to have be a giant mouth that wanted to swallow her. ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Sisi extended her neck to get away from the face. However, the face stuck to her nose and stared into her eyes. The mouth opened again. There appeared to be something moving in his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll die if you¡¯re in the ssroom alone; you¡¯ll die if someone lies; you¡¯ll all die because you deserve to die¡­¡± The dead body stuck to Zhou Sisi and pressed down on her before disappearing into the darkness. When she regained freedom, Zhou Sisi jumped down from the bed. She opened all the lights as fast as she could. ¡°It was not a dream!¡± Zhou Sisi couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face, but she felt that it was familiar. She had seen it before, but she couldn¡¯t remember where. ¡°Is he my deskmate? Impossible! In my memory, no one from high school died, and no one looked like that!¡± Zhou Sisi¡¯s hair stood on end. She held her phone and stood in the living room. Everything felt like it had been tainted by death. Zhou Sisi didn¡¯t dare to close her eyes. She took out her phone and called the police. The police came half an hourter. Zhou Sisi told them everything and was rewarded with confused looks. The police checked the surveince and Zhou Sisi¡¯s room. They found nothing. Theyforted Zhou Sisi and left. Zhou Sisi¡¯s fear didn¡¯t lower due to the police¡¯s arrival. Zhou Sisi called her parents and friends. Everyone told her that she was overthinking due to fatigue at work. They told her to rest. Zhou Sisi couldn¡¯t get back to bed at 2 am. To make the ce sound livelier, she switched on the television andputer. The screens were broadcasting news. ¡°Our city¡¯s old city has recorded two assault cases yesterday night. The victims were treated as prey. The killer seems to treat the city as a stage. Every time after they kill, they would leave behind a ditty and a music box. Criminal expert Li Wuchan gave his analysis. The killer should have been traumatised when they were young. The music box is their childhood nightmare..¡± Zhou Sisi was even more scared. ¡°There are more horrible cases happening in Han Haitely. What is wrong with the world?¡± Zhou Sisi grabbed her phone as the fear thickened. She nced at her bedroom. ¡°I can¡¯t keep escaping. I need to find out who the dead body is!¡± Zhou Sisi called Gao Ming. They were deskmates for a while and had a good rtionship. Zhou Sisi was nervous as the call was answered, ¡°Gao Ming, I¡¯m so sorry to disturb you sote at night. I just encountered something scary!¡± The music came from the music box. Zhou Sisi thought it was noisy, so she switched off the news. However, the music did not stop! The music seemed toe from the phone. Zhou Sisi held the phone. She listened to the rain, melody from the music box and barely discernible moaning from the phone. Her brain was about to explode. ¡°Did you run into anything scary, Zhou Sisi¡­¡± Goa Ming¡¯s voice was low and cool, like a machine. Hearing her name on Gao Ming¡¯s lips, Zhou Sisi¡¯s heart chilled. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Zhou Sisi switched on the television again. The killer¡¯s music box was ying the same melody. Zhou Sisi¡¯s drowsiness disappeared fully. She thought about her school friends entering different professions, but she didn¡¯t think her friend would appear on the news like this. The night tortured her, but eventually, dawn came. Zhou Sisi put on simple make-up and downed arge ss of water. She had no appetite for food. ¡°The deskmate I remember is a killer, and the deskmate I don¡¯t remember is a ghost. I am going to a gathering with them.¡± Zhou Sisi¡¯s mind buzzed. She put on casual clothes and exited the house with an umbre. She came to the designated meet-up spot. The rain lightened. ¡°The rain is so heavy, but we are still going to the vi for the gathering. Either I¡¯m crazy, or the world is crazy.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t go crazy now, when will we have the chance anymore?¡± When Zhou Sisi arrived, a few others were already there. The fashionabledy who wasining was Cai Meimei. Thest two numbers of her school code were 01. She used to be the school broadcaster. Then, she went to work at the broadcast centre and married the chief 11 years older than her. The person talking to Cai Meimei was the sportsmittee leader, Xi San. He was tall and handsome. He was a basketball yer and famous in high school. After graduation, his life went downhill. Apparently, he was a victim of the MLM scheme. Thest two numbers of his school code were 02. The students gradually arrived. Some came with luggage. They hugged and talked about the past. A few students were like Zhou Sisi, standing at the corner with thoughts on their minds. The bus door opened. The driver with the ck band got up first. There was still 10 minutes to the designated time. Gao Ming and Liu Yi arrived. Liu Yi carried a box filled with stuff. Gao Ming looked like he was sick. His face was pale. Seeing Gao Ming, Zhou Sisi shivered. She wanted to hide, but Gao Ming walked towards her. ¡°What did you want to ask me yesterday night?¡± Gao Ming had a good impression of his old friend. She was kind, optimistic and liked to go on adventures. One time, when he was sick at school and skipped gym ss, Zhou Sisi brought the food box from the canteen to him. The reason was Gao Ming looked like a kitten that no one wanted. Zhou Sisi didn¡¯t dare to look at Gao Ming. She hadn¡¯t seen him for years but he hadpletely changed. He was cold and dangerous but there was something about him that pulled people to stay with him. Chapter 109: The Bus Chapter 109: The Bus ¡°It was nothing. I just wanted to ask you if you remembered I had brought you food and gifted you many presents. When my mom made me snacks and cakes, I always shared them with you¡­¡± Zhou Sisi suspected Gao Ming was the music box killer, but at the same time, she felt like he wouldn¡¯t do something like that. In her impression, even though Gao Ming was hard to approach, he was extremely responsible and had a sense of justice. ¡°You did help me a lot when we were in school.¡± Gao Ming was nice to Zhou Sisi. ¡°When we get on the bus, you should sit next to me. Don¡¯t wander too far away during the gathering.¡± Zhou Sisi thought, ¡®Why is this man making things hard for me? I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. Now I¡¯m stuck to the killer!¡¯ But subconsciously, she still nodded. When Zhou Sisi wanted to take away her promise, Gao Ming had already walked away. It was time. Other than a few students who would drive there, the others were all there. This was surprising to Zhou Sisi. After graduation, everyone separated and worked their own lives. Due to Song Xue¡¯s call, ¡®everyone¡¯ hurried to Han Hai to attend this gathering in the storm. Everyone got on the bus. Zhou Sisi wanted to wait for Gao Ming to get on the bus first, but Gao Ming thought she was waiting for him, so he walked to her side. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± They sat in the seventh row. After they got on the bus, Gao Ming said nothing as he looked out the window. Zhuo Sisi was a chatterbox, but at that moment, she didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She studied Gao Ming from the corner of her eyes. After removing the raincoat, Zhou Sisi realised Gao Ming was fitter than when he was in school. He was healthy and muscr. Different from most people who liked to go to the gym, Gao Ming radiated a scary presence. He seemed to have experienced a lot. His eyes were filled with stories. He graduated from medical school and worked at a prison. He was the youngest psychiatrist and liked to make games as a hobby. He even won awards for his hobby. Zhou Sisi slowly turned her face around. She realised her old friend was a catch. If others saw this, they might misunderstand this. Zhou Sisi¡¯s mind was everywhere. She saw Gao Ming reach into his bag. He took out a small, exquisite music box and toyed with it. The box was stained with blood. Inside the box was an angel and a demon, kissing and dancing in a tux and wedding gown. The familiar melody began again and pulled Zhou Sisi back to reality. She didn¡¯t even know where to ce her hands. Gao Ming tinkered with the music box and studied Zhou Sisi¡¯s reflection in the window. He recorded everything. From her expressions and actions, Zhou Sisi could guess Zhou Sisi¡¯s thoughts and confirm that she was a human. He sent a message to Liu Yi and put the music box away. The bus started and drove into the ran. Xi San walked around like a guide and helped to liven up the atmosphere. Everyone became excited about the reunion. ¡°This is such a luxury bus. The bus even provides free drinks. This is my first time taking such a bus. Zuo Jun must be rich now.¡± After a long time, Zhou Sisi still said something to Gao Ming. ¡°Yes.¡± Gao Ming nced at the time and asked, ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ve been on the bus?¡± ¡°About ten minutes?¡± Zhou Sisi didn¡¯t know why Gao Ming would ask this question. ¡°We¡¯ve been on the bus for an hour already.¡± The scenery about the window changed. The bus had already left the city. ¡°Perhaps everyone chatted too happily.¡± Zhou Sisi took out her phone. ¡°Time flies by when we¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°But this is not the road to the holiday vi.¡± At that moment, the bus stopped at a roadside bus stop. The door opened, and Zuo Bo, in a white coat, got on. ¡°Ol Zuo, long time no see!¡± Xi San greeted him warmly, but Zuo Bo didn¡¯t seem to see him. He walked through the aisle and sat in thest row. ¡°Doctor Zuo is still the same.¡± Xi San felt awkward. He turned to chat with others. When Zuo Bo got on the bus, Gao Ming felt something was wrong. Zuo Bo had a red umbre, and he wore a patient¡¯s garb underneath the white coat. He wore a glove on his left hand and bent over his body. He kept repeating the same words. Gao Ming and Zuo Bo were both high school and university mates. He knew Zuo Bo had mental issues and tried to kill himself many times. Zuo Bo¡¯s arrival was a turn. The atmosphere on the bus became strange. After half an hour, the driver suddenly stopped. The bus stopped before a hospital. The door stayed open, but no one got on. However, the driver didn¡¯t move. Some of the students urged, but the driver kept his head lowered and said nothing. Three minutester, a man with his head bandaged got onto the bus. No one knew what he looked like, but once he got on the bus, the driver closed the door. ¡°Sir! Stop! Why did you let random people get on the bus?¡± The monitor, Xuan Hui, in the third row, stood up. This was the first time he spoke since he got on the bus. The driver didn¡¯t answer. The strange man didn¡¯t respond. He continued to look for a seat. ¡°Never mind. He might be the driver¡¯s family.¡± Xi San came to be the peacemaker. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s sick. We¡¯ll consider this a charity.¡± ¡°Charity?¡± Yuan Hui grabbed his chair and scanned everyone. ¡°I have no idea why you¡¯re here for the reunion. I came from Han Jiang seven days earlier because I was forced to!¡± Xuan Hui was in a lot of pain, and he was tense. ¡°We¡¯ll die! Don¡¯t you get it? We¡¯ll die!¡± He pulled on his hair and screamed. Xi San and the mathmittee representative, Du Bai, came over to console him. The others whispered among themselves. Some said Xuan Hui lost a lot of money in stocks. His family business closed down, and he got addicted to online gambling. The man with the bandaged head wandered around until he decided to sit next to Liu Yi at the back. A few minutester, Gao Ming got Liu Yi¡¯s message. ¡°The passenger next to me smells of disinfectant. There are clear binding marks on his wrists. His fingerprints were burned away. He has no umbre, but his body is perfectly dry. There is a photo album in his pocket. He keeps looking at it since he got on the bus. The album is filled with ck-and-white pictures.¡± Chapter 110: Back to School Chapter 110: Back to School Sometimes, death could be extremely close. Death could be on the same bus with us. Gao Ming put away his phone and walked to the back after reading Liu Yi¡¯s message. He walked past the bandaged man and sat beside Zuo Bo. Zhou Sisi looked behind her curiously. She had no idea why Gao Ming suddenly left. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Gao Ming stared at Zuo Ba silently. He saw the wounds on Zuo Bo¡¯s fingers and neck. This was the evidence left behind by Zuo Bo¡¯s mental illness. Zuo Bo mumbled something. Gao Ming had to lean close to hear clearly. ¡°Pavlov¡¯s dog, Thorndike¡¯s cat, Skinner¡¯s guinea pig, Bandura¡¯s doll, Kohler¡¯s Mentality of Apes, Tolman¡¯s mice maze¡­¡± ¡°Psychological experiments?¡± Gao Ming had memorised these things before. Zuo Bo was not a social person. He seemed to be trapped in a ss. After some time, Zuo Bo suddenly stood up. He looked at everyone on the bus and scratched his face. ¡°Is it recess? Why are we not in ss?¡± ¡°Zuo Bo, you¡¯ve graduated.¡± Gao Ming consoled Zuo Bo softly, ¡°We¡¯ve all graduated.¡± ¡°Then, why are we in the same ce? Do you want to lure him back?¡± Zuo Bo turned around and bent down. His face was almost stuck to Gao Ming¡¯s face. His eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Lure whom back?¡± Gao Ming was confused. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Zuo Bo couldn¡¯t exin it. He scratched many wounds on his face and then returned to his previous state. Zuo Bo seemed to know something. Gao Ming tried to remember their time in university. Zuo Bo¡¯s mental breakdown was not without warning. He often talked to himself during sses, like he had an invisible friend. The bus continued to move. The atmosphere within was not affected. The students sang, yed games and drank. The passengers appeared to be lulled by them. They didn¡¯t realise how much time had actually passed. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The bus didn¡¯t arrive at the holiday vi but at Han De Private School. Before everyone could react, the driver with the ck band drove the bus into the school. Then, he plugged out the key and ran out of the bus. The driver abandoned them without warning. The luxury was like a test box dropped in the rain. Every passenger was ab rat. ¡°Don¡¯t form any habits. Remember to be human.¡± Zuo Bo stood up in a hurry and ran out into the rain. After that, everyone received a message from Zuo Jun. ¡°10 years ago, we were friends in school. 10 yearster, I wonder if everyone still has a memory of that period. This school is our holiday vi and a theme park to help us remember our past. ¡°Everyone¡¯s school number is the same as in the past. The school has a canteen, infirmary, library, hostels, pool and so on. You can do anything you like. I hope everyone has a good time.¡± People didn¡¯t feel rmed by Zuo Jun¡¯s message. Instead, some thought it was very creative and new. Gao Ming took Zuo Bo¡¯s seat. He saw the shadow gathering on the windows, and his heart raced. They were sent by the bus driver into the anomaly. Themunication was cut off. Only the haunted chat group could be used. In other words, Zuo Jun, who sent them messages, was not the original Zuo Jun. ¡°Zuo Jun joined the east city investigation centre and worked for Situ An. Is there a reason why he has gathered all of his school friends here?¡± The students gradually got off the bus. Liu Yi found Gao Ming, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Ghosts are sending messages in the chat group. We have too few clues. We should follow the rules for now.¡± Gao Ming was not the kind to follow the rules. He was waiting for the opportunity. Some of the students braved the rain and ran into the nearest hostel block. ¡°Look! Zuo Jun even prepared hostels for us. He¡¯s afraid that we¡¯d be wet from the rain, so he has prepared a change of clothes for us at the hostel.¡± ¡°This is just a reunion. Why the need to do so many things?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. This is a nostalgia-themed park. High school is so many people¡¯s precious memories. He must have paid a lot to get us the tickets to this ce.¡± The walls were hung with wee posters and every student¡¯s name and picture. On the ckboard next to it, there were several white papers with notices for students who were moving in. ¡°Wee to the student hostels. For the student¡¯s safety and to create a conducive and warm learning environment, the logistics and security department hase up with these rules. Please follow them closely. ¡°1. Follow the designated resting and sleeping hours. Wake up on time and sleep after the lights are out. Do not stay in the hostel during ss hours. ¡°2. Do not make loud noise. No alcohol, cigarette or fighting allowed. ¡°3. Take care of your beds and public amenities. Keep the public areas clean. Don¡¯t litter. Don¡¯t pour leftovers down the sink to prevent the pipes from getting stuck. After using the shower, clean up the hair properly. If there¡¯s any damage, please report it to the ss teacher for maintenance. ¡°4. Follow the electricity usage rules. Students are not allowed to install additional plugs. ¡°5. Follow the hostel management¡¯s rules. Once the hostel doors are closed, no one is allowed to leave. If there¡¯s an emergency, you need the permission and registration with the management on duty.¡± There was a nail under each student¡¯s picture. A small key with a red rope hung on the nail. Behind the key was the number of the bedroom. ¡°Should we check out the bedroom first?¡± Xi Wan walked in front. ¡°I haven¡¯t stayed in a hostel for so long already. I quite miss this.¡± ¡°You city people are so unique,¡± The mathmittee member, Du Bai, became a teacher after he graduated. He didn¡¯t miss this. ¡°The male hostels are from floors 1 to 3. The female hostels are from floors 4 to 7. If you find anything, keep in touch.¡± Liu Yi told Gao Ming before she was dragged away by the other girls. ¡°Gao Ming! We share the same room again!¡± Du Bai and the monitor Xuan Hui walked beside Gao Ming, ¡°Come on. We¡¯re in Room 1314.¡± The hostel building wasrge. There were many rooms on each floor, but there were no other students except Gao Ming¡¯s group, perhaps because it was ss hours. ¡°He built a whole school just to find the feeling of youth. Such a waste of money.¡± Du Bai couldn¡¯t understand it. He took out the key and opened the door to Room 1314. Six students shared a room. There were 3 bunk beds. There was an air-cond, mosquito and so on. ¡°It feels like we¡¯re students again.¡± Du Bai sighed when their phones rang. Zuo Jun fired off another message, It¡¯s now time for ss. Please leave the hostels within 30 minutes! Chapter 111: Four Missing Chapter 111: Four Missing ¡°It¡¯s quite official.¡± Du Bai nced at the chat group. He didn¡¯t take Zuo Jun¡¯s message seriously, ¡°I skipped sses during school. Now, he wants me to follow the rules after graduation?!¡± ¡°I miss attending sses.¡± Gao Ming found his bed. He checked it for snakes and talismans. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not a teacher. People say we have long holidays, but only teachers know how much work there is.¡± Du Bai was tall. He was Gao Ming¡¯s roommate in high school. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re here for a holiday?¡± Xuan Hui closed the bedroom door and said darkly, ¡°I advise you not to stay too long in the hostel. Follow Zuo Jun¡¯s instructions closely.¡± ¡°I admit Zuo Jun is aplished now, but why is he acting like this before his friends? I had bad feelings about him since back then.¡± Du Bai looked at Bed 6. Zuo Jun used to share their room. After Zuo Jun moved to another school, Bed 6 was left empty. ¡°If you don¡¯t listen to him, people will die.¡± Xuan Hui warned. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. My family died because of Zuo Jun. He forced me toe to Han Hai to trick you all with him!¡± ¡°Ah Hui, are you under a lot of pressuretely?¡± Du Bai wanted to console Xuan Hui but Xuan Hui smacked his hand away. ¡°Stay away from me. Don¡¯t get close to me. Who knows if you¡¯re human or ghost?!¡± Bang! Bang! The bedroom door opened. Xi San and third-generation nouveau riche Wang Jie came in to shatter the awkwardness. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for Room 1314 to gather again!¡± Xi San followed Wang Jie obediently. This waspletely different from high school. Back then, Xi San was a star basketball yer. He was tall and handsome. He looked down on Wang Jie. He ndered the man¡¯s name behind his back, saying that Wang Jie had no positive traits except having a rich father. ¡°You can stay here. I¡¯m going to Zuo Jun.¡± Xuan Hui didn¡¯t say anything else. He grabbed his phone and left. Gao Ming sat on the bed and observed everyone. Room 1314 was quite famous back then. Everyone was very unique. Wang Jie was the richest, Xi Wan the most athletic, Du Bai had the book smarts, Yuan Hui had the most responsibility, Gao Ming was silent and the easiest to bully Zuo Jun. ¡°It looks like no one has been swapped.¡± There was nothing strange in the bedroom. Gao Ming looked at the time and said casually. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go check out other ces of the school.¡± Gao Ming grabbed his roommates and left the hostel. They walked down the corridor between the hostels and the math building. ¡°Gao Ming, where are you going?¡± Du Bai didn¡¯t like Wang Jie and Xi San. One was too rich, and the other too handsome. ¡°I just thought Xuan Hui was acting strange, so I wanted to see the consequences of viting the rules.¡± Standing in the corridor, Gao Ming nced at the clock inside the hostel. Zuo Jun sent messages to urge them every five minutes. Half an hourter, the hostel doors would be locked from inside. Zuo Jun sent another message, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared food for everyone at the canteen. You will eat in the canteen from now on. The canteen is open from 6 am to 8 am, 10.30 am to 1.30 pm and 5.30 pm to 1.30 am.¡± The message looked normal at first nce, but there were many issues. ¡°From now on? He makes it sound like we¡¯re going to live here.¡± ¡°The canteen is open at 1.30 pm but the hostels should be locked by then. The canteen serves not only the students but also others.¡± There was no anomaly in the hostels, but Gao Ming kept his eyes on the entrance. Over the past half an hour, only 44 students came out. Discounting Zuo Bo and Yuan Hui, four people were gone. The students chatted among themselves. No one paid attention to this. Gao Ming tried to remember their names and faces, but he felt like his memory was getting blurry. He couldn¡¯t remember who had gone missing. He tried to get close to the hostel to check the pictures again, but the entrance was already locked. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the canteen!¡± Wang Jie waved at Gao Ming. Han De Private School¡¯s canteen had three floors. Food service was automated. The students only needed to wave their cards at the window. The students who forgot their cards could order the meals using their school numbers. Everything there was free. ¡°Students nowadays have it easier than we did. They have so many choices to pick from.¡± Xi San saw the automated food servers for the first time. ¡°These are premade. It feels like theyck something. What is there to be envious of?¡± Du Bai grumbled. He picked out the food on the menu. In less than a minute, the smell of food came from the window. Du Bai nned to grab his food when a thin arm shed and grabbed something from his tray. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Du Bai looked through the window, but he only saw the machines. ¡°Is Zuo Jun crazy? It¡¯s not easy for us to gather, and he¡¯s giving us these for lunch?¡± ¡°Give them to me if you don¡¯t want them.¡± Xi San chuckled. ¡°They smell delicious.¡± Some students treated this as part of the experience. A small part started toin. They came so far but didn¡¯t even get alcohol. The bell for 12 chimed. Footsteps entered their ears. Everyone turned to the canteen entrance. A group of adults in school uniforms rushed into the canteen. Most of them had no expression. Everyone held a book. They ordered quickly and found a ce to sit. Some of them gulped down the food and left, while others sat down and ate while reading. ¡°All adults?¡± Gao Ming looked at the ¡®student¡¯ beside him. The brother was almost 40. His hair was white, and he had serious short-sightedness. When he ate, his face was almost down to the te. Gao Ming inched closer to him to check the book he was reading. The characters were piled together. Gao Ming recognised every word, but together, they made no sense to him. The whole school felt like a strange code. Sensing Gao Ming¡¯s movement, the brother slowly turned around. He stared at Gao Ming. His dull face slowly revealed a smile. ¡°Hi¡­¡± Then, his smile disappeared like he remembered something horrible. He picked up the hot noodles and poured it down his throat. After that, he grabbed his book and ran away. ¡®The students¡¯ used less than half an hour to order and finish their food. These people felt like students to Gao Ming, but they looked older than Gao Ming. ¡°A ritual to borrow afterlife longevity?¡± Chapter 112: Canteen Chapter 112: Canteen Gao Ming had taken away the God of Flesh and Blood. Based on Situ An¡¯s personality, he would prepare something else to rece it. ¡°Gao Ming, have you eaten?¡± Liu Yi came to Gao Ming¡¯s side with her tray and asked in a low voice. ¡°Zuo Jun appears to n to trap us here and turn them into those students.¡± ¡°Not necessarily. Our ss has other uses¡­¡± Gao Ming just spoke when a few students came over with food and drinks. ¡°Liu Yi, how are youtely?¡± Qian Junran was the ss¡¯ Englishmittee representative. He came from a rich family. He had juste back from overseas and nned to take over the family business. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Liu Yi wanted to hear Gao Ming¡¯s analysis but was interrupted. She was annoyed, but she didn¡¯t show it because they were all old friends. ¡°Back in school, we both wanted to bewyers to protect the weak like heroes from the wuxia novels.¡± Qian Junran poured Liu Yi some drinks. ¡°I envy you because you did the things you set out to do.¡± ¡°Lawyers are not as noble as you think. This profession has no halo.¡± Liu Yi frowned. She didn¡¯t know why Qian Junran suddenly came to her. ¡°I came back this time to learn with my family. Thepany is going to restructure thew department. Do you have any interest in doing it with me? Ourpany focuses on charity. We will fork out tens of thousands to help the poor locals at Han Hai every year.¡± Qian Junran spoke with arrogance. The term poor locals offended Zhou Sisi and a few others. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Liu Yi sat down and took out her phone to act to send messages. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Gao Ming in a long time too.¡± Qian Junran stood up to shake Gao Ming¡¯s hand in a gentlemanly manner. ¡°I heard from Xi San that you had an early graduation from a medical school and are now a prison doctor. Does that mean you will interact with many dangerous criminals? Is the work tiring?¡± ¡°It was not too bad. I quit the job already.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t even raise his head. ¡°Currently, the situation at Han Hai is quiteplicated. You need connections to get into a good hospital. If you need any help, just say it.¡± Qian Junran said, but he looked at Gao Ming with disdain. ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor anymore. I turned my old hobby into my new career.¡± Gao Ming smiled. Zhou Sisi quickly raised her ss to stop Qian Junran. When she called Gao Ming yesterday, she heard that her old friend was now a person who came on the news three days in a row! After so many years, the students had changed. The innocence was gone. The few tables were like a small society. They followed the society¡¯s rules, but none of them followed the new rules. Zuo Jun, ¡°There¡¯s fifteen minutes left to the canteen¡¯s closing hour. Please leave the canteen and move to other open areas.¡± Zuo Jun¡¯s message came again. Some of the students were annoyed. It was one thing to eat school food, but it was another to have limited time for breaks. ¡°Zuo Jun, where are you? Come out and drink with us. Everyone is here.¡± Ma Tou used to be the ss clown. During the sports event, he tripped the vice headmaster, sneaked into the broadcasting room to y 18+ movies and so on. He was not a bad person. He was just naughty. After graduation, he worked at his father¡¯s innerwearpany. Zuo Jun, ¡°Please leave the canteen as soon as possible. I¡¯ve prepared surprises in the school¡¯s other areas.¡± The students left in groups. Liu Yi didn¡¯t want to talk to Qian Junran anymore, so she left with the girls to the math building. In the end, only a few male students, who didn¡¯t care about Zuo Jun¡¯s messages, stayed at the canteen to drink the alcohol. ¡°We should go too.¡± Gao Ming put the tray back. Wang Jie followed him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stay?¡± Xi San was about to cheer Ma Tao. Since Wang Jie left, he put down his ss and followed. The people of Room 1314 left the canteen. When they turned the corner, Wang Jie suddenly blocked Gao Ming, ¡°Gao ¡®Er, what did you talk to Liu Yi about? Did you notice something?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gao Ming was surprised. This good-for-nothing third-generation young master was quite astute. They were thest to leave the canteen. There were still five students drinking in the canteen. The canteen¡¯s metallic rollers came down. Gao Ming¡¯s group came to the window to look. The partition that separated the kitchen and the dining area opened. Three chefs walked out of the automated kitchen. They were all over 1.9 meters. Their bodies were hidden in the white clothes, and their faces couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°So, it¡¯s not automated, after all?!¡± Xi San mocked. ¡°Come on. There¡¯s nothing to see. The chefs are probably there to chase them away.¡± The chefs came to the drinking students. The chefs told them something. Three of the students followed them into the kitchen. The remaining two were left waiting. Eventually, they also headed to the kitchen. In the end, no one came out. Only the sound of machine whirring remained. The school bell rang again. Wang Jie had no mood to y anymore. He took out his phone to call a few numbers. All the calls couldn¡¯t go through. ¡°Is this a horror theme park?¡± Wang Jie shivered. ¡°Is Zuo Jun, that bastard, nning to take revenge on us for bullying him back then?¡± Wang Jie hesitated and stopped his roommates. He shared his findings with them. ¡°The adult students in the canteen were not right. Their eyes were different from normal humans!¡± ¡°Ol Wang, you have too much to drink. They are Zuo Jun¡¯s hired actors. I¡¯ve yed many games like this before.¡± Xi San was a light-weight when it came to drinking. Wang Jie ignored Xi San and came to Gao Ming. He whispered, ¡°You and Liu Yi are the cleverest people in ss. You should have noticed something. The students are split into three kinds. The first only knows how to read. They focus on studying like a machine. The second will study the people around them. They seem to be mimicking the actions of the people around them to mix into the crowd. The third has a difiting gaze. Their facial expressions will suddenly lose control.¡± ¡°Is that strange? Isn¡¯t that real life? The first kind lives their lives as tools and machines to be used; The second kind is filled with social anxiety. They hide themselves, so that they won¡¯t be eaten by the society; the third kind only wants to prey on others.¡± Du Bai was quite drunk too. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but with my years of experience making horror games, this school is very suspicious.¡± Gao Ming raised three fingers. ¡°The people who only know how to read are probably Han De Private School¡¯s original students. They are generally young and have innocence in their eyes. The people who try to mimic others are probably humans like us. They want to mix in the crowd and pretend to be ghosts to hide from danger. Thest group has the lowest number of members. They should be the monsters who the second group wants to avoid. They are ghosts pretending to be humans.¡± Chapter 113: First Class Chapter 113: First ss ¡°This is a reunion. As long as we¡¯re happy, everything is fine. What are you people talking about?¡± Xi San¡¯s face was red from the alcohol. Wang Jie ignored Xi San. ¡°All the calls are blocked. We shall try to see if we can leave this ce.¡± Wang Jie had a strong intuition, but it was already toote. They came to the school entrance. The rain poured. They walked for half an hour before returning to the same spot. ¡°No matter which direction we took, we woulde back here.¡± Du Bai also noticed something was wrong. He sent Zuo Jun a few messages, but Zuo Jun replied with the same message¨CHave fun! Seeing the same message, Du Bai felt strange and scared. ¡°We might be in an anomaly.¡± Wang Jie stood there with fear in his eyes. ¡°You might not know certain things, but Han Hai is not peacefultely.¡± To increase his survivability and gain more aid, Wang Jie told the rest about the anomalies. When he heard that a normal person only had 10 percent chance of survival, Xi San woke up from his drunkenness, ¡°I¡¯ll inform the other students.¡± ¡°No!¡± Wang Jie grabbed him. ¡°Can you tell who is a ghost and who is human?¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t leave them to die, right?¡± ¡°What an idiot.¡± Wang Jie scolded him directly. ¡°First, I¡¯m not sure if this is an anomaly because I¡¯ve not experienced it myself. I only heard about it from my family elders. Second¡­¡± Wang Jie pushed Xi San into the wall. ¡°Be quiet. Make noise, and we¡¯ll attract the ghosts¡¯ attention. Your actions might lure the ghosts to us! Our ss has 50 fifty. Based on the probability, I hope we can be thest survivors.¡± People would die, but Wang Jie didn¡¯t hope to be one of them. He shared the news because he wanted to use his roommates. ¡°Stop arguing. Our real enemy is probably Zuo Jun.¡± Gao Ming wanted to observe further, but he didn¡¯t expect Wang Jie to know so much. Wang Jie let go of Xi San and said darkly, ¡°I knew something was wrong with Zuo Jun. That dude used so many dirty tricks to force me to attend this reunion.¡± ¡°Were you forced to join?¡± Xi San didn¡¯t get mad at the attack. ¡°Why else would Ie to this ce in the pouring rain?¡± Wang Jie opened his phone to show them a few pictures. ¡°Han Hai Charity¡¯s spokesperson was attacked. The attacker was once my friend. The brat then led the team to investigate me. If I didn¡¯t attend this reunion, he would frame me and ruin my life.¡± Gao Ming read Wang Jie¡¯s expression and knew that he was lying, but he didn¡¯t expose him. ¡°Then, why did you attend this reunion?¡± Wang Jie looked at the others. ¡°I believe everyone has their reasons too.¡± ¡°My gym is losing a lot of money. Zuo Jun said he could help me, so I came.¡± Xi San admitted, ¡°I was being chased by the debt collectors. So, I came here for a change of scenery too.¡± ¡°My daughter fell ill with a strange disease. She became better after eating Zuo Jun¡¯s medicine. He said he wanted a favour from me, and then, he¡¯d treat my daughter for free.¡± Du Bai gripped his fists, ¡°I hate people threatening me with my daughter, but I have no other solution. Gao Ming, what about you?¡± ¡°My situation is unique.¡± Gao Ming said seriously, ¡°You should still remember Zuo Bo, right? He went crazy when we were in university. Zuo Jun said he knew why Zuo Bo went insane. If I didn¡¯te, the next one to go crazy would be me.¡± ¡°Then, you get the short end of the stick.¡± Xi San was quite optimistic. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Follow all the rules and try to understand and record them. Find the loopholes in them.¡± Gao Ming gave them missions. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll try to act like the students of Han Dei Private School and hide in the crowd. When the hostels reopen, we¡¯ll return there topare notes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We might be swapped out. So when we meet next, we should use a code.¡± The four decided on the code. Wang Jie and Xi San went to the activity building without many students. Gao Ming and Du Bai headed to the math building. ¡°A ss of 50 students, and everyone has their own plot. What kind of reunion is this?¡± Du Bai walked beside Gao Ming. After entering the society, pressure was heavy on him. His daughter was also sick, so he was annoyed by everything. ¡°At least we still remember each other.¡± Gao Ming asked, ¡°Who do you think is the most anti-social among us?¡± ¡°You? No. There¡¯s another one¡­ But I can¡¯t remember.¡± The bell rang again. Gao Ming and Du Bai found a rather deserted ssroom and entered. The teacher wasn¡¯t there yet. There were many empty seats. They took the seats in the third row from the back. The tables and chairs were new. The drawers were filled with books. Around 10 secondster, a middle-aged woman in the investigation uniform entered the ssroom and took the podium. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat the ssroom rules. No talking, whispering or eating during ss. Noingte and leaving early. Okay, now turn your book to page 37.¡± The pages rifled. The teacher started the ss. Everything was normal. Gao Ming spun his pen and listened to the ss. However, five minutester, a strange thing happened. The male student behind Gao Ming suddenly stood up. He shuffled to Gao Ming¡¯s side. His head twisted 90 degrees, and he bent to look at Gao Ming. The student had a strange expression like he wanted to see something in Gao Ming. Gao Ming ignored him and kept spinning his pencil. He even took notes. The male student stared unblinkingly while maintaining an ufortable posture. His lips opened. ck lines moved between his teeth. He slowly approached like he wanted to crawl inside Gao Ming. Gao Ming¡¯s line of sight was blocked. The teacher just finished a question. Gao Ming started to do the homework on his book. The sound of a pencil on paper was riveting. After he finished the question, Gao Ming raised his head. The male student was gone. He moved to the student in front of Gao Ming. The male student reached his head out, and the student in the fourth seat from the back was startled. He couldn¡¯t control himself and screamed. After that, he quickly closed his mouth, but it was already toote. The teacher paused, and everyone looked at him. ¡°You¡¯ve vited the ss rules. Go out and stand outside!¡± The student stood up unwillingly. He looked at the emptyst row and then at Gao Ming, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me? Why isn¡¯t it you?¡± His voice was filled with venom. After he was dragged out, he disappeared. Chapter 114: Graduation Chapter 114: Graduation ¡°Where has he been sent to?¡± Du Bai, who sat beside Gao Ming, was so scared that he didn¡¯t dare to move. If he were the one in Gao Ming¡¯s shoes, he¡¯d be sent out already. Du Bai wanted to use the toilet. His feet trampled the ground. Gao Ming didn¡¯t reply. He just shot Du Bai a look to focus in ss. After the student was sent away, the atmosphere became more anxious. The students paid attention to their books and forced themselves to stay focused. Gao Ming thought back to what happened. The student who sat in thest row and disturbed others seemed different from others. His uniform was old and not fitting. He seemed to wear a dead person¡¯s uniform. Gao Ming was trying to piece together everything when he heard a screaming from upstairs. ¡°Someone is jumping!¡± Gao Ming nced out the window from the corner of his eyes. A man about 60 fell down the building. It wore the school uniform, and its body was stuck close to the window. The face was almost stuck to the window. Its lips still had a smile. Du Bai wanted to look, but Gao Ming grabbed his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± A few students were pulled away. They rushed to the window to look. ¡°Another jumper? How many is it today?¡± ¡°It was pushed!¡± ¡°If he was punished, why was it smiling?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw it smiling!¡± The students discussed. The ss exploded. A girl who sat next to the window turned her body slightly since everyone was discussing the incident. She leaned to look down the window, but there was nothing on the ground. She didn¡¯t see a corpse or blood. ¡°Where¡¯s the body?¡± The girl¡¯s back chilled. She sensed something and slowly turned around. The students who came to the window stopped talking. They stared at the girl. They had scary expressions. ¡°You¡­¡± The girl was caught. The students¡¯ fingers seemed to dig into her body. They worked together to throw the girl out the window. ¡°Someone¡¯s jumping!¡± After the students tossed the girl out, they screamed as they ran out of the ssroom. They announced to everyone that there was another jumper. Du Bai witnessed everything. His limbs chilled. His stomach was cold. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. In just a few seconds, a life was gone. Staying in the ssroom suffocated Du Bai. He had no idea how many monsters remained among the students. He had no idea when he¡¯d be killed too. Du Bai didn¡¯t want to stay in the ssroom any longer. Eventually, he¡¯d break the rules. His face was white. Du Bai¡¯s only hope was Gao Ming. He turned to look, and Gao Ming was learning how to calcte the circumference. Resisting the fear and the urge to pee, Du Bai wrote a note and passed it to Gao Ming. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen. Don¡¯t look. Focus on your homework.¡± Du Bai just got the note back when a familiar voice came from the corridor. Someone from Gao Ming¡¯s ss was caught. Afraid that the note-passing was exposed, Du Bai tossed the note into his mouth before the teacher turned around. But then, he remembered that he shouldn¡¯t eat in ss either. He didn¡¯t dare to spit the paper out or swallow it. He could only lower his head to focus on the question. ¡°Gao Ming! Du Bai! Save me!¡± A hand pped the window. Ma Tao¡¯s five fingers gripped the windowsill. He yellowed. Du Bai lowered his head. Sweat dripped down his face. His body appeared petrified. Gao Ming was still solving the equation. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± Mao Tao¡¯s voice distorted. He was in great pain. His body was heavily wounded. ¡°You won¡¯t even save me! I¡¯ll haunt you when Ie back as a ghost!¡± The head mmed into the ss. Ma Tou struggled for a while before he was dragged away. A bloody print was left on the window. Ma Tao¡¯s voice echoed in the corridor. ¡°That person shouldn¡¯t be Ma Tao. We saw Ma Tao drinking in the canteen. He and the others were sent away by the chefs since they didn¡¯t leave on time.¡± Du Bai grumbled. ¡°Shush!¡± The teacher suddenly walked down the podium and stopped beside Du Bai. The female teacher stared at Du Bai¡¯s face and asked scarily, ¡°Did you eat something? Open your mouth!¡± Du Bai kept his head lowered. He was so nervous his body shook. He wanted to pee so badly. ¡°I didn¡¯t eat anything.¡± ¡°Open your mouth!¡± The teacher ordered sternly. Then, she rolled up her sleeves like she wanted to reach her hand down Du Bai¡¯s throat. As the teacher¡¯s hand approached, Du Bai backed away. Just as he was about to have no ce to hide, the bell rang. The teacher paused. As nothing happened, she returned to the podium. She picked up her stuff and moved to the next ss. Du Bai¡¯s back was wet. He pulled Gao Ming and ran out of the ssroom. ¡°Gao Ming,e with me to the toilet! I don¡¯t dare to go alone.¡± Du Bai was a teacher. He didn¡¯t realise sses could be so scary. He might need to change his career after this. When they entered the toilet at the end of the corridor, Gao Ming and Du Bai received a message from Zuo Jun. Zuo Jun, ¡°You¡¯vepleted one ss and gained one merit point. Gain 100 merits within a week, and you can graduate sessfully.¡± ¡°Merit? Graduate?¡± Gao Ming looked at the message. ¡°It mentioned graduation but not leaving the school.¡± ¡°Gao Ming, are you still outside?¡± Du Bai, in the cubicle, would ask every few seconds. ¡°Yes.¡± Gao Ming was speechless. ¡°Pee faster.¡± ¡°There are so many things written inside the cubicle.¡± Du Bai opened the door. He pointed at the door. Many scary words and rules were written there. The handwriting was different. ¡°The toilet appears to be where the living students exchange their info.¡± ¡°What if these are left by ghosts?¡± Gao Ming scanned the messages. ¡°Furthermore, humans can be scarier than ghosts.¡± During the ss earlier, when the male student was dragged away, he looked at Gao Ming like he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill him. Gao Ming took out a picture of the messages with his phone. He saw that the chat group of his ss was blowing up. ¡°Someone is dead?!¡± Chapter 115: Merits Chapter 115: Merits Du Bai and Gao Ming looked at their phones. In just one ss, there were more than hundreds of messages sent in the chat group. Gao Ming scrolled up and finally understood the reason. English representative Qian Junran brought a few boys to the ball court. They wanted to find the joy of youth again. They had just changed into their clothes when the oldest ssmate, Cao Song, suddenly saw someone standing at the third-floor window of the office building. It looked like Zuo Bo. He hugged the basketball and waved at him. Zuo Bo responded. However, he saw another Zuo Bo, in a patient¡¯s garb, appear behind Zuo Bo! The hand froze. Cao Song wanted to warn Zuo Bo, but then he saw something he¡¯d never forget. Zuo Bo, in the patient¡¯s garb, took out a knife and stabbed it into the normal Zuo Bo¡¯s chest. Blood sttered on the curtain and Zuo Bo¡¯s face. Only a pair of struggling hands remained at the window. The basketball fell to the ground. Cao Song was stunned. The others shook him for a long time before he came to. He shouted to tell everyone what he had seen. They didn¡¯t even change and hurried to the office building. When they rushed to the crime scene, Zuo Bo and Zuo Bo¡¯s dead body were gone. There was no blood stain, but a piece of the curtain was cut off. Cao Song shared this incident in the chat group. The students started to discuss it. They also started to discover many strange things at the school. Some wished for Zuo Jun to give them an exnation. However, no matter what they asked, Zuo Jun would only reply, ¡°Have a nice time ying!¡± The repetition was scary. More students wanted to leave. They tried the school entrance, but no matter what, they¡¯d return to the school. The joy of reunion was reced by fear. Some scolded Zuo Jun in the chat group, but that didn¡¯t change anything. When everyone was panicking, Qian Junran and Xuan Hui stood forward. They gathered the students to share their findings. The hostel and canteen were closed. Most didn¡¯t dare to go to the math building and office building. They chose to meet at the school hall. ¡°We should go there too.¡± At 3 pm, Gao Ming and Du Bai entered the school hall. Many were already there. ¡°This way!¡± Wang Jie waved at Gao Ming. After Du Bai and Gao Ming sat down, the four of them shared the code while casually chatting. After making sure none of them had been swapped, they sat at the hall entrance. They were ready to run if there was any danger. At 4 pm, no one else came. Xuan Hui closed the hall door and did a head count. The ss had 50 people, but only 32 came. It was unknown whether the rest was trapped or killed. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for deaths. This reunion is for penance to atone for our sins!¡± Xuan Hui walked to the centre of the hall. He said seriously, ¡°When I came, I thought I was Zuo Jun¡¯s only target. But all of you are his targets too.¡± ¡°Stop talking in riddles. What is going on with this school?¡± Cao Song grabbed the seat. His face was pale. He was frightened earlier. ¡°Starting from about half a year ago, I kept having the same nightmare.¡± Xuan Hui removed his shirt and exposed his arms. They were covered in deep wounds. ¡°I¡¯ve had that dream so many times that I can¡¯t even tell what is dream and what is real anymore.¡± ¡°What dream?¡± Xi San was curious, so he raised his arm to ask. ¡°10 years ago, our school organised for us to participate in some event. We took the same bus, but the bus got into an ident and all of us¡­ died.¡± Xuan Hui¡¯s voice was scary. ¡°But I don¡¯t remember being on any bus back then. I only remember how much we were forced to study.¡± Xi San ced his hands on the table and toyed with the dust on the seat. ¡°No one remembers this, so it should only happen in your dream.¡± Cao Song shook his head. ¡°But the dream was so real. We were caught in the bus, and we slowly died in the darkness.¡± Xuan Hui pointed at his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I dream about these, but Zuo Jun told me he had the same dream.¡± ¡°Can you contact Zuo Jun?¡± Wang Jie stood up with a dark expression. ¡°Where is that bastard?¡± ¡°Zuo Jun wanted me to cooperate with him to trick everyone intoing to this school so that everyone can remember that dream. He said he¡¯d give me 1000000 after it was done.¡± Xuan Hui put down his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree. He then got people to abduct my wife and mistress.¡± ¡°You should have told us this earlier!¡± Qian Junran walked to the stage and stared at Xuan Hui. ¡°I¡¯ve dropped so many hints, but no one paid attention to me! Plus, I really didn¡¯t know what was happening here. Zuo Jun only warned me to attend the reunion like normal, or else he¡¯d give my family a fate worse than death.¡± Xian Hui was already very nice to tell everyone the truth, but people were never satisfied. They were angry that he hid the truth from them at first. ¡°You are so selfish, Xuan Hui!¡± ¡°How can you hide this from us?¡± Xuan Hui¡¯s face darkened from the usations. ¡°None of you have the moral high ground! Zuo Jun told me that even if I didn¡¯t cooperate, you woulde here regardless because every one of you has a reason to be here!¡± Xuan Hui¡¯s eyes turned scary. ¡°Some of you are crazy. Some of you are gamblers with a huge debt. Some of you are adulterers. There are even murderers!¡± ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Cao Song stopped Xuan Hui from continuing. ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Xuan Hui picked up his clothes. ¡°Everyone here has their own secret. I am not interested in your secrets. I just want to leave. If you trust me, good. If you don¡¯t, I don¡¯t care either.¡± The hall was silent. Since no one spoke, Qian Junran walked to the centre. ¡°Everyone, we are old friends with decades of history. We¡¯re trapped here and might face unknown dangers. There is only one path before us, and that is to work together to escape this ce alive!¡± Compared to Xuan Hui, Qian Junran¡¯s words were epted more easily. ¡°We will split into different groups ording to the sleeping arrangements and move in small groups. We¡¯ll collect info and find the escape routes.¡± ss 13 had four male hostels, four female hostels and Room 1315, which was a mixture of ss 13 students and students from other sses. Qian Junran used this as the foundation and ced his management skills on it. He added a few slogans and felt good about himself. After he was done, he even turned to the door like a proud cock. ¡°Are you done?¡± Liu Yi took the stage coolly, ¡°Get off the stage if you¡¯re done. We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± Qian Junran still had a speech, but Liu Yi took out a few bloody textbooks and dropped them on the table. ¡°I found two methods to leave the school. The first is to earn 100 merits. One ss can earn you one merit, but the sses are very dangerous.¡± ¡°What is the second method?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention moved from Qian Junran to Liu Yi. ¡°The second is¡­¡± Liu Yi hesitated and took out her phone. ¡°This is a picture I took in the fourth cubicle on the fourth floor¡¯s female toilet at the education building. It says that you can graduate for real if you can kill 100 living humans.¡± ¡°Kill 100 humans?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s pupils trembled. The two graduation methods were meant for two kinds of people. Chapter 116: Special Homework Chapter 116: Special Homework This chapter is locked! Buy it? Chapter 117: Father Chapter 117: Father The female student had encountered many people at the office building. Whenever she asked if the person would help her, either they would run away or stay out of pity. It was her first time running into someone like Gao Ming. ¡°No. You¡¯re not the homework¡­¡± The girl looked like her secret was exposed. She carried the textbook and ran upstairs. ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Gao Ming followed her. ¡°I notice you are different from the other ghost students. They try to make themselves look human, but your appearance is noticeably special.¡± Gao Ming grabbed the girl¡¯s arm. It was slender, weak and warm. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re a human?! A human who helps ghosts?!¡± Gao Ming confirmed his suspicion and pulled the girl to the corner. ¡°I won¡¯t me you. Everyone has a reason to do things. I just have some questions for you.¡± The girl looked horrible. She must have been through a lot of torture. She was a girl epted by ghosts. It was hard to imagine the price she must have paid. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Facing Gao Ming¡¯s questions, the girl shook her head and hugged the books tight. ¡°Why are you so scared? Do you want me to bring you out of the office building?¡± Hearing that, the girl shook her head harder. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the office building! Never!¡± Knowing that Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t easily let her go, the girl led Gao Ming to the male toilet on the second floor. She closed the door and entered the fourth cubicle with Gao Ming. ¡°The number 4 is the luckiest number at this school.¡± The girl hugged the books carefully, afraid that they might get wet. ¡°4 is good?! Does that mean we can leave the school at 4 a.m. Thursday?¡± Gao Ming memorised everything. ¡°Perhaps you can try.¡± The girl backed up to the wall. ¡°I¡¯ve studied here for a long time. I saw more and more students attend this school, but no matter how many there are, the school can fit them because¡­¡± The girl continued after a pause. ¡°This school eats people. It consumes people who are filled with colours. The teachers will tell you how dangerous the world outside is. The school is the kindest and best ce. They request every student to follow the rules to train them to be mindless robots.¡± The girl said with a sincere expression. If she weren¡¯t hugging the books, she would have used her hands. ¡°The school will show itself after dark. This school is a giant machine made from human beings. Every human is a cog in the wheel. They suffer the pain of being ground as they operate to help the machine run.¡± ¡°What kind of school still treats their student like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! Before the giant threat arrives, this machine will keep on running until it spirals out of control. If the threat doesn¡¯t arrive, then it will create the threat to maintain the rules.¡± The girl sounded scared. Normal schools wouldn¡¯t do that, but Gao Ming remembered the teacher was wearing the centre uniform. ¡°Is the school the investigation centre?¡± Gao Ming thought about it. Wasn¡¯t this the way the centre trained the newbies? The superiors demanded that the juniors follow the rules closely, using the unknown threat as the goading stick. Living humans were made into tools as they were tossed into the anomalies. ¡°Han De Private School was built by Situ An years ago. With his aid, this school has be a monster.¡± Han Hai was an international free port. There were a lot of missing people. The scariest thing was people on the fringes, like the homeless and abandoned, were often aided by Han Hai Charity. ¡°You might still have the chance to escape, but not me.¡± The girl had epted this painful truth. ¡°I was raised at the orphanage and sent here to study. This ce has my everything. No matter how scary it is, it is my home. Do you understand my feelings now?¡± Seeing the girl¡¯s sewn eyes, Gao Ming was reminded of Gong Xi. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Situ Xin.¡± The girl whispered. ¡°Are there many people with the surname Situ at this school?¡± ¡°No. Only the kids adopted by father can have that surname.¡± The girl slowly lowered her head. ¡°We love and fear him.¡± ¡°Does your father not know about the state you¡¯re currently in? Does he not want to take revenge for you?¡± Gao Ming adjusted his tone. He suspected the girl¡¯s father was Situ An. ¡°It was father who sewed my eyes together. This is his love. Other kids were eaten by the school, but I am still alive because his weighted love allowed me to live.¡± When the girl mentioned her father, she stood on tiptoe. Her mood lifted as well. ¡°The way your father shows his care is very special. Can you tell me where I can find him?¡± Gao Ming asked the core question. ¡°The headmaster¡¯s office, but you can only go there after midnight. It¡¯s normally locked.¡± The girl quickly added to prevent misunderstanding. ¡°Father wants the school to return to normal. He¡¯s trying very hard. He wants to save all of us!¡± The school would show itself after dark, but based on the rules, every student should be asleep by then. Therefore, no one could really see the real school, much less go to the headmaster¡¯s office at midnight. ¡°I should go. The teachers will leave the office to find me if they wait for too long.¡± Situ Xin was scared. Since Gao Ming didn¡¯t stop her, she ran out. ¡°I didn¡¯t find out the consequences for breaking the rules, but I did get extra clues about Situ An. That¡¯s not bad.¡± Suddenly, his heart raced. The God of Flesh and Blood warned him to leave. Gao Ming left the office building. He took the time to take another ss. He realised different sses had different events. Gao Ming returned to the hostel at 8 pm. Compared to the morning, the hostel changed as well. There was a kind female manager at the hostel manager¡¯s office. She wore a light blue short-sleeved vest. A dark red long-sleeved shirt and a deep green coat were draped on her single bed. ¡°These three colours again?¡± Gao Ming was reminded of the worker¡¯s uniform at Min Long Supermarket. Gao Ming ignored the manager. He was about to walk forward when he noticed all the pictures of the students from his ss had their heads cut off. It looked like someone purposely did this with scissors. Chapter 118: Out at Night Chapter 118: Out at Night ¡°This reunion is bing more and more unforgettable.¡± Gao Ming touched the edge of the pictures. The cutting was sharp. The culprit enjoyed the process a lot. ¡°I wonder how many people will survive in the end.¡± In the past, Gao Ming thought his friends were innocent, but as things advanced, he realised things were not that simple. An ident happened ten years ago in the tunnel between the three cities. However, Liu Yi couldn¡¯t find anything about it. Earlier in the hall, Yuan Hui¡¯s speech impacted Gao Ming a lot. The nightmare that he kept having might be real. However, everyone forgot about it for some reason. ¡°Perhaps we were all on the bus when the ident happened ten years ago¡­¡± A decade had passed, but the students had gathered again due to different reasons. They were sent by the east city investigation centre into the school. Standing by the window, looking out, the bus that sent them there was still idling outside the school. It was covered by the night and rain. It looked so out of ce. ¡°The bus, the school, the ident, an extra student, a repetition of ten years¡­¡± The phone vibration broke Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts. He looked at the screen. Wang Jie urged him to return to the bedroom because they had a huge discovery. When he returned to Room 1314, Gao Ming saw Xi San was pressed to the bed. His limbs were tied, and there were wounds on his face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This idiot!¡± Wang Jie wanted to grab the chair to hit Xi San. ¡°He told our discovery to Cai Meimei! What time is it, and he¡¯s still thinking about women?! I want to kill him!¡± Xi San didn¡¯t dare to say anything and looked at Gao Ming pleadingly. ¡°What did you discover?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t speak up for Xi San. Everyone wanted to survive. Every dead weight could be a cause of death. ¡°The three of us went to the activity building and epted a mission at the pool.¡± Du Bai looked at Xi San helplessly. ¡°It was a simple mission. We needed to help the swim team pick up the machines. After that, we can get a merit. The three of us were arranging the stuff when we heard footsteps. We hid inside the changing room. Then, we saw a people students with student council badges enter. They were talking about something strange. ¡°The general idea is that the ghosts here are separated into different groups too. Among them, the ones from the student council are the most special. They can manage ghosts and humans. They are the defenders of the rule. Other than them, there are some ghost students who will kill other students with no regard for the rules. These ghost students wear red clothes under their uniform.¡± Wang Jie pulled Gao Ming to the balcony. ¡°If this school is a living person, the student councils are the white blood cells, and the red-clothed ghost students are cancerous cells. They are the most dangerous.¡± ¡°Do you want to turn the ghosts against each other?¡± Gao Ming heard between the lines. ¡°Yes.¡± Wang Jie ced his arm over Gao Ming¡¯s shoulders. ¡°When I was helping the swim team, I saw the vice-captain remove his uniform. He was wearing a red shirt. The student council came to find him. However, after I interacted with him, I realised he was quite a nice person. He is very dissatisfied with many things at this school. He even openly vited the rules. The most important thing is he doesn¡¯t even care about the merits. ¡°The essence of currency is consensus and belief. At the school, merits are everything, but the vice-captain ignores it. His various actions make me believe that he is someone we can use on our side.¡± Wang Jie¡¯s mind was quick. He didn¡¯t observe the rules but paid attention to those who could be of use to him. This was probably what his family taught him. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to meet him tomorrow.¡± Gao Ming returned to the room and untied Xi San. ¡°Thank you. I promise I will not say a word again!¡± Xi San almost knelt down to Gao Ming. Wang Jie looked like a devil earlier. ¡°There¡¯s no next time. You have to suffer the consequence next time.¡± Gao Ming put away the rope when someone knocked on the door. They looked at one another. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it!¡± Xi San opened the door. The cheap perfume fragrance floated into the room. The manager auntie in blue clothes stood at the door. ¡°You look familiar. Have you stayed here a long time ago? Let me see¡­ Did you stay here ten years ago? I knew you were familiar!¡± The auntie counted on her fingers, but no one inside the room spoke. ¡°Big sister, did you remember wrongly? This is our first time here.¡± Xi San praised the auntie. ¡°Impossible. You¡¯re the ones who forgot everything.¡± The auntie looked around. She didn¡¯t dare to enter the bedroom. ¡°You haven¡¯t been back for a long time, so I¡¯ll remind you the rules again. The hostel does not allow the use of high-frequency electronics. There will be no running and fighting. No noises after the light¡¯s out at 10 pm. No swapping of rooms. Everyone has to follow the school¡¯s timetable.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will not cross the hostel rules.¡± ¡°I know. If you run into anything at night, you cane to find me at the manager¡¯s office.¡± The auntie suddenly added as she pointed at her clothes. ¡°I normally wear blue.¡± The kind auntie closed the door and left. After the footsteps disappeared, the group was going to discuss how to survive the night when the knocking came again. ¡°Is it Zuo Jun and Yuan Hui?¡± Xi San looked at the empty beds. He slowly opened the door. ¡°Why did you take so long?¡± The familiar voice said. The auntie reappeared, but she didn¡¯t seem to remember being there. Her expression was stern and cold. ¡°Big sister, why did youe back?¡± Xi San was shocked. ¡°Who¡¯s your sister?¡± The auntie wore a deep green shirt. She held a notebook and pen. ¡°Our school is different from others. Do not go anywhere at night. You will only be safe by following the rules.¡± She nced at the darkness down the corridor and tore down two pages from her notebook. ¡°If you want to live, then memorise the hostel rules.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one wearing the blue shirt earlier?¡± Xi San epted the papers in confusion. ¡°I only have green clothes.¡± The auntie mmed the door close. ¡°They look identical, but she¡¯s like a different person with different clothes on.¡± Xi San showed everyone the two pages. The rules on it were strange. ¡°Han De Private School¡¯s hostels close out the lights at 10 pm. If you have to use the toilet after the lights are off, please move in groups of three. Do not stay in the bedroom alone. ¡°Confirm the number of people inside the bedroom after the lights are out. If the number is not right, please go to the toilet to hide with people you trust. ¡°Beware of any in red clothes. Do not open the door to any strangers. ¡°If you hear anything strange in the corridor, pretend not to hear it; If you hear anything inside the bedroom, pretend to be asleep; if you hear anything in your bed, do not open your eyes no matter what.¡± Chapter 119: Door Chapter 119: Door ¡°Keep the balcony doors closed after lights are out. If someone enters the room to check it after the lights are out, pay attention to their expressions. If they are smiling, leave the bedroom immediately.¡± ¡°Do not use your phones after midnight. Any message you receive might be wrong¡­¡± The papers had many hostel rules. The rules were several times more than the ss rules. Just memorising them would take a lot of time. ¡°This is not good.¡± Even Wang Jie, who normally didn¡¯t like to study, tried to memorise everything. ¡°We have Zuo Jun and Yuan Hui, the two unstable factors, in our bedroom. If they still don¡¯te back, we¡¯ll experience two more bedroom checks. In other words, we have to open the bedroom door after the lights are out.¡± Wang Jie said viciously, ¡°What a pair of trouble!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if they don¡¯te back. It¡¯s more frightful if theye back after lights out. We won¡¯t be able to tell if they are the real ones. After all, we don¡¯t have a code with them.¡± Du Bai carried a basin and prepared to leave. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Get some water to prepare for bed. The cupboards have some toiletries.¡± ¡°Is it time to care about things like that?¡± Wang Jie grabbed the basin. ¡°Our time is precious. The longer we stay here, the harder it is for us to escape.¡± Wang Jie put down the basin and drew a simple map of the school. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from my family elders that if we fail to escape scary buildings after seven days, we¡¯ll stay there forever. Our bodies will be parts of the horror.¡± Wang Jie¡¯s elder was influential. They told their family juniors info that Gao Ming didn¡¯t even know. ¡°There¡¯s no point in hurrying.¡± Du Bai was not afraid of Wang Jie. They often argued when they were in school. At that moment, it really felt like they were back in school. ¡°I¡¯m toozy to argue with you. You can survive until now because you are assigned the same room as Gao Ming and me.¡± Wang Jie kicked the basin away. He was about to paste his n on the wall when he heard the knocking again. ¡°What is it this time?¡± The bedroom door opened again. Yuan Hui entered the bedroom with a ss timetable. ¡°Is the big man finally back?¡± Wang Jie immediately put away his n once he saw Yuan Hui. He hid it in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your thoughts.¡± Yuan Hui printed out the ck-and-white table on the door. ¡°This is the timetable Zuo Jun has given us. From tomorrow onwards, we¡¯ll have to follow this table and attend the sses.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met Zuo Jun?!¡± Gao Ming walked to Yuan Hui. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Yuan Hui took out his phone and searched for Zuo Jun¡¯s messages. ¡°To give everyone a better experience, we¡¯ll return to ss 13 to study again starting tomorrow to find our missing youth and memory!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all forgotten one thing. We might have died in the incident ten years ago. If we go back to the same ss, we might remember the past.¡± Yuan Hui pasted the table. ¡°You shoulde with me.¡± ¡°Who are you? Why should I listen to you?¡± Wang Jie didn¡¯t even nce at the table. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How could I have died ten years ago? I suspect this is a trap set up by you and Zuo Jin!¡± ¡°Wang Jie, back then, you have always been a bully due to your family background. In the past, people didn¡¯t mind it, but this is rted to our lives!¡± Yuan Hui insisted, ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed everything with the people from the other hostels. We¡¯ll go to the ss tomorrow morning. If you don¡¯t agree, we¡¯ll drag you with us!¡± ¡°You can try.¡± Wang Jie leaned against the wall and crossed his legs. ¡°We can discuss tomorrow. You say this like we can survive this night.¡± Gao Ming climbed into his bed and stopped this meaningless argument. The night arrived. The lights lessened. The ces covered by darkness became blurry. The shadow on the wall was washed away by the rain. ¡°What will the school turn into after the light is gone?¡± The bedroom checks began at 10 pm. A few students in old uniforms entered the room. They had no expression and didn¡¯t look at anyone. They paused beside each bed for a few seconds and then left. ¡°Is that it?¡± Xi San poked his head out of the bed. He didn¡¯t even remove his shoes. He was ready to run. The school became quieter. Some rooms had already closed their lights. The corridor was also quiet. It felt very eerie. It was like the school had been abandoned. Wang Jie closed the doors and windows. He pushed the door behind the door. Hey on the door and looked out through the gap. The atmosphere became anxious. Absurdity permeated everywhere. At 10. 30 pm, the light above Wang Jie went out punctually. The hostels felt like they had sunken into the deep sea. Wang Jie didn¡¯t even dare to breathe too loudly. He focused on the corridor. ¡°It feels like something is moving¡­¡± Before Wang Jie got a closer look, the doorknob moved. ¡°Xi San, open the door. It¡¯s Ma Tao.¡± Ma Tou was soft, but he sounded nervous. ¡°Zuo Jun sent me a message to sleep in his bed in his stead so that he wouldn¡¯t be caught. Open the door. It¡¯s too dark outside.¡± Xi San was the most innocent in Room 1314. Once he sat up, he was pushed back down by Gao Ming. ¡°Open the door, Xi San, monitor! I¡¯m not lying to you. Zuo Jun said if I didn¡¯t help him, all of us would die!¡± Ma Tao¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°If the students who checked the bedrooms realised there were people missing, none of the bedrooms could survive! Open the door, monitor!¡± Ma Tao made sense. ¡°Don¡¯t trust me.¡± Xuan Hui shook his head at Wang Jie. ¡°Ma Tao vited the canteen rules and was led to the kitchen. If we open the door now, we¡¯ll let other things in.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Wang Jie leaned on the door. The corridor was dark. He could hear Ma Tao but not see him. ¡°I will not open the door.¡± Wang Jie took a step back. Soon, his phone lit up. Gao Ming sent him a message. Wang Jie read it and sucked in a cold breath. Gao Ming, ¡°Xuan Hui left on his own in the afternoon. He didn¡¯t join us at the canteen. He didn¡¯t even show up. He shouldn¡¯t know that Ma Tao had vited the canteen rules. Plus, we all have the bedroom key. However, Xuan Yui didn¡¯t use his key but knocked on the door to get us to open the door for him. Be careful. The ghost might be among us already.¡± Chapter 120: Headmaster is A Joke Chapter 120: Headmaster is A Joke After reading Gao Ming¡¯s message, Wang Jie wanted to give himself a p. Every roommate had their own bedroom key. Those who didn¡¯t have the key didn¡¯t need to enter the room. So why did he increase the risk of death for himself? Whether Yuan Hui was a ghost or not, it was already in the past. If that failed, Wang Jie nned to pull Gao Ming and Xi San to hide in the toilet for the whole night. ¡°Open the door! It¡¯s me, Ma Tao! I¡¯m not lying to you! The people wille to check the bedrooms soon!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t open the door.¡± Yuan Hui jumped down from the bed to block the door. ¡°Go back and stay in your bed. No one is leaving their beds tonight.¡± Yuan Hui acted normal. What he said was for everyone¡¯s benefit. However, if this person were not the real Yuan Hui, then everything would be very scary. After everyone pulled on the mosquito, Yuan Hui could move freely in the bedroom. ¡°Open the door!¡± Ma Tao¡¯s voice became agitated. It didn¡¯t touch the door, but the door kept bending. ¡°Ignore it. If it has the ability toe in, it would have gotten in here already.¡± Gao Ming got down from the bed. Due to the God of Blood and Flesh, he could see things normal people couldn¡¯t. Holding the doorknob, Gao Ming looked out through the gap. His heart pounded. Blood bloomed around his chest. The blood capiries crawled into his left eye. His pupil was pierced. The shadow couldn¡¯t stop his sight anymore. He saw arge piece of rotting meat standing at the bedroom door! It had no specific shape. The thing grew from meat and shadow. It had a human-like mouth. It seemed toe from the canteen. It carried a strange smell. Was this Ma Tao? Since no one answered, and the second bedroom check was about to arrive, the piece of rotten meat changed its target. It wiggled in the dark. Its body stuck to the wall and floor as it moved to the door of Room 1324. ¡°Brother Wei, it¡¯s Mao Tao. Open the door. I forgot my key.¡± The familiar voice came from the meat blob. It sounded just like Ma Tao. ¡°Fatty, open the door. Then, you don¡¯t need to return the money you owe me for your wedding.¡± ¡°The people areing to check the rooms. Are you going to watch me die?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve lived together for three years. I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re so worried about. Fatty, have you forgotten who introduced you to your wife? Brother Wei, when you moved, who drove to help you?¡± The things came out of the meat blob. If he couldn¡¯t see it, Gao Ming would think it was really Ma Tao. ¡°Could the meat thing really be Ma Tao? He became like this after he was led into the kitchen?!¡± ¡°Open the door! Something¡¯sing. Save me, Fatty!¡± The rotten meat melted to the door of Room 1324. The people inside the room hesitated before opening the door. Fatty opened the door and shone his phone out. When he saw ¡®Ma Tao¡¯, he screamed. The blob of meat surged into the room, and the door closed. The sound of bone cracking and things falling appeared at the same time. Someone cried for help, but their mouths were soon covered. 10 minutester, silence returned. ¡°What happened?¡± Wang Jie didn¡¯t see anything. He only heard it. ¡°Ma Tao entered Room 1324. We can¡¯t trust anyone from that room now.¡± Gao Ming nced at the time. ¡°It¡¯s about time for the second bedroom check. Let¡¯s get back to bed.¡± After Wang Jie got into bed, he started a new chatgroup and pulled his roommates into it. Wang Jie, ¡°This group doesn¡¯t have Du Bai and Yuan Hui. If anything happens during the second check, we¡¯ll run to the toilet.¡± Xi San, ¡°Thanks for bringing me!¡± Wang Jie, ¡°I also created a group without Yuan Hui but had Du Bai. Xi San, watch your mouth.¡± At 11 pm, the doorknob moved. There was no knocking or footstep. Everything came suddenly. The key entered the lock. The door opened from outside. The hostel manager in a red shirt stood to the side with her ring of key. Four students with the student council badges entered the bedroom. Gao Ming, who was pretending to be asleep, narrowed his eyes and memorised the info. The hostel manager couldn¡¯t enter the bedrooms no matter what colour shirt she wore. The students could enter the bedrooms freely, but the keys were with the hostel manager. The student council had great power. They could ignore the rules and move freely when the lights were out. The red badges were their logos. The four students stood before Bed 6. One of them pulled open Xi San¡¯s mosquito. ¡°Where is the student in Bed 6?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Even though he was an adult, Xi San was suppressed by the kid. He felt chilled. The student was like a corpse. Even his words were chilling. ¡°Which of you have the best rtionship with the kid in Bed 6?¡± The other student council member looked around scarily. ¡°Bed 1¡¯s Yuan Hui has the most contact with him. He should know.¡± Once Wang Jie said that, Yuan Hui¡¯s face turned green. Yuan Hui covered his face and replied in bed. ¡°Zuo Jun is very good with the headmaster. He said he was going to the office building to help him. You can go there to check.¡± ¡°The headmaster?¡± The student council¡¯s reaction was interesting. They showed no respect to the headmaster. They even smiled. ¡°Even the headmaster is not exempt from the school rules. Take note of this. Room 1314¡¯s Bed 6, Zuo Jun didn¡¯t return to his room at night. Minus five merits.¡± After that, they left. The bedroom door closed. Yuan Hui and Wang Jie red at each other. Wang Jie threw Yuan Hui under the bus. Yuan Hui¡¯s words made the student council smile. The whole bedroom was in danger. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to me each other. Why would the students smile after hearing about the headmaster?¡± Du Bai said, ¡°I¡¯m a teacher myself. Why would a student look down on the headmaster?¡± ¡°Perhaps the headmaster is a joke?¡± Gao Ming knew that Han De School was built by Situ An. However, the ce was already out of control. It might have consumed Situ An and the east city centre. He thought to himself. ¡°The student council represents the school rules. The headmaster might represent the investigation centre. The school still has ghosts who vite the rules. Including ss 13, the school now has at least 4 different forces.¡± Chapter 121: Only Survivor Chapter 121: Only Survivor ¡°In the rules left behind by the hostel manager auntie, if there¡¯s someone smiling during the bedroom checks, we should leave the bedroom as soon as possible.¡± After the student council left, Wang Jie sat up and put on his shoes. ¡°We need to figure a way out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous at night. Staying here is the only way to survive.¡± Yuan Hui insisted. No one spoke. Wang Jie took up his phone to send a message, ¡°Yuan Hui is a ghost. We seem to have offended the student council. Zuo Jun¡¯s identity is unclear. We can¡¯t stay here any longer. 15 minutester, we¡¯ll go to the toilet together.¡± Xi San, ¡°Understood. Brother, you are my angel.¡± Gao Ming, ¡°There¡¯s a rule forbidding the use of phones after midnight. Prepare everything you need. After leaving the bedroom, don¡¯t stay too far away from me.¡± The students wanted to leave the bedroom to escape the disaster. Gao Ming wanted to enter the headmaster¡¯s office. After consuming Situ An, suicide could be Gao Ming¡¯s option. Gao Ming only worried about two things. First, after dying at this school, his soul would be trapped and he would be a new student there. Second, after he returned to the tunnel, the person who killed him would realise that he had retained his memory. Everyone pretended to be asleep in bed. Actually, everyone was silently preparing. It was a bedroom of six people, but who knew how many chatgroups were there. Gao Ming never underestimated the evil in human nature. When their lives were threatened, these people would never hesitate to sell him out. The rain washed the window. Staying in the dark was oppressive. The time felt like it moved very slowly. Xi San and Wang Jie hid their books in the bed after they were ready. Everyone was waiting for something. ¡°This is just the first night¡­¡± Gao Ming reached his arms out. The sound of rain faded away. When he joined the school ten years ago, he was lying in bed just like this. He listened to the rain ten years ago. ¡°Why were we picked? Was the bus from ten years ago only filled with students?¡± The questions popped up. The more he thought about it, the more tired he became. Gao Ming gradually closed his eyes. At that moment, he heard a strange voice in the corridor. ¡°Gao Ming, can I sit beside you? No one bullied me. I just wanted to follow you¡­¡± ¡°Gao Ming, I might not be able toe to school after tomorrow. I¡¯m switching school.¡± ¡°Gao Ming, can you hear me? I came to find you. Can you apany me?¡± Someone was singing in the hostel corridor. The voice was very familiar. The voice¡¯s owner had lived with them for a long time. ¡°Is the extra student in ss 13 outside?¡± The voice paused outside Room 1314. There was a knock. ¡°Gao Ming, can you hear me? Can I stay in the same room as you?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s throat moved. The strange voice came inside the bedroom. The person appeared to stand in the middle of the bedroom, facing Gao Ming¡¯s bed. Hearing the strange voice, Gao Ming didn¡¯t move. ¡°Gao Ming, can you hear me? I¡¯m so shiveringly cold. Can I sleep in your bed?¡± The mosquito was pulled back. Something was crawling in. The sheet became wet. The wet clothes stuck to Gao Ming. A pair of cold hands covered in mud touched Gao Ming¡¯s face. He seemed to have just crawled out of a wet grave. The fingers slid down Gao Ming¡¯s skin. ¡°Gao Ming, can you look at me? It¡¯s me. I came back to find you.¡± The voice was right before Gao Ming. He could see it once he opened his eyes. However, the auntie¡¯s rules said that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. Gao Ming was lying in bed but it felt like he was sinking. It reminded him of the feeling when he was pulled down by the water ghosts in the supermarket. Gao Ming didn¡¯t wish to wait for death. He opened his arms to hug the voice¡¯s owner. The flesh touched. The other party didn¡¯t anticipate this. ¡°Gao Ming¡­¡± ¡°Come. We¡¯ll never be separated now.¡± Giant arms hugged the voice. The blood capiries bound around the voice. Gao Ming¡¯s chest became a mouth that ate nightmares. The arms pressed the voice into Gao Ming¡¯s heart room. The memory that didn¡¯t belong to Gao Ming exploded in his chest. Gao Ming saw a blurry memory. When they were still in high school, their year had nine sses. They were called sses 1 to 8 and then their ss 13. Gao Ming was curious too. Why wasn¡¯t their ss called ss 9 but 13? 13 seemed to carry a special meaning for them. Of course, it could be that something happened to everyone from ss 1 to 12. Dead? Disappeared? Or something worse? The nightmare had no answer. The memory was only a few seconds long. One morning, the news came on. The wind fluttered the curtain. The sky darkened. The memory owner opened the door to ss 13. The young faces looked at him. He took the podium shyly. He used the voice familiar to Gao Ming to say, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m a new transfer student. I love to paint and sing.¡± The memory was yed from the owner¡¯s perspective, so Gao Ming couldn¡¯t see his face. The owner was arranged to sit beside Zhou Sisi. Back then, everyone was talking about the uing city activity. Zhou Sisi exined everything to the memory owner. However, the owner hadn¡¯tpleted his documents, so he¡¯d miss the event. The memory owner appeared to be ss 13¡¯s 51st student. He was the only one who didn¡¯t take the bus to the event venue. The memory fragment ended then. Gao Ming slowly opened his eyes. The mosquito was torn apart. The bed was stained with mud. There were signs of struggle on the wall. ¡°Everyone in ss took the bus to attend the event in the city ten years ago. Everyone on the bus died. Only the transfer student survived?! Was he the only survivor? ¡°Is that the truth? ¡°But if that is the truth, why are we alive and no one can remember him? ¡°Did he sacrifice himself to save everyone?¡± From the memory fragment, the 51st student didn¡¯t seem to be a bad person, but¡­ Gao Ming wiped away the mud on his bed. The voice could have warned everyone, but the voice was directly eaten by Gao Ming. ¡°There should be a lot of memory fragments. It¡¯s fine for me to eat one.¡± Chapter 122: Mommy Chapter 122: Mommy With a trace of guilt, Gao Ming got up. He wanted to ask if the others in the bedroom heard the voice. He reached his head out of the. He looked around and realised something was wrong. The bedroom was too quiet. Gao Ming picked up his phone and noted it was already 11.50 pm. It must have been quite a while when he was absorbing that memory fragment. ¡°Is there no one around?¡± He looked behind each. Everyone was gone, and no one told him. ¡°In terms of value, I shouldn¡¯t be the one abandoned. Did they see something crawl into my bed and escape?¡± Gao Ming sent Xi San a message, ¡°Are you at the toilet?¡± Xi San, ¡°???¡± Gao Ming, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xi San, ¡°Aren¡¯t you in stall three?¡± Gao Ming, ¡°I¡¯m still in the bedroom. Beware of the Gao Ming with you.¡± Xi San, ¡°No! You are not Gao Ming! You can¡¯t trick me!¡± Seeing the replies, Gao Ming was sure Xi San hadn¡¯t been swapped. ¡°If I don¡¯t hurry there, Xi San might have a mental breakdown.¡± Gao Ming nned to go to the headmaster¡¯s office at midnight. However, before that, he wanted to get to know more about the ghosts at the school. Gao Ming carried his school bag and left. ¡­ Xi San stared at the screen. An indescribable fear enveloped him. When he received Gao Ming¡¯s message, he knew that something was wrong. To test Gao Ming, he purposely said the wrong stall. Gao Ming was in Stall 2, and he was in Stall 3. If the other person didn¡¯t even notice this, then it couldn¡¯t be Gao Ming! After giving himself a pat on the back, Xi San was in another conundrum. What if Gao Ming was really still back in the bedroom and the one with him was the ghost? Who should he trust? Gao Ming said that they might receive messages from ghosts after midnight. However, there were still minutes to midnight. Who was lying? Hiding inside the stall, Xi San didn¡¯t feel safe at all. His breathing intensified. Should he run out? Xi San touched the lock. He noticed that there was a barely-discernible hole under the partition. Xi San slowly knelt down and moved his eyes to the hole. It was too dark to see clearly. Xi San opened the shlight on his phone. He aimed it at the gap. ¡°Gao Ming, are you still there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you give me some paper?¡± Resisting the fear, Xi San aimed the light at the cubicle next to him. Through the light, Xi San saw a bloodshot eye. The thing inside the cubicle stared back at him. They maintained this strange pose. Xi San¡¯s hand that held the phone was between the two cubicles. Xi San¡¯s face twitched. He wanted to pull back his hand, but his phone was stuck. ¡°Do you still need the paper?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice asked. ¡°No. I don¡¯t use paper!¡± Xi San was anxious. A force yanked on his wrist. He lost his bnce and knocked into the partition. ¡°Daddy Jie, save me! It¡¯s not Gao Ming inside the cubicle! It¡¯s a ghost!¡± Wang Jie was shocked by the scream. He hurriedly ran out to look. Gao Ming happened to appear at the toilet entrance. ¡°Gao Ming?¡± Before Wang Jie reacted, Gao Ming kicked down the door of Cubicle Three. Then, Xi San screamed again. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Wang Jie was stunned. He saw Gao Ming kicking Xi San. The door of Cubicle Two opened. A shadow in the school uniform shed and disappeared. ¡°Was it in Cubicle Two?¡± Gao Ming wanted to give chase, but his leg was still in the cubicle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wang Jie helped Gao Ming and then Xi San. ¡°Why did you two suddenly fight? What was that shadow?¡± ¡°You came in the toilet with a ghost.¡± Gao Ming closed the toilet door. He told them everything that happened to him in the bedroom, including the news about the 51st student. ¡°It looks like Yuan Hui wasn¡¯t lying. We were on some kind of bus.¡± Xi San wiped away the footprint on his face and tried to act calm. ¡°We were on a bus ten years ago. We were sent here on a bus ten yearster. It looks like the bus is the key.¡± Wang Jie thought. ¡°Zuo Jun¡¯s luxury bus is notmon. He even customised it. The extra seatings were removed to add in bar counters and drink fountains. Other than the driver, there are 51 seats.¡± ¡°Could the answer be to find all 51 students and get on the bus together?¡± Xi San¡¯s guess was quite logical. ¡°The key is with the driver. He should still be in the school.¡± ¡°The issue is some of the students have be ghosts¡­¡± Wang Jie suddenly remembered something. His pupils narrowed. ¡°Or it¡¯s thest student standing who will get to leave?¡± Then, his gaze, looking at Xi San and Gao Ming, changed. If his guess were right, they werepetitors. ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusion.¡± Gao Ming knew what Wang Jie was thinking. This man only cared about himself. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go out to take a look.¡± Without giving them a chance to speak, Gao Ming left the toilet. The hostel¡¯s front door was locked. Something was taped to the door. The hostel manager¡¯s room next to it had a red light on. Gao Ming could feel the resistance from the God of Blood and Flesh. Something bad would happen if he went too close. Gao Ming silently approached. Through the window, he saw the manager auntie standing in the middle of the room. She wore a red jacket and mumbled to herself with an exaggerated smile on her face. Bloody tears slid down the window. The furniture cried. Gao Ming inched forward, and he saw the auntie taking out the pictures of the students¡¯ cut-off heads from her red jacket. ¡°My dear children,e to mommy¡¯s embrace. Let mommyr hug you¡­ ¡°Be nice. Listen to mommy, or mommy will have to lock all of you up.¡± At that moment, Gao Ming charged at the front door. The giant sound got the auntie¡¯s attention. The smile on her face was scary. ¡°Do we have a bad baby? Mommy will be mad.¡± The front door was knocked down. Gao Ming took out a ck death portrait. A ck dog swallowed him and disappeared into the shadow outside the hostel. ¡°You can¡¯t escape. Mommy will find you¡­¡± The auntie took out her ring of keys and entered the shadow too. Chapter 123: Ding Yuan Chapter 123: Ding Yuan ¡°If not returning to the hostel at night is 5 merits deduction. How many points will I lose for breaking out of the hostel after night?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t been to school.¡± The big dog raced in the dark after consuming Gao Ming. The rain washed the ck fur. The big dog leapt through the shadow, appearing every few meters. Hiding in the big dog, Gao Ming studied the school after dark. The rain dripped on the textbooks no one wanted. Knowledge became blurry. There were people running in the corridor. They looked like they were singing or dancing. The sound of breathing came from the ssrooms. Wingless birds wandered under the dark clouds. Blood lines were like the stars of this world as they dropped from the roofs. The puddles reflected the strange world. A giant w sshed through the puddles. asionally, the big dog appeared among the crowd, attracting many gazes. The young couples stood at the edge of the forest. Students with IDs climbed over the walls. The patrolling teachers ran in a hurry. The security guards picked up the cap and put it on their heads nted. The speakers in the school were broadcasting some dark ditty. The gentle voice was hidden in the rain. It didn¡¯t care if people heard it or not. The fake models in the art room would p for it. The strangely dressed students worked hard in the ssrooms. The light in thest study room at the library flickered. The pool rippled like a big fish was there. The paintings of students appeared behind the ckboard. Old scripts were tossed out the window. Love letters were hidden in drawers. Hiding in the big dog¡¯s body, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The shadow world had its own rules and an indescribable beauty. ¡°Every student who is active at night wears red uniforms.¡± Without rules and limitations, the ¡®mad¡¯ unepted by society enjoyed the rain and darkness. Perhaps they might be killed in the next moment, but they chose to enjoy the present. The big dog came to the office building and spat Gao Ming down. He hid in the shadows. ¡°This building gives me a bad feeling. Why do you often like toe to dangerous ces?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t go to such ces, I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡± Gao Ming rubbed the dog¡¯s head. The dog shook its fur and drenched Gao Ming. ¡°Sorry.¡± The dog raised his head. ¡°You must have done it on purpose.¡± Gao Ming entered the building and headed to the headmaster¡¯s office. Even though the ¡®students¡¯ were abandoned, they had a good life. However, an external force came in to force them to follow the rules and fate. Most students were willing to follow the rules, but a small part became real ghosts. ¡°The student council lied to everyone. The school is not as dangerous as they say at night.¡± With the big dog¡¯s help, Gao Ming reached the sixth floor without being discovered. The office building that felt so oppressive during the day felt more natural at night. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The headmaster¡¯s office was in the middle of the sixth floor. A que with red background and ck characters hung above the door. When Gao Ming got close, he realised the door was half-open, and many people were inside. ¡°Chief, of the 41 investigators, only 20 still listen to our orders. The rest has been assimted by the school. They see themselves as teachers here. If this continues, all of us might be eaten by this school.¡± The voice sounded nervous. Gao Ming recognised this voice. He was the east city investigation centre¡¯s vice-captain, Li Biao. He trusted Situ An unconditionally. He once guarded the meat shop at Si Sui Apartment for Situ An and imprisoned Xuan Wen. ¡°Situ An, I can¡¯t let you do this anymore! You are not investigating anything. You are risking everyone¡¯s lives! You are not qualified to be the chief! Our Huan Men centre will do things our own way.¡± The other voice said strongly. Gao Mingpared the info he had. The elder, who called Situ An by his name, was the captain of the Huan Men Investigation Centre. Ding Yuan. He was an impartial elder. He was killed by Li Biaost time. ¡°Ol Ding, you can¡¯t represent Huan Men anymore.¡± Li Bai said openly. ¡°Chief, don¡¯t worry. Huan Men will not vite the rules.¡± They argued until a voice said. ¡°When we¡¯re at school, you are to address me as the headmaster. I need you to y your roles. Don¡¯t need to care about anything else.¡± Hearing this voice, Gao Ming¡¯s heart jumped. Situ An! Gao Ming thought he could face everything rationally. But when he heard Situ An¡¯s voice, the death memories in his heart room started to collide. ¡°Calm down¡­¡± The intense pain tore through his heart. Gao Ming¡¯s left eye bled. He moved his body to look into the office. The investigators in uniforms stood in the office. All of them wore teacher IDs. Gao Ming scanned the room, but he couldn¡¯t see Situ An. He saw aputer on the table, and Situ An¡¯s voice came from it. ¡°Such a careful man. Is he part of the school now?¡± After Qing Ge and Doctor Lu were killed, Situ An couldn¡¯t control everything anymore. ¡°The investigators we sent here are the elites among elites. They have all been through level 2 anomalies. If they all die in this anomaly, can you take on this responsibility, Situ An?¡± Ding Yuan mmed the table angrily, ¡°You told us to mix into the school and what now? We¡¯ve missed the best timing to conduct an investigation and pushed our colleagues into hell!¡± ¡°Bing a part of the school is a way to survive. If they have a strong will, they can continue the investigation as teachers.¡± ¡°What nonsense! You built this school. When we first came here, only ss 13 had a Level 1 Anomaly. However, in just a few days, the anomaly spread to the whole school. This doesn¡¯t make sense. I have reasons to believe you are behind this!¡± Ding Yuan argued directly with Situ An for the safety of his subordinates. ¡°Ol Ding, calm down.¡± Li Biao slowly approached him. He consoled Ding Yuan, but his hand held a knife in the dark. He wanted to kill Ding Yuan! Chapter 124: Resentment Room, Haunted House, Yin Building Chapter 124: Resentment Room, Haunted House, Yin Building Theputer¡¯s cold light shone on Ding Yuan¡¯s face. The investigators in the headmaster¡¯s office moved around to iste Ding Yuan and his assistant. Li Biao only used his eyes to initiate the n. The former partners silently reached for the knives hidden under their clothes. The sharp knives were raised in the dark. Li Biao smiled as he looked at Ding Yuan¡¯s exposed neck. ¡°Ol Ding, it¡¯s time for you to change your temper.¡± Before the des fell, the door of the office was flung open. A shadow shed by. ¡°Someone¡¯s outside!¡± Ding Yuan¡¯s assistant shouted. He squeezed through the other investigators, dragged Ding Yuan out, and ran. ¡°Is the office building invaded by ghosts too?¡± ¡°Go out and check!¡± The investigators ran out of the headmaster¡¯s office. The shadow stood at the corner of the corridor, as if waiting for them. ¡°Chase!¡± The investigators spread in the office building. Ding Yuan gave chase until he was alone. Ding Yuan was experienced. He sensed something and stopped moving. ¡°The changes have started. Stop hiding. I know you¡¯re there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sensitive about ghosts but insensitive about humans.¡± Gao MIng walked out of the shadows. Ding Yuan¡¯s focus was on the big dog, so he didn¡¯t even notice Gao Ming was there. ¡°A student? No¡­¡± Ding Yuan touched the ck band. ¡°You are a citizen roped into this anomaly, but you don¡¯t act like one.¡± ¡°I assimte to situations quickly.¡± Gao Ming reached out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Gao Ming, Li San Centre¡¯s intern investigator.¡± After some hesitation, Ding Yuan shook Gao Ming¡¯s hand, ¡°East City Investigation Centre, Huan Men District¡¯s Captain, Ding Yuan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you suspect me?¡± Gao Ming could see that Ding Yuan bore him no hostility, just confusion and suspicion. ¡°In the headmaster¡¯s office, I already saw Li Biao¡¯s knife. However, it was already toote. I purposely argued with Situ An to create an opening for my assistant to escape, but in the end, you saved both of us.¡± Ding Yuan let go of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sensitive about ghosts and humans too. This anomaly is spiralling. We need to escape as soon as possible and spread the news. We need to seal off this area. We have to stop the headquarters from sending more investigators here!¡± ¡°What happened here?¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t interacted with Ding Yuan before. He was always killed by Li Biao. ¡°The east city¡¯s temporary chief, Situ An, is suspicious. This anomaly is not natural but humanmade!¡± Ding Yuan was certain. ¡°I received the order two days ago to enter Han De Private School. Back then, only the students in one ss suffered from illusions. They said that a person was hanged in the seats of every table in ss 13. There were 51 seats for 51 dead people.¡± ¡°Every seat has a hanging person above it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. With our investigation, we realised that the files at the school didn¡¯t match the student numbers. We even found a lot of elders deep inside theb buildings. Situ An said that they were people from the old folks home. They came to the school to experience their youth as a treatment method. But we found the shocking truth.¡± Ding Yuan said seriously, ¡°The elders were once students here. They were orphans adopted by Situ An.¡± ¡°Han De Private School has been established in less than 20 years. In other words, young kids rapidly aged up into elders in just years.¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t been to theb building. ¡°Situ An has been conducting some strange experiments here. If not for this anomaly, his secret wouldn¡¯t be discovered. The man has too good of a disguise. The whole Han Hai thinks he¡¯s a great phnthropist.¡± Ding Yuan wanted to investigate Situ An, and that was why he was targeted. ¡°How many investigators were sent in by your centre? Are all of them students?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one.¡± Gao Ming told him about the reunion. When Ding Yuan heard the invitation was sent by Zuo Jun, his face darkened. ¡°Queens Investigation Centre was wiped out not too long ago. The new captain, Situ An assigned, was Zuo Jun. The kid looks honest but is extremely wicked.¡± Ding Yuan suddenly remembered something. ¡°You said you were in ss 13 during high school?¡± ¡°Yes. But some of my ssmates have been taken over by ghosts. It¡¯s not looking good.¡± ¡°This is not the ce to talk. Come with me.¡± Ding Yuan led Gao Ming to the office of Year 3. Ding Yuan didn¡¯t switch on the lights. He had memorised everything¡¯s location. He avoided the furniture and reached the cabs at the back. He took out a light. The weak light chased away the darkness. The cabs were filled with documents. The most conspicuous was a map of the school. The school had nine buildings. With the math building as the centre, it was like a Baguo built on the ground. Each building was marked with different numbers and colours. Many numbers were edited. ¡°Can you understand this?¡± Ding Yuan pointed at the numbers. ¡°The colours are the danger rating, and the numbers are the numbers of ghosts?¡± ¡°Clever. Your captain is lucky.¡± Ding Yuan exined. ¡°A level 3 anomaly is when a ghost appears. But do you know what makes a level 4 anomaly?¡± ¡°The number of ghosts?¡± Gao Ming guessed. ¡°To be more urate, it¡¯s the density of ghosts. If the ghosts are gathered in one room and there are less than three ghosts, such buildings are called Resentment Rooms. The danger rating is between levels 3 and 4. If a whole unit or isted house is filled with ghosts, it¡¯s called a haunted house; If several units in a neighbourhood or a whole skyscraper are affected, it¡¯s called a Yin Building. And the situation we¡¯re in is¡­¡± Ding Yuan circled the entire schoolpound, ¡°called a Death Realm.¡± ¡°Death Realm is also known as despair realm. The ce has its own rules. You can only survive by following its rules. That was why I followed Situ An¡¯s arrangement and led my subordinates to be the teachers here, but then I realised the problem!¡± Ding Yuan said angrily, ¡°This death realm is created by Situ An!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± When Gao Ming met Situ Anst time, Situ An fought for the control of the God of Flesh and Blood at Si Sui Apartments. After he consumed God, Situ An made a new thing. ¡°Situ An encountered something when he was young. That was when his fate changed. He slowly helped that thing grow. He used decades and raised it from an unknown to a ghost. Then, using the ghost as the core, he raised the resentment room into a death realm!¡± When Ding Yuan said these, his pupils jumped. ¡°The madman ns to unite himself with this death realm. He ns to use us so that he can be the rule-makers of this death realm.¡± Chapter 125: Big Ghost Chapter 125: Big Ghost Situ An built Han De Private School to feed that unknown thing. He even worked hard to be Han Hai¡¯s famous businessman and phnthropist. He was impressive, but his actions were extreme. ¡°He created this death realm, so why would he need our help?¡± Gao Ming asked. ¡°After the union, one party will disappear. I suspect the ghost Situ An breed has started to regret its decision.¡± Ding Yuan put away the lighter. ¡°But that¡¯s just my suspicion. All we can confirm now is that Situ An hasn¡¯t achieved full control of the school. The areas he can influence include the office building, the math building and part of theb building. They are locations you can ess with the teacher¡¯s ID.¡± ¡°The teacher¡¯s ID represents one kind of rule. Do the student council badges represent another kind of rule?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Ding Yuan looked at Gao Ming with admiration. ¡°The student council represents the school¡¯s real rules. Some of the staff, like the chefs, the guards and the hostel managers, follow the school rules.¡± ¡°Situ An has to have another trump card to be able to survive here for so long.¡± Gao Ming knew Situ An was not simple. However, his identity was too weakpared to Situ An before this. This time, he swore to eat Situ An fully. ¡°Perhaps. Situ An is very scary. I can¡¯t read him.¡± Ding Yuan shoved the map and everything else into his bag. ¡°Other than the two rules I mentioned, there are some ¡®big ghosts¡¯ that refuse to follow both rules. The death realm will attract nearby ghosts. These big ghosts are very powerful. You can see them as the third force.¡± ¡°Do you wish to leave the office building now?¡± ¡°Situ An wants to kill me. It¡¯s unsafe for me to stay.¡± Ding Yuan picked up his bag. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to meet a special big ghost.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bringing me to meet a ghost?!¡± Ding Yuan was not as traditional as Gao Ming thought. He could even cooperate with ghosts. Ding Yuan and Gao Ming had juste to the first floor when they heard Li Biao on the speaker. ¡°Ol Ding,e to the headmaster¡¯s office now. Even your assistant is here. Where are you?¡± ¡°This bastard wants to use Xiao Fei to threaten me?!¡± Ding Yuan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°The chief found a school loophole. If you don¡¯te soon, I¡¯ll lead the team through it.¡± Li Biao didn¡¯t seem to worry that Ding Yuan might escape. The two exits of the office building were sealed. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. You need to be alive to save others.¡± Gao Ming stopped beside a door. ¡°Should we escape through the windows?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t open any random doors. They could hide things that Situ An raised. Once they are out, the situation will be worse.¡± ¡°Then, we have to use the front door.¡± Gao Ming touched the darkness beside him. Before Ding Yuan reacted, he was swallowed by the big dog. The dog hid in the darkness, led the two out of the office building, and sneaked into theb building. After dropping them there, the big dog disappeared. Ding Yuan was shocked, but he didn¡¯t ask anything because he knew this was Gao Ming¡¯s secret. ¡°Situ An¡¯s rules are in conflict with the school¡¯s rules. They are fighting for control over theb building, causing this building to sink into chaos. Some big ghosts hide here.¡± Ding Yuan leaned on the left wall. He entered the left corridor and went up to the fourth floor beforeing back to the first floor. After doing this four times, he and Gao Ming heard an olddy¡¯s voice. ¡°Tell him to get lost! The school is mine!¡± A well-dressed olddy stood in the fourth-floor corridor. She held a broken phone and yelled into it. ¡°If you dare to sell the school to Situ An, I don¡¯t have you as my son! You can get lost with him. ¡°Charity is a habit. There is no sudden charity! Situ An is lying to you! How stupid can you be? ¡°Get lost! Get out of my school!¡± The olddy was well-kempt. There was no wrinkle on her suit. She was a serious person and had high standards for herself. However, she was cursing like a sailor at that moment. ¡°The olddy¡¯s name is Yan Xizhi. She was the headmistress of Han De Shu Xiang Academy. She used her life¡¯s savings to build a school for the orphans. Before Situ An joined Han De Charity Headquarters, she was the vice president.¡± Ding Yuan looked at thedy with admiration. ¡°She was very rich but was extremely humble. She has helped so many people.¡± ¡°Then, why is she here?¡± ¡°She lived a simple life, but she was ruined by her children. Her eldest son embezzled money from the charity and was exposed by the media. Her second son tried to escape the police and eventually killed himself. Back then, everyone felt like they were scammed. They thought she was a bad person and the charity was just a disguise. People forced her to resign and wanted to kill her.¡± Ding Yuan sighed. ¡°She helped so many people, but no one spoke up for her.¡± ¡°The public was in a mob mentality. They felt like they had been used.¡± Gao Ming understood psychology. ¡°It was toote for her to say anything. She revealed her assets. People said that she had already moved the money before she did so. She showed the messages she had with her sons to prove that she was not shielding them. People said that she was willing to sacrifice her sons to save herself and that she was worse than animals. One day, she disappeared. No one cared whether she was alive or not. Many people said that she had taken the money and escaped the country.¡± Ding Yuan walked down the corridor. ¡°Actually, she was framed. Not long after she disappeared, Situ An took over her spot as the vice president at the charity.¡± The well-dressed olddy saw Ding Yuan and Gao Ming. She hung up the call angrily and walked over. ¡°Teacher Ding, is there an emergency foring here sote at night?¡± ¡°Your eldest son has sold the school to Situ An. He¡¯ll take over as the new headmaster in a few days.¡± Ding Yuan lowered his head. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here, Han De Shu Xiang Academy will not fall into his hands! I will protect every single student here!¡± Yan Xizhi was like an angry lioness. Her memory paused at the moment before Situ An became the headmaster. ¡°It looks like the olddy didn¡¯t disappear. She should be killed by Situ An at the school and she became a special big ghost after her death.¡± When Gao Ming studied the olddy, the olddy also studied him. Chapter 126: Yan Xizhi Chapter 126: Yan Xizhi Gao Ming shivered, being stared at by the olddy. Yan Xizhi¡¯s eyes seemed to be able to see through everything. ¡°Are you a new student?¡± Yan Xizhi stopped before Gao Ming, ¡°Why are there so many people sticking to you?¡± Headmaster Yan¡¯s words scared Ding Yuan. He trusted Gao Ming and believed he was Zuo Jun¡¯s ssmate. He knew Gao Ming had secrets, but he was still a living person. ¡°Headmistress Yan, the fact that they are not willing to leave me proves that I¡¯m quite popr and can bring them a sense of security, right?¡± Gao Ming really believed that. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel tired?¡± Yan Xizhi¡¯s eyes shone with determination and sharpness. She did not seem approachable at first nce. ¡°Compared to your burden, what is mine?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so many things about you since I was young. I wanted to be someone like you, loving, caring, and selfless. I want to use my power to help more people. I have been doing that.¡± Even Ding Yuan couldn¡¯t listen to this. He told everything about Yan Xizhi to Gao Ming only three minutes ago. Earlier, the kid wanted to kill at the office building, but he was like an obedient child before Yan Xizhi. ¡°Your mouth is sweet.¡± Ding Yuan didn¡¯t expose Gao Ming. After all, he was still a living human. After hearing that, the olddy¡¯s fury lessened. ¡°If my two sons have half of your kindness¡­ this is all my fault for coddling them.¡± The olddy tapped Gao Ming¡¯s shoulder and looked at the darkness beside him. ¡°Is this your pet?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s my best friend.¡± Gao Ming knew he couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°He lost his sight since he was born and then injured his ears. After he was abandoned by his biological parents, he was bought by a human trafficker and was forced to beg on the streets. He has a monster¡¯s appearance but a kind heart.¡± Gao Ming knelt down to hug the big dog. The big dog was speechless, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t win Yan Xizhi in a fight, so hey on the ground. He was huge, but he looked so weak. ¡°How much pain do you have to go through to have such a dangerous shell?¡± Yan Xizhi¡¯s heart was pulled. She reached out to pat the dog¡¯s head. ¡°Dear child¡­¡± The big dog was just acting at first, but when he was touched by Yan Xizhi, he felt sofortable, like he was injected with power. At that moment, he seemed to see his bamboo mother. ¡°Do you miss your mom?¡± Yan Xizhi hugged the big dog. She was so different than when she was on the phone. ¡°You should stay here. This school is now your home. I will protect this ce. They will have to go over my dead body to take over this school!¡± ¡°Headmistress, you have to be careful too. Situ An will stoop to the lowest level.¡± Ding Yuan warned her. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Han Hai Charity Headquarters in the morning. I¡¯ve never begged anyone in my life, but I¡¯m willing to do anything for this school.¡± Yan Xizhi¡¯s memory was locked in the moment before her death. She didn¡¯t know that she was dead. She held the broken phone and kept calling people who couldn¡¯t answer her. ¡°Okay.¡± Ding Yuan smiled sadly. ¡°Part of the teachers want Situ An to be the headmaster. The others have been chased out of the office building by Situ An. We want to work here with you to keep the school running. Do you mind?¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t!¡± Yan Xizhi walked down the corridor. The big dog leapt out of the shadow and followed the olddy closely. ¡°Hey.¡± Gao Ming ran over to grab his fur. ¡°Please remember your identity.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for pets to follow the stronger owner.¡± Ding Yuan said since he knew Yan Xizhi¡¯s power. ¡°Have you seen a pet like this?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t wish to let go. Just like that, they followed Yan Xizhi to the storeroom on the fourth floor. The storeroom at the end of the corridor looked so small. It was filled with experiment devices. Yan Xizhi had bought all of these devices to help the students learn the magic of science. As they walked through the shelves, Gao Ming noticed something was wrong. The room was supposed to be small, but they couldn¡¯t reach the end. ¡°I felt the same time when I was here the first time. The storeroom is not affected by Situ An or the school rules. This ce is fully enveloped by the fury of the big ghost.¡± Ding Yuan whispered, ¡°Based on ourter investigation, this storeroom appears to be where Yan Xizhi was killed.¡± Yan Xizhi died in her own school. She protected the ce after death because she was worried about the children. She put down her dignity and used the broken phone to call for help. ¡°This ce is huge. You can call the other teachers toe here.¡± The shelves were stocked with things Yan Xizhi had prepared for the school and letters the students wrote to her. The children really loved her, and it became a reason for her to stay. She had given so much to the school. Everything on the shelves was evidence. No wonder Situ An and the school couldn¡¯t affect this ce. After who knew how many shelves, Gao Ming saw a simple wooden desk and several wooden chairs. The olddy worked here after she died. The light was warm and shone on the various textbooks and homework on the table. She kepting up with new lesson ns to help the children. ¡°Thank you, Headmistress Yan. We will stop Situ An and help you protect the school!¡± Ding Yuan opened his bag and took out the investigation reports. ¡°You¡¯re not doing this to help me but to help the students. Education shouldn¡¯t bemercialised. It should be used to help the students.¡± Yan Xizhi sat down at the table. She stared at the broken phone, waiting for those she had once helped to call her back. Ding Yuan didn¡¯t exin much to her. He pasted the map on the wall and pulled Gao Ming over. ¡°We can hide here for now.¡± Ding Yuan coloured the storeroom on the map blue. ¡°The blue areas represent the movement area of the big ghosts and the areas we can fight for. The white areas are the areas controlled by the school rules, and the ck areas are the areas controlled by Situ An¡¯s rules.¡± Ding Yuan used the blue pen to draw out a route on the map. ¡°We can¡¯t fight with Situ An and the school rules. What we need to do now is to bring all the survivors into the blue area and protect them. However, do not bring any ghost students! They are the rules executioners of the school. They might lead the student council to us!¡± ¡°Identifying the students is too difficult. Some ghost students hide so well.¡± Gao Ming took out a red pen. ¡°Why don¡¯t wee up with new rules to eliminate both humans and ghosts who don¡¯t follow them?¡± Chapter 127: Qiang Feng Chapter 127: Qiang Feng Ding Yuan thought he had heard wrongly. He looked at Gao Ming silently. ¡°Even big ghosts don¡¯t dare to challenge the rules. As a human, you want to set up the new rules?! Are you insane?¡± ¡°Any rules require the executioners. Once we kill all the executioners, the rules will be obsolete, right?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s thought was simple. But when he said these, he lowered his voice. He was worried that his image in Yan Xizhi¡¯s eyes would be ruined. ¡°That¡¯s theoretically correct.¡± Ding Yuan grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s wrist. He could feel his pulse and warmth. ¡°You are alive.¡± ¡°Naturally. Those swapped students are living in the shadows. They don¡¯t dare to vite the rules.¡± Gao Ming rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll start with the blue rooms. If this is inconvenient for you, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Ding Yuan let go of Gao Ming¡¯s wrist, and his wrinkles softened. He seemed to see hope in Gao Ming. In the anomalies, humans were always very passive, including seniors like Ding Yuan. Everyone¡¯s focus was on how to minimise the damage to get more results. Very few actively tried to attack the anomalies. ¡°To be able to take root in aplicated district like Li San, your centre¡¯s way of training is impressive.¡± Ding Yuan seemed to misunderstand something, and Gao Ming was toozy to exin. Yan Xizhi heard the words training and lifted her head to say, ¡°Teacher Ding, are you two exchanging educational methods?¡± ¡°Situ An mighte at any moment. We¡¯re discussing how to protect the school.¡± Ding Yuan was still a bit afraid of Yan Xizhi. He showed great respect to the olddy. ¡°Protecting school is my responsibility. You should focus on the students. Do not let them be influenced by the changing environment.¡± Headmistress Yan thought of something. She searched among the shelves. A few minutester, she walked over with a wooden box. ¡°These are all the things most precious to me. You should share them with the other teachers to calm them.¡± ¡°Thank you, headmistress.¡± It was not Ding Yuan¡¯s first time taking stuff from Yan Xizhi. He gave Gao Ming a look and carried the wooden box to the back of the shelf. ¡°When Han De Shu Xiang Academy was at its hardest legs, Yan Xizhi sold her jewellery collection to save the school. Who knew that after she became a ghost, it would happen again.¡± Ding Yuan opened the box. It was filled with the olddy¡¯s treasures. The things that they first saw were the letters from the students. Granny Yan, in the letters, gathered to form Yan Xizhi¡¯s consciousness. The kids couldn¡¯t forget her, and she couldn¡¯t forget them. Underneath the letters were the children¡¯s handicrafts. These worthless mud figurines on the market were treasures for the olddy. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything useful.¡± Ding Yuan looked further and found a cheap make-up box. He slowly opened the box. Ding Yuan¡¯s reflection appeared in the small mirror. Nothing happened. Ding Yuan was quite disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ve used this make-up box for decades. I will miss it. Before I participate in any big events, I will check myself in the mirror.¡± Yan Xizhi silently appeared behind Ding Yuan. When the mirror showed the olddy, the mirror¡¯s surface turned red. The thin capiries were arranged for many students. ¡°It can help you see yourself and others clearly.¡± ¡°Thank you, headmistress.¡± ¡°Teacher Ding, it doesn¡¯t matter how much we pay as long as the kids are safe.¡± After saying that, Yan Xizhi returned to her table. She continued to call the phone that was broken. ¡°The mirror inside the make-up box can help with danger rating. Headmistress Yan is a Level 3 Anomaly. This storeroom is a Resentment Room. We can use that as the standard.¡± Ding Yuan handed the mirror to Gao Ming. Gao Ming epted the mirror and nced at it. The mirror was bloody. He didn¡¯t even show up. It only showed the God of Blood and Flesh. The arms were strung with dead bodies. Gao Ming closed the mirror and ced it in his pocket. ¡°We should split up the things inside the box. You will run into danger if you¡¯re hunting other ghosts. Therefore, you can pick first.¡± Ding Yuan thought the box would possess weapons, but they were all memorabilia. ¡°Each letter represents a blessing. Items of purity like these are very rare in the shadow world. They will be very useful.¡± Gao Ming checked everything and found a group picture. Thest batch of students, led by Yan Xizhi, finally graduated. She took a group picture with the kids. It was probably thest picture of her alive. Shadows moved in the picture. The picture was colourful. Only the olddy was in ck-and-white. It felt like she had given all the colours to her students. ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± Gao Ming and Ding Yuan stayed in the storeroom until 3 am. Five more Huan Men investigators came to join them. Of the entire east city centre, only these people managed to escape from Situ An. ¡°Captain, Bi Liao is hunting us with the others! Everyone from the east city listens to Situ An¡¯s orders. We¡¯ve been made into the traitors.¡± Qiang Feng was the leader of Team 1 at Huan Men. ¡°Team 2 has been massacred by Li Biao. Xiao Fei is captured, and only a few of us are left from Team 1.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t expose the existence of headmistress Yan, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qiang Feng shook her head. ¡°Yan Xizhi is our investigation. Other than Team 1, no one knows about her.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ding Yuan removed the teacher id. ¡°We are in open conflict with Situ An. We should stop using the Id. In the future, we¡¯ll move around the territory of the big ghosts.¡± ¡°But not all big ghosts are as kind as Headmistress Yan. Some big ghosts are extremely cruel. Other students won¡¯t go near them. They can openly vite the rules.¡± Qiang Feng didn¡¯t understand Captain Ding¡¯s confidence. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Ding Yuan shared Gao Ming¡¯s n with Qiang Feng. Qiang Feng had zero confidence in Gao Ming. ¡°I am used to being alone.¡± Gao Ming rejected Ding Yuan directly. ¡°The headquarters might send in more investigators. Your main responsibility is to tell them the truth and expose Situ An.¡± Chapter 128: Humanitys Shiniest Moment Chapter 128: Humanity''s Shiniest Moment Once the centre was on Situ An¡¯s side, endless investigators would stand in Gao Ming¡¯s way, and Gao Ming didn¡¯t want to see that. After deciding on a meet-up code with Ding Yuan, Gao Ming left with the spare map. If he didn¡¯t leave then, the big dog would probably stay with Yan Xizhi forever. Gao Ming checked the blue areas of all the other big ghosts. Some ces looked normal, but they were like Yan Xizhi¡¯s storeroom. They needed to use special methods to enter the Resentment Room. ¡°The death realm is made up of many different Resentment Rooms. Many different ghost stories appear to be a spiralling story.¡± Han De Private School hadn¡¯t fully lost control because Situ An and his unknown ghost were in a conflict. When they reached apromise or when one party ate the other, the school would go out of control. The school was a cage. After the cage was open, the school would be the new contagion source of Han Hai. The weak light appeared down the horizon. Gao Ming spent his first night at the school. He didn¡¯t dare to go back to the bedroom but went to the canteen. ¡°The sun ising up. My power is limited. The students here can use the rules to kill me.¡± The big dog felt threatened. He didn¡¯t follow Gao Ming but hid inside the ck-and-white picture. ¡°The rules are stronger in the day. Why is that? Is it rted to the students? Most of the students would be asleep at night.¡± Gao Ming thought about it. ¡°As more people follow the rules, the more powerful the rules?¡± Gao Ming thought about the game he made for Xuan Wen. As more people remembered Xuan Yuan, the harder it was for the shadow world to kill XUan Wen. Gao Ming ordered his breakfast, and soon, the students came from the hostel building. ¡°They weren¡¯t quiet thest time. I wonder how many of them are ghosts now.¡± Once the night was over, the students started to send messages in the chat group. They asked about each other. In the end, they decided to meet up at the canteen. Then, they would follow Yuan Hui¡¯s suggestion and go to ssroom 13. 20 minutester, the students gradually arrived. Some of them looked like they hadn¡¯t slept a wink. Some looked like nothing was different. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± Xi San saw Gao Ming from a far. He led Wang Jie and Du Bai to his side. Compared to his passion, Wang Jie was calmer. Afterparing the code, he sat down beside Gao Ming. ¡°Where were youst night?¡± ¡°The manager auntie in the red jacket was guarding the front door, so I couldn¡¯t leave. I went to the toilet on another floor to hide.¡± Gao Ming stretched. ¡°What about you guys?¡± ¡°Du Bai went to the blue manager¡¯s room. The two of us barely survived!¡± Xi San was excited. He was about to exin the story when Qian Junran stood up to p his hands. ¡°Everyone, please listen to me.¡± Qian Junran stood on the chair. ¡°After yesterday night, everyone should understand how dangerous it is. I was so scared yesterday night. I was shivering, but fear would only blind us. Therefore, we have to ovee it! We have our own families and things we can¡¯t leave behind. For them, we have to survive!¡± ¡°Right! Well said!¡± The fatty who shared the bedroom with Ma Tao waved his arms. ¡°Once one was born, one would fight fear! It was simrly how our ancestors walk out of the darkness!¡± Qian Junran got into it. ¡°We can survive! Ghosts are not scary! With human¡¯s intelligence, we can find a way out!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t give up. At most, we can fight the ghosts!¡± Cai Meimei agreed. ¡°Do they think they can scare us? No way!¡± ¡°Courage is the most beautiful thing about humanity!¡± The students cheered for each other. Gao Ming was shocked by their optimism. It appeared like only certain rooms were targeted yesterday night. As the students gathered together, Qian Junran showed confidence and shook his fists. ¡°After we have our fill, we¡¯ll go to ss! ss 13 will win!¡± Wang Jie sat the furthest from Qian Junran. ¡°This idiot. The ghost probably won¡¯t even want to take his body because he¡¯s too dumb.¡± Everyone had their own method of handling a problem, so Gao Ming said nothing. After breakfast, even though Wang Jie kept grumbling, he chose to attend the ss with everyone. Walking through the familiar corridor, the students of ss 13 returned to the same ssroom. Pushing open the door of ss 13 on the fourth floor, the ckboard, projector, tables, and chairs looked normal. However, there was a thick rope hanging above each chair. The strangest thing was each noose had a different length. When everyone sat back in their seats, they realised the nooses reached their necks perfectly. ¡°These nooses are problematic. They might loop around our necks at any time. I suggest we cut the ropes, but don¡¯t make it too obvious.¡± Cai Meimei took out her nail scissors from her bag. ¡°Pay attention to the surroundings. The windows and doors are the focus. If there¡¯s danger, we have to follow the evacuation n.¡± ¡°Be careful of the fans above our heads. The ssroom has both air-conds and fans. I suspect they will fall. This is a trap.¡± Fatty pointed above his head. ¡°You have a point. Look. When we¡¯re together and gather our thoughts, many scary things are not scary!¡± Qian Junran looked at the students. ¡°Seeing this, I can¡¯t help but be reminded of a book I read¨CThe shining moment of humanity!¡± Gao Ming, who was watching everyone, couldn¡¯t help but cover his face when he heard that. At least ? of the people in the ssroom were ghosts. The clock ticked. When there were still 15 minutes to ss, a young woman in the centre uniform entered the ssroom. She wore the Teacher¡¯s ID and scanned everyone. She took the podium and wrote down two numbers on the ckboard, 31, 13. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. There were 44 people in the ssroom. ¡°The two numbers add up to the total number of people. Do the numbers represent the numbers of ghosts and humans?¡± Gao Ming looked around. At that moment, the ssroom door opened again. Zuo Jun, in the school uniform, appeared at the door. He looked more mature, but he still gave off a silly and honest feeling. ¡°Zuo Jun!¡± Many people stood up. Their eyes shot out fire. ¡°Find a ce to sit.¡± The teacher waited for Zuo Jun to take his seat and changed the 31 on the ckboard to 32. Chapter 129: Zuo Jun Chapter 129: Zuo Jun ¡°The number has changed, and Zuo Jun is part of the majority.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t get mad. He studied everyone in the ssroom. After a scary night, the students reached a consensus. Be it humans or ghosts, they would work together to find the truth. However, the teacher wrote the two numbers on the board. She reminded them directly that there were ghosts mixed among them. This made Qian Junran¡¯s rallying words into jokes. The only person with a confirmed identity was Zuo Jun. If he said he was human, the majority were humans; If he were a ghost, then it was not optimistic. Humans might have to pretend to be ghosts to survive. Everyone had a lot of opinions regarding Zuo Jun, but Zuo Jun shared the benefits of being in the majority. The ss bell rang. The students had to resist their urge to question Zuo Jun and attend the ss. ¡°None of you take this seriously. You are the worst batch of students I¡¯ve taught.¡± The female teacher smacked the table. ¡°I know you¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re going to Han Jiang for an event in a week, but I¡¯m telling you. If you don¡¯t do well this week, I¡¯ll request the headmaster to cancel your qualification to attend the event!¡± ¡°Are we going to an event next week?¡± The students discussed it among themselves. Gao Ming was stunned because this was exactly how it was in the memory fragment of the 51st student! Was this a coincidence? ¡°Shush!¡± The young teacher walked to the window and pulled back the curtain. She pointed at the bus in the storm. ¡°The best ss has gone there one week ago. If you do well this week, this bus will bring you to Han Jiang one week from now.¡± The students didn¡¯t listen to what she said next. They were focused on leaving the school. They had been tortured for a whole night, and finally, they got a piece of good news. ¡°I will do anything as long as I can leave.¡± Fatty, who shared a room with Ma Tao, was especially active. His personality changed so much. In contrast, Ma Tao was fully silent with his head lowered. ¡°For the next week, you have to stick to this timetable strictly. Noingte or leaving early!¡± The female teacher pasted the table beside the ckboard. ¡°During my ss tomorrow, I hope everyone is present. All 51 students, not one less. If someone skips ss, you can forget about the event!¡± The female teacher used this method to set up the first mission. They had to find all 51 students to attend the ss tomorrow, be it humans or ghosts. ¡°Now close your books. Your first ss is very simple.¡± The teacher whipped the board. ¡°You need to tell me the meaning of these two numbers before the end of ss. You can discuss it now.¡± There were no extra rules. The ss looked at each other. Even Qian Junran didn¡¯t dare to speak. He was so confident when it was safe but such a coward when there was danger. ¡°Time is ticking. If you can¡¯t figure out the answer, you will lose the qualifications to participate in the activities.¡± The female teacher urged impatiently. The ss was silent. The ghosts were very good with their disguises. This confused Gao Ming the most. He realised the ghosts were even more hardworking than humans. ¡°After the ghosts took over the normal students, could they leave the school on the bus? Is that why they are working so hard to act as ss 13 students?¡± Gao Ming looked up at the noose. Gao Ming felt like they were the chains of fate. The whole ss tried to struggle loose, but in the end, they would be hanged there. ¡°The numbers add up to the total number of students in the ss. The two numbers probably represent the humans and monsters.¡± Liu Yi was the first to speak. ¡°As for which is which, we¡¯ll have to figure it out together.¡± ¡°Yesterday, Ma Tao and a few guys were dragged into the kitchen for not following the rules at the canteen. They shouldn¡¯t be humans anymore.¡± Wang Jie stood up to re at Ma Tao. ¡°The chefs only wanted us to help them!¡± Ma Tao didn¡¯t expect to be targeted. He quickly exined it. ¡°The consequence of viting the rules is just to help out?! Do you think this school is a kindergarten?¡± Wang Jie scanned everyone and paused. ¡°I thought other ghosts would help your case. That way, we can fish out the other ghosts. It looks like ghosts are selfish too.¡± Wang Jie had confirmed Ma Tao¡¯s identity, ¡°After the lights went out at the hostel yesterday night, Ma Tao walked the corridors. He wanted to enter our bedroom. He said he got an order from Zuo Jun.¡± Wang Jie slowly turned around to look at Zuo Jun. ¡°Did you ask Ma Tao for help yesterday night?¡± Zuo Jun looked at them coolly and shook his head. ¡°Zuo Jun is lying! Don¡¯t forget that he is the one who brought us here! He¡¯s the ghost!¡± Ma Tao¡¯s voice turned sharp. ¡°If Zuo Jun is the ghost, then the ghost has the majority. Then, the ghosts could easily take over the situation, and there¡¯s no need for us to discuss this.¡± Wang Jie sounded so confident. ¡°Even though I hate Zuo Jun, the chance of him being human is very high. Plus, I have another evidence. Yesterday night, we didn¡¯t open the door for Ma Tao. After that, Ma Tao entered Fatty¡¯s room. After that, screams kepting from that room. Therefore, I suspect not only he but also everyone in that room has be a ghost!¡± Wang Jie took out a piece of paper and showed the ss. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying them since this morning. Compare their actions to their usual habits, and you can tell what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°There are already six people in their bedroom. If you include those who stayed in the canteen, wouldn¡¯t there be too many ghosts?¡± Qian Junran didn¡¯t experience anything too scary yesterday night. He didn¡¯t think Ma Tao had changed too much, ¡°There¡¯s no need toplicate this. We only need to confirm if Zuo Jun is a human or a ghost.¡± Yuan Hui stood up. He ignored the teacher and walked to Zuo Jun. He grabbed his cor. ¡°Where did you hide my family?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t message you and kidnap your family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Yuan Hui took out a knife from his sleeve and aimed it at Zuo Jun¡¯s neck! He moved so fast, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, Zuo Jun used one hand to detain him and pressed him heavily on the table. They were not on the same level. Yuan Hui was fully defenceless before Zuo Jun. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat myself. I didn¡¯t message any of you.¡± Zuo Jun looked down on them. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me calling me because this school summoned all of you. Everyone in ss 13, including myself, should be dead already. But for some reason, we are still all alive.¡± The female teacher looked at this emotionlessly. She didn¡¯t stop them. At that moment, footsteps came from the corridor. The ssroom door opened. A bloody Zuo Bo appeared at the door with his bag. Chapter 130: Madness Chapter 130: Madness ¡°The killer is here!¡± Cao Song, the student who stayed back for a grade, shouted. When he was ying basketball yesterday, he saw Zuo Bo kill the other Zuo Bo. The blood dried on his clothes. Zuo Bo looked unstable. He wore the patient¡¯s garb underneath the white coat. He was both the doctor and the patient. He walked to his seat and sat down. Zuo Ba ced the bag beside his desk. He didn¡¯t take out his book but ced the bloody knife on the table. The students didn¡¯t get close to him. Even his deskmate, Xiong Di, was so scared. Zuo Bo held the knife and mumbled to himself, ¡°This is arge learned helplessness experiment. Despair and pain cannot be controlled. However, if we give up on the resistance, even if we have the chance to escape in the future, we¡¯ll miss it due to habits!¡± ¡°Zuo Bo¡­¡± Qian Junran¡¯s eyes twitched. He covered his nose when he smelled the blood on Zuo Bo. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zuo Bo slowly turned his head around. He nced at Qian Junran and then at the numbers on the ckboard. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. This is false consensus bias. There are not that many ghosts and monsters. You think there are monsters all around you because there are monsters in your hearts.¡± None of them could understand him and thought that Zuo Bo was crazy. Wang Jie nudged Gao Ming and whispered, ¡°Do you understand what he¡¯s saying?¡± ¡°I feel like Zuo Bo is more aware than most students. He has a point.¡± Wang Jie frowned. There were two doctors in the ss. One was insane, and the other one agreed with him. The teacher on the podium stared at Zuo Bo. Then, she stood up and changed 32 to 33. The students were shocked. Based on their prediction, the majority of the ss was humans. They didn¡¯t think Zuo Bo was still alive based on his appearance. ¡°Zuo Bo, are you¡­ human or ghost?¡± Qian Junran asked directly. ¡°I am a human¡­ and a ghost.¡± Zuo Bo revealed his teeth. He yed with the knife. ¡°There¡¯s only one real human in this ss. No¡­¡± He slowly turned his head to look at Gao Ming, ¡°He¡¯s only half a human.¡± Zuo Jun didn¡¯t wish for Zuo Bo to continue, so he pushed Yuan Hui away. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Zuo Bo is alive or not, but I can tell you that I am a human. Therefore, the two numbers on the boards, the 33 represents humans, and the 13 represents ghosts.¡± ¡°I agree with him.¡± Liu Yi raised her arm. ¡°Can we have a show of hands?¡± The students gradually raised their arms. The female teacher smiled, ¡°It seems like you¡¯vee to the answer. Then, you can hand in your answer early. Write your answer down, fold it and put it in this box.¡± The teacher took out a white box from under the podium. The box had the words, election box written on it. Zuo Jun was the first to drop his answer. Since no ident happened to him, the rest followed. As more answers were dropped into the box, the wooden box slowly turned bloody. It was like the students were not dropping the answer but picking someone to kill. When Wang Jie dropped hisst answer, the originally white box had turned fully red. ¡°No one got it wrong. You are cleverer than I thought.¡± The female teacher caressed the bloody box like it was her lover. ¡°This voting box will follow you to aid you in your decision until you leave the school on the bus. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know what¡¯s inside the box. You only need to know that all the decisions have been made by you collectively. None of you is innocent.¡± The teacher looked at them. Then, she carried the box, didn¡¯t check it and left. After the teacher left, the students turned to Zuo Jun. It was Zuo Jun who insisted on the reunion. Now that something had happened, he should take full responsibility. If they didn¡¯t beat him, they probably would be angrier. ¡°How many times do you want me to say it? No matter what we do, everyone will gather here due to various reasons. This is our destiny and something we should face.¡± Zuo Jun¡¯srge body gave off intense pressure. ¡°I don¡¯t care about destiny. I only care about the tape.¡± Wang Jie was not afraid at all. ¡°Give me the tape, and I can help you.¡± ¡°Which tape? The one where you dismembered the homeless man? Or the one where you pushed the olddy into the river?¡± Zuo Jun then snapped his fingers. ¡°I know. It should be the one where you buried your girlfriend!¡± ¡°Do you think you can drive a wedge between the ss and me with these lies?¡± Wang Jie¡¯s hands in the drawer tightened. However, there was no nervousness on his face. ¡°The tape I want is the one you stole from my study when you pretended to search it. Those people are scarier than ghosts.¡± ¡°You react so quickly.¡± Zuo Jun took the podium and wiped away the numbers. He took out the centre¡¯s ck band and ced it on the table. ¡°I know everything every single one of you has done because I represent the investigation centre.¡± Zuo Jun showed his hands. He told everyone about his identity as Queens Centre¡¯s Captain. Everyone reacted differently. Gao Ming was thinking too. Why would Zuo Jun show his hands so soon? Was it because Situ An was losing in thepetition to control the school? Originally, Queens Centre had the best investigators in the east city. Situ An even had Qing Ge and Doctor Lu. However, they were all eliminated by Gao Ming. Huan Men Centre was split into two. Situ An could use fewer and fewer people. He was forced to change his ns and told Zuo Jun toe meet the students. ¡°This school is a Level 4 anomaly. The reason for its appearance is within us.¡± Zuo Jun used the ck band to project the info onto the ckboard. ¡°Ten years ago, there was a car ident at the intersection between Han Hai, Xin Lu and Han Jiang. The bus overturned in a tunnel. All the passengers went missing, but strangely enough, no one came to lodge a police report.¡± Zuo Jun then showed a picture of everyone. ¡°The police scanned the crime scene and found us through the hairs found at the scene.¡± Zuo Jun slowed down. ¡°I know this is hard to believe, but afterparison, the hairs found on the bus do belong to us. All of us were on the bus when the ident happened, but none of us remember it.¡± The projection changed. An arrow extended down from every student, and the arrows pointed to a ck-and-white portrait. ¡°The key thing is the police discover that not only did ss 13 forget everything that night, but we also forgot the only student who didn¡¯t get on the bus.¡± Zuo Jun walked to the portrait and pointed at that blurry face. ¡°How do you know there¡¯s a 51st student? Everyone has no memory of him, so maybe he doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Du Bai said in a low voice. ¡°Because the police found a schoolbag on the bus. The bag contains the 51st student¡¯s homework, books and his phone.¡± Zuo Jun¡¯s words grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s attention. ¡°All of us who should be on the bus survived. The 51st student who shouldn¡¯t be on the bus had his things left on the bus?¡± Liu Yi¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°What is in the kid¡¯s phone?¡± Zuo Jun revealed the phone content. ¡°On the night of the ident, all of us called or messaged the kid. Some hoped he¡¯de to the tunnel, and others warned him not to go near the tunnel. Everyone had differing opinions, but from the results, it looked like he followed the majority.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, then we would be all ghosts. Even then, we still tricked him over. That¡¯s so bad.¡± Zhou Sisi didn¡¯t dare to imagine it. She forgot her original choice. She only remembered that before she came to this school, she saw a bloody man in her bed. ¡°50 of us tricked the 51st student to the tunnel so that he¡¯d be our scapegoat. 1 life for 50 lives?¡± Qian Junran nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good trade.¡± ¡°Or he might need to suffer the pain and despair of 50 people on his own.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s sudden words startled Qian Junran. ¡°Gao Ming might be closer to the truth. The 51st student is trapped in a death loop. As long as we are alive, he¡¯ll have to keep dying.¡± Zuo Jun took out the centre¡¯stest investigation results. ¡°However, a few days ago, the student who should be trapped in the death loop escaped. However, he has been in a dying state. After he was discovered by the people of Han Hai Charity, he was sent to the hospital next to Han De Private School. Then, he was personally taken care of by East City Centre¡¯s temp Chief, Situ An. Then, the anomaly happened.¡± ¡°The anomaly here is caused by the 51st student. Does this mean that he can only escape from the death loop once 50 of us are dead? We have to return to ept our fate for him to regain a new life?¡± Zhou Sisi shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s right. Due to our selfishness, Student 51 is under intense pain. Fate is trying to rectify this mistake, and that¡¯s why we¡¯re gathered here.¡± Zuo Jun put away the band, ¡°Perhaps we conducted a bloody vote ten years ago, and it was us who pushed the innocent kid into the abyss.¡± The ss was silent as everyone pondered Zuo Jun¡¯s words. However, there were exceptions. No matter what Zuo Jun said, Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t be moved because he knew what kind of person Situ An was. Situ An had a trump card no one knew about. He wanted to use it to control the 51st student, but there was an ident, and there were two sets of rules at the school. Based on Gao Ming¡¯s understanding of Situ An, the reason he had Zuo Jun gather everyone at the school was because he wanted to use the students in a trade with the 51st student. Chapter 131: PE Chapter 131: PE Part of the truth from ten years ago was recovered. Zuo Jun only told the part beneficial to him and Situ An. He didn¡¯t lie but told the selective truth. The others were so distracted by him that their anger towards him lightened. ¡°The past has already happened. The path has been picked.¡± Wang Jie held his chin. ¡°Instead of being wrought by guilt, we should consider the present.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. What we need to do now is to attend the sses and take on the 51st student¡¯s revenge and tests over the next week.¡± Zuo Jun looked down on them. ¡°Listen to your orders, and the east city investigation centre will protect you. As long as you don¡¯t purposely vite the rules, the bus will send you out a weekter.¡± ¡°The only way to leave the school is through the bus. However, if we take the bus, we might face the same conundrum from ten years ago.¡± Gao Ming turned to look out the window. ¡°If I want to take revenge on you, I will give you enough hope so that you¡¯ll keep struggling. However, in the end, you¡¯ll realise that hope is merely despair in a mask.¡± Zuo Jun looked at Gao Ming, ¡°Then, do you have other ways to leave the school?¡± ¡°If the east city centre really has the power to protect us, it wouldn¡¯t have allowed us to be dragged in here in the first ce.¡± Gao Ming looked at the rain outside. ¡°Can we trust an organisation that tricked 50 living humans into entering a ghost¡¯s trap?¡± Zuo Jun hoped that the students would listen to him because the east city centre didn¡¯t have the energy to control them. Gao Ming saw that and exposed it. ¡°At this ce, you can only trust the east city centre.¡± Zuo Jun¡¯s eyes turned dangerous as he threatened Gao Ming. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. No matter where we are, the only person we can trust is ourselves.¡± Gao Ming drew a smiley face on the window. He knew far more than Zuo Jun. No matter how smart Zuo Jun was, he wouldn¡¯t have guessed that Gao Ming had visited the whole school in less than 24 hours. When the other students were asleep, Gao Ming escaped the hostel building, saved the captain from the Huan Men Investigation Centre, met up with Yan Xizhi and knew about the other big ghosts. Gao Ming sat in his seat, and Zuo Jun looked down on him from the podium. The tension was light. The bell rang. Zuo Jun said nothing and returned to his seat. During recess, the students found their best friends. When people were afraid, they would find their friends. Everyone was digesting the knowledge they learned in the ss. Soon, the second ss started. A teacher in the centre uniform took the podium. This teacher had the Id on his chest. He looked about 60 plus and almost dying. ¡°Now that the first ss is over, you should have an understanding of your situation. Let me help you familiarise yourself with the rules of the school.¡± The elder slowly opened his teaching n. He listed down the rules for all the school buildings. The students took out their notes to record everything. They were not this serious during exams. ¡°Good cop, bad cop.¡± Wang Jie saw through the centre¡¯s n. The first ss was to send the students into panic, and the second ss was to give them aid and hope so that the students would start to trust the centre. The second ss wasfortable. The old gentleman tried hies best to teach them how to survive. Everyone studied so hard. Soon, the 40 minutes were over. In the dangerous school, the ss felt so precious. The ten-minute recess was soon over, but the elder didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to leave. ¡°The third period is PE.¡± The first two sses were held by Situ An¡¯s people. They represented Situ An¡¯s rules. Gao Ming wondered when the school would strike back. ss 13 was unique. The school would allow Situ An to control the entire ss. It would do something. The bell rang for the third ss, but the elder continued the ss like it was normal. He noticed the shock in the students¡¯ eyes, so he exined patiently, ¡°Your PE teacher had today off. He¡¯s not feeling so well, so I¡¯ll be his substitute.¡± Once he said that, heavy footsteps came from the corridor. The ssroom door was pushed open. Arge monster about 2 metres tall, bulging with muscle, appeared at the door. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the gym?¡± The voice was like nails grating on a chalkboard. This person should be the PE gym mentioned by the old man. ¡°I still have some rules I haven¡¯t exined to the kids.¡± The old man¡¯s hands that held the lesson n trembled. He nced at Zuo Jun with a plea. ¡°Students, do you wish to attend my ss or his?¡± ¡°Learning the rules is very important to us.¡± Qian Junran said as the self-appointed ss representative in a low voice. ¡°In the past, we did like PE, but now¡­¡± A giant mutated arm reached out to grab the old man by his neck. The PE teacher dragged the old man out of the ss. His red eyes red at Qian Junran. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°But now, we love PE ss even more!¡± Qian Junran¡¯s face was pale. ¡°It¡¯s our luck to have a buff teacher like you for our sses!¡± ¡°In five minutes, run to gather at the activity building!¡± The PE teacher in a red shirt didn¡¯t have a Teacher¡¯s ID. He was not Situ An¡¯s people but a big ghost. ¡°The school rules will not let Situ An win easily.¡± Gao Ming stared at the man¡¯s back. ¡°This school has many surprises.¡± The students ran to the activity building as fast as they could. The PE teacher¡¯s performance in the ss shocked everyone. The activity building was thergest building at the school. It not only had an indoor football build but also amenities like a swimming pool and so on. When ss 13 arrived, the school¡¯s swim team waspeting. 7 students participated, but only 3 students finished the contest. The other 4 appeared to disappear into the pool. ¡°Don¡¯t look around!¡± The PE teacher pped his hands. ¡°List out the sports you¡¯re best at and the sports you want to try. I¡¯ll register all of you inpetitions. Those who fail will be punished!¡± Everyone panicked when they heard about thepetition. Losing at this school might mean losing their lives. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five minutes to think!¡± The PE teacher put the form and pen on the table and left. Seeing the fear, Zuo Jun walked to the front and said, ¡°Only the centre can protect you. The other teachers and students want to kill you. Only when all of you die will the 51st student appear. Therefore, you have to follow the centre¡¯s orders!¡± When Zuo Jun gave his speech, Gao Ming walked to the table with the whole ss watching him. He picked up the pen and wrote down swimming in the sports that he was good at. Chapter 132: Rules at the Pool Chapter 132: Rules at the Pool ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± Zuo Jun¡¯s tone turned aggressive. It was like Gao Ming was purposely going against him. ¡°What if I heard you?¡± Gao Ming put the pen back down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you not trapped here as well? If you can punch that PE teacher to death, do you need to say these things only after he left?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s words were incendiary, but Zuo Jun couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Gao Ming, I know you¡¯re smart but do you know what you¡¯re facing? Pride will destroy you.¡± Once Zuo Jun said that, Wang Jie went over and wrote down his name on the form. ¡°Hurry up. Once the PE teacheres back and sees that we haven¡¯t finished the form, he¡¯ll probably crush one of the unlucky ones who didn¡¯t write their names.¡± Qian Junran didn¡¯t like Zuo Jun either. He felt like he had stolen his thunder. The students went to write in the form. As they did so, the students around him slowly dispersed. It was storming outside. The ce didn¡¯t feel lively but totally dead. After the PE teacher came back, he nced at the form. He started to form groups with the interests. Then based on their physical state, he put them on physical tests. The PE teacher looked scary but he was a very good teacher. Every student improved with his training. ¡°If we had a teacher like this back when we were still in school.¡± Xi Sanmented since he was part of the basketball team. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Gao Ming had been watching the PE teacher. Every big ghost had something special about them. He was curious how the PE teacher became a big ghost. The third ss was PE. When it was time for the fourth ss, something unexpected happened. The PE teacher didn¡¯t allow them to leave. The teacher in the centre uniform came to the activity building to find the students. He wanted to get the students. Zuo Jun tried to shoot gazes at the man but the man still went up to the PE Teacher to reason with him. The PE Teacher didn¡¯t reason with the man. He used hisrge arm to hug the man and dragged him into the changing room. A few minutester, only the PE Teacher came out. ¡°Does the investigation centre have enough teachers?¡± Xi San was really worried about Zuo Jun. He hoped the centre could save him. Gao Ming¡¯s words were more cutting. He nced at the emotionless Zuo Jun, ¡°The other party refuses tomunicate with you and removes a teacher from your side.¡± ¡°Pay attention, everyone! Get to the changing room!¡± The PE teacher pointed at the room. ¡°You seem to have a natural fear of water. Only one student likes to swim. In that case, we¡¯ll train swimming this ss!¡± The students were stunned. They knew how dangerous it was to enter the water. ¡°Did you know the PE Teacher would know this?¡± Wang Jie was the second to fill up the form so he saw Gao Ming write down swimming for his favourite sports. Gao Ming smiled and didn¡¯t exin. ¡°Move it! Find your locker based on your school number! Your swimming clothes are in the lockers!¡± The PE Teacher pped his hands. His eyes were scary. No one wanted to wear swimsuits provided by a stranger but they had no choice. Gao Ming entered the changing room. He noticed his locker was bleeding. None of the other students dared to get close. ¡°Do you want to change a locker?¡± Du Bai suggested softly. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. This amount of blood is normal for doctors.¡± Gao Ming entered his school number and opened the locker. Some hangers and swim trunks were ced on the top shelf. The teacher from earlier was shoved on the lower shelf. He wore the centre¡¯s ck uniform. His extremities were bent out of shape as he was stuffed into the locker. ¡°Fuck!¡± The students ran away. Gao Ming ignored the dead body and removed his shirt. ¡°Gao Ming?!¡± Du Bai resisted the fear and grabbed Gao Ming by his elbow. ¡°Can you not see it? It¡¯s not a dead bug inside your locker but a dead man!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a dead bug, I won¡¯t use the locker, but this is just a ghost.¡± Gao Ming said calmly. ¡°His bones are stuck inside the locker. It¡¯s impossible to pull him out. Leave him be.¡± The others were stunned. It hadn¡¯t been that long since they graduated. How did Gao Ming change so much? ¡°Aren¡¯t you a psychiatrist? This is beyond your job scope, right?¡± Du Bai moved away. He felt awful just being near the locker. Gao Ming¡¯s body was fit and healthy due to the influence of the God of Flesh and Blood. He hid the death portrait from the supermarket boss, Zhang Ding, in his palm. Due to fear of the PE Teacher, even though the students were unwilling, they changed in the limited time and gathered by the pool. The PE Teacher wore his previous clothes. He led the students to finish the warm-up and had the studentse closer to the swimming pool. Han De Private School¡¯s indoor pool was huge. Students would train there all the time. They wouldn¡¯t leave even if their skin were bloated. When the ss 13 students came over, the students around the pool turned to stare at them with a scary gaze. They had a human appearance, but they didn¡¯t feel like they were humans. It felt like a monster would crawl out after their skin became bloated. ¡°Before you enter the pool, I¡¯ll repeat the rules of the pool again!¡± The PE teacher finally announced the rules. ¡°First, do not run or y by the pool, or you might trip. ¡°Second, do not dive into the pool because the water is shallow. It might cause spine damage or permanent disability. ¡°Third, do not press other people¡¯s heads underwater to prevent drowning. ¡°Fourth, beginners are not allowed to the deep water area. If you identally wander over, please call for help. ¡°Fifth, when you swim forward, you have to keep your eyes open. Remain a distance from the person in front of you. ¡°Sixth, when you¡¯re in the water and feel a chill or a cramp, please get up from the pool immediately. If you feel like you don¡¯t have enough energy and cannot swim back to the edge, you should raise your hands or shout for help.¡± Gao Ming stood beside the pool. It was impossible to tell where the shallow water zone ended and where the deep water zone started. ¡°I¡¯ve told you the rules. Five of you from the first row,e out now! Split up into groups and get into the water!¡± The PE teacher pointed, and he got everyone from Room 1314 and Qian Junran, the unlucky bastard. Chapter 133: Monsters in the Pool Chapter 133: Monsters in the Pool The students who were not named sighed in relief. They looked at the five who were named. Standing beside the pool, Qian Junran looked troubled. His eyes radiated pain. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t feel too well.¡± Qian Junran turned his head and raised his hand. ¡°I have stomach pain. I might not be able to enter the pool.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± The PE Teacher was reasonable, and he didn¡¯t force Qian Junran. ¡°The tall one,e here! You can bring him to the infirmary.¡± The tall one was Zuo Jun. When he heard he was going to the infirmary, his face darkened. He wanted to say no, but he swallowed it once he saw the PE Teacher¡¯s mutated muscles. ¡°Anyone else who is sick can go with them.¡± The PE Teacher¡¯s smile was scary. ¡°The infirmary has theplete set of equipment. Thest student who went there came in with 170 Jin and came out with 70 Jin.¡± Others wanted to act sick, but when they saw Zuo Jun¡¯s dark face and the teacher¡¯s description, they changed their minds. ¡°Sir, I suddenly feel better,¡± Qian Junran straightened his body. ¡°I believe I can do this.¡± ¡°No. I have to be responsible for your health. Tall one, bring him there now!¡± The PE teacher grabbed Qian Junran and pushed him to Zuo Jun. Hisrge body was like a small mountain. ¡°Okay.¡± Zuo Jun and Qian Junran left. The Teacher picked two more girls to rece their spots. Coincidentally, Zhou Sisi stood beside Gao Ming. Zhou Sisi was already scared, but she was arranged to stand beside the music box killer. She didn¡¯t dare to greet Gao Ming. She kept her head lowered to hide the fear in her eyes. ¡°After so many years, Zhou Sisi has be shy.¡± Gao Ming nced around and was the first to jump into the water. The pool was heated, but his body felt cold. It felt like there was something watching him in the water. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Group 2, prepare to get into the pool!¡± The students spread around the edge. No one dared to stay too far away from the sides. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of the water. Try to be one with the water. Grab thedder and lower your heads under the water.¡± The Teacher¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°Try to hold on for 30 seconds and use your heart to feel the water.¡± Staring at the clear surface, Zhou Sisi took a deep breath and sank her head underwater. The warm water covered her cheeks and ears. All the sounds faded away like she had entered a different world. Zhou Sisi had great lung capacity. She would go to the gym after work. Holding her breath for 30 seconds was easy. Zhou Sisi opened her eyes underwater. The fear in her heart lessened. She felt embraced by something warm. Her eyes moved around. She saw her ssmates around her. The pair of legs stood around the edge. ¡°What is that?¡± Among the normal humans, Zhou Sisi suddenly saw a pair of white legs. They were fully white with no blood. The pair of legs was standing close to Gao Ming. ¡°That is not my ssmate!¡± Zhou Sisi thought of that immediately. She noticed the legs moved in the water. The person was moving towards her! The legs had no sense of beauty. The skin was almost falling off from being soaked in the water. It seemed to ignore the water resistance. ¡°Why does it seem to be targeting me?¡± The pale legs came closer to Zhou Sisi. The students around her felt like they were dead. No one reacted. ¡°It¡¯sing!¡± Zhou Sisi pushed her head out of the water. She looked at the ce where the legs were. There was no one there. ¡°Did I imagine it?¡± Zhou Sisi went underwater again. She opened her eyes, but she saw nothing. As she moved back, she knocked on someone. She turned around and saw the pair of pale legs standing behind her! She was so scared that she tried to turn around. But when she tried to surface, a pair of hands pressed her shoulders. A bloated face appeared before her. In her shock, she let go of thedder. She took in a few mouthfuls of water. She didn¡¯t even have time to call for help before she was pulled away by the white person in the pool towards the deep water zone! ¡°He-help!¡± More than one student was attacked. Everyone quickly poked their heads out. ¡°All students have to follow the school rules!¡± The PE Teacher was furious. He removed his red sports jacket and jumped into the pool like a torpedo. He swam quickly as he tried to save all the students who were dragged away. The pool was very haunted. Who knew how many students died there? Based on the school rules, the dirty things could only move around the deep water zone. However, they had vited the rules. They tricked the students to let go of thedder and tried to drag them over to the deep water zone. The PE teacher looked cruel, but he was a defender of the rules. He wouldn¡¯t harm the students purposely. He would only go after those who didn¡¯t follow the rules. The PE Teacher¡¯s power appeared to be limited when he was in the pool. Even as a big ghost, he only managed to save two students. ¡°You can only take those who vite the rules!¡± The PE Teacher swam towards Zhou Sisi, who screamed for help. The water around him deepened in colour. Without warning, he couldn¡¯t feel the bottom of the pool under his feet anymore. He had entered the haunted deep water zone. The pool was like Headmistress Yan¡¯s storeroom. There was a resentment room underwater. No one knew how deep the water was. The students had no idea what had happened. They followed the teacher¡¯s instructions and raised their heads again. By then, the PE Teacher was already in the deep water zone. The students were scared. Since the teacher was preupied, Wang Jie wanted to get out of the pool. He put his hands on the edge but realised that he couldn¡¯t pull his legs out of the water. There was nothing inside the pool, but something was holding his legs tight. ¡°Save me!¡± Wang Jie was not the only one who found this problem. Someone shouted. ¡°There are ghosts underwater!¡± The students near the edge were attacked. The school¡¯s swim team stopped their training. They looked over and pointed at them andughed. ¡°The ss¡¯ students are special! You have to treat them by the rules!¡± The PE Teacher finally grabbed Zhou Sisi, but he became trapped too. The students panicked. The students around him would suddenly disappear, and they might be next. ¡°You can only see those ghosts when you are underwater.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart beat. He knew that he had been heavily targeted. ¡°Is that true?¡± Xi San couldn¡¯t leave the pool. When he heard Gao Ming, he knelt down and buried his head underwater out of curiosity. Instantly, Xi San¡¯s head bumped into a bloated head. There were water ghosts all around him. Their hair floated in the water. It felt like the pool ground was overgrown with water weeds. ¡°The fuck! It¡¯s true! They are everywhere!¡± Xi San covered his head and stood up. He hadn¡¯t even spit out the water in his mouth when he was dragged away! At that moment, his survival instinct kicked in. He grabbed anything around him. Gao Ming and Wang Jie, who stood near him, were grabbed. ¡°Fucker, let go!¡± Wang Jie couldn¡¯t stop him. The water in the pool deepened. The shallow water zone was almost gone. Gao Ming was surrounded by a few drowned students. When she saw Gao Ming fall into the water, Liu Yi immediately wanted to save him. Gao Ming gestured at her crazily, but it was toote. The pool was supposed to be not that deep, but Gao Ming kept sinking. His breathing became difficult. He could barely save himself, much less others. ¡°What is the big ghost at the pool? The school rules even specified a rule for it¡­¡± The bottom of the pool turned ck like an abyss. Gao Ming saw arge crack at the bottom. The deep crevice had many adults in swimwear trapped there. They were bound there with ropes. In the middle of the ropes, there was a girl who looked like a fish. She wore a red school uniform. Her face was captivatingly beautiful. However, her limbs and the end of her body grew into thick ropes. The girl carried great resentment, greater than any ghosts Gao Ming had ever encountered. ¡°Did the girl drown here after she was bullied?¡± The pool cracked. The girl looked like she was encased in the cement of the pool floor. The girl wanted to bind everyone with the ropes and hide them in the sunless water. ¡°She¡¯sing!¡± The resentment surged like waves. When the girl came closer, Gao Ming saw that many wounds were hidden under the school uniform. However, hardened scales had grown over them. At that moment, Gao Ming summoned the God of Flesh and Blood. As blood flowed, his fingers that held the death portrait opened. The murky flood water dirtied the pool. The boss, Zhang Ding, responded. Different from the pool¡¯s clear water, Zhang Ding¡¯s flood was forceful and unreasonable. It wanted to bury everything in the world. The girl¡¯s face twisted. She screamed as she pulled on all the ropes to kill all the ghosts and humans before her. Zhang Ding was theplete opposite. The flood spread. He just wanted to envelop the girl, to undo the knots on her and help her heal. The collision happened in the abyss. Zhang Ding underestimated the hatred in the girl¡¯s heart. Something couldn¡¯t be healed. The girl wanted to kill, and Zhang Ding wanted to heal. This put Zhang Ding at a disadvantage. Sensing this, Li Shu, in the portrait, put down his alcohol and ran out. The other supermarket employees followed. The dirty water polluted the pool. The girl in red screamed. It was like her clean home was dirtied by outsiders. Seeing this, Zhang Ding shook his head at his help. He signalled for them to return to stabilise the water ghosts who had died in the flood. Last time, when he opened the door to send Bai Xiao and Gao Ming back to the real world, the supermarket floor loosened. If everyone came out again, the consequences might be unimaginable! The neighbours and employees didn¡¯t care. They only saw Gao Ming calling for them and their boss being dragged into the abyss. After everyone got out, Gao Ming sensed something was wrong. The death portrait in his palm started to crack. The supermarket ground in the picture started to split open! Wei Dayou and the others were still close to the supermarket. If the water ghosts at the supermarket came out, Min Long Street would be a death realm! Gao Ming swam towards Zhang Ding immediately. The boss also wanted to shake the girl loose. They tried their best, but the supermarket floor broke, and some of the water ghosts escaped. ¡°Give me the flood picture!¡± Zhang Ding returned to the photo at thest moment. He couldn¡¯t stop so many ghosts. Aftermunicating with Gao Ming, they decided to send the flood¡¯s ghosts into the school pool. The girl in red¡¯s face was twisted beyond belief. These people not only ruined her resentment room but also wanted to take over her room and force her out. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Gao Ming felt like the girl was so pissed that she was about to speak. He had no choice but to use the death portrait as the centre of the flood. The trapped water ghosts finally found freedom. They created waves of death. The mud and sand mmed against the pool wall. The water level of the pool kept rising. Soon, it overflowed and the water flowed to the other rooms in the activity building. Chapter 134: This is Out of My Expectations Too Chapter 134: This is Out of My Expectations Too The clear pool soon turned into a muddy swamp. stic bags, branches and livestock carried away by the flood floated in the water. The stench reced the smell of disinfectant. The water ghosts that gained freedom vited the school rules freely. They could infiltrate any spot the flood could reach. The neighbours of Min Long Street looked guilty. The situation was worse for the girl who died in the pool. She was already angry, and this snapped her remaining rationality. Gao Ming surfaced to exchange air. He noticed that the water had flooded the first-floor of the activity building. Jesus! He swore he didnt do it on purpose. He brought the supermarket portrait underwater as a back-up. He didntmunicate well with Zhang Ding. Zhang Ding came out on his own because he pitied the girl. To be honest, everyone at the supermarket was kind. Everyone probably came out to help her. Of course, the method was a bit rash. On the positive side, the school rules hold on the activity building disappeared. Now, no ghost can execute the rules here. On the negative side Gao Ming looked around. His ssmates and the school swim team were swept away by the flood. Screams were everywhere. The ropes snapped. The pools limitation on the students unravelled. Everyone grabbed the things closest to them and tried to survive. Save the people first! The death portrait Gao Ming held seemed to rey the day Li Sui Dam burst. The water ghosts were like a flood. It was impossible to tell how many there were. The tragedysted for half an hour before Zhang Ding managed to seal the floor back up. About of the water ghosts had escaped. Zhang Ding left the portrait again with difficulty. He looked at the almost-destroyed activity building and said guiltily, I didnt mean to do it. We just wanted to help. You dont need to apologise to me. The issue now is that the water ghosts from the flood have spread to the rest of the building. This whole area has been polluted. The crack on the flood portrait lightened. Gao Ming quickly put it away before someone spotted it. Then, what should we do now? Zhang Ding grabbed Zhang Fendou, who was ying with the water. Its hard to capture all the escaped water ghosts. We need to apologise to the owner of the building and ask for his help. Boss Zhang, how can you shirk from the responsibility? Gao Ming finally swam to the edge. Since you were the one who did this, you should be this ces new owner and manage everything. How is that logical? Your angle is rather special. Zhang Ding pondered it. Gao Mings words made some sense. Who can control the flood other than you? Gao Ming pointed down the pool. The girl in the red uniform was fighting the water ghosts. She had deep resentment and great power, but there were too many water ghosts. Furthermore, this schools former manager allowed the tragedy to happen to this girl. If we do nothing, wont your conscience hurt? You should bring the girl to the supermarket and have her join our big, happy family so that she can feel warmth and love again. Youre not wrong about that. Zhang Ding was persuaded by Gao Ming. He ced Zhang Fendou on a ram that floated by. He melted into the water and swam downwards. The girl in red was going crazy. The unluckiest person was the understanding PE Teacher. He followed the school rules and wanted to stop the water ghosts that broke the rules. He was the first to have a conflict with the girl in red. Now that the pool had been destroyed, and the girl couldnt find Zhang Ding, she vented her anger and resentment on the PE Teacher. She grabbed him and refused to let him go. She forced him to suffer the attack of the flood as she did. This is all a misunderstanding. Zhang Ding and the neighbours saved the others first. Most of the students were tossed out of the pool before they knew what happened. The water level had passed the knees. The students rushed up to the second floor with no regard for their clothes. Facing the terrifying flood, both humans and ghosts didnt want to get involved. This swimming ss has flooded the entire building. Gao Ming didnt move too far. He paid attention to the other students and saved whoever he could. Move! The people from the student council are here! The front door opened from the outside. The strange thing was the flood didnt flow out. It was as if it was forbidden by some kind of power. It could only affect the inside of the activity building and not the whole school. The student council members with badges entered the building. They released all the students who didnt vite the rules. From this perspective, the student council was merely doing their job. They seemed to be on justices side. Come out now! The student council saved the students from ss 13 first. They seemed to have received some kind of order that ss 13 was different from the other sses. The student council even carried out the school uniform and phones ss 13 left in the changing room. It was still raining outside. Everyone was cold and hungry. They were tired and so scared. They didnt feel thankful for surviving a tragedy. They knew that it was their first day of school, and they needed to survive six more to graduate. Everyone was pessimistic except Gao Ming. The sports ss originally had a difficulty of one, but once he released the flood, it jumped up to 10. The school immediately sent the student council over, afraid that Gao Ming would murder everyone. Xi San hugged Du Bai as he cried and vomited out the dirty water. Wang Jies face was drained of blood. His eyes filled with despair. We seem to have underestimated the 51st students desire to take revenge on us. Gao Ming rubbed his hair and whispered softly, We should look on the bright side. Perhaps the next ss wont be as difficult. You are too optimistic. This school wants to torture us to our death! Du Bai was drenched. He was taken by the flood earlier, and his mouth was dirty with mud and sand. Fuck! Why not just kill us? Why torture us like this? The student council sealed up the activity building. Teachers with teachers IDs rushed over. Both parties surrounded ss 13. After doing a headcount, the student council returned the clothes to the students. Then, they had a stand-off with the teachers in the centre uniform. Neither party entered the activity building. Neither the school nor Situ An knew who targeted the activity building. It was unclear who broke the rules first. Both parties ced great attention on ss 13. Huh? Du Bai looked through his phone out of habit. Look at your phones! When we kept our phones in the changing room, someone used our phones to send a message! Everyone checked their messages. Everyone had a new message on their phones that was sent to an unknown number. The content was different. Some said, Come here. Were waiting for you. Others said, Be careful! Theyre lying to you. Donte! We all sent a message to the same number. Are these messages the same message we sent to that student who didnt get on the bus ten years ago? Gao Ming didnt let anyone see his message because the message represented their stances. Some of the students encouraged the 51st student to be the scapegoat. Others warned him froming to the ident site. The beauty, ugliness, greatness and dirtiness of humanity were disyed in the messages. All of the sses have their own meaning. The swimming ss was for something to get close to our phones. The school probably had other ns, but the activity building was flooded by me. In some school ghost stories, some students went to school and disappeared; in other school ghost stories, the student went to the school, and the school disappeared. Chapter 135: Paintings Chapter 135: Paintings Zuo Jun, can you find me some clothes as well? Qian Junran followed Zuo Jun in his trunks. He looked so pitiful. Shut up! Zuo Jun said darkly. He wore the uniform of the centres captain over his trunks. Do you know that you almost caused my death? How? Qian Junran held his chest. Isnt the infirmary the ce to save people? Is it that scary? You might still know how you die if you go to other ces. At the infirmary, you cant even die if you want to! Theres a very special Big Ghost hidden there! Zuo Jun said severely. He didnt bring Qian Junran to the infirmary. He went to the office building controlled by Situ An and hid by the window on the third floor. What is a big ghost? Its something you dont ever want to meet. This ce has attracted many big ghosts. You better be obedient! Zuo Jun nced at Qian Junran coldly, Dont talk after we return! Dont do anything you shouldnt. Follow the investigation centres instructions! Then, are we going back to the activity building now? Qian Junran shivered from the cold due to hisck of clothing. We need to finish the swim ss. Dont have any conflicts with the PE Teacher. In the afternoon, our people will take over the sses. Zuo Jun thought back to the time table. There cant be any idents during the sses in the afternoon. But Qian Junran saw the situation inside the activity building through the window. No but! Zuo Jun wanted to kill Qian Junran. However, he was part of ss 13, and ss 13 was very special. But look! Qian Junran pointed dumbly out the window. The activity building appears to be flooded! What? Zuo Jun shoved Qian Junran out of the way. He cursed and ran towards the activity building. Qian Junran screamed and ran in his trunks. ss 13 gathered outside the activity building. They saw the messages they sent. Some of them identally exposed their messages. Others hid their phones. The message became their biggest secret. Back then, the people who messaged the 51st students toe back were the killers. Many people made that choice, but it didnt mean they would admit to it before the public. The appearance of the messages proves one thing. I should have been on the bus ten years ago. I should have died in that cycle ten years ago, but I somehow entered the second cycle. Gao Mings thoughts probably couldnt be understood by his ssmates. I am the first cycle. Ill return to the tunnel after I die. The bus from ten years ago might be the second cycle. Then, what was the condition for triggering the second cycle? If the cycle started once someone died, then the second cycle should have started earlier. Or would the cycle only start when the 51st student was alive? That night, there were 50 students on the bus and 1 student not on the bus. One side had to die as the sacrifice. If both parties survived, they would be discovered by fate, and the cycle would reinitiate. It feels like someone nned this ten years ago. They used the cycle to hide another cycle. Gao Ming hade up with the quadruple cycle theory a while ago. Theyers ovepped each other. It was how the culprit managed to trick fate and how an anomaly like Gao Ming appeared. It was a crazy thought. Gao Ming held his heart that was filled with death memories. He had no idea what kind of ending would befit this kind of endless despair. Dont just stand there! Zuo Jun came back with Qian Junran. They found their clothes and phones. Zuo Jun put his phone into his pocket. Hemunicated with the teachers in the centre uniform. Qian Junran only focused on putting on his clothes. After being tricked by a few ssmates, he clicked open his message before everyone. Everyone looked over. A long message appeared on Qian Junrans hone, It might not be good for you toe But if you donte, its all over for me. I still have my family You shoulde. Everyone misses you. Qian Junran was like this when he was in school. He was a fence-sitter. It was clear that he was the one who sent the message, but he had no impression of it. Weve confirmed one killer. Du Bai grumbled as he walked past Qian Junran. What killer? Qian Junran put on his clothes and finally grasped the situation. He sneezed. He wanted to know more, but his ssmates moved away from him. The ss in the morning ended like that. During lunch, the happiness from the day before disappeared. Most fo the students didnt sit together. The messages split us up even more. The people from Room 1314 still sat together. Wang Jie ced his phone on the table openly. Actually, theres nothing to hide. You know my personality. If sacrificing one person can save everyone else, Ill definitely choose to sacrifice him. Wang Jie clicked on his message. He didnt hide anything. The content was also very direct. He hoped the 51st student toe over. People like you are in the minority. Before Xi San finished speaking, Du Bai showed his message too. He also chose to lie to the 51st student. What about you two? Du Bai sat with Wang Jie and looked at Xi San and Gao Ming across from them. From the ending, most of the students chose to have him sacrifice himself. I Xi San shook his head and focused on the food. Gao Ming didnt say anything. Lunch soon ended. The first ss in the afternoon wasnguage. The teacher in the centre uniform exined the various zones. He listed the activity building and theb building as taboo zones. The ss was boring, but the students wished the ss would never end. At least they didnt need to face different ghosts in ss. As the bell rang, the students hearts rose again. The next ss was art. The ss was in ssroom 2103 in theb building. The investigation centre teacher just said that Room 2104, the art ssroom, was one of the taboo zones. Their ss would be next to it. We cant avoid this. We might as well go early and give the art teacher a good impression. Xi San had given up on his struggle. He led the way to leave the math building and go to theb building. The two buildings were in the same schoolpound, but they gave offpletely different feelings. Math building felt like it was enveloped by a fake sun. Theb building felt like it had sunken underground. Even the walls reeked of chill. Pushing open the door to Room 2103, the room was filled with easels. The easels had white canvases on them. The students entered the room. When the bell rang, the room door closed on its own. The cloth over the ckboard fell. Five difiting paintings were pasted on it. Of the five paintings, one of them is painted by a killer. The other four are painted by the victims. You have thirty minutes to find the painting by the killer and mimic it on your canvas. A womans voice came from the taboo room, the art ss 2104 next door. Chapter 136: Xia Yangs Portrait Chapter 136: Xia Yang''s Portrait A voice from the taboo zone? Is our teacher inside the taboo zone? ss 13 had a new educational method. Their teacher gave them the homework from another room over. The art teacher didnt mention any punishment for failing the homework, but everyone knew it wouldnt be good. The windows and doors of Room 2103 shut off. A clock hung above the ckboard. The number on the clock face was minuscule. The needles were crooked and moved in a strange manner. The doors arent locked, but they cant be opened. Xi San tried the doors. He held the pencil and paced around. Thats so annoying. Can you stop? Du Bai wanted to ssh the paint on Xi San. All five paintings look like a crazy person made them. How can we find the specific one? Xi San ignored Du Bai and came to check on the others. In reality, most of the students were lost too. They didnt dare to make guesses. In the past, they might fail if they guessed wrongly, but at this ce, they might die. Gao Ming, which painting do you think was made by a crazy killer? Liu Yi and Wang Jie were smart. They both came to Gao Ming. There were two psychiatrists in ss. Zuo Bo was mad. The other was Gao Ming. He was the ss hope. All five paintings describe the same scenario of students sitting in ss. For the first painting, the students are depicted using the simplest lines. The painter tried their best to reconstruct the original scene. For the second painting, the seconds were ckened by the painter. The brush strokes were so strong that they almost ruined the canvas. This is a sign of aggression. The painter should be someone aggressive. If hes the killer, then it is a crime of passion. That doesnt fit the definition of a crazed killer. The third painting is the most special. It is the only painting to use a lot of colours. The tables, chairs, ckboard and lights in the ssroom were painted red. The students were drawn in ck lines and then supplemented with red paint. This painting is visually impactful. Its presentation is more from the victims perspective. I only sense anxiety and pain in this painting. There is no exciting. The fourth painting is the most professional. Its like a photograph of the original scene. The brush strokes are as sharp as a knife. Every students expression is so lifelike. The techniques employed are highly impressive, but they dont reflect anything of the painter. Or rather, the painter has perfectly hidden his real thoughts. Thest painting looks the most normal, but take a closer look. This painting is the one that is the most difiting. Many details expose the painters twisted mentality. Gao Ming stood up and walked to the fifth painting. The painting uses a minimal amount of soft lines. Even the table edges and points are highlighted. The painters aggression is much stronger than that of the second painter. Plus, he knows how to hide it. He spends most of the time suppressing his urges. Now, look at the painted students. Some are fighting, and others are arguing. However, pull your attention to the students at the corner. When the painter drew them, their hands subconsciously reached towards their lower bodies. Be it male or female, the sexual characteristics are emphasised. It shows a strong desire in the painter. Even when he painted these side characters, he was breathing heavily. Gao Ming walked past the five paintings and had a rough guess. The killers painting should be between the fourth and fifth paintings! Such expertise! Xi San had to give Gao Ming a thumbs up. Its nice to be in the same ss as you! Gao Ming didnt dare to ept Xi Sans praise because the mud from the flood was still stuck to Xi Sans neck. Zuo Bo, what do you think? Gao Ming walked down and stood beside Zuo Bo. They were high school mates and were supposed to have a good future. The fourth one! Zuo Bo gripped the pencil tightly and started to draw on his canvas. Because the fourth painting expresses nothing! Why would a killer tell others hes a killer? You have a point. Gao Ming helped them narrow down the scope. They started to choose between the two paintings. We only have 30 minutes. We shouldnt waste time. Xi San chose the fifth painting. Before he started painting, he even reminded Wang Jie out of kindness. If Im a killer, what kind of painting will I draw? Wang Jie had this thought in his mind. He stared at the fourth painting, and his hands started to mimic it subconsciously. With his painting skills, he couldnt mimic it perfectly. It was more like he was painting a derivative of it. Time was ticking, and the students started to work. Gao Ming picked up his pencil too. I hate drawing. The moment he held the pencil, Gao Ming thought of Xia Yang for some reason. The man died in his own painting and had his corpse drawn himself. Gao Ming had no idea how Xia Yang came up with such a preposterous idea. Gao Ming couldnt confirm if Xia Yang were dead or not. He couldnt be alive because he had a corpse. He couldnt be dead because his corpse had drawn him out. Xia Yang was dead-like. The tip of the pencil touched the canvas. Gao Ming started to mimic the fifth painting. He drew very fast. It was like he didnt even need to think. However, as he drew, he noticed a problem. His hand that held the pencil appeared to be controlled by some kind of force to keep drawing. Why did you stop drawing? Xia Yangs voice suddenly appeared in his right ear. Gao Ming turned to the right. Wang Jie held the pencil like a knife. His eyes were red, and his soul appeared to be sucked into the painting. The other students didnt look so well either. Their bodies leaned forward like they wanted to crawl into their paintings. The scariest thing was as theypleted their paintings, the artroom where they were started to change. It became the ssroom in the paintings. They are drawing the moment they were killed. Xia Yangs voice returned. Gao Ming took out the death portrait. Gao Ming lowered his head to look. He noticed that Xia Yangs portrait had changed. Xia Yangs corpse was painting but he wasnt painting himself but the students of ss 13. On the canvas, the storm mmed against the window. The sky darkened. There was blood all over the artroom. The students were scattered on the ground like puzzle pieces. Only Gao Ming stood alone in the middle. Ill make sure youre the only one who survives. The other students wouldnt have expected that while they were pondering how the art teacher would punish them, Gao Ming had already murdered them in the death portrait. This troubled Gao Ming too. He hadnt figured out how to deal with the art teacher next door and a new problem arose with Xia Yangs death portrait. Chapter 137: Art Chapter 137: Art Xia Yang was as dangerous as Situ An, but his death portrait was so powerful that Gao Ming was unwilling to give him up. A painter with a fatal illness used the death portrait gifted to him by the shadow world and became the leader of all the yers in the age of tragedy. Xia Yangs dramatic life was perfect for a movie. No one could really understand Xia Yang or guess his thoughts. His many actions were iprehensible. For example, when he found out Gao Ming had seen many futures and decided to kill him, his choice was to have himselfbined with the death portrait in a manner that none of the future timelines had seen. That way, no matter which future timeline it was, it wouldnte into realisation. Gao Ming couldnt kill someone who was already dead. Xia Yang couldnt kill Gao Ming but used a different method to rece him. Hes incredibly talented but ignored by the world. He is always peaceful and gentle but has been hunting human beings in the dark. He has a fatal illness and is not long for this world, but he never surrenders to fate. Interacting with someone soplicated is like dancing on the tip of the knife. Gao Ming was thinking about something else. It was like someone was controlling the pencil he held, and soon, a painting waspleted. Gao Ming looked down and realised that he hadnt drawn any of the five paintings. As if to taunt the art teacher, he drew a sixth painting. In the ssroom, all the students from ss 13 were killed except for Gao Ming. Every other students attention was pulled to the canvas. Their souls looked like they had been pulled into the canvases. The strange and ugly clock on the wall expressed the passage of time. With each passing minute, the blood in the art room thickened. Blood stain spread. Red paint dripped everywhere. Theughter from the taboo zone next door became shriller. The minute hand froze at the 29th minute. The students woke up from their daze. They looked at the ssroom that turned red. The anxiety and fear in their eyes amplified. Wait! This is not Room 2103. Look at the notice on the wall! This is Room 2104, the art ssroom! Ol Cao, who sat near the door, said in fear. When did we enter the taboo zone? Everyone was so absorbed in their paintings that no one knew how they got there. Its the painting. When we were painting, our mind and consciousness were directed by the art teacher to enter her resentment room. Zuo Juns expression had never lightened since he rejoined the ss. His ssmates were so unlucky, and they refused to listen to him. Resentment room? Xi San scratched his chin. What is that? Zuo Jun frowned even deeper. The bloodred paint dripped on their clothes. It bloomed like flowers on their school uniforms. Everyone, I have to congratte you because the majority of you have cleverly made the right choice. However, I have to inform you of some bad news. Actually, both the fourth and fifth paintings were made by the killer. The art teachers voice came from every canvas. It shocked many students. In that case, didnt that mean we made the right choice? Xi San suddenly felt better. The two paintings were drawn by two killers. One of them could be a victim too because one of them killed the other. The art teacher seemed to enjoy telling this story. This might be her personal experience. Which painting is made by the real, final killer? The choice is yours. Some of the students were still confused, but Gao Ming, Zuo Jun, Wang Jie and the rest were already on alert. The art teachers meaning was to have the students who chose the fourth and fifth paintings kill one another! The surviving party would be the killer, and the dead party would be the victim. What are you waiting for? Harming your friends so that you can survive. Isnt that what you do best? The art teacher mocked. Hurry up. Use your friends blood to create a new painting. Make my 2104 artroom even redder! The red paint fell like rain. The art teachers voice became sharper and scarier. You still have one minute left. If you dont make a choice, all of you will die here! Paintings of red faces appeared on the walls. They looked so real, like real people had been embedded into the walls. What should we do? Xi San was 1.8 metres tall, but he fidgeted between Wang Jie and Du Bai. His roommates drew the fourth painting, and he drew the fifth painting. We dont need to listen to her, right? Why dont we escape? Escape? Resentment rooms are ces where big ghosts die. Without its permission, no one can escape. Zuo Jun silently reached into his uniform. The centre uniform came with special des. No one can leave the ssroom before the art ispleted. The art teachers voice came from the paintings. Every student in every painting cried blood tears. It looked scary and absurd. If you want to protect more people, you can put it to a vote. Majority wins. Isnt that what you normally abide by? The art teacher made sense. The students looked at one another, but no one dared to be the first to speak. Do we really need to do this? When Xi San noticed the change in Wang Jies gaze, he ran towards the backroom. He wanted to open it. Dont waste your energy. Zuo Jun knew resentment rooms well. The big ghost wouldnt let them go so easily. Xi San pushed open the door easily. Everyone, including the art teacher and Xi San, was stunned. Did the big ghost forget to lock the door? A crazy thought surfaced in Zuo Juns mind. Then, he saw the students rush to leave the artroom like crazy. Everyone left the artroom, but when they saw the situation outside the door, they were confused. It was not the school corridor outside the artroom but the inside of a bungalow. The bungalow was spacious. It had two floors and many rooms. There was red paint everywhere. Another resentment room? Zuo Jun examined the spot where the two rooms ovepped. The red paint melted together. The human faces inside Room 2104 gradually disappeared as they were painted over. Gao Ming, who was among the crowd, was very nervous. He was very familiar with this bungalow. This was Xia Yangs bungalow, the ce where he died! Chapter 138: Three Paintings Chapter 138: Three Paintings Xia Yangs death portrait has been triggered, but I still have no idea what his portrait does. The students entered the bungalow to explore. Gao Ming wanted to stop them, but he didnt know which excuse to use. Seeing the salvation on their faces, Gao Ming didnt have the heart to tell them the truth. The art teacher followed the school rules. She only wanted to kill a part of them, but in Xia Yangs sixth painting, other than Gao Ming, all the students in ss 13 were sliced into pieces. We need to work hard to search for clues! This bungalow might hide the art teachers secrets! Qian Junran used his rarely-utilised brain for once. The big ghost wouldnt let us go for no reason. She might need our help! Right. Xi San stood by the door. The shock in his eyes was gone. I didnt expect her to be a tsundere. In this situation, we should pretend to be forced by her to do this. That way, well give her face and protect ourselves. Only Wang Jie wasnt that optimistic. He stayed close to Gao Ming, I have a bad feeling. The 51st student is more vicious than we thought. Based on the situation in the gym ss, he normally would prepare two paths. One leads to a trap, and the other to the abyss. Wang Jies analysis was urate, but he missed a critical factor. Zuo Jun touched the ck band. He was confused too. The warnings Situ An gave him didnt apply anymore. Which part of the sequence messed up? Come to the second floor! There is a dead body here! Xi San shouted in the second-floor corridor. Based on the art teachers voice, she should be female. Why is this dead body male? Dont wander off! Gao Ming reminded them, but his ssmates didnt listen to him. With Zuo Jun leading the way, they headed up to the second floor. There was a dead body in the art studio littered with ruined canvases. Ity in the middle of a giant canvas like it was asleep. Is he the art teachers husband? Howe it feels like his paintings are better than the art teachers? Xi San picked up a random painting. The painting that was created beyond normal human imagination impacted him a lot. It felt like he was admiring not the painting, but the God of Death inside the painting was admiring his soul. Is there really a God of Death in this world? I wasnt drawing the God of Death, but Gao Ming, The man in the painting suddenly removed his mask to smile at Xi San. Xi San was so shocked that he threw the painting away, Fuck! Zuo Jun, who was examining the corpse, raised his head and was hit by the painting. He tightened his fist and veins pack on the back of his arm. Stop freaking out over nothing. The person inside the drawing is alive! Xi San was a good person. After he was scared, he quickly reminded the others, Stay away from the paintings! His warning was timely, but anomalies had already urred. A bloody knife fell out of the painting Liu Yi was holding. The monitor, Yuan Hui, stood before an art piece named Sea Monster. The painting was created with different hues of blue, but somehow, it created a sense of the deep sea. Yuan Huis body kept leaning forward. He felt like there was something hidden in the blues, but he couldnt see it. It feels like somethings there. Yuan Huis face was almost touching the canvas. He didnt smell the stingy fumes of paint but the scent of the sea. There was something approaching in the deep ocean. At that moment, Yuan Hui heard Xi Sans warning. The moment he turned around, a giant mouth appeared inside the painting. The seawater sshed everywhere. The jaws bit into Yuan Hui and dragged him into the painted sea! Several students screamed. They were stunned by the giant maw. After Yuan Huis body was torn, it didnt bleed but emitted a horrible stench of rot. Before he could say anything, Yuan Hui disappeared into the painting. Sea Monster returned to normal. It was just the hue of blues. The bad news is there is a real sea monster inside the painting, but the good news is the eaten Yuan Hui wasnt real but a ghost! The students were already so scared. On their left was the killing artroom, and on their right was the death gallery. There were 13 ghosts hidden among them. Of course, only 12 remained. Fuck, what have we done to deserve this? Du Bai retreated until he bumped into Ma Tao. At this stage, not only the real students were scared, but the ghosts were also scared. They were there to capture scapegoats but to die. Yuan Huis death was just the start. Cai Meimeis scream came from the first floor. Everyone leaned on the bannister and looked down. Fatty, who shared the room with Mao Tao, had his stomach expanding until it looked ready to explode. He ate the fruits on the table. The fruits were drawn. After he ate one, he couldnt stop eating! Cai Meimei pointed at Fatty. Her face was white. Fatty couldnt hear anything. He wiggled on the ground like a worm as he slurped down the ruined canvases until his stomach exploded. Paper shreds fluttered down like snow. Fattys face dissolved into another form, and then his body disintegrated into waste paper and became one with the ruined canvases. Does every single canvas here represent a real human life? The students were scared by that thought. Their limbs chilled. Kill me! Kill me! Kill me! A hoarse voice came from the second-floor bedroom. One of the students who went to the kitchen with Ma Tao kept mming his head against the wall. The students came closer and saw that the mans body was punctured by thin threads that came out of a painting. He couldnt control himself. The painting behind him was nk. It was viewable but also not. The painting was called Fate. The student didnt stop even when his head cracked open. He was also a ghost. The rotten stench couldnt be hidden anymore. His echoes of pain reverberated through the bungalow. Three ghosts that mixed into ss 13 died. However, the living students didnt feel happy at all. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes as he watched everything. Xia Yangs voice echoed in his ears again. I help you aplish the things you wanted to do. Havent you been meaning to kill them? You know they are ghosts, so why didnt you do anything? I can make the choice for you. I can be your paintbrush. Xia Yang was influencing Gao Ming. He wanted to use this method to be Gao Ming and live in his mind. If Gao Ming had followed his will, then Xia Yang would have been reborn in Gao Ming. Should we return to the artroom? Xi San returned to Gao Ming and Wang Jies side. There was no need for discussion. Everyone raced back to the first floor and used their action to reply to Xi San. Chapter 139: Let Me Paint You Chapter 139: Let Me Paint You The art room that flowed with red paint echoed with the art teachers chilly voice. She had been teaching for years, but she had never encountered something like this, be it before or after death. How can the students leave the ssroom during ss? Her voice came from the canvases. Slowly, all the paintings made by the killers turned into ones made by the victims. Five paintings had the theme of ssroom and students. No one in the paintings died, but if one looked closer, one would notice that most students looked at the podium, but the spot where the teacher should be was empty. The real victim should be the art teacher. Her body was cut and hidden around the art room. Red paint soaked through every painting. The floor cracked, and the walls peeled off. Blood threads crawled out of the corner and merged to form the silhouette of a woman. She stood on the podiums in every painting. She was gentle, kind and beautiful, but her eyes glowed with resentment. Art Room 2104 was a taboo zone. Both the headmaster and teachers knew that there was a big ghost there. Her power was special. She could hide in paintings and almost couldnt be killed. The woman in the paintings walked down the podium. She appeared to want to walk out of the canvas. Ill capture all of you back and turn you into the human ster models and ce you at the most conspicuous spots. Her gaze looked at the door venomously. When her hands touched the red paint, her fair fingers poked out of the canvas. Xi San, who was the first to escape, shoved the art room door open. He ran back with the rest of the ss. The exquisite hand hung in mid-air. The art teacher looked confused. The students obediently returned to their seats. They sat inside the bloodred art room. It was like everyone was trying to get into the best art school. Nothing could affect their interest in learning. The art teacher was in the middle of a rage when her students all came back. The escapedmbs all returned to her side. No! Four is missing! The confusion in her eyes was reced by venom again. The woman didnt walk out of her paintings. She flitted between the canvases and soon arrived at the door. The red paint carved out her shadow. She realised that her resentment room was enveloped by something. Even the school rules can affect my resentment room. What is this? The art teacher discovered something that angered and shocked her. Someone was painting over her resentment room! A crazy killer turned her resentment room into his canvas, and he wanted to make her resentment room into one of his creations. Hatred and anger weaved together. The art teacher red at the only student who was still standing outside the art ss. Is it you? Are you an artist too? The art teacher questioned with hatred. Dont use too. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. Before he spoke, a voice entered the art teachers ears. You do not deserve to be called an artist. At most, you are an art lover. Art lover? The art teacher hadnt been provoked like this in a long time already. This was more hurtful than calling her ugly and bad-tempered. I didnt say that. Gao Ming washed his hands, but it was already toote. The art teacher entered Xia Yangs painting. Xia Yangs resentment room was the bungalow in his death portrait. Every painting there contained Xia Yangs madness and thoughts. His lifes inspiration, memory and value were in these paintings. As long as they persisted, he wouldnt disappear. In terms of artistic merit, the art teacher was less experienced than Xia Yang. The scary thing about her was her endless hatred towards the killer and the living. It was her hatred that turned her art room into a resentment room. Neither of the artists wanted to surrender. The way they fought impressed Gao Ming too. Neither of them walked out of their paintings. Using blood and memory as a medium and their lingering obsession as a paintbrush, they painted on the others resentment room. The artists every painting contained their emotions. Once ones resentment was fully taken over by the other, they would lose everything and be the winners art. The art teacher had never encountered a big ghost like this before. Xia Yang had the upperhand. The resentment on him was never stronger, but he showed no weakness. I really dont like to bully kids. In my eyes, you are a talented girl. You remind me of the day when I was four and went to art ss for the first time. A girl sat beside him. She held the paintbrush dumbly and tried her best to express her inner thoughts on the canvas. The critique I gave her was that she was cute. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! The art teacher had lost her mind. She was a taboo-like existence at the school. Every student had to abide by her rules. The other teachers didnt dare toe to her art room to disturb her. There is a burning passion hidden in your heart. Why dont you show her? The girl in your heart was never dismembered. I can hear her cry. She wears a dress of hatred and walks on des. Her warm feet step on the cold des. Red blood and cold glint touched. The wounds bloom like flowers. Its beautiful! Xia Yangs tone was enraptured by madness. His bungalow was dissolving. All the red paint sttered on the outer wall of the art room before it seeped in. Let me paint you. I will help you bloom so that everyone can smell the flower fragrance deep inside your soul. The self-portraits of the art teacher appeared on the outer wall of the art room. Every angle carried a different pain and beauty. Her limbs were bent out of shape, but her face became more and more captivating. You are crazy! The art teacher kept using blood to wash away the self-portraits. She also wanted to paint Xia Yang, but she couldnt sketch out Xia Yangs face. She couldnt see through him. The big ghosts in the school never followed the school rules, but they wouldnt actively go against them either. However, the art teacher saw something different in Xia Yangs art. There was no limitation or rules in Xia Yangs eyes. His art was a challenge to the limitation that was ced on the human soul. The more she understood it, the more feared she became. If pure hatred was pure red, then Xia Yang felt like pure ck to her. One couldnt tell one was inside it. The extremism, madness and greed consumed any ray of light. The self-portraits of the art teacher on the outer wall became more realistic. The art teacher had a bad feeling. Once Xia Yang could perfect his portrait of her, it would be the time her self would fully disappear. Chapter 140: Let Me Out! Chapter 140: Let Me Out! In the past, the art teacher hated to be bound by the school rules, but she changed her mind. She desperately wished that the school would detain Xia Yang. This man had fully lost his mind. He couldnt be treated by a normal person. Half of the art teachers resentment room had been taken over. If this continued, the art teacher could very well be another persons artwork. The art teacher couldnt paint Xia Yang, so she turned her aggression to Gao Ming. However, when she tried to draw Gao Ming, she realised she could never finish the drawing. Her pair of hatred-filled eyes could see death. But when she raised her eyes, this students heart was filled with death. Other than death, his memories consisted of the struggles before death. His whole life was a journey towards death. How was she supposed to draw that? To the art teachers confusion, when she tried to attack Gao Ming, Xia Yang didnt even attempt to stop her. If anything, he encouraged her to kill Gao Ming. Xia Yang and Gao Ming didnt have a simple cooperative rtionship. They suppressed each other too. If she killed Gao Ming, something scarier might be released. Are you two not on the same boat? The bloody clock above the ckboard started to move. The mangled hands trembled. The art teacher was losing control of her resentment room. She was really scared. Xia Yang had the power to take over another ghosts resentment room forcibly. This was impossible. To resist Xia Yangs takeover, the art teacher decided to embrace the school rules. She actively opened the art room door to connect Room 2104 to the rest of the school. The students of ss 13, who had been tricked once, sat quietly in the ss when they saw the door open. They didnt even move. The students only cried and ran out of the art room when the members of the student council arrived. The monitor was eaten! It was so scary! Xi San held the arm of the student council member. He was two heads taller than the person, but he wanted to hide behind him. The art teacher killed three ghost students?! The student council members verified the situation. ss 13 didnt know about the existence of Xia Yang. They pushed all the me to the art teacher. After knowing that the art teacher had vited the rules because she wanted to kill more than half of the ss by turning them into ster models, the student council members looked unkindly. They could sense the energy within Room 2104 spreading. Back up for now. The leading member took out a few nails from his pocket. They went to the storage room to grab some wooden boards. Ignoring the screams from Room 2104, they wanted to seal the art room shut. Wait! Gao Ming is still in there! Liu Yi grabbed their arm. Let go. The student council member nced at Liu Yi coolly. His eyes carried no emotion. Do you know how many students will die if a big ghost from a taboo zone is allowed to escape? Do you know how dangerous they are? I dont know how dangerous they are but I know that there are still students who havent escaped. I also know that it was the student council who sent us to the mouth of the big ghosts. Zhou Sisi stood forward as well. When she was carried away by the water ghosts, if not for the PE Teacher who did everything to save her, she would have drown already. Theres no need to argue. The student council is doing this for our own good. Qian Junran sidled up to Liu Yi. Look at the big picture. Move to the side. Wang Jie shoved Qian Junran away. He also wanted to save Gao Ming because in his eyes, Gao Ming was very clever and could help him escape. The screams inside the art room became clearer. Bloody handprints covered in paint appeared on the windows. Blood leaked out of the wall. The ssroom bulged being pushed from the inside. If we dont seal up the ssroom, the big ghost will escape! The wooden boards went up the door. Gao Ming, who was between the two resentment rooms, heard themotion outside. He didnt want to be trapped in Xia Yangs bungalow but he didnt want to stay in the art room either. Holding the death portrait, Gao Ming ignored Xia Yang who was painting and the art teacher who was charging at the door. Gao Ming stepped on the table and jumped at the window. Before he left, Gao Ming didnt forget to grab the lesson n and bag under the bloodred podium. They should contain the art teachers info. To be able to carve out her own ce in the school, the art teacher should be quite powerful. The ssroom window shattered. Gao Ming escaped the ssroom with the art teachers stuff. The art teacher screamed. A flood of red paint gushed towards the window. It started to overflow like crazy. The big ghost is chasing after us! ss 13 rapidly retreated. The student council also didnt understand why the art teacher was acting like this. They tried their best to seal up the big ghost inside Room 2104. The student council was the defender of the school rules. In their eyes, the rules were everything. Any action that went against the rules had to be halted. For example, even though the art teacher screamed in pain, they didnt pay her any heed. They only wanted to follow the rules and seal her up inside her room. The windows cracked. The door vibrated. All the students were afraid. Damn! This ghosts resentment is so strong! Gao Ming climbed up from the ground and hid Xia Yangs death portrait in his pocket. Currently, the portrait only had a dead body and a nk painting. Xia Yang was still inside Room 2104. Ille back to take a look at night. The supermarket boss and the neighours became the flood. Xia Yang was fighting the art teacher. All of Gao Mings friends had found their own stage. Gao Ming, are you alright? Xi San moved Liu Yi aside. He was the first to rush to check on Gao Ming. He showed such concern for his body. Im fine. Gao Ming patted away the ss on his body. Zuo Jun walked over. He didnt care about Gao Ming. His eyes were on Gao Mings hands. Did you take the big ghosts bag out with you? Knowing the big ghosts past could help the investigation centre understand them and even control them. Zuo Jun tried to hide the greed in his eyes. Can I see whats inside it? No. Gao Ming rejected him without thinking. Earlier, I was almost locked up in the art room and you said nothing to help me. Now, I risked my life to carry out the big ghosts stuff and you want to take it from me?! Without giving him the chance to retort, Gao Ming opened the bag on his own. It contained the female teachers self-portraits. However, there was a mans silhoutte in every paintings background. The man looked handsome but gave off an unpleasant feeling. He kept appearing subtly in the paintings and subconsciously ncing at the female teacher. Every big ghost has an obsession in their heart. Yan Xizhis obsession is the students at the school. The art teachers obsession should have to do with this man in the paintings. Chapter 141: Join the Student Council Chapter 141: Join the Student Council The art teacher had the students choose the paintings drawn by the killers while she hid inside the victims paintings. Of the five paintings, there should be one that is painted by her killer. Gao Ming memorised the face of the handsome man in the paintings. He appeared to be stalking the art teacher. Gao Ming turned to look behind the art teachers self-portraits. Gao Mings pupils narrowed slightly. All the backs of the portraits were filled with shocking and dirty words. The original names of the art teachers art had been written off. They were given a new name, Soundless Love. There was a small line underneath the name, Due to your appearance, I can hear all the voices rted to love in this city. Hand over everything youve taken out of the taboo ssroom. The student council finally sealed up Room 2104. They turned their attention to Gao Ming and looked at him with bad intentions. It was not yet the time to fight the student council. Gao Ming reached into the bag and slipped the purse into his sleeve. Theres nothing in this bag. Just some paintings. You shouldnt question us. You only need to follow the rules! The leading member of the student council snatched the bag. Do not linger here! Go back to your ssrooms! The next ss was self-study. Without any urging from the student council, the students hurried towards the door. In their hearts, the math building was safer. Reality proves that modern people are more suited for rules and regtions. Qian Junran said confidently, We shouldnt explore anything new but follow the rules honestly. Qian Junran tossed Zuo Jun a look. The investigation centre believes that too, right? Facing Qian Junrans ingratiation, Zuo Jun didnt react. Since he was ordered to apany Qian Junran to the infirmary, he was still wearing his swim trunks under his captains uniform. Liu Yi, I want to ask you something. Gao Ming casually wandered over to Liu Yis side. He pushed the art teachers purse to her. Open it. The art teachers purse had her parents pictures, two bank cards, a volunteer card and a torn disability certification. The purse should contain the things that are most important for the art teacher. There is not one bit of blood in her parents pictures. I cant sense any resentment in them. Therefore, she loved her parents a lot. I dont need to exin how important bank cards are. The things that confuse me are the two other things. Gao Ming had Liu Yi look at the volunteer card. Qiao Jiaojiao? Liu Yi scanned everything at one nce to prevent attracting too much attention. The art teacher joined the schools voluntary program to teach kids with hearing disabilities how to draw. She looks beautiful and has a kind heart. How is she so different after death? Perhaps her kindness was murdered by cruelty. Gao Ming pointed at the disability certificate. The certificate doesnt belong to the art teacher. It belongs to a man. Ive seen Qiao Jiaojiaos paintings. A man appeared in all of her self-portraits. He appeared to be tailing her. Since the others didnt pay them any attention, Gao Ming took out a painting from his pocket. He hid it earlier. Liu Yis steps slowed when she saw the man in the corner of the art teachers painting. I know this man! What? Do you still remember the Silent Butcher Case that happened at Han Hai a few years ago? Liu Yi folded the painting and returned it to Gao Ming. A mute killed three people and dismembered the corpses. However, due to his mental problem, thewyers on both sides argued vehemently. He was not given the death sentence. How did he avoid the death sentence? Gao Ming pondered if there were some behind-the-scene deals. Its not asplicated as you think. One side wanted to deliver him the death punishment, but the other side thought death was too kind for him. Therefore, they wanted to give him a greater punishment. Liu Yi was a defencewyer for the deaf and mute, so she knew the case well. He should be the art teachers killer. The killer becameatose at the hospital for some unknown reason. Even now, he is still technically alive. Perhaps we can help the big ghost by killing him. Killing him wont be enough. We have to kill him before the eyes of the art teacher. Gao Ming thought to himself. You want to bring aatose person to this school?! Thats too hard. Liu Yi thought Gao Ming was dreaming. No. I want to bring the art teacher out. We might not be able to leave this school ourselves. Liu Yi walked beside Gao Ming. Actually, the big ghosts here should have been good people before they died. Why would you say that? Gao Ming was curious. Humanity wasplicated. Their nature wouldnt be written on their faces. As awyer, Liu Yi should know that fact better than he did. The PE Teacher immediately removed his jacket and jumped into the pool to save Sisi when he saw how she had fallen into the water. That can only mean that he was following the rules. When all the focus was on Zhou Sisi, I looked through the PE Teachers clothes. I found his work ID and a taped confession letter. Liu Yi put her hands into her pockets. The PE Teachers name is Zhong Long, simr to the teacher who killed himself to prove his innocence a few years ago. Gao Ming had some memories of this name. A school admin had an hical rtionship with a female student. Zhong Long walked in on them. To retaliate, the school admin framed Zhong Long for harassing his students. Piled on by fake evidence, Zhong Long died in the activity room. He chose to kill himself to prove his innocence. When he saw Zhou Sisi fall into the water, he still chose to save her. He didnt lose his kindness even after he was framed to his death. Liu Yi looked over Han Hais cases daily. Sometimes, she felt so helpless, but that was why she was awyer. This school attracts a certain type of big ghost. I dont know the schools purpose, but I feel like the school rules arent purely evil. Liu Yi looked at the buildings in the storm. How can I put this? When the world is consumed by the storm, without these buildings in the shadows, everyone would be drenched. Dont be brainwashed by the rules. The school rules are scary and bloody, but the rules can confirm the survival of the majority. Liu Yi turned to Gao Ming, Either you be part of the rules, or youe up with new rules that can ensure our survival. I have a crazy idea. I want to join the student council and figure out the basic logic behind the running of this school. Gao Ming was shocked by this n. Do you know how to join them? I saw a method on the cubicle wall of the female toilet. Liu Yi said uncertainly. There is a hidden room at this school. It is the student councils file room. I need to find that room before the lights are turned off at the hostel building and ce my own file inside the red cupboard. Chapter 142: Blame Chapter 142: me Theres a record of the ways to join the student council in the female toilet? Liu Yis words sessfully grabbed Gao Mings interest in the female toilet. It was not that he was a pervert, but he wanted to know who left behind so much info in the female toilet. I cant confirm how authentic the info is. We can use this chance to verify it. Liu Yi shared with Gao Ming her n. When its time to get off school, well follow the student council members and see what they do after school. We might find theirir. The wordir shows that you still view the student council members as monsters. If you really want to join them, you have to change your perspective, or youd be easily exposed. Gao Ming taught Liu Yi some tricks in self-hypnosis. She had to first trick herself before she could trick others. ss 13 returned to their ss. When everyone entered the ssroom, they realised the numbers on the ckboard had changed. The living human number is 33, and the ghost number is 10. Wang Jie stood beside the podium, The art teacher killed three ghost students. This is good news for us. Did you forget what the teacher from the first ss said? Zuo Jun said coldly, If we cant get all 51 students to attend the ss tomorrow, everyone will lose the qualification to attend the event. Zuo Juns words chilled everyones enthusiasm. The self-study ss is not for us to rx but for us to have time to discuss together. Actually, Im curious. Where did the people who had been taken by ghosts go to? Wang Jie stared at Ma Tao. Now, we have more humans, and ghosts can only kill by the rules in the morning. Should we work together to force the ghost students to speak? Wang Jie came from a powerful family. He was raised not to be afraid. In his eyes, ghosts were just harder-to-kill humans. Compared to finding those people, itll be faster to get ghosts to join our ss. Once Zuo Jun said that some felt averse to it, but he didnt care about other people. Currently, our ss has 43 students. We need to find eight more ghosts. The more ghosts there are, the more horrid the living humans conditions will be. The reason we can still rationally discuss all the problems now is that there are more humans than ghosts. Once there are more ghosts than humans, well lose all proactivity, and well be led by our noses. Liu Yi didnt want ss 13 to absorb ghost students. Even now, you still want to put yourselves in the position of victims? Zuo Jun walked to the podium and looked down on the rest. Soon, youll understand that humans are more unpredictable and dangerous than ghosts. Yes, and I think you are the most dangerous people in our ss. Wang Jie had a vicious smile on his face. Why dont we start with you? Well kill you and have a ghost rece you. Zuo Juns gaze turned dangerous. He stared at Wang Jies face, and his voice squeezed out between his teeth. You can try. I dont know why youre acting so high and mighty. You are a member of this ss too. Anyone here can die. Dont think that you can remove yourself from the equation. Wang Jie leaned back on his chair and ced his feet on the table. I wont object to finding more humans, but we have to be more prepared. We need to gather enough ghosts to fill up the numbers. Zuo Jun walked down the podium. When he was about to pass Wang Jie, Zuo Bo, who had been silent, suddenly stood up. I know where our monitor, Yuan Hui, and Song Xue are! Zuo Bos voice grabbed Gao Mings attention. Song Xue was Liu Yis bestfriend. That night, Song Xue and Liu Yi were on the bus. However, Song Xues head was crushed and didnt leave the tunnel alive. Have you seen Song Xue? Not only Gao Ming but the other students also turned to Zuo Bo. Many students were gently persuaded by Song Xue and bombarded by her calls to join this reunion. Song Xue and Zuo Jun were killers who tricked them there. Yuan Hui is trapped in the office building. The rooms at the office building are cells. They are prisons for the dirtiest and ugliest secrets. Zuo Bos eyes slowly moved to Zuo Jun, Those people treat us asb rats. They are Gods in uniforms. They think they can control everything and test everything on us! Facing the sudden usation, Zuo Jun was silent. He only said one sentence at the end, Every ss by the investigation centre is there to help you understand the rules. The centre is trying to help you survive. You only need to remember that. Dont believe him! You should believe me. No! My brain is broken too! You should believe him! Zuo Bo suddenly pointed at Gao Ming. I didnt see him among the dead! He is alive, really alive! Gao Ming and Zuo Bo are high school friends. They might havee up with this on their own. Zuo Jun changed the topic rather forcibly. He started to want to kill Zuo Bo. How can a madman like you know so many things? Was it Gao Ming who told you about them? Dont drag me into this. Gao Ming said with annoyance. I was the one who helped with the analysis in the art room, and I was the one who was abandoned. Think for yourself. Who has been trying to lead the ss? The students also thought Gao Ming was innocent. All he did was suffer with everyone else. Gao Ming red at Zuo Jun. You were the one who invited me to this reunion, and you are now trying to me me? I havent done anything, and you threw me under the bus. Is it because what Zuo Bo said was right? The fact that someone like Zuo Jun can be the captain shows how unreliable the investigation centre is. Wang Jie stood with his roommate firmly. The essence of human nature is infighting. If theres no enemy, youll create an enemy among yourselves. Qian Junran sighed. Stop arguing! Zuo Bo, continue. Where is Song Xue hidden? She is not hidden. She has always been around us. Zuo Bo took out his phone from his patients garb. Song Xue is in here. She is a ghost. She is more vicious than the ghost students. She wants all of us to stay here forever! Whats the point of discussing this? Du Bai put down his phone. We cant leave our phones behind. This is the only way we can remain in contact. School is about to end. Why dont we split into two groups? One group will go to the office building to find Yuan Hui. The other group will go and invite the not-so-dangerous ghosts to join ss 13. Is it time to be picky? Ma Taos personality changed a lot. He finally said his mind. Based on our ss current situation, you can only trick those dumb ghosts into joining us. I dont see any chance of you escaping. Most likely, all of you will die and suffer a fate worse than being a ghost. Ma Tao painted the worst scenario. If even the scapegoats wouldnt want toe catch them, their situation really couldnt be worse. The students argued until school ended. They finally had some freedom. Gao Ming didnt join Wang Jies group. He wanted to help Liu Yi. He followed her to the fourth-floor female toilet. After Liu Yi entered the toilet, it was like she had disappeared. Chapter 143: The Red Badge Chapter 143: The Red Badge Zuo Jun represents Situ Ans rules, Liu Yi wants to use the school rules, and the other ssmates might have their own n. Gao Ming didnt dare to underestimate anyone in ss 13. Everyone had their own secrets and goals. In contrast, the ghosts mixed among them felt more innocent. Standing in the corridor near the female toilet, Gao Ming held the rails and studied Chu Shi Biao. The passing female students hurried on by as they passed by him. Gao Ming, lets go eat! His phone vibrated. Xi San messaged him through the group chat. You can go first. Ill go with Liu Yiter. Once Gao Ming sent the message, Xi San replied with a video of Gao Ming holding a book in the corridor near the window. Gao Ming poked his head out the window and saw Xi San and Wang Jie waving at him from downstairs. Do you need to be so hardworking? You actually went to the girls toilet to study behind our backs?! If I want to study, I wont choose such a location. Gao Ming closed the window. He was honestly curious how someone like Xi San could survive until now. More students left the math building, but Liu Yi still hadnte out of the toilet. Gao Ming sent her a few messages, but there was no reply. He stood at the toilet door and shouted in. Everyone in the toilet seemed to have disappeared. Its not dark yet. Big dog wont be willing toe out. With some helplessness, Gao Ming messaged Zhou Sisi to ask for a favour. 10 minutester, Zhou Sisi came back to the math building from the canteen. She held an unfinished bowl of noodles, two biscuits and some chilli oil stuck to her lips. Did you bring those biscuits for me? I saw them when I was leaving the canteen. I assume you havent eaten. Zhou Sisi didnt dare to meet Gao Mings eyes. Her heart was conflicted. She knew Gao Ming was the music box killer, but she didnt think hed do such a thing either. Thank you. Ill do my best to protect you. Gao Ming didnt give any crazy promises. However, in a school where people only cared for themselves, Gao Mings promise sounded so warm and kind. Zhou Sisi and Gao Ming were deskmates. One of them had a good personality but bad grades, while the other had a bad personality but good grades. The ss nicknamed them No Brain and No Smile. Gao Ming Zhou Sisi gathered her courage. She wanted to ask if he was really the music box killer. Whats wrong? Gao Ming felt like Zhou Sisi had changed a lot. Her old boisterous self was gone. Even her stance was a lot more womanly. When I called you that night Zhou Sisis chilli-stained lips moved. She wanted to ask the question, but she was scared that it might ruin their friendship. The rain slid down the window. The school speakers broadcast pop songs from many years ago. The two in school uniforms stood in the corridor after school. The girl hesitated with conflicted feelings while the boy waited, holding the food brought to him by the girl. Seeing Zhou Sisi didnt speak, Gao Ming suggested gently, Why dont you enter the toilet? Huh? Zhou Sisi was confused. I sent you three messages. Did youe here without reading thest two? Liu Yi hasnte out since she entered the toilet. Im worried about her. Gao Ming patted Zhou Sisis shoulder. Dont overthink it. Okay. I know. Zhou Sisi held her bowl and walked towards the toilet. Wait. Gao Ming took out a bag of tissue from his pocket. Its fine. I already have one! Zhou Sisis heart raced from the panic. Im talking about your lips. Gao Ming pointed at his lips. Huh? Never mind. Its nothing. Gao Ming confirmed that Zhou Sisi hadnt been swapped. She was like this many years ago. Holding the bowl of noodles, Zhou Sisi opened all the cubicles. Liu Yi is not here! Then, do you see anything strange written on the cubicle walls? Gao Ming shouted into the female toilet. All the words have been carved out! They were cut away using a small knife. I see a student council badge on the ground! Zhou Sisi was scared and ran out. Yesterday night, I heard Liu Yi say in the bedroom that when she was in the fourth-floor toilet, she discovered a haunted cubicle. She wanted to help the other party by providing legal advice. To gain the other partys trust, she helped them do many things? Defending a ghost? Gao Ming knew Liu Yi was an emblem of justice. To be the voice of the voiceless was one of her life philosophies. A normal person would have been scared off. Liu Yi is one of a kind. Zhou Sisi moved away from the female toilet and got Gao Ming to examine the badge with her. I suspect there is a resentment room hidden in this toilet, and Liu Yi might have been taken away by a big ghost. This is different from the normal student council badge. The badge Zhou Sisi took out from the toilet was red in colour. It was not sewn by a machine but stitched by hand. The school emblem on the badge wasnt Han De Private School but Han De Shu Xiang Academy. A sentence was written on the inside of the badge, There is no living human in the student council! I want to kill all of them! Is the big ghost in the toilet the original student council leader? Gao Ming wanted to examine the badge further when he saw two student council members turn down the corner. They moved very fast. Gao Ming quickly shielded Zhou Sisi behind him and told her to hide the badge. School is over. Why do you linger here? The area around the female toilet will be very dangerous after dark! The student council members were a bit robotic, butpared to other students, they looked very young, as if theyd stay youthful forever. Well leave now. Wait! One of them suddenly extended his hand. This building is for studying. If you want to eat, go to the canteen! Zhou Sisis food was snatched. She was still stunned when the two student council members entered the female toilet and closed the door. Its getting dark. You should get back to the hostel. Gao Ming took out the big dogs portrait. What about you? Zhou Sisi was a kind person. She was worried about Gao Ming. I want to figure out the source of the student councils power. At that moment, two screams came out of the toilet. Fresh blood oozed out the gap in the door. Zhou Sisi was so frightened that she staggered back. Gao Ming quickly opened the door. He saw the two student council members have their bodies twisted together. They were caught by something and dragged into the fourth cubicle. Then, they disappeared. That cubicle is selectively eating the students! The door and walls of the fourth cubicle were like teeth as they munched on the flesh and bones of the student council members. At the same time, the red badge crawled out of Zhou Sisis pocket. The badge attached itself to Zhou Sisis arm and burrowed into her flesh. Gao Ming, the blood is flowing my way! Zhou Sisi couldnt stop the badge from attaching itself to her. The badge is drinking the blood! Hearing her scream, Gao Ming didnt hesitate and removed his jacket to wrap around Zhou Sisis arm. Then, he picked her up and ran out of the math building. The name on the badge is different from the current school name. The original student council leader appears to be personally cultivated by the old headmistress, Yan Xizhi. Killing the student council members in daylight was more than a rule vition. Many things were hurrying towards the math building. The bnce between the school rules, Situ Ans rules and the big ghosts was shattered again. I have to hold on until dark no matter what! Big ghosts would be active after dark, but they would still be bound by the school rules. They would be fully powerful after the lights went out. The badge pinned itself into her flesh. Zhou Sisi bit her lips, and her face paled. She was being carried by Gao Ming. She turned to look at their reflections in the window. Gao Ming didnt look muscr, but he couldst long. He ran very fast. She was the burden. Blood sttered on her face. With the badge as the centre, small capiries surfaced on her skin. They seemed to intend to morph Zhou Sisi into something else. In the reflection, Zhou Sisi felt like she looked more like a killer than Gao Ming. Zhou Sisi was scared. She was scared of being captured by the student council, being ostracised by the other ssmates and being tortured by the other big ghosts. She couldnt help but hold Gao Ming tighter. What did we do wrong Zhou Sisi buried her head into the crook of Gao Mings shoulder. I told him not toe in my message. I told the 51st student everything. I have never harmed anyone. I simply cannot remember him If the 51st student is still conscious, he will never harm you. Gao Ming was familiar with Zhou Sisis personality. Dont worry so much. If there can only be one survivor, itll be you. Before they were surrounded by the student council, Gao Ming carried Zhou Sisi out of the math building. They headed towards theb building. The school didnt have time to mobilise the student council to seal up the math building. The fact that we managed to escape means that the school rules control over the school is weakening. As he passed by the activity building, he nced inside. It was pouring outside and flooding inside. Many student council members were swept away by the flood. They probably havent figured out why is there suddenly a flood. Zhou Sisi and Gao Ming entered theb building without facing any resistance. asionally, a student council member would pass by, but they all raced towards the art room. Something else happened between Xia Yang and the art teacher. The big ghosts were never going to follow the rules. With someone spearheading the movement, they started to create chaos before the day darkened. If the school rules couldnt settle every problem before the sun went down, then that night might be the moment when everything changed. Other than that, Gao Ming also noticed that only the student council was trying to help. None of the teachers from Situ Ans side was willing to do anything. Gao Ming believed that the man was nning something too. Sisi, when you see the olddy, be respectful. As he opened the storage room door, several knives reached out from behind the shelves, aiming at Gao Ming and Zhou Sisi. Its one of us. Ding Yuans voice came from the distance. Huan Men Investigators put their weapons away. Gao Ming, how is the situation outside? Ding Yuan jogged to the door and closed it. The centre didnt send new investigators in, right? No. However, I believe they willunch a big rescue mission in the next two days. Gao Ming didnt know what to say. When the headquarters sent people in to save them, the investigators would face a school filled with ghosts and demons. Gao Ming didnt spend too much time chatting with people from Huan Men. He led Zhou Sisi to find Yan Xizhi. Headmistress, have you seen this badge? It has the name of our school. When the elder, with a serious expression, saw the badge on Zhou Sisis arm, she seemed to sink into memories. This is a badge I personally made for the kids. Only those who sincerely serve their peers can own them. How did you get one? Gao Ming told Yan Xizhi the things that happened in the toilet, but she wouldnt believe him. I personally selected every member of the student council. All of them are good students who are ready to help others. They are role models for the other students. Its impossible for them to do something like this. Headmistress Yan, your student council has been reced by Situ Ans people already. Gao Ming didnt hesitate to frame Situ An. The student hiding in the toilet should be the only survivor. Do you have any way for us tomunicate with her? Situ An has gone after the kids?! Yan Xizhi exploded. She grabbed her phone. Ill go find him tonight! Theres no need to hurry. Ill do the heavy work for you. Madam headmistress, you only need to tell us how to contact the owner of this red badge. Gao Ming didnt dare to let the old headmistress leave. He just wanted to unite the big ghosts around the headmistress. He was not using her. Gao Ming also wanted to help her regain control of her school. You can go back with my letter. Those kids will listen to me. Yan Xizhi wrote a few letters for Gao Ming. You have to bring them safely back here. Chapter 144: Lessons School Wont Teach Chapter 144: Lessons School Won''t Teach Ill bring the kids back. Gao Ming had never thought of the kids personally taught by Headmistress Yan as ghosts. They were merely using their own ways to change this emotionless world. Madam Headmistress, can you help me? This red badge has crawled into my friends arm. Can you pull it out? Zhou Sisi reached out her hand fearfully. She looked scary. Her body was covered in body, her hair was dishevelled, and her face was pale. Its a good thing that she has been chosen by the student council. Yan Xizhi looked at Zhou Sisi softer than when he looked at Gao Ming. It was like Zhou Sisi was her daughter. Only those who have appreciation, love, kindness in their hearts and those who have a truly happy soul have the right to wear the red badge and be the role models of the other students. But I dont feel happy at all. If anything, I think Im getting depressed. Zhou Sisi wiped the blood on her arm, but the blood wouldnt rub off. My badge will not pick the wrong person. Headmistress Yan hugged Zhou Sisis head lightly. Strangely enough, Zhou Sisi, who had been so nervous, suddenly calmed down. There was a new glow of power in her eyes. Even though she was still scared, she was much better than before. Headmistress Yan appeared to have used her power on her. You should apany Sisi to deliver the letter, or Sisi can deliver them on her own. The red badge will lead the way. Headmistress Yan let go and encouraged Zhou Sisi. Thank you, headmistress. Gao Ming held Zhou Sisis hand and moved back. Ding Yuan came over with some jealousy in his eyes. Is this girl your girlfriend? Ding Yuan scanned Zhou Sisi. Not anyone can get Headmistress Yans blessing. My subordinates tried everything, but Headmistress Yan refused to use her power on them. What is Headmistress Yans power? Gao Ming was curious. Only students whom she believed had good character would get her blessing. Neither Gao Ming nor Ding Yuan was that lucky. I cant exin it. I feel peace in my heart, and my body is pumping with energy. Zhou Sisi touched the badge on her arm. I feel safer. The school also appears kinder. Han De Shu Xiang Academy was different from the other schools at Han Hai. In the past, the students here possessed great values. Back then, many rich families wanted to send their kids here to be better people, but they were all rejected by Yan Xizhi. Who would have thought that a big tragedy would happen hereter? The good values became the reason why the students were targeted. Ding Yuan sighed sadly, The reason Situ An targeted this school was because of the students. To borrow their afterlife longevity? Gao Ming knew some inside info. I havent investigated the whole thing, but the truth is hidden at theb building. If you have the chance, you should explore the underground of theb building. That ce is where Situ An has the biggest conflict with the school rules. Ding Yuan thought about it and added, I feel like SItu An seems to know beforehand that the tragedy would arrive, so he had been preparing for it. Is it possible that he can see the future? Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. Ever since he used Xia Yangs death portrait, his habits have been influenced by Xia Yang. An example was his heightened sense of imminent danger. How can I put this? When the shadow world infiltrates the real world, for ghosts and anomalies, the most precious thing is not resources and gold but living humans with a rich mental world. Ding Yuan took out student case files of Han De Shu Xiang Academy and handed them to Gao Ming. Even though the students here were abandoned orphans or had natural disabilities, under Yan Xizhi and the other teachers guidance, they possessed a beautiful image of the world. They were happy and innocent. They had a pure heart. For ghosts from the shadow world, these kids would be immensely delicious. Situ An took control of the school before anyone else could do anything. However, Situ An is not all-powerful. Before he infiltrated the school, most of the students had already been polluted and lost their most precious character. That was something Situ An didnt expect. Ding Yuan pulled over the investigation result of the Huan Men Investigation Centre. Some of the kids who were raised by Yan Xizhi entered the society with the spirit to give back. However, its sad that sometimes their kindness is manipted and misconstrued. Many of the big ghosts here were once students of Han De Shu Xiang Academy. Ding Yuan revealed a big secret. This might be why the big ghosts returned to school. They were once the best humans isted at Han De Shu Xiang Academy. They had the most precious innocence that many adults had lost. However, they also paid a heavy price for it. The scariest big ghost at this school is under theb building. The conflict between Situ An and the school rules started with him as the centre. If you can get his aid, then well have a chance of victory! Ding Yuan finally revealed his true purpose. All the secrets of Han De Private School seemed to be hidden under theb building. Gao Ming also wanted to meet this scariest big ghost. Whats the name of the ghost under theb building? What is his power? We only know that his name is You Liang. Hes the first batch of students to graduate from Han De Shu Xiang Academy. He was also the student with the worst result under Yan Xizhis care. The kids brain was fine, but his results were worse with students with brain defects. He purposely and perfectly chose all the wrong answers. Ding Yuan said seriously, Dont think that hes easy to deal with. Every human and ghost who went under theb building was cruelly murdered by him. The more Ding Yuan borated, the more driven Gao Ming became. With big dogs protection, he should be able to observe safely from a distance. If you really wish to go there, I suggest you go before the lights go out. Now, the big ghosts are limited by both the school rules and Situ Ans rules. After lights out, anyone who goes near that ce will die. Ding Yuan sincerely wished Gao Ming could change the situation. No matter if Situ An took over the school or the school rules consumed Situ An, the many investigators the headquarters would send in to rescue them would turn into sacrifices. Gao Ming was the only person who could prevent this tragedy. Night fell. Some of the students ran to the library for self-study, some ran to take sses for extra credit, and others returned to the hostel to rest. Compared to the other students who happily enjoyed school life, ss 13 was still very busy. They needed to gather 51 students to attend tomorrows ss. Sisi, you can hide in the big dogs body. Dont be scared. Hes very gentle. Gao Ming summoned the big dog once the sun sank down the horizon. Zhou Sisi was so scared once she saw the long-furred dog that was asrge as a mountain. The big dog opened his jaws wide to reveal his sharp fangs as if he wanted to eat Zhou Sisi. Will it eat me Zhou Sisi stuck her body to the wall and didnt dare to move. Even if you beg me, I wouldnt eat you. A suppressed voice came from the big dogs stomach. The big dog yawned and then jogged towards Yan Xizhi. Come back! Gao Ming yanked the dogs ear. Whats wrong with you? Why would you go to disturb the olddy? Gao Ming used a lot of effort to persuade the big ghost to protect Zhou Sisi. The three of them left the storage room. Zhou Sisi was both scared and curious as she touched the dogs ck fur. Dark night seemed to filter through her fingers. She looked at the dogs ck eyes. She wanted to hug the dogs head. Gao Ming, where did you find it? Zhou Sisi whispered. You have seen things you shouldnt. The big dog shook off Zhou Sisis hand and acted like he was about to attack her. Be prepared to be killed and silenced. The kid is heartless! Zhou Sisi shrunk her neck. She was frightened. Can you two take this seriously? Gao Ming was tensed. His adrenaline level shot up. He really had no mood to partake in their little drama. The atmosphere at theb building was solemn. The student council kept rushing towards the art room, but the taboo zone still got out of control. Gao Ming had no idea what happened to the art teacher. He had Xia Yangs death portrait, and he knew that Teacher Xia was enraptured by his need for creation. New artwork kept appearing in the death portrait. Every art piece was made with death and blood. Teacher Xia was crazily creating. He seemed to have an endless supply of paint. He had not had such fun in a long time already. When Gao Ming passed by the art room on the second floor, the blood had spread to the fourthb. There were many school uniforms stained by paint in the corridor. Gao Ming felt like Xia Yang was waving at him behind the ssroom windows. He didnt dare to dawdle. He grabbed Zhou Sisi and ran to the first floor. Theyout of the school on the inte didnt mark down any basement. Only Situ An and a handful of people knew about the underground rooms at the school. Based on the info provided by Ding Yuan, Gao Ming opened the hidden door at the end of the corridor. Some kind of social simtion experiment was being conducted there. All the ssrooms were decorated with different scenes and backdrops. Some looked like hospitals, and others looked like prisons. There were many different shops too. This appeared to be where the students could simte potential problems they might encounter in the outside society before they left school. sses like scams, briberies, unfair treatment at the workce and so on were taught here. These were all knowledge normal schools wouldnt impart to their students. Suchbs existed at Han De Private Academy?! Gao Ming saw a name list on the wall near the entrance. The list recorded the survival time of every student who came there. Gao Ming scanned the list. Basically, none of the students who attended the societal simtion ss survived more than 24 hours. The only still-surviving student was called You Liang. Chapter 145: You Cannot be So Happy Chapter 145: You Cannot be So Happy You Liang had always been a happy child. He didnt seem to be troubled by anything. He represented everything that was good about childhood: Innocence, happiness and a curiosity about everything. He could easily forget things that made him unhappy. His life was joyful and bright. In the ss, You Liang was the naughty child that gave the teacher headaches. He stood out in the ss. He was not bound by rules and an imaginative personality. Theoretically, a kid like him should be monitored sternly and closely, but he met the most important person in his life, Yan Xizhi. The headmistress didnt raise him ording to the standard educational method. Instead, she encouraged him to discover the beauty of the world around him. She wanted him to use his power to influence more kids. Headmistress Yan knew from the start that You Liang was purposely scoring thest in ss. Compared to being the first, he just wanted to be thest. This was because, in the past, the students who scored the worst would always be the kids with mental deficiency. Even though everyone encouraged them, they knew that they were iparable to the other, better kids. You Liang befriended them. His mindset was simple. There had to be someone who scored the worst. In that case, he would take that position. It was not easy to do the worst in the examinations. Even if he guessed randomly, he might still get a few correct answers. Therefore, he studied hard to know the correct answers so he could avoid them. After he graduated and entered the society, You Liangs happiness and careless nature contradicted the society. He had his own dreams and ambitions. He didnt like being tied down at a fixed job. He had no savings and home, so he wandered everywhere. He treated the city as his theme park. He liked to help others and often volunteered. His passion was infectious. He was like a special me, radiating brilliant rays of light. When he was 20 plus, You Liang found love. His girlfriend was beautiful both inside and outside. They knew each other when they both volunteered at the orphanage. The two simr souls resonated with each other. You Liang, the free bird, seemed to have a warm nest. Everyone loved You Liang. Everyone who yearned for sunlight would be willing to be his friend, but there was always an exception. In a charity news article, You Liangs biological older brother, You De, found out about his brother. The surname You was very rare. You De didnt take long to find his brother, You Liang. He told You Liang that their parents were severely ill and the family didnt have the money to look after them. He hoped that You Liang could help them. You Liang didnt mind that he had been abandoned by his family. He helped his family within his power. He was willing to help, but it was not because they were his family. He helped them because he was kind. He treated them like how he would treat others. Therefore, when his brother asked for more, You Liang rejected him firmly. You De couldnt get it. Why could his brother waste so much effort helping strangers but could not do more for his biological family? Gossip appeared among the neighbours. This incident exploded when the media got involved. There were negativements on the inte, but You Liang didnt care. He continued to live his life in his own manner. His days were fulfilled, gratifying, and happy. More and more people noticed You Liang. His brother, You De, even managed to be an inte celebrity by shooting pictures and videos of his non-filial brother. He gained a lot of followers and money through ads. Their parents condition didnt improve, but You De got a new car and a new home. The tipping point was on the day their parents died. You De lived alone at his new home. He looked at his little brother, who lived his authentic life. Seeing the happiness on his brothers face, an ugly and vicious nt grew in his heart. Why was he so happy? Why did he deserve to be happy? Why did he have such a beautiful girlfriend when he had nothing? Why was he still so loved? You De privately found a group of people to find You Liangs girlfriends family. They told them that You Liang was an animal,zy, didnt have a job and had a mental illness. The girlfriends family didnt believe it at first, but as more people came to persuade them, they started to buy into the story. In the end, they forbade their daughter from being with You Liang anymore. On the day of the break-up, You Liang was not sad. He hugged his girlfriend, who was weeping openly. He gave her his sincerest blessing and left. You De and other wicked people waited for You Liang to go insane. They hoped that You Liang would be selfish and start to pursue wealth like the rest of them. However, they were disappointed again. You Liang was as happy as ever. He greeted the wildflowers by the roadside and helped feed the stray animals. He never used perfume, but he walked in a haze of happy fragrance. You De, who lived in a big house, could never understand this. He and his fans found You Liang and offered to find You Liang a better job and a better woman because they were brothers. You Liang rejected them with a smile. He was satisfied with his present, had no regrets in his past and was not concerned about his future. His older brother said that only by living in a bigger house and having more money could one reach true happiness. He wanted You Liang to rely on him, admire him and beg him. Perhaps a big house was happiness. Perhaps financial freedom was happiness. Perhaps having free sex was happiness. You De shared his definition of happiness with You Liang, but You Liang could not care less about it. Since he was young, Yan Xizhi taught him that only by doing things that made him happy could he be happy. He didnt need to abide by other peoples rules of happiness. He was born with freedom, so why should he limit himself? You Des ugly desire wasnt satisfied. His riches couldnt make You Liang envious of him. The more he captured images of You Liang, the faster the monster in his heart grew. Who gave you the right to not care about houses and cars? Who gave you the right to be happy while being so poor? Was it because you hadnt been tortured by society before? Was it because you hadnt met a truly evil person? No. You cannot be so happy! You have to follow my rules, and then you can be happy! The day after You De left, You Liang woke up on the garden bench. He hummed as he went to fetch water for the stray cats. However, when he passed by the public toilet, he noticed that the kitten that stuck to him the most was hanged. You De and the wicked people hid in the corner and watched this with excitement. They sent You Liang a message, You must be angry, right? Are you in pain? But you cant do anything. After burying the kitten, You Liang started to avoid the crowd. However, he was the star of You Des online show. You De and the others followed him and watched him. You Liang wandered the city and helped those who needed it. He radiated kindness, happiness and optimism. The world responded in kind. You De had to rely on sleeping pills to fall asleep on the softest bed, but You Liang could slumber easily on the hard garden bench. You Liang didnt have anything, but he also had everything. His happiness incensed the monsters who lived in the shadows. They didnt want You Liang to be happy. It was as if his happiness could kill them. You De and they tried all kinds of methods, but they couldnt corrupt You Liang. The darkness in their hearts bit at their insides. They discussed in the dark corners and came to a conclusion. You Liang could be so happy and ignore the things that normal people valued the most because he had a healthy body. If his body was destroyed and he had to experience pain and illness, he wouldnt be happy anymore. Soon after that, You Liang ran into an ident when he was helping an old man push his cart of recybles. He was run over by a car. Due to his history of charity, many people volunteered to help him after he was injured. Finally, You Liang survived the ident and was donated a pair of cheap fake limbs. You De and the monsters happily installed hidden cameras in You Liangs ward. They wanted to see You Liang crumble into despair. However, You Liang appeared unfazed and calm. He tried his best to adjust to his new life. He danced slowly under the sun. Humans needed meaning and an anchor to live. However, You Liangs heart was full. He was his own anchor. After he left the hospital, You Liang didnt ask for pity. He used his new hands to create handicrafts to thank those who had helped him in his time of need. The city wasrge, but the sun would always shine down on him. You De and the twisted monsters were going crazy. They scratched themselves until they were bloody. They were so anxious they couldnt sleep at night. They couldnt believe someone like this existed. No. He couldnt be so happy! In the dark corner, You De and the monsters analysed everything. They believed that You Liang was so happy because he had no attachment and responsibility in his heart. Dark red eyes blinked in the dark. You Liangs ex-girlfriend and her family died in a fire. A girl who was supposedly You Liangs daughter was the only survivor. You Liang was suddenly a father, but his life didnt change much. He taught everything Yan Xizhi had taught him to his daughter. The girl slowly grew up. She was pretty and cute. She inherited everything that was good in her father. She was hardworking and clever. She loved others, and others loved her. You De and the monsters took a break because they were waiting for the right time to strike. When his daughter was second year of primary school, You Liang lost his happiness. The light vanished from his eyes, and the smile disappeared from his face. Only blood remained. You Liangs daughter disappeared from school. Even now, no one knows where his daughter is. People only know that You Liang personally murdered his own brother, You De and then killed himself. He became the biggest shame of Han De Shu Xiang Academy. You Liang also became the biggest case for Situ An to attack Yan Xizhi. In a public examination, he forced Yan Xizhi to resign. Gao Ming and Zhou Sisi read the articles and analyses on You Liang in the social experiment rooms. The reports chronicled You Liangs life. The poor thing Zhou Sisis hands tightened. The current You Liang is not the same You Liang of the past. Gao Ming stared at the different strange rooms underneath theb building. They probably had to survive a social experiment to reach You Liang. The experience was probably a replica of You Liangs despair. Chapter 146: Three Reactions Chapter 146: Three Reactions You Liang was Han De Shu Xiang Academys biggest shame and Han De Private Schools scariest big ghost. He was also the key location where the school rules fought with Situ Ans rules. We cant tell much from a few pages of the report. Youll really understand him when you be him. The big dog picked up a document and swallowed it. This ce is too dangerous. Ill wait for you at the entrance. And I thought youd volunteer to lead the way for us. Gao Ming felt like the big dog had be more cheerful and more willing to chat after they became friends. Ill wait for you at the door. The big dog shook his head and opened his maw at Zhou Sisi. As Zhou Sisi tried to evade him, he bit Zhou Sisis clothes and pulled her to his side. Normal people like us shouldnt be involved in the world of the crazy. But I dont see them as bad people. Zhou Sisi didnt realise the big dog was helping her. Be it Gao Ming or You Liang, something must have happened to them to make them into who they are now. They were forced to change. In Zhou Sisis subconscious, she still suspected Gao Ming was the music box killer. She had been trying to persuade Gao Ming to surrender, but she never found the chance. Ill go first. You cane when I confirm theres no problem. The God of Flesh and Blood lived in Gao Mings heart. He walked down the corridor carefully towards the strange rooms. There were many cases in the real world that happened because of negative emotions like jealousy. As the former psychiatrist at Hen Shan Penitentiary, Gao Ming knew how absurd the world was. Many movies didnt dare to depict real cases because they would be critiqued as illogical. After the father remarried, he and his new wife tossed his two children down from the balcony; a man poisoned 42 people in his vige because he was envious of the good business his neighbour was having at his breakfast shop; a child of twelve sold a kid of 6 to the human traffickers Gao Ming saw bloody and real cases in prison. When one tree envied another tree, he would wish that he was the axe. If I encountered this situation, what would I do? Gao Ming walked down the corridor. He paused before heading to the room that represented the school. This is just a social experiment. Everything is fake. I dont need to follow You Liangs methods to deal with the problems. I should do things my way. Gao Ming opened the door to the school. The room was pasted with exam papers and diaries. You Liang had many friends at Han De Shu Xiang Academy. This room was warm and secure. When You Liang was still a child, adults like Headmistress Yan protected them. However, there was a clock hanging on the wall of the school room. Whenever the needle moved, the room would darken with blood. The time I can spend at school is limited. The clock might represent more than the time at school. It could also represent the childhood self. No matter how unwilling one was, one had to grow up. Blood spread through the room. The diaries and test papers were dyed red. They fluttered in the room like bloodred snow. Gao Ming used thest bit of time to read through the dairies. He realised that You Liang would feel confusion and distraught as well. However, whenever these emotions arose, the adults would give him the warmest hug and guide him to the light. After reading thest dairy entry, the school room was fully immersed in blood. Gao Ming exited the room, and everything changed. There were cars and people everywhere. The social experiment rooms became real buildings. He seemed to have left Han De Private Academy and returned to the real world. Is this a resentment room, haunted house or a death building? It feels just like when I fell into the flood nightmare. I should be inside You Liangs nightmare now. Is the difference between the three on whether the nightmare of the big ghost can be reconstructed? You Liang! A beady-eyed fatty ran out of the bus stop. He wore a checkered shirt. Im your older brother, You De. Mom and Dad miss you so much over the years. Come. Ill bring you to meet them! The fatty grabbed Gao Ming and wanted to drag him away, but Gao Ming pinched his neck from the back. Do you know why they abandoned me at birth? We can continue this conversation at the hospital, okay? Mom and Dad regretted their decision and had been crying ever since. You De was a great storyteller. Gao Ming stared at You Des face and suddenly raised his hand to p him. This p stunned all the nearby pedestrians. You De covered his face and let go of his hands. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes as he stared at his five fingers. Normally, he wouldnt have pped anymore. However, when he wanted to do something really badly, his control of his body would weaken. Did Xia Yang want to p him too? The brothers reunion at the bus stop ended with a p. You De escaped with the tail between his legs. Gao Ming didnt go to the hospital. He wandered around the city with the light, bloody mist. After who knew how long, the people started to look at him strangely. They pointed at him and called him horrible names. They said that he angered his ill parents to their deaths. Gao Ming borrowed one of the pedestrians phones and went online. Theizensments were horrible. However, there were some rationalizens who spoke up for You Liang. His parents had abandoned him. Why should they demand that You Liang take care of them? Of course, these voices were scolded as well. I still cant stop the story from progressing. Gao Ming saw You Des livestreams and interviews on the inte. You De looked like a greedy pig in all of them. Is it strange that I dont feel disgusted by this? Perhaps you should go kill You De now? Since the ending has been decided, killing him early might save more people. Xia Yangs voice suddenly appeared. Gao Ming confirmed that the voice came from his mind. It looks like the art teacher cant put enough pressure on Teacher Xia. Gao Ming rubbed his eyes. He ignored the curses and wandered alone through the city. He aided the people around him and volunteered whenever he could. Gao Ming was praised by everyone he met in person, but he was painted as the greatest evil ever lived on the inte. Everyone in the city thinks Im a good person. Who is scolding me? Gao Ming mimicked You Liangs life. The nightmare felt like a vacation. The more he acted like so, the more hated he became. Gao Ming bought a phone to livestream his simple and happy life daily. This made those monsters even more twisted with anger. The red mist that covered the city boiled. Gao Ming didnt harbour any negative emotions. He lived without burden. When he had time, he would get You De on his streams as guests to provoke You De. Through this method, he lowered You Des poprity. The monsters in the shadow gnashed their fangs in anger. However, they noticed that Gao Ming had no ws. The scolding was not enough. The inexplicable envy, jealousy and hatredpelled the monsters to destroy the things precious to Gao Ming. However, they couldnt discover anything that was valuable to Gao Ming. He only cared about his mental world. Even if he was alone, he had a joyful time. The monstersmunicated among themselves. The evil nts bore fruits. You De had enough of Gao Ming. He invited him out for a chat. When they met again, Gao Ming swapped the drink You De had prepared for him. At first, Gao Ming was only doing it out of kindness. Who would have thought that You Des voice chords would be ruined and he needed surgery to reim his life? You De became a mute. The drink officially started the nightmare. The human disguise and falsity were torn apart. Gao Ming realised some of the people he had helped in the past were scolding him online too. You De and mangled monsters hatred towards Gao Ming went beyond the mental realm. You De started taking physical revenge. The monsters came up with scary ns, but Gao Ming was not You Liang. After an ident, You De became an invalid. Gao Ming, who yed You Liang, looked after You De. He even livestreamed his days as You Des caretaker. He looked happier than before. The blood mist in the city blinded peoples eyes. Gao Ming had already strayed from the essence of happiness. He was merely following his heart. When the wave of evil came, he would immediately fight back with his and Xia Yangs malice. The monsters wanted to kill Gao Ming, so Gao Ming ran to their homes to paint Xia Yangs paintings. When the world used evil to stop evil, it was not far from crumbling. Murder was a line, and it was a line that, once crossed, couldnt be redeemed any more. For You Liang, his ending was a forced one. However, Xia Yang had never considered other choices. Once the nightmare was affected by Xia Yang through Gao Ming, with the p, the nightmare strayed from its goal. The social experiment became a massacre. The issue was Gao Ming, and Xia Yang managed to survive through the most strenuous conditions. The monsters hidden among the crowd wanted to destroy Gao Ming. Under Xia Yangs influence, Gao Ming unleashed his inner self and lived happily without a care for his life or death. Eventually, the city was covered with Gao Ming and Xia Yangs doodles. He hid in the bloody city until he came to the end of the nightmare. Once the mist dispersed, Gao Ming was tossed out by an irrefutable force. The world crumbled and reconstructed. When Gao Ming opened his eyes, he realised he was sitting at the door of the school room. His clothes were grabbed by a bloodied arm. Was I yanked out of the nightmare? Gao Ming turned around. He saw a clean young man. He wasnt particrly handsome, but he made people around him feel at ease. He was like a piece of snow in the sun. He was crystal clear, pure and wless. You Liang? A womans cries echoed in the social experiment room. The young man moved Gao Ming to Zhou Sisis side. After Gao Ming sunk into the nightmare, Zhou Sisi and the big dog were dragged into it as well. The three of them had threepletely different reactions. Gao Ming chose resistance to the strongest degree. Since kindness was not epted, he chose evil. With Xia Yangs aid, they almost became the new antagonist of the nightmare. The big dog chose silence. The blind man shed his fur in the nightmare and found his true self. He walked back into the light. Facing the usations, he responded with silence. He didnt partake in anything. He lived silently and died silently. Zhou Sisis personality was the most simr to You Liang. She didnt try to act like anyone, but her ending was almost simr to You Liangs. However, at thest moment, You Liang saw Yan Xizhis badge and led Zhou Sisi out. Even without experiencing thest despair, Zhou Sisi felt immense pain. She curled on the ground, hugged herself and cried her eyes out. The three of you have Headmistress Yans blessing. Are you her students two? The young man sat before them. His eyes wandered from the student council badge to Gao Mings face. Why dont you look sad at all? Chapter 147: Reinforcement Chapter 147: Reinforcement My heart is crying, but you cant see it. Gao Ming handed Yan Xizhis letter to You Liang. He observed every action of the scary big ghost before him. The big ghost that was feared by everyone only had warmth in his eyes. Yan Xizhis letter carried her concern. She hoped her children would not lose themselves. There were many definitions of a good life in the world. In Gao Mings eyes, You Liang had achieved that. Sitting in the middle of the room, You Liang was the main character of this social experiment. Gao Ming still had no idea what You Liangs power was. He knew that You Liang could easily drag him and Zhou Sisi out of the nightmare and shed the big dogs disguise to reveal his true self. You Liangs power has to do with the essence of humanity Someone suddenly grabbed Gao Mings hand. He turned around and saw that it was Zhou Sisi. Her conditions were better, but she was still very scared. As someone who shared You Liangs personality to a certain degree, she suffered everything. She perfectly showcased the helplessness of a normal person when consumed by the negativity of the world. Gao Ming took out a paper napkin and wiped away the chilli oil on the corner of her lips. Because some time had passed, the oil dried on her skin. He dabbed it a few times, but the stain wouldnt move. Thank you. Zhou Sisi took the napkin and opened her watery eyes. She didnt think much of it and used the napkin to wipe away her tears. However, the chilli oil stung her eyes and made her cry harder. The three of us used three different methods to experience the social experiment, but this experiment is not yet over. In fact, the experiment is just beginning. Perhaps You Liang saw how hard Zhou Sisi was crying, or perhaps Zhou Sisi made many simr choices as he did, he reached out to help Zhou Sisi adjust the red badge. After You Liang touched it, the red student council badge stopped hurting Zhou Sisi. It seemed to be a part of her. Senior, what is hidden under thisb building? The two forces who fight to take the school away from Headmistress Yan seem to value this ce a lot. Based on their date of birth, You Liang was indeed much older than Gao Ming. You Liang stared at Gao Ming. Instead of answering him, he tossed out a question. Do you want to live in pain or die with joy? I want to be with people I like and live happily, Gao Ming gave the third answer. You Liang walked towards the red room down the distance. If you wish to live in pain, then keep moving on. If you wish to die with joy, turn back now. On behalf of Teacher Yan, Ill give you extra time to give this serious consideration. Come back when youre really ready. I wont stop the three of you next time. You Liang disappeared into the social experiment, and the rooms around them returned to normal. Gao Ming, do we need to continue forward? Zhou Sisi held the corner of Gao Mings shirt. She looked haggard. You Liang has already given us the answer. Gao Ming revealed a smile. The next time we return here, we can bring the enemies with us. We will sessfully reach the second-floor basement while our enemies will be trapped in the nightmare. This means that we have another trump card. Having the schools scariest big ghost working for us is a great feeling. I dont think he has gone far. Zhou Sisi didnt get it. She kept looking at Gao Mings face. Did we experience the same social experiment? Howe it feels like youre having fun? I look like Im smiling, but all the tears are in my heart. Ive experienced so much recently. Gao Ming answered her perfunctorily and turned to hug the big dogs neck. Lets go. Well go back to find Headmistress Yan. My brother is finally opening up his heart. I cant let him revert to his previous state of pain and despair. Gao Ming looked like he didnt care about anything, but as a psychiatrist, he cared about the people around him more than anyone would have thought. Zhou Sisi hadnt noticed the big dogs strange reaction, but Gao Ming already did. This was why he chose to leave. He didnt want the big dog to fall back into the clutches of pain. Gao Ming stood on his tip-toe and ruffled the dogs head. He leaned his body into the big dog. The nightmare will pass. The trio went up to the surface. When they passed by the art room on the second floor, they noticed the corridor was filled with gory doodles. If any student dared to do this, not only would their parents be summoned, but they would probably also be expelled. Gao Ming opened the storage room door. He had just entered when Ding Yuan and his people surrounded him. Why did it take you so long? Didnt you say you were going to take a quick look? Hearing the worry in his voice, Gao Ming nced at the time. He then realised they had stayed for several hours inside the nightmare. Its hard to exin. Gao Ming had the big dogy down beside Yan Xizhi. When the dog was showered in the light from the tablemp, he felt better. He buried his head in his ck fur and appeared to go down for a nap. What is underneath theb building? Ding Yuan and his people couldnt wait to find out the truth. Anyone who gets close to it will enter the nightmare. It took a lot of effort for us to escape. Look at Zhou Sisi and the big dog, and youll know how dangerous it was. Gao Ming put away Yan Xizhis letters. Captain Ding, Ill have to trouble you to look after the two of them. I have something else to do. Headmistress Yans letters were for the student council members, the students whom she acknowledged. The big ghost in the girls toilet on the fourth floor of the math building should be her former student too. You Liangs location is too crucial, and he cant be so easily persuaded. Yan Xizhis letter only softened his attitude. I need to find the next student. Gao Ming was worried that they couldnt find 51 students before the ss tomorrow. Therefore, he wanted to go and personally select the students he could rely on. Gao Ming said goodbye to Ding Yuan. When he passed by the second-floor art room, Xia Yangs death portrait suddenly fell to the ground. Gao Ming bent over to pick it up when he realised a man was standing before him. Why didnt you kill all of them? Xia Yang? Gao Ming lifted his head. There was a painting of a student council member who had a horrible death. Gao Ming was certain that the painting wasnt there earlier. I merely voiced out your inner thoughts. I did everything that you already wanted to do. Xia Yangs voice came from the students mouth. Then can you fully disappear if I want you to? Gao Ming picked up the death portrait. You could have shredded that portrait any time you wanted, but you didnt. The student narrowed his eyes and grinned. You want to pin all of your sins on me. Do you think you can carry the burden of my sins? Gao Ming could hear the strange soundsing from the art room. Xia Yang wished for him to go there. Furthermore, whats so good about being me? When you really take over my life, youll realise that youve jumped into the abyss for my sake. Gao Ming ambled down to Room 2104, the art room. The ssroom wall was painted with the horrible deaths of the student council. Its already past the time of lights out. The student council failed to kill you. They almost seeded. s, they all escaped when the lights were about to go out. Xia Yangs voice came from another student. He seemed to be living in all the paintings. They left in such a hurry. Lights out appears to be a very special symbol for them. The brush rustled against the canvas. Through the window, Gao Ming saw the art teacher sitting in the middle of the room. Her clothes and skin were painted with her self-portraits. However, every portrait emitted Xia Yangs voice. You are crazy. But I took the inspiration from you. The art teachers resentment room had been wiped away by Xia Yang. The teacher held her brush and tried to draw Xia Yang. Ive found a new student for you. This art teacher definitely has the qualification to leave on the bus. Who will you sacrifice for her to take their spot? Zuo Jun? Song Xue? Or some other students? Howe I never realised how helpful you were in the past? Gao Ming left the art room in a hurry. After he left theb building, he checked the timetable. The next art ss was two dayster. However, the thing that concerned Gao Ming more was there was a social application ss in the afternoon tomorrow. This ss wont get us to find You Liang, right? The normal-sounding sses never looked so scary to Gao Ming before. Health ss and moral ss all felt like traps. I need to figure out a way to escape. Gao Ming suddenly noticed the school was different from before. Theres a smell of blood in the air! There should be some time until dawn. However, the school was much brighter than it was yesterday night. That is He turned to the light. Three buses had entered Han De Private School. One of the buses was empty. The bus looked rusted and belonged to a junkyard. The second bus was thered with blood and viscera. The lights in the bus flickered. The third bus looked the most normal. The bus was seated with investigators in uniform. Has the headquarters sent in the reinforcement? Gao Ming rapidly approached the bus. He noticed that both Qin Tian and Bai Xiao were on the bus. They looked highly nervous and alert. Other than that, Gao Ming also noticed something strange. The two investigators who sat at the front and back of the bus had on uniforms that were different from the others. Their wrist bands were not ck like normal but bloodred in colour. Chapter 148: Student Council Lair Chapter 148: Student Council Lair The investigation centre is split into three main departments: investigation, research and security. Could these agents with red bands be from a different department? It was hard to imagine where the headquarters acquired these three buses. They gave off ufortable feelings. They looked more like hearses at a crematorium than buses. The three buses parked near the math building, and all the doors were open. A light mist wafted out of the first bus. Footprints appeared in the water puddle on the ground. It felt like invisible passengers were seated on the bus. Five minutester, a raincoat slowly crawled out of the second bus. The blood and flesh gushed into the storm. The rim of the cap fully concealed the persons face. The raincoat exited the bus and entered the office building. The investigators on the third bus only dared to get down after the blood was washed clean from the second bus. The driver in the east city investigation centre uniform led the way as he brought everyone into the office building. What was that bloody raincoat from the second bus? Is it the headquarterss secret weapon or another one of Situ Ans pets? Gao Ming wanted to warn these neers, but he knew they wouldnt trust him. Compared to Situ An, these people had no reason to trust him. This should be the first batch of reinforcement. Gao Mingpared this to the situation at Si Sui Apartments. Without the presence of the God of Flesh and Blood, Situ An wouldnt sacrifice these investigators. Bai Xian and Qin Tian should be safe for now. If no news came out of the school 12 hourster in real life, the headquarters would probably send in the second batch of reinforcement that was twice the size of the first batch. The centre had been tricked by SItu An. Any investigator could be sacrificed by Situ An for power gain. Gao Ming felt time was running out for him. The school rules are the weakest after the lights are out. Stiu An will use that opportunity to get more people to join his side. I cantg behind too much. Gao Ming nced at the dark office building. He didnt dare to rush into things because he didnt have the big dog by his side. He sneaked towards the math building. The math building waspletely different at night. There were shadows chasing after each other in the ssrooms. In the morning, many students were forced toe to ss, but at night, many people volunteered to spend extra time there. In the yard, there were many students who came to observe the investigation centre just like Gao Ming did. Some of them shoved their heads through the fence, while others detached their bodies and sat on the swing. They pointed at the buses and whispered to each other. Even in this state, they like to gossip. Gao Ming passed through the throng of students at night and came to the fourth floor. He lingered around the female toilet. Just as he hesitated on whether to knock on the door, a security guard turned the corner and titled his head to look at him. Will you believe me if I say Im here to look for someone? Gao Ming preferred the school at night. He saw this security guardst night as well. He was chasing after a student who jumped over the fence. He almost caught up to the delinquent. You cant enter the girls toilet. Its fine if you vite the school rules, but I cant turn the other way if you cross the line of basic human decency. The cap on the mans head sat precariously like it could tip over at any moment. Im here to deliver letters. These are letters from Headmistress Yan. She wants me to better protect the students. If he ran into any trouble, Gao Ming would bring up Yan Xizhi. If the other party was Yan Xizhis friend, they were Gao Mings friend. If they were Yan Xizhis enemy, then Gao Ming didnt need to hold back either. Headmistress Yan? The guard took out his baton to straighten his cap. Give me the letters. I want to take a look. Why should I trust you? Gao Ming silently reached for Xia Yangs death portrait. You can ask around the school. Who doesnt know me, Hu Biao? The guard said proudly, Even the most wicked bully at this school has to bow to me when they see me. Headmistress Yan manages the school during the day, but I am the boss of the school at night. Do you not know how powerful the school security is? Your name does sound impressive. Gao Ming didnt feel malice from the man, so he handed some of the letters to him. While Hu Biao read the letters, Gao Ming studied the mans face and his work ID. He had seen Hu Biaos file in the document provided by Ding Yuan. School security Hu Biao was one of the missing people at Han De Private Academy. He was extremely cowardly and was good at telling tall tales. If he could find a way not to do anything, he would go for it. Other guards might pretend not to see rule-viting students, but Hu Biao would act like he was blind even if the rule vition was conducted right before his eyes. Compared to the PE Teacher and You Liang, Hu Biao appeared more personable. No one knew his power. People only knew that he woulde out to patrol the schoolpound at night. He spent his time boasting to students or capturing young couples at the school garden. Thements given to Hu Biao by the Huan Men Centre were, A big ghost that is sozy that he poses no threat. Im a very easy-going person, but Yan Xizhi gave me the responsibility of patrolling the school. Therefore, I will do that every night. Hu Biao appeared to see through Gao Mings thoughts. Are you here to deliver the letter to the little girl in the toilet? She has already moved away from here. Who is that girl? She seems to know a lot of secrets about Han De Private School and is familiar with many secret rules. One of my friends disappeared after knowing her secrets. Gao Ming thought Hu Biao was a nice guy, so he stayed to chat with him. Her name is Yan Shaoyu. She is Yan Xizhis adopted daughter. She has a birthmark on her face that looks like a map. She was bullied by the other students in this toilet before. To protect her, Yan Xizhi took her in as her adopted daughter. Hu Bai seemed to know a lot of school gossip. Yan Shaoyu might look unconventional, but she is both clever and hardworking. She even joined the student council At this point, Hu Biao suddenly looked scared. He looked around before continuing, Han De Shu Xiang Academys student council waster taken over by the school rules. The student members were brainwashed or reced, but for some reason, Yan Shaoyu was never affected. She not only remembers Yan Xizhi but also wants to topple the new student council. Thats why she has been leaving behind cryptic messages and clues in the toilet cubicle. Seeing the suspicion on Gao Mings face, Hu Biao widened his eyes. Its true. Han De Private Academy is like a micro-society. Iste a few thousand people from the world, and the social delineation will ur on its own. Do you know where Yan Shiaoyu is now? The most dangerous ce is the safest ce. Hu Biao handed the letters back to Gao Ming mysteriously, I saw you with a strong and awe-inspiring hound yesterday. Our night security team needs a strongpanion. If you hand me the hound, Ill bring you to Yan Shaoyu. That dog grew up with me. You want to split up the two of us just to help me find someone?! Gao Ming gasped in shock, embarrassing Hu Biao. But I can understand your difficulty. How about this? After Im done with everything at the school, I can let my dog stay with you for a while. If he is willing to stay after that, then you can have him. Gao Ming seemed to have made a hard decision when he said that. Really? Of course. Gao Ming did not lie. If the big dog really wanted to follow Hu Biao, then hed tie Hu Biao to him. Ill bring you to Yan Shaoyu now. Hu Biao was cleverly a lot happier. He carried the baton he bought on the inte and led the way. Many people believe the student council has their own office and ssroom, but they are wrong. The student council is hidden in Hostel Building No. 6. Gao Ming had a bad impression of the hostels. The red-clothed manager auntie was very scary. She was the one who forced Gao Ming and the big dog to escape. Even the school rules have to rest. After the lights are turned off, the school rules can only control the zones within the hostel buildings. This is the conclusion Ive reached after much thinking. The student council that represents the school rules and the entity that made up the school rules should be hiding at the hostels. Hu Biao whispered like this was a big secret. There are six hostel buildings. Theoretically speaking, all the students should stay inside their bedrooms at night. But after several nights of observation, I realise the sixth building cant reach its capacity no matter how many students move there. So, you suspect the student councilsir is at Hostel Building 6?! Chapter 149: Fear Illness at School Chapter 149: Fear Illness at School The school keeps luring various kinds of students in. Most of them are in school uniform even though they are adults. Students from outside will be gradually drained of their values. After they lost their values, they would be sent to Hostel Building 6. Hu Biao silently pointed at the math building. Ill let you in on another secret. There is more than one rule here. It was not the school rules that cornered Yan Xizhi but another persons rules. Situ Ans? I said nothing. Hu Biao quickly shook his hands. He and Gao Ming hid in the dark as they moved to Hostel Building 6. Different from the other hostel buildings, Building 6 had no hostel manager. It was fully enveloped in the dark. There was no sound from it either. How does one enter this building? The students who skip sses and donte back for the night have carved out a route. Hu Biao grabbed the security fence and climbed. Finding the blind spot of the camera on the first and second floors, he sessfully entered the second-floor balcony. As a security guard, you sure know a lot about breaking rules. Not everyone could take the route offered by Hu Biao. When Gao Ming came near the fence, pale shadows appeared in the bedrooms. The students in the uniform stood facing away from Gao Ming. Their heads nted unnaturally. Ignore them. Hu Biao knocked his baton on the fence. The strange students appeared to be scared and disappeared. Gao Ming climbed up to the second floor as fast as he could. Based on the students reaction, he felt like he had underestimated the guard. Did you use your special power on them? What special power? Hu Biao looked at Gao Ming like he was dumb. I put the students in my heart, so its natural for them to respect me. Bu Hiao opened the balcony door. He ferociously threatened the students in bed who appeared to be dead, Keep sleeping, or Ill tell the student council about your escapades outside of school! Why are they so scared of you? They are not scared of me. Im their friend. Hu Biao said humbly, As the executioner of the school rules at night, the nighttime security hired by the new headmaster, and the student personally taught by Headmistress Yan, its expected for them to listen to me. In other peoples eyes, Hu Biao might appear selfish and loyal to no one, but Gao Ming was impressed. Hu Biao somehow managed to flourish under the three rules. In fact, Hu Biao was helping Gao Ming as a form of investment. After they left the bedroom, Hu Biao became nervous. The student councils secret is here. However, I have to preface this clearly. If were spotted by the student council, Ill turn you out immediately. Ill say that it was you who dragged me here. Then, you only need to focus on running. Ill pretend to chase after you so I can escape this ce with you. Youre such a nice person. Gao Ming smiled bitterly. Hu Biao said this with such sincerity that he didnt know what to say. Naturally. Hu Biao led Gao Ming up the stairs. The appearance of the school rules is a mystery. Overnight, many students were swapped. I do not know the specific reason, but the first batch of students to be reced was from Hostel Building 6. Hu Biao suddenly paused when they reached the fourth floor. He signalled with his eyes for Gao Ming to be quiet. Gao Ming looked down the corridor with curiosity. A row of students were lining up to enter one of the rooms as if they were sleepwalking. Before they entered the room, they looked no different from normal students. However, when they exited the room, their eyes were wide open, like something had pierced into their pupils. Their faces were contorted, and their arms carried the student council badge. What is inside that room? The student council members in the corridor looked different from the ones Gao Ming had seen. He slowly nudged forward. However, Hu Biao grabbed his shoulder. He used his wealth of emotions to warn Gao Ming not to go further. Hu Biao dragged him back. After they left the fourth floor, only Hu Biao dared to speak. Do you want to die? Why did you go forward? The school rules might be hiding in that room. Perhaps we can finally see the real face of the school rules! Gao Mings eyes glowed. This was the closest he had been to the truth since he entered the school. Do you think itll be so easy? Once you enter the fourth floor, youll be forced to queue up and be part of the team. Youll lose your mind and eventually be a part of the student council. Hu Biao shook Gao Mings arms. Wake up! Liu Yi said that once we find the red cupboard where the files of the student council members are kept and put our files in, we can be a member of the student council. Gao Ming still remembered the info Liu Yi found. Why would something so important be hidden in such a conspicuous ce? Hu Biao grabbed onto Gao Ming and didnt let him go easily. Yan Shaoyu is here, but we need to figure out which room she is in. Wont it be easier if we kidnap a student and ask them? Do you know who youre talking to? No! They are in a sleep-walking state. If you wake them up, something bad will happen. Seeing how anticipatory Gao Ming was, Hu Biao covered his face. When other peoplee here, they cant wait to hide inside the walls, but you cant wait to be discovered. We cant wake them up and get close to them. In that case Gao Ming took out the death portrait for Fear Illness. The greater the fear spread, the more horrifying the illusion would be. As the Fear Illness spread, it could gain the power to wipe out a whole city. What is this? Hu Biao suddenly felt like Gao Ming was more dangerous than the other rules because this person was not restricted by any rules! Gao Ming took out an ugly and scary doll from the portrait. Before he could do anything, the sleep-walking students in the corridor all whipped their heads around. Their eyelids flew open at the same time to reveal their pupilless eyes. They had the same emotion on their faces. The students moved their feet at the same time. They were like marites as they ambled towards the stairs. The uniform footsteps and simr faces were oppressive. I was the one who grabbed him first! Hu Biao shouted like he had won a great price. Then, he somehow tripped and shoved Gao Ming down the stairs. Hey! Chase after him! He might escape from the third window in Room 6204! Hu Biao gave Gao Ming the escape route. As long as Gao Ming was not captured, he could continue to act dumb. Without the big dog as his side, Gao Ming was under a lot of pressure. These controlled students were scarier than his parents. Shadows! Shadows move in their bodies! Gao Ming threw the doll at the corner of the third-floor staircase to buy time as he charged towards Room 6204. Fuck it! The main goal is to escape! Ill deal with itter if the difficulty of the survivability increases! Chapter 150: Can You See Whats Behind Me? Chapter 150: Can You See What''s Behind Me? Ji Jie prepared aplenty for this reunion. He rented the most expensive branded clothes and a luxury car. He spent a lot to buy thetest phone model. At 5 am, he took a carpool to the salon to set his hair. Then, he took the subway to fetch the rental car. Since he didnt know how to drive, he even paid his older brother, Ji Fu, to be his driver at a price of 20 RMB per hour. Who wants to take Zuo Juns bus? Due to his limited funds, Ji Jie only rented the car for the morning. He nned to arrive at the vacation vige and wait for his ssmates to arrive. While they got off the bus, he would get his brother to identally drive past the bus. Then, his brother would use the excuse of work to leave to return the car. His idea was good, but his brother got the time wrong. Ji Jie entered Han De Private Academy earlier than the rest of ss 13. To maintain his persona, Ji Jie didnt say anything in the chatgroup. Since he arrived too early, the teachers in the centre uniforms were not ready yet. Therefore, when Ji Jie and his brother approached the students to ask for directions, they were instantly detained by the student council and locked in Hostel Building 6. At first, Ji Jie was anxious that he might miss the time to return the car. In the afternoon, the car was rented out to a moviepany for a shoot. He didnt want to dy their progress. However, after staying there for a while, he stopped being anxious. That was because he realised most of the students in the hostel building were ghosts Why would you entrap your own biological brother like this? Ji Fu was furious whenever he saw Ji Jies face. He smacked his brothers head. Which day is it already? Have you not found the way out yet? Eventually, itll work out. Ive always had good luck. You have to trust me. Ji Jie hadnt changed into his school uniform. He was still wearing the branded suit. After all, he didnt have much chance to wear them in his daily life. Yesterday night, there were people checking the rooms but something has disrupted everything today. This will be our chance to escape. The brothers walked out and suddenly saw a muscr man charging out of the staircase at a crazy speed. When he saw the mans face, Ji Jie froze. He shouted, Gao Ming?! Just as he recognised the man, he saw Gao Ming throw something at the corner of the third-floor staircase. You dropped something! Ji Jie and his brother picked up the thing. It was an ugly doll. It was painted with crayons. Before they could study it, footsteps came from behind them. They turned around and were almost frightened to death. A troop of students trampled down the corridor. It was so bizarre. Run! The fuck are you waiting for? Ji Fu dragged Ji Jie and ran. They had just escaped the bedroom, but they quickly ran back to it. The students split into two groups. The two inadvertently helped Gao Ming. Whats wrong with your ssmate? Why were there so many people chasing after him? I have no clue! He wasnt this popr back in school. With nowhere else to go, the brothers returned to their bedroom and locked the door. The students wandered outside the bedrooms for a long time before leaving. After everything returned to normal, Ji Jie hugged the doll and gave out a long sigh. Things have changed so much. Gao Ming was quite a durd back then. He turned around and saw that his brother was looking at him in fear. Bro? Is there something behind me? Dont scare me like this. Ji Fus pupils trembled. He retreated quickly and shouted, Who are you? Wheres Ji Jie? Did I grab the wrong person? Bro? Ji Jie had no idea what was wrong with his brother. His brother ran so fast away from him that he almost fell out the window. Dont be crazy. Im your little brother, Ji Jie! Get out! Get out! Ji Fu grabbed the chair and aimed to hit him. Themotion woke up the other students. Everyone backed off when they saw Ji Jie. Their bodies were stuck to the wall. They started to ramble from fear. Ji Jie appeared to take on different forms in their eyes. Seeing how crazy his brother and roommates were getting and how they were about to hurt him, Ji Jie was forced to open the bedroom door. He fell straight into the embrace of the strange students. Afraid that the students might enter the bedroom, Ji Jie used thest vestige of his strength to close the bedroom door. His body was captured by the students. The pale faces floated around him. Ji Jie slumped down at the door. He gathered hisst bit of courage and whispered, Im a ghost too. Im a poor ghost. I have nothing. Eight students surrounded Ji Jie. They wanted to drag him to a room on the fourth floor. Ji Jie surrendered to his fate. He followed them obediently. However, as they turned the corner at the stairs, one of the students suddenly screamed. Whats wrong? Ji Jie hugged his head and knelt on the ground. The affected student appeared to have woken up from a nightmare. Pupils started to return to his eyes. However, they shook heavily. His face started to colour with fear. He pulled at his hair and his face madly. He stared at Ji Jies shoulders. He made this iprehensible sound like there was a fishbone stuck in his throat. Whats wrong with all of you? Ji Jie looked behind him in fear. He turned around in circles, but he saw nothing. What is behind me?! The students slowly woke up one after another. Three of them ran away while screaming. Fear seemed to have broken the school rules control over them. The remaining students shoved him to the fourth floor. Ji Jie stood in the middle of them. Ji Jie held the doll and kept turning his head around. He was very scared. The student who walked behind him teetered unsteadily. She slowly woke up from her sleepwalking. The girls eyes reflected a doll, but the doll soon turned into a sharp, bloody knife. In the girls eyes, Ji Jies face slowly ovepped with another face. It was the rainy day killer who was shown on the television! Sister, can you help me see whats behind my back? Ah! The piercing scream made Ji Jie close his ears. Fear was spreading and infecting more people. Fear expanded in every students eyes. Ji Jie was also very scared. The queue that led to the special room shortened. The older batches of student council members arrived. They tried to maintain the order, but it was fruitless. In the end, they only captured Ji Jie. The student council officially came into contact with the doll that represented the Fear Illness. The students are infected by fear! The members with the badge retained their rationality and thoughts. They were different from the other students who were sleepwalking. They were approached by the school rules. Where is the problem? The student council members turned to Ji Jie. Ji Jie, in his branded clothes, knelt on the ground. He was scared too, but he didnt dare to run. It should be rted to this student. Bring him to our bedroom. The council president will decide what to do. The members picked Ji Jie up from the ground and prepared to bring Ji Jie to the core of Hostel Building 6. Chapter 151: Class 13 Chapter 151: ss 13 The corridor of the hostel building was not too long or not too short. Ji Jie was dragged by the student council members into an unnumbered bedroom. Different from the other bedrooms, this one was very spacious. The walls and floor were bloodred. It was filled with beds, and each bed was separated with mosquitos. Ji Jie went near the mosquito and tried to nce in. Students in uniformy on the beds. They were deeply asleep. Their skin loosened, and their faces were covered in wrinkles. Their skin was patchy with age spots. The whole room smelled like old people. Is this a student hostel or an old folks home? Ji Jie shivered. They are the bricks of foundation that form this school. Without their contribution, the current school rules wouldnt have existed. The student council member with the badge shoved Ji Jie. Move. Bricks? Are the school rules made using these dying people? Ji Jie noticed that every student had a thread made from shadows on their chests. The twisting threads all led to the same room. Is the ending of the threads the room where the school rules maker resides? He was about to take another towards it when he was stopped by the council members. Listen to your orders! Ji Jie was coaxed and dragged deeper into the bedroom. He saw with his own eyes how the students lining outside were pushed onto the beds. The dying students on the bed would pull the thread out of their chests and plug it into the new students eyes. After that, the new students would end their state of sleepwalking and be new student council members. The student council members probably havent changed over the years. They have merely used this method to transfer their consciousness into different students and control their bodies! Ji Jie was not dumb at all. He was merely a little bitzy and liked to show off. President, the chaos at Building 6 tonight probably has to do with him. A few student council members led Ji Jie deep into the bedroom. The beds here had been cleared away to form a simple conference room. Bloodred cupboards lined the back wall. The meeting table in the middle was pieced together using different ssroom tables. Each table had some bloodred ballot papers in them. Five students in red uniforms sat around the meeting table. About ten more student council members stood behind each of the five students. Ji Jie, who lost his freedom, sneakily looked around. The ugly doll was poking out of his cor. Soon, his eyes shed with shock. He saw another one of his old ssmates! Liu Yi?! His former ssmate, who always scored the first three in ss, was standing among the student council members. She also wore the student council badge. She kept her head lowered and stood lowly like a servant. Sensing the gaze from Ji Jie, Liu Yi frowned and wanted to shut the man up. Thankfully, the five students in red ignored Ji Jie. They waved and pointed at the bed furthest away. Then, Ji Jie stopped existing in their eyes. Ji Jie, who felt overlooked, extended his neck in curiosity. He saw that there was a map of the school on the meeting table. Currently, the first floor of the activity building and the second floor of theb building were circled out in ck. These two ces also gave the student council the greatest trouble. Do you still have the mood to check out the map? The student behind Ji Jie shoved Ji Jie roughly into a mosquito. Tonight, you will sleep here! I was merely curious about how to join you guys! I also want to service the school No one responded. Ji Jie felt the temperature in the lower. He sat on something. He turned around and saw a bedridden student in the bed. The elders body was so cold that it felt like he had just been moved out of the freezer. Friend? Uncle? Since the old man had no interest in speaking, Ji Jie curled up in the corner. He ced the ugly doll between the two of them. Uncle, we should keep to our own sides of the bed. If theres a chance, Ill carry you and escape. Ji Jie adjusted his breathing and wanted to reserve his strength for the uing escape. He prayed silently in his heart that there would not be an ident. He hoped that everything would be fine. The uncle who shared his bed started to shiver. About half an hourter, the uncle slowly climbed up from the bed. Uncle? Youre alive?! Ji Jie was so scared that he pulled the nket away from the elder. He wanted to cover his eyes. The elders feetnded on the ground. His whole body trembled. Due to extreme fear, his teeth chattered as well. He pulled away the and ambled shakily to the other bed Just as the sky was about to brighten, more strange events urred inside the bedroom. The whole building reeked of anxiety and fear. They couldnt tell where the fear came from. They just felt like theyd die horribly if they stayed in that room any longer. The broadcast called for everyone to wake up. The bedroom doors of Building 6 flew open. Some students ran out crazily with fear shing in their eyes. There are fewer students here for breakfastpared to yesterday. Xi San yawned. He, Wang Jie and Du Bai spent another night squatting in the toilet. His legs were so sore. Who is as courageous as you that theyd still have their meals punctually three times a day? Du Bai bought some dry food and shoved them into his bag. Id rather be full if I have to die. Xi San took arge gulp of the soy milk. Gao Ming didnte back again yesterday night. When school ended yesterday, he went to the female toilet with Liu Yi. I suspect he has done something Ive been meaning to do. Have he and Liu Yi found the way out? Wang Jie grabbed the bread tight, and his eyes slowly changed. These two clever people are plotting something. No. I suspect he spent his night at the female hostel yesterday. Shut the fuck up. Wang Jie dumped his ruined bread on the table. He took out his phone and sent many messages to Gao Ming. Compared to his other roommates, Gao Ming appeared like he was several steps ahead. The sound of the phone vibrating came from behind him. Wang Jie whipped his body around and saw Gao Ming standing behind him with his tray of food. His gaze softened instantly. After confirming the code with Gao Ming, he felt better. Brother Ming, where were you yesterday night? Liu Yi went missing the girls toilet yesterday, so I spent the night looking for her. Gao Ming shook his head. The school is bing more dangerous. You have to stay calm no matter what. The Fear Illness had started to spread in Building 6. Gao Ming could confirm that the situation was getting worse for both humans and ghosts. Flood, a killer moving through paintings and Fear Illness, Gao Ming brought immense pressure to Han De Private Academy. Gao Ming stared at the school corridors as he calcted the time. Normally, the student council members would patrol the corridors to examine the students clothing as sses were about to start. However, there was not a single student council member in the corridors that day. Fear Illness shouldnt have spread so quickly. Fear Illness had a longtency period. It needed an opportune moment to explode. Has it already exploded? After finishing breakfast, the students left the canteen and headed to ss. The female teacher said that if we cant find 51 students to attend the ss today, none of us will be able to leave. Xi San was worried. He looked at the empty seats, How about we ask a few students from the next ss to join us? Dont worry. I saw more strange things being moved into the hostels yesterday night. More students have been swapped. Wang Jie focused on the numbers on the ckboard. The numbers of humans and ghosts kept changing. They had tomit to different voting every day. Gao Ming beside him was not worried either. He still had the death portrait of Si Sui Apartment and his birthday. He could still summon his parents and neighbours like Auntie Busybody. He could start his own parent-teacher conference. The students slowly entered the ssroom. Fatty, who should have died yesterday, appeared again. It followed behind Ma Tao. It appeared to be another ghost that took Fattys body that day. As the time for ss approached, Zhou Sisi and Captain Ding Yuan, who should have stayed in the storage room, entered the ssroom as well. Captain Ding seemed to have found out that the headquarters had sent reinforcements into the school. To prevent more innocent sacrifices, he decided toe out of hiding to face Situ An. Not long after they joined the ss, Zuo Jun led Bai Xiao in the centre uniform into ss. His gaze paused for a long time on Ding Yuan before showing a smile. As he was about to go over to say something, Liu Yi entered the ssroom wearing the student council badge. She stood opposite Zuo Jun, representing the two different kinds of rules. Move! We found Yuan Hui! Qian Junran entered from the back of the ss with arrogance. A few other male students and the unstable Zuo Bo followed him. Liu Yi, this is such a coincidence. You have no idea what weve survived at the office building Whenever Qian Junran wanted to show off, something would happen. Suddenly, Yuan Hui grabbed his neck from behind. Brother? Calm down. Do you want to kill me? Qian Junran fell backwards. Yuan Hui tightened his fists as he red at Zuo Jun with his bloodshot eyes. Zuo Jun, you murderer! Arent you afraid of karma? All of us will die because of you! I should have cut off your tongue. Zuo Jun was unfazed. He walked to his seat and sat down. Gao Ming caught Zuo Juns attention almost instantly. Due to the big picture, neither acknowledged the other. Bai Xiao didnt walk towards Gao Ming. He studied everyone in ss. He was curious about the kind of ss that would cultivate a monster like Gao Ming. The ssroom slowly filled up. As there was about to be no seat left, footsteps echoed. An arm wearing a branded watched opened the door. With everyone watching him, Ji Jie, in his branded clothes, appeared at the door with the ugly door. He found the spot where the sun would shine down on him and struck a pose. With a mysterious smile on his face, he took the podium. Gao Ming, who was messaging Liu Yi, saw the dull Ji Jie was holding. He checked a few more times due to uncertainty. Then, his expression shifted tremendously. Chapter 152: Despairing Ghost Chapter 152: Despairing Ghost Its back?! Gao Ming only thought the doll was familiar at first. However, after multiple confirmations, he affirmed that it was the source of Fear Illnmess! Havent I dropped it at Hostel Building 6 already? This doesnt make sense! Gao Ming wanted to use Fear Illness to negatively impact the student council and weaken the school rules hold on the school. After all, no matter how strong the school rules were, they needed people to execute them. However, Gao Ming didnt expect his old ssmate to bring the doll out of Building 6. Is this a retaliation by the school rules or the people at Building 6 have ovee Fear Illness? Gao Ming pulled at his hair and lowered his head to hide his slightly cracked expression. Or is it fate? Gao Ming knew how horrifying Fear Illness could be. This sickness could staytent within both humans and ghosts. The stronger the fear became, the more powerful the doll would be. Somethings wrong. Why doesnt the Fear Illness work on Ji Jie? Gao Ming narrowed his eyes at Ji Jie, and he slowly noticed something was wrong. Ji Jies back was soaked. His body leaned involuntarily forward like there was something very scary on his back. Other than that, Ji Jies neck looked like it had been held in ce. He hadnt turned his head around in a long time already. Ji Jie is scared too. Hes scared of the thing behind his back, so much so that he didnt even dare to turn his head around anymore! Fear Illness would invoke the deepest fears in peoples hearts. Ji Jies deepest fear had to do with his back. Gao Ming had no idea why that was the case. He couldnt see anything wrong on Ji Jies back. Perhaps in Ji Jies eyes, there is something incredibly scary currently lying on his back. However, if hes so scared, why does he choose toe back to ss 13? In his branded suit, Ji Jie had a confident smile on his face. Howe it feels like hes gloating? Based on his years of study in psychology and various analyses, Gao Ming concluded that Ji Jie was showing off. The essence of gloating was to show off something other people didnt have and to gain satisfaction from that. However, what was there for Ji Jie to be proud of? Gao Ming started to get confused by his ssmates. When he was in school, he never thought his ssmates were this crazy. Back in school, Ji Jie was a normal guy. He was extremely proud and would get into fights over the smallest thing. However, he was not a cunning person Gao Ming studied this for a long time. He believed that Ji Jie wasnt a ghost, but that could mean that something was even more wrong with Ji Jie. Ji Jie stood on the podium and weed the light. After everyone turned to him, Ji Jie extended both of his hands and pressed on the podium surface. He looked down on everyone and said, Perhaps you still dont know the situation youre in. The students looked at Ji Jie in confusion. In contrast, the students who had been taken over by ghosts looked very serious. They cooperated fully with Ji Jie for realism. There are ghosts everywhere in this school. I know youre scared. With a smile on his face, Ji Jies tone softened, But you dont need to be scared anymore. Because Im here. Ji Jie? Qian Junran finally recognised Ji Jie. How much have you had to drink yesterday? Have you lost your mind? I know all of you look down on me, especially you, Qian Junran. Ji Jie shook his head self-deprecatingly. I remember how every one of you looked down on me back then, but I will not take it to heart. Zhou Sisi nced at the clock and reminded him kindly, Brother Jie, the teacher is about to arrive soon. You better take your seat. The teacher? This school is ruled by the student council. Why should we be scared of the teachers? Ji Juns words grabbed the attention of Zuo Jun, Ding Yuan and Bai Xiao. He raised his hands slowly. Even if I hide this, youll find out soon enough, so Ill be kind and reveal the truth to you beforehand. Im the chosen one. Gao Ming was so confused. Had Ji Jie lost his mind like Zuo Bo did? Only ghosts can scare ghosts. And the ghost that has chosen me is stronger than all the other ghosts. Ji Jie stood on the stage and exined the incident that happened to him at the hostel building. His description was colourful and intense. Gao Ming, who listened to this, pped his forehead. He was so ashamed that he wanted to quit school. He tried to summon the fear doll back, but he was not the owner of the death portrait. He merely had the right to use it. The students in the ss reacted differently. Bai Xiao, who came to the ss for the first time, was so busy. He knew how dangerous a Level 4 Anomaly was. Bai Xiao didnt dare to lose any single detail. He ruminated over everything the students said. Dont listen to him. Theres nothing like being chosen by the ghosts. Zuo Jun gripped his fists. He was worried that his ssmates would listen to Ji Jie and followed him to Building 6. Then, all of them would be fed to the school rules. I hear that youve done great for yourself. Did you book a bus to send all of us to our deaths? Ji Jie casually revealed his branded belt. If I were you, I would have prepared a limo. What are you talking about? Zuo Jun, youre going to kill all of us! Stop arguing. The teacher is going toe soon! Yuan Hui, if you hate Zuo Jun so much, go fight him! Whye after me? The ssroom was very noisy. Fatty sat obediently beside Zuo Jun. He asked carefully, Why arent the students more concerned about the existence of ghosts among them? Do we still need to pretend? It feels like theyre in a different world than we are. Ma Tao, who had just finished peeling an egg, paused to wipe his hands, In that case, theres no need to force yourself to join them. None of them are good people. But we are ghosts. We have to steal their life quota. Fatty hugged his belly andined softly. You sound like youre treating them as normal, living humans. Ma Tao finished the egg. He took out a few wolfberries and tossed them in his thermos. I joined this ss yesterday. I attended a whole day of ss with them. They have been acting like this since yesterday. All of them survive, but three ghosts were vanquished. Ma Tao blew on the water in the thermos and nced at Fatty. Yesterday, you ate a painted apple on the ground. You kept eating that your stomach exploded into shreds of paper. Fatty didnt dare to listen to this any longer. He was worried that he might get nightmares. The argument in the ss became louder. Fatty shrunk his head. Then, can I request to leave this ss? Its toote now. Someone in this ss might go to find you tonight. Ma Tao flipped through his book. Furthermore, the school rules wont allow it. Youve taken over the original student, so you have to live ording to his identity. Fatty listened to the argument quietly. Yuan Hui used Zuo Jun of murder. Zuo Jun said everyone had died 10 years ago. Ji Jie boasted about the ghost on his back. Zuo Bo, in his patients garb, was shouting madly. Liu Yi, in the student council badge, radiated a scary presence. There was also that psychiatrist named Gao Ming Fatty didnt dare to speak as he shoved his hands into his pocket. Sometimes, he felt like being a ghost was quite despairing too. Chapter 153: The Second Poll Chapter 153: The Second Poll When other sses were trapped in the school, they would fight and scheme against each other and expose the darkest sides of humanity to survive. However, ss 13 was different. Everyone was doing their own crazy little thing. Zuo Jun wanted to control the whole ss so that they would cooperate with the centre. He wanted to finish Situ Ans orders, but different voices appeared in the ss on the second day. He wanted to make an example out of someone, but some of the students had clearly sided with the student council. For example, Liu Yi and Ji Jie. Their confidence made it so that Zuo Jun didnt dare to make a move rashly. The external situation was changing rapidly, and the internal situation was extremely unstable. ss 13 was like a train on fire. The train might explode at any moment, but it was still chugging at high speed. The front and back doors of the ssroom were open. More students kepting in. Some of them were students from ss 13, while others were ghosts invited from other sses. Three minutes before the ss was about to start, Ji Jies brother, Ji Fu, appeared at the backdoor with a bag full of food and water. Bro! Ji Jie waved at his brother happily, but Ji Fu looked at him in fear. He shouted at the students around him. Dont be tricked by him! Hes not my little brother. Hes a demon that will kill without mercy! I led him into my bedroom yesterday night. My little brother is already dead! The brothers were not bad people. Ji Fu followed Ji Jie silently and came to notify ss 13 of the dangers. Bro? Im not a ghost, but I was chosen by one. Ji Jie exined quickly. You are all afraid of the ghost on my back. I am afraid too, but it will not harm me! Gao Ming slumped on the table. The plot imagined by the brothers somehow linked up. Ji Jie picked up the ugly doll yesterday night. In the eyes of the others, Ji Jie became their biggest nightmare. Ji Jie didnt even understand why and thought that there was an evil ghost hidden behind him. As Fear Illness infected him, and when Fear Illness materialised, something might be born on his back. The bell rang as the two brothers argued. The students returned to their seats. Ji Fu wanted to leave, but he realised the backdoor was locked. He tried the front door and almost bumped into the female teacher. Go back to your seat. The female teachers voice was scary. She wore the teachers ID. It was as if youd die if you went against her orders. Ji Fu silently turned around and took a seat at the very back of the ss. Ji Jie, who was showing off earlier, also walked down from the podium and took his seat. The two doors were closed. The female teacher scanned the ss. Her thin brows scrunched up together. She mentioned during the ss yesterday that if there were people missing from the ss today, everyone would miss the chance to take the bus to leave the school. After she made a roll call, she realised there were more than 51 students in ss. The female teachers eyes darkened. She stood there for a while before writing these two numbers on the ckboard, 37 and 17. Are there 54 people in the ss? Where are the extra three? Many students didnt notice this at first. After the doors closed, everyone started to look around. There were indeed three more people in the ss. They had no seats. They were Ji Fu, who came to warn them, Bai Xiao in the centre uniform and the injured Yuan Hui. The teacher requested that everyonee to ss, and there couldnt be any empty seats. Therefore, the students went to find others to fill up the empty seats. In the end, they got too many recement students. You already know the meaning of the two numbers on the board. They represent the number of ghosts and humans in this ss. There are 54 students in ss, but there are only 51 seats. The female teacher stood in the middle of the podium. The dangerous colour of blood bled out of the teachers uniform. Now, you are going to make your second poll. Pick out the extra three people in the ss, and they will die. The female teacher started the second poll. The first poll was for the students to choose their survival or death. The second poll was for the students to select the candidates to kill. After they got the ballot paper, the students all turned to the people from Ma Taos bedroom. Yesterday, Ma Tao revealed the fact that he was a ghost. In fact, it didnt matter if he was a ghost or not. The important thing was that the others had found a reason to kill. Ma Tao hadnt even been that long in ss. He shivered from being stared at. He lost the mood to drink, and his face paled. Why are you looking at me for? Fatty was really scared. Ive only been for 17 minutes. I didnt do anything. I havent even finished my breakfast yet. Are you people the devils? The teacher said we need to vote for three people to die. Ghosts have already died once before. Therefore, everyone should know who to vote for, right? Qian Junran wrote down three names. His roommates started to write as well. Wait! Ma Tao grabbed his robotic cat thermos. You can use this chance to eliminate the most dangerous person in this ss and the most unstable factor. Ask yourself. Are we the most dangerous people here? We were always the ones to sacrifice ourselves. When you were arguing earlier, we said nothing. Compared to some of you, the people from my bedroom are model students! Ma Tao spoke from his heart. He had no choice. Everyone from this ss was crazy! Dont you hate someone in your heart? Then, vote for him! What better chance than this to eliminate someone? Ma Tao kept trying to sway the ss, but everyone used pity to look at him and his friends. Let me say something. Ji Jie suddenly spoke. He tapped the table lightly and casually revealed his branded watch. Its undeniable that there are ghosts in our ss. We have to chase them out, but not through this vicious method. The difference between humans and ghosts is humanity. If we act like ghosts and casually strip away another persons rights to live, then what makes us different from the ghosts? Perhaps they were bought in by his confidence, and some of the students agreed with Ji Jie. Ji Jie slowly stood up and rubbed the ballot paper into a ball. The purpose of voting is to pick out hope, not to create despair. The ball fell to the ground. Ji Jie openly challenged the female teachers authority. Zuo Jun almost snapped his pencil in half. This was only the second day, and his ssmates were already prepared to fight the teacher. Who gave him the confidence? Ji Jie ced his hands in his pocket. The atmosphere turned dangerous. Wang Jie reached into his pocket and silently hid a special dagger in his sleeve. Liu Yi touched the student council badge. Zuo Bo searched for something in his bloody bag. Gao Mings eyes shone with a bit of hope. Chapter 154: Gao Ming, Stay Back Chapter 154: Gao Ming, Stay Back If one had to pick someone in ss 13 who hated Situ An and the east city investigation centre the most, that would have to be Gao Ming. His eyes were practically glowing with the hope that his ssmates would fight the teacher who represented Situ Ans rules. Since the student council was busy, Gao Ming had the time to deal with Situ An. His ssmates might just want to ruin Situ Ans rules, but Gao Ming wanted to find Situ An and trap him in his heart. Gao Mings gaze turned dangerous as he stared at the depressed female teacher. Xi San, who sat beside Gao Ming, was ready to move too. He adjusted his position and silently extended his leg. He was ready to trip the teacher when she passed by him. Ji Jie led the ss to go around the ss rules. The student council members didnt appear. The silence in the corridors formed a great contrast to the chaos in the ssroom. As a teacher, you dont give your students the correct guidance. No wonder this school is ruled by the student council. Ji Jie came from a poor family. He had no talent for studying or making money. He had a straightforward personality and would inadvertently rub people the wrong way. Outside this haunted school, he needed to spend a lot of money to appear presentable. However, in the school, he had something other people didnt for the first time: a very scary ghost had appeared behind him. His normal life became special. He morphed from themon majority into the shining minority. Carrying a ghost on his back should be something horrifying, but for Ji Jie, this was the first time he had something other people didnt. The moment he gained this fortune, something in Ji Jies heart started to grow. He believed he had obtained something other people didnt. He not only had to enjoy the jealousy from others but he also had to shoulder the responsibility. It was his given rights. Since he had always beenmon, Ji Jie cared more about themon majority. You dont seem to understand whats happening. The students were aggressive. The female teachers face was so dark. She took out a pure white box from under the podium. The following was written on it: Voting Box. When they had the first poll, they also used a wooden box. However, Gao Ming remembered that the box from yesterday turned red and was moved away by the female teacher. Ill put the box here. If theres only one person who votes, then his votes will be the results. The female teacher memorised Ji Jies face. The voting starts now! As long as none of us votes, then we can fix the mistake weve made in the past. Yuan Hui shouted. His lips cracked, and his gum was stained with blood. It was hard to tell what had happened to him at the office building. Weve made the great mistake once already! We cant vote again! Yuan Huis voice was loud. His ssmates were deep in thought. As for the people from Ma Taos bedroom, they all sat quietly and looked at Ji Jie with appreciation. Ji Jie didnte to ss yesterday, so he had no idea that Ma Taos bedroom had been taken over by ghosts. He merely thought that they looked at him with respect. What a waste of time. Zuo Jun gripped his pencil tightly. He wanted to cast his vote, but he knew that would attract a lot of attention. If he were not careful, the whole ss might vote for him to die. If you dont vote, youll lose the chance to leave on the bus, and every one of you will be trapped here. The female teachers voice slowly changed to be more emotionless and icy. The situation was simr to what happened ten years ago. Perhaps this was the culprits goal all along. They had to vote to survive. Would they sacrifice the minority to live or stay in the darkness forever? Theres no need to sacrifice our whole ss for three ghosts, right? Qian Junran was confused. If we cant tell who the ghosts are, then I can understand the hesitation. After yesterdays event, we can tell for sure who the ghosts are, so why are we still holding back? Everyone needs to calm down to think about this Theres no need to take risks. You only need to vote out the enemies. The students had varying reasons. The female teacher smiled wickedly. She suddenly wrote down a string of numbers on the ckboard. I know some of you are shameless, cowardly, weak and cunning. You do not dare toe forward to drop your votes. In that case, you can use your phone to message the name of the person you want to vote for, and I will cast the votes for you. The female teacher put her phone on the podium. In less than a few seconds, her phone vibrated. The teacher picked it up and looked at it. Then, she took the paper and pen, wrote down three names and tossed the paper into the box. The pure white box took on a bit of blood. The blood was like a signal. From then on, the female teachers phone wouldnt stop vibrating. Everyone stared at the phone on the podium. It became something horrifying. The vibration pulled at everyones hearts. Yuan Hui and Ji Jie wanted to stop this, but clearly, they had failed. There were ghosts, good people, bad people, outsiders, insiders and solvers who were wrestling for control. The voting had started. Ma Tao and the other ghosts started to vote too. To survive, the ghosts voted for each other. They only hoped that their votes would be less than the other ghosts. As more votes entered the wooden box, the box became bloodier and bloodier. The teachers eyes shone with excitement. She stared at the box like she wanted to crawl into it. There are 50 votes in total. So many of you imed that you wouldnt vote, but after I offered you another method, all of you raced to cast your votes. In the future, well adopt this voting method. The box was fully red. The female teacher wrote down the votes every student had won on the ckboard to divide the ss further. The winners with the most votes were all from Ma Taos room. Fatty was ranked second. Ma Tao was lucky enough to be fourth. Zuo Jun had the fifth most votes. Zuo Jun was up there among the group of ghosts. It showed how many people hated him. Wang Jie and Xi Sans names were on the board too. There were six votes to kill Wang Jie. In contrast, Gao Ming had no vote at all. Even Xi San had two votes. It looks like Ive shown my value in the art ss. Keeping me alive will raise everyones survivability. To survive, even Qian Junran, who despised Gao Ming, didnt vote for him. Hugging the bloodred box, the female teachers dark expression disappeared to be reced by perverted joy. Youve made your choice to sacrifice the minority to save the majority. I hope all 51 students present will survive until the end and leave the school. The female teacher only had eyes for the red box. She carried the box and left the ssroom. Seeing the names on the ckboard, the students stopped arguing. After the voting became anonymous, preventing people from voting became impossible. With each poll, youll be closer to death! Yuan Hui pointed at Zuo Jun, The tragedy is repeating itself. This is what he and the person behind him want to see. This traitor! You have no right to use me. Zuo Jun walked towards Yuan Hui after the teacher left. What do you n to do? Ji Jie and the others stood up, but they were too weak to stop Zuo Jun. Without using much strength, Zuo Jun shoved them away and grabbed Yuan Huis phone. After he forced Yuan Hui to unlock the phone, he showed everyone the messages on his phone. Yuan Hui also chose to trick the 51st student toe to the tunnel. I regret that! Whats the use of regret? Zuo Jun tossed the phone away casually and grabbed Yuan Hui by his cor. You know very well what you need to do to survive. Stop acting! Zuo Jun dropped Yuan Hui on his chair and looked at everyone. Youve attended the other sses yesterday. Compared to the school sses, the programs assigned by the centre are there to help you survive. Thats not true. Gao Ming folded his empty ballot paper. There was a flood at the activity centre, and we were almost killed in the art room. Whenever we were in danger, it was the student council who rushed to save us. What is your point? Zuo Jun hated Gao Mings tone. If the student council wanted to kill us, they didnt have to save us and repair the activity build and the art room. Therefore, the culprit has to be someone else. Gao Ming was a psychiatrist who was good at ying with hearts. No idents happen during the centres sses, but idents happen in every single ss arranged by the school?! Dont you think that is too much of a coincidence? Is someone trying to frame the school? Thats nonsense! Zuo Juns pupils narrowed. He also didnt know why those sses became so dangerous. Youre right. Xi San seemed to remember something. The female teacher forced us to vote, and shes from the investigation centre. Could it be that the investigation centre has been sending their teachers to harm us during sses held by the school? It has always been the investigation centre that wanted to kill us! There are only two forces who are capable of creating idents: Teachers with the teachers ID and the student council With the reminder from Gao Ming, they looked at Zuo Jun with increasing hostility. The students kept Zuo Jun so they could get info from him and find out the truth. As their understanding of the school improved, Zuo Juns existence became a thorn. At that moment, the front and back doors opened. Investigators in centre uniforms and teachers IDs appeared. They had dull expressions like they were being controlled. Killing three ghosts was a good thing for ss 13, so most of them kept silent. Let me go! I just came this morning! Fatty cried helplessly. He hadnt even finished his breakfast, and he was finished by others. He kept struggling, but no one came to his aid. Even Ma Tao, who sat beside him, said nothing. They came to capture the ghosts today, but they mighte to capture humans tomorrow. It could be you or me. Ji Jie moved to shut the ssroom doors. We voted out the dead?! Ive never seen something so absurd! If none of you is willing to say anything, Ill be the first to stand out! Thats right! Why should we listen to the investigation centre? Xi San said timidly, Even ghosts are walking around us, and we still have to listen to them?! Are they crazy? The investigation centre is slowly adjusting us to their increasingly-difficult demands to achieve their secret goal. Have you forgotten who was the one who tricked us intoing to this school? Who disrupted our normal lives? Who forced us to do these things? Gao Ming was different from Yuan Hui and Zuo Bo. His emotions were even. If they are really out to protect us, they wouldnt put us in danger in the first ce; Since they dont care about us, why would we allow them to control us? There were many ways to solve a conflict, and one of them was to escte the conflict. For now, Situ Ans rules only wanted to kill three ghosts, but Ji Jie and Gao Ming injected them with the idea that if this were allowed to continue, the investigation centre would eventually kill all of them. Gao Ming was the only active-duty doctor. When he saw that no one voted for him, he decided toe out to control the situation. As the investigators walked towards Gao Ming, Ji Jie at the door spoke up again. Gao Ming, back away. Dont stand in front of me or you might get scared. Chapter 155: Second Class Chapter 155: Second ss Ji Jies thoughts were simple. Last night, when Gao Ming was being chased by a group of students, the students all ran away when they saw him. Therefore, this proved that he was much stronger than Gao Ming. Gao Ming almost lost his cool when he heard Ji Jies warning. His facial muscles twitched as he tried to maintain hisposure. If youre scared, you can show it. Dont need to keep it in. Ji Jie had just experienced the scariest night. He was getting used to the fearful expressions appearing around him. Then, you better be careful. Gao Ming slowly moved to the side. As a psychiatrist, he quickly adjusted his expression. Such hubris. Zuo Jun was familiar with the things Situ Ans rules had done to these investigations. Normal people couldnt be their match. Last night, the headquarters had started to send in new reinforcements. As more investigators arrived, Situ An would gain more teachers under his rules. Situ Ans rules would slowly take over the school rules. Even though the situation in ss 13 was slightlyplicated, everything was as Situ An nned. The investigators with the teachers ID fully ignored Ji Jie and Gao Ming. They only followed the rules as they worked together to capture the ghosts that had been voted out. Strangely enough, the students showed zero resistance after they were detained. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He studied for a while and realised that the secrety in the teachers ID. The thin ID had the investigators face on the front and Situ Ans bloody picture on the back. As Gao Ming stared at Situ Ans picture, Situ Ans eyes in the picture moved and nced at Gao Ming. Situ Ans consciousness is hidden in every teachers ID?! Gao Ming contemted this. Does this mean I can kill Situ An by killing everyone who has the teachers ID? Or can I use the IDs to find Situ Ans location? Situ An was hiding somewhere in the school. Gao Ming had no idea what the man looked like. Whenever he thought of Situ An, the death memories in his heart would pierce him. His past selves, who were killed by Situ An, kept howling. They wanted to use the craziest method to take revenge on Situ An! I need to figure out a way to steal a few teachers IDs Gao Ming didnt return to his seat. As the investigators advanced on him, he trembled uncontrobly as he moved towards Ji Jie. The investigators didnt put Ji Jie in their eyes. In reality, other than Ji Fu, none of the people in ss took Ji Jie seriously. Im warning you again. Well handle the things happening in ss 13. Well decide whether the ghosts will be killed or not! Ji Jie didnt back off. Dont get any closer! The thing behind me is very scary! Youll die! Ji Jie was not acting. He was the first to experience the terror of Fear illness. He was the most afraid of the unknown ghost on his back. Seeing how sincere Ji Jie was, everyone stared at his back. They thought to themselves, Is there something we cannot see? Fear Illness spread silently in the ss. Once people started to worry, Fear Illness would find the weakness in their hearts. The leading investigator grabbed Fatty and tried to move Ji Jie away. Gao Ming had been waiting for this moment. He cut his fingertip and had his blood flow into Si Sui Apartments death portrait. He tried tomunicate with Granny Shen. Granny Shen didnt respond, but a busybody auntie was quick to volunteer. As the investigator pushed Ji Jie away, Auntie Busybody, who only had mouths on her head, appeared behind Ji Jie. Her many mouths opened at the same time. The Yin Energy from Si Sui Apartments enveloped the two investigators. They were forcibly dragged into the death portrait. The ghosts in Si Sui Apartments had been worshipped for years. Plus, they were influenced by the God of Flesh and Blood. They were different from the scapegoats at the school. Another important point was that the ghosts at the apartment were simr to the ghosts at the supermarket. They didnt care about the school rules and Situ Ans rules. Two investigators with the teachers IDs disappeared just like that. The ssroom became so quiet. Fatty and Ji Jie also stood there stunned. Zuo Juns pencil snapped into halves. His pupils narrowed further. In the end, it was Ji Jie who recovered first. He climbed up from the ground and stared at the other investigators. See! I told you. I havent said anything, and they have already disappeared! How scary is that? Auntie Busybody pounced from behind Ji Jie. Ji Jie didnt get a clear look. He merely felt like a quick sh zoom past him. Before this, everyone thought Ji Jie was just joking. After all, they understood his personality. They could see the tags on his clothes. It was simpler for him to return themter. Who would have thought that this was real? He appeared to be really chosen. Did you see that? There was an ugly ghost behind Ji Jie whose face was full of mouths! It was so scary! Hearing thesements, Ji Jies Fear Illness intensified. He was so scared that his teeth chattered. He kept imagining scary scenarios, and something gathered behind him. Everyones focus was on Ji Jie. Gao Ming, who had collected two teachers IDs, was very family. The only person who was not happy was Auntie Busybody. She heard someone call her ugly. Brother Jie is the real one! In the future, well go with Brother Jie! Nothing will scare us then! Even the students way of referencing Brother Jie changed. A few investigators paused, and they all turned to Zuo Jun. When Situ An was not present, Queens Investigation Centres Captain Zuo Jun was the topmander. Ji Jie, you cant save the three of them. Zuo Jun started to use reason when he faced Ji Jies power. Its not the investigation centre that wants to kill them. Even if the centre doesnt kill them, they will not survive this day. The school rules will do everything to target them until they die. Then Ji Jie guarded Fatty before him. Well let them try. The bell rang. Zuo Jun saw how determined Ji Jie was to counter the rules, and veins popped on his forehead. More investigators would join his ranks, but he could sacrifice them casually. He waved his hands, and the investigators let go of the ghosts and left from the front food. What is happening? The ghosts came to ss to rece the students, and the other students helped them kill two teachers? Qian Junran sided with Zuo Jun, Shouldnt we help the teachers kill the ghosts? There were differing voices in the ss, but most of them supported Ji Jie. The reason was simple. Since he could protect the ghost students, he would protect the living students too. Its time for the second ss. Xi San nced at the time table. The second ss was health ss. The venue was near the infirmary. Chapter 156: Who Said Psychiatrist Must Have a Healthy Mind? Chapter 156: Who Said Psychiatrist Must Have a Healthy Mind? Two investigators disappeared before his eyes. Ji Jie saw the ghost behind him make a move. Fear intensified. If Fear Illness was categorised into levels of severity, Ji Jie was at the worst stage. The students surrounded Ji Jie. They all tried to figure out what one would have to do to be selected. The dream Ji Jie had before he came to the reunion became a reality. He became the focus of the reunion. The satisfied sense of pride formed a precarious bnce with the fear in his heart. Gao Ming, how much do you believe Ji Jie? Wang Jie put away his dagger as he pulled Gao Ming up from the ground. He had formed a habit of turning to Gao Ming whenever there was a problem. I cant tell for sure. Gao Ming lowered his head because he couldnt bear to look at Ji Jie. You were very close to him earlier. Can you tell what kind of ghost it is? Wang Jie lowered his voice. When the ss started, I didnt think Ji Jie was so special. But the longer I look at him now, the scarier I be. Its difiting. I feel the same way. My heart is racing. Gao Ming knew Fear Illness was spreading. It was toote to grab the doll back. He just hoped that nothing too ridiculous would appear. As more people fell victim to the illness, the more realistic the imagined fear would be. With the number of students at school, it was more than enough to materialise some special existences. Many students surrounded Ji Jie. When Ji Fu saw this, his brows bunched together nervously. He wanted to seek help from someone. He looked around and eventually settled beside Gao Ming, Hi. Im Ji Jies brother. I believe we saw you at Hostel Building 6 yesterday night. Did you? Gao Ming had no idea why Ji Fu came to him. We were chased by ghosts. Ji Jie entered the bedroom, but by then, he had already been swapped out by an evil ghost! Ji Fu sneakily pointed at Ji Jie. Hes acting as my little brother! We cant let people get too close to him! The two brothers were the first toe into contact with Fear Illness. They were severely ill. Gao Ming was toozy to exin it. Wang Jie seemed to have found something interesting. He silently pulled Ji Fu to the side. This is the reunion for ss 13. Why are you here? Did Ji Jie receive some extra info beforeing here? What kind of conspiracy are you trying to make? Ji Fu was unhappy. Look at my simple little brother. Is he capable of any conspiracy? I am his hired driver. He doesnt know how to drive. Its that simple! Driver? Wang Jie didnt believe him. What did you do before this? Did you work for the investigation centre? Investigate your ass! I worked for the government for five years. Then, I started my own business. Ji Fu wanted to tell his story, but Wang Jie refused to believe him. Gao Ming put his bag away. He didnt want to participate in this conversation. He just wanted to study. He walked out of ss 13. He could feel the atmosphere at the school changing. He couldnt see anyone from the student council. A lot of teachers in the centres uniforms openly critiqued the school rules and encouraged the students to break them. The times are changing. There were still student council members patrolling the corridors yesterday. Wang Jie was gutsy. He pulled Xi San and suddenly ran down the corridor. No one came to stop them. Yesterday, when I tried to run in the corridor, people from the student council would appear like ghosts. However, now it feels like no one is here to mind the rule-breakers anymore. He looked out the window and saw some student council members moving towards theb building and activity building. Before this, the student council wouldpete with the teachers from the investigation centre, and we would be caught in the middle. It might look dangerous, but neither party dared to touch us. But this sudden retreat by the student council might cause the investigation centre toe after us. Wang Jies mind was clear. The killing poll in ss earlier should be the centres way of testing our bottom line. Brother Wang, what should we do now? Xi San followed Wang Jie and Gao Ming like a puppy. We cant let the investigation centre have the monology. We need to stop it. Wang Jie lowered his voice. The infirmary and the health ssroom are both at the office building. We need to be careful of the next ss! When the people of Bedroom 1314 were discussing, Zhou Sisi snuck up to Gao Ming. She pulled on his clothes and wanted to talk to him in private. Now is not the time for puppy love. Xi San stood between Gao Ming and Zhou Sisi. I know you two were deskmates, but Brother Ming is now one of us. No one from our bedroom will be left behind. Gao Ming knew both psychology and psychiatry. Such a valuable mate couldnt be stolen away. Zhou Sisi rolled her eyes at Xi San. She grabbed Gao Mings wrist and pulled him away. The sses in the morning are fine, but what about the sociological application ss in the afternoon? The chances of our ssmates surviving You Liangs experiment is less than 30 percent. When they were alone, Zhou Sisi voiced the real concern in her heart. The sociological application ss in the afternoon will be the turning point. Its about time to update the school rules Fear Illness was spreading rapidly. With Ji Jie pushing things along, Gao Ming didnt dare to dy any longer. Brother Ming, the more beautiful the women, the more dangerous they are. Before Gao Ming could say more, Xi San rushed over worriedly. He was like a parent worried about his son. Even though that is hard to listen to, Zhou Sisi is too nice. Did you knock your head on something? Zhou Sisi was speechless seeing how much Xi San stuck to Gao Ming. She shook her head and went to find Ding Yuan. The students entered the office building. They officially entered Situ Ans territory. They had to obey Situ Ans rules there. Without the interference of the student council, the investigation centre might do something crazy. Gao Ming was worried about Ji Jie, who was showing off too much. The centre needed an obedient ss and eliminating Ji Jie would be a good thing for thjem. It was daytime but the office building was eerie and gloomy. There were some students carrying homework in the corridor. Their conditions were different from the other students. They were more like prisoners. Were here. The health ssroom was next to the infirmary. It was the venue for students to conduct health checks. There were many devices in the room. The ssroom was double the size of a normal ssroom. I need every student toe grab a form here and fill in your physical and mental conditions, A very sweet voice echoed in the room. A teacher in a white coat waved at them. She was different from the other teachers ss 13 had met. She was pretty and gentle. Come over here. Dont just stand there. The health teacher was slightly rotund and her skin was fair. Dont be scared. The main purpose of the health ss is to see whether your body and mind are healthy or not. The students of ss 13 were not dummies. How could there be a kind teacher at the school? The gentler the teacher was, the more cautious the students were. No one dared to go forward. Rx. I wont do anything to you. The health teacher smiled bitterly. How about this? Which one of you thinks youre mentally healthy and wants to volunteer? The students looked at each other before they all turned to Gao Ming. He didnt move but everyone shuffled to make a path for him. Whats this? Who said that a psychiatrist will definitely have a healthy mind? Chapter 157: Youre Very Kind Chapter 157: You''re Very Kind Everyone believed there was something wrong with the health ss. No one dared to volunteer, so they volunteered this chance to Gao Ming. You all sure have confidence in me. Gao Ming felt like he was mentally healthy, but Xia Yangs consciousness was hidden in his mind. The crazy artist was not just mentally unstable, but even his soul was mangled and twisted. Sensing Gao Mings difficulty, Zhou Sisi pursed her lips in the crowd. In the ss, only she knew Gao Mings secret. The innocent-looking Gao Ming might be the hidden music box killer. He could evenugh during You Liangs experiment. How could someone like him be mentally healthy? If Gao Ming is exposed during this ss, he might be sent to the infirmary. The other students will ostracise him and might even vote him out next time. Zhou Sisi struggled internally. Seeing Gao Mings hesitation, she eventually walked out before Gao Ming said anything. Ill be the volunteer. Zhou Sisi said as she walked to the health teacher. I just had a health check beforeing here. I should be fine. While everyone else was trying their best to throw other people under the best, Zhou Sisi volunteered to take Gao Mings stop. Just as Zhou Sisi said that, Cai Meimei and two girls pulled her back. Have you lost your mind? This is too dangerous. Your life is more important than your love! This is not about love. But Zhou Sisi found it so hard to exin the situation. The ghost students in the ss looked at this development with interest. Stop wasting time. Girl, pleasee to me. The health teacher held Zhou Sisis hand. Her voice was melodious. She had Zhou Sisi sit on the various devices. She checked Zhou Sisis vitals and announced the results. Most of the devices in the health ssroom came from the investigation centre. The physical rating was simr to the rating used by the investigators. The strange-looking devices were not as dangerous as they imagined. The health teacher expertly conducted all the tests on Zhou Sisi. Overall, Zhou Sisi had a good physique, other than ack of endurance. She gained the health teachers praise. The teacher even put a stamp on her form. The stamp was like the stamp ced on livestock that was about to be ughtered. The body check is over. A healthy student not only has to have a healthy body but also a healthy mind. The female teacher led Zhou Sisi by her hand and walked towards the innermost wall of the ssroom. Beyond that wall was the infirmary. The students at our school are normally under a lot of mental pressure. They will often feel anxious, pain and consistent depression without any reason. These are very dangerous. The health teacher handed a small notebook to everyone from ss 13. To prevent the children from getting any mental problems, well conduct scheduled visits and examinations. Children with unstable mental conditions will be sent individually into the infirmary for treatment. All the students became nervous when they heard that. Even Zuo Juns expression paled. The office building was Situ Ans territory, but the infirmary appeared to be very special. Our country has the best devices. They can even detect personality defects and psychological problems that even you might not have noticed in yourself. The health teacher pulled back a ck curtain. On the wall between the health ssroom and the infirmary were paintings of an open window, a door, and arge mirror encased into the wall. This mental health ss is for you to better understand yourself. This is a rare opportunity for you to have a talk with the other you deep inside your soul. Holding Zhou Sisis hand, the health teacher led her to the painted window. Sisi, there is a window before you. Can you picture it in your mind? The teacher covered Zhou Sisis eyes and guided her with the softest voice. I can. It is the window I saw painted on the wall. Zhou Sisi felt a bit scared after her eyes were shut. She involuntarily spoke fast. Rx. I need you to look out the window. What can you see? Its summer. There are many flowers on the windowsill. There is a grass in down the distance. The river is bubbling, and there are a lot of fish. Zhou Sisi saw the imagee alive. Very good. The health teacher slowly led her to the mirror while keeping her eyes closed. Now, there is a mirror before you. Can you tell me what are you wearing? Im wearing mountain-climbing gear. I look fine. You are about to hike up a climb. It is a challenge for you, but you dont feel fear. Instead, you feel excited, right? Yes. Zhou Sisis tone changed subtly. After her eyes were covered by the health teacher, it was like she was really led into a dream. Alright. Youre all ready. Now, youre in front of a door. The health teacher nudged Zhou Sisi to the painted door. Can you see the door? Yes. Now, I need you to grab the doorknob and slowly open the door. Behind the door are the things in your mind earlier. The health teacher guided her step-by-step. As if hypnotised, Zhou Sisi slowly raised her hand. She wanted to touch the painted doorknob, but at that moment, her arm bled. The blood-red student council under her uniform pierced her flesh. Why dont you open the door? Its flowers, sunshine and light outside the door No. I cant Zhou Sisis voice came intermittently, and her breathing picked up. Theres someone standing outside the door! The flesh on his face is blurred together! Its him! Hes the oneying beside my bed that night! Her body shivered. Zhou Sisi wanted to move back from the door, but the gentle-looking health teacher was surprisingly strong. How can you know hes outside the door when you havent even opened it? Hes waiting for me! Hes waiting for us! Hes standing outside the room. He has never left! Zhou Sisis veins popped on her neck. She was at her limit. The scariest thing was, as Zhou Sisi described it, the door painted on the wall started to open. About half a minuteter, everyone in the ss heard the clear knocking sound. Its him! The 51st student is standing outside! Zhou Sisis arm that had the red badge flung about. The health teacher didnt expect this resistance. She quickly let go. The moment the teachers hand left Zhou Sisis eyes, Gao Ming noticed there was a crack in the middle of the health teachers palm. There was an eyeball hidden in the crack. Zhou Sisi copsed to the ground. She couldnt remember what she saw, but her limbs were cold, and she couldnt stand up. This students body is very healthy, but her mind is a tad unstable. Overall, she has passed. The health teacher looked at the rest. Who will go next? All of you will have to take this check once before you can leave. The health ssroom door closed when they didnt pay attention. No matter how hard they pulled, the door wouldnt budge. The student council could barely help itself, so the council wouldnt have time toe save them like before. Some of the students gradually surrendered and took the tests. The danger level of this ss will vary depending on the individual. Wang Jie nudged Gao Ming, When do you think our bedroom should take the test? Get it over with early or wait untilter? I suggest we let the ones with stability go first. Gao Ming thought about it. Zhou Sisi can be considered the happiest girl in our ss, but even she saw something terrifying. Im trying to figure out the purpose of this ss. Was it set by the 51st student to test us? I have a simple solution to verify that. Well just find someone not from ss 13 to take the test. Wang Jie turned to Ji Fe. Ji Jies brother is not from ss 13. He also worked for five years for the government. Hes mature and reliable. Ji Fus face paled. He shook his head, but Wang Jie didnt n to let him go. Seeing his brother in trouble, Ji Jie quickly ran over. Wang Jie, what are you doing? Dont misunderstand. I just think that your brother is very mature and reliable, so we want to let him take the test first. Wang Jie was scared of the ghost behind Ji Jie. The invisible ghost was terrifying. My brother was heavily injured by his boss when he went to demand forte payment. He was sent to prison for five years and just exitedst month. How can you tell that hes mature and reliable? Ji Jies words embarrassed Ji Fu greatly. Gao Ming and Wang Jie turned to stare at Ji Fu. Didnt you say you worked for the government for five years and just started your own business? That is not wrong. The prison is part of the government, right? Ji Fus face turned beet red. He walked to the health teacher. Bro! I didnt know that was what you told them! Ji Jie chased after his brother and apologised profusely. To prevent his brother from doing something stupid, he handed in his form first. The health teacher was very happy seeing the brothers fight to take her exams. She epted Ji Jies form. Ji Jie? Yes. Ji Jie nodded. You can take the physical exam first. If theres no problem, well conduct the psychological exam. The teacher put away the forms and helped the others with the devices. Gao Ming used this chance to run to Ji Jie. He shoved Teacher Xias portrait into his pocket. Can I help you? Ji Jie saw Gao Ming at Building 6 the night before and he also spoke up for him in the morning ss. He believed Gao Ming was the same kind of person as he was. I saw the teachers palm earlier. There are two eyeballs in the middle of her palm. Be careful when you take the tests. Okay. Ill pay attention to that. Ji Jie nodded. Thank you. Youre very kind. Chapter 158: Were All Dead Chapter 158: We''re All Dead To prevent any ident from happening to Ji Jie, Gao Ming very kindly handed in his form after Ji Jie. With a professional psychiatrist looking after him, Ji Jie felt better. While his eyes shone with appreciation, he didnt forget to warn Gao Ming to stay away from him so that he wouldnt get scared. The others from Bedroom 1314 came over when they saw Gao Ming hand in his form. They gathered around Gao Ming and lined up for the physical exams. The students had surrendered since they realised they couldnt leave until all of them had finished the examinations. Everyone lined up for the physical checks. Soon, the first few students who did the health checks first already started the psychological exam. They followed the teachers instructions and stood before the window, mirror and door. Each of them saw different things. Some of them saw a busy city with loud traffic outside the windows; Some of them saw a barren wastnd like a reflection of their hearts; Some of them saw their dead friends and families outside the window. They yelled at the students to stay inside the health ssroom. However, there was one simrity. When all the students turned to the final door, they all said there was someone standing outside the door. All the students who finished the psychological exams appeared like their energy had been drained. When the health teacher let go, they all slumped to the ground. It seemed like a part of their souls had been sucked away. The health teacher would gently pick the students up. The smile on her face remained warm and sunny, but soon, the smile would freeze on her face. Dont touch me with your dirty hands! Zuo Bo, who wore both a doctors coat and a patients garb, walked to the window. His voice was filled with disdain and disgust. This student, if you have some issues with my cleanliness, I have some alcohol sprays Before the female teacher could finish, Zuo Bo dropped his bloody bag between him and the teacher. Every inch of your body reeks of malice. I know what you want to do to me. You want to lock me up like before in the dirty and smelly sick bay! Zuo Bo hissed through his teeth. I will not allow it to happen this time! Ill open the door! Teacher, dont mind him. Hes too traumatised to know what hes talking about. Qian Junran hurried over to be the mediator. Zuo Bo insisted on the female teacher staying away from him. He stood before the window alone and slowly closed his eyes. Zuo Bo, what did you see? The female teachers voice was charming. She silently sidled up to Zuo Bo, but she suddenly stopped to stare at the wall. The painted window reacted strangely. Blood appeared on the window inexplicably and slid down the gap in the window. It felt like a real window had opened between the infirmary and the health ssroom. One could see through the window into the infirmary. Human organs were cut and preserved in cases like precious medicine. The school doctor strapped a human to the table. He slowly and gently cut open the mans head. After searching for a long time inside the head, he pulled out a thin blood vessel and took it to the cupboard. Before he approached the cupboard, the cupboard doors opened on their own. Something reached out from within to grab the thread of blood. The trapped man screamed soundlessly. At that moment, the school doctor seemed to sense something. He pulled the thick curtain back, and the window on the wall returned to normal. Zuo Bo hadnt opened his eyes, but the other students were stunned. What Zuo Bo saw waspletely different from the others. It was hard to tell if he had experienced something like that or if what he saw was really happening in the infirmary next door. Why could we see the things that he saw? Qian Junran pointed at the blood stain on the window. He was stunned. Wasnt everything that we saw part of our imagination? Wasnt everything just exist in our mind? The window, mirror and door represent the world in your heart, the appearance of your soul and the choice youve made in your subconscious, respectively. They will show who you really are. It is worth noting that the more mentally unstable a person is, the more obvious the mental corruption will be. When the mental corruption reaches a certain level, the patient will infect everyone around him so that everyone will see the same things that he sees. The health teacher exined it with a smile. The reason for this health ss is to help every student eliminate the mental disease in their heart so that they can live happily at school. The students mulled over her words. Wang Jie turned to Gao Ming, Is she right? She is half-right and half-wrong. The door, window and mirror on the wall are not normal paintings. They might be the special power of a big ghost. She is using them to dig out the memory buried deep inside our hearts! Gao Ming pointed out some problems. Windows, doors, and mirrors are normally exits in a dream. This health ss should be prepared by the investigation centre for us. The memory inside our hearts? Xi San was confused. Is there something the centre wants inside our hearts? Yes. Gao Ming reached the conclusion, When every student reaches thest door, they all mention someone standing outside the door. That means that in our collective memory, there is one person trapped outside the room. Guess who that person is. The 51st student who represents the school rules? Wang Jie reacted. The centre wants to use us to deal with the school rules?! It does appear that way. Gao Ming nced at Ji Jies pocket, where Xia Yangs death portrait was. I suspect the big ghosts power is limited. The moreplicated ones mental world is, the harder it will be for her to control it. The reason why we could see what Zuo Bo saw is because she has lost control. Someone wanted to dig up the secrets of ss 13. Gao Ming used this chance to observe his ssmates. Zuo Bo still kept his eyes closed. He was not guided anymore, but he actively interacted with everything. Zuo Bo came to the mirror and stood numbly before it. His reflection was just like himself in real life but a lot more handsome and dashing. Is that Zuo Bos real self? Zuo Bo, in the mirror, didnt wear the patients garb. He was the hospitals youngest and most sessful doctor. He was confident and sunny. There was no trace of blood on him. His hair was wellbed. People would naturally look up to him. Hes quite handsome when hes not acting crazy. Cai Meimei grumbled softly. Not long after she said that, Zuo Bo, in the mirror, suddenly pierced his hands into his eyes. Then, he used his fingers to pry open his chest! He tore open bits of his flesh and fat and snapped his ribs. He tried to burrow his head into his chest. He looked around for a long time but couldnt find his heart. Its not me! This is not me! Zuo Bo growled in pain and rammed at the mirror. The health teacher, who was prepared, ran and embraced Zuo Bo in a gentle hug. Her hands went under his pits, and she smoothly covered up Zuo Bos eyes. Now, you are at thest door. Tell me. What do you see? Zuo Bos mouth fell open, and strange noises came out of his throat. Everyone could hear the sound of knocking. The door on the wall bent out of shape. The thing on the other side was about toe out! Listen to it! Follow it! Watch closely. Try to see the person outside the door. Is he looking for you? Open the door. Let hime in and have him enter your body. Everyone in ss 13 had a memory of the 51st student in their hearts, but for some reason, all of them forgot about him. The health teacher wanted to use this method to help the students recall that student. She wanted to locate the 51st student hiding in the school rules. Is he knocking? He wants to join you in this room. You will open the door for him now. The health teachers order drilled into Zuo Bos ear. He wants to be with you. The thin arm slowly raised. Zuo Bos face was twisted. He yelled as he grabbed the doorknob. Then, the painted door suddenly opened. Zuo Bo walked through it! If the health teacher didnt let go in time, she would be dragged through it too. The door mmed shut. The painted door returned to normal. Blood stains lingered on the health teachers palm. She had taken over the health ssroom for a long time already, and this was the first time she had faced a situation like this. Zuo Bo did open the non-existent door, but he didnt invite the thing outside in, but he walked towards it. Did Zuo Bo enter the infirmary next door? Qian Junran turned to ask Zuo Jun. Zuo Juns face was dark. The investigation centre invited ss 13 to Han De Private School because the centre wanted to use them to do something, but idents kept happening. If you follow the centres rules, at least more than half of you can live, but you have to pick your own path. Zuo Jun gritted his teeth. They were one step away from getting the memory fragment rted to the 51st student, but Zuo Bo chose the craziest path. It looks like Zuo Bo didnt live up to your expectations. Qian Junran consoled Zuo Jun, But its alright. There are a lot of crazy people in this ss. Through Zuo Juns reaction, Gao Ming figured out some stuff. The investigation centre needed the memory fragments of the 51st student. He happened to have obtained them in the hostel building. The hostels are the territory of the student council. Even after that, we have to follow the school rules there Was he trying to ry some info to us back then? The line moved forward. It was Yuan Huis turn next. Compared to Zuo Bos constant state of instability, Yuan Hui acted up intermittently. He kept rallying people to resist and find the opportunity to kill Zuo Jun. The health teacher used a lot of energy to force Yuan Hui to face the window on the wall. Tell me! What do you see! The health teachers voice was no longer as gentle as before. Yuan Hui gradually stopped resisting. His voice deepened with pain and regret. I see outside the bus window. It is totally dark outside. We are inside arge bus. The bus is rushing down a tunnel! It is so fast! Who are you in the mirror? There are so many people in the mirror! Everyone is there! Everyone died terribly. I can see it! Everyone dies terribly on the bus! Yuan Hui shouted. He cried as he tried to escape. The health teacher used everything she had to fix Yuan Hui in ce and drag him to thest door. What about now? What can you see? The bus turns over There is someone outside the car door! I know him! Hes here for us! Yuan Hui screamed shrilly. The students had no idea a man could reach such high notes. You are in such deep pain and guilt. Open the door now. Let him in. Let him enter your soul. The health teachers hands bled. To control Yuan Hui, she had already been hit multiple times by Yuan Huis iling arms. No. I cant! Why not? We are all dead! We cant let him into the booth filled with dead people! Yuan Hui charged forward and rammed his head into the door. Im sorry! Im sorry! Run! There was a dull sound. Blood flowed. A few students had to work together to detain Yuan Hui. Im sorry. I shouldnt have called you toe back. You cant get on the bus Blood mixed with tears, and Yuan Hui copsed to the ground. Pull him away. The gentleness of the health teacher faded away. She scanned ss 13 with an unfriendly gaze. This batch of students was a lot harder to handle than she thought. Everyone had some mental issues, and the way they were deranged waspletely different. It was impossible to tell what kind of madness theyd evoke. Chapter 159: Scary Teacher Yang Chapter 159: Scary Teacher Yang Ma Tao opened the lid of the robot cat thermos and blew on the wolfberries on the waters surface. He pursed his lips. As a ghost who had been working so hard for so long, he decided to do nothing after he joined ss 13. In the past, he would study hard to find a scapegoat. In the morning, he studied the school rules at the math building and at night, he wandered the hostels to look for prey. He worked so hard every day just to abandon his ghost identity and be a human. He didnt dare to let his guard down for even a moment, but what was the result? His ghost roommates were reaped by the rules, and their souls dispersed. He forced his way into ss 13 but realised this was just another version of the school. There was no sense of bliss or belonging. He turned around in panic. His reflection in the mirror became an unfamiliar person. His youth had already turned into dust. Seeing his ssmates beautiful variations of madness, Ma Tao felt ashamed. His reflection in the mirror showed how he was when he was still alive. However, his body was crumbling. He couldnt recognise or remember himself. Ma Tao nudged to thest door. Different from the students in ss 13, the door didnt react to him. The silence was like a mockery. The door that was always ready to open for others was firmly shut for him. It didnt even wiggle slightly. He turned around with embarrassment. The health teachers vicious gaze was focused on Yuan Hui. She didnt even look at Ma Tao. Teacher, Im done with my test. Ma Tao, who lined up behind Yuan Hui, whispered. The health teacher only nodded in response. The gentle and beautiful teacher handed the test results to Ma Tao. Seeing the normal report result, Ma Taomented the absurdity of the world. The fact that he got perfectly healthy on all the criteria was crazy. He didnt need to put on any disguise. The humans around him were more like ghosts than he was. Stop grumbling! Wang Jie shoved Ma Tao away, Dont block the path. If youre done, move! Ma Tao looked at Wang Jie with resentment. Ma Tao took his thermos and sat at the corner. Fatty sat beside him. He held an oily bag. He had finished his breakfast, but he couldnt find a trashcan. Next! The health teacher ignored the ghost students. Her voice was no longer gentle. Liu Yi handed her form to the teacher and moved to stand before the window. After ncing at the form, the health teacher adjusted her condition. She noticed that Liu Yis health report was different from normal. She had a superhuman physical and mental constitution. If someone like her joined the centre, she would be sent directly to the headquarters. Your physical standard is beyond my expectations. I wonder if your mental health is as good. The health teacher put down the others forms. She closed Liu Yis eyes. To show her seriousness, the health teacher closed her own eyes too. Gao Ming and the rest turned their focus to Liu Yi. They knew that Liu Yi was special, but why? They had no clue. Dont be nervous. Just rx. You can even lean on me. The health teacher guided Liu Yi. After a whole minute, she asked kindly, Look out the window. Tell me. What can you see? The window is painted on the wall. Outside the window is the wall. Liu Yis voice was calm. She was not affected by the illusion at all. The health teacher furrowed her brows. She forced herself to stay calm as she brought Liu Yi to the mirror. Now, what do you see? Its a mirror. Im standing in the front, and youre standing behind me. Im wearing the school uniform from this morning. You appear to be pieced from abandoned human organs. You are an amalgamation of the thoughts that no one wants Shut up! Shut up! The health teacher moved one of her hands to cover Liu Yis mouth. The health teachers breathing turned heavy. Her face was not as pretty as before. ck spots surfaced on her fair skin. Answer my questions. The health teacher and Liu Yi moved to the door. Who is standing outside the door? What is he telling you? Liu Yi didnt answer instantly. The door didnt show any changes. After a long time, Liu Yi said helplessly. It is just a door painted on the wall. Teacher, is there something wrong with the devices? Or is your power unusable on me? The health teacher released her hands, and the eyeballs shrunk into her palms. She felt like Liu Yi was taunting her. Theres nothing wrong with the devices or my power. Youre the one with the problems! What do you mean? Liu Yi was baffled. I really didnt see anything. But you saw The health teacher stopped herself. Liu Yi saw everything, but when she asked Liu Yi, Liu Yi didnt mention anything about herself but exposed everything about the health teacher. What did I see? Liu Yi stood before the health teacher. Liu Yi was taller than her. The health teacher handed the form back to Liu Yi. She turned around angrily. She shouted at the waiting students. Next! See how far youve pushed our kind, responsible, gentle and friendly teacher. Fatty pitied the health teacher. Youre right. When we first entered the ss, I thought the teacher was so nice, and she would never get mad. Ma Tao held his thermos and looked around innocently. Its my turn! Ji Jie took a deep breath and walked towards the health teacher. The health teacher was still quite mad. She tried her best to control her emotions so that she wouldnt influence the other students tests. Teacher, theres something that I need to inform you first. Before the health teacher could calm down, Ji Jie stood beside her. Dont stand behind me. The teachers eyes twitched, and she took a deep breath to calm down. Student, can you tell me why I cant stand behind you? Because I am chosen. What? The health teacher didnt even want to give Ji Jie the test anymore. She knew that the child had a huge mental problem. Theres a very scary ghost behind me. Ji Jie had a mysterious smile on his face. He reached out his hand and smoothed the teachers messy hair behind her shoulder. I also dont know what itll do. Goosebumps crawled on the health teachers neck. She wanted to give Ji Jie a punch on his nose to cancel out the awkwardness. After warning the health teacher, Ji Jie walked to the window. Come. Lets start the test. Even with the warning, the health teacher still stood behind Ji Jie. She used her hands to cover Ji Jies eyes. Theres a window before you. Now, you will slowly approach it to look out the window. Since Ji Jie hadnt responded for a long time, the health teacher urged gently, Tell me. What do you see outside the window? I dont see a window Ji Jies voice was dull and robotic. He waspletely under the health teachers influence. Then, what do you see? Not only the health teacher but the other students were also curious. They all gathered around Ji Jie, wanting to hear his secret. There is no window on the wall But a death portrait Ji Jie mumbled. A death portrait? The health teacher had no idea what went wrong, but something stunned her. The window on the wall kept changing. It was like skin being torn off the flesh. The colours on the window were drenched by blood. The window slowly became more like a picture frame. Then What do you see inside the portrait? Theres a corpse who is painting. After Ji Jie said that, the window on the wall fully turned into a ck-and-white portrait. Inside the portrait, a dead body was waving the brush around madly. What is it painting? The health teacher had never encountered something like this before. She asked subconsciously. It is painting This health ssroom and the infirmary! It is outside the ssroom. It is painting on the wall outside this ssroom and the infirmary! The corpse in the portrait was drawing the corpses of the students like crazy. It sshed the blood of the innocent on the infirmary wall. It painted the horrible deaths of the students outside the resentment room wall. The light in the ssroom suddenly darkened. In the inconspicuous corner, blood seeped into the ssroom. Why would you see these things? What are you normally thinking about? The teacher was shocked. The health ssroom and the infirmary were adjacent resentment rooms. How could something draw on the resentment room? To the health teachers surprise, the window on the wall disappeared just like that. Instead, someone painted a death portrait on it. The anomaly in the health ssroom caused problems in the infirmary. Strange sounds came from the next-door infirmary. It was very scary. The health teacher thought back to Ji Jies warning. She didnt dare to let him stay longer in front of the window. She led him to the mirror. Now, youre looking at a mirror. Abandon your useless thoughts and let your true self remain in the mirror. The health teacher tried her best to guide Ji Jie. She hadnt noticed the death portrait in Ji Jies pocket had turned nk. The darkness and colours in the portrait were gone. Do not resist it. Let your kindness and malice show. In the mirror, Ji Jie waspletely different from his usual self. His eyes narrowed. He stood inside the mirror and then swung his fists at the mirror! Endless malice poured out of Ji Jie. The lights in the ssroom flickered. All the students were scared. Ji Jies reflection wanted toe out of the mirror! Is this his real self? Theres a beast hidden inside him! A person grew out of the malice? The students gasped audibly. Gao Ming was frightened too. He didnt think Xia Yang had be so strong. Has Xia Yang digested the art teachers resentment room? His death portrait has be scarier! Chapter 160: Gao Ming in the Mirror Chapter 160: Gao Ming in the Mirror The walls of the health ssroom peeled. Everyone looked at the mirror with respect and fear. The rushing malice weaved around the western suit. Ji Jie in the mirror yanked off his tie. His eyes shone with arrogance like he was a New God. Bathed in the admiration of many, Ji Jie bit on his slender fingers that normally held pens. Red paint slid down his wrist. What is he doing? Is he going to paint on the mirror? Why is his reflection so much more handsome than him? Ji Jie didnt need a paintbrush. His reflection reached towards the mirror. Blood lines appeared on the mirror. He was not painting, but the paintings fought to be painted by him. The blood lines arranged themselves into captivating drawings. First, there was the drawing of Ji Jie, and then there was the drawing of the health teacher behind Ji Jie. When the portrait of the health teacher waspleted, the health teacher emitted the horrible smell of decay. Her limbs looked like they were about to fall off. The man in the mirror put his fingers down. The blood lines became moreplicated. Shadows ovepped the health teachers drawing to sketch out the souls that formed the health teachers consciousness. With each shadow Ji Jie painted, the stronger the stench that came from the health try. In the mirror, Ji Jie became more excited, like he had found a new toy. The ten fingers danced about. His eyes flowed with blood as he bit on the beautiful toy. The health teacher released her hands in disbelief. She rapidly retreated. Her ck hair was falling, and her body underneath her clothes was loosening. Her fair skin cracked, and her body was disintegrating. The students of ss 13 observed everything. They thought theyd die in this ss, but somehow, the health teacher appeared to be the first in line to die. Is Ji Jies reflection the ghost on his back? The mirrors surface was decorated with more bloody drawings. The simple mirror world became a dark alleyway. Both sides of the passage were hung with portraits of the dead. The mad artist was immersed in art. Purity and depravity were separated by a mirror. The health teacher was just the start. Ji Jie wanted to draw every student in the room. When he infiltrated the resentment room, he seemed to see something and decided to help Gao Ming create the paintings of the other 50 students. Brother Ma, why cant I feel my legs anymore? Fatty held the stic bag. He suddenly realised he couldnt stand up. There were blood capiries moving in his leg. Was your breakfast poisoned? Just as Ma Tao said that, he lost control of his fingers. His thermos fell to the ground. He looked at the robot cat thermos in disbelief. Then, he turned to Ji Jie in the mirror. More students were drawn to the mirror. Ji Jie in the mirror wanted to draw out every student in ss 13. It was unclear whether he wanted to kill all of them or keep their souls as his collection. Ji Jie! What are you doing? Zuo Jun was really anxious. The health teacher was tormented and Ji Jie nned to sacrifice the whole ss. Killing the entire ss 13 was something even the east city investigation centre hadnt considered. More students copsed. Yuan Hui roared as he charged at Zuo Jun. It has to be you! Zuo Jun, you want to kill all of us! Dont me everything on me! Zuo Jun was flustered as he swung a punch at Yuan Hui. If this fist had connected, the already injured Yuan Hui would not have survived. Zuo Jun, we believe you. Quick, get your people to stop! Xi San took the punch. This former athlete could barely stand after taking the hit. Ill say it again! This has nothing to do with me! Zuo Jun red at Ji Jie viciously. For some reason, Ji Jies reflection drew everyone but refused to draw him. What a bastard! Zuo Juns physique and fighting skills were far above those of the other students. Plus, he had the trump card given by Situ An. Theoretically, he would be fine even in a Level 3 Anomaly. However, he felt very unsafe in ss 13. It was easy to deal with crazy people like Yuan Hui, but the real problems were the others. Wang Jie and Du Bai silently approached him. They had something up their sleeves. Ding Yuan was also aiming at the back of Zuo Juns heart. There was also the silent Gao Ming. Zuo Jun thought he could easily control ss 13 and force his ssmates to cooperate, but this bunch of crazy people would do anything to stop him. Ji Jie! Stop! Zuo Jun was familiar with the centres real goal. The centre was like the thieves who were trying to force the homeowner to give the safe key, but the homeowner decided to jump out the window instead. Without wasting time on Xi San, Zuo Jun charged at Ji Jie. Wake up! He used the most direct method to shove Ji Jie away from the mirror. Zuo Jun! Hes trying to kill Ji Jie! Someone shouted in the crowd. Everyone quickly mobilised to separate Ji Jie and Zuo Jun. Since Ji Jie was chosen by the scariest ghost, he was now the hope of many people. The crowd shuffled. More students were painted on the mirror. The ss was so chaotic. Bai Xiao! Call for reinforcement! Inform the other investigators now! Zuo Jun felt the killing intent. The hair stood on his arm. Everyone around him looked dangerous. Bai Xiao, who stood to watch from a distance, touched his ck band lightly. He was different from the other investigators. Situ An valued him, so he told him to join ss 13 to cooperate with Zuo Jun as a student. Bai Xiao thought that this would be an easy mission, but he soon changed his mind. Busy footsteps echoed outside the ssroom. However, they couldnt open the ssroom door. Bai Xiao moved to the door alone and symbolically nudged it. He didnt even check if it was locked. I tried my best. When the situation was going out of control, Gao Ming silently moved to Ji Jies side and swiped back the death portrait. Dont you wish to end this now? Just as Gao Ming took back the portrait, Xia Yangs voice appeared in his mind, Everyone has their own stance and consideration. However, once we turn all of them into death portraits, then your voice is their voice. You will represent all of them. If you live, they all live. A good suggestion, but neither you nor I can do that. The 51st student will not allow that to happen. Gao Ming put away Xia Yangs portrait. He turned to the mirror that would show him his soul. Gao Ming, who was covered in injuries and lost one eye, appeared in the mirror. He stood behind Ji Jie, but this was just the beginning. Chapter 161: Situ An Chapter 161: Situ An Gao Ming outside the mirror, stood behind Ji Jie. The dead Gao Ming inside the mirror stood behind Xia Yang. I know what I need to do. Do not cross the line. Gao Ming slowly raised his hand to grip around Ji Jies neck as he looked at the mirror. The single-eyed Gao Ming in the mirror grabbed Xia Yang by his neck. His remaining eye was pierced by blood capiries. His voice was chilling and scary. Im already dead. The one making the decisions is you. Ji Jie in the mirror slowly ovepped Xia Yangs expression. It is your inner thoughts that want to kill everyone. I merely manifest it for you. Dont you get it? I am following your intentions. Im not guiding you, but you arepelling me. The mirror reflected three different souls. They were Ji Jie, Xia Yang and Gao Ming. Stop it now. Gao Ming tightened his grip. Ji Jies neck started to crack. Xia Yang, in the mirror, still maintained a warm smile, and his hands danced. This madman was creating death portraits for every student in ss 13! Why wont you live the way your heart wants to? Why would you repress yourself? You have been hiding your real self. Xia Yang didnt stop. He drew the unique soul of each student. He sketched the consciousness of everyone in the ssroom, including those who had been taken over by ghosts. This crazy method triggered anxiousness in Situ Ans rules. This was the office building. The only ce Situ An could fully control. The door of the health ssroom was still locked. The walls started to crack like something scary was swimming inside the wall. Screams came from the adjacent infirmary. The wall separating the health ssroom and the infirmary popped with veins like human skin. The veins pumped rhythmically like the human heart. Someone who can see the future but refuses to im the future. What secrets are you hiding in your heart? After Xia Yang finished painting everyone else, his eyesnded on Gao Ming, Your soul is a picture of death, but this mirror can only show a part of you. Let me witness your true soul. Staining his fingers with the students blood, Xia Yang wanted to draw Gao Ming in the mirror. When his fingers touched the mirrors surface, the endless death memories within Gao Mings heart started to collide. More figures appeared behind Xia Yang. Gao Ming, in the investigation centre chief uniform, grabbed Xia Yang. Another dead version of you? The closer he was to the truth, the more excited Xia Yang was. He wanted to draw Gao Mings soul, but he didnt anticipate that the current Gao Ming was created by endless dead Gao Mings. Did you use your lives to cast the steps to look into the future? Is there only death? How many times have you died? An arm reached out from behind to puncture Xia Yangs chest. Ignoring the risk of being torn apart, Xia Yang smiled as he continued to paint Gao Mings face. The bloody faces blocked the view. Dead figures overwhelmed Xia Yang. As he was about to reach the core, he suddenly realised all the dead Gao Mings had a sound reverberating in their chests. Their dead hearts came back to life. The hearts beat together. Eightrge arms spread like ancient tree branches. The God of Flesh and Blood wanted to pull Xia Yangs paintings into the torture room! The mirror had reached its limit. Even the wall was about to copse. Xia Yang finally regained his rationality. He stopped painting because he knew he could never put the real Gao Ming down into a drawing. The former art teacher also wanted to draw Gao Mings soul, but there were too many of them. Xia Yang faced the same problem. The more he tried to do it, the deeper hed be dragged down by it. The cracks in the health ssroom expanded. If Xia Yang added one more stroke, the mirror that was his canvas would shatter. Im the best at portraits. Who would have thought that one day Id encounter a soul that I cant draw? The appearance of the torture room helped Xia Yang calm down. He wiped away the blood on his fingers and extended his hand to Gao Ming, You wouldnt want me to disappear forever, right? People trapped in my heart will exist forever. By then, youd pray that you had disappeared instead. Gao Ming held Ji Jies hand out. The mirror was covered in bloody portraits. Xia Yang had drawn the picture of every students soul. When his fingertip touched the mirror, the blood used by Xia Yang rushed into the death portrait in Gao Mings pocket. The death visage of the students was preserved in Xia Yangs portrait. As blood receded from the mirror, the students were attracted by themotion. They saw something terrifying. The blood faded away. Ji Jie, in the mirror, sat on the ground, and behind him stood a giant ghost with eight arms. When thest drop of blood was exhausted, the mirror shattered. The spidery cracks extended beyond the mirror to the wall. The skin-like wall between the health ssroom and the infirmary crumbled. ss 13 saw everything inside the infirmary. The infirmary had two levels, and it was extremely spacious. Fifty students with bandaged faces were tied around the beds like dogs. The tform nearest to the wall had a schoolbag, a diary and a muddy school uniform on it. Near the uniform was a blurry student ID. The students school number was 51. ss 13 slowly regained control of their bodies. No one had expected that the health ss would end up like this. Everyones eyes wandered between the copsed wall, Ji Jie and the infirmary. Gao Ming, who had swiped the death portrait back, retreated silently, leaving behind the terrifying Ji Jie. The students with the bandaged faces look familiar When we rode the bus to this school, wasnt there a student with a bandaged face on the bus with us? Wang Jie looked around but couldnt find that person. What is going on with these students? The investigation centre wants to create the 51st student! They want to trap the school rules inside one of the students here! Zuo Bo growled. He was tied to one of the beds too. He wore his patients garb with many different needles stuck into his body. He screamed like crazy. I knew Zuo Jun was behind this! A shoe flew at the back of Zuo Juns head. He evaded it easily. Yuan Hui moved to remove his other shoe. The schoolbag, diary and student ID belong to the 51st student. The mirror, window and door are hypnotic mediums. The investigation centre wants to use our connection with the 51st studentsst effects to find the memory fragments we have of him in our hearts! Zuo Bo bit at his bandages as he struggled and yelled. The investigation centre is ready to rece us. They have never treated us as humans before! Yuan Huis resentment was deep. No one knew what had happened to him at the office building earlier. Some of the students were still trying to process the info while others had already run towards thest effects on the table. Liu Yi, Wang Jie and Gao Ming raced towards the diary. The others didnt want to be left behind and started to run too. Zuo Juns face was fully dark. His ssmates were acting more like bandits! The health ssroom door flew open after Xia Yang returned to the death portrait. The investigators with teachers IDs entered the room, but they couldnt instil order either. The students of ss 13 knew that they could only rely on themselves. Stop! Do not touch anything in the infirmary! The warning was unheeded. The students stepped over the ruins. Some went to tear off the trapped students bandages. Others fought for the things inside the school bags. Some formed a wall of bodies and started to read the diary. Ji Jie, who was trampled slowly woke up. He clutched his heart. Earlier, an indescribable fear almost consumed him. After endless simtions, Fear Illness effect was amplified to the maximum. The things he saw earlier bubbled up in his mind. Fear Illness gradually turned them real. Are you alright? The kind Zhou Sisi didnt join the fight. She pulled Ji Jie to the side. She was afraid that he might be injured. I had a very scary dream. I saw the ghost behind me. Ji Jies limbs were cold. It had died again and again. With each death, it became scarier. It had eight arms and four different faces. His lower body was embedded into endless bloodred corpses With his description, the imagination in Ji Jies mind became more realistic. The key point was all the other students had seen that ghost too. Everyones fear had a visual representation. Endless malice was injected into the collective imagination. The seed of fear germinated. If you dont stop, all of you will be terminated! The elderly investigator with the Teachers ID screamed, but it was pointless. The students with the bandaged faces looked around numbly. As their pain lifted slightly, the straps on their bodies tightened. Three school doctors in bloodred coats walked down from the second floor. The three doctors stood out individually. The doctor who took the lead had his fingers reced by scalpels. Blood capiries ran under his skin. He wore the school uniform under his coat. He used to be the schools student. There was a student ID around his chest. His name was Huang Kong. A very pretty female doctor followed Huang Kong. The real thing that controlled her was the head she was cradling. The severed neck had many capiries that were connected to the female doctor. The head was like a parasite attached to the doctor. The third doctor removed his mask. He looked just like Doctor Lu, but Gao Ming was certain he was not. Ive killed the real Doctor Lu. This Doctor Lu exudes a familiar presence. Hes confident and humble, cruel and kind. Hes just like Gao Ming sucked in a cold breath and narrowed his eyes. Situ An! Han De Private Academys infirmary could piece different body parts together to create a more perfect monster. An example was the health teacher who was almost killed by Xia Yang. The office building was shrouded in Situ Ans rules. The infirmary was at the core of the office building. Even Zuo Jun wasnt allowed toe here. This ce had to carry Situ Ans secret. After Ive taken the God of Flesh and Blood, Situ An has taken a different path. This guy is a genius in cultivating anomalies. ss 13 ignored the investigators, but when the three doctors appeared, some of the students stopped. One of the ghosts who was voted in the earlier ss was toote. It was captured by Doctor Huang Kong. Huang Kong turned to nce at Doctor Lu. After getting permission, he shoved the ghost student into his chest. Ten fingers stabbed into the ghost. His chest tore open, and strange tentacles of bloodshed out to pierce the ghosts body. The students of ss 13 calmed down immediately. Before everyones eyes, Huang Kong used this terrifying method to swallow the ghost. When ss 13 voted out the ghost earlier, they didnt expect the ghost to perish in such a horrid way. Put the things youve found in the infirmary back in their ces. Doctor Lu said faintly. His voice was soft, but it carried an aura of majesty. Doctor Lu appeared to be connected to the infirmary. Everything inside this room had to listen to his order. We were just looking. The students reced the effects of the 51st student and they all crowded around Ji Jie. Chapter 162: Doctor Lu Chapter 162: Doctor Lu With footprints still on his uniform, after Ji Jie woke up, he quickly found his position at the front of the ss. Seeing this, Doctor Lu nced a few more times at Ji Jie but said nothing. Im sorry to have disturbed you. I also didnt think the wall in the middle of the two rooms would copse. The others didnt even need to say anything, and Ji Jie had already admitted the guilt. Was it you who destroyed the window, mirror and door? Doctor Lu thought he had missed something. He stared at Ji Jie for a while and still found nothing. How did you do it? Let my friends go, and I will tell you. Ji Jie signalled for everyone to stay away from him. He seemed to be preparing tomunicate with the ghost behind him. Doctor Lu had been killed by Gao Ming. The thing hiding inside Doctor Lus shell might be Situ Ans consciousness. This cunning devil had seen many types of people. He easily saw into Ji Jies essence, a vain and not-so-clever coward. So how did someone like him be so brave? Doctor Lu gazed at the other students of ss 13. Everyone had their own goals, and their attitude towards Ji Jie was different. However, they all listened to Ji Jie and took a step back. It showed their full trust in Ji Jie. Doctor Lus gaze finallynded on Zuo Jun. He knew that Zuo Jun was his ally, but even then, Zuo Jun was retreating with fear in his eyes. It was fine for the others, but if the chief of Queens Investigation Centre, Zuo Jun, felt fear from Ji Jie, something was wrong. Doctor Lu took a step forward and stood before the other two doctors. He pointed at Ji Jie. Its normal for students to break the devices during ss. The others can leave, but you have to stay. No! Wang Jie was the first to reject it. Sensing the hesitation in others, Wang Jie shouted, The wolf told the ram that once he voluntarily removed his horns, he would not attack him. But once the ram did that, hed die a horrible death! His words woken up the others. Du Bai added, Ji Jie is the only chosen one. If we want to be chosen, we need him to guide us. Doctor Lu looked at ss 13 silently. He had no idea what they were talking about. Chosen one? Broken horns? As an entity that controls the rules, Doctor Lu felt like he was witnessing a group of kids arguing. His patience was exhausted in the short two minutes. He waved at the female doctor holding the head. The distance between a normal person and the investigator was huge. The distance between the ghosts and the investigators was evenrger. He had Zuo Jun lead ss 13 there just to deal with the school rules. In the past, he didnt dare to go overboard since the school rules were there. However, something happened to the school rules yesterday night. Doctor Lu felt like this was his chance. He wanted to use physical torture to control every student. What a cute fe. He is so dumb that its cute. I worry that once I take him as my parasite, my own brain will be dumber. The head in the female doctors embrace spoke. It didnt approach the crowd. It only stared at Ji Jie. When Ji Jies face was fully reflected inside its pupils, the head started to wilt like a flower. The female doctor crumbled to the ground like her energy had been drained. At the same time, Ji Jie felt ufortable. First, there was the itchiness and then came the pain. It felt like something was trying to break out of his skin. He resisted the urge to scratch his body. Ji Jie removed his branded clothes and looked at his chest. With each of his heartbeats, the skin on his chest would bulge forward to reveal the shape of a human face. Behind him was indescribable fear, and there was a human head nted on his chest. Ji Jie didnt expect hed be double-teamed like this. He knelt on the ground. Even though his body shivered from pain, Ji Jie didnt let his branded clothes touch the ground. Only the tag swayed in the air. Dont worry. Im fine. Even at this moment, Ji Jie tried tofort the others and himself. This is not painful at all. In the crowd, Gao Ming slowly moved towards Ji Jie. He kept his eyes lowered. His eyes were filled with blood. The death memories in his heart boiled. He wanted to kill Situ An so much, but he hadnt found Situ Ans main body. If he did something then, he would only warn Situ An away. I have to calm down Gao Ming narrowed his eyes and tried his best to stuff down his killing intent. He couldnt let Situ An detect him. I havent seen you being so excited before. Xia Yangs voice suddenly appeared in Gao Mings mind. You are normally so calm, but you are almost consumed by desire once you see him. You must have been killed many times by him, right? Is that why youre acting like this? Gao Ming didnt answer. The death memories burned his nerves. Compared to me, you want to use even crueller methods to kill him. Im curious. What did he do to you that you want to kill him so desperately? Am I not more dangerous than him? Xia Yangs voice echoed, and the death memories collided. Gao Ming didnt dare to let his guard down. He really wanted to pull everything into his heart room. I wish to paint for him. Use my corpse to paint all of them! Gao Mings nails dug into his flesh. He grabbed Xia Yangs portrait. He would try to summon a ghost around Ji Jie. If he dyed any longer, Ji Jie would be taken over by that parasite. Footsteps came from outside the health ssroom. The door opened. A security guard with a titled cap on his head appeared. He shouted into the ss with bated breath, What happened here?! The copsed wall created a loud noise. The night security, Hu Biao, entered the room. He looked so tired with his ck eyes. He waved his baton and was about to say something when he saw Doctor Lu. He cleverly shrunk his neck and retreated, but he was pushed forward by the student council members behind him. They all entered the health ssroom. The next ss has already begun. Why did you skip ss? The leading member saw Ji Jie yesterday. He wore a soaked red uniform. There were mud and rotten leaves from the flood stuck to his pants. The student council was dealing with the flood at the activity building. However, they hurried over to the office building when they sensed the anomaly there. Chapter 163: Am I the Fake One? Chapter 163: Am I the Fake One? The two rules represented by the student council and the investigation centre collided in the health ssroom. ss 13 was stuck in the middle. They had be a force that couldnt be ignored. At this moment, the side that ss 13 sided with would have the advantage. We should follow the school rules and attend the next ss. Liu Yi picked up Ji Jie. She and a few others expressed their stance. Since there was a leader, the rest followed. The student council was not perfect, but they were better than the investigation centre. Plus, what they wanted was to leave the health ssroom as soon as possible. The teachers with the IDs wanted to stop them, but ss 13 started to resist. After all, they had the student council to fight for them. Im warning you! Dont provoke my Brother Ji! Xi San growled as he hid behind Ji Jie. But honestly, Ji Jie did look scary. The skin on his chest rose, and his skin reddened. Her face grimaced from pain. The investigators wanted to get Doctor Lus opinion, but thetters attention was attracted by Ji Jie and Liu Yi. He had Huang Kong check the effects of the 51st student. After ensuring that nothing was lost, he grabbed all the stuff and returned to the second floor of the infirmary. He didnt want to fight the student council head-on yet, so he allowed the students of ss 13 to leave. My friends! Just like how he acted when he exited the art ssroom, Xi San rushed towards the student council. Gao Ming stayed to help Zuo Bo. He nned to bring the other students with bandaged faces away, but after their bandages were taken off, their bodies would dissolve into meat piles. It was very scary. The infirmary is the ce where students are treated as toys. These students are no longer humans, but they are toys. Their situation is worse than ours. Zuo Bo stopped Gao Ming. At least wereb rats, ones that have value. The students slowly exited the health ssroom. They left Situ An a broken wall and the seed of fear. After they left the office building, the students noticed something was wrong with the school. Before this, there were a lot of students in the school. They acted strangely, but the school still felt like a school. At this moment, everyone was acting so warily, like the end of the world wasing. Follow the timetable and attend your sses. Dont worry about anything else. After the leading student council member escorted them out of the office building, he hurried back to the activity building. This confused Gao Ming. Was the flood that hard to deal with? The third ss was supposed to be the English ss, but since the health ss took too long, they went to the school hall to attend the fourth ss, Moral. Moral was a ss set up by Han De Private School. A few sses would attend it at the same time. Its purpose was to focus on building the morality and understanding of the students. The hall can be considered a neutral area. It doesnt belong to any rules. In the next ss, I have to focus not on the student council or Situ An but on Ji Jie. Gao Ming was a bit worried about Ji Jie. The more crowded the venue was, the higher the chance of the Fear Illness triggering. Ji Jie was at a critical point. He had seen too many scary things and heard too many scary rumours. The scary imagination in his mind might manifest at any moment. To make things worse, Ji Jie had a real ghost on his chest. Even Gao Ming had no idea how it became like this. He tried to approach Ji Jie a few times to get the fear doll back, but the doll was basically attached to Ji Jie. It was like a cat who had found its favourite cat tree. The afternoon will be You Liangs social practical ss, but I fear we might not survive the noon ss. The normal sses werent that difficult. Both Situ An and the school rules were still holding back. After all, they had prepared a whole week of sses, and this was only day two. Before they could recover from the shadow of the health ss, ss 13 entered the hall. Everyone found the map on the wall and found their ss seats. This time we are attending the lesson with other sses. We must be careful. Qian Junran stood forward to remind everyone. He walked to Liu Yis side. Liu Yi, is anyone sitting beside you? Yes. Liu Yi stood up to sit beside Zhou Sisi. You should tell that to the students from other sses. Tell them to be careful of the number 13. Fatty had dropped the stic bag. He hugged his stomach and didnt even dare to speak too loudly. The students from other sses entered the hall. As the crowd filed into the venue, Gao Ming felt more anxious. The ss rang. The hall was full. There were around 300 students from 6 sses. All the students look fidgety. Wang Jie picked up Xi San and forced him to change his seat so that he could sit beside Gao Ming, Look at them carefully. Their mental condition is fragile. Their bodies shiver. It feels like they might go crazy at any moment. The big hall was full, but more students continued to file in. Even Zuo Jun frowned deeply. This morality ss is hosted by Headmistress Yan. The reason the school has this ss is very simple. Be it the school rules or the other rules, they dont want the students to suffer from mental copse and lose their values. Ding Yuan sat on Gao Mings other side. This senior chief had many things to discuss with Gao Ming, but he had not found the chance. Headmistress Yans ss? That is also one of the reasons why Yan Xizhi hasnt been killed by the school rules and the other rules. They need Yan Xizhi to stabilise the students. Ding Yuan said worriedly, This ss is prepared for the students with mental problems. I dont expect so many students to attend this ss today. It had been five minutes since the ss started. Headmistress Yan did not show up, but more students squeezed into the hall. Headmistress Yan doesnt seem like a person who will bete. Did something happen to her? Ding Yuan touched his ck band to contact his subordinates. The air in the hall seemed to freeze. ss 13 started to feel fear too. If the other students turned on them, they had no chance of surviving. There are too many people here! Even Gao Ming began to feel uneasy. He slowly shuffled over to Ji Jies side. If you put a mentally unstable person inside a singr room, his chance of acting up would only be 15 percent. But if you put a group of mentally unstable people together, any kind of interaction would cause a chain effect. The hall was a giant bomb. The only person who could defuse this bomb, Headmistress Yan, was missing. As more people entered the hall and the corridors filled up, some of the students eyed those sitting viciously. Can you let me sit for a moment? I dont feel well. I had a nightmarest night. I have not slept for a long time already. Im still shaky from that. I cant give you my seat. I fear that once I leave my seat, I will bite your face off. Someone is tailing me! Move! Hes about to catch up to me! Various voices came from the other sses. ss 13 didnt fare so well either. The oldest student, Cao Song, stared at Ji Jies back. He noticed the back of Ji Jies clothes was stretched open. His mother was crawling out. Since he was young, Cao Song feared his mother the most. His mother used the strictest method to raise him. There were many whipping injuries on his body. Impossible! Why is mother here? Cao Song jumped up in a hurry. It scared Fatty. He also turned to Ji Jie. His small eyes widened. Fatty noticed paper apples falling out of Ji Jies back. The apples were printed with his face. Ma Tao told him earlier how he died yesterday. History was repeating itself. Every student saw different things. Their fear coagted on Ji Jie to form a consensus: their most feared thing was on Ji Jies back! When the consensus was gathered, the fake would be real because people started to believe in it. Ever since he entered the hall, Ji Jie had kept his head lower. He held his chest with both hands until his fingertips were soaked by blood. Its pointless. I dont even know why Doctor Lu would be interested in an idiot like you. The school doctors face appeared on Ji Jies chest. Ji Jie gritted his teeth as he tried to push it back down. He wanted to be admired and be the focus, but he didnt want to be a monster. He didnt want to be the focus because of ugliness and monstrosity. When he was back in school, the only time he was noticed by the whole ss was because he lost the ss fee and someone suspected him of theft. It didnt matter how much he swore that he didnt do it. In the end, the teacher covered up the fee with his sry. The matter was settled, but he remembered how his ssmates looked at him. I finally got chosen for once, but Im turning into a monster?! The head on his chest tore out of his skin. Ji Jie doubled over in pain. Blood soaked Ji Jies cheap inner clothes. Cai Meimei, beside him, screamed. Ji Jie, youre bleeding! Everyone turned to Ji Jie. Being in the same room with the source of Fear Illness, their mental defence had already copsed. Dont look at me. Just pay attention to the ss The more Ji Jie struggled, the happier the doctors headughed. The surrounding students discovered this. Whats wrong with your chest? Did you bring the doctors head out? Dont worry, Ji Jie. Its fine. Have you been infected by the parasite? Ji Jie, are you still there? The other students were attracted by ss 13 too. Many students who had no seats leaned over. Since when did the school have a ss 13? I havent heard of them before. Some ghosts are breaking the rules! What an ugly person. It should be a new scapegoat ghost. Many voices entered Ji Jies ears. He was about to crumble. He couldnt hold the doctor on his chest anymore. The fear behind him also gave him endless pressure. The fear that Ji Jie had experienced since he was born appeared in his mind. Being ostracised, looked down on, used of being a thief, and scolded by his family His only sanctuary was himself. I dont want to be like this, but I cant hold on anymore. Run and stay away from me Intermittent voices came from Ji Jies lips. The horrifying images froze in his mind. Four mouths grew the face, the giant tree made of flesh, the many corpses, the bloody and insane paintings, he visualised the fear behind him! At that moment, no one noticed the fear doll hidden inside Ji Jies branded clothes. It crawled on Ji Jies back. The childish doodles on its body turned into Ji Jies fearful thoughts. Its face grew four mouths. Its body grew like a giant tree. Gao Ming, who was moving towards Ji Jie, had his heart jump. The God of Blood and Flesh resonated with this moment. He looked at Ji Jies location with shock. Blood flowed, and Ji Jie let go of his hands. The doctors head crawled out of Ji Jies chest with a strangeughter. It twisted its neck around to look at Ji Jie. When the doctor saw Ji Jie, his lips turned purple. He saw the giant tree that was strung with dead bodies, reaching up into the roof of the hall. The eight thick branches hung with the bloody death portraits of the students from ss 13. The more valid the fear, the more powerful the manifestation. In this hall filled with students, everyone was a nutrient for the doll. The branch mmed down. When the doctor exuded fear and believed in it, his face was pierced through. The floor and the seat were smashed. After the leaves and branches touched the ground, they spread rapidly. The screams inside the hall flipped the roof. The students scurried to escape. Fear Illness entered itsst stage. Standing under the giant tree of flesh, Gao Mings throat wiggled. He could feel the excitement from the God of Flesh and Blood. Howe it feels like Im the pretender? Chapter 164: The Scariest Difficulty Chapter 164: The Scariest Difficulty Gao Ming was very familiar with Fear Illness. He knew that at thest stage, the illness would manifest the collective fear. However, he didnt expect Ji Jies fear manifestation to be the God of Flesh and Blood. Different from the God of Flesh and Blood in Gao Mings heart, Ji Jie had added changes to it. The giant tree of flesh stunned even Gao Ming. Is this how the God of Flesh and Blood will evolve into in the end? A tree? Gao Ming couldnt tell for sure, but he could sense the nging of the chains in the torture room. The real God of Flesh and Blood was really excited. Run! Why are you still standing there? Xi San was a good man. He had already escaped, but he came back to shove Gao Ming into motion, Quick! Gao Ming was knocked over. He fell beside a chair and looked up. Eight giant fleshy branches spread on the roof of the hall. Small capiries grew rapidly. The branches exploded into a tree crown. Each leave was made of the students fear. Faces moved on the bark. Xia Yangs paintings came alive. The human faces in his paintings had all four mouths. They cackled as they chased after the other students in the hall. The screams pierced the eardrums. This was a tragedy. The hall was like hell. Oveing Fear Illness was very simple. As long as one had no fear, the manifestation wouldnt hurt oneself. The key problem was even Gao Ming was affected by that situation. Once fear infected more than enough people, rationality would be abandoned. Students trampled over each other as they tried to escape. No one would have time to figure out how the monster came to be. They just wanted to escape. The more they tried to run, the more frightened they would be. The more frightened they were, the more realistic the monster became. The hall could only take 300 students, but students filed in with no regard for the capacity. The corridors were filled with people. In a rough estimate, there were 400 students in the hall. And every one of them was there because they were under too much mental pressure and wanted to attend Headmistress Yans ss. They were already ticking time bombs, and finally, they exploded. Gao Ming, run! The brothers from Room 1314 didnt forget him. They thought Gao Ming was scared silly. They dragged him up and carried him out. Dont you fall here! You are the backbone of our room! Even Wang Jie was anxious. He ordered Xi San and Du Bai to clear the way. They moved towards the exit along the wall. No one knew how Ji Jie was doing. However, he didnt seem to have fully lost his rationality. He gave his ssmates the chance to escape, but the other students were not as lucky. After ss 13 escaped from the back door, the roots of the tree sealed up the doors. The rest of the students became nutrients for the fleshy tree. Fear Illness would not kill them. Instead, they would be morphed into the giant tree. They would be a part of the tree, providing it with constant nutrients. If you believe it, its real The normal students looking from a distance had no idea what had happened inside the hall. They could only hear the horrible screams and felt like something scary had happened. As the survivors described the situation inside the hall, the seed of fear was also nted inside the hearts of the normal students. They started to imagine things. Those with strong will would not be affected by fear. Unfortunately, 90 percent of people couldnt ovee fear. In the end, thest 10 percent would be dragged down by the majority. Mad. The school has gone mad. Gao Ming dropped the Fear Doll to disrupt the student council and to ease his escape from Hostel Building 6. He didnt think a monster woulde out of it. The student council hurried over from the activity building to the hall. The teachers from the centre were attracted by the screams and moved there as well. Gao Ming made a quick note of all the notable buildings at the school. The hostels were the territory of the student council; the office building was taken over by Situ An. The math building and theb buildings were the venues of contention. Finally, the activity building and the hall were on Gao Mings side. It has only been two days, and half of the school is mine?! No one paid attention to ss 13 anymore. Ji Jie had taken several hundred students hostage. He had been treated by the school rules as the source of the Fear Illness. He couldnt be hidden anymore. Ji Jie stood under the spotlight and became the scariest antagonist. Compared to him, the other students looked so normal. It has only been a few years since the graduation, but everyones status has be so different. Xi San wanted to inform the student council of the situation inside the hall, but the student council only cared about the giant tree and pushed him away. What other sses do we have? Du Bai counted on his fingers. Each ss is more exciting than thest. The school rules are something else too. One ssroom will be destroyed with each passing ss. When we are used to danger, thats when the most dangerous thing will happen. Is that the revenge of the 51st student? Wang Jie waved at Gao Ming and whispered to him. I took a glimpse of the 51st students diary at the infirmary. The student we have forgotten doesnt seem to be a bad person. Wang Jie flicked his fingers and shoved two pages to Gao Ming. During the chaos, he tore two pages out of the diary! You are too brave. Gao Ming didnt make a big deal out of it. He lowered his head to read. The handwriting was very familiar to him. X Month X Day. I envy those who can take the bus to go on a trip. I wish to be with them, but the doctor advises against it. This ss is so nice. Everyone will be who they want to be in the future. X Month X Day. Im the only one left in the ss. The teacher wants me to attend the lesson with other sses. The other sses look at me strangely. I hope everyone wille back soon so I wont be alone anymore. The roof of the math building, the hostel, the library, the canteen kitchen Where in this school is suitable for a person to hide and study? X Month X Night. Everyone is calling me and messaging me! They ask me to go y with them! Its 12 midnight. Some of them told me not to go, or Id die. What is happening? Why is everyone looking for me Thest entry wasnt finished. Based on the diary, hes a good person. Wang Jie took back the pages. But think about the things he has done to us after we arrived at this school. Hes not even a human! Has he be like this because we lied to him? Gao Ming didnt tell Wang Jie the truth, but he knew the 51st student was innocent. Dont tell the others about the diary. We need to find him at this school. Find him? Wang Jies scalp numbed. To get ourselves killed? Dont jump to the conclusion. Pay attention to his second entry. Gao Ming had a good memory, and he recited everything. He wrote in the diary that hed often go to the roof of the math building, the hostel, the library, and the canteen kitchen. If we want to find him, we should try our luck at these ces. The 51st student represented the school rules, while Situ An represented the other rules. They should both be hiding at the school. They wanted to find the other to kill them. This afternoons social practice ss will be very scary. I suggest we make use of lunch time to see if we can find any clues. After discussing it with the others from his bedroom, ss 13 had already separated. They split into smaller groups toe up with the solution. Some students sided with the ghost students. This group was led by Yuan Hui. They wanted to find a peaceful way for humans and ghosts to coexist. They decided to withhold from voting and fight the investigation centre together. The more courageous ones wanted to enter Hostel Building 6. They wanted to be chosen like Ji Jie. Liu Yi found a few of the girls and hurried to the student council meeting room. Zuo Jun also contacted the east city investigation centre. Other than Bai Xiao, more investigators joined ss 13. Lastly, there was Qian Junran. He led most of the male and female students to search the school within the allocated rules. They nned to steal resources and were the most normal group. To survive, everyone was trying their best. Headmistress Yans ss ended before it could start. Ding Yuan was worried about her. He led Zhou Sisi to leave early. In just a few minutes, the field was empty. And such is the power of unity. Wang Jie realised that ss 13 was quite powerful when there was no infighting. We should go to the top of the math building. If we find anything, well contact each other with our phones. After everyone left, Gao Ming climbed over the rails into the second floor of the activity building. One day and one night had passed. The flood appeared to have gotten worried. The water ghosts wailed, and the murky waves mmed against the wall. The once clean and tidy gym was covered in mud. asionally, livestock carried by the torrent would float by. Even with the student council, the flood has gotten out of control?! Gao Ming had no idea what was going on at the activity building. The customers at Min Long Supermarket should still be in the water. The girl who is tied into a mermaid at the bottom of the pool, the supermarket boss, Zhang Ding and the gym teacher, Zhong Long The flood is now hiding these three Big Ghosts. When no one was paying attention, Gao Ming slipped into the water. He grabbed the rails and called Zhang Dings name. He was honestly worried. He cut his finger and allowed his blood to spread through the water. Soon, Gao Ming saw Zhang Dings son float over while holding the tail of a pig. My dad is hiding underneath. He doesnt dare to show up. Zhang Fendou waved his fat hands. He was happy to see Gao Ming. If you had floated over earlier, I wouldnt need to cut my hand. Gao Ming grabbed the pig too. The flood is spreading. Bring me to your dad. Zhang Fendou gave the pig to Gao Ming, while he swam to a dark corner of the gym. Not long after that, a tired-looking Zhang Ding appeared at the corner. His connection to the flood was stronger. It was like he represented the tragedy itself. Boss Zhang, is everyone okay? Did the student council trouble you? Gao Ming knew Zhang Dings bottom line. That group of students is very good. They can use some kind of rules to forcibly suppress the water ghosts. They used the simplest and dumbest method to cleanse the flood. Zhang Ding approved the student council. The youth nowadays is not bad. Was the student council cleansing the flood? Then, howe I feel like the flood has be stronger? Gao Ming could hear the dangerous voices in the flood. Zhang Dings face reddened, and he said in embarrassment. I saw how powerful they were and how they knew how to use power I wasnt familiar with. So after they helped some of the water ghosts let go of their resentment I released another batch of resentful water ghosts. Arent you afraid of things going out of control? Gao Ming was shocked. He didnt expect the honest boss to go against the student council. I also didnt expect the students would suddenly decide to leave when everything was going so well. Zhang Ding was under a lot of pressure. I worked so well with the students, but someone made a mess at the other parts of the school. The bastard created a bigger mess than the flood, so the students left in a hurry. I dont think I can handle this by myself! The flood will overflow at any moment, and the water will swallow the whole school! Seeing the ck lines on Gao Mings face, Zhang Ding slowed down as he realised something. That bastard is not you, right? No. Its someone called Ji Jie. I dont know how he did it either. Fear Illness was triggered. The fear would be branded in peoples minds. As the mental world copsed, the flood inside the activity building would sweep everything away too. For normal students, the real nightmare was about to start. As long as its not you. Zhang Ding sighed in relief. You have no idea how much Ive cursed that person. Chapter 165: Pay Attention to this Student Chapter 165: Pay Attention to this Student With Gao Mings hard work, he not only added difficulty to the map but also stress-tested Situ An and the school rules. A real game designer would test everyone equally. Gao Ming, why arent you saying anything? Is something bothering you? Zhang Ding waved his hand before his eyes. Im trying my best to control the flood. I can keep it stable until nighttime, not more than that. That should be enough Gao Ming looked behind Zhang Ding. With the student councils help, more neighbours regained their rationality. They became Zhang Dings power. Zhang Ding managed to hold on for so long because of them. The student council is cleansing the flood. The water ghosts are helping me take back the supermarket. Everyone is doing good. Zhang Ding did his best in everything. By the way, the little girl has agreed to join us too. The big ghost in the pool? This was good news for Gao Ming. The mud and sand rolled to the side. The dying gym teacher had been forced to submit to life. He put on the supermarket employee uniform. Not far away from him was the girl in the red uniform who was growling. The girl had fish fins and scales. She was bound by tiny knots. In the past, she was the owner of the swimming pool, but suppressed by the flood, she lost her power. When the student council first came, they didnt know about us. They thought the flood was the girls doing. They kept cursing her at the poolside, causing her to weaken. Eventually, my neighbours and I managed to bring her back into the supermarket. Compared to the mad girl student, the ghosts at Zhang Dings supermarket were more cunning. The gym teacher, Zhong Long, is a nice guy. He volunteered to help at the supermarket to fight the flood with us. No one forced him. With the student councils help, the two big ghosts that ignored the rules were tricked by Zhang Ding to join the supermarket. Its their good luck to be able to follow Boss Zhang, Gao Ming didnt expect Zhang Ding to be so capable. Im only treating them with sincerity. Zhang Ding liked to chat with Gao Ming. By the way, I found some strange things in the activity room. He and his neighbours pulled a cupboard out of the torrent. The lock on the door had the symbol of the investigation centre. Look at the training info. Zhang Ding opened the lock. The cupboard was filled with reports on students. The East City Investigation Centre has been selecting suitable students from here and then sending them to theb building. Compare the before and after pictures. The previously-healthy students came out from theb building as elders. It appears like their lives have been drained. No one expected the flood to happen at the pool. Many important files hadnt been moved. Therefore, Zhang Ding knew a lot of secrets. To fight the ghosts in the shadow world, the east city investigation centre has been experimenting on living humans. Ghosts are made from resentment and hatred. They are cruel and violent. The centre wants to use the other extreme and see if they can turn the kind and gentle students of Han De Academy into obedient ghosts. The gym teacher carried a metal locker in the changing room over. He yanked the door off, and the polluted student ID fell out. All the pictures had been twisted beyond belief. The kids didnt even look like humans anymore. I should have dealt with these, but I couldnt bring myself to do so. These are their past and evidence of their existence. Therefore, I hid all of them. The gym teacher worked his giant arms and looked at Gao Ming with aplicated gaze. Your ss looks like it is a ss of mad people, but are they all acting to provide a disguise for you, the real madman? My ss is very united. Gao Ming and Zhang Ding gathered beside the death portrait of the flood. Boss Zhang sent all the polluted student ID into the portrait and then handed it to Gao Ming. This school looks like its filled with ghosts, but each brick is made with a living human. Zhang Ding was very mature. He saw things very differently. Zhong Lang said that in the past, every student at this school had a warm soul. They should still be trapped underneath theb building. If you want to control this school, you have to save those former kids first. I dont mean to control the school. You dont need to deny it. Zhang Ding looked at Gao Ming with encouragement. I have a strange feeling that youll be saving yourself as you save those former students. Boss Zhangs words inspired Gao Ming. He nodded and put the flood portrait away. Ill try my best to cooperate with you when you make your move. Zhang Dings hands morphed into the flood. Ill open the way for you with a flood. At the critical moment, Zhang Ding appeared very reliable. When he left the activity building, Gao Ming realised that the dark clouds that covered the school had started to glow with bloody lights. The student council and teachers from the centre hurried to the hall. More students were infected by Fear Illness. This school is falling apart. The time table might not pass the second day. Gao Ming didnt go to the canteen but hurried to theb building. Gao Ming pushed open the door to the art ssroom. He called the art teachers name, but it was Xia Yang who responded to him. The white chalk drew out a bloody portrait on the ckboard. Xia Yang smiled in the picture, Who do you need me to kill? Situ An? Wheres the art teacher? Ive dealt with her the way you would have wanted. Xia Yang said. The ckboard fell to the ground. The pieced-together art teacher stood in the wall. Her body had been beautified with art. She looked prettier than before, but she also exuded an inexplicable despair and sadness. The art teacher couldnt move as she looked at her self-portraits drawn on her clothes. During the social practical ss in the afternoon, Ill venture deep into theb building. I might need her help. I will follow your orders because I am you. Xia Yangs voice was melodious, but Gao Ming wanted to punch him. Gao Ming didnt stay but hurried to find Ding Yuan. The chief was worried about Yan Xizhi, who had disappeared. At Hostel No. 6, Liu Yi sat at the student council meeting table. Therge office was empty. The other members had departed to help control the hall. Where is the 51st student hiding? Liu Yi closed her eyes, and the diary entries entered her mind. When she discovered the diary in the infirmary, she ran towards it immediately. She turned the pages to where the entry was closest to the students day of death. In just a few minutes, she memorised everything. The investigation centre would have already checked the ces mentioned in the dairy. Ive practically searched the entire Hostel Building 6 Liu Yi took out the ss picture. Her finger wandered over her ssmates faces. There are only me, Song Xue, Gao Ming, Zuo Jun and the 51st student who are coloured. Why? Liu Yi took out her phone and read the message she sent to the 51st student. Different from the others, Liu Yi didnt persuade him toe or stay away. Instead, she sent a very strange message, This is not the first time weve experienced this. To stop this tragic circle, one of the parties has to sacrifice themselves. What happened on the bus ten years ago? Why would I tell him these things? How did I get on the bus ten years ago? Plus this is not my first time experiencing this. Liu Yi examined every segment. Her head throbbed from thinking. Suddenly, a pair of chilling hands fell on her shoulders. Yan Xizhis adopted daughter, Yan Shaoyu, appeared behind her. I know who you are looking for. The school rules author is hidden among the students. You can go to the basement of theb building. There are students whose lives have been taken, stored there. Wang Jie and Xi San stood at the rooftop of the math building. Not far from them was Qian Junran and a few other students. Du Bai has told me everything about the things in your bedroom. You cant do much on your own. Why not join us? Qian Junran smiled at Wang Jie. Du Bai stood beside him. Gao Ming has never returned to the hostel, and he has been challenging the school rules, but he is fine. The rules are on his side. What are you talking about? Xi San was forced to the corner. You oaf, did Daddy Jie and Daddy Ming not tell you the truth? Qian Junran mocked. Based on our clues, the 51st student is Zhou Sisis deskmate, likes to be alone, superintelligent and doesnt like group activities. Gao Ming fits all those conditions. Is he that intelligent? Xi Sans eyes widened. Do you suspect Gao Ming is the 51st student? Why else would Wang Jie be following him? Qian Junran crossed his arms. Crazy murderers like to return to the crime scene to witness the pain of the victims family. Im sure Wang Jie can understand that felling. Wang Jie smirked coldly, I dont know how to answer you. If Gao Ming is the 51st student, youll die horribly to go against him; if he is not, then all of us will lose a powerful ally. Whats wrong? Is this empathy among killers? Qian Junran said darkly, During this afternoons social practical ss, we want to do something. Do not intervene. Zuo Jun stood in the headmasters office with his head lowered. Bai Xiao and a few other investigators who just joined ss 13 stood behind him. Chief, thats the situation now. The bloody tree grew up behind Ji Jie. It has taken over the hall and taken over 500 students hostage. Hearing Zuo Juns report, Situ Ans consciousness on the monitor became silent. He had spent twenty years conducting blood sacrifices at Si Sui Apartment to summon the God of Flesh and Blood, but he had failed. Somehow, God had appeared at the school suddenly. What was the logic behind this? Are you sure? It has eight branches, the whole tree is made of flesh and blood and theres an inexplicable meat fragrance in the hall?! Situ Ans voice came from the monitor. This was the first time Zuo Jun heard Situ An speak in this tone. Yes. Zuo Jun didnt dare to raise his head. He had failed every mission Situ An had given him. Its fine. Prepare for the social practical ss in the afternoon. Help me pay attention to one student. Situ Ans tone returned to normal. Of course. Zuo Jun bowed. His name is Gao Ming. He is very special. Chapter 166: The Last Class Chapter 166: The Last ss Do you want one? Ding Yuan pulled out a cigarette from the hidden pocket of his uniform. Ive stopped smoking. Gao Ming shook his head. He and the other investigators from Huan Men Centre followed behind Ding Yuan. They couldnt find Yan Xizhi. Various clues showed that someone had gone after the headmistress when the school rules were affected. Headmistress Yan was Han De Academysst pir. Her disappearance will cause the order to copse. The school will restructure itself. Ding Yuan ced his hands on the window. If the school rules havent recovered by tonight, Situ An will make his move then. You sure have confidence in Situ An. Gao Ming also nned to do something that night. Its not that I have confidence in Situ An, but I have confidence in the centre he represents. Ding Yuan looked at the smoke rings. Dont underestimate the centre. We have been losing to the invasion of the shadow world, but the biggest reason is that the centre will only be there when the ghosts are there. The more threatening the ghost, the more power the centre will have. Do you think the centre can handle a Level 4 Anomaly? Gao Ming had died many times. Most of the time, he was killed by ghosts, but there was a small part where he was betrayed by the centre. In the short term, the school rules have the advantages, but in the long term, the school rules have no chance of winning. Ding Yuan lit up the cigarette with a sigh and rolled a new one. The investigators are the mostmon members of the centre. Other than us, there are two departments called Security and Research. Researchers wear a pure white band. Every research has the same power as a centre chief. They are extremely rare, and their identities are highly confidential. I hear they have a self-destruct device imnted in them. Once they are captured by ghosts, they willmit suicide so that the ghost research result in their brain will disappear forever. Investigators and researchers technically are not the violent unit. The real power the centre uses to deal with the ghosts is security. Ding Yuan rubbed the nicotine leaves. Dont be fooled by this simple name. Every member of the security department wears a bloodred band. I hear they have the power to kill ghosts. The power to kill ghosts? Why is the centre holding them back and sending innocent investigators into their deaths? Gao Ming didnt think Ding Yuan would reveal these secrets to him. Perhaps he was feeling depressed after Yan Xizhi had disappeared. There are too few of them. Most of the security members have experienced the anomaly that happened at Xin Lu half a year ago. Normally, they will only be sent out to clean up the scene after the investigators and researchers have conducted their studies. But there are exceptions. Ding Yuan seemed to sense something. If theres a Level 4 Anomaly, to prevent it from bing a Level 5 Anomaly, the headquarters will send in the security to assist the investigators. So you suspect the security members will enter the school to help Situ An. Gao Ming knew what Ding Yuan was worried about. That is an inevitability. The headquarters will pour more forces into the school, and they will be Situ Ans pawns. Ding Yuan eventually put the leaves back into the box. The headquarters is not as simple as you think. There are 19 districts at Han Hai. Youll only know certain things after bing the district chief. After all, Situ An had paid a lot to be the temp chief of Han Hai East City Investigation Chief. There were many more like him. You should prepare for ss. I have to do something. Ding Yuan came to a decision. Are you nning to find the batch of investigators who have just entered the school and expose Situ An to them? Gao Ming shook his head. You make me feel so dumb by guessing my thoughts so easily. Ding Yuan really admired Gao Ming. Normally, the elder wouldnt even chat for so long with a person. Dont be rash. They wont believe you. You should focus on protecting yourself. Currently, only a few people from the Huan Men Investigation Centre know Situ Ans true face. Gao Ming only left after patiently persuading them. Gao Ming nced at the time on his phone. It was about time for the social practical sses. Gao Ming came to the first floor of theb building early. There hadnt been a message in the student chatgroup in a long time. Everyone formed their little group. There were 51 students in the ss. There were probably as many chatgroups as the secrets born by the students. Wang Jies chat group hasnt updated either. Are they all busy with something? Gao Ming slowly narrowed his eyes as he scanned the few messages. When you think its quiet, it means that others have already had the party somewhere else. Xia Yangs voice suddenly appeared. Once Gao Ming had a bad feeling, he would appear. Your bedroom mates have sold you out. Youve been ced on the altar as a sacrifice by them. Being served on the altar is not only a sacrifice. Gao Ming stretched. It could be a divine figurine. There were 20 minutes left of the ss. The students started to move towards theb building. They were talking andughing as they did many years ago. It had to be said that ss 13 was a lot more adaptive to changes than most. Gao Ming, weve been to the rooftop and the library. We didnt see the 51st student. Wang Jie and Du Bai walked over when they saw Gao Ming. They didnt look different than normal. Wheres Xi San? Why isnt he with you? Gao Ming asked casually. The kids brain is influenced by love. Hes with Cai Meimei. Du Bai pointed into the crowd. Xi San stood beside Cai Meimei. He tried his best not to look at Gao Ming. Is that so? I thought you had decided to abandon him. Gao Ming smiled. Du Bai stopped talking. The students were split into groups. Bedroom 1314 stayed together. The scapegoats hugged each other. Yuan Hui, Ji Fu and the others had juste out of Hostel Building 6, and they appeared to have found something. Liu Yi stood at the corner alone; Qian Junran led two hostels of people behind him. The bell rang. Zuo Jun and seven investigators appeared. They sealed up theb buildings front door. With darkened faces, they stood in front of the ss. The social practical ss is underground. Everyone follow me. Zuo Jun led the way and opened the hidden door at the end of the corridor. They walked down the winding steps. There were hospitals, shops, and prisons. Every building in real life had been turned into ssrooms there. There was no actual ssroom. Everyone there would be part of the experiment. The list on the wall had been torn. Zuo Jun put up the list with ss 13s name on the door. In this social practical experiment, the longer you survive, the more things youll get. Including myself, our names and survival time will be shown here. Zuo Jun locked the door that led upstairs. The investigators moved to different rooms. For most of the students in our ss, this will be yourst ss because the social practical experiments are different from normal sses. The investigation centre cant protect all of you. When has the centre protected us? Someone mocked from the crowd. You can have your own opinion. Zuo Jun was not affected. You will experience the simtion of the troubles you might encounter in the society here. You will take on different identities. Everyone will be limited by the rules. Everyone will have their life goals like Zuo Jun casually opened the door to the prison. He took out four ballot papers that looked the same. One of them had the words, killer, written on it. The person who gets this paper will need to kill another student. Then, Zuo Jun walked over to Wang Jie with the paper. This is yours. Nonsense! Wang Jie immediately tossed the paper away. Ive not killed anyone before! Its not you who chooses the voting paper, but the voting paper chooses you. Zuo Jun stared at Wang Ji. The social practical ss will assign different identities ording to your lives. There are four voting papers in the prison. That means there are at least 4 criminals in our ss. I have a question. Ji Jies brother raised his hand. Im not from your ss, and I was released from the prison. Am I still a criminal? Why join the ss if youre not one of us? Zuo Jun turned over the paper to expose the crimes of the four students. Based on the crimes theyvemitted, they will not receive parole. They will only face the death sentence. The students whispered among themselves. They didnt expect there would be four crazy criminals in their ss. Wang Jie, Zuo Jun Who is the other one? Gao Ming narrowed his eyes to think. Shouldnt there be other two? Du Bai heard Gao Mings voice. At first, he was confused, and then he broke out in a cold sweat. Gao Ming smiled as he ced his hand on Du Bais left shoulder to detain him. The investigators exited the rooms and ced all the voting papers into a white box. Zuo Jun hugged the box before him, Come draw your identity. Soon, youll know that Im not lying to you. After everyone drew their paper, Zuo Jun put the empty white box in the middle of the field, Now, you will follow the instructions on your paper and go to your room. I hope you can survive thisst ss. The crowd started to move, but no one moved towards the prison. The four criminals decided to hide in the crowd. Its just a practical ss. Who will really kill someone? Wang Jie crossed his hand across Du Bais shoulder. Zuo Jun is trying to turn us against each other! Du Bai looked at Gao Ming and Wang Jie beside him. He silently opened his paper. His identity was the teacher. Im going to the room where the school is. Sorry, I cant stay with you any longer. This is such a coincidence. Im going there too. Im going to the school to be the counsellor. Lets go together. Du Bai wanted to cry. He was carried by the two to the school room. Chapter 167: Gao Ming, Are You Scared Now? Chapter 167: Gao Ming, Are You Scared Now? The students entered different rooms, walked different paths in life and would have different endings. There were six students in the room that represented the school. They held their voting paper and looked at each other nervously. Everyone has their own life mission. Dont just stand there. You can start your mission already. Wang Jie looked at the woman across from him. Back then, the girl once confessed to Wang Jie. After so many years, the girl was already another mans wife. No one expected the killer Wang Jie to enter the school. The woman ran to the door. She wanted to move to another room, but once she touched the doorknob, the lights in the room went out. The door opened. Outside the door was the busy traffic and startling highrises. You De paced nervously around. You Liangs nightmare descended. The real society practical ss had begun. Is everyone in the same nightmare this time? Gao Ming touched the wall. The nightmare was more realistic thanst time. Hmm? Gao Ming noticed the drawings on the school wall. The horrifying drawings were Xia Yangs creation. Xia Yang and he drew them to take revenge on the bad guys when they entered the nightmarest time. Xia Yangs drawings are still here?! The drawings were fading, but they would need a long time to disappear fully. This is quite embarrassing. I hope You Liang wouldnt mind it. Gao Ming knew how to clear the nightmare. However, he had other missions to aplish. Therefore, he had to control the rhythm carefully. While You Deined to the students, Gao Ming walked over, raised his hand and pped You De while the others watched in shock! You De was stunned as he was pped to the ground. This person is the key to clear the ss. Gao Ming grabbed You De by his arm and dragged him to the other students. Alright. You dont need to do anything anymore. Bring him away. Go y with him. Wang Jie looked at the copsed You De and seemed to understand something. He and the other two girls dragged You De away. Didnt you want to leave earlier? Gao Ming turned to Du Bai, who was still standing there. Why did you stay now? Are you waiting for someone? It seemed like Gao Ming could see Du Bais every thought. He was both afraid and unwilling. Back in school, he was very hardworking because he believed he could change his fate, but the result was very cruel. He studied hard, but his overall result was lower than Gao Mings. He tried his best to help the girl he liked, but that girl confessed to Wang Jie. After graduation, he worked so hard, but he only became the most normal teacher. He married someone he didnt love through his rtives introduction. He was only 20 plus, but he could see his life when he was 60. Gao Ming Du Bai took a step back and raised his head. I didnt mean to hurt you. At least not intentionally. But in terms of the results, you have hurt me. Gao Ming sat on the road beside the school as he looked at the vehicles zooming past. Everyone in our bedroom is very special. However,pared to Xi San and Wang Jie, you are more true to yourself. They are like the main characters in a movie, but you are the real you. When others dont threaten your benefits, you will be very generous, funny and kind. However, once something threatens you, or something can help you achieve greater things in life, you will not hesitate to abandon the shackles of morality and humanity. Du Bai didnt deny it. He only said, Theyreing over. The game is about to end soon. A few minutester, a taxi stopped at the school door. Several students got down and gathered at the door. Gao Ming, youve changed a lot even though weve not seen each other for only a few years. Qian Junran and his gang surrounded Gao Ming. Qian Junrans usual sunniness was gone. I remember you liked to read alone and didnt like to speak when we were in school. Who would have thought someone like you would be a psychiatrist? Get to the point. Gao Ming didnt except Qian Junran to have such a huge ss in the ss. You should be the 51st student, right? You have the brilliance to n everything and the power to control the human emotions and manipte them. Qian Junran raised his head like everything was within his control. Dont treat everyone as idiots. Every one of us is living carefully. Only you ignore the rules. You seem to know from the start that which rules are not dangerous. I dont think any of you are idiots, but I do think some of you have lost your brains. Gao Ming stood up and walked to Qian Junran. Whether Im the 51st student or not, what can you do to me? In You Liangs nightmare, Gao Ming was not afraid of anyone. Last time, he and Xia Yang suppressed the entire malice in the nightmare. Pride is the original sin, and you are too prideful. Qian Junran took out a student ID from his bag. The ID had no picture, and the name was blurred out. Thest digits of the school number were 51. When he saw the student ID, the memory that didnt belong to Gao Ming started to burn in his heart. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes as he pressed on his chest. Did you steal that from the infirmary? I remember Doctor Lu had Doctor Huang Kong check everything. Nothing was lost. We didnt steal. We swapped. Qian Junran looked very proud. All of us worked together to swap the student ID with a fake one in the chaos. Gao Ming admitted that he had underestimated Qian Junran. Then, why are you here now? To give me the student ID? When we went to the office building to rescue Yuan Hui, there was a voice guiding us. It told us the method to destroy the school rules. Qian Junran was so happy. After so many years, he finally won Gao Ming, It is to find the main body of the 51st student and then kill his body and the memory he hid in our hearts together. Then, the school nightmare will end. I was wondering how you rescued Yuan Hui so sessfully. Gao Ming understood the situation. The office building was Situ Ans territory. The voice they heard probably came from Situ An. The demon wanted to train the students to be his de. The memories between the 51st student and us are scattered around the school. We used the spare time between sses to feel and locate them. We found many things. The students following Qian Junran opened their bags. They took out dusty things. There was a ruler, a box to store fruits, a set of jumping ropes, an undelivered love letter These objects of memories were hidden around the school. Only people from our ss can find them. When Qian Junran ced these things close to the student ID, the picture on the ID became clearer. Then, the objects that contained the memory would disintegrate and disappear forever. The students destroyed the memories before Gao Mings eyes. When thest object disappeared, the face on the ID became colourful. One could see a silhouette. Qian Junran led two bedrooms of people and had been conducting the search around the school. It was theirbined effort that created this new student ID. Are these the memory fragments the investigation centre wants to use us to find? Gao Ming had been busy with other things, but his ssmates were excellent at helping him find the fragments. Gao Ming, are you still pretending to be calm? Qian Junran held the student ID and then took out a bloody knife. Zuo Bos knife can kill ghosts. Even though I dont know how he did it, thats not important. I only care about the results. The knife tip hovered over the student ID picture. Qian Junran felt like he was the centre of the world. We also dont want to kill you, but you insist on taking revenge on us and trapping us here. Qian Junran said viciously as he pressed the knife down. After he pierced the picture, the foreign memory in Gao Mings heart bled out tears and blood. Seeing theck of pain on Gao Mings face, Du Bai asked with hesitation, Did we get the wrong person? Didnt the voice at the office building say that hurting the memory fragments is like stabbing the school rules? Howe hes perfectly fine? Du Bai still felt some guilt. The voice said that the person who made the rules was hiding in the school. However, we cant find him even though weve searched the whole school. Qian Junran felt like there was no going back. Therefore, there can only be one possibility. The 51st student has always been among us! He is Gao Ming! The students radiated killing intent. Qian Junran stole Zuo Bos knife. The others didntg behind. Some of them obtained the cursed items at the school; some tried to use the items they bought from the canteen with merits; there were some who tricked the ghost students. Weve attended two days of school, and youve improved so much. If our teachers hadnt died early, they would be so proud of you. Gao Ming held the ck death portrait in his hand. He stared at the shadow behind Qian Junran silently. I originally wanted to use the most direct method to punish all of you, but considering how hard things have been for you the past few days, Ill go easy on you. Plus, youve helped me collect all the memory fragments. Are you so scared that youre rambling? Qian Junran slowly pushed the knife into the picture. His gaze sharpened with malice. I wish Liu Yi was here to see how ugly you are right now. She probably wont get the chance. Gao Ming smiled as he pointed behind Qian Junran. Qian Junran turned around subconsciously to see a giant dog about 2 metres tall open its maw! Chapter 168: What is a Best Friend? Chapter 168: What is a Best Friend? Liu Yis pretty image was very different from what he saw. Qian Junrans heart seemed to forget to beat. He turned and saw the dog that lunged at him like the night. A giant dog? The giant maw swallowed Qian Junran and the student ID. The dognded on his feet. The long fur danced in the bloody wind. The students who surrounded Gao Ming froze on the spot. It was like their legs were leaden. They couldnt even move their bodies. Since you think Im the 51st student, how could you possibly fight the school rules? Gao Ming touched Xia Yangs paintings on the wall. After the ck dog swallowed Qian Junran, he disappeared into the shadow. The next second, he appeared gracefully behind Gao Ming. The ck fur floated behind him. He spat out the student ID and Zuo Bos de. Gao Ming picked up the student ID and touched the picture on it. Actually, I also wonder if Im the 51st student. After all, I only have my death memories. Ive forgotten all the happy times. Perhaps I knew the value of sacrifice and kindness in the past. Perhaps Ive been betrayed by you in the past before. Gao Ming, calm down! We dont mean any malice. We just want to know your identity! Cao Song retreated. His voice shook. After Qian Junran was eaten, their union shattered. If you just want to confirm my identity, do you need a knife? Gao Ming wiggled Zuo Bos de. Dont you want to know the message that Ive sent the 51st student? Du Bai considered a possibility. Did you not send any message? Your phone received all of our messages! You knew all of our secrets! If only thats true. Gao Ming dripped his blood on the student ID. The God of Blood and Flesh didnt react. This was proof that he was not the 51st student, Im not him, but he seems to know me very well. He even knows my trump card. Gao Ming opened his voting paper. His profession was not a killer or a psychiatrist but a game designer. I quit my job at Hen Shan Prison a few days ago to be a frence game designer. No one should know about this but myself. Gao Ming didnt tell them he was a horror game designer. Plus, my life mission is very special. I need to control all of you, using your personality and profession to create a new game ending that hasnt been triggered before. Gao Mings words confused everyone present. Only Du Bai barely caught up with him. A new ending? From my understanding, many students at this school have attended this ss before. The collective nightmare will lead to various endings, but I need to use all of you to carve a path to a brand-new ending that has never urred here before. Gao Ming didnt tell them that he was doing the same thing in real life. Du Bai and the other students were very nervous. They couldnt focus on what Gao Ming said. They just wanted to escape. Its pointless to tell you all of these. You only need to know that Im not the 51st student. Gao Ming didnt kill. He didnt like killing. I will not kill you. Even Qian Junran is still alive. Hes merely eaten. Gao Ming ignored his stunned ssmates and turned around to leave. He put away the student ID and took out his voting paper again. Compared to others, Gao Mings paper had an extra note, you are forbidden to kill any student. You are forbidden from using poison, curses and words to indifferently harm the students. Other people dont have these restrictions. Is You Liang giving me special treatment? Is it because Ive killed all the malice with Xia Yangst time I was here? Is that why You Liang has targeted me this time? The ss was filled with anomalies. Gao Ming tried to summon You Liang, but there was no response. I need to get to the basement of theb building. The flood ising tonight. Itll be too hard to move there then. Gao Ming had decided to go for the goal. Ji Jie was still distracting the student council and Situ An outside. He had to grab this opportunity. If I can get You Liang on my side, I can tear down all the rules. Gao Ming didnt waste time on his ssmates. He recalled You Liangs life. To make You Liang show up, its pointless to kill the malice. I need to focus on the things precious to him. Other students tried to survive in the nightmare, but Gao Ming turned around to return to Han De Academy in the nightmare. Everything that is precious to You Liang is here. The school in the nightmare was no different from the school outside. Only the name had changed. The school was filled with young and energetic students. Gao Ming felt influenced and younger. The former Han De Shu Xiang Academy was You Liangs sanctuary. Even in the nightmare, he tried to keep the beauty of this ce alive. One of the reasons he was chased out of the nightmarest time was probably because he had crossed the line. He and Xia Yang almost destroyed the school. Some paintings still remained on the outer wall. Gao Ming entered You Liangs former ssroom and sat in thest row. What kind of ending will be new? Gao Ming looked at the list of results on the wall, and he remembered something. The voice in the office building told Qian Junran that the 51st student was in the school. They looked all over the school, but they only found the memory fragments, not the student. Gao Ming stood up and looked around. You Liangs nightmare also has a school! The school in the nightmare is also a school! Has the 51st student been hiding here? Is that why Situ An has been unable to find him? Gao Ming turned to his voting paper again. Then, he jumped up and ran to the math building rooftop. Not here. Gao Ming followed his memory and searched the library, the canteen and the self-study room. The 51st student was not at those ces. Where else could be be? The memory fragments in Gao Mings heart collided to suppress the fragment that didnt belong to him. The answer might be in our memories with him. Different from the other students, Gao Ming was not worried about leaving the school or potential death. He held the student ID with memories and sensed the memory. Faded images appeared in his mind, and Gao Ming started to hear voices. Zhou Sisi said you were her deskmate. Im sorry for taking your spot I n to gift Zhou Sisi an apple on Christmas Eve. Do you think shell like it? Or is it too forward? Gao Ming, we are best friends. I hope you can tell me honestly. Why am I even more unpopr than you? Are you reading again? You should be a psychiatrist in the future so you can treat both of us! Do you think people without mental issues will be happier? Just like Zhou Sisi. I saw that you put in the game designer as your dream job. But I hope youd treat me in the future Gao Ming, everyone in ss is sending me messages! Some want me to go to the tunnel to find you, and others want me to stay put. What is happening? Im scared and worried. Can you tell me the truth? Gao Ming! Answer the phone! Tell me, should I go or not? The memories pieced together a blurry face. Gao Ming didnt try to make it clearer. He merely followed the trail of memory and eventually stopped at the corridor outside ss 13. When he looked up, a normal student walked past him. There was nothing special about him. However, he looked around nervously like he was searching for his lost student ID. Chapter 169: Substitute Chapter 169: Substitute Student, are you looking for this? Gao Ming held up the Student ID. He shared a look with that normal student. The picture on the ID rified. Memory dropped on the window and dribbled into the heart. What? The students reaction was sluggish, like he had just woken up. After some time, he extended his hand, Thank you. The student ID contained the memory fragments scattered all over the school. Gao Ming didnt want to give it away. If possible, he wanted to swallow the ID and lock all the memories in his heart. Whats your name? Gao Ming pulled the ID back. I want to know if this is your ID. My name is Gao Yun. The student answered readily. Gao Yun? Gao Ming tightened his fingers around the ID. He felt his blood boiling and his heart racing. He didnt know why. Yes. It means high cloud. The student exined it. The family who adopted me wished that I could be free like the clouds and forever unburdened. They hoped Id live like clouds in the sky and turn into rain after I die. Your adopted parents? Did they give you your name? Technically, it was my adoptive father. Gao Yun recalled. My father is a strange man. He has never smiled. He always has a chain curled around his body like he is a sinner. He has no friends or family. He said he had died many times. He told me that he adopted me so that I could be the next him. Gao Yuns statement contained a lot of info. It made Gao Ming think. Dont overthink it. My adoptive father has mental issues. Because of him, Im not liked by the other students. When he took the student ID from Gao Ming, Gao Yun was confused. This looks like my ID. But why did it be like this? Did you find it inside the washer? Gao Ming didnt answer and studied Gao Yun silently. The man was about 1.7 metres tall. He wore the school uniform and didnt look fashionable. His smile was honest. He was so normal that he didnt look like the antagonist. Gao Yun, I want to ask you Before Gao Ming could finish, Gao Yun put the student ID before his chest and waved at Gao Ming, Are you the new transfer student? Whats your name? Gao Ming. Such a strange name. Is there a parent who would give their child such a name? Ming or destiny is too hard to predict. If you believe or refuse to believe in destiny, the ending wont be good either way. Gao Yun seemed to realise his faux-paz. I didnt mean anything bad. My adoptive fathers name is very strange too. Ill show you around the school. Come on. Dont just stand there. Gao Yun grabbed Gao Mings hand. They were two extreme opposites, but it felt right to be with each other. Gao Ming tried to read Gao Yuns thoughts as a psychiatrist. He didnt resist and allowed Gao Yun to pull him into ss 13. The ssroom door opened, and the sun shone on the tables. Gao Ming felt like he had stepped back in time. The textbooks were ced on the tables. Behind the books were many youthful faces. Some were studying and others were copying homework that they hadnt finished. The students of ss 13 werent that special in the past. Everyone was so normal. When did this change? The memory reiterated itself in You Liangs nightmare. Gao Ming thought back to his school life. He and Gao Yun sat next to a female student. The girl looked like Zhou Sisi. She was kind, upbeat, friendly and was younger than Zhou Sisi. I n to gift her an apple on Christmas Eve. Do you think shell like it? Or is it too forward? Gao Yun slipped a note to Gao Ming. Reading the note, a memory shed in Gao Mings mind. He knew this had happened in real life. Gao Ming picked up the pen and wrote on the other side of the note. Focus on your study. If you get into a rtionship, what about me? Gao Yun epted the note with anticipation. After he read it, his expression became interesting. The teacher lectured. The students in the front row paid full attention. The students at the back did their own things. The two worlds didnt bother each other. Gao Ming stopped trying to focus on the nightmare and the anomaly. At least at that moment, he was just another student in ss. In You Liangs nightmare, Gao Ming and Gao Yun became friends. They knew each others secret. Two loners became close friends who would share everything with each other. The female student who sat between them became an extra. The memory in the student ID slowly flowed. The dull life became colourful again. The world outside the ssroom window changed every minute, but Gao Ming and Gao Yun didnt care about that. Growing up taught us many things, but it made us forget the simple joys of being a kid. In this social practical ss, Gao Ming didnt be anyone specific. He focused on being his former self. He was reserved, hard to approach and asionally sarcastic. Gao Yun was not perfect. He lived with his adopted father since he was young. He rarely interacted with others. He was often kept in his room by his father, so he was socially awkward and had low self-esteem. The most unpopr student and the most ostracised student in ss encouraged and helped each other. As the twos personalities changed for the better, the silence of the school was suddenly shattered. A few investigators in ck uniforms rushed into the math building. Their assault was nned. Everyone stood on different floors as they tore apart and burned down the 51st students diary. I cant stay with you. The investigators had seen Gao Ming. If they saw Gao Ming with Gao Yun, Gao Yuns identity would be exposed. Why? Someone wants to kill you. They are approaching. Gao Ming stood up and prepared to leave. Are you doing this to protect me? Gao Yun lifted his head to look at Gao Ming. His expression shifted. Something deep in his eyes cracked. Just like how it was ten years ago? Gao Ming paused and turned around. Ten years ago, you were trapped in the tunnel and lingered between the world of death and reality. You need a living human to drive the bus to find a way out of the tunnel. The price to pay is that the living driver will forever be trapped on the bus. Gao Ming touched his student ID. Gao Ming, Ive always thought youde back to take my ce. Chapter 170: Memory Chapter 170: Memory Gao Yuns voice seemed to carry some special power. His every word stabbed into Gao Mings heart like daggers. Did I promise toe back to take over from you? Death memories collided in the torture room. Gao Mings endless deaths and returns to the bus seemed to be connected to a promise he hadnt fulfilled. Gao Ming swayed as his head pounded. The whirlpool of fate was sucking him in. That night ten years ago at the spot where the two worlds ovepped, you needed a living person who existed in the intersection of everyones fate to stand in the living world and guide you out of the world of death. Gao Yuns eyes no longer shone. His eyes turned murky. I treated all of you as friends, but I didnt expect all of you to have turned into monsters in the world of death. I believed you and personally released a bus of polluted devils back into the human world. Gao Yuns every sentence contained a lot of info. Gao Mings mind spun quickly. The world of death Gao Yun mentioned should be the shadow world discovered by the investigation centre. The world shrouded by shadow used various ways to corrupt reality. Every student in ss 13 seemed to be a seed nted by the shadow world in the real world. Gao Yun, Ive forgotten many times. However, if I promised to take over from you, Ill definitely find you after I finish my work! Gao Ming had already confirmed that Gao Yun was the 51st student in ss 13. However, he still had no impression of Gao Yun. The kid appeared to be forgotten by everyone. Find me? Gao Yuns eyes numbed. The school uniform he wore started to fade in colour. Then, his body turned blurry as well. Youll onlye to find me when you need me like now. In the corridor, the investigators checked the rooms one after another, but Gao Yun didnt show any signs of hiding. Every student in ss 13 sent you a message. Some hoped you woulde, but there were others who warned you to stay away. I dont mean anything by that. I just want to tell you that humans areplicated, and you cant treat them as one collection. Gao Ming couldnt remember what happened ten years ago at all. The feeling was very painful. Certain things had happened, but he couldnt remember anything. None of you are humans. You are pollution sources sent by the shadow world into the real world. To stop the death world from infiltrating the real world, all of you have to be killed. Those who should die must die, and those who should live must live here alive. Gao Yun revealed the method to stop the cycle, but Gao Ming had a different perspective. Why do we need to stop the world of death from infiltrating the real world? This question from Gao Ming gave Gao Yun pause. It made him forget what he wanted to say. I mean, think about it. What is the world supposed to be? Fate has paved the path for us, but is it the only path? Gao Ming walked forward to hold Gao Yuns shoulders. I will try to change the current situation but not using the methods fate wants me to use. The feeling under Gao Mings touch was hard to describe. Gao Yuns body was like a wax statue melting in the heat. The colours on his body came from the student ID. I didnt expect you to think like that. Gao Yun shook his head. You have already been transformed into a monster. All of you are monsters that will pollute the real world! No one wants to be a monster, but we cant change it. We are forced to be monsters. Gao Ming wanted to ask about the incident that happened ten years ago on the bus but Gao Yuns body rapidly disintegrated. The investigators seemed to sense something as they rushed to ssroom 13. It doesnt matter if fate is right or wrong. I will use my way to survive. This time, I will not return to that abyss of a tunnel. Gao Yuns eyes seeped with ink. His pupils dted, and his expression was scary. What do you n to do? Youve given me a lesson in social practicals. Im just returning the lessons back to you so that you can see your real selves. Ill have you look at your polluted hearts and recall the forgotten, ugly past. When Gao Yun spoke, the eyes of the other students in the ssroom dulled. They crumbled like jigsaw pieces. Their blood morphed into a thick blood fog and rolled out of the rooms. Footsteps approached, and Gao Yun disappeared into the fog. Part of the memory fragments flowed into the student ID. Gao Ming picked up the ID. Gao Yuns picture appeared on the ID, and his name too. I was not conversing with the real Gao Yun. That was just a part of his consciousness hiding in You Liangs nightmare. Was he waiting for the students here? Gao Yun could fight Situ An and even have the upper hand. He was not a simple person. Gao Ming suspected that the persons real name was not Gao Yun but Gao Yuan. It was a strange feeling. The ssroom door was busted down. Two investigators rushed into the room. They looked at Gao Ming standing in the blood mist, Raise your hands! Dont move! Gao Ming ignored the investigators warning. He allowed the mist to soak his body. After it entered his heart, it was swallowed by the God of the Flesh and Blood. Gao Ming wanted to use the blood mist to have the students confront their real selves. He wants them to know that they are the pollution sources ced in the real world by the shadow world. However, my situation is special. Compared to a normal pollution source, I am a super pollution source with the God of Flesh and Blood and a heart filled with death memories. Gao Ming absorbed the blood mist, but he couldnt stop it from spreading. I couldnt tell when I lost control of myself. Its a peculiar feeling. Whenever I see des or even sharp objects, I imagine using them on flesh. My mom said that I was sick. She didnt dare tell my strict father these things. She was afraid of being hated by him. Therefore, she brought me to many doctors behind his back. Do you know who was my first victim? Wang Jie stood in blood mist and looked at You De at the corner. He used the end of the de to tap You Des forehead. It was that doctor. He tried to see the secrets in my heart and used them to threaten me. I was too young to know what to do. Eventually, the doctor told my dad everything. Later, my dad wanted me to personally kill the doctor. Wang Jie smiled, Im my dads son. He said I was his child that resembled him the most. A stench radiated from You De. He peed in his pants. You De also didnt expect this would happen during ss. Blood mist seeped into Wang Jies body. His breathing became heavier. Something in his heart was awakened. Horrible faces in moments of death shed in his mind, When did I be like this? I cant remember. Can you help me remember? Chapter 171: Poison Chapter 171: Poison You De was cornered and had no way to escape. He was, in essence, a coward. Even in this situation, he didnt dare to stand up to the strong. His legs weakened, and he knelt on the ground. I really dont know anything. I only went to the school to fetch my little brother. His biological parents are at the hospital waiting for treatment. Our family is down in the dumps. Please let me go. Ill do anything you want me too. You De kowtowed and cried. Are you scared of me? I love seeing these expressions on you. You are helpless and cant change anything. Every plea you make is like an invitation to me. You are inviting me to use even crueller methods to torture you. Veins popped on the surface of Wang Jies skin. Thin capiries pierced through his pupils. If he begged, hed die; if he didnt beg, hed die. You Des face scrunched up together. He pressed his hands on the ground. Suddenly, the article about You Liang on the television shed in his mind. His abandoned little brother was an adult, and his life was blissful and happy. He helped everyone, and he didnt have any troubles. Why is it like this? What have I done wrong? Why have I done to deserve this? Triggered by Wang Jie, You Des mind started to change. His soul appeared to be popted, and his negative thoughts were invoked. He still didnt dare to resist Wang Jie, but he dared to bully those weaker than him. Dont kill me. I can bring you to my little brother. Hes very special. He doesnt seem to feel pain. You definitely havent hunted a person like him before! He asked the killer to hunt his own brother. You De only realised what he had said after the words left his lips. After he took the first step, the dam in his heart broke. Hey on the ground like a dog and wagged his tail for mercy. I can bring him to find him and the others! I can give you anything you want. If youre afraid that I might trick you, you can make me stab him! I will not betray you. I just want to live. Heavy breathing came from Wang Jies lips. He didnt move his knife, but his gaze turned excited. What a vicious man. Youre more deserving of death than I thought. Without warning, Wang Jies knife stabbed into You Des shoulder, causing him to scream in pain. However, even then, You De didnt hate Wang Jie the most but those who were happier than him. Bang! The door was mmed through. Du Bai and Cao Song ran in. Wang Jie, dont kill him! He might still prove useful! Since Gao Ming said the key to clear the mission was on You De, the students who heard the news had been searching for You De. In that moment, Du Bai rammed into Wang Jie, Have you lost your mind? He couldnt stop Wang Jie alone. Cao Song rushed over as well. The injured You De saw thismotion and crawled his way out to safety. Help! Help! He held his shoulder and screamed as he ran into the crowd. The pedestrians thought he was crazy and gave him a wide berth. There were many people, but they were only looking. Once You De approached, they would move away. The blood wouldnt stop leaking out. You De felt like he was about to faint. When his vision blurred, he suddenly saw a man in a white coat standing on the tform. Doctor! Save me! You De cried as he ran towards the doctor. Follow me. Ill bring you to the hospital. Different from the apathetic crowd, this doctor was very kind. He stopped a car and led You De to the nearest clinic. The weak You De entered the clinic. His steps were heavy. Half of his clothes were already soaked with blood. The wound is long, and the muscles have been torn. You need stitching immediately. The man signalled You De toy on the bed. He searched the cab for a long time before he found the anaesthetic. Get ready. The pain was so great that You De couldnt think straight. His expression softened after the anaesthetic was injected into his body. He lost sense of half of his body. You Des face was pale. Doctor, can you start the stitching soon? Dont rush me. Im looking for the scalpel and thread. The doctor ransacked the ce. This confused You De. What kind of doctor would forget where he ced his surgical instruments? Found them The doctor took out a sewing needle and a fruit knife from the drawer. My de has been stolen, so this will have to do. Fear started to attack You De again. He realised that the doctor before him waspletely different from the image of the doctor with the framed certificate on the clinic wall. Doctor, Im sorry for asking, but who is that doctor in the picture? You De asked carefully, afraid of provoking the man. Him? The doctor shook his head. I dont know him. I think hes the doctor of this clinic. If hes the doctor, who are you? You De felt like he couldnt breathe. My name is Zuo Bo. I believe I should be a doctor. But the voting paper I got said that The doctor opened the paper to take a look. It said a patient. What kind of profession is a patient? Am I going to be sick my whole life? Zuo Bos ramblings made You De feel like he wanted to die. Earlier, he was about to be killed. Now, he was put under, and he couldnt even beg to die. Zuo Bo put back his white coat to reveal the patients garb underneath. He looked like a patient who had just escaped the asylum. Dont be scared. Ill stitch all the openings up, including your eyes, ears, nose and mouth Zuo Bos eyes turned strange. His pupils rolled up. When he was about to lose control, blood mist filtered out of his nose. No. I will do something so cruel. What is happening to me? Since that one day, Ive been resisting that thing in my mind! I am not crazy! I am not! Zuo Bo suddenly waved his knife around in the air around him. Seeing this, You Des heart chilled. He suddenly felt like he would be safer with Wang Jie. Just as You De thought things couldnt get worse, half of Zuo Bos face twisted. It was as if something wanted to crawl out. That thing was not a human. Get back! Go away! Donte out to harm me! Brother, who-who are you talking to? Blood mist floated into the clinic. Zuo Bos voice turned shrill. Half of his face was transforming. Compared to the other students, Zuo Bo was affected the most because he had discovered something in his brain many years ago. He had been trying to figure out what it was. Triggered by the blood mist, the unknown thing inside Zuo Bos brain was like a child who heard his mother. It was rapidly growing. The more he wanted to fight the thing, the stronger the thing became. It not only amplified Zuo Bos negative emotions but also polluted the people around him, making them unstable. The shadow world wanted to infiltrate the real world. Many horrors that shouldnt exist in the normal world started to be seen by the public. I will not let you seed! Ill trap you inside my brain! Get back! As the blood mist spread, simr things were happening all over the city. As long as the students of ss 13 were around, tragedy wouldnt be far behind. Every one of them was an anchor of the shadow world. As long as they were still alive, they would continuously affect the area around them. In the corner of the school life, You Liang put down the collection of jokes he was reading. He looked at his hand in shock. The blood in his palm was rapidly fading. Patches of shadow appeared on his body. Is my nightmare losing control? If You Liangs nightmare was a healthy adult, then this adult body started to show symptoms of illness, and the illness was spreading fast. Did someone poison my nightmare? Chapter 172: Death Order Chapter 172: Death Order You Liang had discovered very early that he was different from the other big ghosts at the school. Including Yan Xizhi, the other big ghosts could only move within their resentment room and use their resentment to alter their surroundings. However, he could create a nightmare that was entirely his. Whether one could fully recreate a nightmare from memory seemed to be the difference between the resentment rooms and haunted houses. However, he didnt expect that his nightmare would one day lose control. It had even caused him bacsh. Shadow spread on his body and tore at his soul. Is it from that ss again? You Liang had a deep impression of ss 13. For so many years, there was only one person who managed to leave his nightmare smiling, and that person was from ss 13. I should yank them all out. You Liang reached his left hand at the wall, but he discovered he couldnt melt into his nightmare. As the nightmare owner, he was trapped. Am I their target? You Liang ran out of the library. He saw that the thick blood mist had shrouded everything. Thin capiries grew on the outer walls of every building like vines. First, there were the malicious doodles, and then there were the strange blood capiries. You Liang felt like he was weakening rapidly. This is a trap! You Liang had an understanding of the situation at the school. Situ Ans rules tricked the students of ss 13 into the school. He wanted to use their connection with Gao Yun to find Gao Yuns memory fragments scattered around the school and take control of the school; Gao Yun clearly understood the students better than Situ An. They were walking tragedies. Therefore, he nned to use ss 13 to pollute You Liang and take down theb building in one fell swoop. Ayer of shadow covered his fair skin. You Liang couldnt understand how the students did it. They look like a group of failed adults. None of them are happy. How could they affect the nightmare so greatly? The pedestrians who were formed with You Liangs memory started to act out. They were no longer dull and numb. They started to yell in madness and pain. In the big picture, a persons despair might be small, but the copse of a whole society often started with a small despair. The presence of shadow and death is so heavy! Did the group of studentse from reality or from hell? Has humanity be so crazy after my death? You Liang hadnt felt joy in a long time, and he felt even sadder. Before he understood anything, a giant sound came from his sanctuary, the math building. An investigator in a ck uniform rammed through the ss window andnded in the corridor. Auntie Busybody with four mouths looked angry. Everyone says Im beautiful. You keep calling me ugly! Where is this auntie with four mouths from? In You Liangs memory, this unique middle-aged woman didnt exist. Tear apart your teacher ID! Inform the chief! There are ghosts beyond the target in the nightmare. This is a Level 3 Anomaly! The investigators worked with each other and started to follow the n to contact Situ Ans rules outside the nightmare. When they tore off the teacher ID with Situ Ans picture, the buildings in the nightmare started to shake. A force was attacking You Liangs nightmare from outside. Not only Gao Yun but Situ An also had been targeting You Liang. The investigators that he sent into the social practical ss had curses on them. Dont you run! Auntie Busybody jumped out of the window to chase after the investigators. Stop that ugly, mutated ghost! Buy time for the security member! The investigators fought back without fear. Your mouths are so smelly! Did you eat shit? Auntie Busybody was extremely angry. However, she didnt kill. She grabbed one of the investigators and wanted to tear off his mouth. Auntie Busybody, back off! Gao Ming rammed through the ssroom door and rolled out with an investigator. He grabbed Auntie Busybody. The security is here! The investigators who participated in the ss were not simple. The two, who had not made a move, suddenly grabbed each others hand to reveal the bloodred band around their wrists after they observed Auntie Busybody and Gao Ming. The red band had lost most functions. It only retained the simplest function ofmunication. Those who needed the blood band tomunicate wouldnt be humans anyway. Run! Gao Ming didnt give them the chance to do anything. He pulled Auntie Busybody and ran. Gao Mings n was simple. The scarier their power, the greater the exhaustion on their human bodies. He didnt need to fight them head-on. I want to tear off their mouths. There will be chances in the future. After I be the headquarters leader, Ill have you tear off the mouths of these rumourmongers every day! Gao Ming persuaded Auntie Busybody. This nightmare city is the memory of a big ghost. Someone is probably more nervous than we are now. At that moment, Gao Ming saw You Liang. He didnt say what he wanted to but instantly changed his tone, Brother Liang, the school rules want to use your nightmare in their experiment! I finally understand it now. Your fate is to stay in your nightmare. ss 13 is the poison tobat fate and reality! You Liangs expression wasplicated. He couldnt tell if the others were poison or not, but Gao Ming definitely was. You Liang had met Gao Ming twice. Both times, horrible things happened. Last time, Gao Ming and Xia Yang doodled all over his nightmare. If not for giving Yan Xizhi face, he would have exploded. This time, things were even worse. Brother Liang, you have to send the students out of the nightmare. Were a source of pollution from the shadow world! Were instruments used by the shadow world to fight the real world! Gao Ming spoke quickly. You Liang also wanted to kick the students out, but even he couldnt leave the nightmare. You Liangs memories were contaminated. The school rules and Situ An had been nning this for a long time. Those who followed the rules would have a hard time dealing with cheaters. You Liang sighed. Can you guess why I havent tossed you out? Because you trust me? I see the optimism Ive lost in you. You Liangs pure soul had been polluted, but he was not helpless. Bring me to your ssmates. I need you to pay a price. What price? I dont know if your polluted memory will recover after I kill you, but dont worry, I will not kill the innocent. You Liang said calmly. I will kill until I can regain control of the nightmare. Therefore, you bettere up with a death order. Car idents, screams, sirens, and cries came from the street outside the school. Chaos was intensifying. The malice in You Liangs memory had found an even match this time. Chapter 173: Trap Chapter 173: Trap Even after experiencing various pains, the thing within You Liangs heart hadnt changed. If it were any other big ghosts, they would have started a massacre. They wouldnt ask for a death order. Do you want us to figure out who among my ssmates deserves to be killed the most? Gao Ming stood there thinking. Whats wrong? Is it too cruel? You Liangs body was crawling with shadows. Im just trying to save myself. I dont think its cruel. I just want to give you a suggestion. Why dont you start with Zuo Jun? Gao Ming had long since wanted to eliminate Zuo Jun. He was simply afraid of alerting Situ An. The man is dangerous and cunning. He has scammed the whole ss and works for Situ An. You Liang didnt expect that not only did Gao Ming not reject him, but he also helped him choose a candidate. Looks like the rtionship among your ssmates is not that good. Its not that bad. We just asionally want to kill each other. The two exited the school. The nightmare city had been taken over by the blood mist. Angry mobs were everywhere. If I let you back into the real world, Han Hai might be like this. The shadow world has nted its seed in each of you. You Liangs words reminded Gao Ming of something. He once used a ck death portrait to pull the whole unit where Zhao Xi lived into the shadow world. Originally, he thought he was the passage that Xuan Wen mentioned, which could connect the two worlds. But now, he realised everyone in ss 13 should have a simr power. I should test it out. Gao Ming summoned the big dog and had him spit out Qian Junran. Many students were wary of him, so he wanted to use Qian Junrans phone to contact his ssmates. Qian Junran sat on the ground in shock. When he saw Gao Ming again, he screamed fearfully. Borrow me your phone. Gao Ming entered the chatgroup using Qian Junrans ID. He frowned. This man had built seven groups behind Gao Mings back. He spread nasty rumours about Wang Jie and Gao Ming. He even wanted to capture Gao Ming and send him to the investigation centre in exchange for protection. Compared to his ssmates, Qian Junran had more faith in the centre. It was why he hadnt gone against Zuo Jun. In the earlier death vote, he also persuaded others not to vote for Zuo Jun. Zuo Juns expression was bitter as his phone was taken away by Gao Ming. His eyes coloured with hesitation as he slowly stood up. You can look at my message, and I can help you trick others, but dont look through my browser history. Qian Junran wanted to get his phone back. Gao Ming had no idea what the man usually browsed on the inte, and it surpassed his fear of Gao Ming. Im not interested in your private life. Gao Ming used the chatgroups to confirm the locations of the other students. When he was reminiscing about the past with Gao Yun, his ssmates had gathered to take down the nightmare. They also noticed the problem with the blood mist. Everyone reacted to it differently. Some believed that they could pay any price to gain the power to resist the ghosts. They actively absorbed the blood mist; Some insisted on resistance. They didnt want to be monsters; The majority remained neutral and wouldnt make a decision until thest moment. My ssmates have gathered at this citys only bus station. Perhaps it was a coincidence. The destination of ss 13s fate was still rted to buses. The bus station? You Liang looked at the edge of the city. Thats where the nightmare copses the most. My ssmates might look useless, but in terms of viciousness, they wont lose. Gao Ming hoped You Liang wouldnt be careless. Some of them are from the student council. Some work for the investigation centre. They might do anything. You Liang remembered it had only been a few days since ss 13 entered the school. This group of students grew so fast. You Liang didnt waste time chatting with Gao Ming. His figure blurred, and his consciousness flickered between the mad pedestrians as he raced to the bus station. After You Liang left, Qian Junran said carefully, Gao Ming, can you return me my phone? I can cooperate with you. Actually, we have no conflict. Even though we both like Liu Yi, that is already in the past. Despite that, Qian Junrans eyes still shed with resentment. You will get back to the shadow and stay there. I need you to be my control experiment. Gao Ming had the big dog swallow Qian Junran again. When the blood mist descended, Qian Junran was inside the big dogs stomach, so he was the only one not affected by the blood mist. Stop! The people from the centre rushed over. The two investigators with the blood band had shown their secret weapon, but Gao Ming only wanted to escape. This annoyed them. Gao Ming had no interest in the securitys power. He had the big dog swallow him to chase after You Liang. In the nightmare, the city lost its original colour. The blood mist mesmerised everyone. Everything became absurd and dangerous. At the bus station, the students were split into six ghosts. Surprisingly, the group that was the most united was the group of ghost scapegoats. They suddenly felt like they were the good guys in the story. The walls near the edge of the nightmare started to crack. In the middle of the crack was a bloodred raincoat. The raincoat entered the school in the centres second reinforcement bus. No one knew what was hidden under the raincoat. At that moment, the raincoat received an order to force its way into the nightmare. Zuo Jun held the de designed by the centre and guarded the location of the cracks. His muscles bulged, and he became stronger under the influence of the blood mist. The one opposing him was Liu Yi. Behind Liu Yi was a thin female student with a birthmark on her face. Donte any closer! Any actions that disrupt the centres n will bring your downfall! Zuo Jun gritted his teeth. Scratches appeared on his back. Inhaling the blood mist will make you lose yourself. Stop epting it! The appearance of the blood mist shattered the bnce. Zuo Jun could feel the situation go out of control. Are you scared? Yuan Huis voice sounded very scary. His body expanded and deted as he inhaled the blood mist. He was neither a human nor a ghost. Youve killed my two most beloveds, Zuo Jun! You kept a mistress behind your wifes back, so dont act all saintly here! Zuo Jun spat out some blood. Ill tell you another secret. Actually, your wife and lover didnt even love you. Neither of the children is yours. You forced them to say that! Yuan Hui charged at Zuo Jun again. The other students had their own ns. Blood and flesh flew at the bus station. The screen didnt announce the time of the buses but reflected the savagery at the station. You Liang arrived at the station using his fastest speed. Before he could do anything, he saw ss 13 fighting among themselves. Strangely enough, even though the ughtering among the students of ss 13 was vicious, none of them died. Instead, the shadow on You Liangs body kept spreading. Are they setting me up? Chapter 174: Red Attire Chapter 174: Red Attire The students screamed at the top of their lungs. Blood was everywhere, but upon closer inspection, one would realise that their bodies only had bloodstain and no wounds. As the owner of the nightmare, You Liang felt a chill as he entered the station lobby. He felt unprecedented danger in his own nightmare. He stopped moving forward. You Liang noticed that one of the students was surreptitiously ncing at him while attacking the others. It was not a gaze of bloodlust. Instead, there was excitement in his eyes. Are you all from an acting ss? You Liangs body was covered in shadow. His condition was bad, but he was not someone a few students could deal with. You Liang nced at the scapegoats like Ma Tao. All of them lowered their heads and kept silent. A ratherrge scapegoat tried to wink at You Liang as if in a warning. Do you want to kill me in my own nightmare? I havent even seen most of you. You Liang realised the human heart was too vicious. He only wanted to kill half of the students, but it looked like it was easier for him to wipe out the entire ss. The students didnt seem to hear You Liang. As they attacked one another, they slowly moved towards You Liang. When they were only a few metres away from You Liang, Yuan Hui, who wanted to take revenge on Zuo Jun, suddenly cooperated with Zuo Jun and charged at You Liang. Both of them were armed with the investigation centres special de. Their target was You Liangs cheeks and neck, which were polluted the most by the shadow. Be careful! Liu Yi was shocked to see this. She had always assumed Yuan Hui was Zuo Juns nemesis, but it seemed like their rtionship was not that simple. One wanted to gather everyone to the investigation centres side, and the other gathered everyone who wanted to resist Zuo Jun. Both parties were rted to Situ An. All of you have targeted me. Is it because Ive always wanted to be a good person? You Liangs body was corrupted, but his eyes were pure. Everything that happened to me will happen to you. If you hurt me, youre hurting yourself. The des easily cut through You Liangs body, but the man didnt bleed. You Liang didnt seem like he could feel pain. Instead, it was Zuo Jun and Yuan Hui who screamed as nasty gashes appeared on their neck and cheeks. The damage they dealt to You Liang was reflected in themselves. All the nightmares Ive experienced are trapped me. Do you want to hurt me too? To be a part of my nightmare? You Liang didnt do anything, but the wounds on Zuo Jun and Yuan Hui suddenly tore open. Blood sttered and shocked the other students. The only way to escape the nightmare is to kill the nightmare owner! What are you waiting for? Zuo Jun red at the others from ss 13. The scapegoats couldnt be relied on. Qian Junrans roommates slowly approached. The students gradually showed their fangs. The cracks at the edge of the nightmare spread. The head of the red raincoat reached into the nightmare. The raincoat was stretched until the hat slipped to reveal a bloody face. You Liang ignored Zuo Jun and Yuan Huis attacks. He looked at the ghost who wanted to enter his nightmare. Different from the ghosts at the school, the red raincoat exuded billows of resentment. It was just a red attire, but it had a special meaning. The nightmare was oppressed by a force. With the raincoat at the centre, the cracks on the wall started to bleed. Then, a stinky rain started to fall. The rain appeared to be mixed with rotten meat. Every raindrop contained traces of resentment. Red clothes You Liangs eyes were dominated by that attire. The person didnt follow the rules of the shadow world at all. The ghosts in the stories could be categorised into resentment rooms, haunted houses, and Yin Building based on their power, but the red raincoat ignored all that. It branded all of the resentment into the red attire. It didnt need anything else to condense the resentment and hatred to their maximum. Compared to ghosts who had a resentment room, this red attire had no rationality at all. It was scarier than the big ghosts in the resentment room. They were like house cats and wild tigers. The nightmare owner is scared! Stop him! Buy time for the centre security! Zuo Jun held his neck. He didnt be a station chief based on pure luck. Is the security of the centre this scary? The students didnt expect that the centres way of dealing with ghosts would be so creepy. The red raincoat looked more like a ghost than the ghosts they had encountered. It couldnt be rted to the centre, which swore to maintain the order of Han Hai at all. A red raincoat can influence my nightmare so much? This was You Liangs first time encountering a ghost in red. He couldnt counter effectively because this was not his opponents true body. You Liangs body was polluted by the shadow world. His nightmare was broken by the school rules and Situ Ans rules. Other than this mysterious red raincoat, there was still a group of walking tragedies and the annoying Gao Ming. Facing so many enemies, even You Liang was pressured. I shouldnt have let you in here. You Liang was cornered. I cant even tell if this ce or the real world is the nightmare anymore. You Liang didnt enter the station. He tore off the skin of his body. He tossed the flesh with the shadow stain on the ground. This self-destructive behaviour caused the whole city to shake. The cracks at the edge of the nightmare spread even faster, but You Liang didnt stop. If anything, he destroyed his body at a faster speed. The school rules wanted to trap You Liang in his nightmare, and Situ An wanted to use this chance to shatter the nightmare to capture You Liang. Neither party had good intentions, but this gave You Liang a chance. You Liang opened his bloody arms and actively cooperated with the bloody rain to destroy the nightmare. He abandoned all the polluted memories and decided to abandon this nightmare and start a new one. The resistance encountered by the raincoat lowered. Everything around it blurred. The mad crowd dissolved into thoughts and gathered towards You Liang. In the end, the locals who remained were You Liang and the dying You De. The blood mist fell. The buildings copsed. After the cracks crawled all over the sky, You Liangs nightmare burst like a balloon. Inside, Gao Ming, the big dog, was still chasing after You, Liang. As he noticed the nightmare receding, he knew that when the social practical ss was over, it would signal the beginning of reality. When the absurd nightmare was taken away, ss 13 would see the scary reality. In the basement, the rooms that represented the school, hospital and prison copsed. Underneath the ruins were the mummified students. Their blood and flesh were dry. They were encased in the basement of theb building. They were made into human bricks to sustain the entire Han De Private School. Chapter 175: We Have No Principles Chapter 175: We Have No Principles Han De Private Schools true secret was exposed to everyone. The bloody truth was too shocking. The school became like this because it had consumed too many kids youth and happiness. They aged before their prime. The bodies that should release pheromones only possessed drowsiness and wrinkles. Be it the school rules or Situ Ans rules, they could be so powerful due to the silent sacrifice of these human bricks. The school rules were better for they would send the aged students into Hostel 6 first and prepare a sickbed for them as a way topensate them. Situ An was crueller. He officiated the teacher ID and used his identity as the headmaster to control the students. Is this the true appearance of Han De Private School? Ma Taos mouth fell open as a chill grasped his heart. So this is where all the students who vited the rules and graduated are! Ma Tao saw his former friends among the bricks. They were stashed in small boxes. Their bodies were bent out of shape. Their faces didnt carry any human emotions. They were worse than ghosts. I cant protect you anymore. The wounded You Liang was as pure as ever. The blood on his body was red like ruby, and his eyes shone like stars. Youll have to rely on yourselves now. After You Liang said that, some of the human bricks shed tears. It could be their appreciation of You Liangs sacrifice or concern for their future. Through You Liangs words, Gao Ming, who was hiding inside the big dog, realised something scary. You Liang said he had been protecting these human bricks. In other words, if not for You Liang, the school rules and Situ An might torment these people even more. The human bricks were not the worst that could happen to these students. Either you be a big ghost, or you might not even get the chance to be a human brick. Liu Yi had an indescribably sad feeling when she saw the cruelty of the shadow world. No one knew what would happen in the future. But if the shadow world were allowed to infiltrate the real world, this might happen everywhere. However, if the shadow world were resolved, would Han Hai, in reality, be better? After trying their best to escape from You Liangs nightmare, ss 13 finally had a glimpse of the real nightmare. Compared to the cruelty underneath theb building, You Liangs nightmare was as gentle as a fairytale. I shouldnt have ced too much hope in you. With Li Biao leading the team, Huan Men Investigation Centre and the expanded members from Queens Investigation Centre stood on the ruins. They held a de in their left hand and a box in their right. Each box contained a different human body part. The red raincoat stood in the centre of the boxes. The investigators seemed to be using this method to control the raincoat. Dont forget youre just the vice leader. Zuo Juns neck and cheeks were injured. His voice was cold. He hated Li Biao. After killing Ding Yuan, Ill be the leader of Huan Men. Li Biao admired the box he held. It carried a childs beating heart. Or after you die, I can also be Queens new leader. Zuo Jun stood up, holding the ruins. The new investigations from Queens stood behind Li Biao. None of them came to Zuo Juns aid. The chief wanted you to locate the true identity of the school rules through ss 13. However, youve failed spectacrly at your mission. You not only failed to aplish anything, but you were also defeated by a group ofmon people. Li Biao sat at the entrance that led further underground. Common people? Zuo Juns eyes twitched. Li Biao, dont be too proud. All of my ssmates are not normal. Stop finding excuses for yourself. Li Biao picked out the childs heart from the box. He tossed the box away. He used the de to carve on the heart. The flesh inside the raincoat sank into madness. It had no rationality to begin with. At that moment, it became even more dangerous. Situ An is busy dealing with the headquarterss next batch of reinforcement, so he wont have time to deal with the situation here. Li Biaos words carried a double meaning. Zuo Jun, if only you die with your ssmates here. Didnt you say they were not normal? Then, its perfectly normal for you to be killed by them. The de stuck into the childs heart. The red on the raincoat became brighter. A womans scream emitted from the raincoat. The thick resentment chilled everyone present. Li Biao, everyone that uses the securitys power will have a horrible ending. The red raincoat will never let you go. Zuo Jun was familiar with Li Biao. This man adored power but didnt have the ability to hold control. You wont be there to witness my ending. Go! Kill them! Li Biao ordered the red raincoat. Actually, he had no right to order the red raincoat, but he used the childs heart to guide the raincoats instinct. The red raincoat attacked everyone indiscriminately after it went insane. However, it would not attack anyone who held the broken body parts. The body parts appeared to be treated by the red raincoat as the corpses of children. The big dog hid in the shadow. Gao Mings eyes focused on the heart Li Biao was holding. One could never underestimate the brilliance and cruelty of humanity. Humans would always figure out a more despicable way to push further on their agenda. However, Li Biao had underestimated the resilience and shamelessness of ss 13. Most of them made the choice in an instant. They all sided with You Liang as if they were the victims too. Dont think our ss is easy to bully! If you want to kill us, then be prepared to die with us! Xi San waved his fists. Due to the limitation of his intellect, he had been sticking to someone else, but at this moment, he was very brave. They are using the box to control the red raincoat. We dont need to fight the red raincoat. We only need to grab the boxes from them. Liu Yi analysed the core of the problem instantly. Her ssmates agreed with her. As she prepared to make a move, her student council badge pulled at her. The girl behind Liu Yi urged her to move deeper down the basement. The girl looked anxious. She seemed to sense something from the basement. It was as if her closest confidant had run into an ident and needed help. When the students were discussing the n, a shadow had moved to Li Biao. Gao Ming noticed the loophole Liu Yi pointed out too. He carried many death memories in his heart. He died all over Han Hai. However, even after so many deaths, Gao Ming had no impression of the red raincoat. This special ghost didnt belong to Han Hai. The investigation centre appeared to capture it from another city. The giant ck bog opened his maw behind Li Biao. Gao Mings analysis was more critical than Liu Yis. It was good to snatch the box, but it was easier to destroy it and drag everyone into fear. Li Biao felt a chill. In any case, he was a member of the investigation centre, so his reaction was faster than Qian Junran. Without even turning back, Li Biao swung his de back and dodged to the side. He knew that he was controlling the scene because of the heart. Even if his body was injured, he had to protect the heart. If it were a normal person who ambushed Li Biao, then his response would have been perfect. Unfortunately for him, he encountered the most abnormal student in ss 13. The big dog bit on the de. A chain wrapped around Li Biaos wrist. Li Biao felt a powerful forceing from the big dogs stomach. It was as if someone inside the big dog wanted to yank him inside the big dogs body. Chapter 176: The First Human Brick Chapter 176: The First Human Brick The chain bound around his wrist. Li Biao couldnt even chop off his wrist to free his hand. He could only watch as he was dragged into the big dogs mouth. To his shock, he saw a human face inside the dog. Why is the face familiar? Darkness consumed him. Li Biao felt all the sounds and lights fading away. When he was eaten by the dog, everything else was eaten too. They seem to be different from the ghosts Ive encountered. Gao Ming studied the heart he took from Li Biao. The child whom the heart belonged to had long died. The thing that kept the heart beating was a determination of the child to see his mother. He wanted to see his mother before he died. Sensing the intense determination from the heart, Gao Mings eyes shone with shock. All the ghosts he had met stored their consciousness inside a scenario. Every big ghost had its own resentment room but the owner of this heartpressed all of his resentment and memory into his heart so that he became a ghost with a heart. The other investigators saw Gao Ming eat Li Biao and take away his core. Themand fell onto the second team leader. They didnt panic. They rearranged their formation. While they ensured everyone could influence the red raincoat, they were cautious of anything that could get close to them. Gao Ming knew that it would be so much harder to strike at the investigators again. He didnt stay on the basement first floor. He held the childs heart and urged the big dog to move further down the building. The human bricks shattered. The crying faces struggled helplessly but their fates had been written. They couldnt escape from the building. If something happened to the building, they had to rush over to fix it. If the building copsed, they would lose their final resting ce. From the moment they were turned into human bricks, the fate of these students were sealed. This was the best script fate had written for them. Sometimes, I feel like fate is azy scammer. He gave the majority a normal script but liked toe up with a few miracles so that themon majority would have hope. Little did they know that everything had already been written by fate. The big dog was pessimistic. After he saw the human bricks, he was sad. He envisioned his former self on them. Thats why I want to fight against fate so that everyone can write their own destiny. Whats the point? All the future youve seen are the future fate is willing to show you. Even if one day you jump out of the surface and see a different scenery, you are merely moved by fate into a bigger fish bowl. The big dog avoided the human bricks and carried Gao Ming to the basement second floor. They saw the foundation of theb building. Underneath thepound of the school, various living humans were nted. These former students grew roots like nts. Thin vessels grew out of their bodies that stretched into the darkness. They fed the world with nutrients. Everyone used the things that made them human, like youthful appearance, strong bodies, longevity, health as well as love, happiness and kindness to trade for the things the school needed from the shadow world. Is this the ritual of afterlife longevity that Situ An has nned? Si Sui Apartments worshipped the God of Flesh and Blood with blood sacrifices; there was no actual divinity at Han De Private School. Situ An directly sacrificed the school to the shadow world. He turned the school into the sacrificial table and everyone who entered the school into sacrifices. What he needed in return was simple. He wanted to be the manager of this sacrificial table. Situ An had a sick obsession with power and a blind confidence in himself. He believed that if he managed to control everything, he could even change fate. Gao Ming was deeply stunned by the underground room. The way to destroy Han De Private School was simple. It was to kill every living root in the basement and destroy every human brick. This ce makes me very ufortable. When can we leave? The big dog didnt even want to stay, much less bite the roots. Now is not the time to leave. Gao Ming heard the sound of fighting from the surface. The red raincoat killed without mercy. Oncebat started, it would not stop until one party was vanquished. Gao Ming! A familiar voice came from the distance. Liu Yi and the girl with the birthmark on her face sneaked underground too. They had the same idea as Gao Ming. I found the real president of the student council. Her name is Yan Shaoyu. She is Headmistress Yan Xizhis adopted daughter. Liu Yi spoke quickly. She didnt waste time. She knows where the soul of the school is. As they walked down the human steps, they saw more roots poking out of the human bricks. The roots bound together as they reached deeper into darkness. With Yan Shaoyus guidance, Gao Mings group walked through the dried-up students and came to the main root branch. Gao Ming looked down and saw a familiar figure. At the bottom of Han De Private School was the corpse of Yan Xizhi. The first human brick buried there was hers. Her hair was silver, and she was impably dressed. She stood under all the human bricks and held up the school. Headmistress Yan? Headmistress Yan had gone missing many years ago in real life. In reality, she was murdered in the storage room. Her body was buried deep underneath the school. She was the first piece of sacrifice offered by Situ An to the shadow world. Her eyes flickered open. Headmistress Yan returned to her corpse. Have you been trapped by Situ An? Ille to rescue you! Gao Ming tried to climb down, but Headmistress Yan shook her head. The rotten lips slowly opened. The serious Headmistress Yan spoke through her non-human and non-ghost body, I came back here of my own volition. Something has happened to the school. I heard the kids under here crying. But, how can you shoulder all of these on your own? Gao Ming didnt expect Headmistress Yan to make this decision. The school had been taken over by Situ An and Gao Yun. They just wanted to destroy the other. Only Headmistress Yan cared about the human bricks underground. They are all my children. They are good children. It was me who taught him how to be a good person. I failed to protect them. Headmistress Yans voice was calm and severe. Figure out a way to save some of the kids. Dont forcibly sever their connection to the school. Use the letters I gave you to awaken their inner selves. After that, Headmistress Yan turned to Yan Shaoyu, Xiao Yu, do you still remember why I gave you that name? Even though rain was born in the dark clouds, it could fly through the sky. She is the cleanest and purest water. She is not afraid of wind and thunder. She will use her life to nourish thend to cultivate new life. The resentment in Yan Shaoyus eyes faded away. She wanted to get close to Yan Xizhi but was pushed back. You are the student council president. What you need to do is to help the other kids. There are many people who need you. Education was not creating machines; it was helping the kids be their best selves. The fight between the raincoat and You Liang soon reached the underground. More human bricks crumbled. Gao Ming grabbed the big dogs fur and flew through the bricks. Even without the reminder from Headmistress Yan, he wouldnt harm these human bricks. Gao Ming held the death portrait of the flood. The death portrait contained the student ID the PE teacher, Zhong Long, and Zhang Ding had salvaged at the activity building. The owners of these IDs were sent underground after being turned into human bricks by Situ An. Now was the perfect time to use them to awaken these pained souls. Chapter 177: Choice Chapter 177: Choice Human bricks were the foundation of Han De Private School. Without the human bricks, the school would copse. Then again, what was the purpose of existence for a school that turned its school into human bricks and absorbed the students life essence? The school rules and Situ Ans rules fought but not to their bitter ends. Both parties wanted to consume the other, but they didnt want to destroy the dining table. Gao Ming was different. If he could only feast on human meat, hed flip the sacrificial table. If he started with nothing, what was he afraid of losing? The blurry student IDs tumbled out of the death portrait. Gao Ming didnt need to do anything. The human bricks had already linked with the familiar presence from the IDs. The tattered IDs carried their memories, best thoughts and former selves. Many students at this school were forced to murder their former selves before they were willing to be made into human bricks and encased underground. If there were no other choices, they would eventually surrender to fate. However, Gao Ming brought them a different path. The roots actively created a path for Gao Ming. The human bricks saw their shining selves in the student IDs, like kids following the stars in the night sky. Back then, they had no idea why they were so enraptured. Now, they understood that they were looking at their pure and shimmering selves. Even if the death portrait didnt contain their Student IDs, the human bricks would move out of the way. This was thest kindness they could afford to give. Most of the students were not bad people. Of course, they were not all good people either. They simply failed to be 100 percent good or 100 percent evil. It was why they werent eliminated by Situ An and the school rules due to their sharp justice or became big ghosts that could ignore the rules. Found it! Gao Ming hung the first ID on its original order. The hunchbacked males skin started to regain the colour of blood. His dull eyes started to shine with light. He tried to lift his arms, but he failed. The cracked lips slowly open. The boy who regained his memory started to straighten his chest. He had been a human brick for so long, but Gao Ming wanted him to be a human gain. He was not born to be buried deep underneath the school. He just wanted to help more people and himself. The five fingers were bent. The wrinkled skin pulled. The boy wanted to control his dried and aged body, but even with his full strength, he could only wiggle the roots that grew out of his body. He couldnt cut off the roots and thus couldnt sever his connection to the shadow world. Gao Ming wanted to help, but he remembered Yan Xizhis warning. If he cut off the roots, these human bricks would perish too. Ill let you decide your own future. Gao Ming let out the residents of Si Sui Apartments to help the students. If Situ An saw this, he would explode again. A lot of pure memories were handed back to the human bricks. More roots wiggled about. The human bricks were reminded of their past. Their bound arms started to move. The unwillingness in their heartspelled them to struggle loose from this deep and rooted underworld. The power of one human brick was limited, but as more human bricks found the hope to restart their lives, the dust on their skin started to fall off. When the minute vibrations gathered together, water drops could form a wave. He didnt need everyone to wake up. When one-third of the human bricks opened their eyes, the wave they formed would naturally influence the other human bricks. As the first root that extended into the shadow world was yanked off, all the human bricks tried to escape. First, theb building and then the whole school were affected. Yan Xizhi didnt know what was happening. She was still holding on. If she didnt move, her body might be torn apart directly. Its their choice to select destruction. The root system was veryplicated. The birth of the rules depended on these roots. To overthrow the rules, the most direct method was to destroy all the roots. Many people worried about a destructive future, but the new seeds only had the chance to grow after a fire zed its way through the forest. Headmistress Yan, stop this! You have more important things to do! Gao Ming knew he couldnt persuade Yan Xizhi with a normal method. He could only employ the more extreme methods. The copse of the school is inevitable. If you continue to hold onto these roots, youll only kill these underground children! Han De Shu Xiang Academy is your lifeblood. However, it is these human bricks that make up the school. This is everyones choice. There are a lot more students on the surface. Once the school is destroyed, their lives will be threatened. They wont be able to return to real life. There are even more children outside the school! If the school is not destroyed, they will one day be turned into human bricks and sent underground. They will be trapped here, like you! Gao Mings words stunned Headmistress Yan. The corpse in the suit slowly let go of her hands. She looked around her numbly. The home that she had built for the abandoned children now wandered between the real world and the shadow world. The children whom she personally cared for became the roots that reached from the real world into the shadow world. They were sacrificed. If the school really copses, will everything here be swallowed by the shadow world, or will they flow back to the real world and be an out-of-control level 4 anomaly? Liu Yi held onto Yan Shaoyus shoulder. The implication of this incident was far-reaching. Come help! Help bring the willing students out! Gao Ming gained the affection of the students. Some of them approached Gao Ming, while the majority went towards Yan Xizhi. Even at that moment, everyone still hoped to stay with Yan Xizhi. The floor above them slowly cracked. You Liang, who had lost his nightmare and was polluted, was heavily suppressed by the red raincoat. However, You Liangs power was too unique. The more the raincoat injured him, the more wounds appeared on her body. To Gao Mings surprise, the students of ss 13 used the dangerous cursed items and supernatural objects to forcibly snatch of the boxes away from the investigators. If they knew how to use the boxes to control the red raincoat, the students probably would have stolen more boxes. The door to the social practical ss flew open. The students infected by Fear Illness wanted to scurry underground to hide from the tragedy. The buildings on the surface had been affected. The foundation of the rules was shattered. Chaos was everywhere. For all parties, the situation had spiralled out of control. The school rules and Situ Ans rules sent people underneath theb building. However, the first ghost to arrive wasnt one of their people. Red paint dripped on the steps. The self-portrait of the art teacher appeared on the wall. She flicked her hair behind her ear but it was Xia Yangs voice that came out of her mouth. What a happy cooperation. Chapter 178: Mad Party Chapter 178: Mad Party The appearance of the art teacher and Xia Yang didnt surprise Gao Ming. He was the one who asked them toe there. The things that happened underneath theb building were perfect for Xia Yang. Be it You Liang, who was as clean as a winter sun, or the red raincoat who represented the deepest hatred, even the ss 13 and the investigators who fought for their own benefits brought endless inspiration to Xia Yang. The art teacher narrowed her eyes to hide the greed deep inside her eyes. Xia Yang desired the red raincoat and You Liangs souls. He wanted to paint them and trap them inside his painting. I love this world more and more. The art teacher took out a paintbrush and drew You Liang and the red raincoat on the wall. With each new brushstroke, she would have a new wound on her body. It was as if the paint she used was her own blood. You Liang and the red raincoat who fought each other noticed the art teachers presence. However, this didnt give the red raincoat any pause. To fully consume You Liang, the raincoat had been covered in unheble gashes. You Liangs face paled. His power was limited like his life. In the end, he would lose all the happiness and be a ghost with bloody hands. If this continued, the red raincoat would really kill him. Run! Leave the underground first! Gao Ming shouted at the students of ss 13. Even though some of them deserved to die, most didnt show any malice towards Gao Ming. The students who had stolen some of the boxes instantly fled once they heard Gao Mings reminder. These people would find all kinds of excuses to evade a fight, but they would run faster than athletes if they were asked to flee. Leave the dead body of the red coats child behind! The people of the centre were about to go insane. The core had already been snatched by Gao Ming. If the students escaped with the other boxes, the red raincoat might get out of control, This red raincoat has butchered an entire bus of people! If she goes on a rampage, she will hunt down every soul who has touched her childs body! None of you will be spared! Hearing the investigators threat, the students only paused for point five seconds out of politeness before they flew to the exit. The school is copsing. Why should we care about that? Xi San was an athlete. He ran to the front of the group. He carried two boxes. They contained the childs left and right arm. The formation that controlled the red raincoat crumbled. The captain from Huan Men cursed before he ordered his people to adjust their position. Their control over the raincoat weakened more and more. Patients of the Fear Illness shuffled in while the mad people ran out. Both parties were tormented by fear. They didnt even have the time to breathe. Headmistress Yan! You have to go with the kids! The human bricks who got their student IDs back struggled loose from the bricks. However, there were still many students who hadnt gotten their IDs back. Their eyes were still dull. Headmistress Yan wanted to hug all the children to give them warmth and lead them away, but there were too many children who needed help. She was born with kindness and couldnt bear to see any injustice. However, despite all that she had done in her life, she was at her limits. Headmistress Yan could call every child by their name. She was at the bottom of the foundation to stop the kids from falling into the shadow world. As long as they havent been corrupted by the shadow, they still have a chance at a normal life. Yan Xizhi! You have to save yourself before you save others! Gao Ming rode on the big dog and jumped between the crumbling underground first and second floors. You dont understand. These children have already been abandoned. They have expended unimaginable courage to walk out of the shadow of abandonment. I cant abandon them again. Headmistress Yan didnt see the students as numbers. They were all bright faces and people who existed in her memory. Gao Ming admired Headmistress Yan. He didnt have the ability to save everyone, so he could only choose to save those who believed in him. Then, wait for me toe back! Gao Ming said that subconsciously. He was startled because he seemed to have said the same exact thing in his memory before. Have I once told Gao Yun that? The rocks and pebbles fell. Gao Ming and his neighbours avoided the fight between the big ghosts. They worked to send the weak human bricks up to the surface. The human bricks around Gao Ming became lesser. Han De Private School was built on these human bricks. After they gained freedom, those who enjoyed the stability of the school would suffer. The student council and teachers who benefited from the school rules and Situ Ans rules rushed over. The living students and ghost students on the surface approached as well. Even though their lives were heavily-oppressed, at least they wouldnt die yet. However, if all the human bricks escaped, Han De Private School would be destroyed. Everyone would die, or they would have to make new human bricks! Thankfully, Fear Illness had fully spread around the school. Otherwise, he would face a lot more resistance. The students would stand against Gao Ming for their own survival. Destroy everything for the sake of rebirth! Xia Yangsugh came from underground. In the whole school, he was the happiest as he moved the brush to create one after another creepy yet haunting drawings. The cracks extended to the surface. A giant hole appeared around theb building. The human bricks buried underground saw the sun again. The faces embedded into the foundation finally saw the clouded sky with Gao Mings help. The storm seeped between the human bricks, and the lightning cut through the blood mist. The thunder sounded like a demon roaring. The school trembled. The human bricks awakened by Gao Ming wanted to escape. Every building at the school shook. The walls that entrapped the students started to teeter. The school rules are affected. The world outside the wall is a lot more real than before! The rain slid down Wang Jies cheeks. He ran to grab the racing Xi San, Stop running! Whats wrong, Brother Jie? Xi San hugged the boxes and asked in a daze. Follow me to the field. Well hijack a bus and try to leave! Wang Jie instantly changed his direction. Dont we need to inform the others like Du Bai and Gao Ming? Xi San raised the boxes he was holding. Also, should we keep carrying these boxes? Dont worry about the others. They are much cleverer than you are. Wang Jie dragged Xi San, As long as we drive the bus over, someone will get on the bus. We only need to ensure we have our seats on the bus. What if we bring the ghosts out of the school? The city cant handle the ghosts! Xi San said worriedly. Stop wasting time! Come with me! Were stealing a bus! Wang Jie waved his knife. There were teachers from the investigation centre guarding the field. They were guarding the bus sent in by the headquarters, but ss 13 had treated everyone from the investigation centre as their enemy. They would attack if they had the chance. These students who became the school rules are indeed annoying. Doctor Lu walked out of the infirmary. Behind him was a group of students with bandaged faces. From their body shape, they corresponded to every student in ss 13. Some of them have already escaped, but it doesnt matter. They wont survive for long. As long as I can capture the big fish. Doctor Lus eyes moved from the school hall to Gao Ming, From the start, I sensed something wrong with him. A bad feeling rose in my heart. Why would I be afraid of a young man whom I had not met? Ive killed so many people. I cant even remember if I have any history with him. The slender fingers traced the shell. Doctor Lus skin was covered with a lot of stitches. Its alright. Once I kill him and dig out the root, the history between us will end. Gao Ming suddenly felt his scalp go numb like he had been targeted by some venomous bugs. He looked around and spotted Doctor Lu, who just exited the office building. You really cant run away from your enemies. If not for the fact that he still hadnt found Situ Ans hiding spot, he would have rushed over to swallow Doctor Lu. Calm down. I have to keep the God of Flesh and Blood and the torture room hidden. I cant let Situ An know of them. It was chaos in the school, but Gao Ming believed it could be even more chaotic. He hid the death portrait of the flood in his hand. He had astmunication with Zhang Ding. The student council members at the activity building had already left. The flood became more ferocious. Endless water ghosts crashed into the windows of the building. Chapter 179: Competition of the Cowards Chapter 179: Competition of the Cowards Ive read so many apocalyptic novels when I was young. This is just perfect. The apocalypse is really here. Xi San carried the kids arms and rushed into the bus. Brother Jie, how are we going to drive away without the key? Threaten those investigators and force them to cough it up! Do you need me to teach you that? Wang Jie tussled with one of the investigators. He was extremely swift and vicious. He had clearly been trained before. Hand over the key, or youll regret it. Xi San said darkly. At that moment, he was punched in the stomach by the other party. He doubled over like a shrimp. Fuck! Useless! Wang Jie kicked away his opponent and picked up the arms of the kid. He turned to deal with the investigator who attacked Xi San. The security of the investigator has lost control! The childs body parts are scattered everywhere! If we dont escape now, all of us will be hunted down by the red raincoat! The rain poured. Wang Jies voice travelled far in the rain. Everyone who has touched the childs body will be targeted by the red spectre! If we dont escape from the school tonight, well all die! If we let you go, the anomaly will spread even further and that will lead to more deaths. The investigator looked at Wang Jie coolly. Theres no way youre driving away with this bus. If you want to die, dont bring us down with you. Wang Jie almost wanted to shove the kids arm into the mans mouth. The students eyes were red as they surrounded the buses. Here! The key of this bus is still in the ignition! Cao Song found an unguarded bus. He waited for it to stop and then got on it. The moment he got on, he puked. The interior of the bus was covered in blood like it had juste from a ughterhouse. This bus was the vehicle used by the centre to transport the red raincoat. In other words, the bus was not for the living. However, considering the situation, the students didnt have other choices. They all fought to get on the bus. The investigators panicked when they saw this. The group of mad people wanted to drive away in the bus taken by the red spectre. For the centre, everything rted to red attire would be eliminated after the mission ended. Dont let them on! Close the door! Cao Song didnt know how to drive, so he selflessly contacted the others. After the bus was almost full, he didnt hesitate to shut the door. Cao Song, you fucker! The bus started to move. Dried blood fell from the ceiling. The people on the bus were excited, but they didnt get to celebrate for long because they heard stones hitting the bus windows. The students infected by Fear Illness, and scapegoats hurried over to the bus. Cao Ming grabbed a mop on the bus and tried to poke the others away. To his regret, he was yanked out of the bus instead. Some stepped on Cao Songs back and grabbed the window, ignoring the sharp edges. Xi San wanted to go over to help, but he was held back by Wang Jie, Let him. I doubt his bus is leaving anytime soon. We need to look for the keys and take one of the other buses. But the engine of that bus has already started! Weve all touched the body of the dead child. The red raincoat will lose control soon. Do you really dare to escape in her vehicle? Wang Jie dragged the investigator to a secluded corner. Xi San followed him. Keep close attention to Yuan Hui and Zuo Jun! They are the centres dogs! The thundernded on the school hall. A giant roof appeared on the ceiling. The giant fleshy tree enveloped the hall. Every student that came to the hall became its power source. The roots punctured into the patients of Fear Illness. It was how it managed to grow until this stage. Situ An used many years to turn the school into a sacrificial table for the shadow world. It was now stolen by the giant tree. However, the patients didnt worship the shadow world but the God of Flesh and Blood. Retreat! Everyone, out of the hall now! The student council president in the dark red uniform gave the final order and had all the student council members evacuate the hall. Fear Illness exploded in Hostel 6 andpleted its evolution in the hall. It was too difficult to stop it now. Dont go there anymore! All the students with the student council badge approached theb building from another side. They and the teachers led by Doctor Lu blocked Gao Mings path. Have all the students return to their sses! The student council president looked simr to Gao Yun, but his personality was theplete opposite. He was quick, explosive and temperamental. Student, the consequences of doing this are serious. Doctor Lu spoke too. The teachers surrounded him. After Han De Private Academy copses, it will appear in real life and will not be restrained anymore. All the ghosts here will flood into Han Hai, and more than one hundred thousand people will be affected. Why are you telling me this? Was I the one who trapped them underground? Gao Ming wanted to kill Situ An whenever he saw him. The existence of the school is a buffer. It helps humanity ept the arrival of a new era. It is to protect more people. That has always been the investigation centres motto. Doctor Lus tone was sharp, but there was no change of expression on his face. Progress requires fuel. They have been turned into fuel. You cant just focus on their painful past. You have to appreciate the changes they will bring in the future. The student council has its own n. We can bring the students who are seriously affected by ageing to Hostel 6 for treatment. They will be reced at regr intervals. The student council president first handled the flood and then hurried to the hall to deal with Ji Jie. It was already a mess, but he came back to discover the foundation of the school had been shattered. But where can you escape to in the end? Doctor Huang Kong, beside Doctor Lu,ughed. Once the school is destroyed, you will die too. Everything is just a bet. I didnt destroy this school. I merely elerated the process. Gao Ming touched his heart. Move out of my way! Youre courting death. With Doctor Lus order, Huang Kong headed to the office building. Many closed doors flew open. Many strange-looking students walked out of the hidden rooms. Many of them had the Situ An name but were treated the worst by Situ An, their adoptive father. Get back underground! Or well put you inside the wall before this school copses! Huang Kong said harshly, like a crazy man. Do you think Ill believe you? Gao Ming had the blood on his fingertip flow into the flood death portrait. All the windows on the first floor of the activity building creaked. He decided not to wait for the night to arrive. He told Zhang Ding to give up holding the flood back. Gao Ming, Gao Ming and Situ An represented three different sets of rules. They were like cars racing down the same track. No one was willing to give way. Under that circumstance, Gao Ming was the first to open the car window and toss out his steering wheel. He showed his stance. He wouldnt hide anymore. The moment the cracks appeared on the activity building window, the students tormented by the Fear Illness felt their hearts jumping. There was a dragon howling inside the activity building. They couldnt understand how a flood could ur inside a building. The thunder boomed. The windows shattered everywhere as the murky water gushed out. Endless water ghosts obtained their freedom. Move! Head to high ground! Zhang Fendou braved the storm and rode on a dead pig. He raised his head and shouted. Lightning struck, and the rain poured. The flood became more ferocious. Controlled by Zhang Ding, the waves crashed into the office building. Seeing the flood imbued with the resentment of the dead, Doctor Lus eyes twitched. Situ Ans consciousness hidden inside his body had seen so many things. Even for a big boss, the school appeared extra supernatural that day. Chapter 180: Gao Yuns Power Chapter 180: Gao Yun''s Power Situ An had a deep impression of the flood that happened at Li San many years ago. After the incident, he even visited the site where the flood was the most serious. Many died in the incident. Theoretically speaking, there should be plenty of Yin energy. But to his surprise, he couldnt sense any resentment at Min Long Street, where the flood struck the hardest. The water ghosts appeared to have left with the flood. The question Situ An had many years ago was finally answered. The God of Flesh and Blood that I worshipped appeared in the hall, and the flood urred at the activity building. Why did the causes I nted identally years ago bloom here all of a sudden? Situ Ans consciousness in Doctor Lus body had a very bad feeling, I seem to sense the presence of fate. Cant this be avoided? In the fight of the cowards, the more cowardly or rational party would choose to back off to prevent the worst oue from happening. Situ An was Han De Private Academys founder and beneficiary. Everything he did was to push him to be the representative of the shadow world. Once he seeded,bined with his identity as the chief of Han Hai East City Investigation Centre, he could take over the entire Han Hai. Just as all of his ns were about to seed, Situ An was blinded by his bottomless desire. No one can threat me. I can rebuild the school if its destroyed. I dont mind waiting for another ten years, but I have to eliminate the source that gives me fear. Compared to saving the school, Situ An wanted to kill Gao Ming even more and figure out what was happening. Therefore, he made the craziest choice. He didnt back off, and he didnt allow anyone else to leave. He released all the ghost kids hidden inside the office building. Yan Xizhi focused on the children with mental issues and helped them walk out of the shadows. After Situ An took over the school, he also focused on the same children, but he led these children into special rooms to torment them. He cultivated them into monsters. The most twisted monsters would get the chance to be his children, to enjoy his sick fatherly love. The doors inside the office building. The eyes in the dark were scary and dangerous. Situ An couldnt create something at the level of the big ghosts. He could only borrow the shadow worlds blessing and gather all the resentment from the other children into one person. Normally, Situ An didnt fight the school rules because he had been saving his power. He chose to release it at that moment. In the rain, a mixture of hair and flesh was scattered around the office building windows. The whole office building was the storage for the infirmary. Everyone who was sent there was a target for Situ Ans experiment. The flood came. The first thing the student council president thought of was to retreat. If either Gao Ming or Situ An was willing to cooperate with him, they could suppress the other and protect the school. Unfortunately, he encountered two mad people. Get underground! Stabilise the foundation! The president was the only person left. He tried everything. Just as he gave the order, the pain came from the arm that wore the student council badge. The badge bit into his body like it had grown teeth. Then, the presidents brows softened. The fury in his eyes dissipated. He looked around serenely, like he was a different person. Standing between the flood and storm, the president changed his order, Bring the bravest students to seek refuge at the tallest building. The others can stay. Well kill him first The president pointed at Doctor Lu, and then he pointed at the buses near the office building. And then, kill them. Dont let anyone escape from this school. The president seemed to grasp the principle of Fear Illness. He only sent away those who werent infected. Every other patient had to stay behind to face their fears. All three rules had abandoned the school. The three cars didnt show any signs of stopping. They elerated towards the school. Why are you afraid? The worst that can happen is death. Theres nothing worse than being unable to die. Living is meaningless. Ive given you a new start that you havent seen before. The president touched the raindrop that fell from the sky. He seemed to be ying to fate with the rain. The badges on every student council member changed. The faded yellow badge was like a patch of skin. The picture behind each badge was different. It was as if someone had torn apart their body and fused them into the badges. Some of the student council members were scared. They tried to yank off the badge. The harder they struggled, the more vicious the badges poked into their skin. Before I died, everyone came to me to ask me to save them; After I died, everyone wanted to abandon me and make me forget about them. The presidents voice slowly became more like Gao Yun. It has been a decade. Nothing has changed. Before I die, you tried so hard to find me to be the new rule maker; After I die again, will you forget about me just like you did ten years ago? Everyone with the badge slowly overcame the fear, but their eyes became unfamiliar. Wasnt you looking for me? Ive made every badge with my own skin. Cant you recognise me anymore? The storm wet his face. Washed by the rain, the president and the other student council members behind him gradually looked more like Gao Yun. In that dark tunnel filled with carcasses of my friend, my body was shredded into small pieces. I apanied him through each death and rebirth. I saw the night sky and the imminent dawn! My memory is only the length of a tunnel. My world is repeated deaths and endless pain. I believe he will return. I am so confident because that is our fate. The safe student council members tried to rescue the students not affected by the Fear Illness. Gao Yun took over the council members who had fallen to the Fear Illness. He ate the broken souls that were infected by fear. The uniform the president wore showed up with more bloodstains. Even the storm couldnt wash away the blood. Even the mad water ghosts moved away from him. He stood in the flood and used his body to make it part. At the same time, Doctor Lu suddenly shed blood from his eyes. His skin rotted. He touched his face and looked at the president in disbelief. The expression of the president didnt change, but a patch of skin on his arm dried up. He tore the patch of skin off. There was a line written on the back School Rule No. 131, turn any students into monsters and youll die. Looking through the fallen patch of skin, one could see that the presidents body was written with curses. If one vited the school rules, one would be cursed by Gao Yun. The rules were written beforehand, and if any were triggered, there would be a corresponding curse. This was one of Gao Yuns powers. It should be a power unique to fate. None of you can leave this school. Nothing will escape. Chapter 181: I Saw Your Deaths Chapter 181: I Saw Your Deaths Every student council badge was part of Gao Yun. Situ An finally found Gao Yuns true body. It had been walking around him every day. It was not that Situ An hadnt considered this possibility before, but he didnt think Gao Yun would do it. After all, there were much better ways for him to hide himself. Holding the bleeding face, Situ Ans consciousness in Doctor Lus body felt his body rapidly copsing. ck lines grew in his body. They were like resentment-filled hair. Once they gathered, they would paint the picture of death. What kind of strange power is this? Situ An had no idea what Gao Yun had experienced on the bus. He only knew that Gao Yun was someone who had escaped from fate. It was why he instantly moved Gao Yun to his territory once the incident was over. However, he didnt expect Gao Yun to master the school rules so quickly. If not for his other means, Situ An felt like hed be killed by Gao Yun already. How many healthy students have died to create such a perfect vessel? Its a shame, but using it to figure out one of the kids power is not aplete loss. The ck lines crawled out of Doctor Lus heart and crawled to his face. It sliced his face, but he was smiling. For ghosts inside the ghost stories, only has special power, and among them, only 1/10 can create their resentment room and be Big Ghosts. The ugly students following Doctor Lu screamed as they were swept away by the flood. Their bodies were heavily distorted. Wounds appeared on their skins. However, the thing that leaked out of their wounds was not blood but a viscous shadow. Dad The monster students wore ck student IDs around their necks. All of them had the Situ surname. These children who were adopted by Situ An had their skin split open. Skulls made from shadows crawled out of the flesh. The giant skulls expanded like balloons. Every skull contained the students negative emotions and radiated a resentment room presence. Doctor Lu ignored the children and rambled to himself, The battle between Big Ghosts will cover the resentment room with blood. The reconstruction of nightmares will turn it into a haunted house. The shadowy skulls bumped into each other. A scene this absurd wouldnt even appear in a normal persons nightmare. Arrangement of the haunted houses to follow the same rules will provide one with the chance to create a death building. That will lead to the formation of the unique ghost in Han Hai who can control all the ghost stories! Blood and flesh sttered everywhere. Bones slid in and out of position. The skulls were calling something. Situ An wanted to use the school to conduct onest sacrifice. He would sacrifice every ghost and human at the school to the shadow world. Yan Xizhi and endless human bricks wails came from underground. They were enveloped by great shadows. Han De Private Academy was built between the shadow world and the real world. The human bricks were used to build the passage between them. The passage had copsed, so Situ An wanted to force a part of the shadow world to descend into real life. Ghost howls echoed underground. The skullsbined to form an altar. Supplied by the shadow world, something wanted to crawl out of the shadow. Han De Private Academy had been fully modified by the shadow world. Situ Ans n was to sacrifice everything inside the school for his own benefit and then use the premise of fighting the shadow world to continuously deprive the investigation centre and the shadow world of their resources and power. This showed the difference between Situ An and Gao Yun. Gao Yun knew that the school had been infected by the shadow world. That was why he refused to let anyone leave so that the ghost stories wouldnt affect the real world. Do you think I cant find you by hiding in another persons skin? Do you really think Ive been sending all helpless students into the office building? Gao Yun wrote on the badge on his arm. Then, he tore off his skin. A new rule appeared under his skin. Doctor Lu spat out a mouthful of blood. His handsome face corroded. One of his eyeballs fell, and the flesh on his face melted like snow. The rules that targeted Situ An were exposed. Doctor Lu couldnt sustain his body anymore. He licked his teeth and covered his eye. The next batch of reinforcement from the headquarters will arrive soon. From the moment you appeared, you were meant to stand on Han Hais opposing side. I cant wait to see whether youll choose to be human or ghost then. Doctor Lu couldnt speak anymore. His body and skeleton rotted. An arm wilted. The blood on his body was ck. Gao Ming, who rode on the big dogs back, took in everything. He had a clearer understanding of Gao Yuns power. However,pared to Gao Yuns curse power, he was more shocked by another thing. When Gao Ming exited the tunnel thest time, he lost one of his eyes and broke one of his arms. When Gao Yun cursed Situ An, Doctor Lu also had his eye fall out first, and then one of his arms shrivelled. There are clues everywhere. What is Gao Yun trying to tell me? Rain slid down Gao Mings cheeks. He narrowed his eyes, and the world couldnt be clearer. Gao Yun saw my deaths. He saw me die again and again! He knew Ide back to find him. I have never forgotten my promise! Gao Yun was like the driver of that bus, or he sat next to the driver. The words Gao Yun said were deeply branded in Gao Mings heart. There was cause and effect. Everything seemed unconnected, but they were intertwined in one way or another. Gao Ming thought his deaths would only be known to him, but he realised there was another person who was familiar with his sacrifice. He saw everything, and he was Gao Mings former best friend, Gao Yun. Gao Ming took the phone out of his pocket. He read the message he sent Gao Yun. Different from the other students, Gao Mings message was simple, No matter what happens, Ille back to bring you away from there. Please trust me, just this once! I gained theplete God of Flesh and Blood after countless deaths and broke the death cycle. Gao Yun also sessfully escaped the tunnel and appeared at the school. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He thought back to the things the school rules had done to him. Even though I have no idea how he escaped, in terms of the result, Ivepleted my promise. In a world controlled by fate, Gao Ming and Gao Yun hadpleted salvation that only they knew about. The many rebirths and the many journeys towards death, the two cycles pierced through a decade. The two cycles tightly linked with each other in the tunnel of past and present. Chapter 182: Fate Chapter 182: Fate There should be a third cycle, and it had to do with the shadow world infiltrating the real world. Gao Ming had to ask Gao Yun for more details, but it was not the time. Gao Yun hadnt rified his stance or told Gao Ming what he needed to do. Perhaps he was being targeted by fate, or something unexpected happened. Gao Ming would not pursue this blindly. After he understood Gao Yuns position, he knew what to do. Situ An, I have to eat Situ An! Blood pierced his pupils. Gao Ming stared at the spot where Doctor Lu melted. He gripped the death memory rted to Situ An and awakened the slumbering God of Flesh and Blood. Situ An had been worshipping the God of Flesh and Blood. Even if he didnt seed, he still had Gods presence on him. Its exactly as Granny Shen said. If I werent there to stop him, hed be the God of Flesh and Blood. After Doctor Lus body fully disintegrated, a wisp of blood didnt enter the giant shadow altar but silently retreated to the office building. Got you! With the reminder from Gao Yun, Gao Ming gained the most important clue. He triggered the flood death portrait. The murky waves gushed out. Big Dog rode on the waves and headed towards the office building. The big dogs ws stepped on the shadow. Every sound and light was sucked into his body. At first, the investigators at the office building could still see Gao Ming, but he soon disappeared. The sound of heartbeats came from deep inside the shadow skull. Situ Ansst sacrifice was a huge sess. He sacrificed his own children to summon something from the shadow world. The skulls that contained the students negative emotions shattered. An arm reached out and crumbled the human bricks underground. It tried to grab Han De Private Academy, which was drifting away from the shadow world, through brute force. No matter who you are, once youre here, you have to follow the rules. The student council president pierced his fingers into his chest and tore off the skin around his chest. The first rule of the school rules was Every human and ghost inside the school had to abide by the school rules. The president was far from the shadowy hand, but once the presidents skin turned into ash. Therge arm appeared to wince from pain. The presidents body was iplete, but his expression didnt change much. He nced at Gao Ming, who disappeared in the waves from the corner of his eyes. Weve both been trapped in the dark abyss, but its different this time. Your appearance changed the tunnel. Every corpse stuck into the wall has loosened. I crawled out from the gears of fate. With death and the desire to resist fate, I walked out of the tunnel of time. Perhaps one day well return. But before that, I will use the de in my arms to pierce through this predestined future. There were more than the student council who were fighting the unknown presence in the shadow world. Zhang Ding had gained a preliminary understanding of the school. He led the PE teacher and moved around the second floor of the activity building. The clown make-up on his face had been washed away to reveal a mature and hardy face. Behind Zhang Ding was the clients and workers at Min Long Street. If we had the ghosts power ten years ago, we should be able to stop the flood. Zhang Ding stood up and threw the PE teacher forward. He waved behind him. Xiao Gao has made his move. We need to help him. Once Zhang Ding jumped down from the second floor, he melted into the flood. He was like a dragon swimming through the flood. The flood consumed Han De Private School. The water ghosts emitted intense resentment. They were victims and had been trapped for a decade underneath the supermarket. Once they found release, they were very aggressive. Only Zhang Ding had the ability to control and influence them to a certain degree. The shadow altar in front of the office building slowly opened. The thing that weed it wasnt the fanatics but sky-swallowing waves. Boss Zhang didnt care and wanted to use the flood from ten years ago to consume the shadow. To everyones surprise, far away in the school hall, the giant trees eight branches started to spread. The souls cried in the storm. Once the foundation of the school shook, the first building to be affected was the hall. The doll sensed a giant threat from the shadow altar. The way it dealt with threats was very simple. It was to infect them with fear. The roots made up of many Fear Illness patients snaked on the ground. Ji Jie, who was at the core of the giant tree, twisted his body as he yelled. With each of his movements, many of the patients souls would twist. Fear poured into the tree like endless fuel. The oppressive giant tree was moving towards the office building. The ground trembled. The tree crown appeared to shatter the dark clouds. The storm and flood couldnt affect it at all. The thickest eight roots crawled around the school. Wherever there was fear, the branches would grow wildly. As the source of the Fear Illness, Ji Jie had be part of the fleshy, giant tree. He carried the fear doll. He was more afraid than anyone else, but because of that, his belief that everything was real was the strongest. Even if every patient had been cured, Ji Jie would not turn his head around. Fear had changed him. He was the only one who actively embraced fear. He experienced the most intense fear and spread fear everywhere. He would always stand before the doll. The thing from the hall ising over! The investigators panicked. The document they read didnt say anything about a giant, fleshy tree. No one knew what it was. Fear Illness silently infected the investigators. The sacrifice Situ An ced on the table was corrupted. The unknown existence that feasted on the sacrifice eventually took notice of the giant tree. This thing was far more terrifying than it was. There were too many ghosts that exceeded Han De Private Academys limit. It was inevitable that this Level 4 Anomaly would go out of control. At that moment, probably only the student council still wanted to maintain the school rules. Everyone else had made their final choices for themselves. The flood shattered the window of the office building. The ck dog slithered into the office building with the waves. Tracing the presence of the blood and flesh, the big dog kept a close distance from the blood that escaped from Doctor Lus body. The office building had many rooms. The stairs were folded together. The interior was like a maze. The chase continued for half an hour before the big dog stopped. Sharp ws exited the shadows. The big dog stared at the room before him. He sensed a very dangerous presence from it. Teaching assessment and rating room? I didnt notice this room was herest time I came to the office building. Chapter 183: Persuasion Chapter 183: Persuasion It looks like Situ An is hiding here. The death memory in Gao Mings heart was like a seared brand. The pain of the many deaths triggered his every nerve. He couldnt control himself and opened the door before the big dog did. There was no gore or horror. There was no ghost or monster either. It could be considered the cleanest room in the office building. Everything was arranged neatly, as if the owner had somepulsion tendencies. A surveince room? Inside the room, there was a wall that was filled with monitors. The owner could examine most of the things that happened in the school from this room. The monitors were like eyes nted into the wall. On the table near the wall, there was a camera and a microphone. The owner could give all the orders from this hidden room. Han De Private Schools expansion was approved by Situ An. He should be behind this secret room. The big dog poked his head in. His nose twitched. His paw lingered in the air, hesitating whether to enter the room or not. He was a dog that gave off the feeling of a cat. Situ An is here. I can sense it. Gao Ming was certain. Once he said that, all the screens started to change. After a quick static, a man in a chair appeared on the screens. His body was punctured by strange tubes. He appeared to be ill. But even though his skin was rotting and he looked like he was dying, he sat up straight and was very calm, like everything was within his control. Situ An. Gao Ming thought hed be angry or in pain when he saw Situ Ans face, but actually, he merely wanted to kill the man and trap him inside the torture room. Gao Ming, a student with average results from ss 13. Ranked 9 in ss. A psychiatrist at Hen Shan Penitentiary, but you failed to pass your psyche exam sincest month. Situ Ans voice came from everywhere. It was impossible to tell his location. Thats a detailed investigation. Have you noticed me from the start? Gao Ming had no idea what kind of script fate had given Situ An, but no matter what, only one of them could survive. Situ An shook his head. Ive seen so many people who are more dangerous than you. You havent given me a reason to pay you any attention. I merely have a good memory and have read about everyone in your ss. With his eyes on Gao Ming, Situ An suddenly asked, Have we met? Gao Ming didnt answer. He tried to find Situ Ans presence. If we havent met, then you should be Doctor Lus killer. When I appeared in Doctor Lus body, there was a moment of shock and a desire to kill on your face. It was as if you knew the real Doctor Lu had died. But why would you kill Doctor Lu? He works for me, but he rarely appears in front of others. You must have nned this in advance to find the chance to kill him. Therefore, your real target is still me. You killed me simply because itd be easier to kill meter. Situ An stared at Gao Ming silently. His eyes and expression didnt change. Even Gao Ming couldnt read anything from his face. If thats the case, you must have seen me before and have a solid reason to kill me. Gao Mings figure was reflected in the eyes. Situ An continued like he was chatting with an old friend, Can you tell me this reason? Is it money? Power? Revenge? Or to protect more people? Seeing Gao Ming unfazed as he continued to look for his real location, Situ An smiled. His eyes shone with admiration. Actually,pared to Zuo Jun, I have more hopes in you. I can give you everything you want: money, power As long as its within the east city, I can get it for you. Sensing Gao Mings determination, Situ Ans smile slowly disappeared. He had encountered the most troublesome kind of people. These people murdered for things that normal people couldnt see, and they would put their lives on the line to achieve their goals. Is it for the sake of justice? Situ An leaned back. The concept is very vague. The housing price in east city is ten times the housing price in west city. Is it because the houses in east city are made of gold? No. Its merely because everyone has the consensus that the east city is Han Hais most developed district and will provide value in the future. Its the same with humans. Whether you represent justice or not depends on the public. Im the vice chief of an investigation centre and protect Han Hai. What about you? You are partners with ghosts. You and your friends destroyed the school and caused the anomaly to go out of control. Who do you think is on justices side? Who will save more people? Situ Ans most valued underling had been killed by Gao Ming, so he turned his eyes to Gao Ming. Ive snatched Han De Shu Xiang Academy from Yan Xizhi and turned this ce into the shadow worlds dining table. Perhaps you see me as cruel, but without me, more people will die. Im conducting an experiment rted to the lives of everyone in the city. idents are unavoidable, but their deaths will help create a new world. Situ An was not nervous. He seemed to enjoy this. The door was blocked. He was somewhere in the room. During the 20th century, we had a rise in worker sentiment. Through boycotts and protests, the workers forced the capitalists to submit. However, nowadays, most jobs have been reced by machines and AI. Capitalism doesnt need humans anymore. Do you think capitalists will still submit? Look at Xin Lu. The 10 percent living in the intelligent city are the real citizens. The other 90 percent can only be considered NPCs in a game. Han Hai didnt turn into Xin Lu because of me and people like me. Were fighting against it at ces you cant see. Having the shadow world infiltrate the real world is not a bad thing. It is inevitable. The sky will open. Many people want to see the real world. When the shadow sweeps through the city, the existing rules will crumble. New life will flourish on the carcasses. Then, everyone can feel the warmth of the new sun. What about you? Let me ask you. Do you wish to be an idiot who shields his eyes from the truth and dies in a hospital bed with tubings running through you, or would you rather use your fist to shatter the window and look at the world outside? When Situ An said thest sentence, Gao Ming triangted his location. If this were another person, they might have tricked by you, but I know you too well. Everything you do is for your own benefits. Gao Ming touched his heart and sensed the pain there. You want to break the shackles of fate mainly because you want to be the existence that makes the rules to control others. If you seed, youll be the new fate. Thats the biggest difference between you and me. Chapter 184: Just Want to Kill Chapter 184: Just Want to Kill Situ An was very good at brainwashing others. He would stand on the moral highpoint and use the cover of morality to hide his ugly deeds. He was the vice president of the Han Hai Charity Organization and one of the few who had a voice at the Han Hai Merchant Association. He had a lot of power and ambition that couldnt be fulfilled. As the biggest beneficiary of the rules, Situ An protected the rules during the day but wanted to be the rule maker at night. He was extremely selfish. It was undeniable that he had many positive attributes, but there were also many reasons that he had to be killed. He protected the city because the humans in the city were still useful to him. They were his chips to bargain with the shadow world. He would not be detained by morality. Hed do anything to achieve his goals. Someone like you is actually very sad. Gao Ming had died many times because of Situ An. The horrible thing was the reason for his deaths was different every time. Gao Ming didnt have to kill Situ An, but Situ An had to eliminate Gao Ming if he wanted to keep growing. Gao Ming, youre not where I am, so you cant see what Im seeing. I also have no other choice. If youre willing to side with me, Ill lead you to the peak of Han Hai. Situ An in the screens didnt look tired at all. He was unfazed even though he knew that Gao Ming had been searching for him. Instead of going to the top together, Id rather drag you into the depths of hell so that you can experience my life. Gao Ming pressed his fingers on his heart. Eight bloody arms grew out of the back of his heart. The meat fragrance spread. The God with eight arms made the same action as Gao Ming. The arms raised, and the fists punched through the wall with the monitors. The monitors that acted like eyes shattered. Behind the wall were many wiggling meat blobs simr to the ones in the infirmary. Big Ghosts had resentment rooms, and different ghosts had rooms with different powers. The thing that appeared before Gao Ming then was a special resentment room. It was made from flesh and blood and had a life of its own. After it was attacked, this special resentment room started to cry like a child. The sound was creepy and shrill. Ding Yuan said that Situ An had raised a ghost. Does this resentment room belong to that ghost? Situ An could create a new body for the dead Doctor Lu, use the shadowy skulls for packaging negative emotions, replicate everyone in ss 13 and turn the students into monsters because of this resentment room. Since Situ An has such a powerful ghost, why didnt I encounter this at Si Sui Apartments? Did fate do this to bnce things out? Or has this ghost always been left at Han De Private School? In terms of danger level, Si Sui Apartments was lower than Han De Private School. The school was so dangerous that it had already developed its own rules. However, in terms of damaging power, the God of Flesh and Blood was a unique existence. Even Gao Ming didnt know its potential. Gong Xi! Of the four faces, Gong Xis face red at Situ An. He remembered Situ An. It was Situ An who killed his family and sewed his mouth shut. Gong Xi had lost his rationality. He just wanted revenge. The arms mmed into the resentment room. The God of Flesh and Blood could infiltrate any flesh. Vessels exited the arms and crawled into the surface of the resentment room like chains. The child cried even harder. The eight arms reached forward. The fingers dug into the exposed wounds and yanked them open! Another God of Flesh and Blood? Situ An was shocked by what he saw. He couldnt understand how the deity he had spent decades worshipping but failed to summon could be so easily summoned by others. Worshipping the God of Blood and Flesh had be a tradition for Situ An. Even though he had to give up in the end, he would dream about the God of Blood and Flesh. In his dreams, all the Gods were encased inside a dark tunnel. That ce appeared to be Gods final resting ce. Gao Ming, are you the God of Flesh and Blood? Situ An was very smart. He immediately thought of this possibility, but he didnt think it was possible. Theres now one more reason to kill you. Gao Ming controlled the God of Flesh and Blood with his full might. He wasnt even this serious when he faced the flood. The death memories scorched his soul. Gao Ming united with God. His pupils were pierced by blood. His eyes turned fully red. Wounds appeared on his body. Every memory of death melted into the God of flesh and blood. The pain Gao Ming felt back then became reality. Situ An had never encountered someone so crazy. He had no idea what he had done to Gao Ming. From his perspective, he had some bad things, but Gao Ming would stop at nothing to kill him. Situ An felt like he had met his match. Gao Ming showed no weakness, and his goal was clear. He simply wanted to kill Situ An. Burning the death memories and sustaining the previous pain, Gao Ming and God tore open the resentment room. Gao Ming breathed heavily. Blood mist escaped his lips. He looked into the resentment room. Situ An, covered in tubes, sat in the middle of the room. Found you, Situ An! The chilling voice was squeezed out of the teeth. Gao Ming was like a ghost. Even Situ Ans expression changed. I control part of the school rules. Once you kill me, Han De Private School will ovep with the real world. All the ghost stories will spread. Think about this Situ An didnt have the chance to finish because Gao Ming wasnt interested in listening. He couldnt hold back and charged into the resentment room. It was for nothing other than murder. Such a crazed Gao Ming shocked even the big dog. He almost thought Gao Ming was a polite man. If he had known Gao Ming was so crazy, he wouldnt have swallowed him. The childs cries became sharper. Monsters made from flesh tried to stop Gao Ming but they were powerless before God. Situ An was pulled back by the tubes. After a moments hesitation, he took out a death portrait from his chest. It was a picture of Han De Shu Xiang Academy. Other than Yan Xizhi and some of the teachers who had be big ghosts, the other teachers were all inside the portrait. Chapter 185: Worst Outcome Chapter 185: Worst Oue A death portrait of the shadow world? The big dogs eyes narrowed. He picked up a heavy sense of danger. Gao Ming, be careful of that picture! The big dog moved in the dark. He wanted to pull back Gao Ming to get him to calm down, but he missed his bite. Gao Ming didnt stop. No matter what was before him, he would not stop progressing. Seeing Gao Mings bloodred eyes, the big dog felt afraid. He couldnt imagine what kind of hatred turned Gao Ming into something like this. He tried to see something on Situ Ans face, but Situ An appeared more confused than he was. What happened to him? The teachers in the death portrait walked out of the buildings in the picture. Like Gong Xi, their ears and mouths had been sewn shut. Only their eyes were exposed. These teachers were the central pirs of Han De Private School. Their every action affected all the students at the school. The moment the teachers appeared, brown scabs appeared on the skin of the God of Flesh and Blood. The teachers could transmute negative emotions into seeds and have them flourish anywhere into flowers that they liked. Situ An used these teachers to spread the seeds to fight for the control of the school against Gao Yun. The scabs on Gods skin cracked. The seeds nted quickly germinated. There was countless energy tearing God apart from within. The roots of the seed even tried to infiltrate Gao Mings body through God. The best solution then was to retreat and then have the God of Flesh and Blood remove the seeds, but Gao Ming didnt have time for that. He was cruel to others, but he was even more cruel to himself. Every chain in the torture room trembled. Gao Ming weed the roots into his heart. If none of you want to reincarnate and stay with me forever, then I wee you. The pain of literal heartache couldnt be taken by anyone. However, Gao Ming had experienced this many times. He even knew how to control his breathing to ease the pain. No one can save you! Gao Ming had no idea how Situ An sucked all the teachers into the death portrait, and he didnt care. He only had one thing in mind, and that was to kill Situ An. Even if the world was going to end, he had to drag Situ An into his torture heart room before the world ended. Everything could start again, but he didnt want to see Situ An anymore in the future. Die! Enveloped by the resentment room, Situ An was never this cornered when he faced the school rules. To Situ An, Gao Ming couldnt be reasoned with, and he was irrational. He just wanted to kill him for no reason at all. Situ Ans powers were cunning and dangerous, but most of them were rted to the investigation centre, like the teachers in the death portrait and this unique resentment room. His powers needed a lot of time to set up. All the monsters in the office building had been let out. He exhausted a lot of his energy to summon the unknown existence from the shadow world. Affected by Gao Yuns curse, he was at his weakest. If this were normal, he wouldnt have wasted so much time on Gao Ming. Go! Stop him! I have each of your weaknesses! You said youd help me! Situ An shouted at the death portrait. He grabbed the portrait with both of his hands, threatening to tear it. Triggered by Situ An, ck blood leaked out of the teachers sewn ears and mouths. They jumped at God of Flesh and Blood, their bodies turning into wilting petals. They were once the gardeners of the souls, but they had be demons who only nted venomous grass. They tried their best to destroy Gao Ming. Every inch of his skin started to be covered with the curse of the dead. The teachers wanted to break apart the body of this bad student. However, once they entered Gao Mings soul, they realised with shock that Gao Mings heart was already a ruin. They had not seen such a twisted soul. It was beyond the description of the word, demented. It was made from endless death. There was not one thing that was normal about it. What could they do? Even if they destroyed it, they might identally heal part of his chaotic heart. Gao Ming didnt do anything. The teachers voluntarily injected the roots into his heart. The God of Flesh and Pain waved his eight arms in pain. Gao Ming bled from his orifices. He was like a corpse that crawled out of an ancient well as he charged at Situ An. Did those teachers betray me? Situ An had no idea what the teachers had seen, but since they could abandon Yan Xizhi and Han De Shu Xiang Academy, they could abandon him too. Gao Ming, it was you who directed the tragedy into Han Hai! The cries around Situ An became louder. He applied force on his hands and tore open an edge of the death portrait. Bright red blood oozed out of the edge. Even if the world is about to end, you will die in my hands! Gao Ming and God moved at the same time. The whole resentment room moved. It kept rolling backwards to form a bloody tunnel. The blood vessels dragged Situ An away. Gao Ming saw the thing that was dragging Situ An along. It appeared to be a child. There was no ce for Situ An to hide anymore inside Han De Private School. The school rules worked with Gao Ming to target him. He only had one solution left. It was to elerate the copse of the school so that itd unite with the real world. Situ An said Gao Ming was the one who directed the tragedy into Han Hai, but he personally yanked the whole city into the realm of death to save himself. Just as he was about to reach the end of the fleshy tunnel, Situ An fully tore apart the death portrait. Endless wails came from the walls and floor of the school. The teachers in Gao Mings heart had their exits taken away. They were forever trapped in Gao Mings heart. As the death portrait that affected the schools operation was destroyed, Situ Ans rules faded away. The buildings in that death portrait became covered in cracks. Following a loud crash, the walls around the office building copsed. The fog outside the window was washed away by the storm. Every ghost and student in the school saw the real world outside the wall. ck cars from the investigation centre were parked outside the school. The investigators, who didnt know anything inside the school, were waiting for orders. The headquarters focused its power on sealing up the school to prevent the worst situation from happening. The school has united with real life! We can leave now! Chapter 186: Situ Ans Child Chapter 186: Situ An''s Child The storm fell on the ck cars. The investigators stood outside the school like statues, holding various weapons. The static crackled in the cars. Giant spotlights turned the night into day. Everyone stood in the lights shadow. They had epted the orders from above. The wall of Han De Private School copsed, but it was still blocked off by roadblocks and metallic blockades. These prevention methods were useless against ghosts. They were used to stop the normal citizens. Light shone into the school. The students who were trapped inside the ghost school were excited. They waved their hands excitedly as they ran towards the supposed freedom. Its the exit! Brother Jie, we can go home now! Xi San hugged the childs arm and jumped happily, Weve survived! Dont waste time! Go hide and find a vehicle! Wang Jie pped Xi San. He was even more nervous than before. Quick! But why? Just as Xi San asked that, the gunshot echoed through the night. The students who rushed to the front were shot down. Their eyes that were possessed by Fear Illness showed confusion. Xi San was shocked by the gunfire too. He looked at the gulf between the investigation centre and the school. Light shone in, but the light was not their guidance but to allow the centre to see the monsters more clearly. From the moment they entered Han De Private School, they were not normal citizens but potential victims of ghost possessions. The investigation centre temporarily didnt have a method to identify possession on arge scale. Therefore, the only thing they could do was seal up the area and shoot down anyone who tried to escape. The centres intention might not be to murder, but they had seriously misjudged the situation inside the school. Level 4 Anomaly, Han De Private School, had fully lost control. The foundation of the school copsed. Situ An had summoned an unknown creature from the shadow world. The Fear Illness had reached its final stage. Not only humans but ghosts also wanted to escape this ce. The initial shot was just a warning, but the centre didnt expect thered be so many scapegoats inside Han De Private School. The police guns fired one after another. The students rushed to escape. The flood flowed through the gap. Even though Wang Jie was a bastard, he was familiar with the weaknesses of humanity. Both ghosts and humans would not quietly wait to die at the school. When there was no exit, they might still unite in resistance. Total despair was not scary. The scariest thing was seeing hope but unable to grasp it. The big ghosts hidden inside the school started to move. Shadows spread. Gao Mings prediction of Fear Illness became the truth. The scenario he once saw repeated itself. However, these temporary changes had nothing to do with Gao Ming. He only cared about Situ An. The flesh tunnel tried its best to stop Gao Ming, but the God of Flesh and Blood ignored all resistance and wound. He carried the curses of death and slowly approached Situ An. This fleshy tunnel was like the twos fates. They had used everything they had. Dragged by the tubes, Situ An still reached the end of the tunnel before Gao Ming. He hugged the real owner of the resentment house. At the centre of the blood tunnels that crept throughout the tunnel, there was a kid who looked 90 percent simr to Situ An. He seemed to be Situ Ans son or his past. He was as handsome as Situ An but exuded apletely different presence. Help me do onest thing! Kill Gao Ming! Situ An hugged the kid tightly until his fingers pressed into the kids flesh. Gao Ming knew Situ An had found a very unique ghost, but he hadnt expected the ghost to look so simr to Situ An. The two probably had reached some sort of agreement. After the ghost helped Situ An to a certain degree, it would be Situ An. Of course, this was just Gao Mings hypothesis. Nevertheless, his heart room wasrge enough for Situ An and those who helped him. Enter my torture room together! The God of Flesh and Blood tailed Situ An. The eight arms mmed down. It wanted to crush Situ Ans world. My child, help me onest time! Situ Ans face changed. He shoved the child who looked like him towards God. He then escaped out of the tunnel. He knew where the exit was all along. In fact, the resentment room turned into a tunnel to stop Gao Ming from following him. The vessels that connected to the resentment room snapped. Situ An and the kid were covered in smelly blood. After he abandoned the kid, he turned around for one more look. When Situ An looked at the kid, his eyes carried emotions. It was something that had never happened with the other kids. It was not guilt but anxiety. The kid seemed to know many of his secrets. He was scared that once the kid was killed, hed lose the ability tomunicate with the shadow world. He was scared that if the kid were not fully killed, hed sell him out. The kid is mine, but no one can know his origin Situ An hadnt escaped from danger even though he had escaped the tunnel. The student council members abandoned their jobs and rushed to the office building. Gao Yun also wanted to kill Situ An at any cost. Thunder boomed between the two worlds. The investigators outside received a new order. They were told to enter the school and had to bring Situ An back even if they had to die. Why does the headquarters value him so much? The student council president tore off his flesh. The school rules were triggered. Anyone who entered the school would be affected. Inside the resentment room, Gods eight arms mmed on the kid. The kid didnt show any sign of resistance. He looked at the escaping Situ An and stood facing away from Gao Ming. Chains cut through his body. The death memories in Gao Mings heart turned like cogs. He applied force alongside the God of Flesh and Blood. He swallowed Situ Ans trump card into his heart. Gao Mings eyes burned with hatred. He and God munched on the kids memory and saw the other side of Situ An. Gao Mings endless death was the first cycle; Gao Yun and his ssmates on the bus ten years ago were the second cycle; Situ An was guided by something to trigger anomalies in the real world so that the shadow world could infiltrate it. That was rted to the third cycle. Chapter 187: Blood and Flesh Resentment Room Chapter 187: Blood and Flesh Resentment Room Situ An was a great person. He had a superpowerful memory, impressive executive power, and a high IQ and EQ. He knew how to disguise himself and possessed great personal charm. He was a madman who was cunning and cruel. However, everyone who followed him was extremely loyal. Even Doctor Lu hadnt thought of betraying him. He had different tools to deal with different people. He had weaved an extremelyrge web in Han Hai for the past twenty years. The chains cut into the childs body. Gao Ming saw the faces of many big shots in the kids memory. Han Hai was worse than he thought. The city looked amazing on the surface, but its roots were already rotten. There was the sound of shell cracking. The torture devices were drenched with blood. After the childs surface memory was read, the core memory was eaten by Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood too. The owner of the fleshy resentment room was Situ Ans biological son. He had no name. He was fully controlled by Situ An once he was born. His mother died not long after he died. The resentment room was made with his mothers body and stomach. Through reading the kids memory, Gao Ming saw many things about Situ An from the kids perspective. Be it as a father or as a husband, Situ An was a failure. He ignored all emotions. The marriage and conception were for a purpose. The child never felt any love from Situ An. When he was still in his mothers stomach, he had already been infiltrated by shadow. Situ An sent something rted to the shadow world into his wifes stomach before the kid was born. The thing took over the kids body. It was part of their deal. In terms of time, Situ An knew about the shadow world at least twenty years ago. He started to interact with the shadow world. He looked for anomalies in Han Hai, or rather, he was cultivating them. Si Sui Apartments was used to worship the God of Flesh and Blood, and the kids at Han De Private School were used to extend his afterlife longevity. They were all parts of his n. At that point, Gao Mings breathing halted for a moment. He predicted the future with his deaths. He thought the tragedies were the results of his games. In reality, of the tragedies were set up by Situ An. He was a chess piece used by the shadow world to help itbine with the real world. Theplicated clues in Gao Mings mind slowly aligned. The three cycles moved at the same time, affecting both worlds. The kid in the torture room didnt fight back. His human emotions had already been taken away by Situ An. He was like an abandoned tool. Standing in the bloodred room, the child didnt do anything. He didnt cry. He kept looking in the direction where Situ An was gone. Just as the chains were about to touch his core memory, the child did onest thing for Situ An. He tore apart his heart so that Gao Ming couldnt see the full picture. At the same time, the endless souls inside the childs body wailed. The dirty things living in the shadow world made up the brand of a bloodred city. The brand was originally hidden inside the kids body, and it belonged to Situ An. After the child was abandoned, the brand appeared in Gao Mings torture room. The chains of sins appeared. Everything about the kid, including his resentment room, was swallowed by the God of Flesh and Blood. The size of the torture room expanded three times. God became scarier than when it was back at Si Sui Apartments. After consuming the kid, Gods wounds had fully healed. The face that represented the Sin Shape started to have an outline. It looked like Gong Xi and Situ An. Eight arms mmed into the ground. Blood and flesh spread everywhere. After obtaining Situ Ans kids resentment room, God could turn the buildings around it into flesh. The childs resentment room was made with his mothers body. For him, the world was too cruel and scary. That was the only ce where he felt safe. The resentment room was not offensive, but it could move freely. It could turn a building into a flesh and blood resentment room. The blood lines in his eyes slowly disappeared. Gao Ming found his rationality again. The mutated buildings returned to the God of Flesh and Bloods body. He looked outside through the hole in the wall of the office building. The investigation centres spotlights lit up the world. The students rushed to the centres line of defence. The tree that grew out of Ji Jie turned into many roots and reached into the shadow altar. He wanted to infect the unknown existence from the shadow world with fear. The student council chased after Situ An. The headquarters tried its best to protect Situ An. In the chaos, ss 13 fought to gain control of a few big buses inside the school. With humans and ghosts on board, they ran at the defensive line. As for the flood, it had flown out through the gap. Even with Zhang Dings control, some of the water ghosts managed to escape. Even Gao Yun wants to kill Situ An. The people from the headquarters got Situ An. Investigators from the other centres drove the escape vehicle. Ive trapped Situ Ans kid and the bloodred city brand inside my heart. Next time, hell lose all of his trump cards. However, the shadow world might give him something else. The murderous intent in Gao Mings eyes didnt disappear. Situ An was very dangerous. The danger was not because of his trump cards but because of him as a person. Gao Ming moved his eyes. He saw Xi San and Wang Jie had found a backup vehicle prepared from the centre. They nned to drive away in silence. They didnt want to attract any attention but they were spotted by Gao Ming instantly. The God of Flesh and Blood picked up Gao Ming. The strong body jumped down from the second floor andnded on the roof of the car. The giant sound shocked the two inside the car. However, Gao Mings voice soon came through, Dont be scared. Its me. Gao Ming, how are you still alive? I mean, Im d youre still alive! Xi San rambled. Drive. Chase after that car. Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood return to the torture room. Too many people came from the headquarters. If he met them head-on, he might encounter people from security. He wanted to ambush Situ An. The investigation centre doesnt have time for us now. Its best for us to sneak away. Xi San was scared Gao Ming didnt know what the centre had done, so he reminded him. Listen to Gao Ming. Wang Jie suddenly said, Ive been paying attention. The person in that car is the chief of the east city investigation centre. If we can capture that big fish, and with the help of my family, we might get a lot of things done. Gao Ming didnt say anything. He looked at the members of the student council. The students appeared to be purposely directing the investigation centre his way. Chapter 188: Fu Huo Chapter 188: Fu Huo The investigation centre was an organisation with aplicated inside. It had immense power, but no one knew who the person in power was. Gao Ming had died many times. He was killed every time he managed to get to the core. He should know about the centres secrets, but he didnt have the God of Flesh and Blood back then. He only retained his death memories. Currently, the headquarters is distracted by Ji Jie. Its our chance to capture Situ An. Wang Jie stared at the other car, and he came to a decision. Whether were heroes or sinners depends on the conversation between the big shots. After we capture Situ An and exhaust his uses, we might have the chance to rece him to be the new chief of the east city! A ball of fire burned in Wang Jies eyes. That was his ambition. After experiencing this anomaly, he was more familiar with the investigation centres power. It wont take long for the centre to be the strongest presence at Han Hai. Different from Wang Jie and Gao Ming, Xi San only nodded. He didnt need to think. He only followed his roommates orders. It looks like the headquarters will protect Situ An no matter what. However, the orders still need people to execute them. Now that the ghosts and flood have copsed the formation, these investigators are helpless too. Wang Jies eyes were scary. He was like a snake out on the hunt. The student council is working with us. They purposely left behind an opening so that the investigation centre could chase after us Xi San, switch off the headlights and let me drive. The storm knocked against the car windows. Wang Jie undid his seatbelt and moved to the drivers seat. Wang Jie noticed the route taken by the members of the student council. He turned the steering wheel and went down another direction. Are we not chasing the car anymore? Xi San was confused. Put on your seatbelt. Wang Jies hair waved. He gritted his teeth as his eyes turned bloodshot. Im going to drive ahead of them. Mud sttered everywhere. Wang Jie gripped the steering wheel with both hands. He was cunning and vicious. Once he had a target, he would not let go. The investigators who failed to move out of the way were run over. The students were the same. Even though the headlights had been switched off, Wang Jie had memorised the path. Their car was like a ghost in the dark, rushing down some directions. Brother Jie, do you think we could slow down Xi San gripped the seatbelt, but Wang Jie didnt seem to hear him as he elerated. Wang Jie stared at the path that led out of the school. He stepped on the oil, and the car shot down the path like crazy! Rain slid past them. Even the thunder was left behind them. Wang Jies pupils narrowed. Xi San screamed. They saw Situ Ans car driving at them! The driver of that car paled. He tried his best to calm down, but he was facing a group of desperadoes. Hang tight! The two cars collided. Situ Ans car was knocked off the road. Wang Jies car was not any better. They were injured too. The car twisted and tumbled. Wang Jie bit his tongue until it bled. He tried his best to control the car. To everyones surprise, the car soon stabilized. In a fleet moment, Wang Jie seemed to see eight arms extend out of the car windows. The car doors opened. Gao Ming walked towards the other car. The driver died on the spot. His chest was punctured by something. The inside of the car was too dark to see anything. On the other side of the car, the members of the student council ran over. Their badges had grown into their skins. They looked more and more like Gao Yun. Wasting no time, Gao Ming and Gao Yun charged at the car. The scent of smell came from the car shrouded in the dark. The blood of the dead driver gathered on the floor. Someone pushed open the door on the left. Two security members with red bands carried Situ An and tried to escape. After they left, the car escaped. A twisted figure with a charred figure walked out of the fire. He wore the uniform of the centre chief. His ID turned into ash in the fire. Gao Ming saw that this person came from Xin Lu Old City Investigation Centre. His name was Fu Huo. Fu Huo couldnt feel pain despite standing in the fire. Immense resentment came out of his heart as his body expanded. Just how many secrets is the headquarters hiding? Fu Huo and the red raincoat were both creatures Gao Ming had not seen before. They were different from the ghosts with resentment rooms at Han Hai, but they possessed an equal amount of power. Go back to school. Those who leave the school will die. Fu Huos voice echoed in the mes. His voice was parched like his throat had been singed by the mes. The first to respond to Fu Huo was Wang Jie. While no one was paying attention, Wang Jie started the car again. He carried the screaming Xi San and ran into the sea of me to chase after Situ An. Gao Ming didnt stop and entered the mes too. When the burnt figure tried to attack Gao Ming, the student council president snapped his ribs covered in curses and threw them into the fire. Inside the presidents empty chest, there was a death portrait hidden under the wilted heart. The back of the portrait featured Han De Shu Xiang Academy. It was simr to Situ Ans portrait. Situ Ans portrait had all the staff, but the presidents portrait had all the students who had been praised. Some of them were student council members, winners ofpetitions and seniors who had donated back to the school. The presidents picture, Situ Ans picture and Yan Xizhis picture made up the entire Han De Private School. I started the rules to help more people. I opened the school and expanded the ss for the same reason. The portrait turned illusive in the presidents hand. Thest few buildings in the school copsed, Everyone here only looks out for themselves. Only I am working to fulfil the old headmistress will. It was hard to tell if Gao Yun was serious or not. After he said these, the students in the portrait approved of him. They enabled him to temporarily use the school rules anywhere he wanted. Gao Yun stopped Fu Huo. Gao Ming and Wang Jie could hear the gunfire through the mes. The bullets were pointless against ghosts, but they could kill humans. The investigation centre surrounded the area. They made a choice between the school and Situ An. They mobilised all security to save Situ An. Theyd save Situ An despite the risk of letting the ghosts inside the school escape? In the past, Gao Ming thought Situ An had tricked the headquarters. However, he changed his mind. If he had allowed them to save Situ An that night, it would have marked the start of his fight with the headquarters. Chapter 189: You Want to Kill Me Too? Chapter 189: You Want to Kill Me Too? The level 4 anomaly quickly became a level 5 anomaly. No one could predict what would happen. There were different forces fighting inside the centre. Every party had different needs, but they shared the same goal for now: Temporarily, Situ An could not die. The bigwigs have their ideas, and the small people have their own ways to survive. As long as I consume Situ An, itll be worth it even if I have to restart. There was already a Xia Yang in Gao Mings brain. He didnt mind adding a Situ An. The God of Flesh and Blood understood Gao Ming. His body expanded as he used his arms to shield Gao Ming. The blood and storm mixed together. When he was shielded from everyones view, Gao Ming silently summoned the big dog. The dog appeared from the shadows and swallowed Gao Ming before returning to the shadows. There was nothing in Gods arms. He tried his best to distract the investigation centre. Chief, youre safe now. The security member with the blood band saw God slow down, and they sighed in relief. The giant ghost brought them a lot of pressure. Dont let your guard down. Ive found something very important during this event. Situ An was heavily injured, but he didnt show it from the way he spoke. He didnt like to show his weakness. The vehicle sent for you will be here soon. The other member looked back. The car that had been chasing them was hit by the centre. The two inside the car were probably dead. Only the God of Flesh and Blood remained a threat. One-third of Han Hais security power is here. They should be able to handle the tragedy. You dont need to worry about the east city. Please follow us directly to the headquarters. Were going to the headquarters?! Situ An touched his ck band and called a number. No one answered. Situ Ans expression changed slightly. He seemed to understand something. I know almost everyone from the security department, but Ive not seen the two of you. Han Hai Headquarters requested reinforcements from other ces. We were moved from other states. Who is your chief? Was it Chief Li who handled the anomalies at Xin Lu half a year ago? Situ An thought of someone. The security member shook his head. He was about to say something when two buses that were filled with scapegoats escaped from the warzone. The people on the bus were crazy. The drivers had their eyes bulging. Move or die! To stop the buses, the centre used their cars to block them, but the scapegoats rammed them out of the way. The cars were knocked out of the road. The water flowed on both sides of the road. The rotten animal bodies were stuck in between the trees. The fat childy on the surface of the water and silently floated by. It looks like the car you ordered is noting any time soon. The security members heard the fat kid. Before they sensed the danger, Situ An had already escaped, Theres a problem with the flood! The tree shook. A giant arm mmed on the security members. One of them was unable to evade it. His spine was bent, and he spat out blood. Arent you the PE Teacher? Situ An knew Zhong Long. Even the big ghost is helping them escape? But why is this guy chasing after me? Situ An didnt know Zhong Long had already been converted by Boss Zhang. He thought Zhong Long was sent by the school rules. Fu Yi, bring the chief away first! The bleeding member pressed his blood band. He took out a piece of red raincoat that was covered inyers. Without any hesitation, he swallowed the piece of red raincoat. His bent spine slowly recovered. It seemed like a blood door had opened in his body. Red spots appeared on his skin. They formed a ghost-like tattoo. His eyes started to surface with hatred for the world. Red Spectres represented extreme emotions. No one could summon a perfect Red Spectre. However, after the centres experiments, they discovered a unique method where the security member could temporarily summon a Red Spectre. Red Spectres were a special ghost from Hanjiang. The reason for their formation was unknown. Xin Lus ghost stories were different from Han Jiangs. When the centre examined the anomalies, they discovered a lot of ruined figurines and altars. Compared to Hanjiangs Red Spectres, Xin Lus ghosts needs for living humans were stronger. Worship could enable one to obtain unknown help from them. With the endless research of the Researchers, the centre discovered that they could rebuild the Red Spectres altars and had their living family and friends worship them. These worshippers had a chance to dream of a bloodred door. If they entered the blood door in their dream and left it alive, it meant that they had epted the Red Spectres blessing and had the qualification to be the centres security member. They enjoyed the best treatment, but every time they summoned the Red Spectre, their lives would be in danger. It was the reason why there were so few security members. Protect the chief! The member growled like a ghost as he took out Zhong Long. His body was torn apart, and then it recovered. If you kill me, the red raincoat wille and kill everything! The security member lost hisst semnce of rationality. He was under unimaginable pain as he rushed at Zhong Longs punches. The blinding light pierced through the night. The wounded member couldnt save his partner, so he ran towards Situ An to meet up with him. Even without the orders from above, the normal investigators tried their best to save Situ An. They didnt know Situ Ans true face. Everyone thought he personally entered the school to prevent the anomaly from spreading. The shocking thing was Situ An managed to escape with his life and with all the info about the Level 4 Anomaly. Even for the info in his brain, they had to keep him alive. Chief, I have to go help Zhao Li. You have to be careful on your own! Thest member on Situ Ans side was Zhao Yi. He saw the water ghosts in the flood and took out the shredded red raincoat from his pocket. Zhao Yi was ready to die. The orders from the headquarters couldnt be vited. The meaning of their existence was for moments like this. Following orders was their duty. They had to do everything to protect the city. Zhao Xi swallowed the piece, jumped into the water, and headed towards Zhong Long. Investigators from all over Han Hai were ready to sacrifice themselves for this mission. However, when they were a few metres away from Situ An, a pair of red eyes opened inside the forest. Yan Xizhis adopted daughter, Yan Shaoyu crawled on all fours like a panther. She pounced on Situ An and scratched him with her venomous ws. Situ An copsed to the ground. The nails scratched his shoulders. If he reacted one second slower, his head would be on the ground. Who are you? Situ An looked at Yan Shaoyu and Liu Yi, who were running at him. He hissed, You want to kill me too?! Liu Yi took out a knife from her back. Gao Ming can see the future, and Gao Yun lives in the past. Since both of them want to kill you, you must deserve to die. Chapter 190: Every Life is Precious Chapter 190: Every Life is Precious The rain fell on the copsed buildings. The clouds and night fell. The gunshots overwhelmed the sound of thunder. The lightning lit up the knife Liu Yi was holding. Liu Yi darted between the trees. She looked thin and frail, but she was extremely agile. Situ An had only seen such control over ones physique in Qing Ge before. It looks like youve experienced a lot. Situ An stopped evading. The other investigators had arrived. They guarded Situ An instantly. Is it worth it to die to save a devil? Liu Yi looked at their guns and slowly put down her knife. Go back to the school! If you take one more step forward, well have to take you down! The leading team leader warned Liu Yi. Thats right. Its pointless to talk to you because you are merely tools. Liu Yi gently shed her knife across the air. The team leader, who was a few metres away, felt blood on his neck. He lowered his head to look, and sharp, venomous ws cut through his veins. Yan Siyu was riding on his back. Living humans couldnt do anything to stop ghosts. Liu Yi and Situ An knew that. However, he didnt warn them. Situ An didnt react in any way as the investigators who came to save him copsed one after another. He was counting the time as he nced at the security members who were fighting with the PE Teacher. When Zhao Xi and Zhao Lis bodies were almost smashed into a pulp, the rain around them turned red. It felt like the sky was crying. As the blood rain poured, more investigators died. Situ An smiled brighter. She ising. The blood in the sky mixed into the ground. The water ghosts in the flood screamed. The ground bulged like a blood capiry was erging underground. The security members near the school suddenly screamed as their blood bands cut into their skins. Their temporary inability to control their bodies meant that they were instantly torn apart by the scapegoats. Simr situations were happening all around the school until thest security member chose tomit suicide. The raincoat pieces dropped into the rain, and all flowed towards the same direction. A pale arm reached out of the puddle of blood at the location where Zhao Yi and Zhao Li died. All the raincoat pieces stuck to her body. Immense pressureshed at everyone present. The soil turned red. The rain fell because of her. To search for her kid behind the red door, she had put on the entire red raincoat. She had no rationality and mercy. Her goal in life became her heart. She would keep burning until she murdered everything before her eyes and had the red rain cover the city where her child was lost. Bring the chief away! Help him escape! The team leader reminded his members. Then, his body was snapped in half. Each drop of red rain contained that twisted and maddening love. The investigators started to flee. Situ An looked at the red raincoat with glowing eyes. Red Spectre, a perfect Red Spectre! The investigation centre had found many red raincoat pieces in the shadow world. To control this thing, they handed the different pieces to different security members to worship. Then, they used the red raincoats love for her child to trick and control her. Under normal circumstances, the security members could only utilise 10 to 20 percent of the red raincoats power. The red raincoats full power would only be unleashed when all the security members died. The head under the raincoat slowly lifted. Her face was gone, but she still remembered her purpose. The heart, fed by blood, pounded. The woman in the raincoat remembered that she needed to find her child, but where was her child? Following the red raincoat, the art teacher also arrived at the scene. After she saw the red raincoat, her breathing quickened. What a beautiful piece of art. Is this a ghost from that world? Xia Yangs voice came from the art teachers lips. He had painted many beauties when he was still alive, but even the most perfect skin couldnt arouse his interest. However, when he saw the red raincoat that was created from the sacrifice of all the security members, something in his mind was switched on. He couldnt help himself but wanted to draw the woman. He wanted to draw the intention in her heart. The pure emotion was gut-wrenching. This was something Xia Yang desired. The art teachers fingers reached into her wounds. As if no one was around, she started to paint on her skin. Everyone had gone insane, but Xia Yang enjoyed the madness immensely. Standing in the blood rain, the red raincoat was like a cordon line. Everyone who came close to her would be attacked. This is annoying. Situ An is right behind her. Liu Yi didnt think that Situ An could still find refuge in this situation. It was like fate was really protecting him. All the security members are dead. This should be the investigation centresst trump card. The student council president was burned away by the mes. His body turned into curses and embraced the burning Fu Huo. You bunch of lunatics. What do you want? Fu Huos heart bled. Every security member was precious. They were weapons of the centre and important parts of the investigation centre. What we want is very simple. Han Hai doesnt need the investigation centre. The sound of buildings crumbling came from the distance. When thest few buildings of Han De Private School turned into ruins, the human bricks started to crawl out, directed by the warm voice. Seeing the human bricks, Fu Huos head numbed. Based on the report, there were only a few hundred students who had been made into human bricks. This was different from what he was seeing! Who is directing these souls? Who is stopping them from falling into the shadow world? Fu Huo realised that even though these students had been fully infected by the shadow world, they hadnt be part of it. A force was holding them tight. Even if the human bricks had given up, that force did not give up. The dark clouds above Han De Private School faded slightly. The roots that connected Han De Private School to the shadow world had been shredded. At the very bottom of the human bricks, a pair of shoulders that had been stepped on endlessly was shown. Yan Xizhi was covered in blood as her five fingers gripped the soil on the surface. The olddy, who had been so well-kept all her life, showed up looking so dirty and askant. She used her shoulders to send all the human bricks to the surface. Yan Xizhi? She brought all the human bricks out?! Situ Ans eyes trembled. He knew better than everyone the torture that he had put the olddy through. He also knew the amazing things that she had done. Crawling up from the ground of the school, the olddys spine was bent. She saw the new headmaster of Han De Private School down the distance and her eyes were instantly imed by blood. Situ An! Chapter 191: Grab Your Fate Chapter 191: Grab Your Fate Headmistress! All the big ghosts and students in the school saw Yan Xizhi. At the ruined school, the olddy stood at the edge of the shadow world. The students infected by Fear Illness were moved by something, and they all turned to Yan Xizhi. The school had be a ruin. All the buildings copsed. The students came down with illnesses. They were scared, crying to leave this ce, the sanctuary that had once brought so much warmth to the orphans and abandoned children of Han Hai. When did it be like this? Who hurt my children? The rain washed away the dirt. The olddy tried to straighten her back. Nothing could beat her down. Her eyes shone like stars. They glowed in the murky night. Dont be scared of life. Dont be afraid of living. I am here. I will apany you. Be it the lightness road or the shadowy underground, I will never leave you. That is the thing I promised you when you joined the school. With each of her words, Yan Xizhis body became blurrier. The shadow world was eating her. It was unwilling to let her go. Han De Shu Xiang Academy is more than a school. Situ An will never understand that. For these children, this is their childhood and their first memory. It contains their wish for home and pure kindness. The old headmistress had a very special power. Normally, she would go to ss in the hall and help cleanse the students souls. She didnt need to actively use her power. She would radiate calmness wherever she was. Even the heavily-traumatised big dog liked to stay by her side. Situ An, who was behind the red raincoat, had his face twisted. Whenever he saw Yan Xizhi, it was like he was looking at a mirror. This mirror showed his ugliness and dirtiness. I dont understand what you mean. I know that the goodness you constructed doesnt exist. This world is very simple. If you feel happy, someone is in pain. If you are rxed, someone is under duress. Envy, jealousy andparison. As long as there is malice in a single persons heart, humanity will never achieve true goodness. Situ An hated Yan Xizhi the most. He had many ways to kill her, but he could never change her soul. Youre right. Yan Xizhi walked through the rain. If she couldnt move, the human bricks would automatically move to pave the way for her. Did you agree with me? Situ An was shocked. He was as shocked as when he saw the fleshy tree in the hall. Yes, because I see it now. I cant bring goodness to everyone. I only need to believe in goodness in people. Yan Xizhis power had nothing to do with murder, but she wanted to kill someone at that moment. Seeing the resonance between Yan Xizhi and the human bricks, as well as sensing her killing intention, Situ An put down his hands that covered his wounds. He started to cackle. Youre doing the thing that you refuse to do the most. You have chosen murder like I do! Yan Xizhi, youve finally approved of me! The olddy didnt speak. After both the school rules and Situ Ans rules copsed, the human bricks that formed the foundation of the school and some of the students sided with the olddy. Her words contained special powers. Even if all the resentment rooms were destroyed and the death realm copsed, as long as she was there, Han De Private School would continue to exist. Small threads floated out of the human bricks that were dragged out of the shadows by Yan Xizhi. They were the childrens fate. All the fate threads circled around the old headmistress. Her words and actions changed. She would aplish anything she set out to do. Situ An narrowed his eyes at Yan Xizhi. He knew Han Hai could cultivate a very special kind of ghost. They could create their own rules and use an invisible thing that did not exist to manipte peoples death. Han Hais normal ghosts were weaker than the ghosts of the other cities. However, once they took that step, they would undergo a qualitative change. If Han Hai were a giant horror game, the ghosts that came out of Han Hai in the end would be the rule-makers of this game. Each of them had the power to influence the future. Ive done so many things, and this old coot snatches everything away from me in the end? Is this the script fate has written for me? Situ Anughed even harder. I have to escape from this horrible fate! The red raincoat felt the threat. The blood rain was weakening. In fact, even the sky and the night seemed to have dimmed. Other than Yan Xizhi, no one at the school dared to challenge the perfect Red Spectre. Only she and the students by her side walked towards the red raincoat. The school had copsed, but all the students fates were focused on Yan Xizhi. The indescribable and non-existent force was silently influencing everyone. The red raincoat knew that something was wrong. The blood fluttered weakly in the wind. The blood seeped underground to be absorbed by the shadow world. She was targeted by everything in this city. Her existence was a mistake. The shining red eyes targeted Yan Xizhi. The red raincoat only had revenge in her eyes. Red Spectres represented extreme emotions and obsessions. The basis of their existence was their unwillingness to let go. Death couldnt make them leave. Time couldnt heal their wounds. They were born to resist their fates. The red heart pounded. Even if she were abandoned by the world, she would be fearless. That was the Red Spectre. So beautiful. No one would have thought the first to attack the Red Spectre would be Xia Yang. He painted the red raincoat fearlessly on the art teachers body. He wanted to use the painting to embrace the red raincoat, to listen to her heart. Teacher Xia was consumed by desire. The red raincoat appeared on the art teachers skin. As she tried to cut off the art teachers skin, the threads of fate bound around the art teacher and the red raincoat. Both of them were tricked by fate. The red raincoat weakened, and the presence of the art teacher flickered unevenly. Even while weakened, the red raincoat easily tore apart the art teachers chest and tossed away the piece of skin that had her face. Your every move is so perfect. To be killed by you is a blessing. I will paint you in my soul. Xia Yangs voice was going crazy. He hadnt had so much fun in so long already. The red raincoat attacked the art teacher. Situ An quickly followed her. He had to stay around her to be safe. Situ An was already very fast, but Gao Ming was faster. A giant dog jumped out of Situ Ans shadow. Situ An turned back and saw a human face inside the dogs jaws. He would never forget the expression on that face. Just seeing it made his skin crawl. Gao Ming? Blood oozed out of the eyes. Gao Ming carried all the death memories in his heart and jumped at Situ An! He strangled Situ Ans neck like a beast. The real sensations from his fingers made Gao Ming feel like he had cut through the river of time and grasped his fate for the first time! Chapter 192: Fate and Life Chapter 192: Fate and Life No one knew when Gao Ming got there and why he hated Situ An so much. The rain fell on Gao Ming. Water slid down his hair and fell on Situ Ans face. Every drop was chilling. We meet again, Situ An! The death memories in his heart moved like cogs. All the screams of pain and despair echoed in Gao Mings chest. His fingers pierced through Situ Ans neck, and they kept going. This new path was paved using many different deaths. It was how the ant-like Gao Ming could grab his hands on the neck of the temp chief of the east city investigation centre. Situ An couldnt breathe or speak. He grabbed Gao Mings arms. Even if he made deep scratches on Gao Ming, Gao Ming didnt budge. He had only seen Gao Ming a few times. They were from two different worlds. He also didnt understand why Gao Ming hated him so much. The suffocation brought pain to Situ Ans eyes. He viewed humans as tools and made use of everyone around him. He sacrificed so much to get to the top of Han Hai. He didnt think this day woulde. His hair was soaked in the mud, and his head was pressed against the pebbles. Situ Ans eyes filled with hatred and unwillingness. He controlled part of the school rules and had the death portrait of the staff. He turned his own children into a big ghost. He could mobilise a lot of resources in the east city and had the protection of the headquarters. With so many trump cards, Situ An didnt think hed die. He ced everyone on the sacrificial altar but himself. His body started to feel cold. All of his preparations were slowly removed by Gao Ming. When did he start to n to kill me? When Doctor Lu and Qing Ge were killed? Or earlier? At that moment, Situ An felt fear. He hadnt felt that in decades already. Is it fate? Everything in my life is arranged! The only thing that can do all of these and ruin all of my ns is fate! Situ An couldnt breathe anymore. Hisst gazended on Gao Ming before it moved to the night sky. You are fates pawn. After you kill me, you will die too. No one can escape! Gao Ming saw so many things in Situ Ans eyes, but he didnt give him the chance to speak. He had given up so much to kill Situ An. This time, he would not allow any mistakes or hesitations. You will not appear in the next world. The God of Flesh and Blood, who was entangled with the investigation centre, heard a summon. It dissolved into blood, and meat fragrance wafted everywhere. The next moment, Gao Mings heart bled. Chains pierced through Situ Ans body. Gong Xis face smiled for the first time. The eight arms that were covered in bullet holes swallowed Situ An like a mouth! God crumpled up Situ Ans body and sent him into the torture room. After Situ An was trapped inside Gao Mings heart, the death memories rted to Situ An disintegrated. They stopped torturing Gao Ming but melted into Gao Mings body and brain. After epting his dead selves, Gao Mings body underwent a categorical change. The pressure on his shoulders lightened tremendously. When Situ An was trapped inside the torture room, Gao Ming felt immensely light. It was like a nail had been removed from his soul. He didnt need to worry about it anymore. From now on, well fall in hell with me and experience the endless deaths and despair. I will share all of my pain with you! Gao Ming leaned back and allowed the rain to wash over him. In this world, other than Gao Yun, only he knew what swallowing Situ An into the torture room meant. The immovable fate was triggered again. The factors caused by the God of Flesh and Blood caused time to change. In all the futures Gao Ming had seen, Situ An was there. However, everything changed now. The chains in the heart rattled. Gao Ming could hear Situ An scream. In the past rebirths, Situ An was unkible. Therefore, Gao Ming chose to trap him inside his heart. Gao Ming didnt fall into the mud when he fell backwards. Instead, he was caught by the big dog. They escaped from the scene. The fight between the Red Spectre and the school rules, as well as the investigation centres massacre of the school, paled inparison to locking Situ An in his heart. Just how much do you hate him? Did you have to kill him here? Couldnt you have waited untilter? The big dog scolded Gao Ming. He and Gao Ming hid so close to the Red Spectre. Even then, his legs were still shaking. Gao Ming smiled and said nothing. He hid inside the big dogs stomach and closed his eyes. His consciousness entered the torture room. His heart was like the God of Flesh and Bloods resentment room. However, it was stronger and scarier than a normal resentment room. It was constructed with his many deaths. When Gao Ming arrived, someone was already there. Xia Yangs self-portrait was emzoned on the edge of the torture room, and he took a front-row seat to watch Gao Mings biggest secret. Teacher Xia had no idea that from the moment his art appeared in the torture room, he would be forever tied to Goa Ming. He would have no future and the chance to start again. I thought your heart would be a tunnel filled with dead bodies. I didnt expect this. Xia Yangs self-portrait moved between the torture devices. He listened to the screams from the chains. Every chain in the torture room was made from dead people. The chain that represented Doctor Lu cut through Situ Ans left arm. You shouldnt be here. Gao Ming saw Xia Yang and felt much better. Xia Yang is dead. Im you. Ill be wherever you are. Teacher Xias self-portrait appeared before Situ An. At that moment, Situ An, who had lost his flesh and only had his soul left, finally lifted his head. His soul was pinned by chains. His body had been eaten by God. But even so, he didnt feel despair. As long as his consciousness was still there, he could turn it around. Gao Ming nced at Xia Yang and Situ An before he sat down beside God. It felt very surreal. The leader of the yers in the future and the monster inside the investigation centre were both inside the torture room. He was once a psychiatrist at Hen Shan Penitentiary. His daily job was to help the prisoners. He was doing something simr. The difference was he didnt need to help his captives butpletely brainwash them. Situ Ans limbs were cut by chains. His condition couldnt be worse, but he still wanted to save himself. He suppressed his pained expression. Situ An moved the chains on his body and looked at Xia Yang. Compared to Gao Ming, Situ An was more curious about Xia Yang. He didnt remember this person at the school. Who are you? Let me draw a picture for you. Xia Yang looked at Situ Ans face. The crazy artist was admiring the most cunning soul. In some unknown future, they were each others biggest nemesis. Chapter 193: Background Chapter 193: Background Xia Yang painted the red raincoat on the art teachers body, and now he wanted to draw Situ Ans soul as a keepsake. Even though he had died in the death portrait, his life after death was much more interesting than when he was alive. The chains made sure that Situ An couldnt resist. He was in deep pain even though he just lifted his head. He could only allow Xia Yang to draw him. You Situ An observed Xia Yang and Gao Ming when he suddenly noticed something, You two are the same?! Gao Ming, youre the other Gao Ming! How can you tell? Teacher Xia stopped drawing. Youre right. Im the real him. Ill do everything he doesnt want to do. After the madness and murder, he will cut himself off from me and me everything on me, which is him. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes between Xia Yang and Situ An. It required a lot of courage to trap these two dangerous characters in his heart. However, Gao Ming had his reasons. Xia Yangs situation was special, so Gao Ming temporarily had no ns to destroy him. As for Situ An, Gao Ming intended to get more information from him. Your rtionship isplicated. Situ An was cornered, but he didnt seem nervous from his expression. Gao Ming, Im curious. What have I done to you that you hate me so much? That youd kill me at any price? Gao Ming sat on the God of Flesh and Bloods arm and stared at Situ An silently. Even bringing up the reason to kill me gives you so much pain? Situ An allowed the chains to pull his flesh. He wiggled his body to get close to Gao Ming, Is one of the patients I sacrificed at the east city private hospital one of your families? Or did I pick your lover when I was picking a wife for a corpse the year beforest at Bo Wan Vige? Or did the murderers I identally sent into Si Sui Apartments to attempt to worship the God of Flesh and Blood at Si Sui Apartments kill someone important to you? Situ An listed the horrible things he had done. Just listening to them made one ufortable. Or when I tried to destroy the evidence five years ago when I failed to trigger the anomaly, I killed one of your friends? So many people died in that massacre. But if they didnt die, I would have died. When Situ An said these things, he kept his eyes on Gao Ming to observe his changes. Ive done so many things that should put me in the depths of hell, so what have I done to you? Situ An grabbed the chains with his hands. He tried to struggle and jumped at Gao Ming, but that only tore off half of his soul. You havent done anything to me. I just want to destroy you. Gao Ming smiled purely. This was the first time he felt so happy since he left the tunnel. There are many people like that, but you are not one of them. I can tell. Situ An stopped resisting. However, he still refused to lower his head. Even through the pain, he had to look Gao Ming in the eyes. I once wanted to be someone like you, but they wouldnt allow it because someone had to do those things. Such as? Xia Yang had drawn Situ Ans face, but he was not satisfied with it. He tore it apart and drew again. Situ Ans face had new scars. Ive done so many horrible things, but I am still alive. Why? It is not that no one knows about them, but I cannot die. Situ An never thought about surrendering. No matter where I am, as long as you dont kill me, they wille find you. If you kill me, you will be the next me. Who are they? The path of fate had changed. Gao Ming swallowed the two characters who would direct fate into his heart. All the tributaries of fate were gathering towards him. When do you think the first anomaly urred? Situ An didnt answer Gao Mings answer as if it was something unmentionable. A week ago at Han Hai or half a year ago at Xin Lu? Did it start ten years ago when those bastards took the bus? Xia Yang loved the atmosphere inside Gao Mings torture room. He always thought people around him were boring, but this room was different. Only those special enough could enter this room. I once thought that too, until I read a secret document. Then, I realised everyone had been lied to. Situ An said evenly, The anomalies have always been here, but they hadnt been so influential in the past. About sixty years ago, a door appeared at Jiujiang. Behind the door is the shadow world. A door? No one knew how the first door appeared, and no one knew who opened it. In the investigation centres report, someone in Jiujiang knew about the door earlier than the centre. It was because of these people that the anomalies never exploded at Jiujiang. These words appeared meaningless, but they carried a ton of information. Recently, the headquarters have been trying to find those people, but it is to no avail. They reached a conclusion after a thorough search. Those who knew about the doors had already entered the doors. We are being invaded by the shadow world, but they chose to enter the shadow world. Do the they you mentione from behind the door? Is this world that interesting? Teacher Xias eyes warmed, but his pupils were red. The Red Spectres that once appeared at Jiujiang were the most extreme and domineering ghosts to have ever existed. Their stance is hard to fathom. They havent chosen to help the real world but have been fighting the shadow world. If Jiujiang were described as an aggressive city, Xin Lu was apletely different situation. You will understand once you go to the intelligent city. That city is actively trying to unite with the shadow world. Situ Ans words stunned Gao Ming. Fate could affect real life and control everything to stop the shadow world from consuming the real world. However, someone dared to drag the whole city to unite with the shadow world. The boundary betweenputers, human brains, the living and the dead became blurry. In that city, memory can be uploaded and downloaded. Emotions can be manipted. Part of the citizens of that city live in a sealed-up game. They cannot differentiate between the game world and the real world. The cunning culprit uses this method to make them assimte to the existence of the shadow world and encases Xin Lu between the shadow world and the real world. Situ An paused. As long as Xin Lu exists, the shadow world will continue to infiltrate the real world. I cannot change Xin Lu, so I can only do my best to defend Han Hai. Dont tter yourself. You just want to turn the whole city into a bargaining chip to negotiate with the shadow world. Gao Ming had seen through Situ An. The man liked to slip in one lie among nine truths. You said that Xin Lu had already fallen to the shadow world. In that case, why did the Han Hai Investigation Centre request aid from Xin Lu? Did Xin Lu choose to join the shadow world or they have found their own method to modify the shadow world? Chapter 194: Public Enemy Chapter 194: Public Enemy Because Han Hai hasnt found that key person. Situ An looked at Gao Ming, You can understand the shadow world as the shadow of the real world. The cities in the real world will appear in the shadow world. I dont know about Jiujiang, but I know that Xin Lu corresponds to an endless blood city in the shadow world. The yers trapped in the game help expand the bloody city. Based on the headquarterss top secret document, that city is connected to someone in Xin Lu. Situ An didnt continue but changed his tune, Han Hai is different from them. This citys alternative in the shadow world is abandoned and dark. Without an owner, it is like the ce is dead. A dead city? Gao Ming had no idea how many strange cities existed in the shadow world. However, he had been there, and his impression of the city was indeed one of death. The shadow version of Han Hai hasnt found its owner. In other words, any one of us has the possibility to be the master of the shadow Han Hai. Situ An didnt hide his ambitions. He was excited whenever he talked about these. What kind of conditions do you need to fulfil to be Han Hais owner in the shadow world? Xia Yang also discovered something interesting. The three of them were special, even among antagonists. Situ An smiled and didnt continue. He could see from Xia Yang and Gao Mings eyes that they temporarily would not kill him. His goal had been achieved. If you dont tell me, Ill draw out your heart and brain and look for the answers myself. Xia Yang was insane too. He sat before Situ An and started to figure out a solution. Gao Ming didnt meddle in their business. He had already obtained very important info from Situ An. Jiujiang and Xin Lu had traces of anomaly a long time ago. The two cities chose two different ways to deal with them. Xin Lu wanted to unite with the shadow world, while Jiujiang appeared to wish to fight the shadow world to the bitter end. From the current situation, Jiujiangs methods seemed to be better. At least, there had not been a single serious case of anomaly there, and the investigation centre had no right even to expand there. Compared to Jiujiang and Xin Lu, Han Hai was more special. It had a high poption and was highly influential. Due to various reasons, the upperyer hid the existence of the anomalies. Some who knew the truth could replicate Jiujiang and Xin Lu and even made use of the chaos as adder to reach the top. Situ An was one such person. Youve said so much, but you still havent told us who woulde to rescue you. Xia Yang toyed with the chains as he admired Situ Ans pain, calmness and gracefulness. I know many secrets. Some cant ever be revealed. The existences rted to these secrets will find me at any price. Even if I die, they have to see my corpse. If you have the God of Flesh and Blood dissolve my body, they will have toe find you. Being trapped in the torture room, Situ An didnt feel fear. Some of them are from the headquarters, and others are nightmares from Xin Lu. Some of them are humans; others are ghosts. I wonder how youll deal with them. They dont even know it was Gao Ming who kidnapped you. Xia Yang narrowed his eyes. He knew Situ An wasnt lying. He also knew that if Gao Ming died, he would perish too. If he wanted to be reborn in Gao Ming, Gao Ming had to be alive. They will investigate everyone involved. If they dont get the results, they will repeat what they did five years ago and kill everyone. Situ An might have said that on purpose. The more secrets he knew, the more valuable he was. Gao Ming would keep him around. If they really dare toe, its hard to tell who will die. I dont think itll take long for this ce to be crowded. Xia Yang didnt like crowds because he thought humans were boring. However, he had changed his mind. People who interacted with Gao Ming were all interesting people. Gao Ming, should we escape? The big dogs voice entered his ears. Gao Ming was worried that the big dog might enter the torture room out of curiosity, so he didnt let him into his heart. How is the situation at Han De Private School? Gao Mings voice softened since the thorn by his side had been removed. You better look at it yourself. The big dog jumped out of the shadow and opened his jaw. The storm weakened. The investigation centres quarantine of the school failed fully. The three defence lines copsed. ss 13 and the scapegoats worked together to take down the agents and take over the buses. To confuse the centre, they escaped in different directions. It was chaos outside the school and hell inside the school. The red raincoat fought You Liang, the art teacher, and Zhong Long at the same time. She was gradually weakened, and her coat was not as red. However, she showed no signs of retreating. Her battle was like a wish for death. She didnt care about anything but to kill. Red Spectres are ghosts unique to Jiujiang. She probably knows more secrets. I can use her topare the info I get from Situ An. Gao Ming knew the Red Spectres were dangerous, but he still wanted to get close to her. This side of him was simr to Xia Yangs. All the ghosts that could run had already escaped from the school. Those who remained were the human bricks and the children personally taught by Yan Xizhi. After Situ An was swallowed by Gao Ming, the old headmistress slowly regained control of the school rules. As she suppressed the red raincoat, she tried to heal Ji Jie and chase away the unknown existence that came from the shadow world. On the ruins of the school, Ji Jie led the students heavily impacted by the Fear Illness to join the Tree of Flesh. They attacked the shadow altar like crazy. The dirty thing that came from the shadow world was not affected by the Fear Illness. However, the sacrifices offered by Situ An had all been infected. The fear of the sacrifices corrupted it. It was also confused about the appearance of something like the giant flesh tree in the real world. Endless roots grew into the sacrifices bodies and crawled through the shadow altar. Ji Jie was undeniably the main character of this anomaly. He overshone everyone. Has Ji Jie be united with the fear doll? The Fear Illness spread wider and wider. After the unknown existence failed to sense Situ Ans presence, it wanted to leave, but Ji Jie refused to let it go. Ji Jie had been a coward for twenty-plus years. For that one hour, he wanted to be a hero. He encouraged himself and attacked again and again. This scenario was recorded by the investigation centre. Ji Jie was determined as a dangerous character closest to a level 5 anomaly, the culprit behind the fall of Han De Private School, and the citys biggest enemy. Chapter 195: Red in His Heart Chapter 195: Red in His Heart Originally, the tragedy would take another few more weeks to arrive. However, with the hard work of ss 13, it had appeared earlier at Han Hai. Everything was as predicted by You Liangs nightmare. Every student in ss 13 was a poisonous corruption source. After Fu Huo noticed Situ An had disappeared and the three defensive lines of the investigation centre had copsed, he wanted to retreat. This mission targeting Han De Private Academy had fully failed. His consideration was to retreat with minimal loss. The investigation centre reinforcement from Xin Lu had perished entirely. Everyone had greatly underestimated the danger level of this tragedy. Is this Han Hais death realm? It is unpredictable and highly mutated. After it breaks the rules, it nurtures its own set of rules. Fu Huo had experienced the anomaly at Xin Lu. However, he didnt expect an anomaly of Level 3 Danger Rating to mutate to this level. The big ghost that controlled the rules, the unknown existence that came from the shadow world, the giant flesh tree no one had seen before, the endless scapegoats and the flood that swallowed everything. What is normally taught at this school? After Fu Huo forced the student council president back, he chose to retreat. To get to know the situation at the school before, he rescued the cornered Zuo Jun. As Situ Ans most trustworthy underling, Zuo Jun had participated in this anomaly every step of the way. He had to be protected. Due to your boss sudden disappearance, I will assumemand! Retreat immediately and request aid from the headquarters! Build the fourth defensive line at the east city. We have to detain the flood and the ghosts before they can leave the east city. Fu Huos body was covered in scars and burns. He looked scarier than ghosts. I havent received any orders from the headquarters. Zuo Jun knew that his support had copsed. He quickly acted like he was loyal to Han Hai. He was covered in ghost blood. Follow my orders! Who else knows about these things at the east city investigation centre? Tell me! With Zuo Juns help, Fu Huo saved Yuan Hui and a few others. The student council president didnt give chase. His ribs had been snapped, and his entrails fell out. The curses inside his body were almost exhausted. The president shuffled and chuckled sadly. He saw the fast-approaching Gao Ming, It looks like evil will never win the greater evil. Gao Yun, Ive lived up to my promise. Other than Situ An and the Red Spectre, Gao Ming valued Gao Yun the most. He only had death memories in his heart. He had many questions for Gao Yun. I thank you on his behalf. The president pointed at his body. He stored his broken body inside all the student council members. I am just a part of his body. If you have any questions, you have to ask the real him. Through the presidents expression and tone, Gao Ming could tell he was lying, but he didnt expose him. In the future, if you run into anyone wearing the student council badge, it could be him. Please try to find him. The president sustained a lot of curses. He spoke intermittently. At the very end, I have a present from him to you. He held his wilted heart and buried it on the ruins of Han De Private School. Gao Yun gave up the control of the school rules and returned it to Yan Xizhi. To be fair, even if he wrestled the control of the school rules by force, without Situ Ans rules as bnce, Yan Xizhi would slowly rece him. The tragedy ising. Everything that happened today is just the prelude. So many people will die. Far more than any of the earlier tragedies. But That is probably the price for destroying fate. The president knelt on the ground and held his empty chest. Are you afraid of being sacrificed? Gao Ming extended his hand to the president and smiled lightly, Havent we already paid more than enough? Every second of our lives is a sacrifice. You were never this optimistic. The president didnt take Gao Mings hand. Did you be a psychiatrist to heal yourself? Ive healed so many people but myself. Gao Ming wanted to chat with the president, but something happened with the red raincoat. Headmistress Yan further weakened the red raincoat. The raincoat made from the bloody rain was shredded. If this continued, the red raincoat would fight until her soul disappeared. Everything was within the presidents prediction, Its time for you to im the president. The red raincoat? Before Gao Ming could react, Yan Xizhi, who had absorbed Gao Yuns school rules, suddenly had a crack on her body. This gave the red raincoat an opening. At the same time, two student council members standing not far away from the president burned the clothes of the childs corpse. The red raincoat sensed something. She whipped her head around to look at Gao Ming. Her exquisite nose twitched. She smelled something familiar. The childs heart was hidden in Gao Ming. The next moment, the red raincoat appeared before Gao Ming with a rain of blood. She is a pure flower of murder. Whenever she blooms, her blindingly red petals will wilt. Xia Yangs voice echoed in Gao Mings heart. By the way, why cant I leave your heart willingly? It seems like I need your permission. The God of Flesh and Blood materialised. The eight arms mmed at the red raincoat. The ground around Gao Ming became flesh. After the God of Flesh and Blood ate Situ Ans child, it gained the boys power to activate the resentment room at any time. Blood and flesh flew everywhere. The two sides collide. The giant force caused the ground to sink. Jiujiang is the ce where the anomaly first urred. Ten years ago, the bus we took departed from Jiujiang. The answer you want is there. The president quickly escaped. She is a perfect Red Spectre the investigation centre sacrificed so much to acquire. She is my present to you. Shes one of the reasons why I fought Situ An for so long. Red Spectres have to know something. Perhaps she can help you find a door. Gao Ming coughed out blood. Even though he was protected by the God of Flesh and Blood, he was almost killed by the red raincoat. The way you give people presents is so special. I cant think of another way to find a Red Spectre at Han Hai. The presidents voice had floated away. To avoid fate, Gao Yun temporarily didnt intend to stay with Gao Ming. Therefore, he used this method to escape. Most of the student council members disappeared into the night. Gao Yun lived in each of them. In other words, they were all Gao Yun. Let me out to help you! I can send this perfect ghost into your heart! Xia Yangs voice came again. You Liang, Yan Xizhi and Liu Yi also wanted to help Gao Ming. This was not the first time the red raincoat was surrounded. Under that circumstance, she made the right choice, which was to focus on one person. Unfortunately, her focus was Gao Ming, who had the childs heart. Blood dripped on the God of Flesh and Blood to create nasty scars. The rain was like sharp knives and burning mes. Even Gao Ming was shocked. What kind of ghost was this? The womans soul was as cold as ice, but she fought as uncontroble as a burning me. Let her into your heart! Send her into your heart! Xia Yang couldnt leave Gao Mings heart, but somehow, this madman managed to make the paintings he had made of the red raincoat appear on Gao Mings skin. Gao Ming stole her child and wanted to tattoo her on his body. The red raincoat controlled the rain and surged into the flesh resentment room. She wanted to pluck away Gao Mings heart. Cornered, Gao Ming mobilised all the chains in the torture room. The God of Flesh and Blood stopped protecting him and focused its energy on capturing the red raincoat. With her power, she could escape easily, but she didnt even consider fleeing. She just wanted to kill. The rain didnt recede. Her fingers cut open the skin of Gao Mings chest. The sound of a heart beating echoed in the rain. Chains bound around the red raincoat. The door of the torture room opened. Inside the room, the chains collided. The weakened red raincoat was dragged into the torture room by the God of Flesh and Blood. Sensing the pain in his heart, veins popped on Gao Mings face. He copsed to the ground as his fingers dug into the mud and grass. Chapter 196: Well Become the Night Chapter 196: We''ll Be the Night Indescribable pain swept through his body. It was like every one of his blood vessels was twisting. When the chains curled around the red raincoat, Gao Ming felt like his consciousness was being cut endlessly by knives. The obsession of the Red Spectre exploded in his heart room. The superhuman pain, despair and regret overwhelmed him instantly. The moment a normal person touched a Red Spectres obsession, their brain would die. However, Gao Ming died again and again in the tunnel. His experience was not any better than the Red Spectre. His obsession, which was constructed from many death memories, was stronger than a normal Red Spectres. Gao Ming gripped the pebbles and grass so tight that his nails cracked. Blood slid down the corner of his eyes. Gao Ming could sense the struggle of the red raincoat inside his heart room. Even with the God of Flesh and Bloods presence, his heart was about to shatter. Death was inevitable. Being in the same room as the Red Spectre, Xia Yang drew excitedly while Situ Ans eyes twitched. The difference between him and Xia Yang was he was chained. A normal shaking of the chains would cause him great pain, much less when the chains needed to pin down a Red Spectre. Trapping a Red Spectre in ones heart. Is this even possible? Gao Ming didnt have time to care about Situ Ans soul. His heart raced, and he suffocated. When Gao Ming felt like his heart was about to burst, a warm energy flowed into him. Someone ced a hand on his shoulder. Gao Ming could barely turn his head around to see Yan Xizhis serious face. Teacher Yan Yan Xizhi had gained full control of the school rules and willingly paved the way for all the human bricks. Yan Xizhi had be a unique Han Hai big ghost mentioned by Situ An. The human bricks copsed, and Yan Xizhi aged overnight. It took half an hour before Gao Mings heartbeat normalised again. At that moment, the red raincoats Heart of the Red Spectre and Situ Ans Heart of the Soul pounded with the same rhythm. They were tied to Gao Ming by fate and stood across from fate. The chains that circled the red raincoat fell to the ground. Gao Ming saw part of the womans life. It was a storm that pushed the woman into the deep sea. He still couldntmunicate with the red raincoat, but he could understand why she was so extreme. Perishing was a release for them. The Heart of Resentment was the source of their power and the source of their pain. They didnt want to be ghosts, but they couldnt exist as humans in this world anymore. They refused to let go, so they became Red Spectre. It had nothing to do with faith and memory. They existed on the basis of their obsession. Their special power and strength had to do with their obsessions. Gao Ming could use the God of Flesh and Blood and the chains to detain the red raincoat, but if he did that, whenever he needed the God of Flesh and Blood, he would worry that the red raincoat might struggle loose. Therefore, he chose to coexist with her instead. Do you feel better? Liu Yi helped Gao Ming up. Yan Shaoyu looked at Gao Ming with alert. She felt like Liu Yi was too close to Gao Ming. Im fine. Gao Ming thanked everyone before going to Yan Xizhi. Headmistress, thank you for your help. If you need me in the future, just tell me. Gao Ming wasnt afraid of trouble. Everyone wanted to be friends with someone like Yan Xizhi. Yan Xizhi shook her head. She turned to the school ruins. Youve saved so many students and awakened their selves. You are this schools saviour. However, there is still a big problem that hasnt been solved. Is it the shadow altar summoned by Situ An? Gao Ming turned to the school. The altar had disappeared. The ck fog and the mutated students on the sacrificial table had disappeared. The thing escaped during the chaos. The urgent issue now is to deal with that tree. Yan Xizhi stared at the giant flesh tree with confusion, How did it even appear? Many patients of Fear Illness had be a part of the tree. For Yan Xizhi, the seeds of fear spread by the tree were the most evil thing in the world. Why is there a tree at my school? Which side is it from? The giant tree attacked the monster summoned by Situ An, swallowed half of the student council members, and its tree roots pierced through the water ghosts in the root. It attacked everything. I dont know. Everyone was troubled. Gao Ming pursed his lips. Why dont we let Han Hai Investigation Centre handle it? We can retreat first. Fear Illness had spread. To solve this problem, Gao Mings solution was to end his life and restart inside the tunnel. You should leave. Ill stay to apany this tree to stop it from growing. Yan Xizhi built a new wall on top of the ruins. I can sense the helplessness at the core of this core. It is grown from a fragile soul. It is not a bad thing. There is a chance for education. Then, Ill stay too. You Liang walked out before turning to look at Gao Ming, Situ Ans base is more than just one Han De Private Academy. The investigation centre has lost so much. The whole city might sink into chaos. Therefore, you want to use this chance to expand your power and construct your own rules? Gao Ming walked towards You Liang with sincerity. Do you wish to join us? You Liang instantly ran away. I only hope that youll save more people! Beware that you dont be the next Situ An! Dont force it. I think he doesnt like us from ss 13. Liu Yi chuckled as she saw the fleeing You Liang. Gao Mings words forced a big ghost to escape. You Liangs warning is not without reason. I n to expose part of the gaming guide on Dead Water Forum. Gao Ming was walking down the path of an unknown future. His eyes glowed. A gaming guide? Yes. Gao Ming looked at the buses disappearing down the horizon. Each bus was filled with students and ghosts. The whole city is going to experience ghost stories. Everyone will y the games I designed. The clouds hadnt dispersed, and the sun hadnt risen. However, Gao Mings eyes filled with light and hope. This time, he would be part of the night. What do you n to do? Calm down. Think about it before making a decision like that. Liu Yi felt like Gao Mings n was scary. Only someone infected by Fear Illness would have the whole city y the scary horror games. Since night will fall, why dont we be the darkest night? We can be the scariest darkness to prepare them to wee the arrival of dawn. Chapter 197: Stars Chapter 197: Stars In the future seen by Gao Ming, Xia Yang and Situ An were two crucial members. They represented the chaotic freedom and evil in order. However, their fates were now bound to Gao Ming. Gao Ming took out his phone. After he confirmed the line was back to normal, he made a call. The person answered at the first ring. Wen Xuans voice came through, Where are you? Are you injured? Im fine. How many internal users does Dead Water Forum have now? Internal users were the names given by Gao Ming to the yers. Those who survived at least one anomaly and understood the hints would be the forums internal users. There are more than 50 registered users. Around 12 of them are more valuable. In the next few days, the number of forum users might explode. Be careful when filtering them. Gao Ming sent Wen Xuan some gaming design ideas. These games were mostly at Level 2 Anomaly. They were suitable for newbies. They were useless for people from ss 13. After receiving the files, Wen Xuan noticed a silence from Gao Ming. She sent him an emoji, Is there anything else? How is the game using your life as inspirationing along? Gao Ming wanted to use the game to make more people remember Wen Xuan. He turned the game into an altar, replicating the path employed by the ghosts from Xin Lu. Im just throwing money at the production. Ive already borrowed everything I could from the underground sharks at Han Hai, Wen Xuan said casually. The game itself doesnt need perfect production. The important part is the marketing so that more people can know and experience it. Gao Ming sent Wen Xuan another document. That doesnt sound like what a game designer should say. Whats wrong? Have you forgotten why you entered this industry? Wen Xuan pointed out. I n to add some new content to your game so that your game can predict the future to a certain degree. In other words, yers can survive longer by ying your game. I refuse to believe other gamepanies can outsell us. Gao Ming didnt pick up the message in Wen Xuans tone. He smiled, I hope Nightlight Studio and Manager Gou can sustain this wave of attention. Is there nothing else? Wen Xuan asked uncertainly. I have not seen you for days. Is there nothing else you want to tell me? Temporarily no. Thats strange. I feel like theres a woman around you. Wen Xuan said. Her instinct was scarily urate. Wait. There is more than one. After a pause, Gao Ming finally understood her misunderstanding, This is a misunderstanding. She is just my high-school friend. Weve been trapped at this school for the past few days. She is just my high-school friend. Wen Xuan mimicked Gao Ming. It sounds like youve found true love. Does it show you how much of an ident I am? I was just kidding. Look after yourself. Recently, it feels weird at Han Hai. Wen Xuan exchanged info with Gao Ming and hung up. Do you need me to call her to exin the situation? Liu Yi was a very seriouswyer. Better dont. Han De Private Academy had gone fully out of control. The entire east city would be affected. Gao Ming still had many things to do. After the storm ended, he wanted to visit Xin Lu and Jiujiang. After themunication recovered, Gao Ming received many messages. He didnt have time to reply to them. He led Liu Yi into the forest to meet up with Boss Zhang Ding. Han Hais ghosts could be categorised into four levels. The normal scapegoats, the big ghosts with the resentment room. After the resentment rooms became a haunted house, they would be at You Liangs level. Above that would be Yan Xizhi, who had control of the rules. Zhang Dings situation was special. Gao Ming thought Zhang Dings resentment room was the supermarket, but his resentment room might be the flood itself since Zhang Ding had epted the resentment of all the victims. His death portrait not only had the supermarket but also the flood and the customers. In the activity building, Zhang Ding was also the only ghost who could control the flood. After knowing Yan Xizhi had taken control of the school rules, Gao Ming felt like You Liang might be his second friend to master the rules. He was not weaker than You Liang. He had the support of his neighbours. If he could fully control the flood, he would be very scary. Jiujiangs Red Spectres have to push themselves to their limits. The ghosts at Xin Lu require the faith of living humans. The ghosts at Han Hai need the sacrifice of other ghosts to walk to the very end. Brother Jie, wake up! Stop shaking. Cant you tell that I was ying dead? Wang Jie shoved Xi San away. He turned to the bus window. The ss reflected a wounded and scarred face. Your leg is stuck in the car. Do you Xi San thought back to some movie scenes. He knew Wang Jies personality, so he found a saw from the toolbox. Youre not asking me to saw off my leg, right? Wang Jie frowned. Yes. I see this often in movies. Xi San nodded innocently. The fuck. Wang Jie took out his phone. When he saw that the signal had recovered, his eyes changed fully. Ignoring Xi San, he made multiple calls and sent out his coordinates. He told his grandfather, father, and uncles everything that he had experienced. Brother Jie, do we really dont need to run? XI San didnt abandon Wang Jie. He tried to use the saw to break off the seat that trapped Wang Jie. Run? From now on, other people should start running. Wang Jie gritted his teeth, Situ An and Zuo Jun. Neither of them is escaping. Then, shall we just wait here? Xi San asked. Yes. Wang Jie had already received the reply from his family. He finally smiled, When you have a strong family background, why work so hard yourself? The student council presidents body was covered in bandages. After he left the school, he took out a pink phone. The original owner of this phone was Song Xue. The president unlocked it and switched on the video app. The murdered Song Xue appeared on the screen. She was trapped inside the phone by some power. Song Xue, help me triangte the location of all the students in ss 13. Key in everyones death inside the group chat. Set them as reminders. My rules of curses require time to take effect. Some of them have helped you. Song Xues voice came from the phone. She sounded like she was from ten years ago. Back then, I was the one who told you the truth. Everyone in ss 13 is a chesspiece of the shadow world. Im not doing this to harm them. When they are in great pain, I can give them another choice. The president and the student council members left silently. They spread into the city. The student council badges appeared on many different adults. Ji Jies brother, Ji Fu, hid in the ruins. He looked at the giant tree and yelled his brothers name. His shirt was drenched when he felt his phone vibrate. The signal is back! Ji Fu saw an emergency warning from the city. Han Hai released a danger personnel list. It recorded information about the suspects. Damn. ss 13 only has 50 students. How are there 51 fugitives? Chapter 198: You Can See Me Chapter 198: You Can See Me Fu Huo did his best to save the people from the east city investigation centre. They formed the fourth defensive line at the edge of the east city. The headquarters had been notified that the anomaly at Han De Private School had spiralled out of control. After knowing Situ An had disappeared, many parties pulled their people back. Set up the roadblocks! Seal the roads! Stop all the vehicles! Inspect everyone! Do not let anyone go! The scapegoats from the school could possess anyone. The investigation centre knew how dangerous they were. They tried to limit the scope of the disaster to themercial centre of the east city. Move! Were from the east city investigation centre! Stop for inspection! Hes the leader of the security department from Xin Lu. Are you blind? Stop right now! The ck barrels were aimed at the investigators who wanted to barge into the east city. Situ Ans original underlings, who now were led by Zuo Jun, had no choice but to give up in the end. Situ An was missing, and they had be the focus of all the parties. You will be quarantined in groups of three! Doctors! Get the doctors here! The people at the fourth defensive line detained Zuo Jun and his team. Even Fu Huo was invited into the car. What is Han Hai Investigation Centre Headquarters nning? Fu Huo sat next to the medical device. He punched the wall of the car. These are all metal tes. This car is used to transport criminals. The headquarters didnt give the order to retreat, but you told the investigators to leave. Zuo Juns brain spun. Situ An appeared to be dead, and no one could protect him anymore. This was a giant danger for him but also a great opportunity. When Situ An was still around, he could only serve Situ An. Now, he could stand up and even aim higher. As if worried that idents might happen, the car stopped, and they were told to get out before long. Hand over your weapons andmunication devices. Before we can ensure you havent been possessed, you will stay in this sick bay. We will have peoplee to conduct the tests on you soon. The guards tone was cold as they trained their weapons on them. This pissed Fu Huo off. I finally had a good look at Han Hai Headquarters. You cant do anything to ghosts, but you have all kinds of treatments for humans. Fu Huo sat on the bed. His wounds were worsening. Stop talking. Zuo Juns face darkened. Your injuries are so serious, but the headquarters arent even sending you the best aid. This means that the headquarters is already considering silencing you. Do they dare? This is not Xin Lu. Its normal for you to die at Han De Private School. Zuo Jun moved around the room despite his pain. Soon, Yuan Hui and a few seniors at the east city investigation centre were moved there as well. After everyone was there, the lights suddenly went out. A blurry projection appeared on the wall before them. The static sound entered their ears. They could hear people screaming in the background. Everyone saw a pair of hands in white glovesnd on the table. You have three minutes to remember who was around Situ An when he disappeared. Do not miss anything. A robotic voice said. The people in the room looked at each other with confusion. The anomaly had gone out of control. Instead of asking about the school, the headquarters cared more about Situ Ans location?! The chief fought with the ghosts inside the school until thest moment. He never wanted to give up. Zuo Jun dragged his injured body to stand before the projection. The ghosts surrounded the office building and took down the walls, causing the anomaly to go out of control. The chief fought at the frontline and eventually disappeared at the first defensive line where the fighting was the most intense. Zuo Jun knew his way around words. He effectively pushed all the me onto Situ An. Situ An disappeared when he tried to escape was the meaning behind his words. Who among you is closest to Situ An? The white gloves asked. No one spoke. After some time, Zuo Jun raised his head. Its me. Describe in detail what happened back then. The security team from Xin Lu died. The perfect Red Spectre appeared. The chief stood behind the Red Spectre and fought the three strongest big ghosts at the school. They are the art teacher from the taboo ssroom, the old headmistress, Yan Xizhi, and You Liang from the undergroundb. Zuo Jun thought about it. I believe someone was chasing after the chief too. Who? My high-school friend, Wang Jie. His first uncle is the chief of the west port investigation centre, Wang Lan. His grandfather is with the Han Hai Merchant Association. His second uncle is from the port court. His father often goes overseas. I believe hes with Deep Space Tech. Zuo Jun excluded Xi San and continued, There are two more of my high-school friends. One is Liu Yi. Her family background is simple. She is awyer who serves the deaf and mute. The other is Gao Ming. He was Hen Shan Penitentiarys psychiatrist, but he was fired not too long ago for failing his psyche test. They are all your friends from high school?! Why are they in this anomaly? One of the ghosts in this anomaly is our friend from ten years ago. He invited everyone from ss 13 to the school. The ghosts name is Gao Yun. Before the chief disappeared, he was chasing after the chief too. Zuo Jun had followed Situ An for some time. He learned many things from Situ An, like saying half of the truths. The white gloves folded together like the owner was thinking. Momentster, the robotic voice said, Situ Ans disappearance influences many things. I hope you can keep this from the public. Now, I have a few questions for you. How many people are trapped at Han De Private School, and how many have been reced by the scapegoats? Around 400 He was interrupted by the serious Zuo Jun, 4534 people. The number shocked everyone in the room. Zuo Jun had no choice but to agree with it. Situ An had disappeared. Zuo Jun wouldnt fall for his crimes. Therefore, Zuo Jun added everyone who was harmed by Situ An to the number of victims. Since the school had gone out of control, everyone could be considered to be killed by ghosts, and it had nothing to do with him. The questioning in the sick bay continued. Han Hai changed tremendously in these few hours. Cai Meimei ran back to her home in the east countryside in fear. The experience for the past few days almost drove her nuts. She kicked off her shoes and crawled into her bed. Her body trembled, and her face was pale. Im out. Im finally out of there. The ghosts on the bus probably didnt follow me home. Her body was shivering under the flimsy nket. The security cameras in Cai Meimeis home suddenly moved on their own. The cameras slowly moved towards the bed, like there were perverts behind them. I didnt see the scapegoats get down the bus. They should still be on the bus with the other students! Cai Meimei vomited due to fear. She patted her chest as she sat up in bed. She tossed her wet clothes away. Her clothes dropped to the ground one after another. The cameras all looked at her exposed body. When she was almost naked, Cai Meimeis arm suddenly bent to a strange angle. Someone was strangling her from behind. Impossible! The ghosts are on the bus! They didnt follow me out of the bus! Bloody scars appeared on her fair back. The faces of the students from Han De Private School appeared on her back. Her body was twisted in a scary angle. I didnt see anyone get down the bus with me! Cai Meimeis body bent like a pretzel as the human faces screamed on her body. There were so many scapegoats inside her body that wanted to take over. Save me! Save me! Cai Meimei suddenly snapped her neck and crawled towards the camera like a human centipede. I know you can see me! You saw me! Chapter 199: Game Start Chapter 199: Game Start After Li Chuns parents passed away, he inherited Chun Tian Apartments. He quit his job and survived by collecting rent. Being andlord made him bored with life, so he started making modifications to the apartment. Using the equipment he got from Xin Lu, he hacked into his renters cheap family surveince system. Every day, he would hide in his bedroom to spy on his renters lives. Of all his renters, he liked Cai Meimei the most. She satisfied every imagination he had about the female body. For the past few days, when Cai Meimei was missing, he was more anxious than anyone else. He had no appetite and gained a temper. He kept cursing the things around him, believing that Cai Meimei had gotten a new boyfriend. Just as he was thinking about how to punish that woman, Cai Meimei returned home. Her body was drenched, and she looked so scared and lost. Did she break up with her boyfriend? Li Chun hid behind his door and listened to the footsteps in the corridor. He imagined the shoes stepping on his body. Once he heard Cai Meimei close her door, he quickly rushed into his bedroom and switched on the hacking device he got from Xin Lu ck Market. Li Chun bit his fingers as he stared at the screen. He wished he could take a bite on Cai Meimeis body. The wet clothes dropped to the ground. Finally, the underwear was removed as well. Li Chun saw everything on screen. He lost his mind. He didnt even care about being discovered and took control of the cameras. He didnt want to miss even a frame of Cai Meimei. When I get to know her routine better, Ill hide under her bed. No. Ill hide in her dresser with the clothes covered in her scent! Li Chun was so excited as the imagined images filled his mind. He took out the pictures he had snapped in secret from the drawer. As he moved to tape the pictures beside the monitor, he suddenly saw Cai Meimeis body contorting like crazy on the screen. Li Chens eyes widened. He couldnt believe what he was seeing, She She The human faces fought to surface on Cai Meimeis body. They all wanted to escape. Li Chun was confused when Cai Meimei jumped at the camera like a centipede. The familiar face was no longer beautiful. It was terrifying. Li Chuns phone fell to the ground. He backed away from the monitor. He tripped over his pants that were around his knees. He covered his mouth because he felt like Cai Meimei could hear him from the other side of the screen. I dont see anything Li Chun wanted to escape, but he saw Cai Meimei slithering rapidly on the screen. She had already left her home and wasing to his ce! The sound of nails scratching the door was terrifying. Li Chun covered his ears, but the sound still drilled into his mind. Several minutester, Cai Meimei disappeared from the screen. Li Chun moved back to theputer. He checked all the cameras in the apartment, but he couldnt find Cai Meimei. Where where is she? Li Chun suddenly felt a chill. A scary thought appeared in his mind: The only blindspot of the cameras was his room. Li Chun looked up. Cai Meimei was crawling on the ceiling. Scapegoats tried to escape from the womans back. Donte any closer! The storm swallowed his scream. Li Chuns body was torn apart by the pairs of hands. The blood sshed on the ground. Soon, the broken body was sewn back together. A scapegoat dissolved in the darkness, and Li Chun stood back up. His face was dark. ck lines swam at the depths of his eyes. Li Chun touched his face and turned to the mirror. He grumbled, I look so much like a pervert. I still think my previous identity, Ma Tao, suits me better. Cai Meimei crawled through the different rooms in the apartments. Ma Tao got used to moving in Li Chuns body. He sat before theputer. There should be many scapegoats and students like me. Simr things are happening all over the city. Ghosts might be hiding in any room. Well pretend to be humans in the day and search for ingredients at night to build our resentment rooms. If nothing happens, Cai Meimei and I have the chance to be big ghosts. In the monitor, Cai Meimei appeared beside the beds of the sleeping tenants. When they woke up, their eyes changed. The living spy on the living. Even I wont stoop to this level. Ma Tao deleted the immoral videos on Li Chunsputer. As he was about to close the website, he identally discovered a video in his mailbox. The mail was sent after the tragedy exploded. The name of the sender was Save ss 13. ss 13? Did my group of bastard friends send a group mail on the inte? Ma Tao felt like someone from ss 13 was behind this. He opened the video. The video showed someone in Han De Private Schools uniform and a white paper mask. He sat in a dark room. His pupils bounced around nervously. He said in a timid tone. After midnight, the real-life horror game will officially begin. You can choose not to believe me, but for the sake of you and your family, I hope you can at least listen to what I have to say. First, the ghosts will probably disguise as humans. If you discover someone around you acting strangely, like their personality changing overnight, please do not hesitate and stay away from them! Second, please continue to live your life normally. Do not show fear around others. You have to remain normal! The more abnormally you act, the more youll grab their attention! Third, try not to leave your home at night. They will disguise themselves as humans in the day, but they will feed at night! If you have to leave home at night, please do not return home before dawn, or they might follow you home! Fourth, Han Hai will be a giant game venue. Every anomaly is a death game. If you survive the anomaly, you will gain some benefits. However, do not tell anyone what youve gained. Fifth, do not trust the investigation centre! The wanted ss 13 students know the truth. They are being framed. Helping them will raise your chance of survival! Sixth The rules were recited by the people in the video. Ma Tao tilted his head to study the student on screen. The fact that they dared to post this video meant that they were ready to fight the investigation centre. The investigation centre was trying its best to maintain order, but this poster not only wanted to destroy the existing rules but also build a new one. The person knows the truth. Whose face is under the mask? Wang Jie? Liu Yi? Or Gao Ming? Ma Tao knew how crazy that ss was. These were the few stand-outs, but there were a lot of other students who had hidden themselves until the very end. Chapter 200: Rules Chapter 200: Rules When the bus left the school, the students who had been hiding until the end finally showed their fangs. It was how scapegoats like Cai Meimei and Ma Tao could escape in the chaos. No one was useless in ss 13. Ten years ago, the students used their own methods to survive the bus crash. Instead, it was the staff who had perished. The video is going everywhere. However, itll soon be taken down as jokes and pranks. The citizens will only know who is telling the truth after theyve experienced the anomaly themselves. Ma Tao put on the wireless headphones and tuned up the volume. The rain pattered on the window, and he moved his body ording to the groove. The horror game is starting. However, I still have to go to work like normal and cant do anything that will get me exposed. When Gao Ming found Zhang Ding, Boss Zhang was leading the neighbours in dealing with the flood. They had been following the flood and ensuring that the nearby viges were not affected. They used a lot of time and aid from Yan Xizhi to send the flood back into the death portrait. One-third of the water ghosts had been controlled by Zhang Ding and became part of his power. One-third was willing to listen to him. Only thest one-third was still resisting him. Gao Ming, youve helped tremendously this time! I dont need to worry about the flood suddenly overflowing my supermarket anymore. Zhang Ding had suppressed the flood for a decade. He had never felt so at ease. It all started when he met Gao Ming. Holding the death portrait of the flood, Gao Ming could sense the change in Zhang Ding. Standing before the boss was like facing the giant flood alone. Boss Zhang was different from Yan Xizhi. He was a good person, but he could be very aggressive. Once he became a big ghost, Gao Ming had the confidence to fight the investigation centre. Brother Zhang, the fact that you can resummon the flood and have the rain from ten years ago fall on us means that youre already an anomaly at a haunted house level. You should have seen Headmistress Yans power earlier. If you are forced to fight her Gao Ming didnt finish, but Zhang Ding knew what he was aiming at. I temporarily wont be Headmistress Yans match. It feels like everything in the world is helping her. Her words are the rules. Zhang Ding thought about it. If I want to reach her level, I need the survival desires of humans or ghosts and strong emotional energy. These two things can wear down the resentment of the victims of the flood and help them find themselves again. The other path is to have the flood consume more resentment rooms and haunted houses until it breaks through a certain limit. Humans and ghosts desire for survival? Strong emotional energy? Do you need these things to be a big ghost that controls the rules? Gao Ming remembered what Zhang Ding said. He would focus on these in the future. Yan Xizhi sacrificed herself to hold up all the students at the school so that the children in the shadow world would not disappear. It was how she became the faith at Han De Private School. I think I get it. But we can do both things you mentioned. We can consume resentment rooms to increase the power of the flood and help cleanse the water ghosts simultaneously. Gao Mings words caused Zhang Dings eyes to twitch. What if the flood goes out of control again? I refuse to believe there is no evil that deserves to drown in Han Hai. Gao Ming put away the death portrait. No one wished for tragedy to happen. But if it were inevitable, it would have been better for the tragedy to fall on the bad guys. You make sense, I guess. Once Gao Ming took out his phone in the middle of the conversation, Zhang Ding leaned over with the desire for gossip. Is this your girlfriend calling you? You have been out for a week already. Its normal for her to worry. Shes scarier than a girlfriend. Gao Ming clicked the video message sent over by Wen Xuan. Someone had released the official game rules before they did. Did someone from your ss create this video? Zhang Dings first reaction was that this was something done by the students of ss 13 to save themselves. Who could it be? Gao Ming thought back to his ssmates. Who had the guts to challenge the investigation centre so openly and knewputers so well It could be a group of people. Your ss is filled with geniuses. Zhang Ding waved and sent Zhang Fendou and his pig back into the portrait. Our target is too big. Ill go back into the portrait. Youll have to decide how to proceed. Since the rules had been released, Gao Ming decided to go along with it. He had Wen Xuan release more info on Dead Water Forum. The situation is still unclear. Even though the investigation centre has lost a lot of people, the local centres can still deal with the local anomalies. The headquarters has more trump cards too. The anomaly at the school has spread. The most immediate thing I need to do is to get the citizens to join my side as yers. At Han De Private Academy, Gao Ming learned many things. There were many ways to deal with ghosts. One could use cursed objects to kill them, interact with them using sincerity or make a deal with them. There was no fixed answer or best answer on how to deal with ghosts. If I were you, I would join the investigation centre. When youre the chief, what cant you handle at Han Hai? Those who dare toe after you will be sent in here before they can do anything. No. I believe a full-on anarchy is more artistic. You can hide in the back to control the citizens and have them take the risk for you. You will trade information for death portraits. When you have enough citizens on your side, do you still need to worry about the investigation centre? The voices in his heart were noisy. Xia Yang shared what he heard with Situ An. The two scariest viins were nning horrible things in Gao Mings heart. Both of you have a point. Gao Ming talked to himself like a crazy person. The citizens of Han Hai will not believe in anomaly just yet. The investigation centre is hiding it for some reason. Those ghosts from the shadow world will be even more low-profile after they have taken over people in the real world. However, what theyre doing will only buy me more time so that I can do all the preparation before the horror story spreads all over Han Hai. Gao Ming counted the death portraits he had in his possession. Ive grasped the levels of the ghosts in the city and the difference within the various difficulties. However, a good game cannot just have death and horror. It has to possess a good reward mechanic as well. To gain the support of the citizens, I need to give them hope so that they can unleash their full potential in despair. The map of Han Hais 19 districts appeared in his mind. Gao Ming memorised the location of all the investigation centres. When the centres started a new base, they would usually pick the spot where the anomaly was the most prominent. Ill start with Queens at the east city. Ill create controble anomalies with suitable danger levels to gain the faith, hope and emotions of all the yers. Then, Ill send these things to Boss Zhang for him to be a big ghost who can control the rules! As the only horror game designer at Han Hai, Gao Ming touched the death portraits in his pocket as he moved forward through the rain. Chapter 201: NPC Chapter 201: NPC I can produce all the anomalies from Level 1 to Level 4 myself. I can even review and reward the bosses of each stage. Gao Ming had many ghosts around him. He had the art teacher and the PE teacher, who both had a resentment room. He had a death portrait of the school teachers in his heart. He could reconstruct Han De Private School if he wanted. Ghosts alone are not enough. A senior psychiatrist has once given this definition to fearWhen one doesnt have the resources or abilities to solve the threat, one will fear the sense of anxiety and fear. I need to maximise the yers survival desire and extreme emotions. I can do that through many methods. Elements such as unsafe environment, horrifying atmosphere and various tricks and hints Gao Ming was a perfect horror game designer. He worked at a heavy-crime penitentiary and was familiar with human psychological weakness. He had studied a lot of twisted criminals. He not only understood the formation of fear but also had personally experienced it from his many deaths. Just in terms of deaths alone, Gao Ming coulde up with thousands of ways for one to die. It was all practical knowledge. Before dawn, Gao Ming split up from Liu Yi and went back to the old city. After he got out of the car, he got a message from Wan Qiu, The house has been taken over. Im waiting for you in the third alley at Min Long Street. A message from Wan Qiu? Is he being threatened? ss 13 was the target of the investigation centre. Too many people wanted to harm them at Han Hai. Its not safe at home, but its even dangerous to send such information through messages. Gao Ming thought about it and entered the corridor next to it. He took out the death portrait of the birthday cake and entered the shadow world through the door his parents opened. He got out of the car near Min Long Street. After walking for a few minutes in the shadow world, he came to the location mentioned in the message. The birthday cake death portrait looked useless, but it allowed Gao Ming to travel freely between the two worlds. It meant that it would take a lot of work for the investigation centre to catch him. The familiar sound of rain entered his ears as Gao Ming looked out through the gap in the door. A few investigators from the Li San Investigation Centre held various weapons and hid in the alley to make an ambush. Wan Qiu hugged Fa Cai and curled up in the corner. The kid looked so sad, like a kitten who had just been adopted and then abandoned. Team leader, do you think Gao Ming will return? The people from Investigation Team Two were nervous. When the tenants at Li Jing Apartments 1 disappeared, I knew something was wrong with Gao Ming. If not for Qin Tian and Bai Xiao, I would have captured him a long time ago. Ma Lian, the team leader of Team 2, was very confident. What kind of people are in ss 13 that the chief gave us the personal order to arrest them? I saw a video on the inte. It said that the students from ss 13 knew the truth. They We are people from the investigation centre. Do not forget that. The scapegoats released that video to drive a wedge between us and the citizens! Ma Lian red at his subordinates. Stop talking and keep an eye on that kid! Hearing the conversation, Gao Ming had a deeper understanding of his situation. The investigation centre is very hostile towards ss 13. It looks like I have to speed up. Gao Ming pushed open the door. He strode into the back alley and appeared between the investigators and Wan Qiu. The investigators felt surreal seeing the person they were looking for just sauntering into their trap. Gao Ming? Ma Lian was startled. Before he could react, Wan Qiu hugged Fa Cai and ran into the rain. Wan Qiu thought Gao Ming didnt want him anymore. However, he was proven wrong. Gao Ming still came back for him even though he knew it was a trap. Team 2 is here, so Team 3 is probably at my home. Gao Ming stood before Wan Qiu and looked at the investigators. Li San Investigation Centre must be peacefultely for the centre to send so many people to capture me. Gao Ming, give up resistance! Follow us back to Li San Investigation Centre now! Ma Lians voice was forceful. He wasnt giving Gao Ming a choice. Your attitude towards me was very badst time. Youre no better this time. Gao Ming nned to clean up the Li San Investigation Centre. He looked at the investigators and showed no fear. Fa Cai, now. The investigators paused and turned to look at Ma Lian. They panicked. After all, Gao Ming was someone who managed to leave a Level 4 Anomaly alive. Hearing Gao Ming, Fa Cai rolled his rotund body. He hugged Gao Mings leg from behind and poked his head out with his watery eyes. He seemed to be asking why Gao Ming was calling him. The cat meowed, and the investigators looked at him. Dumb tricks! Catch him! Ma Lian felt like he had been tricked. He pulled out a taser and aimed it at Gao Ming angrily. However, as he was about to pull the trigger, an indescribable fear enveloped his body. Screams came from behind him. Ma Lian suddenly realised the rain couldnt fall on him anymore. A shadow loomed over him. Eight arms expanded around him. The walls and floor turned into flesh. All the investigators were shoved into Gods resentment room. Li San Investigation Centre will need new blood soon. Ill use this chance to send in my people to aid Bai Xiao. Gao Ming didnt kill the investigators. He nned to use his method to turn them over. Why didnt you send them into your heart? Do they not have the right to be turned into tools? Im running out of paint. Xia Yang grumbled. In the past, Gao Ming didnt know Teacher Xia was so fussy. Hugging Fa Cai, Gao Ming led Wan Qiu into the shadow world. Wan Qiu, who was so careful in real life, became very curious in the shadow world. The shadow would actively approach him. Even the shadow felt he was friendly. Thest time Wan Qiu entered the shadow world, he took a different path. However, both times, he showed an affinity with animals, shadows and children. He opened the door to Min Long Street 4. Wei Dayou and the vigers from Bo Wan Vige rushed over. Gao Ming! My God! Why were you gone for so long? We thought something happened to you! Wei Dayou gave Gao Ming a bear hug. Its nothing big. I just attended a high school reunion. Gao Ming called everyone he could trust to the supermarket. The humans stood on the left, and the ghosts and the infected investigators stood on the right. Han Hai East City is sinking into chaos. I need everyones help. Gao Ming scanned everyones face. There were normal vigers, elite investigators from Han Hai, newbies who had lost hope in the investigation centre, and Han De Private School students who were made sacrifices by Situ An. On the other side, there were all kinds of ghosts. Just say it. Well help if we can. Wei Dayou patted his chest. I need you to act as NPC in my horror games. Chapter 202: People Chapter 202: People Act as what now? As a game producer, Wei Dayou knew what an NPC was. However, he had a feeling Gao Ming was not talking about a conventional NPC. A horror game cant just have ghosts and monsters. It has to have innocent victims, people showing the way and extras. I will give you new identities, and I need you to explore your acting skills in my horror games. Gao Mings voice entered everyones ears. Do you n to move the horror games into the real world? Are you going to realise the games youve designed in the real world? Wei Dayou had seen the games Gao Ming designed. Some of the plots were so scary that he was already breaking out in a cold sweat thinking about them. Other people are trying to realise their dreams, but youre trying to realise your nightmare! Is there a difference? Plus, they will happen either way. Im just giving them an artistic edge. Gao Ming tried to exin the situation to everyone. Even if he didnt do anything, the tragedy would still happen. His intervention would enable more people to survive. He could also select potential yers to join him. Then Can I be a yer? Zhang Fendou, who was carrying a dirty schoolbag, raised his hand. The kid just wanted to y games. Go back home and do your homework! Zhang Ding grabbed his son and dragged him away. Im sorry. Continue. I want to be a ship captain! I want to y too! Zhang Fendou waved his limbs as he struggled. Children need to stay out of adult business. Ive found you a lot of homework from Han De Private School. Zhang Ding sent Zhang Fendou back to the supermarket. Dont even think ofing out before you pass the exam! With this incident, the humans on the other side felt less afraid of Boss Zhang. Even after he became a ghost, he had to be worried about his kid. Brother Zhang, those are high-school homework. Itll be hard for him. Gao Ming reminded him and then gave everyone the script. While people were studying the script, Gao Ming pasted the map of the 19 districts on the wall. He nned to produce two horror stories at the same time. He would set up the scenario of the return of the soul at Li San Min Long Street. He would have Bai Xiaos sister, Bai Qiao, meet up with Ma Lian in the shadow world. They would slowly swap spaces until Bai Qiaos people took over the Li San Investigation Centre. After that, Li San would be the safest location at Han Hai. Gao Ming felt like he could effectively lower the crime rate in this district. In the past, Gao Ming tried to join the investigation centre. He reached the position of the chief. However, since his district was too safe, someone suspected him, and that was why he was killed in the end. This time, Gao Ming would not only stay on the defensive but also go on offence. The east city was the location that was affected the most by the Level 4 Anomaly. The main force of the investigation centre and the ghosts were there. This was the perfect chance to gain influence. Gao Ming didnt want to give it up. The east city investigation centre was heavily controlled by Situ An. Those who didnt obey him were killed. In the east city, other than Ding Yuans Huan Men Centre, the other centres are fully corrupted. At this point, Xia Yangs voice appeared in Gao Mings ears. Situ An has something to tell you. He is very familiar with the east city. He wants to leave you with everything he has to help you be the new king of the east city. Gao Ming entered the supermarket and sunk into his heart. He looked at the detained Situ An. Seeing Gao Ming, Situ Ans eyes darted about before shining with disappointment. Why are you disappointed? Gao Ming caught this. He turned to the side, and the red raincoat was standing right there! Gao Ming was very close to her. However, the red raincoat didnt attack him. She held her heart and stood silently at the corner. When the heart jumped, a childs face would flicker on it. I knew you were up to something. You wanted to trick me here and use the red raincoat to kill me. Gao Ming pulled the chain and yanked Situ Ans head closer to him. The dying Situ An raised his head. I am willing to use everything I have to trade with you. I have more than enough money for you to spend for eight lives and the dirt on so many influential people. What kind of trade? You can take anything you want from me as long as you promise to kill me once you get everything. Stop torturing me! Situ An sounded like he had given up. He looked so weak. Are you seeking death? Gao Ming knew Situ An too well. He knew he was not the kind of person to give up easily. Somethings wrong with what you said. You said I should kill you after I got everything. It sounds like youre helping me, but actually, you want to expose me. Situ An knew many secrets. Once those things were touched, the things hiding in the dark woulde over like sharks smelling blood. Even if you die, you have to bring me with you. Gao Ming smiled as he read Situ Ans mind. Situ Ans eyes turned gentle since his trick was exposed by Gao Ming. He didnt look as weak as before. It was all an act. I will not give up as long as I have a breath left in me. This is what I learned from you. Situ An smiled. This man had gotten used to the pain from the soul chain. However, I do need to trouble you with something. Gao Ming held up Situ Ans head. I need all the information about the east city investigation centres. You can give me the real deal or fake ones. You can try everything you can to harm me. Gao Ming radiated confidence. This caused Situ Ans expression to change slightly, Okay. I will give you everything you want. Situ An wanted to escape. He wasnt afraid of helping Gao Ming. He was afraid that Gao Ming would stopmunicating with him. For someone like Situ An, he only cared about benefits. Once he escaped, he would take back everything he had lost ten times or a hundred times! Fu Ning: The chief of the east city Wan Zai Investigation Centre. He is greedy andscivious. His weakness is his two sons. He stayed at his division in the east city and didnt follow us into the school. Jiang Chan: One of the vice presidents at Han Hai Charity Headquarters. He is the logistic master of the east city investigation centres. He is honest and has no weaknesses. That is why I had Doctor Lu pull him into the shadow world and rece him with a ghost. He Yi: The person responsible for the East City Investigation Centres security department. I wish to trigger a tragedy, so I have the security team hidden beforehand. They suffer no losses. You might be the most interested in thisst person. His name is Jing Tuoshen. Its probably a fake name. He always wears a pair of white gloves. He has a severe obsession with cleanliness. He is a human pet cultivated by one of the big shots at the headquarters. He is cunning, vicious and is not of sound mind. Chapter 203: First Step Chapter 203: First Step Jing Tuoshen? Gao Ming barely remembered this name from his many deaths. The headquarters is always interacting with the shadow world. Those whoe into contact with the demons will be affected by them. Some of the investigators changed dramatically after they left the anomaly. They butchered the citizens and became part of the tragedy. It was then that the headquarters required a special group of people to clean up the inside trash. Situ An smiled. He was happy to chat with Gao Ming because the more he knew about Gao Ming, the greater his chance of killing him. Jing Tuoshen is one such person. He is very good at secrecy, murder, and deception. A person with cleanliness obsession specialises in such work. How ironic. Xia Yang found another interesting soul. Jing Tuoshen doesnt have an official title. Ive interacted with him several times. I cant find his weakness. I only know that he is a researcher on the surface. Situ An turned to Xia Yang, If you can capture Jing Tuoshen, then you have the chance to know the core information of the headquarters. You can step on the dead bodies of the big shots to reach the top. Situ An probably wasnt lying. He was merely telling Gao Ming what he originally nned to do. In one of the futures where Gao Ming was killed, Situ An became the chief of the headquarters. That version of Situ An was the scariest. However, this Situ An was sent into Gao Mings heart before he could make his first step. If you want to take down the east city, just pay attention to Jing Tuoshen. With the aid of Xia Yang and Situ An, Gao Ming graduallypleted his horror story. Blood slid down the television screen. The babys crying intermingled with the sound of the broadcaster. The tears and the clock ticked at the same time. Ive done with this life. The old newspaper was torn into pieces and thrown into the air. The man walked past the overturned table and stepped on the stained carpet. He didnt even pick up the shards of ss. He ignored the crying kid andbed his fingers through his hair. He looked at the broken door, the mess around him and his wounded reflection in the mirror. His heart was unwilling. Suddenly, he grabbed the only chair in the room and tossed it at the mirror. The mirror shattered. The face he hated the most appeared everywhere. What a horrible day! The man removed his shirt and yanked out the drawer. He tossed the stuff to the ground. All of a sudden, he found something in the trash. He knelt on the ground and picked it up with absolute reverence. It was a white pill with the letter Y. The man carefully picked up the pill. He pinched it between his two fingers before slowly cing it on his tongue. The man swallowed slowly as he felt the pill travel down his throat. At that moment, he seemed to embrace heaven. Heid on the oily and trashy carpet with immense satisfaction. He stretchedzily. The world in his eyes seemed to spin. Everything was crawling towards him, making him the centre of everything. The missing part of his soul had beenpleted. The mans limbs tightened as his body lifted. His pupils rolled back. His thoughts were sucked away. In this situation, he heard a voice. I will not let you disappear. I will not let you break down. I know your heart is still in it. I will lead you to find the thing you really want. Situ An, is that you? I will kill you! Give me the pill! Transfer my soul! The man started awake. After a short joy, he was consumed by greater fear. His eyes watered, and his body shivered. Transfer my soul. I need more drugs. I will give you anything. The mans eyes dulled. He heard the phone ring. This was the 11th time it had rung, but he showed no interest in answering it. Other than the Soul Transfer Pill, he didnt want anything. He picked up his phone. His eyes focused slightly when he saw that it was a call from his father, Fu Ning. His finger wavered. Finally, he lobbed the phone at the wall. The kid cried harder. The man smacked his head. Die! Die! Die! The many trophies in the cupboard were like mocking faces. The mans name was Fu San. He was Wan Zai Investigation Centre Chief, Fu Nings eldest son. He had always been his fathers pride and was viewed as the investigator most likely to take over after his father. However, his father had no idea that Fu San ran into trouble during his first mission. He took Situ Ans Soul Transfer Pill. The medicine could cure mental illness. It came from Doctor Lu and was rted to the shadow world. Currently, both Situ An and Doctor Lu were gone. Fu San ran out of drugs. To prevent his father from noticing it, he had skipped work for days already. Stop crying, you bastard! His wife had already left. Fu San stood up unsteadily. He shoved open the bedroom door and looked at the crying kid. The baby had never seen his father like this before. He could only cry harder in the hopes that his father could wake up or his neighbours could hear him. If you keep on crying Ill sew your mouth up! Fu Sans eyes wandered between the shadow world and the real world. He stared at his childs face. The face slowly became more and more like Situ An. Its you! Youre here to harm me again! Fu San strangled his kid. Situ An, get out of my kids body! I will kill you! Fu San became more agitated, and he gripped harder. Situ An sure is a bad man. A mans voice suddenly appeared in the room. Who is there? Fu San raised the kid and looked around. Eventually, his eyesnded on the picture of himself and his wife. Situ An, I know youre hiding in the picture! Im not Situ An. Im Xia Yang. A bastard called Gao Ming got me here. Of course, Situ An is in his heart too. Fu San in the picture smiled warmly. Go to hell! Fu San let go, and the baby fell to the ground. At that moment, all the colours seeped from the picture. They morphed into a pair of hands to catch the child. Ill save one to kill one. Youll thank me in the future. The colours crawled onto Fu Sans body like spiders. One minute passed. Fu San wiped away the tears from his face. He gently put the baby down and kindly tugged him into bed. He pulled back the curtain to wee the dawn of a new day. Fu San looked at the east city investigation centre in the distance with a smile. The baby stopped crying. However, the picture on the table only had Fu Sans wife in it. Fu San was gone. Is it my turn to be the main character? Chapter 204: Humanmade Chapter 204: Humanmade What do you need to survive in the city filled with ghost stories and ghosts? The aged lecturer stood in the middle of the room. Behind him was the projection of the map of the east city. Fight! Push forward without fear! Xiao Yong pumped his fist. His answer got the agreement from the other newbies. No! Its to follow the rules! The aged lecturer mmed the thick rulebook on Xiao Yongs table. Ill give you three hours to memorise every single one of these rules! Thats scary! Xiao Yong said bitterly, I didnt even study so hard back at school. Stand up! The aged lecturer red at Xiao Yong, Every rule you see now is traded with the lives of your seniors! You can survive with these rules because your seniors have died trying to figure out the rules! The thick rulebook was covered with the blood of many investigators. The first lesson you need to understand is to learn to respect the rules and fear the rules! The lecturer yelled, scaring all the newbies. If you dont want to die in the horror story, memorise these and make them a part of you! Most of the newbies quickly went to study. Xiao Yong felt a bit unwilling. He had not encountered any anomaly. He was invited to join the centre because his physical attributes were higher than normal. Sit down! The lecturer looked at the thirteen newbies in the room, and a trace of pity crossed his eyes. The investigators at the east city were almost wiped out. The headquarters had selected more and more newbies to fill in the spaces. However, these newbies would only be cannon fodder. They hadnt memorised the rules and couldnt protect themselves. They were there to be meatshields for the experienced agents. With a sigh, the aged lecturer left the room. The corridor was filled with rushing people. A level 4 anomaly just lost control around the east city. Han Hai became the most dangerous district. Many newbies were sent into the countryside with just the barest training. What a long night. The weak light shone on the aged lecturers face. He was thankful that he had survived another night, but he was worried about the arrival of the next night. The ghosts and the humans who had been possessed would be limited in the day. They needed to act normal until the arrival of the night. The morning was the best chance for the investigation centre to deal with them. If they didnt kill the ghosts in the day, the ghosts would spread even further at night. The east city is now under the highest alert. The support from the other district ising. We cant lose this battle. The aged lecturer looked determined. He didnt care about himself. He was most worried about his son and the child inside his daughter-inws stomach. He took out a picture from his chest, and the expression on his face softened. Is that your family? The sudden voice shocked the aged lecturer. He turned around, and his eyes shone. Leader Fu San, youre finally back! The chief is so worried about you! Xia Yang had taken over Fu Sans body. He was not only the chiefs eldest son but also the leader of Team 1 at Wan Zai Investigation Centre. He was the big brother of all the young investigators. Yes. Im back. Fu San smiled. He appeared more mature and stable. He seemed to have survived the worldsrgest wave. He radiated confidence. Ill bring you to the chief now. The situation is not that optimistic. The aged lecturer ran to press the button to summon the elevator. After he cleared his identity, he waved for Fu San to enter the elevator. The East City Investigation Centre was located at 19th Street, Queens. It was 13 floors tall. It was Situ Ans asset. The building looked normal from the outside. However, once one was inside, one would notice that all the windows were treated with special materials. The internal structure waspletely different from what one would expect. The investigators training rooms and offices took up Floor 1 to Floor 7. Floor 8 to Floor 10 were the rooms for the researchers and security members. Only people who had permission from Situ An could go up to the tenth floor. Fu San hadnt been there before. The elevator stopped at the seventh floor. Once they exited the elevator, they could hear a heated argument. The chiefs from the other districts who were sent there as reinforcement mmed Fu Nings table and howled. Fu Ning responded with silence. Situ An was gone, and the situation in the east city was very precarious. Chief! The aged lecturer walked to the door. He didnt knock and yelled with a voice that was louder than his age indicated. Fu Ning lifted his head and saw his eldest son at the door. Fu Ning stood up, ignored the raging chiefs and walked to his son. Good. As long as youre fine. Before Fu San could say anything, Fu Ning turned to the other chiefs. I represent the east city investigation centre to thank everyone again. We willplete all the logistics for you, but our security department still has other missions, so I cant help you. Fu Ning, we have sacrificed our lives to help you, but youre still hiding your weapons from us? How is that fair? Li San Investigation Centre Chief, Chen Yuntian was the oldest and most experienced. Im sorry, but before Chief Situ An returns, I cant mobilise the security department. Then, Ill talk to the person in charge! They cant leave their post. Fu Ning was firm. After that, he grabbed Fu San and walked to the elevator. The tragedy is brewing outside. Why cant we send out the security? Fu San was confused, Arent they there to deal with this? Fu Ning nced at his son and checked him three times before bringing him to the eleventh floor. The elevator door slowly opened to reveal not an office or a training room but many unique rooms. There were sick bays, nurseries, female toilets and so on. What is this ce? Humanmade resentment rooms. Fu Ning stood at the door. Situ An has been trying to build them. He wants to use human power to construct resentment rooms. We cant let the chiefs from the other districts see this. Fu San narrowed his eyes. The temp chief of the headquarters has been secreting raising ghosts. I can see why it can be damning. Situ An and Doctor Lu have been missing for too long. Some of these rooms did have scary changes. The 13th floor is now off limits. Fu Ning walked between the rooms. Stay away from the doors. Something mighte out. Is the 13th floor out of control now? Fu San hid the excitement in his eyes very well. In one of the resentment rooms, a big ghost was really nurtured. Fu Nings face was tight. All the security members are now on the 12th floor. We need to kill it before the day is over. Chapter 205: 0109 Chapter 205: 0109 Situ An tried his best to build a resentment room, but sess evaded him. However, the moment he died, a real big ghost appeared in his project. The investigators from the other districts wouldnt have known the ghost is actually in this building, Fu Nings expression was severe, We cant let them know this, or our situation will be worse. The people above have already suspected us of being spies of the shadow world. Are they going to abandon us? Fu San followed Fu Ning. Like what the old man said, he probably wouldnt have expected the ghost to be right beside him. Situ An knows too many secrets. Its one thing to be abandoned, but I fear they want to silence us. Fu Ning shook his head. Youre still young. You dont understand these things. Sometimes, humans are worse than ghosts. Moving between the unfinished resentment rooms, Xia Yang inside Fu San carefully looked around. Situ An knew the resentment rooms very well. He built these rooms ording to scale. Some of the resentment rooms had the cursed objects from the actual locations moved there. These were all perfect canvases. Each was soaked with horrible memories. Once he got close, he could hear the screams inside the wall and smell the blood in the air. Fu San took a deep breath and lowered his head, afraid that his father might see the excitement in his eyes. His fingers snipped and cracked. He was desperate to paint. I know youre scared, but theres no need to suppress it. I was very afraid when I first came here too. That is normal. Youll soon get used to it. Fu Ning looked at his son with love. He had a lot of hope in Fu San. Youre acting much better than normal people would already. Okay. Fu San was scared that his emotions would be captured by his father, so he replied with only a single word. They used the stairs and headed to the 12th floor. Once Fu Ning opened the door, the gun barrels aimed at him. The security members looked at Fu Ning and Fu San expressionlessly. They were like murder robots. The security at the east city was stronger and colder than the security sent from Xin Lu. It felt like their humanity had been stripped away. They became animals who would only listen to Situ An and their leaders orders. Tell your team leader, He Yi, that Fu Ning is here. Fu Ning stood there honestly. He knew that if he took another step, his head would be blown off. The East City security department was trained by Situ An. Everyone was scarier than a ghost. They had all been to the shadow world with Doctor Lu to take his mental medicine. They were more akin to ghosts than humans. Two security members said nothing and turned away. Minutester, the two returned. Compared to the resentment rooms on the 11th floor, the resentment rooms on the 12th floor were more lively. One could hear the sounds of screaming, crying andughing from the rooms. The walls were crawling with strange red nts. They looked like creepers or knotted hair. Thick blood scabs lingered at the corner. They reeked horribly. Each resentment room had a red key. Sacrifices and candles were ced before the doors. The centre of the doors had a headless door guardian. I wish to draw a head for them. Fu San grumbled in his heart. A chilly breeze blew, and the candles flickered. When the light returned to normal, a very ugly man appeared before Fu Ning and Fu San. He wore the uniform of the security department. His skin was deathly pale. He had a pair of upturned eyes like snakes. Fu Ning, what are you doing here? Without the chiefs order, we will not leave this ce. The chief is missing. The Level 4 Anomaly is going out of control Before Fu Ning could continue, He Yi interrupted him with impatience, The things that happen outside dont concern us. Even if Han Hai is destroyed, we will not move. I know. I merely hope that when the danger arrives, considering our rtionship Fu Ning pushed Fu San before him, Bring my son with you when you retreat. I can die here, but he is still young. Bring him with us? He Yi studied Fu San, not giving an answer. The reinforcements from the other districts areing. The counter-attack will start soon. I will take on all the pressure to help the chief so that you wont be disturbed while youre here. Fu Ning said, This is my only request. Hell only suffer if hees with us. However, since this is your only request, I will consider it. He Yi nodded. Fu Ning sighed in relief, How is the situation on the 13th floor? Have you figured out the reason behind the appearance of the big ghost? The chiefs experiment appears to have seeded, He Yi pushed on his blood band. The info about a boy and a video appeared on the wall. Live bait No. 0109, Ah Fang has not been taken a sacrifice. He wandered the many resentment rooms on his own and survived until now. The live baits tossed in before him had all perished. He is the only exception. We suspect No. 0109 has gathered all the resentment of the rooms on his body. The boy on the screen looked around four. Bandage bound around his ankle. He wore a dirty dinosaur pyjama and yed with a toy car inside the room. Is he talking to something? Fu Ning frowned, Is he the big ghost with the resentment room? What is his background? His parents were volunteer workers at the charity headquarters. His family was poor. His family moved around to different cheap ts. ording to the files, the boy was very understanding. He knew how to look after himself when he was young. He was often left at home alone, but he made no fuss. Then, why was he chosen as the live bait? Fu Ning frowned deeper. Where are his parents? They have disappeared in the anomaly. It was the previous Queens Investigation Centre Captain, Qing Ge, who brought this child back and sent him into the researchersb. The boy seemed to sense people looking at him. He looked around before crawling to the hidden camera on the ground. Everyone stared at the screen with full focus. However, the child only waved his toy at the camera proudly. He looks like a very innocent kid, Fu San narrowed his eyes. He couldnt sense anything from the boy, but he saw a very scary presence in the room behind him. The big ghost will be weakened in the day. Well conduct another test at noon. Hu Yi appeared to owe Fu Ning a favour. Ill bring your son with me when I retreat. But you need to leave now. The security members cleared a path for them. Fu Ning walked down the stairs, but Fu San stayed where he was. He cut open his palm with a smile and drew something on the strange nts that crawled all over the walls. What are you still doing there? He Yis voice chilled when he spoke to Fu San. Your father is still considerate towards you in the end. How sad. He doesnt even know how much drugs our chief has given you, right? Fu San was startled and then shook his head. The chief is missing. You cane to me if you want more Soul Transfer Pills. He Yi lowered his voice. I only need you to do one thing for me behind your fathers back. Chapter 206: Tragedy Chapter 206: Tragedy What do you need me to do? Fu Sans finger traced the wall. His eyes wandered about like he was reminiscing about the taste of Soul Transfer Pill. The mention of the pill made the worms in Fu Sans heart move. This realistic reaction satisfied Fu Yi. The Soul Transfer Pillse from the shadow world. Our great chief Situ An has a home in the shadow world. Fu San started to tell everyone Situ Ans secrets since he believed Situ An was dead. There are a lot of Soul Transfer Pills at his home. Not to mention the weaknesses of all the big shots at Han Hai. It is also where Situ An keeps his research on the ghosts. Fu San was intrigued by the things He Yi mentioned. The portrait he drew on the wall was almostplete. However, it is very hard to enter that home. I know where it is. Your father knows what things to prepare to summon the door. The logistics manager, Jiang Chan, has the door key. He Yis ugly face blocked Fu Sans sight. I need you to get the identity of the things from your father. After I enter Situ Ans home in the shadow world, Ill give you all the pills you want. So that home is Situ Ans real inheritance. He has hidden his stuff in the shadow world. Fu Sans portrait disappeared into the wall. He thought for a long time before nodding. You better go before your drug withdrawal kicks in and get the stuff I want. Dont let your father figure out anything. After all, youre his only pride. He Yi led his people away and entered the corridor with augh. Fu Ning, who was waiting in the 11th-floor elevator, didnt ask much. He returned to the seventh floor with Fu San, Ah San, despite your tough appearance, I know youre a nice kid with a kind heart. Dad has a lot of hope in you, but things have changed. I only have one demand of you. Take care of yourself and put your own safety first. This was Xia Yangs first time being praised. He smiled gently. When youre a father like me, youll understand. Fu Ning and Fu San entered the office deep on the seventh floor. The other three team leaders from Wan Zai Investigation Centre were there too. The day is breaking. The cleaning activity focused on the anomalous citizens in the east city will begin soon. I called you here to rify one thing. We joined the investigation centre to protect Han Hai and our family, not to be the centres de. Chief, do we really have to kill the suspects as per the headquarters orders? They look just like normal humans. What if we get it wrong? Team 2 Leader opened the document sent down from the headquarters, After the ghosts possess a living human, they will showcase five anomalies. Once they fit three anomalies, we can cleanse them. This is basically giving the investigators the right to kill. I worry this will lead to chaos! Havent you read the back of the document? The cleanse has to be done away from the eyes of the public. Were only doing this to protect the public better. Team 3 Leader said mockingly. Is the reinforcement from the headquarters here? I hear they are led by that legendary character. Fu Ning signalled everyone to quiet down. The people are not here, but they did send us some equipment. Its something created by the researchers from Xin Lu. Team 3 Leader ced a ck helmet on the table. Apparently, you can use this to differentiate between normal humans and possessed victims. However, if you ask me, this is a lie. The helmet can be remotely controlled. The helmet can edit the wearers view so that every human the wearer sees will be a ghost. That way, the wearer will have an easier time killing them. Fu Ning put on the helmet. After some adjustments, he looked around. His eyes paused on Fu San for a few seconds before turning away. Its useless. Fu Ning tossed the helmet on the day. Youll follow the investigators from the other centres for the cleanse during the day. However, you have toe back before the night arrives. Ignore the headquarters orders. They dont deserve us dying for them. Chief, do you have another n? Team 2 Leader noticed something. You only need to know that I will not harm you. Fu Ning was tired. Is there anything else? The citizens have a lot of opinions about us. I believe there is a shadow group behind it. Team 2 Leader showed the videos. There were protesters at Queens 13th Street. They demand to enter the centre and be shown the truth so that the missing and the dead can be put to rest. The missing? Fu Nings face darkened. Chief Situ An has been missing for less than twelve hours, but some people already cant wait to tear him down. Many negative news about him appear online. Some of them are horrifying. Team 2 Leader wiped the sweat from his face. The chief made himself into the model of Han Hai in the past. Now, he is knocked down from his pedestal. We might be impacted by the mes. Its fine. We can let those people in at night. Fu Ning said expressionlessly. These people want the truth, and well see if they can handle the truth. The team leaders thought of something, and everyone shut up. Just follow my orders. Work with the headquarters in the cleansing during the day and return to the safe zones at night. Let those who want to find the truth and grab the chiefs inheritance enter the east city investigation centre at night. Fu Nings expression was scary. Give them what they want. We just need to survive. It looks like things will be busy at the east city investigation centre at night. The few leaders could imagine the horrible scene. Those who were cleansed in the day woulde back as ghosts to take revenge at night. Fu San, you dont need to participate in the cleansing. You stay here to teach the newbies. For many of them, this might be thest time they can see the light. After everyone left, Fu Ning stood beside the office table. He looked at the ck helmet on the table. He aged in a moment, and his eyes didnt shine as bright as before. Fu San closed the door behind him and drew a small person on the door. Gao Mings eyes in picking the game venue is not bad. If he wants to do a bad thing, he is worse than the tragedy. Chapter 207: Jing Tuoshen Chapter 207: Jing Tuoshen I want you to draw the inner reflection of your truest selves. Do not be limited by conventions. It can be abstract drawings or surreal paintings. You only need to look inside your hearts. After Fu San parted from the chief, he entered the newbie training room. He chased away the teacher and sat at the podium. The newbies had no idea who Fu San was. They saw the teacher respect him a lot, so they followed his orders. The paintings were sent to Fu San. He lowered his head and gave everyone hisments, Trash and worse than trash. These cant even be recycled. You have a life like in water. How dumb do you need to be to draw something like this? So far, the biggestpliment Fu San had given was, Your painting is like instant noodles vouringnding on your shoes. It has taste, but you need to kneel down to lick it. The newbies expression changed from the initial confusion to anger. They knew that a lot of difficulties awaited them inside the investigation centre. However, this teacher didnt teach them anything. He insulted them for no reason. About ten minutester, Fu San narrowed his eyes and lifted his head for the first time, Who drew this? He raised the paper. It had the painting of a cock with five fingers. I did. Xiao Yong stood up. In the past, he thought the centre was mysterious, but after starting the training, he realised the centre waspletely different from what he had thought. Why did you draw a chicken? Fu San burned the painting before Xiao Yongs eyes. Did all the chickens you ate look like this? I dont know what youre talking about. I merely drew what I believe myself to be. The cry of a cockerel wakes up the sun. I hope the sun will return to Han Hais sky. I will inherit the dreams of the seniors before me and fight the ghosts to my death! Xiao Yong said loudly. Do you think the sun wille up for a chicken? Fu San smiled, Tonight, you will patrol the inside of this building with me. Xiao Yang wanted to counter, but he was pulled back by the person beside him. I have nothing to teach you. After all, most of you will not survive tonight. My suggestion is for you to use thisst day to do what you want to do. Talk to your family, eat something that is normally too expensive for you, have sex with random strangers and so on. If you can survive, then youve earned the right to take my lessons, Fu San tossed all the paintings to the ground. All the paintings he had marked had their lines wiggling. They seemed to wish to crawl into the newbies hearts. Is that what a teacher should say? Xiao Yong couldnt stand it anymore and stood up again, We joined the investigation centre without fear, and is this how we are being treated? Does the investigation centre treat us as cannon fodder? Not fodder but fresh paint that can bring colours to this grey world. Fu San stood up and headed to the next ssroom. He didnt care about the newbies. He categorised the yers into different grades based on his own standards. As a mega superviin, Xia Yang felt no pressure at all. Death was the most correct decision I had ever made. Without the limitation of a shell, my soul can touch the real world. Everything is so beautiful. Xia Yang wanted to collect a yer group to join his team, but at that moment, his ck band vibrated. The remaining investigators received an emergency order to gather. The message came from Han Hai Headquarters. However, a few secondster, all the core members at the East City investigation centre received a reminder from Fu Ning to follow the original n and ignore the headquarters if necessary. Out of curiosity, Fu San came to the corner of the third floor and looked down at the first-floor lobby. The investigators sent by the other centres gathered at the first-floor lobby. They seemed to be waiting for someone. Half an hourter, a ck car stopped at the entrance. After the driver parked the car, he came down with an umbre to open the passenger door to ensure the passenger wouldnt get wet. A pair of white gloves reached out of the car. A clean-looking young man got out. His uniform was different from the other investigators. He wore a badge of a brain inside a vat on his left shoulder. The white band that represented a researchers identity was bound around his wrist. Jing Tuoshen? Fu San studied the man, He is about 50 in real age but looks around 20 The investigators in the lobby automatically cleared a path. The young man walked to the end of the lobby. His driver and two security members dragged a giant chest and followed behind him. The investigators heard strange noisesing from the chest, and they wanted to know what was inside it. The driver opened the chest with the signal from the young man. Zuo Bo, in a patients garb, was fixed inside the chest. A hole was punctured in his skull. Something was imnted through the hole. The scene caused some newer investigators to shiver. However, they knew this was how the researchers conducted their work. Yesterday night, the headquarters had released a list of dangerous personnel. After one night, seven of them have been sent to the researchersb centre. After our research, we confirm that all of theme from Han De Private School ss 13. Any student from that ss will be the source of danger and attract the shadow to get close to them at night. They will trigger the anomalies. The driver injected arge needle into Zuo Bos body. The pain caused his face to twist. When Zuo Bo was in intense pain or anger, his shadow would twist. It was trying to spread and drag everyone around him into the shadow world. Stepping on Zuo Bos shadow, the young man grabbed Zuo Bo by his skull and pressed his finger into the wound on the back of Zuo Bos head. He admired Zuo Bos painful wails and said coolly, The cleansing will continue. All the free investigators will join the other departments in the mission. No matter what you do, you have to find these people from ss 13 before dark. The security members projected the map of the east city on the lobby wall. All the main streets and buildings in the city had been sealed up. The headquarters had turned the east city into a prison. They swore to cleanse the tragedy there. For Han Hai, for our family! Go! Chapter 208: Qualities Chapter 208: Qualities One has to find a reasonable excuse to send people to their deaths. The screams in the lobby continued. Fu San listened to them patiently. The map marked out by Jing Tuoshen is simr to the map Gao Ming showed me. They are both looking for the students from ss 13. These poisons released by the shadow world into the real world are quite popr. The clouds spied on the sin through the windows. The g of the investigation centre flew above Zuo Bos head. Zuo Bo was injected with tubes, and his head had been poked through. He was a human, but he was transformed to look more like a monster. Jing Tuoshens driver was satisfied with his work. He yanked the tubes on Zuo Bos body and removed his patients garb to reveal the shadow world tattoo on Zuo Bos skin. His body was like a rift in the real world. Fingers from the shadow world extended through. The investigators in the lobby knew the severity of the situation. The team leaders led the teams and ventured into the city. The lobby emptied until two security members stood beside the cage. Zuo Bo was disyed like an animal. He was hated like the manifestation of sins. What a mad world. The smell of blood floated in the air. Fu San took a deep breath. He could smell the scent of murder. His fingers tapped on the rails. He would have a feast that night. Queens Street was filled with protesters, and rumours invaded the inte. The mutated citizens raised a storm, and the scapegoats hid in the dark with a smile. The ghosts looked at the dirty world of humanity, and the humans had demons in their hearts. The investigation centre wants to control Han Hai. The monsters and ghosts from the shadow world want to take down the east city investigation centre. The presence of the investigation centre was to resist the shadow world. If the east city investigation centre were taken over by ghosts, panic would spread further. Therefore, the venue of the power contest between the shadow world and the real world will be here tonight. Hiding upstairs, Fu San saw a batch of reinforcements from the headquarters enter the east city centre. Some of them met up with Jing Tuoshen while arge part moved away from Jing Tuoshen like they had been given another order. Even now, the headquarters is still divided. What are they thinking? Do they have a deeper n? Even I worry for them. Fu San knew that Jiujiang and Xin Lu treated the shadow world differently. Jiujiang chose the path of massacre, while Xin Lu chose the path of assimtion. Han Hai was straddling both. The cleansing mission at the east city continued. The morning was instrumental to them. Even the newbies were sent out. Most of them hadnt interacted with an anomaly before. The morning passed. The rain weakened, but the rain clouds still hung low. Fu Ning and a few chiefs stood before Jing Tuoshen with their heads lowered. They didnt even dare to breathe. You only managed to kill 11 possessed people in four hours after mobilising the entire east city investigation centre?! Jing Tuoshen scoffed at their uselessness. We caught 254 suspicious characters. All of them have been quarantined. Once we make sure they are possessed, we will take the corresponding actions, Chen Yuntian was the oldest, and he wasnt that scared of Jing Tuoshen. What about the students from ss 13? How many of those have you caught? Jing Tuoshen cared more about that. Currently, weve confirmed the locations of five students. One of them is Cai Meimei, who lives in Springs Apartments. However, we lost contact with the teams we sent there. Fu Ning didnt dare to look at Jing Tuoshen. He was guilty because there was a big ghost in the building that hadnt been dealt with. Each of those students can trigger an anomaly. If we leave them be, that apartment will be the next Han De Private Academy. Jing Tuoshen put down his files and walked out. Gather everyone. You have to capture them before dark! The people inside the east city investigation centre moved about crazily. They woulde back to report every few hours. The closer it was to the night, the more frequent they made the reports. All the investigators were like machines. No one dared to slow down. Xia Yang didnt stay idle either. He visited all the taboo ces at the east city investigation centre and managed to get the types of sacrifices from Fu Ning. Soon, he would be able to enter the shadow world and visit Situ Ans home. After everything was ready, Fu San returned to the newbie training room he had been to that morning. When he saw that all the newbies had been mobilised by the headquarters to patrol the streets, he blocked the door. Team Leader Fu, what are you doing? The people from the logistics department didnt dare to offend Fu San. Their ranks were lower than investigators, and Fu San was the chiefs son. You know the situation at the east city currently. Sending the newbies to patrol is sending them to their death. Fu San didnt move. Leader Fu is kinder than the other leaders to consider these kids, The leading worker was called Wang Hao. He took out the slip from the headquarters. But we cant help it. We are understaffed, and the people above have been urging us. The newbies left the equipment room with their gear. They saw Fu San blocking the door. Ive received news that the ghosts might target the east city investigation centre. This building has weak defensive power. Ill have to take over this batch of newbies under requisition. Fu San pushed Wang Hao to the side and waved at the newbies. Will the ghosts attack the centre? This news frightened not only Wang Hao but also the newbies. It makes sense. The mutated creatures we killed in the day will take revenge at night. Perhaps this is why Teacher Fu is protecting us. I hear that newbies like us will only be treated as meatshield by our seniors. Well be sent into the anomalies to test the ghosts power. Im surprised Teacher Fu is so nice considering his attitude. Dont be taken in by him. Hes doing this to save his own skin! The other investigators are out there to protect Han Hai, but hes standing here at the centre because hes the chiefs son. Some of the students had asked about Fu Sans background from the workers. They figured out that Fu San only became a team leader because of his father. The other team leaders at the centre gave him face on the surface but looked down on him in the dark. They gave him a lot of horrible nicknames. Ive received a message from the headquarters from my ck band. Im being requested to go to Springs Apartments to assist the other teams. Xiao Yong didnt like Fu San, who was so weak. From his perspective, Fu San was an empty can that made a lot of noise. He would have no future following him. Some of the newbies sided with Xiao Yong. They were selected to join the investigation centre. They had already been given the ck bands even though they were still newbies. Do you need me to repeat myself? Fu San smiled at them. Follow me now. Being stared at by Fu San, the students at the front shivered. Xiao Yong walked out of the group. He didnt think Fu San would dare to do anything to him or even go against the headquarters. Follow you? Xiao Yong held the special knife and steadied his steps. However, he only took two steps when he felt that something was wrong. Fu Sans eyes changed. In his eyes, Xiao Yong became a cockerel with five toes. A drawing? His clothes were torn apart, and then his skin came out. Fu Sans gaze was about to gouge out Xiao Yongs heart. What are you doing here? A loud voice came from the distance. The man was two metres tall. Chief, youre here! Wang Hao jogged to the man and whispered everything to him. Fu Sans worry is not unfounded. If you go out now, youll only be cannon fodder. You should stay here. The man wore a western suit. The work ID hung before his chest. The que of a faceless Buddha hung around his neck. Jiang Chan? Fu San smiled brighter. Youre here. Im here to take a look since the situation is so unstable. Jiang Chan walked through the group and entered the equipment room. It looked like he was searching for something. Now that Situ An was missing, the two power centres at the east city investigation centre were Jiang Chan and Fu Sans father. The newbies knew they couldnt afford to offend them, so they obediently returned to the training room. There are two more hours before the light goes out. I will teach you something you can really use. Fu San wanted to train these newbies into qualified sacrifice. Humans have no chance of surviving an encounter with ghosts, but if you focus on strengthening these qualities, you might not only survive but also kill the ghosts. Fu Sans words instantly grabbed these newbies attention. He didnt use the projector and drew with his pen. First, you need to have a fearless heart. You need to master your fear so that you can be rational at all times. This is known as a strong heart. Second, you need to have a good physique. Even if you are possessed, you wont die instantly. This is a strong body. Third, every time you are dragged into the anomaly, you will interact with the shadow world. The shadow will slowly infect your body and transform you. The more you are affected, the more you can use the cursed objects from the shadow world. This is called Yin Soul. Fourth, people be ghosts when they die due to resentment. I need you to strengthen your connection to the real world. The stronger the connection, the stronger youll be. Last is brain power. Your mental power is the key to fighting with ghosts. You can improve your brain power with many different exercises. Teacher Xia merely wanted to nurture these people into good sacrifice. However, many things appeared in his mind, like he had really held sses like this to train a group of super yers in the past. Chapter 213: Glob Chapter 213: Glob The insideyout of the east city investigation centre wasplicated. Each room radiated a strange presence. The sound of mantra incantation, the singing of children¡¯s lubies, the breathing from the speakers and the asional stomping footsteps¡­ This ce didn¡¯t feel like the bastion against ghosts but their of ghosts. The eyes of the portraits on the wall moved. They watched everyone who passed. ¡°Is this a horror game?¡± Yan Lin didn¡¯t believe this at first, but when he was inside the horror game himself, a strong sense of danger, fear, and helplessness bound his heart and soul. He felt like he couldn¡¯t escape. He walked down the corridor carefully. Yan Lin detected the scent of blood in the air. He raised his hand at Su Mo behind him, telling him to stop. Su Mo, who was inexperienced, couldn¡¯t tell what Yan Lin was doing. He walked to Yan Lin¡¯s side before he stopped, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There is the smell of fresh blood ahead. If I tell you to runter, run. Do not wander off on your own.¡± Yan Lin grabbed his gun. He stuck to the wall and slowly nudged forward. His nerves were pulled taut. Yan Lin had never felt so anxious. Everything inside the building made him nervous. Yan Lin turned the corner with his gun pointed ahead. The scary scene he imagined didn¡¯t appear. Under the flicking lightsy a bloody female investigation. Yan Lin slowly approached her. He raised his gun because he realised the female investigator had her eyes fully open. When their eyes met, goosebumps broke out on his beck. He didn¡¯t feel this way even when facing the worst criminal. ¡°There¡¯s chaos inside the investigation centre. The chief has betrayed us. The ghosts he kept behind our backs are out hunting. Every living human is his toy and food.¡± The woman said weakly, ¡°Leave. This is not where you should be.¡± This proved that they were on the right way. Su Mo observed the investigator. He didn¡¯t think she was a bad person. ¡°What does the ghost look like?¡± Yan Lin¡¯s brows twisted together upon hearing that question. The university student asked such a direct question without knowing the person¡¯s background. What if the woman was a ghost? ¡°The ghost is very good at drawing. The portraits on the wall are all humans. Once he drew you, you would be cursed.¡± The woman¡¯s face paled. ¡°Can you carry me up? I need to meet up with the rest to warn them!¡± Su Mo lowered the rim of his cap to cover his face. Then, he went to pick up the woman, ¡°How shall I call you?¡±¡°Zhang Lian,¡± The bloody investigator touched her ck band to survey the situation inside the building, ¡°They are on the fourth floor!¡± Zhang Lian walked forward with Su Mo¡¯s aid. Su Mo cooperated with her fully. With a dry cough, Yan Lin pulled Su Mo to his side, ¡°You suspected me so much earlier. We just met this suspicious woman, and you trusted her?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone that easily. Zhang Lian said that her chief betrayed them, and his ghosts massacred everyone. That coincides with the information we have. That proves that she isn¡¯t lying. Currently, the investigators are being chased by ghosts. We have the same enemy, so we can cooperate.¡± Su Mo tried to keep a calm head. It was hard to imagine that he was still studying trigonometry and solving equationsst week. ¡°That makes me suspicious of you. Are you in the same team as her?¡± Yan Lin wanted to go off on his own, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to send Su Mo to his death. Therefore, he followed them from a distance. They came to the fourth floor using the stairs. ¡°Slow down!¡± Yan Lin looked around carefully, ¡°The walls are no longer covered in portraits but melted corpses. This is too much. The painter must have dissolved a lot of corpses before to be able to showcase the process so clearly.¡± Seeing the extremely abstract human shapes, Su Mo couldn¡¯t tell they were human beings at all. He was about to ask when he was reminded of something, ¡°Wait. How are you so familiar with this process?¡± Yan Lin wanted to show him his ID, but he forgot to bring it. ¡°Save me¡­ Is someone there?¡± A weak plea for help came from down the corridor. Su Mo walked towards the door carefully. ¡°The voice came from Room 403.¡± Su Mo tried to push on the door. He looked through the gap in the door. There was an investigator lying not far from the door. Due to the angle, Su Mo could only see the man¡¯s upper body. He didn¡¯t look injured. ¡°Thank you foring to save me¡­¡± The investigator suddenly whipped his head around. At the same time, brownish-red liquid dripped from the ceiling. ¡®Balls¡¯ of the investigators¡¯ bodies fell down. The investigators in the room were melted together. Most of them hid behind the door like a bulbous monster or a sludge. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry! Let me eat you!¡± The investigator who was used as bait only had a presentable upper body. His lower body was joined to the monster. He was like the monster¡¯s tail. Yan Lin shot at the monster, and shouted at Su Mo, ¡°Move!¡± The strange blob made from the corpses of the investigators moved quickly. It slid down the corridor. ¡°This way!¡± The three ran down the corridor. They bumped into another batch of investigators around the corner of the fourth and fifth floors. Xiao Yong¡¯s friends were trapped inside Room 403. He and the other survivors wanted to go back to take a look. As they turned the corner, they saw Su Mo carrying Zhang Liang. Xiao Yong thought he was brave, but when he saw Zhang Lian, his legs weakened. Not only Xiao Yang but all the other newbies were also scared witless. They stopped moving. ¡°Ghost! The ghost is here!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s behind me.¡± Su Mo saw them and hurried over with Zhang Lian, ¡°It¡¯s a glob of dissolved bodies.¡± ¡°The fuck! Stay away!¡± Xiao Yong didn¡¯t exin. He turned around and ran upstairs with the other newbies. They were already very tired. However, they were forced to cut through their limits. Fear triggered their potential. Since everyone started to run, Su Mo also ran. Yan Lin, who noticed the problem, called him to stop, but Su Mo didn¡¯t listen. They ran all the way from the fifth floor to the tenth floor. The security members with the red band stopped them. Everyone saw that a bloodred door had appeared on the previously-sealed floor. The door was crawling with blood vessels. A headless door guardian was stuck on it. Chapter 212: New Rules Chapter 212: New Rules Night, storm, chaos. The east city investigation centre stood under the dark clouds and blocked the little light there was. The giant shadow covered everyone on Queens Street. Among them was Su Mo. From a normal person¡¯s perspective viewing this tragedy, human lives were like fallen leaves, negligible. ¡°The group map is starting.¡± Su Mo ced his delivery bike by the escape route and put on his cap and mask. He took a deep breath and reached into his pocket to touch the cross and the spring de he had bought on the inte. Su Mo worked hard for a whole month and used the money he saved to buy these items. Su Mo picked up his delivery box. He counted everything inside. Other than most anti-ghost items, there was also the thin nket the four-mouthed auntie once put on him. ¡°The horror game is filled with danger, but for horror game yers, every game participation is a chance to get stronger!¡± Su Mo knew he was weak. Thebination of his five attributes was one point. However, he didn¡¯t give up. He had read a lot of shonen manga and had great hopes. ¡°The horror stories are taking over the city. Since I know the truth, I can¡¯t sit idle. If I can survive through clearing the maps, I¡¯ll give up on my research.¡± Due to his job, Su Mo was familiar with Queens 19th Street. He avoided the crowd and nned to reach the backdoor of the investigation centre using a shortcut. ¡°Not many people know this path. This way, I¡¯ll have the initiative.¡± Su Mo entered the alley and turned a corner. Then, he saw ¡®not many people¡¯ squeezed inside ¡®the rarely-known shortcut¡¯. ¡°Another one?¡± The only two flood survivors at Min Long Street were there as well. The elder brother, Le Jia, was muscr and strong. The younger brother, Le Ren, was thin and wispy. Their fear of water was gone. They wore captain¡¯s caps and ck raincoats. ¡°It looks like this map is very difficult, and all the yers will be here.¡± Fei Wu was a student at Han Hai University. He knew the ¡®truth¡¯ after solving the riddles on Dead Water Forum. He shared the shocking news with his roommates, and all four of them were there that night.¡°Why are there so many students?¡± Yan Lin, in in clothes, stood at the corner. He was the most experienced detective at Li San Police Station. He had no interest in this inte news until one of his subordinates disappeared mysteriously. To figure out the subordinate¡¯s location, Yan Lin started his investigation. He realised the man had be the so-called horror game yer and died in one of the horror games. Through the clues left behind, Yan Lin discovered more horrifying things. The investigation centre that represented justice and rules in his heart had many under-the-table dealings, like sacrificing living humans to the shadow world as leverage. Yan Lin was conflicted. Therefore, he decided to join the group map in person and enter the east city investigation centre to see the truth. Thunder boomed. The phone screens lit up. Everyone in the back alley turned to their phones. They just got a new mission message. ¡°Investigation Centre (Group Horror Map): Danger Rating Normal. Mutation Progression 0. Shadow Coverage 20 percent. Surviving yers 137. Chance of a Miracle 1/1000. ¡°The temporary chief of the east city investigation centre, Situ An, has betrayed Han Hai. He sacrificed humans to the shadow world in exchange for power. The east city investigation centre is now a haunted building filled with ghosts. The former students of ss 13 found evidence of Situ An¡¯s sins. You have to enter the building to find the captured ss 13 students and assist in their escape. Then, you have to attempt to expose the East City investigation centre¡¯s sins on the inte. Be careful of the investigators possessed by ghosts. ¡°You have a chance to acquire cursed objects inside the east city investigation centre. Trading and identification of all cursed items can be done on the forum. ¡°This map represents the copse of the old rules. The new rules will appear in your hands.¡± The message confirmed Su Mo¡¯s thought. He gripped his box tighter. Yan Li held his subordinate¡¯s phone. When he read the message, he frowned. On the surface, the yers looked like they were aiming for a new bnce, but in reality, they just wanted to fight against the investigation centre. ¡°The tragedy is here, but humans are still fighting among themselves. Perhaps this is the nature of humanity.¡± Putting away their phones, Fei Wu and his three roommates departed. ¡°Hey, do you want to team up?¡± Yan Lin walked towards Su Mo. He was a detective and could tell a criminal easily. Compared to the other yers, Su Mo appeared naive and innocent. Yan Lin believed he wouldn¡¯t betray him. ¡°Team up?¡± Su Mo was nervous. This was his first time. He was worried that Yan Lin would trick him, but he was not confident being on his own. ¡°Never mind. I like to be alone.¡± He stuttered his rejection towards Yan Lin. Su Mo hurried away. Yan Lin was stumped as he watched the young man stagger away. ¡°Does he think he¡¯s being cool? It looks like not all horror game yers are that impressive.¡± Yan Lin let Su Mo lead the way for him, and he followed quietly behind. Along the way, Su Mo practised many excuses. If he were stopped, he¡¯d say he was there to deliver food. However, when he reached the backdoor, he realised there was no guard there. ¡°Calm down. You are not worse than the others.¡± Su Mo cheered himself up. He entered the building. After some time, he realised¡­ He was lost! ¡°You¡¯re something else.¡± Yan Lin couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He walked out to grab Su Mo by his clothes. ¡°Stop wandering around. Come with me.¡± Yan Lin was being kind. He felt like if he left the young man be, he would die on the second floor. ¡°Why do you care about me that much?¡± Su Mo was very careful. Everyone only cared about themselves in this kind of death game. ¡°Call me unlucky.¡± Yan Lin took out his gun. He remembered the path. He easily led Su Mo to the end of the second-floor corridor. They could see the first-floor lobby easily from there. Arge pool of blood appeared on the ground. Zuo Bo was fixed inside a small box. He screamed nonstop. He was like Prometheus, who was pinned to the mountain for giving humanity fire. ¡°That¡¯s Zuo Bo from ss 13. The centre has indeed captured them!¡± Su Mo checked the information on his phone and nned to take down a video. Yan Lin looked severe. The sin of the east city investigation centre was disyed openly before his eyes. The conviction in his heart shook. ¡°Don¡¯t upload anything yet. We should check out the other floors first.¡± Chapter 211: Main Character Chapter 211: Main Character The thunder cut through the sky. The night enshrouded Han Hai. Anxiety spread through the east city. The dark clouds descended like they were about to smother the city. Gao Ming and Zhang Ding stood on the roof of the Fu An supermarket chain. The surrounding empty lots were littered with old boxes. This ce used to be an abandoned, small children''s theme park. The rusted cars were covered with ck spots. The merry-go-round swung in the rain. The fat Fa Cai leaned on one end of the see-saw. Behind it knelt the curious Zhang Fendou. ¡°I¡¯m not doing my homework. Not in this life.¡± Zhang Fendou nced at his dad¡¯s belt and grumbled softly. Standing at the edge of the roof, Zhang Ding said seriously, ¡°Xia Yang doesn¡¯t seem to follow your orders. He has painted all over the investigation centre. He wants to take on the investigation centre alone as if to show me up.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean that. He is just crazy.¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t tell Xia Yang¡¯s thoughts. He took out the death portrait he gained from Xia Yang. ¡°As long as we have this, the problem can be controlled.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zhang Ding took out two canvases from behind him. They featured buildings painted by Xia Yang using blood. No matter how the rain washed over them, the paintings didn¡¯t fade. The left painting had the Li San Investigation Centre, and the right had the East City Investigation Centre. There were a few legends in the two paintings--danger rating, mutation progression, shadow coverage, number of surviving yers and the chance for a miracle. ¡°Xia Yang has concluded five standards to set up a horror game. Look at them.¡± Zhang Ding didn¡¯t trust Xia Yang at all, but he had to admit that Xia Yang was very talented. He helped Gao Ming design the horror games. The higher the danger rating, the higher the chance for the yers to die; The shadow coverage represented how much of the area had been consumed by the shadow world; the mutation progression referenced the mutation level of the horror games and whether an intervention was required; Xia Yang added thest one on his own. Xia Yang was not pure evil. He had his own standard. The more dangerous and more mutated the horror game was, the greater the chance for a miracle to appear. That was Teacher Xia¡¯s discipline. There was no absolute despair. The miracle was hidden in the deepest darkness.Xia Yang nced at the two paintings. At first, the standards for the two paintings were simr. However, as night descended, something happened at the east city investigation centre where Teacher Xia was. Other than the number of surviving yers, the other standards had skyrocketed. Basically, two Level 3 Anomalies had urred simultaneously inside the east city investigation centre. ¡°Desperation times call for desperate measures.¡± Gao Ming held Xia Yang¡¯s death portrait, and suddenly, his new phone rang. Zhao Xi¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Gao Ming, people are entering the Li San Shadow World. They wear the red bands. They are different from the normal investigators!¡± ¡°The security department?!¡± Gao Ming moved the ghosts and humans near Li San¡¯s poverty district closer to the east city. Only a small number of the sick, old and young still remained there. ¡°Their target should be you! An An and I are finding a ce to hide! Strange devices are attached to their bodies. They can sense An An¡¯s presence. They seem to know about the existence of the death portraits too!¡± Zhao Xi carried An An and said. The headquarters knew of the death portraits earlier than Gao Ming did. They also knew how to use the death portraits. Different security departments had different specialities. ¡°An An is the real owner of the Fear Illness and the key to controlling it. If the investigation centre gets their hands on An An, they might do something horrible to him!¡± Zhao Xi was an honest man, but he was not dumb. ¡°Brother Zhao, get An An and the others to hide in the shadow world.¡± It was toote to hurry back. Gao Ming was going to force the security members toe back to the east city investigation centre. Gao Ming hung up and called an unknown number. ¡°Xuan Wen, how is your sideing along?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already visited all the criminals you told me to visit. The yers from Dead Water are gathering too. They are very interested in this first ¡®group map¡¯ of this horror game.¡± In Gao Ming¡¯s arrangement, Xuan Wen took over Xia Yang¡¯s original fate, controlled the Dead Water Forum and became the leader of the yers. To help Xuan Wen, Gao Ming leaked the information about the superviins to Xuan Wen so that she could use her own methods to strengthen herself. ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait. We can start now!¡± As Gao Ming gave the order, a giant truck lost control and rammed into the front door of the east city investigation centre. Then came the explosion. The revenge of the shadow world had officially started. ¡­ Han Hai University Student and part-time deliveryman Su Mo closed his delivery app. He turned his phone to silent mode. He tuned into the Dead Water Forum uncertainly again. He nced at the game information sent by the forum admin. The horror map that was nned at 8 pm that night, the investigation centre, was brought forward. All yers could make their moves already! ¡°The group map is open.¡± Su Mo was a normal university student. However, during one of his deliveries, he encountered an auntie with four mouths on her face. The auntie was nice, but he was still scared. When he woke up, someone put a nket over his body. He ran home and then started to surf the inte for information. He finally found some clues in a very-hidden forum. There were ghosts in Han Hai, but these horror stories didn¡¯t affect normal people because of the existence of the ¡®horror game yers¡¯. These yers cleared the horror games and killed the ghosts to strengthen themselves. As they obtained superhuman power, they protected Han Hai. The more Su Mo delved into this, the more shocked he was. After a long time of thinking, he decided to abandon his normal life and join the Dead Water Forum to be a horror game yer! However, he didn¡¯t have the guts to do it alone. Therefore, this group map was the perfect chance. Su Mo nced at the rating the forum had given him¡­ Strong Heart 0, Strong Body 0, Yin Soul 0, Attachment 0, Brain Power 1¡­ ¡°After 20 years of mediocrity, is it finally my turn to be the main character?¡± Chapter 210: Prices Chapter 210: Prices The training room darkened. The newbies ran towards the only exit in the chaos. Zhang Lian gripped the bleeding knife and looked at her ¡®colleagues¡¯ with a grin. ¡°In the future, I won¡¯t need to listen to yourints anymore. You also don¡¯t need to worry about me limiting your freedom. You can do anything you want to do. The only payment I ask is for me to murder you. ¡°You have to be in a heightened emotional state to ensure that the sacrifice is fresh. I want you to breathe but not too loudly. Hide your pain in your hearts. I need your hearts to tremble with my steps. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The bleeding knife tapped against the wall. Zhang Lian whistled as she narrowed her eyes and walked between the shadow and the light. With each tick of the minute hand, darkness would take a giant step forward. ¡°That is not our teacher! He is not Fu San!¡± ¡°He is a ghost!¡± Holding his wound, Xiao Yong felt foolish about his earlier actions, ¡°No wonder Fu San told us an anomaly would happen inside the centre. He is the ghost!¡± ¡°The ghosts want to take on the east city investigation centre directly! Their goal is the investigation centre!¡± Wang Hu¡¯s voice appeared in the crowd. Everyone was so busy escaping that no one realised what was wrong until Xiao Yong asked, ¡°Wang Hu? Haven¡¯t you left already?¡±¡°Yes. But I realise I can¡¯t leave.¡± Wang Hu sounded embarrassed as he pointed at his lower body, ¡°My butt and legs have be part of the painting. I¡¯m not a human anymore.¡± Waving the knife he had, Wang Hu¡¯s upper body swung about. ¡°Come and join me!¡± Xiao Yong narrowly escaped the attacks as he pushed the people around him away. ¡°Run! Wang Hu has been possessed too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m still human. Xiao Yong,e into the painting and see for yourself! Haha!¡± The newbies scattered about. When they were inside a real anomaly, they realised how scary ghosts were. The whistling followed them closely. Zhang Lian held the knife in her left hand and touched the wall with her right. Blood oozed out of her fingers. The blood connected with the drawings on the wall. Portraits of the newbies appeared on the wall. Xia Yang drew these in the morning. After he ate the art teacher¡¯s resentment room, he gained her power as well. Once he finished drawing someone, he could trigger the sin within that person¡¯s heart and turn them into murderous puppets. The art teacher¡¯s resentment room had other powers, but Xia Yang only found this interesting. ¡°Since Gao Ming has pushed everyone¡¯s resentment room into the flood, I have to find a path for myself. If the rules I drew could be the real rules, what can threaten us at Han Hai? I¡¯m doing this for us. Gao Ming, get more people to move into our heart.¡± Explosions echoed inside the building. Portraits of the investigators appeared on the wall. ¡­ ¡°Emergency! The east city investigation centre is under attack! The ghosts¡¯ target is the centre g!¡± The messages from the ck band shattered the silence. The reinforcement from the north city investigation centre wanted to give up Springs Apartment. However, as they tried to retreat, the apartment door opened, and two newbie investigators stumbled in with tears running down their faces. ¡°Please, help us!¡± The beautiful female student with many limbs crawled on the ceiling, and the red eyes blinked behind the security camera. Li Chun slowly opened the curtain of his room. Instead of light, darkness seeped in. ¡°Why are you leaving so soon? So many scapegoats are my tenants. They need more beautiful clothes to wear.¡± ¡­ ¡°Hi. We¡¯ve received orders that the anomaly has appeared at the east city investigation centre.¡± Wei Dayou appeared in the centre uniform. A whole team followed him. ¡°You are¡­¡± The guards were confused, and then they were consumed by darkness. ¡°We¡¯re here to take over your job.¡± Wei Dayou led his team to guard the main street leading to the east city investigation centre. More and more people gathered at Queens 13th Street. Some of the adults with the student council badges shouted in the crowd. Each of them was a master maniptor. They knew how to make use of human weakness to release the animals into the human souls. ¡°Uncles, is Situ An that important?¡± Inside the transportation building at Queens Street, Wang Jie looked at his two well-equipped uncles. After knowing what happened to Wang Jie, his grandfather and uncles instantly mobilised their power. His two uncles led security members to enter the east city to detain Situ An. ¡°Situ An is the bridge between the two worlds. He is the key to the shadow world for some big shots at the headquarters. When Situ An is around, the infiltration of the shadow world can be controlled. We can slowly direct the shadow world to infiltrate the real world to understand its mechanism.¡± Wang Jie¡¯s youngest uncle revealed a secret. ¡°Does the higher-up know about what Situ An is doing?¡± ¡°They do, but they didn¡¯t expect Situ An to create such a gigantic loophole behind their back.¡± Standing inside the transportation building, they could still see the growing giant fleshy tree. The tree was standing on the ruins of Han De Private Academy, seemingly holding up the sky. ¡°Wang Jie, you and your ssmates can stay here. Do not leave this building. The headquarters is looking crazily for you.¡± His other uncle took out a strange device and gave it to Wang Jie, ¡°If you have news of your other students, send them to me. Now, the students of ss 13 are the key to sealing up this tragedy.¡± ¡°My ssmates are the key? How?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll soon see.¡± His two uncles left. Wang Jie looked out the window. There were people everywhere on Queens Street. It was the busiest part of Han Hai. An unimaginable tragedy might be born that night. There were many forces fighting behind the scenes. However, the headquarters had severely underestimated the horror of the shadow world. ¡­ ¡°There are 51 students in ss 13. We¡¯ve confirmed the location for 45 of them. Among them, Wang Jie is hiding inside the transportation building. The other troublesome one is Gao Ming. Based on the information we get from the other students, he and Wang Jie are the more special students in ss. All the investigators sent by Li San Centre to capture him had disappeared. We now suspect he is hiding in the shadow world!¡± The security member reported the file to Jing Tuoshen. The man with the sick beauty crossed his fingers as he stared at Chen Yuntian. ¡°These 51 people are the 51 seeds the shadow world has spread into the real world. Gao Ming might have already germinated and learned how to control the power of the shadow. Assign a special group and enter Li San. You have to terminate him no matter what!¡± ¡°We¡¯re running low on staff. We still have to assign a special unit to deal with him?¡± The security member hesitated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many normal people die in the east city. Our focus is to eradicate the sources of sin!¡± Chapter 209: Inside Chapter 209: Inside ¡°Strong heart, strong body, Yin Soul, Resentment, Brain Power¡­¡± The newbies hadn¡¯t even heard of these things before. Their teachers only told them to follow the rules. They didn¡¯t know about the five attributes. ¡°The value of these five attributes is not fixed. You can train yourself by entering the anomalies.¡± Fu San found some old documents under the desk. He used a pen and painted the death portraits of all the students. ¡°Are there devices in the centre to test these five values?¡± The newbies were curious. ¡°Not here, but you can go to Li San Investigation Centre. There are everything you want in the poor people''s district.¡± Xia Yang used his power to see the attribute changes in the yers. With that, he could guide them better. In one of the futures seen by Gao Ming, Xia Yang used this method to slowly be the centre of all the yers in the city. ¡°I hope you will keep the portraits I¡¯ve painted for you. This thing might help you when you least expect it.¡± Xia Yang was very kind. He gifted the paintings he drew to the students. Even though most of the students didn¡¯t believe Xia Yang, considering he was a teacher, they still epted the portraits. A small part directly showed their disdain. The things Fu San told them werepletely different from the rules the headquarters drilled into their heads. Plus, Fu San was only a teacher because of his father. His mental condition was not stable, much less his teaching capability. ¡°Leader Fu, you¡¯re also a team leader here. At this moment, your team members should be risking their lives in an anomaly, but you are here all safe and protected. Is that appropriate?¡± The person who asked was a girl called Zhang Lian. She had a ck band and had survived a Level 2 Anomaly. She had the best results among the group of newbies. ¡°My team members?¡± Fu San thought about it and said, ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡± Once he said that, the room was quiet.¡°That¡¯s right. They died in a recent anomaly to protect me.¡± Fu San recounted the story like it had nothing to do with him. The newbies were stunned by his callousness. ¡°I don¡¯t think someone like you can lead us.¡± Zhang Lian gripped her knife. She didn¡¯t trust anyone but the weapon in her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to stay here. I¡¯ve already notified the headquarters of the situation here. Is anyone willing to leave with me? We¡¯ll hurry to Springs Apartment now.¡± Fu San stared at Zhang Lian¡¯s face like he had found an interesting toy. The girl didn¡¯t look like a dumb person. Perhaps she did sense something. From Xia Yang¡¯s perspective, he wanted to sacrifice all the newbies. The investigation centre would be more dangerous inside than outside after dark. ¡°You lied when you said anomalies would happen here at night. It¡¯s an excuse you use to save your own skin.¡± Some idiots started to add oil to the fire. Fu San didn¡¯t exin. He smiled as he used his identity to log into the centre¡¯s live feed of the investigation outside. Various scary images instantly appeared on the projection on the wall. The sky hadn¡¯t darkened fully but anomalies had spread around the east city. Everyone could see the new rules and information sent by the investigators before they died. Springs Apartment was like an endless hole. No matter how many people entered it, they would disappear. Some of the protesters at Queens 13th Street wore yellow student council badges. They rallied the citizens to protect their rights. They demanded the investigation centre reveal the truth as they surrounded the east city investigation centre. All the media centres were there. They were ready to stay the night. The pedestrians at the edge of the east city became strange. Their eyes glowed with unknown fear. A lot of cars got into idents. The sirens never stopped. When the electronic clock on the wall reported the time, the light outside the window dimmed. Anxiety shrouded everything. ¡°My little sister is at home alone. I have to go home.¡± Wang Hu stood up to get Fu San¡¯s permission, ¡°I saw my home on the screen! The anomaly has happened in my neighbourhood!¡± ¡°No one is leaving.¡± Fu San¡¯s voice slowly changed. He didn¡¯t need to put on a disguise anymore. ¡°The anomalies are happening in the city. The investigation centre is very safe. There¡¯s no need for so many of us to stay here!¡± Wang Hu stopped hesitating. He opened the training room door and ran out. However, Wang Hu¡¯s footsteps soon disappeared. The tall newbie appeared to be eaten by something and didn¡¯t even have the chance to call for help. The door creaked creepily. Chill winds blew into the training room. ¡°Anyone else wants to follow him?¡± Fu San didn¡¯t even turn his head. He didn¡¯t care if Wang Hu died or not. He stood in the middle of the screen, surrounded by the bad news sent in by the investigators. The shadows in the video darkened with the night. Night hadn¡¯t fully arrived, but some horrors couldn¡¯t wait anymore. A red siren suddenly echoed in the building next to the east city investigation centre. Everyone heard the sound of ss breaking. People ran and screamed in the streets, but the training room was deadly quiet. ¡°Gao Ming made his move earlier than I thought.¡± Fu San smiled happily. He had waited a long time for this. Everyone¡¯s ck band started to vibrate. Fu Ning¡¯s anxious voice came out. ¡°A lot of anomalies are happening inside the east city investigation centre! The danger rating is unknown! ¡°I repeat! A lot of anomalies are happening inside the east city investigation centre! All the investigators inside the building have to go to Queens 13th Street now!¡± Fu San raised his left hand and mmed it at the metallic podium. The ck band bent out of shape. With the newbies watching, he tossed the band that was giving off warnings to the side. Fu San¡¯s identity was the best shield. Xia Yang could use it to hide himself well, but he didn¡¯t n to do that. In front of all the newbies, Xia Yang controlled Fu San to take out his gun. This was a madman who would do anything toplete his art. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhang Lian immediately hid in the crowd. ¡°Trade? Benefit? Hostage? I don¡¯t care about these crass methods. I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯spromise. I hope each of you can bloom into the prettiest soul flowers! Struggle with all your might! Yourmon soul can be tasty too.¡± Fu San moved his finger to the trigger. ¡°Fu Ning saw the real me, and I knew what he was worried about. I want to help the fire of hatred burn. He can be a part of my art too.¡± Explosion came from the corridor. Fu San pulled the trigger. Fresh blood sttered the room like paint as Fu San¡¯s body fell to the ground. A human silhouette made from paint crawled into Zhang Lian¡¯s body. Screams echoed in the training room. For most of the newbies, this was their first time ¡®admiring¡¯ death up close. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say anomaly will not happen at the east city investigation centre? What do you think now?¡± The lights in the training room went off. A strange man¡¯s voice exited Zhang Lian¡¯s lips. She stabbed her knife into Xiao Yong¡¯s arm. He screamed, and she smiled. Chapter 214: Parent Chapter 214: Parent ¡°The rumours about the investigation centre are real! Someone is raising ghosts inside the building!¡± After his previous experience, Xiao Yong was a lot calmer. He didn¡¯t ask the security for help but stopped moving. His heart pounded rapidly. Xiao Yong hated the blood door out of instinct. It was a strange feeling. It was a feeling that came from deep inside his soul. The blood capiries on the door were alive. They pulsed. All the blood gathered at the heart of the headless door guardian to help it reconstruct a bloodred heart. ¡°The area above Floor 10 is forbidden! Leave now!¡± The security member said robotically and emotionlessly. They not only had tricks to deal with ghosts but also guns to deal with humans. The east city investigation centre¡¯s security department had been ¡®cleansed¡¯ by the shadow world. Their power level was higher than that of the other security departments. Looking at the security team, Zhang Lian¡¯s eyes shed with greed like a painter finding his missing brush. Zhang Lian touched the ck band and sent a message to the leader of the security team. To open Situ An¡¯s home in the shadow world, one needed sacrifices. Xiao Yong and some of the yers were the sacrifices prepared by Xia Yang. The security members who were blocking them immediately changed their tone once they got the message from their leader. ¡°You can stay here temporarily to avoid the danger, but do not get close to the bloodred door.¡± The change of attitude unsettled Yan Lin and Xiao Yong. However, it was not like they had another choice. Yan Lin just wanted to find the reason behind his subordinate¡¯s disappearance. He didn¡¯t expect to get sucked into it. Of all the humans, only Su Mo sighed in relief. He believed that they had escaped the monster on the fourth floor. They also had the aid of a reliable security team. Even if the ghost came to them, they could win the fight. ¡°The investigation centre is not all bad people. They have merely been fooled by their chief. yers can cooperate with them.¡± Su Mo thought to himself. He could imagine himself bridging the gap between the horror yers and the investigation centre. In the end, he was the reason why they could drive the monsters back. ¡°Your smile is disgusting.¡± Zhang Lian¡¯s voice pulled Su Mo back to real life. Out of curiosity, Zhang Lian added, ¡°Have you ever wondered why the newbie investigators all stayed away from you?¡± ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re scared of the ghost on the fourth floor. Ghosts can curse people, right? Maybe they suspect that I¡¯m cursed.¡± Su Mo put down Zhang Lian. ¡°Or has my identity as a yer been exposed?¡± Xia Yang wanted tough. Yan Lin had already figured out everything. He tried to use non-verbal gestures to remind Su Mo, but Su Mo was lost in his thoughts.¡°Everyone,e with me!¡± The security members received new orders. They signalled them to enter the tenth floor. As they walked past, one of the newbies tried to tell the security member that Zhang Lian had been possessed. However, the security member ignored him. He looked at them like they were livestock. ¡°Could the security department have been possessed by the shadow world?¡± Yan Lin was anxious. The weapons created by humans to deal with ghosts had been corrupted by ghosts. Could things be worse? Then, he thought about it, ¡°The security members¡¯ attitude changed after Zhang Lian sent the message through her ck band¡­ The ghosts and monsters worked together to corral the humans. They are working together!¡± The corridor was dim. All the newbies stuck close to the security members. They were so scared. The rooms near them echoed with the sound of screams and pleas. This ce was worse than hell. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The rooms are cells for crazy people who have been infiltrated by the shadow world. They have been corrupted.¡± The security members looked at them coolly. After making sure everyone was there, he opened an office door. The office wasrger than a conference room. Situ An¡¯s picture was ced on the ck, round table. Samples of organs were disyed in clear cases. Some of them came from humans, while others came from the shadow world creatures. The main seat was empty. Even after Situ An went missing, no one dared to take his seat. Opposite the main seat were two people. One was Jiang Chan. He looked kind and approachable. The other was He Yi. His arm was stained with shadow. He looked half-human and half-ghost. His condition was not right. ¡°Fu San has prepared all the stuff. We only need your approval, and we can enter the chief¡¯s home. We all benefit.¡± He Yi ced his arm on the table. It trembled from pain. Shadow swam in his muscles like snakes. ¡°Situ An is the parent. He is the only person the ghosts and monsters in that home trust. Even if you open the door, you¡¯ll only die if you go into his home.¡± Jiang Chan was calm, ¡°There are not only hisst effects in that house but also his sins and fate.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time. Do you have any other choice than to work with me?¡± He Yi said harshly. ¡°I merely hope that you won¡¯t regret this.¡± Jiang Chan took out a death portrait. The front of the picture was a young Situ An sitting in an empty room. Around him were mutated monsters. All of them had Situ An¡¯s son¡¯s innocent face. Situ An was their father, and he was the one who turned them all into monsters. He Yi wanted to snatch the portrait when he saw it. Jiang Chan leaned back and turned the picture around. ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious. Look at this first.¡± A few sentences were written on the back. ¡°Dear father, I¡¯ve turned myself into a present based on what you like. From now on, you will take over my fate to be the new parent. As a parent, you have the key to the home. ¡°Our home is situated between existence and non-existence. It is hidden deep inside the nightmare and near the edge of reality. It is very far from you but is connected to every human heart. ¡°As a parent, you can choose to save any family member and give them love, or you can treat them as tools. You can even torture them if you want to. ¡°You haveplete freedom. And what I need you to do is very simple. You have to make sure the shadow world fully descends into reality. Every time you seed in triggering an anomaly in the real world, you will be rewarded by the shadow and the night.¡± Chapter 215: Open the Door Chapter 215: Open the Door ¡°Is this the key to open the door to Situ An¡¯s home? A death portrait of him?¡± He Yi calmed down after he saw the words on the back of the picture. As Situ An¡¯s most ¡®loyal¡¯ dog, he knew what they meant. Once one took the death portrait, one had to follow the written rules. In other words, they would take over Situ An¡¯s fate and be the world¡¯s enemy. Situ An¡¯s item was alluring, but one had to be alive to enjoy it. Someone with Situ An¡¯s fate would live between two worlds and would die if they were slightly careless. ¡°The person in the portrait wasn¡¯t Situ An at first. After Situ An became the new parent, he took over as the core of the family.¡± Jiang Chan seemed to know many secrets. The ghosts in the shadow world existed in the form of ¡®families¡¯. ¡°If we only open the door, take what we need and leave¡­¡± ¡°No one can leave¡­ or rather leave alive, before the new parent arrives.¡± Jiang Chan interrupted He Yi, ¡°The shadow world¡¯s Han Hai corresponds to the real world¡¯s Han Hai. This city once represented order, but it died for some reason.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you or someone be the new parent?¡± He Yi heard footsteps outside the door. He immediately shut up and turned to the corridor. ¡°Leader, the newbies chosen by Fu San are here.¡± The security members stood to the sides with guns, aiming at the newbies. Clearly, they were not being treated as colleagues. ¡°Fu San is horrible, but he has a good eye. Every one of these investigators has great potential.¡± He Yi pretended to walk towards the newbies. ¡°The chief is missing, and the ghosts terrorise this building. The tragedy is here. Do you want to gain the power to fight the ghosts?¡± The newbies had heard humours about the security department. Many of them nodded.¡°All of you are the best investigators and the seeds with the best potential. You are the east city¡¯s only hope. Normally, it¡¯ll take a lot ofplicated processes to join the security department. However, considering the situation, I will tell you the secrets of the security department¡­¡± He Yi scanned them when he saw Su Mo at the back of the team, ¡°Why is there a delivery guy here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Before Su Mo could speak, Yan Lin covered his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re normal citizens who identally got here, hiding from the tragedy. We¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°Since you can survive until now, it means that you have potential too. You wille with us.¡± He Yi ignored Yan Lin¡¯s protest, ¡°Everyone,e with me.¡± They exited the office. The security members returned to their posts. They were like machines that had their humanity removed. ¡°To gain the power to fight ghosts, you have to have superhuman determination. If you cannot conquer your most basic fear, you are trash.¡± He Yi pointed at the bloodred door in the middle of Floor Ten. ¡°Stand before that door and imagine the head of the door guardian. No matter what you see, do not be afraid! You¡¯re trash if you retreat! Then, you¡¯ll be eaten by fear!¡± The newbies were forced forward by the guns. When they got close to the door, they realised there were a lot of broken flesh and bones around the door. Many people had died there. ¡°The second condition to join the security department is to have a strong physique. No matter what, you have to carry on until the door opens for you!¡± He Yi patted Xiao Yong¡¯s shoulder. He had the highest hope for Xiao Yong, ¡°If you need help, think about your memory in real life. The regrets and pain that you can¡¯t let go might save you.¡± Su Mo stood at the side. He realised what He Yi said was rted to the yer¡¯s five attributes. This made him trust He Yi even more. ¡°You can do it. You¡¯re not worse than them.¡± He cheered himself on. Su Mo stared at the bloody door. ¡°This is the investigation centre¡¯s power. If I can gain this power as a horror game yer, then it means I¡¯ll have two skill trees!¡± ¡°Are you alright? How deep are you in the whole illusion?¡± Teacher Xia¡¯s voice came out of Zhang Lian¡¯s lips. His tone was gentle, ¡°If you need helpter,e to me.¡± ¡°Help me? Wait¡­ Your voice¡­¡± Su Mo stood next to Zhang Lian. He had no idea when, but Zhang Lian had drawn some strange pictures on his back. Su Mo had no idea what those drawings were, but he felt like they looked like the drawings of the dead people on the wall. ¡°Ah!¡± The scream curdled everyone¡¯s blood. A newbie¡¯s head was pierced by tentacles. The first head grew on the headless door guardian¡¯s neck. The head had giant tentacles that were as sharp as knives. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. This is just his imagination.¡± Xia Yang looked at the door guardian with interest, ¡°Enjoy this. When it¡¯s my turn, all of you will die.¡± The newbies backed away out of instinct. However, as He Yi said, people who backed away would die. The tentacles attacked those who moved away from them. Xiao Yong remembered this rule. He gritted his teeth and moved towards the door. Once he got close to the door, the tentacles stopped attacking him. The other newbies did the same. They were all selected by Teacher Xia. They reacted quickly and entered the safe zone. At that moment, the door guardian returned to normal. However, the bowl of white rice beside the door toppled over. No one knew who did it. The white rice mixed with the blood on the ground. Hands reached out from the ground. The newbies avoided them as they were forced to get closer to the bloodred door. In the panic, someone identally touched the door. The blood capiries on the door instantly climbed all over the man. The headless door guardian¡¯s heart started to bead. ¡°Open the door! You need to push open the door to live!¡± He Yi¡¯s voice came from behind them. ¡°All of you have been selected as the live sacrifice! If you don¡¯t open the door, you¡¯ll be eaten and be part of the meat pieces underneath your feet!¡± The truth exploded like thunder. Su Mo remembered how the security members retreated before forcing them to get closer to the bloodred door. ¡°We have to open the door to live?! What is behind this door?¡± Chapter 216: Two Rooms Chapter 216: Two Rooms The headless door guardian was eager for murder. The blood capiries sucked on the blood from the newbie investigators. The newbies only had one choice, and that was to open the door before they died. ¡°Push! Trigger your strongest survival instinct! Push open the door!¡± These newbies were all selected by Xia Yang. It was easy for him to kill them. Instead, he used his own methods to select them. After experiencing fear and death, the newbies improved greatly in terms of mental strength. More importantly, the seeds nted by Xia Yang started to grow. Xia Yang¡¯s death portrait had a very special power. It allowed him to paint the death portraits of the living. Xia Yang could use this method to control people¡¯s souls. The shadow world could corrupt the real world, and Xia Yang could corrupt normal souls by erging the obsession deep inside their hearts. ¡°Push! I¡¯m being eaten!¡± The newbie who was pushed to the front had his body stered to the door. His hands ¡®grew¡¯ into the door. A lot of capiries crawled into his body to pull him towards the door. The newbie¡¯s face mmed into the door. Endless vessels surged into his eyes and ears, causing him to scream. The scream onlysted for a few seconds before his eyes numbed like his emotions had been consumed by the door. ¡°Fuck! Hang in there! You have to focus on your obsession! Do not forget your connection to the real world! Dig deep into your memories!¡± He Yi wanted to open the bloodred door. If the newbies failed, he had to send his own people. ¡°Focus! Remember!¡± The newbie seemed to remember something. Light returned to his eyes, and pain returned to his body. ¡°Help me! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± He refused to give up, but he couldn¡¯t open the door. The man suffered unimaginable pain as his body slowly became part of the bloodred door. Hearing his scream, the others pushed harder. The capiries slowly crawled over everyone. Everyone started to mutate to varying degrees. Some of them grew sharp des in their flesh. Burn marks surfaced on some of their backs. The most obvious change happened to Xiao Yong. He started to grow bloody feathers on his body. The chicken with five toes that he once ate was probably not chicken but something else. Two gunshots echoed inside the building. It was Yan Lin who fired the bullets. This police detective also had a seedy past. A new arm grew out of his shoulder. The alien arm phased through his uniform to grab the hand that held the pistol until his fingers joined with the gun. ¡°Did he once injure his teammate¡­ No¡­¡± Even Xia Yang didn¡¯t notice this in Yan Lin. The incident was hidden deep inside Yan Lin¡¯s heart.All the newbies and Yan Lin had mutated. Su Mo tried his best to open the door. He was the only normal person that remained. Different from the other sacrifices, he relied on his ¡®brilliance¡¯ to reach this ce. Of his five attributes, four of them were zero. His strongest desire was to see the auntie with the four mouths again, and his biggest wish was to pass every university course. He was an upstanding young man who worked hard to keep himself afloat. No matter how hard the shadow world tried, no mutation appeared on him. The newbie investigators around him were sucked into the door one after another. Their mutated bodies became absurd decorations on the door. The survivors tried their best to push the door open. As the bloodred door took in the investigators, the door slowly eased open. ¡°It¡¯s working! The quality and quantity of the sacrifice have been satisfied!¡± The headless door guardian¡¯s actions slowed from eating too much. He Yi saw hope. Of the newbies, only Xiao Yong was holding on. He gritted his teeth, and blood leaked out of his mouth. ¡°Impossible! Uncle will not lie to us! We¡¯ve been eating chicken! It¡¯s a ghost like you that has been trying to lie to me!¡± Xiao Yong growled and then mmed into the door. The headless door guardian let go. Xiao Yong managed to open the door for about the gap of one¡¯s arm. Following Xiao Yong was Yan Lin. He grabbed the third arm that grew out of his body to stop the arm from harming the innocent. To protect Su Mo beside him, he mimicked Xiao Yong and charged at the door. ¡°We¡¯re the only two left alive!¡± Su Mo didn¡¯t expect being a main character to be so scary. He just wanted to survive. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Soon, you¡¯ll be the only one left.¡± Zhang Lian smiled. She leaned into the door, and then paint dropped on Su Mo¡¯s body. ¡°Strong Heart 0, Strong Body 0, Yin Soul 0, Attachment 0, Brain Power 1¡­ Do you want to kill yourself to start again?¡± ¡°Who is talking?¡± Only Su Mo remained in front of the door. ¡°Shush. They are not dead. They have merely be part of the door. The sacrifice is a sess. I¡¯ll make you the one who pushes open the door. In return, I need you to give me everything you are.¡± Xia Yang didn¡¯t give Su Mo other choices. The drawing he painted on Su Mo was triggered. The red pieces moved to form a Red Spectre in a red raincoat. ¡°Push open the door!¡± The red rain fell on his body. Su Mo felt his heart turning into a strange kid. A pair of hands reached out from his back and pierced through his chest. As the hands covered his heart, he was given a special power. The power was connected to the bloodred door. As the remaining living human, Su Mo slowly pushed the door open. Behind the door was still the east city investigation centre. It was covered in shadow and blood. Compared to the real world, there were two new adjacent rooms inside Situ An¡¯s office. One of them was called the House of Butchers, and the other was called the House of Lunatics. Chapter 217: Treasure Chapter 217: Treasure ¡°Is this Situ An¡¯s home in the shadow world?¡± Su Mo was befuddled as he stood before the bloodred door. Even though he was the main character, he had no idea how he got there. After pushing the door open, the painting of the red raincoat on him slowly disappeared. Xia Yang¡¯s voice also weakened. Summoning the red raincoat to the real world exhausted him greatly, and the red raincoat couldn¡¯t exist in the real world for long. ¡°Move!¡± He Yi¡¯s voice came from behind. He led the security members to cross the door, pieced together from dead bodies. He shoved Su Mo easily to the side. He Yi¡¯s breathing became heavy as he remembered the things Situ An told him. He had to defend the path to home no matter what because everything Situ An had was hidden inside the house. ¡°Since Situ An is most likely dead, everything here now is mine.¡± When tragedy arrived, morality became the most useless thing. Rules were built on power. He Yi was excited thinking about his future. He walked to the two doors with passion. ¡°But¡­ Why are there two rooms? Situ An told me there was only one home¡­ Lunatics and butchers? Which is his real home?¡± He Yi knew Situ An¡¯s personality. He knew things would not be so easy. This should be thest test. He Yi turned around and aimed the gun at Su Mo, ¡°You. Open the door to the Home of Lunatics.¡± ¡°Me again?¡± Su Mo pressed his lips. He wanted to protest, but the man had a gun. He only had a nket from the Auntie with four mouths. Su Mo walked on the path weaved by shadow and blood. He paused before the door to the Home of Lunatics. He held the door handle and looked at He Yi uncertainly. Everyone he knew had be part of the door. As a university student, Su Mo didn¡¯t think he¡¯d reach this point. Ghosts, guns, humans and monsters all threatened him. ¡°Is this the price to pay to be the main character?¡± Su Mo faced no resistance as he pushed the door open. The room inside was very normal. Even the colour of the blood faded. The scary things did not happen. The walls of the room were covered in pictures. Every picture was taken without the subject¡¯s knowledge. They lived in Han Hai and had different jobs. The picture came with the subject¡¯s name, profession and simple introductions. They were all different but shared onemon point¡­ They were potential lunatics. ¡°Huh?¡± Su Mo was unaffected by most pictures. However, when he passed by a picture called Gao Ming, he felt a resistance deep in his heart. ¡°Why are these pictures here?¡± Su Mo was studying everything patiently when Xia Yang¡¯s voice appeared in his heart. ¡°Go to the wall and remove the pictures with Gao Ming and Xia Yang¡¯s names.¡± ¡°Remove them? Is that good? They are both lunatics.¡± ¡°Do it. Don¡¯t be seen by the others!¡± Su Mo was urged by Teacher Xia. Using his body to block the other¡¯s line of sight, he removed Gao Ming and Xia Yang¡¯s pictures. The moment the pictures left the wall, the colour faded. This caused a domino effect. Everyone in the pictures turned their heads to look at Su Mo. Their fates appeared to connect with Su Mo¡¯s. Su Mo touched their crazy souls at the same time. The pictures fell from the wall. Then, Su Mo and Xia Yang saw the strange pattern hidden by the pictures. The patterns were not words, but when he saw them, some information automatically appeared in Su Mo¡¯s mind. ¡°These lunatics living in Han Hai are pawns hidden by the shadow world in the real world. Their lunacyes from the shadow world. They should be normal people. However, the parent is dead. The limitations on everyone will be removed until the new parent appears.¡± Su Mo voiced the information transferred to his head. Xia Yang interrupted him, ¡°Nonsense! I became the way I am because this is the way I want to be!¡± ¡°What are you rambling about? Who told you to touch the things in the room?¡± He Yi stood outside the door and yelled. After he ensured there was no danger, he sent his team in. ¡°Do not miss out on anything. Keep all the pictures. Inspect them carefully!¡± Seeing Su Mo still standing there, He Yi said darkly, ¡°Get over here and open the other room.¡± The things He Yi wanted didn¡¯t exist in the Home of Lunatics. He ced his hope in the other room. However, he already felt something was wrong. To enter the real home, one needed Situ An¡¯s death portrait. However, neither of these two rooms required a ¡®key¡¯ to open. ¡°Did Situ An give me fake news? Did he have me defend a trap?! Has he hidden the real home somewhere else?¡± Situ An would do something like that. Su Mo walked obediently to the Home of Butchers. The moment he opened the door, he was assaulted by the scent of blood. The room was bloody, and in the middle of the room was a version of Han Hai built from bones. The bone buildings grew out of the flesh. As Su Mo entered, the tallest bone building copsed. The whole city was flooded by the blood that oozed from the ground. Screams echoed in the bone city. This seemed to be a sign. ¡°Many people will die¡­¡± When Xia Yang saw the bone Han Hai copse, he realised something, ¡°Situ An didn¡¯t leave any treasures behind. For someone as selfish as him, he will figure out a way for as many people to die with him once he perishes.¡± To open the bloodred door, one needed the cooperation of Jiang Chan, He Yi and Fu Ning. They were Situ An¡¯s final three trump cards. However, they all betrayed him. For Situ An, when the bloodred door was forced open, he had no hope anymore. ¡­ At 9.04 pm, when the bloodred door was forced open, and Su Mo entered the homes of lunatics and butchers, the inte centre of Han Hai was attacked. Fifty percent of the channels were hacked. A video kept repeating itself. ¡°Hello. I am the vice president of Han Hai Charity, the vice president of Han Hai Merchant Association and the chief of the east city investigation centre, Situ An. When you see this video, I¡¯m already dead. ¡°Risking my life, I use everything I have to help you reconstruct the truth. A truth that is the scariest thing you¡¯ll ever see.¡± Chapter 218: Acting Chapter 218: Acting ¡°Gao Ming! Gao Ming! Look at Han An Building!¡± Zhang Ding pointed at the bustling east city and urged Gao Ming. Han An Building was the fourth tallest building in Han Hai. At that moment, the giant screen on the building was covered with Situ An¡¯s figure. He looked tired, like he was carrying the shackles of despair. However, his eyes shone with hope. It was like he knew that he was going to die, so he used hisst energy to bring other people hope. Situ An managed his image in Han Hai for decades. More than 2/3 rd of Han Hai citizens had a good impression of him. However, this great phnthropist suddenly appeared before everyone in this haggard state. The pedestrians stopped, and the cars paused to look at the screen. ¡°Situ An? What is he trying to do?¡± Gao Ming stood at the rooftop, looking at his nemesis. ¡°I grew up at Han Hai. This city has all of my memories. I studied so hard to make my home a better ce. I¡¯m Han Hai¡¯s kid. I tried my best to repay the mother who nurtured me. However, the mother¡¯s body is bound with poisonous thorns, and there are leeches hiding in the dark. They wanted to turn me into them. I also knew what would happen to me if I rejected them.¡± There was no craziness or cunningness shown in Situ An. He perfectly hid that side of his persona. Only maturity, kindness and responsibility remained. He always stood with themon people and represented their voices until he died. ¡°The tragedy ising. The monsters in the shadow will eat everyone. The investigation centre should be Han Hai¡¯s barrier to protect the citizen¡¯s safety. However, they have actively sacrificed the innocent to trigger the anomalies for their own benefit. ¡°I know this sounds unbelievable, but I will show you the evidence. After I die, they will do their best to nder me and paint me as a perfect devil. ¡°I can¡¯t defend myself because I¡¯m already dead. I merely hope that some of you may remember me as someone who has sacrificed everything to protect more people.¡± The video shown was prerecorded, including the ¡®evidence¡¯ that appeared on screen. He predicted this day. After he knew that he had lost, this was hisst revenge. Since he had died, he didn¡¯t need money or power anymore. What he needed was for people to remember him. He needed the power of their faith. Situ An knew that Xin Lu¡¯s ghosts could be Unmentionables through obsession and attachment. Since he couldn¡¯t be a human, he would be the scariest ghost. ¡°The bastard pushed everything he did to the investigation centre. That is so disgusting.¡± Situ An was dead, and the dead couldn¡¯t speak. That was key. Situ An was behind all those things. However, with some maniption, it looked like he was killed because he needed to be silenced.It was human nature to pity the weak. Coupled with Situ An¡¯s image, the investigation centre was fully betrayed by Situ An. The video hadn¡¯t ended. Situ An had a bigger conspiracy to reveal. ¡°When you see this video, I¡¯ll be dead, but I will not give up. I¡¯ve built a home at Han Hai. Every treasure I have is in that house. It has my everything, and it will help Han Hai walk out of the despair and tragedy. I can¡¯t give you clearer clues, but remember one thing¡­ All the answers to the secret have been revealed from the start!¡± The video of Situ An¡¯sst words stirred up Han Hai. There were already rumours swirling online. Situ An¡¯s death lent more validity to the rumours. It pushed the citizens to stand against the investigation centre. Even though most citizens still believed in the centre, their convictions started to shake. The human forces were split up again. The ghosts not only existed in the shadows but also in people¡¯s hearts. The video was cut off five minutester. When Gao Ming saw this, he had to be impressed. Even though Situ An was evil, he still nned for actions after his death. He was taking steps to be a Big Ghost. If Gao Ming hadn¡¯t trapped Situ An in his heart, Situ An might be attached to some altar after he died. Last time, Situ Anbined with the killing soul at Si Sui Apartments to achieve his goal. Situ An knew many mysterious existents like Granny Shen. He knew many secrets. Even after he died, he would be a scary ghost. Xia Yang was another good example. He found his true purpose after his death. ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯ve stored the two of them in my heart. If I dyed, their power would have skyrocketed.¡± Gao Ming had a new idea. Situ An¡¯s backup n had shaken the investigation centre. Perhaps Gao Ming could use this chance to expand the influence of the horror yers. ¡°But then, what does Situ An mean by home? Was he a parent too?¡± Gao Ming took out his birthday death portrait. On the back, his parents said that he was the new parent. ¡°Are both Situ An and I parents? Are the forces in the shadow world divided into units of families?¡± Houses of ghosts made up the shadow world of Han Hai?! Or did one need to gain the approval of different ghost homes to be the owner of the Shadow Han Hai? Gao Ming knew too little, so he decided to ask the person in his heart. With Zhang Ding guarding him, Gao Ming¡¯s consciousness entered his heart. He saw the wounded Situ An and thenpared him to the Situ An in the video earlier. ¡°If you¡¯re not awkward, other people will be awkward. What a great actor.¡± Chapter 219: Home From Home Chapter 219: Home From Home ¡°Gao Ming?¡± Situ An didn¡¯t show panic or fear when he saw Gao Ming appear before him. He narrowed his eyes and revealed a trace of happiness, ¡°Finally, someone to talk to.¡± ¡°Why do you start narrowing your eyes when talking to someone? Is it Xia Yang¡¯s influence?¡± Gao Ming held onto the chain that cut through Situ An¡¯s body. It was like he was talking to a friend and not his nemesis. ¡°That artist is very scary. He¡¯ll one day rece you.¡± Situ An stared at Gao Ming, ¡°To be honest, I still don¡¯t know why I lost. I admit you¡¯re a clever person, but you¡¯re leagues behind people like Xia Yang and me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°How can I put it? It¡¯s like I¡¯m a father watching my son. Your schemes and ns are rough and simple, but¡­ they are very effective.¡± Situ An thought about it, ¡°You¡¯re like a student who knows the answer to the test, a cheater.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Gao Ming nodded, ¡°But that makes me happy still.¡± ¡°But there will be the next Situ An, and the shadow world will infiltrate the real world. The tragedies will still happen.¡± Situ An wanted to share his understanding with Gao Ming. Everything was fated, and humans were powerless. This was the conclusion he reached after fighting with fate. ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t matter who the next Situ An is. I don¡¯t care about tragedy and the real world. I just wanted to kill you. A world without you is very important to me.¡± Gao Ming could start his life again. Even if the future might be more painful, Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t hesitate. He wanted to store the source of pain and despair in his heart. ¡°Then¡­¡± Situ An was silent for a while, ¡°What if you became the next Situ An?¡±¡°Me?¡± ¡°You thought you had escaped the cycle, but this might be the arrangement of fate.¡± Situ An had an indecipherable smile. ¡°Xia Yang hasn¡¯t returned after so long, and you have appeared. Clearly, you¡¯ve seen the backup I left behind. Everyone at Han Hai has already known that I have been killed by the investigation centre for the sake of humanity.¡± ¡°You told me about Jiang Chan, He Yi and Fu Ning for this moment, right?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t do anything. Once Teacher Xia left his heart, he became crazy, and the danger rating of the East City Investigation Centre shot through the roof. ¡°Yes.¡± Situ An¡¯s smile slowly disappeared, ¡°As long as someone remembers me, as long as someone still believes in me, I will never die. You¡¯ve missed your chance to eliminate me fully.¡± A normal person might choose to submit after being tormented. However, Situ An never thought about giving up. Gao Ming even found this supervillian inspiring. ¡°Currently, the citizen¡¯s only hope is the investigation centre. However, you pushed the citizens against the centre for your own benefit.¡± ¡°If the world bes a worse ce after I die, doesn¡¯t that prove my point?¡± Situ An smiled casually, ¡°Plus, why should I care about this world after I die?¡± ¡°Your selfishness is an illness.¡± Gao Ming grabbed the chain and looked into SItu An¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not here to argue with you. What is the meaning of home in the shadow world?¡± ¡°Home is home.¡± Situ An knew what Gao Ming was asking about, but he refused to give a clear answer, ¡°You¡¯ll understand it when you¡¯re older.¡± ¡°Then, what about the parent?¡± ¡°The meaning of a parent is to ensure there is no death in your home and plenty of deaths in other people¡¯s homes.¡± Situ An¡¯s voice chilled. ¡°In a home thatcks money, money is the most important thing. In a home thatcks love, love is the thing they desire the most. In a ce where hope iscking, anything that can bring them hope is something worth killing for.¡± Situ An slowly lifted his head like he could see into Gao Ming¡¯s future, ¡°You will be the next me because we have something simr in us. When you open the door to my home, you¡¯ll understand why I am the way I am. When you see the wall with all the death portraits, the answer will be revealed.¡± Gao Ming wanted to punch Situ An. The man loved to talk in riddles. ¡°Think about it. Why is your picture among the wall of death portraits? Think hard. Who is human, and who is a ghost?¡± Gao Ming had not seen someone use Situ An¡¯s expression before. It was very annoying. Gao Ming added a few more chains to Situ An. The man was too dangerous. Gao Ming nned to leave since he didn¡¯t get the things he wanted. As he was about to depart, Situ An suddenly added, ¡°Why do you keep all the dead bodies in your own home?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Rain fell on his body. Gao Ming stood on the rooftop and pondered Situ An¡¯sst words, ¡°Hiding the dead bodies at my home? Is the home the human heart? Is that Situ An¡¯s hint for me?¡± Gao Ming took out the first death portrait he obtained. He was surrounded by his parents at his birthday party. ¡°I¡¯m a parent too. Where is my home?¡± ¡°If you miss home, you should go back.¡± Zhang Ding hugged Gao Ming¡¯s shoulders. ¡°But what we need to do now is to bring Xia Yang back. The man is crazy. If we wait any longer, no one will be left alive inside the centre.¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right.¡± Han Hai had been sent into chaos by Situ An. To ensure that more people would remember him, he turned everything upside down. The secrets of many big shots were exposed. As the tragedy expanded, human tragedies urred as well. This formerly brilliant city was consumed by anger, fear and anxiety. As the night deepened, more humans were affected. The anomaly reports were stacked up on the investigation centre¡¯s tables. Half of them were not rted to ghosts. Situ An ignited the suppressed human emotions. Even though they knew there were many ghosts outside, ¡°citizens¡± wandered into the streets. ¡°Situ An wants to destroy the real world, but this is the perfect chance for us horror game yers. We¡¯ll be the citizens¡¯ new rock.¡± Putting on the observer mask made by Wen Xuan, Gao Ming entered Queens Street with the other ¡®yers¡¯. The fake yers explored the centre carefully. The real horror game yers had already started their massacre to im hope and faith. Other than Gao Ming, the other ¡®elites¡¯ from ss 13 started their own resistance too. After experiencing the ¡®education¡¯ at Han De Private School, they had changed tremendously. Chapter 220: Here I Am Chapter 220: Here I Am The water ss crashed to the floor. The boiling water and splintered ss flew everything. Jing Tuoshen¡¯s fingertip bled, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice it as he stared at the screen. No one around him dared to speak. They stood there with their heads lowered. No one expected Situ An to reveal these things. He pushed all the crimes to the investigation centre. Even if he died, he wanted to pull everyone down with him. After watching Situ An¡¯sst video, some of the lower-level investigators started to waver. To explore the anomalies, they risked their lives in exchange for information. They didn¡¯t ask for power or money. They did it because they were proud to be humans. It was not that they had no fear, but something inside their hearts helped them ovee the fear. That thing was the faith and responsibility given to them by the investigation centre. Now that Situ An had exposed the conspiracy, some investigators realised that their sacrifices weren¡¯t exchanged for the safety of Han Hai but for the private benefits of the selected few. Faith was the only weapon the investigators had against the ghosts. It was the source of their courage. However, this source had been poisoned. The chiefs present didn¡¯t know what to say. They knew about the corruption within the centre, but they were not as ¡®brave¡¯ as Situ An to expose anything. ¡°Situ An!¡± The chilling voice was squeezed out between the teeth. Jing Tuoshen touched hismunicator and hissed, ¡°Send all the free investigators to the east city investigation centre. Contact thework safety department. Have them take down all the information in half an hour. Then, release the report we have on Situ An.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bitte?¡± Chen Tianyun sighed, ¡°Even if Situ An has done some horrible things, wouldn¡¯t you just follow his wishes if you expose them now? People will only think we¡¯re ndering him.¡± ¡°Then, what do you think we should do?¡± ¡°Do not resist it. Try to calm the situation. Tell the citizens to stay at home to lower the injury and fatality rate.¡± Chen Tianyun frowned, ¡°Our enemies are not mindless monsters. In fact, they are very clever. They are very good at maniption and disguises. The battle started a long time ago, but we only saw the anomaly on the surface. We didn¡¯t discern the real danger.¡± The other chief, Chen Guan, said, ¡°Ol Chen is right. The influence of the shadow world is the most troublesome. Perhaps many people in this city have already been transformed, like Situ An.¡± ¡°This is the battle between two worlds. Han Hai happens to be in the middle of the crossfire. I wish to request aid from Xin Lu and Jiujiang¡­¡± Chen Tianyun was stopped by Jing Tuoshen.¡°The other cities are not doing so well. Xin Lu has done its best to help us. As for Jiujiang¡­ they might not be on our side.¡± Jing Tuoshen wiped away the blood from his finger. ¡°Put away your anxiety and tiredness. This is not the time for despair. Even if the citizens are temporarily fooled by Situ An, it doesn¡¯t matter. In the end, they can only rely on the investigation centre. They can only worship one god, and that is us.¡± When Jing Tuoshen called Han Hai Citizens as they, Chen Yuntian and Chen Guan felt a sort of way, but they couldn¡¯t do anything. The video on the screen changed. Situ An¡¯s final monologue was cut off to be reced by the east city investigation centre. Then, Jing Tuoshen received the SOS message from Fu Ning. The inside of the east city investigation centre was fully out of control. The guards all vanished. The whole building became a horror story. Fu Ning¡¯s anxiety on the phone was a huge contrast to the livestream of the situation outside the East City investigation centre. The crowd of protestors maintained the order. There were some investigators who guided the crowds. They gave away umbres. Everything looked fine. ¡°Wait. Are you saying those investigators on Queens Street are not from the east city?¡± Jing Tuoshen gained shocking information from Fu Ning. ¡°Then, where do theye from?¡± ¡°Many investigators disappeared in the shadow world. They have returned! They have returned as ghosts!¡± Fu Ning screamed as he ran around the building to look for his two sons. Thanks to Situ An, the city¡¯s eyes were on the east city investigation centre. Jing Tuoshen¡¯s eyes narrowed. A middle-aged woman in the crowd removed the hat from her raincoat. She looked at the camera excitedly. Her face had no eyes and nose, only four mouths! As if to prove that Situ An was right, the anomaly appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Auntie Four-Eyes bent her body and then cackled madly. At the same time, endless ghosts appeared in the shadow of the street. They radiated Yin energy. The protestors were like shocked sheep. They started to run without purpose. Screams and cries echoed through the night. The image was impactful. The fear affected not only the protesters but also the entirety of Han Hai. The investigators didn¡¯te out to protect the citizens. Jing Tuoshen had sent most of them to capture the students of ss 13. Those who stayed behind had to deal with Xia Yang. Despair spread. Everyone was running, but no one could find the exit. A child screamed. A girl was separated from her parents. She was knocked to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up. If no one helped her, she would be trampled to death. Pain came from everywhere. She screamed for her mom until her throat was sore. She was about to faint when a pair of hands held her up. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± The gentle voice came from behind the mask. Gao Ming was like a rock in the sea. He didn¡¯t budge, no matter how big the waves were. Then, more people in strange masks came over. When the investigation centre lost control of the situation, these horror game yers took over. Many citizens saw this. When tragedy came, it was these people in strange masks who took on the ghosts. As if sensing something, Gao Ming, who hugged the girl, turned to look at the camera in front of the east city investigation centre. He seemed to see Jing Tuoshen behind the camera. ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking to capture people from ss 13? I¡¯m the English Representative from ss 13, Qian Junran. I¡¯m right here.¡± Chapter 221: Taboo Game Chapter 221: Taboo Game An open taunt! It had been quite some time since someone dared to do this to Jing Tuoshen. He looked at the man on the screen in the strange mask as he took out a ck box from his chest. Jing Tuoshen looked at the man as he opened the box. A strong scent of decay floated out. He extended his fair fingers and pulled out a doll made from old clothes. Without any hesitation, Jing Tuoshen pierced his clean fingers through the doll¡¯s heart. The cries echoed in the room. The security members averted their eyes. The doll cried like a baby. Its small limbs wiggled about as blood oozed from its chest. Jing Tuoshen gripped the doll tightly as it struggled in his palm. The doll eventually disappeared into the shadow. The investigation centre had many cursed items. The research department¡¯s job was to analyse them and use them to deal with the shadow world. They separated the cursed items into many levels. The one Jing Tuoshen used was an extremely rare item. Once the user knew the target¡¯s name and appearance, the user could summon tragedy on them. ¡°Qian Junran is a student from ss 13. We still haven¡¯t found him. Who would have thought he¡¯d appeared like this?¡± Chen Guan¡¯s gaze wasplicated. They were supposed to attack the horror game yers, but these people were the ones who saved the public when tragedy struck. ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of this group of people before. How did they grow under the watchful eyes of the investigation centre?¡± ¡°The issue is they¡¯ve provided Han Hai with a new choice of faith.¡± Chen Yuntian nced at Jing Tuoshen. The chiefs talked among themselves. Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t stop them. He waved behind him. The security member opened a ck box and took out a heavily damaged ck band. Jing Tuoshen activated the band and closed his eyes to wait. A few minutester, a woman¡¯s voice came, ¡°Hello. This is Perfect Life¡¯s fourth chatroom. How can I help you?¡± Jing Tuoshen rambled off a bunch of codes, and the woman¡¯s tone changed, ¡°Please ensure there are no living humans around you. Please switch on the signal disruptor. The reply from the inner world will be sent back to you in a minute.¡± Jing Tuoshen picked up the band, left the chiefs and walked to another room. He closed the door and touched the band. A projection appeared on the wall. In the projection, the man wore the uniform of the investigation centre. He was inside an abandoned hospital¡­ probably a morgue.¡°Jing Tuoshen?¡± The projection was blurry. The voice was intermittent. ¡°When the anomalies exploded at Xin Lu half a year ago, you reached an agreement with the monsters and entered the so-called inner world to conduct your training. How is your situation now?¡± Jing Tuoshen stared at the wall. He lowered his posture even though they were of the same level. Half a year ago, Xin Lu sealed up a super virtual reality game. The game that should change the world became a taboo. Only part of the areas at Xin Lu could still ess it. Apparently, the game could look into the human hearts and identally open the door to the shadow world. It released the monsters inside the human hearts, and it was how the anomaly first appeared. It was when the game was sealed off that the investigation centre was set up at Xin Lu. Only those investigators who had a record at Xin Lu could still y the game. The investigation centre was built on the basis of this game. The core members of the centre had all yed this game before. However, for some reason, they tried everything they could to prevent normal people from interacting with this game. ¡°I can¡¯t differentiate between the game world and the real world anymore. Maybe the inner world is a part of the real world. After experiencing so much, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to survive in the real world anymore.¡± The man in the projection shook his head. ¡°The strongest exploration team has entered the core of the inner world and disappeared into the night. We have had no reply from them over the past year. For now, Perfect Life¡¯s surface world¡¯s game lobby and garden have been taken over by the investigation centre. It¡¯s very safe now.¡± ¡°Since Xin Lun doesn¡¯t need you anymore, leave the game immediately ande back to Han Hai.¡± Jing Tuoshen ordered him. ¡°The monsters at Jiujiang hide behind the doors. Xin Lu has that game as a buffer. Only Han Hai has to face the shadow world directly.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The shadow world wants to drag Han Hai into the shadow because there are anomalies everywhere now.¡± Jing Tuoshen looked at the number on the ck band. ¡°You are an investigator from Han Hai. You were sent into the taboo game half a year ago, but Han Hai needs you now.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll exit the game as soon as possible, but¡­¡± The man hesitated, ¡°I heard someone say in the game that they n to give up on Han Hai. That city will soon be sealed off.¡± ¡°Abandoned?¡± ¡°Every city has its own rules and missions. Han Hai has been prepped to be involved in the infusion with the shadow. Of course, these are just hearsay.¡± The man didn¡¯t continue this topic, ¡°I¡¯ll lead my team to return as soon as I can. Get those security members with self-consciousness to protect you.¡± The projection disappeared. Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t touch the ck band but took out a napkin to wipe his already clean hands. ¡­ Gao Ming returned the girl to her mom, and he entered the east city investigation centre. Xia Yang was more capable than he thought. All the danger inside the centre had been removed. The only danger inside the building was Xia Yang. Seeing the doodles and the self-portraits of the investigators on the wall, Gao Ming admitted he had underestimated Xia Yang¡¯s capability. He hoped that Xia Yang would possess Fu Ning¡¯s son and cooperate with everyone, but Xia Yang cleared the game on his own. ¡°You can¡¯t let people like Xia Yang and Situ An be ghosts.¡± Zhang Ding touched the walls. He sensed the breathing from the paintings. Even he thought this was too creepy. ¡°The security members have already taken away all the resources.¡± Through the God of Flesh and Blood in his heart, Gao Ming knew Xia Yang¡¯s location. He and Zhang Ding took the elevator to the 10th floor. Gao Ming frowned when he smelled the blood in the air. Xia Yang was not a bloodthirsty person. He was simply crazy. ¡°Someone has conducted a blood sacrifice here.¡± Zhang Ding removed his mask and said seriously, ¡°Look at that half-open blood door!¡± The mutated newbie investigators wiggled inside the door. They looked like they¡¯d be happier dead than alive. Chapter 222: Map Chapter 222: Map ¡°It looks like Xia Yang found out more from Situ An but didn¡¯t tell me.¡± Gao Ming stepped on the pile of meat and walked to the blood door. The door separated two worlds. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. Let me.¡± Zhang Ding waved his hand, and a surge of flood sted the door open. They saw the corridor made from blood and shadow behind the door. ¡°This door is heavily damaged. Situ An probably brought it back from somewhere else and modified it into a ¡®safe¡¯ to keep his treasures.¡± ¡°A broken door¡­¡± The door¡¯s original appearance had been covered by the humans. Gao Ming could only see the sacrificed newbies on the door. ¡°The world is bing more absurd. More monstrosities will appear in the future.¡± Gao Ming could sense that the newbies were still alive. He could even hear their heartbeats. ¡°Bring this door with us when we leave and see if we can save them.¡± After entering the door, the world behind it brought Gao Ming a feeling different from the shadow world. If the shadow world was a dark and rotten can, this corridor was like a bloodred coffin. There was death and destruction everywhere. ¡°Based on my earlier information, doors will only appear in Jiujiang. Did Situ An bring this door to Han Hai from Jiujiang? Did he want to modify this door using the rules of this city?¡± Gao Ming in the mask discussed it with Zhang Ding. The God of Flesh and Blood reacted strongly. Xia Yang was just in front of them. ¡°Stop!¡± The gun barrels were aimed at Gao Ming and Zhang Ding. The East City Investigation Centre¡¯s security members warned coolly, ¡°Stop moving!¡± ¡°Are there still people alive?¡± Zhang Ding was impressed by Teacher Xia. He thought the man would have killed everyone already. ¡°We mean no harm.¡± Boss Zhang raised his hands in surrender and wanted to exin the situation. Suddenly, the guns fired. The water dripped. Zhang Ding looked at the holes in his chest. The bullet went through his body and exploded behind the spot where his heart should be. The other party didn¡¯t even give him the chance to exin anything. They aimed to kill. ¡°Why go for the kill directly? Are you not humans too? How are you¡­ worse than a ghost?¡± The murky water leaked out of Zhang Ding¡¯s wound. The water rose until it almost flooded the corridor. Gao Ming touched his chest. Even though he had obtained the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s power, he would still die if he was injured fatally. The gunfires didn¡¯t stop. However, how could the bullets stop a flood?Boss Zhang was only weaker than Headmistress Yan. Before the security members could use the red bands, he dragged them into the blood. Boss Zhang didn¡¯t want to kill. He wanted to convert them. After all, hecked security at his supermarket. Themotion in the corridor grabbed the attention of the people inside the Home of Lunatics. Boss Zhang knew not to waste time on words. He controlled the flood to wash the corridor. Normally, the East City security department was very strong and resourceful. However, Zhang Ding and Gao Ming didn¡¯t give them any chance. The two big ghosts attacked with their full force instantly. ¡°Home of lunatics? Is everyone here a lunatic? They have arranged everything neatly for us. That¡¯s kind of them.¡± Gao Ming looked through the stack of pictures. ¡°How is Xia Yang not here? Is he not crazy enough for the shadow world?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more curious how you and Situ An are not here.¡± Zhang Ding pulled He Yi out of the flood. He pinned this leader of the security department to the wall. ¡°Thank you for your help. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t be able to enter Situ An¡¯s home.¡± ¡°This is not his home. We¡¯ve been tricked.¡± He Yi spat out the smelly water. He felt like he had just died. ¡°We¡¯ve searched everywhere. We found nothing.¡± He Yi finally learned humility before absolute power. ¡°The ce is called the Home of Lunatics and Home of Butchers. Do you think I¡¯m dumb?¡± Zhang Ding smacked He Yi. In his mind, Situ An was the craziest butcher. ¡°A cunning hare has three burrows. You saw Situ An¡¯s dying video. With his personality, he¡¯ll fake a home.¡± Gao Ming put away the pictures of all the lunatics and looked around. ¡°Although I have to be impressed that Situ An managed to find a broken door.¡± ¡°The blood door is rted to a Red Spectre. The power source of the security department in the east cityes from the Red Spectre. If we¡¯re all killed, the Red Spectre will regain freedom and murder everyone nearby.¡± He Yi tried to negotiate his value. ¡°That is not enough reason to keep you alive.¡± Gao Ming put away all the pictures and walked to the other room, the Home of Butchers. Themotion outside was so loud, but there was no reaction from inside the room. This was very abnormal. ¡°Xia Yang is in this room. What is he doing?¡± Gao Ming summoned the God of Flesh and Blood. He had Gong Xi protect him as he pushed open the door. When he saw the person inside the room, Gao Ming sucked in a cold breath. He seemed to see fate. Su Mo, in his delivery uniform, stood at the door, all flustered. He was so scared by the God of Flesh and Blood that he forgot to breathe. This scene was very familiar to Gao Ming. Certain things couldn¡¯t be changed. Fate kept reminding him that. ¡°Should I call you Xia Yang or Su Mo?¡± ¡°Y-you can call me anything you want.¡± Su Mo hugged the delivery box and retreated until he was back against the wall. Paint dripped away from Su Mo and returned to Gao Ming¡¯s heart. Teacher Xia was called back into Gao Ming¡¯s heart using God¡¯s power. Gao Ming walked into the Home of the Butchers and ignored Su Mo. The thing he saw was different from what Su Mo saw. The copsed bone city seemed to be awakened by some power. Gao Ming felt a warmth in his heart. He took out the birthday death portrait. His parents in the picture turned to look at the ruins of the city. Shadow poured out of the picture and soaked through the bloody city. The bone fragments seemed toe back alive. They regrew, and soon, a new model city of Han Hai appeared before Gao Ming. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A map of the shadow world.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice said, ¡°I¡¯ve figured everything out for you. Only you and Situ An canmand this city model. This is the most valuable thing behind the door. You can see every influence caused by the anomalies through this map directly.¡± Chapter 223: Home Chapter 223: Home The city model that copsed when Su Mo entered the Home of Butchers was reconstructed after Gao Ming entered the same room. Those chosen to be parents by the shadow world seemed to possess something unique. ¡°Try to put your death portrait into the city. If you¡¯re worried, you can put mine.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice was gentle. Those who didn¡¯t know would think he was Gao Ming¡¯s friend. ¡°Shush. Let me think.¡± Gao Ming took out the birthday death portrait and put it on the growing city of blood and flesh. The flesh and bones that made up the city seemed toe alive as they pulled the portrait into the city. At the same time, a special bond was formed between Gao Ming and the city model. A lot of information appeared in his mind. Dark spots appeared in the model. Some of the darkness was still spreading. ¡°The normal city buildings are white. The dark areas represent the anomaly. The greater the danger, the darker it is.¡± Xia Yang exined it kindly, ¡°Can you see the red dots moving in the dark areas? Those are ghosts. You can use your consciousness to approach them.¡± Gao Ming frowned as he scanned the map. He chose the deep red Spring Apartments. Some unfamiliar and scary images appeared in his mind. His old ssmate, Cai Meimei, crawled on the roof beams like a centipede. Behind her were the endless scapegoats. ¡°Each red dot represents a Big Ghost. You can use this map to obtain the perspective of the ghosts. Of course, the premise is that these ghosts have already been consumed by the shadow world.¡± ¡°How do you know these things?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect Cai Meimei to turn into this monster. The girl who once loved beauty transformed into something she hated the most. ¡°Before you came, I¡¯ve already attempted to use my own soul to connect with the map. However, I failed to gain its approval. The map soon crashed.¡± Xia Yang looked at Gao Ming with expectation, like he was watching the growth of a super monster. ¡°Don¡¯t recollect your death portrait in a hurry. Try to let your consciousness sink into the map fully, and you¡¯ll see something amazing.¡± With suspicion, Gao Ming did what he was told. When his consciousness fullybined with the map of Han Hai, he realised he had be the map itself. His eyes could look over the areas covered in shadow. A lot of information entered his mind, almost corrupting it. Gao Ming immediately retreated with fear. Xia Yang chuckled in his ears. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I right?¡±Gao Ming didn¡¯t argue with Xia Yang. He arranged the information in his mind. The city model was one of Situ An¡¯s most important treasures. After the map recorded the anomalies, it would also show the rewards avable and methods to trigger the anomalies. There were limitations between the real world and the shadow world. Other than blood sacrifices, one needed extreme emotions like anger, hatred or pain to trigger the anomalies. The embryo of the anomaly was an omen, and the owner of the map had to nurture the omen into a horror story. ¡°Rumours, omens, curses and horrors, these are simr to my game designs. My brain retains simr memories.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s games were based on horrors that had happened before. This meant that he probably had obtained the map in one of his reincarnations. ¡°Have I gotten to this step before?¡± ¡°Only the parents in the shadow world can be the owner of the map. When the parentsplete the request shown on the map, they can obtain the rewards from the shadow world,¡± Since Gao Ming ignored him, Xia Yang continued the exnation on his own, ¡°You saw it earlier. Isn¡¯t the reward amazing?¡± Gao Ming still didn¡¯t answer Xia Yang. He was thankful that the map didn¡¯t recognise Xia Yang. The rewards of the shadow world were a bit over-the-top. Some of them included ways to create chaos, ways to nurture anomalies and methods to detect potential lunatics. The Soul Transfer Drugs were the rewards given to Situ An by the shadow world. Doctor Lu was the present given to him after he managed to trigger his first Level 3 Anomaly. He was Situ An¡¯s first family member. Other than that, there were basic rewards for triggering a new anomaly every time. A level 1 anomaly would get the map owner the blessing of the shadow world. Ten blessings would improve one¡¯s physical attributes greatly. A level 2 anomaly would get the owner negative emotion fragments. These were important to strengthen a ghost. A level 3 anomaly would allow one to gain partial memories of some ghosts. Digesting these memories was very helpful to both humans and ghosts. Starting from Level 4, the rewards were more rted to horrors. Sessfully triggering a Level 5 Anomaly might even cause the shadow world to provide the map owner with the right to use certain rules of the shadow world. The shadow world had done a lot to persuade Situ An to work for it. ¡°No wonder Qing Ge could still fight me after his senses were taken away,¡± Situ An¡¯s subordinates were all superhumans. They had been to the shadow world to be modified by Doctor Lu. If Gao Ming hadn¡¯t repeated his life and eliminated Doctor Lu and Qing Ge before Situ An realised anything, Situ An wouldn¡¯t have been killed so easily. ¡°This map is very alluring.¡± The map of Han Hai was very precious. Gao Ming felt like with Situ An¡¯s personality, he would attach a bomb to something so important. He¡¯d detonate it after he died. Why would he leave something so good behind after his death? ¡°There has to be a purpose for him to do this¡­¡± It was not crazy for Gao Ming to think that. The map had a location that was marked. It was near the old city hospital. Situ An marked the ce with the word, ¡®home¡¯. It was like he was saying the hospital was his real home. Gao Ming was interested in the ¡®home¡¯. He wanted to know how the homes existed in the shadow world, so he had to go to this ce. ¡°Situ An won¡¯t be so kind. He wanted other parents to enter the hospital.¡± Standing before the city model, Gao Ming¡¯s eyes were hollow. The temperature in the room dropped. Su Mo, at the corner, quietly took out the nket and wrapped it around himself. Chapter 224: Normal Person Chapter 224: Normal Person Strange people, scary ghosts and curious rooms. In that situation, Su Mo felt that the nket given to him by the Four-Eyed Auntie wasn¡¯t that scary anymore. This was the only ¡®cursed object¡¯ he owned. Hugging the nket, Su Mo tried to move to the door to escape, but Zhang Ding was standing outside. Boss Zhang, whose chest was leaking, had morphed into the flood as he sted the corridor. Since he couldn¡¯t leave from the front door, Su Mo tried to find a different exit. He tried his best to stay away from Gao Ming, but his body still identally touched the edge of the bone city. Gao Ming sensed Su Mo¡¯s presence via the city. The map gave him a new piece of information. ¡°Su Mo: Zero violence tendency, zero perversion, zero danger rating. Extremely low mental corruption. The chance of shadow corruption is low. Abandonment is suggested.¡± After Su Mo touched the map, Gao Ming gained new information. The final goal of all the parents in the shadow world was to be the new owner of the dead Han Hai City. They would help the shadow world regain life. After the parents triggered the anomaly in the real world and obtained the blessings of the shadow world, they could use the blessing to reward their family. The family was the citizens of the shadow Han Hai. The previous number on the map was 207, but after Gao Ming took over the map, the number went back to zero. ¡°Su Mo¡¯s presence here is like fate¡¯s intervention. I owe him for helping Xia Yang enter the Home of Butchers.¡± Situ An¡¯s treasures were hidden in the real ¡®home¡¯. The map only had a few blessings left that Situ An didn¡¯t have the chance to use. Gao Ming decided to use them all on Su Mo. His consciousness controlled the bone city. Shadow rushed towards Su Mo and dragged him to the middle of the map. Su Mo screamed, but he soon realised the shadow didn¡¯t harm him. The shadow world¡¯s blessing worked differently on different people. Gao Ming studied Su Mo carefully. Eventually, Gao Ming frowned. Even if a cat like Fa Cai were blessed by the shadow world several times, it would mutate. However, Su Mo only became slightly stronger physically. ¡°Is it because he¡¯s too upright and goes against the principle of the shadow world? But if that¡¯s the case, why is he here? Did Xia Yang do something to him?¡±Based on Su Mo¡¯s situation, the shadow world was selective too. To further understand the blessing of the shadow world, Gao Ming kept onest blessing and guided it to his body. ¡°Nothing happened to Su Mo after ten blessings. One blessing on me should be fine.¡± The shadow from one of the buildings entered his body. The God of Flesh and Blood roared in warning. The eight arms grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s limbs and tried to twist them off. Bloody wounds appeared on his skin. There were screams in the shadows too. Some force was fighting with the God of Flesh and Blood. They fought using Gao Ming¡¯s body as the battlefield. It was a fight between the flesh and the nerves. The pain in Gao Ming was immeasurable. The shadow world¡¯s blessing curled into his every negative thought and promoted the growth of scary ideas. The God of Flesh and Blood naturally couldn¡¯t allow Gao Ming to be transformed by external power. He suppressed the thoughts with force and then entered Gao Ming¡¯s blood to shatter all the shadows. Su Mo gained so many blessings, and he was fine. Gao Ming only had one blessing, and he almost lost his life. The God of Flesh and Blood almost killed him to destroy the shadow. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood is resistant against the shadow world. He won¡¯t allow the shadow world to bless me.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t have the luck to enjoy the blessing, so he absorbed the other things. Of course, the experience wasn¡¯t fully useless. The tearing of his body improved Gao Ming¡¯s physique, and he could see further in the dark. Many ideas became more concrete in his mind. It was a feeling that was hard to describe. It was like he would seed if he decided to do some horrible things. ¡°Normal blessing differs depending on the individual. The closer the individual is to the nature of the shadow world, the greater the effect of the blessing. For me, the God of Flesh and Blood ate the blessing directly,¡± Gao Ming technically wasn¡¯t a member of the shadow world. The shadow world was ¡®responsible¡¯ for his many deaths. Gao Ming turned to the hospital marked as home by Situ An. He tried to send his consciousness into the building, but he saw nothing. ¡°Was Situ An chosen to be a parent in that hospital?¡± Gao Ming backed out of the city and took back his birthday portrait. The bone city before him copsed. The bone and flesh crumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t bring the map out of the Home of Butchers. That is quite troublesome. I can¡¯t carry a door with me at all times.¡± The east city investigation centre was Situ An¡¯s territory. That was why he dared to hide the door there. Gao Ming hadn¡¯t found a stable home. His current house was rented from the bakery boss. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll leave first. Plus, I need to bring the investigators out of the door.¡± Gao Ming worked his body and reached his hand towards Su Mo. Seeing this, Su Mo¡¯s first reaction was to retreat. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle for you to survive until now. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a failsafe by fate.¡± Gao Ming helped Su Mo get up. ¡°Your body has been strengthened. Keep your heart on the right path and survive.¡± ¡°Miracle?¡± Su Mo asked uncertainly, ¡°Have I triggered the miracle chance in the map? Who are you? How can I call you? Why do you look so familiar?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t answer. The first thing he did after leaving the room was to send a message to Xuan Wen. Soon, all the yers received a message, ¡°yer, the silentmb has triggered the miracle. Strong Body + 1! Yin Soul + 3! He has obtained the normal identity of Shadow World Han Hai¡¯s Citizen.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s goal had been achieved. The people of Han Hai had found out about the horror game yers. He also gained Situ An¡¯s most important treasure. ¡°We can¡¯t send this door into the death portrait. The door is connected to the real world on one side and the shadow world on the other. We have to carry it.¡± After Zhang Ding tossed Su Mo out, he tried to close the bloodred door. Chapter 225: Standing Door Chapter 225: Standing Door The original appearance of the door couldn¡¯t be seen anymore due to the embedded investigators. However, Zhang Ding could sense that there was something very scary hidden in the door. The thing hid underneath the investigators and stared back at Zhang Ding. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± Just as Zhang Ding finished speaking, eight thick arms grabbed the edge of the bloodred door. Gong Xi walked out of the torture room and stood behind Gao Ming. Without any warning, Gong Xi hugged the door with the harshest method. With Gao Ming¡¯s order, Gong Xi sunk his legs into the bloody mess. The four ghost faces roared as he tried to lift the door up from the ground. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Zhang Ding had no choice but to cooperate with Gao Ming. He used the water to st at the spot where the door was connected to the ground. After he washed away the bloody blob, roots-like capiries were exposed. ¡°The blood door uses these capiries to grow into the building.¡± The capiries crawled all over the tenth floor. To move this door, one had to sever all the vessels first. The building trembled. Gao Ming ¡®uprooted¡¯ the door at the core of the east city investigation centre. Gao Ming tried to send Gong Xi back into his heart. However, Gong Xi couldn¡¯t even approach Gao Ming¡¯s heart, much less send the door into his heart. ¡°Let¡¯s leave for now.¡± Zhang Ding tried carrying the door back into his death portrait, but he failed as well. ¡°The door is the passage that connects the two worlds. However, neither of the worlds wishes for the door to exist.¡± With no other choice, Zhang Ding covered the door with a ck cloth and carried it on his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go and salvage anything else useful.¡± The two went down the corridor. Gao Ming felt like someone was staring at him. He turned to look down the corridor that led to the 11th floor. Just as he was about to walk away, Xia Yang suddenly said, ¡°The training programs this ce has for the newbies are quite interesting. Some of them might benefit you.¡± ¡°A ghost that manages to grab your attention must be a special one.¡± Gao Ming knew Xia Yang very well. He walked to the 11th floor, but he couldn¡¯t find the sign of any ghost.¡°You always refuse to trust me.¡± Xia Yang paced around the torture room. He smiled. Situ An stared at him. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. Gao Ming found many devices. He tossed them all into the flood and had Zhang Ding bring them back to the supermarket. ¡°The manager of the logistics department, Jiang Chan, has already left. He has Situ An¡¯s death portrait. He probably has seen through my disguise and didn¡¯t give me the chance to strike,¡± Xia Yang said with regret. ¡°But I¡¯ve trapped all the logistics members inside the paintings. Considering you might not know how to operate the devices, I also trapped a batch of workers inside the storeroom.¡± Teacher Xia had high standards for himself. He was like a chef who had cooked a five-star meal, but he still berated himself. Gao Ming and Zhang Ding kicked down the storeroom door. They were stunned by the investigation centre¡¯s hoard. There were all kinds of stuff inside the room, including food and water. Situ An was really preparing for the arrival of doomsday. There were also helmets of the taboo game, banned items from other countries and some stuff that caused Gao Ming¡¯s heart to freeze. ¡°Are you sure I can put all these things in my supermarket?¡± Zhang Ding asked nervously. Gao Ming nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhang Ding was so happy. When he was 70 percent done, Gao Ming received a message from Wei Dayou. The people from the headquarters wereing. Gao Ming notified Zhang Ding, and they both rapidly retreated. The chaos outside the east city investigation centre was still ongoing. This absurd night officially started the tragedy at Han Hai. The resistance became stronger, but there were fewer people maintaining order. People used anger to ovee the fear in their hearts. The roads were sealed. The storm stopped the traffic. The investigation became more serious. The night became longer. The lights in the city weakened. It was like a pair of hands was covering up the city. People outside the city had no idea what happened inside the city. The people inside the city had no idea if the tragedy had spread to other ces. The inte was limited due to Situ An¡¯sst video. Han Hai citizens could only gain and trade information through privateworks. Most of them didn¡¯t realise that the real terror had arrived. At 2 am, Gao Ming led everyone back to Li San. Before he returned to the shadow world, he had to solve one problem: Where to put the door? The door would affect the whole building where it was ced. It would attract the investigators. If it were ced in a secluded ce, Gao Ming would have a hard time essing the map of Shadow Han Hai. ¡°The investigation centre has the list of every student in ss 13. You can¡¯t escape. You should use the door as bait to lure the security members over.¡± Xia Yang suggested. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put it at my home? My son and I used to live at the cross-section of Da Zai and Li San.¡± Zhang Ding suggested, ¡°Even ten years ago, the ce was the dirtiest area in Han Hai. The poption number was more than ten thousand. It was awless ce. We could find a spot to put it and then arrange for our people to guard it. It will take the investigation centre some time to find it.¡± ¡°What if they find it?¡± Teacher Xia whispered to Gao Ming with excitement, ¡°I can help you deal with everyone that you hate. You only need to let me leave your heart temporarily. I will bring them back to you.¡± Xia Yang became stronger after taking over the east city investigation centre. Gao Ming didn¡¯t know how he did it, but his powers became even stranger. ¡°Gao Ming, we need to return.¡± Wei Dayou exited the centre vehicle. ¡°Those who have been infected can¡¯t stay away from the shadow world for too long.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll follow Boss Zhang¡¯s advice.¡± They abandoned the vehicles and entered theplicated alleys. The ce was crowded with illegal buildings. After they walked for half an hour, they came to Zhang Ding¡¯s home. To everyone¡¯s surprise, even though ten years had passed, someone still came to drop fresh flowers and candles before Zhang Ding¡¯s home. The other houses were messy and dirty, but Zhang Ding¡¯s home was clean. No one came to squat at his home either. ¡°Is it because I saved those people in the flood?¡± Zhang Ding scratched his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t returned in a while.¡± Zhang Ding removed the kitchen door and then leaned the bloodred door against the wall. The moment the door touched the door, the blood vessels crawled out and drilled into the ground. Soon, it would consume the building and spread new anomalies. ¡°Should we evacuate the people here?¡± Gao Ming asked for Zhang Ding¡¯s opinion. Zhang Ding shook his head. ¡°The city will be more dangerous in the future. If anything, I think this ce will be safest with your protection.¡± Chapter 226: New Era Chapter 226: New Era The blood door grew in Zhang Ding¡¯s former home and became the ce¡¯s only ¡®tenant¡¯. Among the old and decrepit apartments, Gao Ming took a new step. ¡°It won¡¯t be that hard to enter the shadow world in the future.¡± Gao Ming took out his birthday portrait and pushed open the door again with the group watching. Outside the door was Zhang Ding¡¯s home a decade ago. Inside the door was the shadow world. Anyone could use this door to traverse between the two worlds easily. However, only one person could open the door with ease, and that person was Gao Ming. The souls who had been infected by the shadow world couldn¡¯t wait to reunite with the shadows. The group inside the house instantly disappeared. The blood capiries from the door changed theyout of Zhang Ding¡¯s home. His bathroom became the new Home of Lunatics, and his bedroom became the new Home of Butchers. ¡°Call everyone here. We¡¯ll use Li San and Da Zai as the centre to create a new death border city.¡± While Wei Dayou went to get everyone, Gao Ming entered the Home of Butchers. He ced the birthday portrait inside the Bone City to summon the map. Anomalies were triggered all around the city. The buildings on the map started to change colours due to the appearance of the shadow. They morphed from the original white to bloody red and, finally, pure darkness. Gao Ming believed he had seen this in one of his futures. ¡°The investigation centre might seal up the buildings with anomalies and send people to deal with them. At the same time, they will train more people to attempt to control the cursed objects and the ghosts.¡± He Yi was tossed out of the flood. He was a dog trained by Situ An. He¡¯d do anything to survive. ¡°I know you have multiple big ghosts, but that is not enough to rival the centre. Humans will go crazy before a threat. They¡¯d do anything.¡± He Yi crawled up from the ground and walked to Gao Ming, ¡°I¡¯ve seen many taboo experiments done by the investigation centres with my own eyes. That includes blood sacrifices, voluntary possessions and so on. They have even targeted fetuses so that ghosts can be born in real life.¡± ¡°Is it the same with the other cities?¡± Gao Ming felt like Han Hai was different from the other cities. Anomalies had urred in Jiujiang and Xin Lu, but they didn¡¯t involve themon citizens. ¡°I heard from the chief that Han Hai is an abandoned city. The goal of this city is to take the path of¡­¡± He Yi paused before continuing, ¡°Self-destruction. They want to see what will happen if a city falls to the shadow world.¡±¡°Is that not Situ An¡¯s own idea?¡± Zhang Ding didn¡¯t trust He Yi at all. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He Yi looked at the devices taken from the east city investigation centre. ¡°I know how to operate all of these. They can be used to conduct human personality and potential tests. It¡¯ll help you find suitable newbies. These weapons are useless against ghosts, but they are very useful against humans.¡± Gao Ming said nothing as he studied the map. Half an hourter, Wei Dayou led everyone over from Min Long Street. ¡°Gao Ming, I heard from the vigers at Bo Wan Vige that the security members had once entered the shadow world. To lead them away from the vige, Zhao Xi and An An ventured deep into the city.¡± ¡°Have we still not found them?¡± ¡°An An said he heard something calling his name. He and Zhao Xi headed to Han De Private School.¡± ¡°It should be Ji Jie.¡± Gao Ming signalled them to enter the Home of Butchers. He had them touch the map to be official citizens of the Shadow Han Hai. They were vigers from Bo Wan Vige, the students from Han De Private School and investigators from the east city investigation centre. The humans who had been infected by the shadow had minute changes to their bodies, and they appeared to form a special bond with Gao Ming. They would subconsciously listen to his orders. The number of human citizens rose. When the number reached 100, something clicked within Gao Ming. The God of Flesh and Blood was overjoyed. Every person who became a citizen through Gao Ming would provide God with a trace of blood. Gao Ming could feel his body, reaction speed, and mind be stronger than before. ¡°I wonder what will happen when there are 1000 citizens. If this continues, I might be able to do that thing.¡± Gao Ming was killed by the nameless person inside the tunnel endless times. After he eliminated Situ An, he thought of returning to the tunnel to kill the person who appeared behind him! ¡°Maybe then the cycle will be fully broken, and I will have full control of my fate again.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s hand pressed on the white bones on the ground. ¡°I have to follow my goal and revive the city in the shadows. I¡¯ll limit the anomalies and set up Han Hai¡¯s rules.¡± Gao Ming assigned the citizens different missions based on the colours of the buildings. The citizens who only wanted stability would stay behind to help build the foundation of the city and learn to operate the devices. The citizens who were willing to take risks would be led by ghosts to explore the shadow world and the anomalies. In the future, there would be more passages between the two worlds. The two worlds would unite faster. Gao Ming needed to construct his own realm before that happened. ¡°Reputation, support, power and wit. You have to own all of them.¡± Xia Yang witnessed the change in Gao Ming. ¡°Who would have thought a former psychiatrist would be the mastermind?¡± Gao Ming, who normally ignored Xia Yang, said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m merely picking up the city when it is being abandoned.¡± Gao Ming set the building where the blood door was as the ¡®family door¡¯ and set up a new security team. He had Zhang Ding and the supermarket customers be the customs guards temporarily to handle the dangerous items and provide safety and aid services. Even though his city only had 100 people, as the tragedy spread, his city would expand quickly. ¡°I seem to grasp the concept of home now.¡± Gao Ming left the Home of Butchers and looked at the lifeless Han Hai in the shadow world. ¡°There has to be other parents in this ruin. However, only one parent can manage the city.¡± Gao Ming was a nobody in the past. He became himself after many deaths. With his endless killers in his heart, he wouldbine the experiences of two superviins and start a new era. Chapter 227: Li San Hospital Chapter 227: Li San Hospital Gao Ming didn¡¯t leave the shadow world that night. He led the citizens and started to clean up Li San and Da Zai in the shadow world. In the real world, the cities were veryplicated. Even with a map, one would get lost. In the shadow world, using the cursed items and ghost powers, the city became scarier. There were rooms inside rooms and stairs beyond stairs. ¡°I need an absolutely safe home.¡± The night faded away, but Gao Ming was still very busy. In the real world, Han Hai had been turned over. ¡­ The rain finally stopped, but the dark clouds hadn¡¯t dissipated. The daylight became clearly shorter. Traffic was busy. The majority of the citizens were not affected by the chaos yesterday night. Once the day came, all the ghosts and horrors disappeared. The investigation centre sealed up the truth and deleted all the information. The possessed humans tried to live harder and happier than actual people. Chaos festered underneath the calm surface. A racecar shot down the street. It ran through a puddle, and the water sshed onto the bus stop. The dirty water soiled a pair of pretty white shoes. Xuan Wen put away her red umbre. With her headphones, she looked prettier than before. Her beauty couldn¡¯t be hidden. She was the spotlight everywhere she went. She picked up the bicycles that were knocked over by the racecar. Her kindness was brighter than her beauty. Xuan Wen ignored the gazes on her. Xuan Wen entered Nightlight Studio. Once she appeared, Manager Gou darted over. He carried a cup of coffee and wore his new wig. ¡°President Xuan, the download number for our game demo has risen to over 200,000. The reviews are very good. You have such a good eye.¡±Xuan Wen epted the coffee and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s everyone¡¯s contribution. You are so good at making horror games.¡± Xuan Wen took out herputer in her office. After keying in a string of passwords, she logged into a very secret website. She searched through some illegal sites. After a few days of making ¡®loans¡¯, many underground banks at Han Hai had been swindled by her. It was not that they didn¡¯t send people to collect money from her, but they noticed a problem. The people they sent to locate Xuan Wen had all disappeared. They were forced to call the police, but they received a threat scarier than death at night. They were so helpless that they wanted to cry. ¡°This batch of mafia is bad. How are they going to survive in the underworld with such minimal determination?¡± Xuan Wen put down the coffee. She took out a picture and put it on the table. Xuan Wen and Gao Ming were in wedding outfits. After the download number had surpassed 200,000, Xuan Wen¡¯s wedding photo changed. She started to gain colour. Even her breathing was much smoother. ¡°When I am the same as Gao Ming in the picture, it will be the time I have fully broken free from the shackles of the shadow world.¡± The living humans were controlled by fate, and the ghosts were manipted by the shadow world. The two worlds were the same in essence. Xuan Wen hummed and switched on the hidden server of Dead Water Forum. A few horror game yers were caught by the investigation centre yesterday night. Jing Tuoshen vented his fury on them as he tortured them. One of the yers was a ghost sent in by Xuan Wen. The ghost sent back some images and voice recordings through the devices. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t see the whole process, but she could fill in the nks. The original Dead Water Forum had been taken offline. Xuan Wen uploaded a blurry image on the new Dead Water Forum. She told all the yers the consequences after being caught by the investigation centre. She also hoped they would see how the investigation centre really treated them. The horror game yers didn¡¯t target the investigation centre. If anything, they did everything they could to protect the public. However, the way the investigation centre treated them chilled their hearts. The torture was unimaginably cruel. They would fare better being caught by ghosts. Fury spread. Xuan Wen stared at the screen. Everything was progressing as predicted. She was an expert killer. Maniption was her second nature. ¡°Currently, the centre is too strong. We need to continue to weaken it.¡± She touched the cherry on the te and slowly pressed down. Xuan Wen heard a ping from herputer. As the tragedy spread, more yers downloaded her game. As more people yed her game, she¡¯d be more popr. One day, the investigation centre would find her, but she was not worried. If anything, she anticipated that day. ¡°Is it right or wrong for me to fan the mes in the city?¡± At Nightlight Studio, everyone was rather distracted. They were sensitive to intriguing news since they designed and programmed horror games. After they went online yesterday night, they realised the real world was scarier than any games they could make. They discussed the various anomalies and whether they were real or not. Seeing this, Manager Gou coughed as he walked over, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Manager Gou, ever since Dayou quit, this office¡­ doesn¡¯t feel that clean.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and focus on your work. I¡¯ll double your bonus this year.¡± Manager Gou pointed at the data. ¡°No. Triple!¡± ¡°This is not the issue of money. I feel like President Xuan has brought us not only money but also something else.¡± The employees were more sensitive, ¡°Teacher Xia is missing. Facai is also gone. Who will be next?¡± ¡°Open your eyes. Does President Xuan look suspicious to you?¡± Manager Gou lowered his voice. ¡°She¡¯s probably the daughter of some big shot in Han Hai. She¡¯s too free and decides to throw us some money. She is clearly innocent. If I¡¯m a betting man, I¡¯d say she¡¯s thinking about what to eat tonight.¡± Xuan Wen sensed Manager Gou¡¯s eyes. She smiled and waved at him. She just got a message from Gao Ming. He hoped that she would go to the old city¡¯s Li San Hospital while it was still daytime and figured out the situation there. Through the Dead Water Forum, Xuan Wen found out from a yer that although Li San Hospital looked normal on the surface, the hospital had been left empty for a long time already. The ce didn¡¯t have any strange news surrounding it because those who had been there had all gone missing. A few days before the tragedy exploded, the horror game yer felt that something was wrong. He led his family and escaped from the hospital. The yer was very kind and offered to lead Xuan Wen to the hospital to inspect it. As for why his family was at the hospital in the first ce, the yer didn¡¯t answer or exin¡­ Chapter 228: I Am Loved Chapter 228: I Am Loved The morning belonged to the living. The vehicles from the police station and investigation centre filled the street. The cleanse was still ongoing. However, their targets included not only the possessed citizens but also the horror game yers. Under the centre¡¯s iron fist, no one dared to admit they were yers. However, many citizens who interacted with the anomalies started to side with the horror game yers. If Han Hai really turned into a horror game and every citizen had been forced to be a yer, was the centre going to arrest everyone? The reason the investigation centre could still handle the situation was that the tragedy was only starting. There was only one level 4 anomaly that floated to the surface, and only three percent of the city had been covered by the shadows. Of course, this was only the second day of the arrival of the tragedy. Xuan Wen slid her thinptop into her bag and left Nightlight Studio with her phone. She didn¡¯t like to stay with others. Doing dangerous things alone was a kind of entertainment for her. Through simple interactions on Dead Water Forun, Xuan Wen determined that the other party did understand the situation inside the hospital. However, the person probably had another reason to lure Xuan Wen there. ¡°Is he targeting me for Dead Water Forum?¡± Xuan Wen loved to mingle with bad people because she wouldn¡¯t be bound by morale. Xuan Wen took a car to the promised spot. She nced at her phone navigation. Li San was Han Hai Old City¡¯srger area. A lot of foreigners were gathered there. A lot of rich people started their legacy there, just like Situ An. The legends of sudden richness happened there every day. However, most of them were just for show to give the dull lives some hope. At noon, Xuan Wen came to the Siblings Fast Food alone. The person she waited for didn¡¯t show up. After a long time, a masked waiter walked over in a tremble. When he passed by Xuan Wen, he identally spilt the food in Xuan Wen¡¯s bag because the customer next to him suddenly stood up. The waiter was stunned as the boss hurried over. As he apologised to Xuan Wen, he scolded the waiter, ¡°What can you do? If not for your pitifulness, I would have fired you a long time ago. Can you do this? How many troubles have you caused me this week already?¡± The boss was protecting the waiter. The angrier he was, the more awkward it would be for the customer to pile on. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Xuan Wen took out a napkin to wipe away the stain. She nced at the waiter¡¯s face. Even though he wore a mask, it was clear that he was born with a deformity and had an ugly face.¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The boss blocked the waiter behind him. He bowed excessively to Xuan Wen, ¡°He¡¯s new here.¡± The same thing probably had happened before. As if worried that the waiter¡¯s face might scare Xuan Wen, the boss chased him away. ¡°Is that child your family?¡± Xuan Wen stood up and nced at the back kitchen. ¡°He¡¯s the child of my former neighbour.¡± The boss patted his chest and guaranteed it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Normally, he only serves food. The chef handles all the cooking.¡± The boss was kind, but his actions identally revealed certain things. Xuan Wen picked up her bag and left the shop. She didn¡¯t leave the ce. She stood outside and observed for a few seconds. She entered the alley and came to the fast food restaurant¡¯s backdoor. Compared to the shop¡¯s clean front door, the back door was piled with trash. Rats and bugs scurried under the trash bags. The giant cans radiated a horrible stench. The back door was left half-open. A suppressed and urgent voice came from the middle of the trash. ¡°Kill, kill! I¡¯ll kill all of you! I¡¯ll tear open your mouths and make them into pockets!¡± ¡°Do you hate everyone around you?¡± Xuan Wen was like an angel in the mud. The rain fell on her white coat. She was so exceptionally beautiful. The voice instantly stopped. The waiter in the mask slowly turned around. He kept his head lowered because he didn¡¯t dare to look at Xuan Wen. He didn¡¯t know where to put his arms. He was nervous and panicky. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Yang Yu¡­¡± The waiter didn¡¯t know why he answered Xuan Wen. He normally didn¡¯t like to talk. Xuan Wen stared at the mask on the waiter¡¯s face. ¡°Is the boss your family? You two are closer than employer and employee.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my uncle. He hates me.¡± ¡°But he tries his best to protect you for the sake of your mother.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes could detect the smallest change. ¡°Is your mother sick? You can tell me if you face any difficulty. After all, horror game yers should help each other.¡± The waiter¡¯s deformed face twitched. His left eye wasrger than his right. ¡°Are you sent by the Dead Water Forum to intercept me?¡± ¡°Tell me. How did your family escape from Li San Hospital? What is in the hospital?¡± Xuan Wen saw the man¡¯s mask soaked by sweat. ¡°You can remove your cap and mask. I¡¯ve seen many monsters worse than humans. You look normal to me.¡± The waiter didn¡¯t dare to do anything. However, after he met Xuan Wen¡¯s gaze, his emotions became unstable. He suddenly took out the knife he hid behind his back and stabbed a passing rat. The blood flowed. The waiter gasped for air as veins burst on his face. ¡°Tell me everything you¡¯ve seen and heard.¡± Xuan Wen used her power. She was waiting for the waiter to reveal his secrets. The waiter felt like he could trust the woman before him. His sickest side was invoked. He didn¡¯t know what he was saying. He screamed among the trash. I stood at the hospital entrance and looked at Mother¡¯s face. He apanied his favourite child and bound the bandage around little brother¡¯s face. Mother was very strong. He liked to wear long dresses and heavy makeup. He put on deep red lipstick and ck wigs. I didn¡¯t like how Mother looked in the morning. I preferred him at night. He had two faces as he pushed the cart filled with corpses. He was so busy walking in and out of the morgue. Mother and father were the same. He had four children of different heights. Big brother is 1.7 metres tall, I am 1.3 metres tall, sister is 40 centimetres tall, and little brother is only five metres tall. We grew up at the hospital, living underground and in the sewers. We could not see the light. We were mocked and insulted. We were injured and brutalised. We were treated as toys and trash. However, whenever we wanted to give up, Mother would appear from the darkness. He held a giant pair of scissors and a heavy shovel and recited the words others had said. ¡°Everyone is an apple bitten by God. They are iplete in one way or another. The deformed people are deformed because God likes their fragrance more.¡± I am a human. I am the most normal human in this abnormal world. I am the human beloved by God. Chapter 229: New Mission Chapter 229: New Mission The server, Yang Yu, revealed all the secrets in his heart. He didn¡¯t hide anything. He twisted the knife that was inside the rat. His beady eyes were bloodshot. He gasped hungrily like a rabid dog. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel better now that it is out of your heart?¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t mind Yang Yu¡¯s appearance. She walked over to him casually. The wless angel walked among the stench and mud. She paused two steps from Yang Yu and handed him a piece of clean napkin, ¡°Wipe away the blood on your hand.¡± ¡°A-aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± Yang Yu couldn¡¯t control himself as he gripped the bloody knife. ¡°Why should I be afraid of you? I think you¡¯re right. In this crazy world, you¡¯re the most normal person.¡± Xuan Wen smiled, ¡°God must love you a lot for you to encounter me.¡± Yang Yu couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. The perfect woman before him agreed with him. She didn¡¯t have a trace of disgust in her eyes. She was different from the others. ¡°Now that you¡¯re holding a knife, who do you wish to kill the most?¡± Xuan Wen asked with interest. Yang Yu nced at Xuan Wen, and his hands trembled. ¡°Is it your uncle who protects you and gives you a job? Is it your mother who is mad inside the hospital? Or is it the doctor who ruins and insults you?¡± Xuan Wen took another step forward, ¡°Or is it me?¡± Yang Yu¡¯s deformed face became uglier as he gritted his teeth and ran back a few steps, ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill anyone.¡± ¡°I get it now. The person you want to kill is God.¡± Xuan Wen slowly approached him. ¡°Because God¡¯s love turns you into this. Many things were taken from you when you were born. You hate this shell that you cannot abandon.¡± Xuan Wen dropped a mask between them. Madness surfaced on her face. ¡°The mask is only avable to yers selected by me. Tell me everything about the hospital, and I can change your fate.¡±Yang Yu had extremely low self-confidence. His life was painful. He picked up the mask and cradled it in his hands. ¡°Li San Hospital was once thergest hospital in the old city. Twenty years ago, most of thebs moved to the east city. Only a few remained. It was from then on that rumours about Li San Hospital started to circte. The most famous is the one about the missing corpses from the morgue. Some families reported this to the police, but it was soon forgotten.¡± ¡°Was it your mother who took the bodies?¡± ¡°No. My mother only watches the door. She is very weak.¡± Yang Yu¡¯s voice weakened from guilt. ¡°When did you officially interact with the anomalies?¡± ¡°It was on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival. I went to deliver food for my mother. When I entered the hospital from the west door, I saw a few patients waiting for someone in the corridor. I didn¡¯t mind them at first. After I found my mom at the morgue, I realised those patients had died a few days ago.¡± When Yang Yu told these things, his emotions rose and dipped. ¡°I told my mom this, but she appeared to know it already. She was not shocked. She even asked me to join her to steal the bodies. She said the bodies would soon be worth more than gold.¡± ¡°Corpses that are worth more than gold?! Is your mother mentally alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. 3 am that night, she ushered me to hide inside the drawer. She only let me out when it was morning. It was then that I discovered there was a corpse inside the drawer with me.¡± Yang Yu might look scary, but in terms of mental state, he was not much different from a normal person., ¡°Can you bring me to meet your mother?¡± Xuan Wen wanted to know more about Li San Hospital. ¡°That¡¯s why I contacted you. I have lost contact with my mom. I only know that she¡¯s still inside the hospital. I wish for you to release a horror mission to send more horror yers into Li San Hospital.¡± Yang Yu kept his head lower, probably afraid that his lies might be exposed. ¡­ Inside the east city investigation centre, Jing Tuoshen looked at the doodles on the walls and the lifelike portraits. They stabbed into his heart like knives. Situ An¡¯sst video and the sudden appearance of horror game yers flustered him. The reputation of the centre was shaken, and this caused him a huge headache. ¡°Now is not the time for hesitation. I have to stop this before it has the chance to grow.¡± Jing Tuoshen caressed the device on his wrist. He had been waiting for a reply since yesterday night. ¡°I feel like we can attempt tomunicate with the horror game yers. If we have the same goal, there¡¯s a chance for cooperation.¡± Chen Yuntian hadn¡¯t slept for the night. His ageing body could stand it much longer. ¡°Idiot, use your brain. We have control over the resources of the whole city, and we have to cooperate with the researchers from the other cities to analyse the power of the ghosts. These yers have nothing. How did they gain the power to fight the ghosts?¡± Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t even nce at Chen Yuntian, ¡°These yers are baits from the shadow world. Most of them have been possessed. They are directing everything.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve captured some horror game yers. They have not been possessed.¡± ¡°That means we need to improve our detection methods.¡± Jing Tuoshen interrupted Chen Yuntian. Themunicator on his wrist vibrated. Jing Tuoshen checked the whitemunicator that belonged to the researchers. He saw a message from an unknown sender. ¡°The horror game yers will target Li San Hospital tonight. But why that ce?¡± Jing Tuoshen seemed to remember something. He used his power to ess some files on Situ An. ¡°Twenty years ago, before Situ An took root in Han Hai, he worked at that hospital at night¡­¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he read through the files. ¡°His life started to change from that moment.¡± Jing Tuoshen deleted the files and sent orders through his white band. Soon, a few muddy ck cars stopped at the entrance of the east city investigation centre. Based on the te numbers, the cars all came from Xin Lu. The batch of investigators and security members Han Hai headquarters sent to the taboo game in Xin Lu had returned. Chapter 230: Next Mission Chapter 230: Next Mission ¡°Han Hai Investigation Centre Security Teams 7 and 9 are here. I¡¯m leader K.¡± The members from Xin Lu wore bloodred bands. The leading man had long hair and a full body of tattoos. ¡°Is your captain not here?¡± Jing Tuoshen was a bit disappointed. He desperately needed to stabilise the situation. ¡°The captain and three other teams are still on the way here. The longer the yers are in the Perfect Life, the longer they will take to exit it. However, they will also obtain more stuff.¡± K didn¡¯t look like a security member but a mafia gangster. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the mission location and goals when your captain is here¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You only need to tell me where the haunted building is.¡± K said evenly. He was not a careless person. He merely thought what he suggested was enough. There were not many who dared to interrupt Jing Tuoshen. His face was dark. ¡°We¡¯ve experienced things you couldn¡¯t have imagined in Perfect Life. Therefore, you shouldn¡¯t order us around like normal members.¡± There was a trace of disrespect towards Jing Tuoshen in K¡¯s words, even though their stations were different. As if sensing the danger, a pair of ghost hand tattoos on K¡¯s neck came alive. The ten fingers opened up like a lotus to reveal a ghost eye in the palm. ¡°I need you to head to Li San Hospital in the old city.¡± Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t confront K. ¡°The east city investigation centre¡¯s temporary chief, Situ An, has betrayed us. He perished recently, but he released a video and told the Han Hai citizens that he had hidden one set of hisst effects in this city. Now, people suspect they are at Li San Hospital.¡± ¡°Situ An¡¯sst effects?!¡± K heard about Situ An. ¡°Is that our goal?¡±¡°Those idiots don¡¯t even know Situ An. That madman will not leave anything good behind for anyone. It¡¯ll only cause tragedies.¡± Jing Tuoshen scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s a higher chance atent anomaly is hidden at Li San Hospital. The danger rating is at least Level 4.¡± ¡°Level 4¡­¡± K became serious. ¡°Situ An didn¡¯t dare to trigger high-level anomalies in the past because he was still alive. Now that he is dead, with his personality, he¡¯ll drag the whole city down with him.¡± Jing Tuoshen gritted his teeth. ¡°Of course, he might have seen through the headquarters¡¯ main n and decided to side with the shadow world.¡± ¡°We need to go there as soon as possible to confirm everything.¡± After K epted the mission, he didn¡¯t stay and headed to the old city. ¡°They have the power of the ghost tattoo and the persona. No wonder their presence is so different from the normal investigators.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s expression softened. ¡°At this moment, the power of the investigation centre is absolute. Han Hai will be fine.¡± ¡­ When Su Mo returned to his rental room, it was already in the afternoon. He took a long detour and lost the bike he used to make his deliveries. He was so tired, but he couldn¡¯t sleep. Once he closed his eyes, he would see those newbie investigators being shoved into the door. The rapid knocking suddenly appeared. Su Mo was so scared that his face was pale. He didn¡¯t dare to speak and grabbed the fruit knife on the table. However, he didn¡¯t think it would help him. ¡°Su Mo! Are you home?¡± Lee Ding¡¯s voice came from outside the door. He was Su Mo¡¯s best friend and university buddy. ¡°Is he not in?¡± ¡°Should we look for him somewhere else?¡± Hearing his friends¡¯ voices outside the door, Su Mo¡¯s heart slowly lowered. He hurried to open the door. ¡°The fuck! Why do you look so weak?¡± Lee Ding acted like he had seen a ghost. ¡°Wasn¡¯t you fine yesterday? How did you age a decade in one night?¡± ¡°Su Mo, if you face some difficulties in life, you can share it with us. We can¡¯t guarantee much, but we can make sure that you are fed.¡± Brother Xiong was their hostel leader. He looked after them a lot. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why don¡¯t you move back to the hostel?¡± Old Sao, or Lee Shubai, was a handsome womaniser. He often borrowed money from others for various reasons. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine.¡± Before Su Mo could finish speaking, Lee Ding carried the beers and boxed food into Su Mo¡¯s house. Seeing this, Su Mo didn¡¯t say anything. His friends often held parties at his ce. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer our calls. We thought something bad happened to you. You know how unsafe it is at Han Hai now.¡± Old Sao grabbed Su Mo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I bought some good food for you to strengthen your body.¡± ¡°Where did you get the money?¡± Su Mo knew better than anyone how hard it was to earn money. ¡°I know you need money too, so we all came here today to share a shortcut to wealth with you.¡± After everyone entered the room, Old Sao closed the door, opened a can of beer and finished it in one gulp. ¡°Fuck! That¡¯s good!¡± Human emotions were not connected. Su Mo only thought they were being noisy. ¡°Just say what¡¯s on your mind.¡± Seeing how frayed Su Mo was, Old Sao stopped hiding it. He showed Su Mo the bank ount on his phone and took out a bloody ring from his pocket. ¡°Did you rob someone?¡± Su Mo was shocked. His friend was on the path of crime. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. I picked these up.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t hide anything. He really treated Su Mo as his good friend. ¡°Last night, there were many rumours about anomalies and ghosts on the inte. Some of them appear to be real. Some of the buildings became empty for no reason. So I went in them to find some goods.¡± ¡°You are crazy!¡± Su Mo thought back to what he had experienced the night before. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m crazy for gold and money!¡± Old Sao took out his phone and showed Su Mo the videos he had taken at some of the locations. ¡°A few of us are desperate. Lee Ding¡¯s mother is sick, and his father is working three jobs, but it¡¯s not enough. Brother Xiong¡¯s family factory is going under. His father was beaten up by the employees recently. I owe a lot of online debt.¡± ¡°No. Those buildings are too dangerous!¡± Su Mo shook his head. ¡°Listen to me. If those things on the inte are just rumours, we won¡¯t run into any danger. If they are real, then since tragedy is here, it¡¯s only wise for us to get used to them earlier than others, right?¡± Old Sao came up with a list. ¡°We¡¯ll go somewhere far away from the school. The old city¡¯s Li San Hospital has the medicine Lee Ding¡¯s mother needs. Furthermore, medicine will be very important during the tragedy. We n to transport some out tonight.¡± Chapter 231: Hospital Visit Chapter 231: Hospital Visit ¡°I personally don¡¯t think ghosts exist.¡± Brother Xiong noticed Su Mo¡¯s expression and wanted to console him, ¡°The videos on the inte only existed for a few minutes before disappearing. However, that only made me more curious.¡± ¡°The arrival of the tragedy might not be bad.¡± Old Sao¡¯s brain was quick, but his attitude was extremist. ¡°Han Hai doesn¡¯tck people. It¡¯s hard to find a job here. Instead of festering in the dark, why not give this a shot?¡± Old Sao ced the golden ring on the table. He showed the benefits he had gained from the anomalies. ¡°I¡¯ve read many apocalyptic novels. I¡¯ve fantasised about saving the world during high school. Other than medicine, weapons and food, having trustworthy teammates is also very important. Therefore, I share my n with you.¡± Old Sao nned to do something whether Su Mo joined him or not. He came to find Su Mo simply because Su Mo was his good brother. ¡°You¡¯ve seen thest video left behind by the richest man in Han Hai yesterday night. Situ An sacrificed his life to show us the truth. We have to grab this opportunity.¡± Lee Ding was rather naive. In his world, the world was ck or white. ¡°The centre will not aid us. Instead of being their cannon fodder, I¡¯d rather be the horror game yers.¡± Old Sao said with some admiration, ¡°Entering the anomalies at night, gaining benefits from the horror games. Just thinking about it is so exciting!¡± When Old Sao brought up the horror game yers, Su Mo felt better. Even though his experience the night before was scary, his body did improve, and a miracle did happen. The image of the masked yer in the Home of Butchers appeared in his mind. Su Mo tightened his hands. No one was willing to suffer in the darkness forever. ¡°I¡¯ll share my n, and then you can decide,¡± Old Sao erged the map of Li San Hospital he had downloaded from the inte. ¡°Li San Hospital is separated into the front and back buildings. All the horror stories are concentrated around the back building. The medicine Lee Ding¡¯s mother needs is on the first floor of the front building. We¡¯ll change the n ording to the situation, but focus on swiping the expensive drugs.¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind? How is that different from stealing?¡± Su Mo still thought it was too dangerous. He didn¡¯t want to see his best friends die. ¡°When tragedy arrives, you won¡¯t even have the chance to steal! Medicine is too important!¡± Old Sao took out his backpack. ¡°Each of us will have a bag. We¡¯ll leave once the bag is full. After sending Lee Ding¡¯s mother her medicine, we¡¯ll find some money and rent a safe house.¡±Lee Ding and Brother Xiong agreed with the n. The situation in their families was worse than exined. Seeing Old Sao like this, he clearly owed more than just online debts. ¡°I¡¯m d knowing that you¡¯re safe.¡± Lee Ding picked up the beer and looked at Su Mo, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to join us.¡± At that point, Su Mo felt conflicted. He was a real horror game yer, but he couldn¡¯t reveal that. They said nothing and finished the food. Su Mo started to pack his stuff. He couldn¡¯t let his friends die. At 2 pm, the four of them took a car to the old city. Using visiting Lee Ding¡¯s mother as an excuse, they came to Li San. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything in the morning. We¡¯ll follow Lee Ding to im the medicine once. Try to memorise the hospitalyout.¡± Old Sao transferred all the money he had to Lee Ding. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. We¡¯re brothers.¡± After Old Sao put down the fruits, they headed to Li San Hospital. The city was huge, and there were crowded buildings everywhere. Private electric lines weremon. Many buildings were built illegally. This was the first time Old Sao and Brother Xiong saw something like this. They didn¡¯t think there was such poverty at Han Hai. ¡°Lee Ding, do you know the way or not?¡± Brother Xiong followed Lee Ding for so long that he broke out in a sweat. ¡°It should be here! Where is it?¡± ¡°Are you telling me the hospital grew legs and ran away?¡± Su Mo wanted to tell them to leave, but his phone vibrated. Seeing the message, he had to stop. He received the new group map mission from Dead Water Forum. The group map that night would be at Li San Hospital. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Old Sao poked his head out of interest. Su Mo quickly put his phone away, ¡°Brother¡­ are you in a rtionship without telling us? I knew you looked so weak for a reason. Don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like you.¡± Before Su Mo could read the mission information, he heard Lee Ding¡¯s cry. ¡°We¡¯re here! Strange. I remember this ce used to be so lively.¡± Lee Ding scratched his head. ¡°There are many restaurants and stalls around the hospital. Why is it deserted today?¡± It seemed like the hospital was off that day. The nearby shops were open, but there were no shopkeepers, much less customers. ¡°They probably heard the news and ran. We better hurry,¡± Old Sao said. Once he entered the hospital, he heard the mour and footsteps at the same time. There were patients everywhere inside the hospital. They looked like they were being chased. ¡°It looks like we were worried for no reason.¡± Brother Xiong sighed in relief. ¡°Isn¡¯t this like normal? Or were we not at the front door?¡± ¡°Focus on the mission.¡± Old Sao switched on a small video recorder. He recorded everything so he could study itter. Lee Ding held the prescription note and headed to the pharmacy on the first floor. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m here to refill my medication.¡± He knocked lightly on the window. Lee Ding pushed the note through the small counter. However, the doctor at the counter ignored him as she wrote crazily in a book. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m here for my meds.¡± Lee Ding raised his voice. He looked at the shelves filled with medicine behind the doctor. He wondered if he shoulde back that night because there were more people entering the hospital. The doctor slowly raised her head like she was waking up from a dream. She nced at Lee Ding¡¯s face and then at his note. Suddenly, she asked, ¡°Is it dark now?¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s barely noon.¡± Lee Ding was confused. ¡°Then, you have to wait.¡± The doctor tossed the note back. Lee Ding was about to argue with the doctor when Old Sao grabbed him from the back. Old Sao dragged Lee Ding away. He looked so different from normal. ¡°We need to go now.¡± Old Sao pulled Lee Ding away. Seeing the confusion on Lee Ding¡¯s face, he silently showed the video he captured on his recorder. In the video, the hospital was empty. There was no one there. Chapter 232: Trade Chapter 232: Trade In the video, no one could be seen. However, the hospital was crowded in their eyes. When Lee Ding connected this to what the doctor said earlier, his back was instantly drenched in sweat. Was there no living human at all in this hospital? The four walked faster. They thought it was safe in the day, but they encountered something so ¡®exciting¡¯ the moment they arrived. The cold tiles reflected their pale faces. When the four of them were about to reach the front door, Old Sao suddenly paused. He held his heart and had difficulty breathing. ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s danger at the front door. Don¡¯t go there.¡± Old Sao grabbed the people around him. ¡°Act normal. We need to line up at the payment booth now.¡± Old Sao was not making a request but giving amand. Su Mo and the others had no other choices. They changed their direction and tried to move to the payment booth as soon as possible. They adjusted their angles. Old Sao and Xiao Mo saw a patient grab some drugs from the pharmacy. His nervous expression instantly softened up, and he happily walked towards the door. Just as the cheap shoes stepped out of the front door, the patient was dragged into the shadows by something. A living man disappeared just like that. The only thing that remained was a pool of blood on the ground. The strange thing was the fresh blood slowly leaked through the wall like someone was slowly sucking it through the straw. Soon, everything returned to normal. ¡°Fuck! What is outside the door?¡± Lee Ding¡¯s hands trembled, but he still had to pretend to be normal. ¡°Under the influence of the horror story, this hospital might have started to operate under a new rule. Every patient here is busy. They seem to be busy trying to survive.¡± Old Sao was very scared, but he was very good at observation. The fact that he was able to steal from a haunted house was the evidence of that. ¡°Shubai, how did you figure out the front door was not safe?¡± Su Mo was curious. He felt like his friend was not simple.¡°My parents divorced very early. That made me very sensitive since I was young. During this year¡¯s Hungry Ghost Festival, I had a high fever, and my heart was so heavy that I couldn¡¯t even speak. That night, I almost died at the hotel, but after I survived that, I realised I became even more sensitive to danger.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t hide anything from his brothers. ¡°Whenever my heart started to race for no reason, it meant that danger was close. You can call it my sixth sense.¡± ¡°I understand that theoretically, but why were you at the hotel on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival?¡± Brother Xiong calmed down. He was the eldest of the group, so he felt like he had to anchor the group. ¡°Stop focusing on the strange parts. We need to focus on trying to remain normal. Ghosts will disguise as ghosts in the morning. As long as we follow the rules, we should be able to leave this ce alive.¡± Old Sao opened his phone. The phone had the hospital rules that he had collected from all kinds of ces. ¡°Remember these things. Don¡¯t vite them.¡± After sharing the rules with his friend, Old Sao realised the inte connection was still working. He thought of another idea. ¡°We don¡¯t have the number¡¯s advantage. We should leave the professional problems to the professional solvers.¡± Old Sao posted their experience at the hospital on the inte anonymously. ¡°Won¡¯t this affect innocent people?¡± Su Mo frowned. He was friends with Old Sao, but that didn¡¯t mean he agreed with everything he did. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Old Sao shrugged. ¡°You live your life too carefully.¡± The queue at the payment booth slowly moved forward. When there were only six people left in front of Old Sao, there was an argument at the window. A middle-aged man pulled out all the money from his jacket pocket, but he still couldn¡¯t pay the bill. The people behind him thought he was taking up too much time. In the process, they identally knocked his daughter over. The man removed his jacket and covered his daughter with it. He stood in front of her and acted angrily. Old Sao wanted to move away, but he identally scanned them with his recorder. He realised the little girl was showing up in his video. ¡°The man¡¯s kid is still alive?!¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t feel any difort, so he walked over confidently to break up the fight. ¡°Things are hard for everyone. Brother, how much do youck? Do you need help?¡± ¡°No!¡± The middle-aged man panicked. He picked up his daughter and headed down the corridor. Old Sao shot his friends a look, and they chased after the father and daughter. The middle-aged man was clearly protecting the girl. Old Sao wanted to figure out how to survive in the hospital from the man. The middle-aged man couldn¡¯t run fast with his daughter. He eventually stopped at the corner of the third-floor burnt victim''s ward. ¡°Calm down. To be honest, we also just want to live.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t sense any danger. He acted sincerely. It was how he managed to get so many girlfriends. ¡°Live?¡± The middle-aged man hugged the girl tightly. ¡°This is my brother. His mother is very sick. The four of us gathered our money to get the medicine for his mom, but we didn¡¯t expect to run into something like this.¡± As a womaniser, Old Sao was a very good actor. With Old Sao¡¯s great acting skills, the middle-aged man started to empathise with them. ¡°Don¡¯t think about leaving after you¡¯re in here. It¡¯s lucky that you can even survive one night.¡± The man touched the girl¡¯s head, his eyes shining with heartache. ¡°I can¡¯t remember when I came here. Xiao Xia was suffering from such a high fever that she was not making sense. I was so worried. I didn¡¯t notice anything else. After Xiao Xia recovered, I only realised this hospital was rather¡­¡± ¡°Rather what?¡± ¡°Do you believe in transmigration? I feel like this hospital has fully transmigrated to a world of ghosts.¡± The man lowered his voice. ¡°This is not the ce to talk. Come with me.¡± They entered the corridor. A few secondster, the curtain of the burnt victims¡¯ ward was pulled back, and a man with singed skin stood behind it. He looked like he had just learned how to walk. His eyes were very round andrge. He swayed around. ¡°At first, the hospital only has living humans. But, dead bodies started to join them.¡± The man spoke as he moved, ¡°The corpses are not the scariest. At night, many strange things will appear. To survive to the next day, you¡¯ll need to search and collect enough items to trade. You have to do that during the day.¡± ¡°Items?¡± ¡°Like this medicine.¡± The man took out an empty bottle. ¡°The Soul Transfer Medicine can temporarily distract the attention of the corpses and give you the time to escape. You should go and find them. There are many things in the hospital that can help you survive the night.¡± Chapter 233: Father Chapter 233: Father The middle-aged man tossed the empty bottle to Old Sao, ¡°Other than drugs, the different wards will provide different functions at night. For example, when you¡¯re chased by your enemies, you can go to the stic surgery ward to change your figure and face. To avoid specific curses, you can even change your gender.¡± Seeing the shock on their faces, the middle-aged man shook his head. ¡°For the sake of my daughter, I will do anything. You better have the same understanding too.¡± Leading Old Sao¡¯s team, the middle-aged man walked up the stairs to the top floor. There, the ce felt a lot quieter. ¡°There are many wards here. Some of them have special functions, and others are very dangerous. Remember to pay attention to the Gics Consultation Ward and the OBGYN. When you are forced to a corner, you can try your luck at these two wards. You might gain protection from some unlucky things.¡± The middle-aged man appeared to have done exactly that. He expertly unlocked the lock on the safety door. The smell of disinfectant permeated the air. The tiles on the walls were yellowed, and the lightbulbs in the corridor shattered. ¡°There are so little people here.¡± ¡°This ce will be crowded at night. I like to hide here in the morning.¡± The middle-aged man carried his daughter and walked ahead like he was looking for something. Su Mo touched Old Sao and whispered, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean that no one likes toe here? This floor is not safe. I noticed that the lock on the door was new. It was brought in from outside.¡± ¡°I temporarily don¡¯t sense any danger.¡± Old Sao hesitated. ¡°This is the gics consultation ward.¡± The middle-aged man suddenly spoke. He pointed at a half-open door. The room looked like other rooms. It was about the size of two small wards.Old Sao went near and curiously looked in. Pregnancy promotion posters decorated the wall. There were a lot of files on the table. Most of the files recorded the illnesses suffered by the patients. The pictures made them feel ufortable. ¡°Physical disfigurement is fine. The bigger trouble is deficiency in brain acuity.¡± The middle-aged man didn¡¯t touch anything inside the consultation room and walked towards the inner rooms. There were three rooms in the Gics Consultation Ward: the consultation room and two examination rooms. They were separated with thick, white curtains. ¡°The doctor wille at night and randomly appear in one of the rooms. If you¡¯re lucky enough to run into the door, it will answer a few of your questions and tell you how to survive.¡± The man stood outside the curtain. He sniffed the curtain as if trying to smell the presence of the doctor. ¡°What if we¡¯re unlucky and don¡¯t meet the doctor?¡± Old Sao and his friends came over. Su Mo stood at the far back. ¡°There are two inner rooms. One is the doctor¡¯s room, and the other is the patient¡¯s room. If your choice is wrong, then you¡¯ll have the chance to witness the ugliest thing in the world. You¡¯ll resist it on a gic level.¡± The middle-aged man made a choice. He pulled back the curtain to the room on the left, ¡°Do you want me to show you around?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t sense any danger. He and Lee Ding poked their heads into the room. The middle-aged man put down the girl and led the way into the room on the left. The curtain fell, but for some reason, Su Mo and Brother Xiong, who were outside, couldn¡¯t hear their footsteps anymore. It was like the three of them had entered a different world. They waited for a full minute. Brother Xiong felt that something was wrong. He walked to pull back the curtain. Then, he froze at the door. ¡°Brother Xiong?¡± Su Mo was anxious. He wanted to pull Brother Xiong back when the silent little girl suddenly looked behind Su Mo and widened her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The girl looked to be around four. She opened her mouth, pointed behind Su Mo and whispered, ¡°He is not my father.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Su Mo¡¯s heart raced. He followed the direction of the girl¡¯s finger and turned around. A torn-open face leaned against the ward door. The person¡¯s skin and face were ruined. The burnt skin was exposed. His body was covered in bandages, but they seemed pointless. ¡°Fuck!¡± Su Mo was so scared. If not for his training at the investigation centre, he would be sitting on the ground already. Su Mo rushed to the door. He saw the monster waving. However, he couldn¡¯t care about anything else. He closed the ward door and used his body to block it. ¡°Brother Xiong, go and get Old Sao back!¡± Brother Xiong didn¡¯t move. The girl picked up a piece of ss and stabbed Brother Xiong¡¯s calf. Then, he woke up. The monster outside the door had his mouth charred. He yelled something like he was a human and he was the girl¡¯s real father. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± The middle-aged man returned with Old Sao and Lee Ding from the left room. They looked confused. ¡°There¡¯s something outside! It¡¯s a charred monster!¡± Su Mo¡¯s voice trembled. Old Sao grabbed the wooden chair in the room and slowly opened the door. However, there was nothing outside, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°The girl saw it too! She was the one who first saw it!¡± Su Mo wanted the girl to say something, but the girl only looked at her shoes silently. ¡°There was something there.¡± Su Mo felt that the girl was acting strangely. The middle-aged man might not even be her father. However, to maintain the peace, Su Mo changed the subject, ¡°What were you doing inside the room? You went in there for so long and said nothing.¡± ¡°The room has the doctor¡¯s suggestions and prescriptions. Once you pay with something, you can trade with the doctors from different wards. For example, you can pay with your life to hunt down a human.¡± Old Sao thought of something and added, ¡°Different wards have different fees. For example, both stic surgery and burnt victims wards offer face alteration. At the stic surgery ward, the price is a fresh internal organ, but at the burnt victim''s wards, you only need to survive the extreme pain of fire to avoid the curse of the ghosts.¡± ¡°This ce is not safe anymore. We should go somewhere else.¡± The middle-aged man picked up the girl and nned to head deeper into the hospital. Su Mo stopped Old Sao. ¡°We should check the hospital¡¯s other exits before we do anything crazy.¡± Su Mo then lowered his voice, ¡°Both the man and the girl are not normal.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the middle-aged man walked away, the group turned around and ran down the stairs. The situation inside the hospital was too dangerous. They hurried to the hospital¡¯s side door with the fastest speed. The door was shut off by an invisible wall. They could see the exit, but they couldn¡¯t cross it. While they were flustered, a disfigured man in a fast-food restaurant uniform ran into the hospital from outside. Old Sao wanted to warn him, but it was already toote. After the server ran away, an officedy in white sauntered into the hospital while carrying her bag. Her extreme beauty and gentle disposition instantly grabbed the attention of the boys. Chapter 234: Invisible Humans Chapter 234: Invisible Humans The term beauty was not enough to describe the woman. More than her physical beauty, even her presence was captivating. Old Sao¡¯s eyes almost fell out. Su Mo, who hid behind, slowly moved his eyes away. It was not that he was shy, but he felt a headacheing. It felt like he had encountered the woman before, and the encounter was not a happy one. The woman clearly didn¡¯t expect to run into four university students at the door. She smiled lightly, ¡°Have you seen my little brother? Due to his appearance, he has quite a bad temper¡­¡± ¡°Yes! We saw him! He went down the second corridor on the left!¡± Old Sao volunteered, ¡°Do you need us to lead the way? But I have to warn you. This hospital is not that safe.¡± ¡°Not that safe?¡± The woman looked confused. She looked so out of depth that people couldn¡¯t help feeling bad for her. ¡°The rumours about Han Hai on the intest night are all real. Horror stories have taken over this building. Now, we can¡¯t leave the hospital, and the ce is filled with dead people. It¡¯s so dangerous!¡± The woman hadn¡¯t said anything, but Old Sao was ready to give her everything. He had no idea why he was acting so generously. The woman looked shocked and scared like this was her first time hearing about the ghost stories. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should move around alone. We can help you find your little brother.¡± Old Sao¡¯s group saw the woman walk into the hospital from outside, so this meant that she absolutely had no rtion to the hospital. She was a safe ¡®human¡¯. With Old Sao¡¯s keen invitation, the woman slowly put her guard down.¡°The hospital horror has its own rules. We¡¯ll try our best to protect you, but you have to listen to us, okay?¡± Brother Xiong was honest and said in an even voice, ¡°How should we refer to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Xuan Wen. My little brother is Little Yang Yu.¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t hurry to run after Yang Yu. ¡°Stop wasting time. We can¡¯t leave from the front and side doors. We need to hurry to collect resources to prepare for the imminent night.¡± Su Mo didn¡¯t dare to get close to Xuan Wen. He shivered, just smelling her perfume. Even though they were at the dangerous hospital, Old Sao still patiently exined the basic situation to Xuan Wen. Each ward had its own functions. The hospital was like a temte for the coexistence of humans and ghosts in the future. When they returned to the front building, the lobby was full. Xuan Wen was inly befuddled. ¡°This looks perfectly normal to me.¡± ¡°They are not humans. Look at this.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t hide anything and showed his recorder to Xuan Wen. During this period, Su Mo ¡®identally¡¯ bumped into Old Sao so that his recorder captured Xuan Wen on video. Different from the patients, Xuan Wen was perfectly beautiful on video. She was a human. ¡°What are you doing?¡± After Old Sao figured out Su Mo¡¯s n, he frowned, ¡°That is so rude.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be too careful. You did nothing wrong.¡± Xuan Wen covered her mouth. When she realised she was surrounded by ghosts, she quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming. However, it was clear that she was frightened. ¡°Your little brother went this way. Come with me.¡± Lee Ding waved. They came down the corridor and came to the garden between Li San Hospital¡¯s front and back buildings. The garden was eerie. There was a deserted fountain. The swings were empty, but the chairs swayed. In the pictures shown as examples, the garden was beautiful. However, in reality, the garden was overgrown, and trash was everywhere. Ever since part of thebs moved away, the back building was closed off. Normally, people would only use the front door and the side doors of the front building. They wouldn¡¯t use the back door. ¡°Your little brother appears to have run off to the back building¡­¡± Old Sao looked awkward, ¡°The danger level of the back building is about ten times of the front building. The horror stories mostly surround the back building. I suggest you give up thinking about your brother for now and focus on collecting information and resources.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. You need to make a decision soon.¡± Brother Xiong said, ¡°I have a little brother myself, so I can understand your feelings. If you insist on going, we¡¯ll enter the back building now. However, no matter whether we find him or not, we have to leave in ten minutes.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± These students offered her help so openly when she was a ghost. Xuan Wen felt quite embarrassed. ¡°Don¡¯t need to thank us! We should stick together!¡± Brother Xiong nodded. They climbed over the rusted fence and came to the back building. The wild grass grew into the building. Dark-brown stains were left on the bricks. There were empty medicine bottles and dirty syringes everywhere. ¡°Dong Dong!¡± Strange sounds echoed in the vents. It sounded like a snake crawling through. Xuan Wen followed the sound and found the vent opening. She saw a piece of fabric at the corner of the vent. ¡°A patient?¡± The vent was only a few centimetres wide. A living person couldn¡¯t fit through. Xuan Wen thought of Yang Yu¡¯s younger brother, who was only a few metres tall. ¡°Such an interesting family.¡± ¡°There are signs of living people here!¡± OId Sao picked up an empty ice cream package. The cream on the package was still rtively fresh. He continued to move forward. Old Sao pulled back the almost-rotten curtain and was hit by a horrible smell. Therge room was stuffed with dirty clothes. The abandoned clothes seemed to represent the patients at the hospital. ¡°This is aundry room, but why do I feel like I¡¯m at a graveyard?¡± Old Sao felt his chest congesting. The sense of danger slowly appeared. His eyes moved around. His surroundings didn¡¯t change. He couldn¡¯t tell where the danger woulde from. ¡°Fuck! Look at the back door!¡± Lee Ding screamed. Inside the room near the back door, there were many pairs of shoes. There were old people¡¯s shoes, kids'' shoes, fashionable heels and tattered toddler shoes. All the shoes were arranged neatly inside the room. All the shoes pointed towards arge ck-and-white death portrait on the wall. ¡°Situ An?¡± The university students recognised the man in the picture. That was the vice president of Han Hai Charity. ¡°What a strange ce. Did he know he would die beforehand? Is that why he had the shoes worship him?¡± OId Sao wanted to record this moment, but as he raised his recorder, he was stunned. In the video, the ce was crowded with people. Every pair of shoes was upied. Chapter 235: Patient Chapter 235: Patient Fear soaked through Old Sao¡¯s every pore. His gaze froze on the screen, and he held his breath. He was scared that people in the video would hear him. The front building of the Li San Hospital was filled with people who wouldn¡¯t show up on the video; the back building was empty but was filled with people on the video. ¡°Why is this happening?¡± This was the first time Old Sao used his brain so hard. His brain was about to smoke, but he couldn¡¯t reach a conclusion. ¡°What did you see?¡± Su Mo just spoke when Old Sao shushed him, and they slowly retreated. When they were far from the room, he shared his video with the others. ¡°The back building is more crowded than we thought. Those people in the front building might not be ghosts, but these people in the back building are definitely not humans.¡± Old Sao said sadly, ¡°The most efficient way to seal off a news is to silence everyone involved.¡± The boys were busy discussing when Xuan Wen, who stood beside the vent, said, ¡°Since the front and back buildings have different rules, can we take one or two pairs of shoes here and then throw them at the ghosts at the front building?¡± Hearing her words, Old Sao, Su Mo and the rest were stunned. ¡°Ah?¡± Each pair of shoes was worn by an invisible person. Was she suggesting using these ¡®people¡¯ as weapons?In the video, everyone was worshipping Situ An silently. Xuan Wen silently approached the room and picked a pair of heels that had cute bows. Xuan Wen seemed to be able to see the female owner. She waved at the air before taking the heels out. She moved so fast that both the people in the room and the students were stunned. ¡°Quick! Run!¡± Xuan Wen knew that she had attracted trouble. She abandoned her ¡®little brother¡¯, grabbed the heels and ran. In the death portrait, Situ An¡¯s eyes moved. Footsteps echoed in the small room. Old Sao was scared that the shoes would chase after them. He called after the rest and left quickly. Old Sao, who was captivated by Xuan Wen¡¯s beauty, had also calmed down. He admitted that Xuan Wen was beautiful, but what was the use of beauty at the hospital? After leaving the back building, Old Sao took out his recorder and aimed it at Xuan Wen. In the video, Xuan Wen stood there with the heels, and behind her lingered a long-haired woman in a blue dress. The woman kept her head lowered, and her body was almost stuck to Xuan Wen¡¯s back. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°I think you should toss the shoes away.¡± Old Sao reminded her kindly. Xuan Wen tried to drop the heels, but the woman in the blue dress didn¡¯t leave. ¡°This is not good¡­¡± Old Sao was ready to give up on Xuan Wen. He didn¡¯t me Xuan Wen. He merely moved away from her. An expert womaniser like him would never use words to hurt someone. ¡°Is there something behind me?¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t feel ufortable, so she picked up the heels again. She picked this pair of shoes for a reason. ¡°Just some dust.¡± Old Sao coughed. He acted normal and quietly sent a message in his group chat to warn his friends. ¡°Your little brother should be hiding. We should focus on gathering resources to find weapons to deal with ghosts before we go searching for your brother.¡± Old Sao moved to the front. In the guise of protecting her, he arranged for Xuan Wen to walk at the back of the team. They returned to the front building. The patients started to mutate. The group didn¡¯t dare to waste time. They ran to the second floor and started to search through the rooms. Most of the wards were empty. The longer they searched, the more unsettled Old Sao felt. They couldn¡¯t find any ¡®items¡¯ mentioned by Xiao Xia¡¯s ¡®father¡¯. The night was like a knife chasing after them. Just as it was about to sh their throats, the patients in the building became rowdy. Arguments and fights broke out. Everyone was in a hurry. ¡°Every ward has its own function. I saw a list inside the Gics Consultation Ward.¡± Old Sao sent the message in the chat group. He abandoned the other wards and raced down the third-floor corridor. ¡°The psychiatry ward includes the psychology ward, addiction ward, Chinese medicine ward, criminology ward and so on. They have items to identify cursed objects and medicine to recover sanity there.¡± Old Sao didn¡¯t share the news with Xuan Wen. He shared it through the chat group. ¡°No jostling! Go and line up!¡± Most of the rooms in the psychiatry ward had long queues. Old Sao looked around and found a ward with no queue. They hurried over. They pushed open the door and realised the room was empty except for a pool of blood and a bloody coat draped on the chair. ¡°Was the doctor killed?¡± They entered the room. Old Sao¡¯s heart suddenly pounded. Chaos appeared outside the room. The patients who were queuing earlier suddenly ran down a specific direction. A heavily mutated patient exited one of the rooms. Folds of flesh grew out of the back of his head. His eyes were sunk into his face. He had a pair of giant pupils. He looked verynky. His fingers were stained with blood, like he had justmitted murder. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m so drowsy, but I can¡¯t fall asleep¡­¡± The patient seemed to be in an illusion. He attacked people around him indiscriminately. ¡°Doctor, can you put me to sleep?¡± After the murder started, Old Sao grabbed Brother Xiong and ran. Lee Ding followed them. Su Mo wanted to run, but the patient had already caught up to him. He had two choices: Either abandon Xuan Wen as bait or hide inside the room with Xuan Wen. His brain was still working when his body had already made the choice. He backed away and closed the room door. Bang! Bang! The knocking seemed tond on Su Mo¡¯s heart. The door wouldn¡¯t be locked for long. ¡°Doctor! Doctor! I can¡¯t sleep. My brain is about to explode! Many things are stuffed into my head. I can¡¯t stand this anymore!¡± The door trembled. Su Mo started to go numb. He turned around to shout at Xuan Wen, ¡°Come help me!¡± However, as he turned around, Su Mo almost passed out. He saw Xuan Wen pick up the bloody coat and put it on herself. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Su Mo felt like he was going crazy. ¡°I¡¯m going to be his doctor.¡± Xuan Wen sat on the chair and smiled with her eyes. ¡°Do you want to be my patient too?¡± Chapter 236: Treatment Chapter 236: Treatment The prettydy put on the white coat and invited him to be her patient. Su Mo almost subconsciously nodded. He was not sick, but he hadn¡¯t had that experience before, so he wanted to give it a try. ¡°Are you serious?¡± His arms numbed. The door opened a small gap. The monster¡¯s bloody fingers squeezed in. Su Mo looked at the approaching fingers and gritted his teeth nervously. The scent of blood pulled him back to reality, ¡°Help!¡± ¡°Let him in. I might not be a doctor, but my job is rted to psychology,¡± Xuan Wen stopped teasing Su Mo. She leaned back in the chair in a rxed pose. The door was slowly pushed open. Su Mo tried his best, but the scary face still appeared inside the room. The patient¡¯s strength far surpassed that of a normal human. Su Mo could hold on for so long because he had been blessed by the shadow world multiple times. ¡°So sleepy¡­¡± The cracked lips slowly approached Su Mo. The sunken eyes were like two dark pools. The monster¡¯s ten fingers trembled. It was as if only murder could relieve him. Su Mo was forced to the corner. He was so frightened by the monster that his mind was nk. ¡°It¡¯s over now¡­¡± ¡°The doctor is here. Come and sit down.¡± Xuan Wen said softly, grabbing the patient¡¯s attention. With the back of his brain dragging on the ground, the monster slowly turned his body. When he saw Xuan Wen, he became agitated, ¡°Doctor! Doctor! I¡¯m so sleepy!¡± He trundled over to the table. His hands mmed on the table. If not for the table, he might jump on Xuan Wen. ¡°Sit.¡± Xuan Wen scanned the patient with absolute expertise. The patient wore a patient¡¯s garb on the outside, but the staff uniform was on the inside. The main mutation was on his head.¡°Tell me about your symptoms.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep no matter what. Once Iy in bed, I¡¯ll hear many different voices. They first appear in my room, then on my bed, and finally inside my head! They have been arguing nonstop, even now!¡± The patient waved his fingers as his expression became more painful. ¡°What are they arguing about? Can you tell me?¡± Xuan Wen was so calm, like she had done this many times before. ¡°It¡¯s too noisy! I can¡¯t hear them clearly! They areing back!¡± ¡°Back where? To your side or to your home?¡± Xuan Wen captured something, ¡°Did you kill them? Did you hide their bodies?¡± ¡°No! I didn¡¯t kill them! I have nothing to do with their deaths! Really!¡± The patient became more unstable. His fingers cracked through the table. Su Mo, who hid in the corner, was still in shock. Xuan Wen asked the monster directly how many people he had killed. ¡°If you¡¯re not rted to their deaths, why do they target you? What is your job here?¡± Xuan Wen was a killer, so she understood killers well. The patient before her was not a killer. ¡°I was once a nurse at the ICU department. I was the best nurse! I was nominated as the best nurse several times!¡± The patient kept repeating the award. It meant a lot to him. ¡°Where do you normally sleep? In your duty room or near the ICU?¡± ¡°The nurses have their own hostels. When a nurse is too tired, they will also take a quick nap on one of the empty patient beds. As long as the doctors don¡¯t see it, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Do you often sleep on the beds of dead patients?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s eyes focused on the back of the man¡¯s head. ¡°Have you promised them something or stolen their things?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m just a nurse! It¡¯s impossible for me to steal from patients!¡± The patient¡¯s nails started to crack. It was scary. Su Mo finally calmed down. He was curious about how Xuan Wen was going to treat the man. At least she appeared like she knew what she was doing. ¡°Then, I think I know the reason.¡± Xuan Wen smiled like this was an easy problem. The patient and Su Mo leaned forward. They wanted to know what Xuan Wen had to say. ¡°The mutation is limited to the back of your head. This means that the issue lies with your pillow. Once someone leaves, we normally cut open a gap in their pillow. This is because after the person passes away, a trace of the soul might linger at home inside the pillow. Since you have been using the pillows of various victims, their souls have crawled into your brain!¡± Xuan Wen tapped her fingers, ¡°It¡¯s easy to help you. Bring me to where you normally sleep and hand me your pillow.¡± Su Mo¡¯s expression was interesting. The source of the illness was the pillow?! Was that even reasonable? He felt like Xuan Wen was more like an actor than a doctor. Su Mo started to look for a suitable weapon when he heard the patient cry. The scary monster was crying, and even his voice changed, ¡°It has to be the pillow. They refuse to leave. I¡¯ll bring you there!¡± He turned and yanked open the door. He politely invited Xuan Wen to follow him. He ignored Su Mo, who was at the corner. ¡°You shoulde with us.¡± Xuan Wen tossed the heels to Su Mo. The innocent young man chose to stay with her earlier. The seemingly wrong choice was the correct one. With the patient leading the way, they came to the fourth-floor ICU. Perhaps the sky was darkening, but the atmosphere on this floor waspletely different. Death permeated everything. The decorative flowers wilted. Even the bugs had died. ¡°This floor should be the most dangerous floor of the front building,¡± Xuan Wen studied the old corridor. Her smile grew brighter. Compared to a dating sim, she preferred the game of doctors. Controlling someone¡¯s life was so much more fun than love. When they returned to the fourth floor, the patient was a lot more honest. No matter the time of day, those who were willing to stay on the fourth floor were quite dangerous. Chapter 237: Payment Chapter 237: Payment The patient stopped making noises. He held his bloody fingers, and he walked with such softness. The fourth floor was very quiet. No one could be seen. Xuan Wen and Su Mo had no idea why the patient was so scared. They moved silently and paused beside the nurse station for the ICU. The patient with insomnia took out arge ring of keys. He tried a lot of them before he managed to open the door. The inside of the hospital had a generally light colour scheme to give off a clean, bright feeling. However, this ward was very dark. The walls, floor and furniture were painted with irregr lines. The lines connected together to form swirls that would suck one in if one looked at them for too long. ¡°When I can¡¯t sleep, I¡¯ll use the pen to record down the voices in my brain.¡± The insomniac picked up the nket. The nket was originally white, but he drew on it so much that it was already ck. ¡°Are you saying these lines are voices?¡± Xuan Wen was interested. Ignoring Su Mo¡¯s protest, she entered the ward. Su Mo was anxious. He wanted to escape once the patient entered the ward, but Xuan Wen seemed genuine in wanting to help him. ¡°Listen.¡± The patient put his ear near the nket. His eyes started to roll, and several voices entered his head like threads. Xuan Wen did the same. The threads started to fray. They were like ripples. They were the whispers of the dead. Some wanted to see their children, and others med their children for leaving them at the hospital. There were also cries of regret. The voice grew louder. The threads turned from fish hidden under the ripples torge snakes and patches of shadow. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± All the voices gathered to form a united thought. All the lines gathered in the same direction. The insomniac yelled in pain. He was like a puppet controlled by endless threads. Once he closed his eyes, his brain would be dominated by different voices. ¡°The end of the threads is the back of the man¡¯s head, but where do they start¡­¡± The slender fingers caressed the threads like they were musical strings. Xuan Wen walked to the bed that was closest to the door. ¡°This pillow that most patients have used before they died.¡± The pillowcase was often changed, but the inside of the pillow hid the patient¡¯sst memory. Xuan Wen ignored the crazed patient. She seemed to dance as she approached the pillow. Su Mo didn¡¯t dare to get closer. He thought Xuan Wen had lost her mind. He cried for help. Xuan Wen calmly sat on the bed. Thest light of the day shone on her. Her hands gently picked up the pillow. She removed the pillowcase. The inside of the pillow was painted with human faces. The faces ovepped. They came from different walks of life, but death was fair.Like a princess, Xuan Wen climbed into bed. Xuan Wen put her head on the pillow with the human faces. She closed her eyes with a smile like she was weing a happy dream. After all, she was not a real doctor but a criminal! Helping the patient was a bonus. She was more passionate about experiencing the patient¡¯sst moments. Even the most mundane days carried warmth. One¡¯sst moment had the coagtion of one¡¯s whole life. It was like wine with an incrediblyplex fragrance. The sounds in the room weakened. The insomniac gained more rity. The smile on Xuan Wen¡¯s face grew bigger. She heard everyone¡¯sst words. Every soul was telling their story. ¡°Come back, just like me! Return to the real world and embrace everything here!¡± Eight ghastly wounds appeared on her body. These eight wounds seemed to represent fate. The strange lines crawled into Xuan Wen¡¯s body through the wounds. With her control, she used the lines to slowly sew up the wounds. ¡°The wounds of soul require the treatment of soul¡­¡± The voices in the pillow changed. When the faces realised there was something scarier outside the world, their voices became lighter. Most of the souls in the pillow lingered because they missed the world and wanted toplete their iplete wishes. They didn¡¯t want to be exhausted by Xuan Wen. Seeing the pillow slowly returning to normal, Xuan Wen opened her eyes. ¡°You only know how to bully the weak. That¡¯s why there isn¡¯t a big ghost among you.¡± Cursed objects were meant to be used. The pillow was shoved back into the ck pillowcase. Xuan Wen picked it up with one hand, ¡°Based on Gao Ming¡¯s standard, this pillow is half of a big ghost. It has many souls. It¡¯s a high-grade cursed object.¡± After Xuan Wen imed the pillow, the insomniac stopped hearing the voices. The drowsiness swept over the patient. He wanted to fall asleep, but Xuan Wen stood before him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve cured you. Now it¡¯s time for you to pay. My payment is not cheap.¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± The man spoke like a normal person. However, his mutated body couldn¡¯t be reverted. ¡°First, you need to introduce me to another patient who has symptoms as serious as you did.¡± Xuan Wen extended one finger. ¡°What kind of strange request is that?¡± The patient scratched his ¡®long¡¯ head. ¡°No problem. There are many patients here.¡± ¡°Second, your illness might rpse. Before you fully recover, you should stick with me. I¡¯ll help you adjust back to life.¡± Xuan Wen was being kind, so the man nodded easily. To express his appreciation, he even took out two bottles of medicine from his nurse uniform and gave them to Xuan Wen, ¡°I took these Soul Transfer Drugs from the doctor. They are the currency in this hospital. You can use them to trade for stuff.¡± The man was being so nice that Su Mo was stunned. This was apletely different person from the monster who attacked them. Was Xuan Wen really a doctor? Su Mo sneaked a nce at Xuan Wen. He thought about letting her examine him. ¡­ Noticing Su Mo¡¯s disappearance, Old Sao pped himself, ¡°I should have warned him! When my heart pounded, that thing was alreadying!¡± It was too chaotic back then. Old Sao, Lee Ding and Brother Xiong ran with the throng of patients. It was onlyter that they realised Su Mo was not with them. They returned to the psychiatry ward. There were only pools of blood left. Su Mo and Xuan Wen were gone. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the torture they are going through now.¡± Old Sao tightened his fists with guilt in his eyes. Chapter 238: Gamer Chapter 238: Gamer ¡°Su Mo should still be alive. There¡¯s no sign of fighting here. He and the woman might have escaped from another exit like the window.¡± Brother Xiong knew that was improbable, but since they hadn¡¯t seen Su Mo¡¯s body, they had to focus on the positive. Old Sao shook his head. ¡°At this ce, anything unimaginable is possible. Everything is heading towards a direction none of us wants.¡± Old Sao¡¯s heart raced harder than normal. He could sense the appearance of danger, but the feeling was constant. He had no idea where the danger woulde from. ¡°Li San Hospital is so different from the house I enteredst night.¡± Old Sao hesitated before he turned to Lee Ding and Brother Xiong. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this to happen. This is my fault.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t focus on that for now.¡± Brother Xiong grabbed Old Sao by his arm, ¡°Your phone has been vibrating. Aren¡¯t you going to answer it?¡± ¡°Someone replied to my online post. The people outside are very interested in what we¡¯re experiencing here.¡± Old Sao picked out his phone, clicked open the post, and showed it to his friends. Seeing the content, Brother Xiong and Lee Ding¡¯s faces paled. ¡°These people are so weird!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Old Sao nced at his screen. The first reply was a troll message, ¡°The four of you will die in the hospital. You will be chopped into pieces and put into my new cans.¡± ¡°There are many replies like this. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Old Sao was already immune to suchments. ¡°But he knows there are four of us. You didn¡¯t reveal that information before!¡± Lee Ding entered Old Sao¡¯s profile backstage. His phone kept vibrating because the person who posted thatment kept private messaging Old Sao. Lee Ding allowed the messages toe through, and he saw some blurred images and words. ¡°The four of you will die in different rooms. I¡¯ll turn you into mutes and deafs. You¡¯ll be turned into toys to satisfy the curiosity of my entric customers.¡±The private messages kepting. They included images of the hospital¡¯s seventh floor, theplicated corridor, and finally, the corridor they had just passed. Old Sao scolded the person and then blocked them. However, the messages kepting. The messages were like calls from the grave. Old Sao originally wanted to use the inte to seek help from outside, but it appeared like only people from inside the hospital could see his post. ¡°No wonder I can still receive their messages after I¡¯ve blocked them! Are they all ghosts?¡± Old Sao¡¯s neck was drenched in cold sweat. The pictures in the backstage kept refreshing. The pictures came from the seventh floor, the fourth floor and finally, the floor they were on. ¡°I will find you and cut you into building blocks. Then, I¡¯ll piece you into shapes I like. ¡°I will slowly tear off your mouth. I¡¯ve brought thergest hook in the hospital with me. I will attempt everything I¡¯ve been told on you!¡± The picture showed the entrance of the psychiatry ward. At the same time, the corridor door opened. Old Sao¡¯s group looked at each other, and their hearts winced. The phone shook again, and another picture came. It was a picture of the ward corridor. Using the fastest speed, Old Sao turned his phone into silent mode, but it was already toote. ¡°I think I¡¯ve found you!¡± The pictures kepting. The thing had entered their floor and raced down the corridor. The pictures made the phone screen light up constantly. In the darkening ward, the light lit up their pale faces. Old Sao grabbed his chest, ¡°Run! Now!¡± The trio rushed out of the room. They saw a kid about ten standing outside a ward about a few meters away. He wore a giant gaming helmet. He was so small, but he moved so fast. The kid¡¯s head had melted into the helmet. The electrical wires joined with his blood vessels. The kid couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between the reality and the game. Other than the head, his hands also mutated. There were no fingers, only two soft blobs of meat. They could turn into different weapons based on the kid¡¯s order. ¡°Found you! I found you!¡± An excited scream came from the gaming helmet. The kid ran with the helmet low on his head. ¡°Fuck! Why are there so many monsters here?¡± Old Sao ran without turning back. He turned down anywhere there was a path. Once his heart could sense danger, he would not stop. ¡°Let me y with you! Let me chop up your mouth! Let me see how tough your mouths are!¡± The kid chased after them. Lee Ding was at the back. He was really nervous, ¡°Old Sao! What did you message the kid before you blocked him?¡± ¡°The same thing you¡¯d tell people when ying online games!¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s over for us!¡± Lee Ding ran faster. They ran to the first floor. When Old Sao exited the corridor, he tripped and fell to the ground. Brother Xiong and Lee Ding fell because they tripped on his body. Pain came from everywhere. Old Sao hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to raise his head when he felt a cold thing on his neck. He lifted his head in shock. Old Sao saw two security members from the investigation centre in the lobby. The night was behind them. The dawning light shone on them. The two members stood to the side. The leading man had long ck hair and every inch of his body was covered in ghost tattoos. The bloody band was stuck on his wrist. The man stepped on Old Sao¡¯s head. ¡°How are there still survivors? Are you horror game yers?¡± Old Sao reacted quickly and pleaded for help. ¡°We¡¯re here to help our friend¡¯s mother secure some medicine! Help! There¡¯s a monster chasing us!¡± The kid with the gaming helmet had already appeared at the corridor. His hands mutated into sickles. ¡°A low-grade shadow product. Not even a big ghost.¡± The man didn¡¯t even pull out his de as he walked over Old Sao¡¯s body and walked alone towards the corridor. The ghost tattoos on his neck winked. The man smiled. The kid was not scared. He raised his sickles as if preparing to fight a game boss. Chapter 239: Mist Chapter 239: Mist Having been stepped on, Old Sao was not feeling great, but he didn¡¯t dare to show any dissatisfaction. Hey on the ground and cautiously observed the corridor. He had heard many rumours about the investigation centre online, but after he interacted with them in person, he realised the online rumours were too conservative. From the man¡¯s attitude, it was clear that the investigation centre didn¡¯t treat normal citizens like them as human beings. These members were arrogant and conceited. ¡°No wonder no one likes them.¡± Old Sao had no idea that the man assumed they were horror game yers, and he had no idea the people before him were special units from the investigation centre. ¡°One day, when I can stand on my own, I¡¯ll make you pay for this.¡± Old Sao grumbled internally as he considered what to do. In the dark corridor, the ghost tattoo on the long-haired man¡¯s neck rippled like water. His pale fingers opened like lotuses. The ghost eye embedded in his palm blinked. The eyes focused on the kid with the gaming helmet. The man walked confidently forward without drawing his de. Instead, it was the kid who started to tremble. It was like something was wrestling control of his body, so he couldn¡¯t move. With his thumb on the hilt, a ck mist wafted out of the man¡¯s body. The ghost tattoo reconstructed behind him to form a giant figure of a ghost. They were simr to the figurines Granny Shen had in her room at Si Sui Apartment, but the man¡¯s figures had all been infiltrated by ck mist. ¡°Why did you stop moving?¡± Before night arrived, the man suddenly picked up speed. He stepped on the tiles and shed! The kid was very fast, but the man¡¯s de was faster. When the kid reacted, his mutated hands were already on the ground. After the hand-sickles separated from the kid, they returned to normal hands. As the tears fell, fear and pain caused the child to lose all will to fight. Hended on the ground with four limbs and crawled away, leaving behind two bright trails of blood. The man didn¡¯t give chase. He picked up the kid¡¯s hands and ced them above his wrist. The ghost tattoos were like piranhas that smelled blood. The fingers grabbed the mutated flesh. The man closed his eyes. The process of absorption was painful. No matter how many times he did it, he couldn¡¯t get used to it. ¡°What a pure taste. The source of the mutation here should be quite high level.¡± The man walked back to the lobby. Old Sao quickly moved his eyes away. He noticed that all the other patients were gone. There were only pools of blood.¡°Are you afraid?¡± The man knelt down so that his ghost eyes could take a good look at Old Sao, ¡°We¡¯re security members from Han Hai Investigation Centre Headquarters. I¡¯m team leader K.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the horror game yer you¡¯re looking for. My brother¡¯s mother is sick. We¡¯re here to get her medicine.¡± The excuse was used again. Old Sao was telling the truth. ¡°Give me your phone.¡± The man seemed to know how the horror game yers contacted each other. Hearing that, Old Sao¡¯s face paled. When he was inside the hospital, he said a lot of bad things about the centre online to get people toe to the hospital to help them. ¡°You got the wrong people.¡± The security team didn¡¯t give him the chance to exin. They searched his body and took away his phone. They forced him to give them the password. K was disappointed they were not horror game yers. ¡°We seem to havee early. Those yers will only move at night.¡± The other security members stopped harassing the university students. For them, Old Sao¡¯s group was not more important than a group of stray kittens. ¡°We received the order toe here to investigate Situ An¡¯s treasure and the horror game yers. The appearance of the anomaly has to be connected to the yers. What did you experience so far?¡± To prove his value, Old Sao told K everything, including the different wards and functions. Since Old Sao didn¡¯t mention Su Mo, Lee Ding had to cut in, ¡°We have a friend who is missing. He should be taken away by the monster whose head was dragging on the ground.¡± Lee Ding was closest to Su Mo, but he had no idea Su Mo was the horror game yer the security team was looking for. ¡°Team 9 will stay on the first floor. The horror game yers might infiltrate this ce after dark. You¡¯ll guard the entrance. Anyone who tries anything will be killed, be it humans or ghosts.¡± K told Lee Ding to lead the way, ¡°Team 7 will follow me. We have to find the source of the mutation before dark.¡± ¡­ On the fourth floor of the front building, inside a tool storage room beside an operating room, there was a male patient about 2 metres tall squatting before Xuan Wen. His name was Da Bo. His body was sewn together with different parts. His left hand carried a chopper, and his right hand was bulbous and had hardened into a giant meatball. In contrast, he had a head of a cute four-year-old boy. His intellect paused at that age too. This patient was the new patient the insomniac introduced to Xuan Wen. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t have any good method but to teach the Da Bo gently and patiently. When she finally got the kid to calm down, the storage room door suddenly opened. A child with a gaming helmet ran in. He was so scared as he waved his chopped arms around. The kid seemed to be friends with Da Bo. He wanted to get Da Bo¡¯s help to seek revenge, but he didn¡¯t expect someone else to be with Da Bo. ¡°It looks like someone cut your arms off. Is there a ghost who knows how to use knives here?¡± Xuan Wen noticed something was off. The boy¡¯s wound was bleeding ck mist. The curse was different from the one at the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s a human. I want to store them in my cans!¡± The child was just frightened, but he quickly opened up to Xuan Wen. This might be rted to Xuan Wen¡¯s profession. ¡°A human?¡± This couldn¡¯t be the work of a horror game yer. Xuan Wen nodded and looked at the kid kindly, ¡°I¡¯ll help you deal with the people who bully you, and you¡¯ll follow my orders in the future. What do you think?¡± The kid wanted to reject her instantly. He was there to find his friend. However, before he could say anything, Xuan Wen added gently, ¡°If you say no, I¡¯ll stuff you into your cans now.¡± Standing among the three patients, Xuan Wen was more like a patient. Poor Su Mo. He wanted to apologise to the kid on Xuan Wen¡¯s behalf. Chapter 240: Relationship Chapter 240: Rtionship The insomniac and Da Bo sat on Xuan Wen¡¯s sides. The kid with the gaming helmet stomped his feet angrily, but he couldn¡¯t do anything. He couldn¡¯t figure out why his best friend would suddenly be so estranged from him and was willing to follow a ¡®witch¡¯. Xuan Wen took out some threads and needles. She told the kid, ¡°Come here.¡± The kid was unwilling, but his body moved on its own. He slowly nudged towards Xuan Wen. The boy turned his head to the side when Xuan Wen bandaged his wrists. He was thinking about something cruel in his mind. ¡°Do you n to cut off my hands and attach them to your wrists?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice entered the boy¡¯s ears and startled him. ¡°D-did I say that out loud?¡± The boy turned back with shock. He realised his wrists had been tied by bandages. ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re on the same side as those humans!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor! I¡¯m doing this to help you.¡± The scalpel Xuan Wen hid in her hands cut through the back of the boy¡¯s neck. The wires of the helmet were connected to the boy¡¯s spine and joined with his blood capiries. If they were forcibly cut off, the boy would lose his mind. ¡°Gaming is not a bad thing, but being obsessed with it will make you lose yourself and be a puppet controlled by it.¡± Xuan Wen reached her hand into the boy¡¯s mutated neck. ¡°I will not have you stay away from the game directly. I¡¯m merely going to find you a more interesting game so that your brain wouldn¡¯t just be thinking about murders.¡± She activated the game Gao Ming had made for her and shoved it along with the console into the boy¡¯s brain. She gently attached the wires to the boy¡¯s vessels. The boy¡¯s cruel eyes slowly dulled. The world in his eyes seemed to have changed. Su Mo was stunned. The way Xuan Wen healed the patients was rather extreme. ¡°Wh-what game is this?¡± The boy¡¯s voice became calmer, but fear appeared in his eyes. Under the influence of the shadow world, the gore he witnessed in the game became real andmon. After he got used to that, when he saw normal situations, he felt fearful and ufortable.¡°You¡¯re a very typical patient. In the future, when the whole city is a giant horror game, more patients like you will appear. They will treat the abnormal as normal and slowly lose the most precious thing in their humanity before eventually bing feed for the ghosts.¡± Xuan Wen patted the boy¡¯s gaming helmet. Her gentle gesture caused the boy to shiver. ¡°What did you do to me? Why is my world like this?¡± ¡°Other than the ridiculous love story, the game I gave you is more akin to real life.¡± Xuan Wen picked up the boy with one hand. The gaming helmet could only be removed by the boy. ¡°Let me go!¡± The boy struggled, and Xuan Wen didn¡¯t cut him any ck. With her fingers on his wound, she slowly tied back his broken wires and vessels. Standing among the three patients, Xuan Wen had never felt more at home. Su Mo looked at this withplicated emotions. He was still holding the pair of heels. When he passed a mirror earlier, he noticed that the owner of the heels had moved to his back and stared at his neck darkly. ¡°Is she a real doctor here? No! She¡¯s more of an expert than the doctors here!¡± Just as Su Mo wondered if Xuan Wen was a living human, her phone rang. It was a special ringtone. ¡°She didn¡¯t turn her phone to silent mode inside the game instance?! How brave is she?¡± Even a newbie like Su Mo knew to turn his phone off. Xuan Wen knew who the caller was from the ringtone alone. She let go, and the boynded with a st on the ground. Xuan Wen took out her phone, and she revealed hesitation for the first time. Su Mo became serious as well. Xuan Wen, who faced three patients with serenity, was nervous when facing this phone call. After some internal conflicts, Xuan Wen answered the call, ¡°What is it?¡± Her tone was light, but everyone could hear that there was something hidden under the calmness. ¡°It¡¯s almost dark. I¡¯m heading to Li San Hospital now. How¡¯s your situation over there?¡± A man¡¯s voice came through. Su Mo frowned when he heard it. He thought the voice was very familiar. ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital. The people from the investigation centre are here. You have to be careful.¡± Xuan Wen frowned as her heart raced. She hated situations where she couldn¡¯t control everything. Seeing this, Su Mo couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the nature of the rtionship between the two. ¡°How many of them are there?¡± The man asked. ¡°Two security teams from Xin Lu. At most twenty of them.¡± Xuan Wen knew this by asking the boy. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I have three mutated patients and a university student with great potential. He seems to be liked by the shadow world and has the presence of shadow.¡± Xuan Wen had her reasons to bring Su Mo with her. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t fight them. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± The voice on the phone soon disappeared, but Xuan Wen was still staring at the phone. Her lips curled, and she was rather annoyed even though she didn¡¯t know why. Was it because the man didn¡¯t talk to her about anything else other than work? Or was it because she was being influenced by her emotions? ¡°I¡¯m a bad person. Why does he believe me?¡± Xuan Wen gripped her phone. Gao Ming made a game specifically for her and even had her handle the Dead Water Forum. It felt like she was special to him for him to do that. However, in Xuan Wen¡¯s memory, she merely went to the tunnel entrance to fetch him once. ¡°Is he simple-minded? No way. He has died so many times.¡± Xuan Wen leaned against the wall and grumbled to herself. The three patients noticed this, but no one dared to say anything. Su Mo was the bravest andmented in a small voice, ¡°Was it your husband who called you? I seem to have heard his voice somewhere else before.¡± Su Mo really wanted to know. However, after he asked the question, Xuan Wen stared at him directly, ¡°What¡­ What is it?¡± ¡°I have nothing to do with him. And he will not fall in love with me. That is what he promises me.¡± Chapter 241: Serious Symptom Chapter 241: Serious Symptom Xuan Wen¡¯s tone was clearly different from before. It was evident that she cared deeply about this. Be it the real world or the shadow world, there were not many things that could affect Xuan Wen. Only her confusing rtionship with Gao Ming could give her things to worry about. She believed that those emotions were fate¡¯s shackles and not what she really felt. ¡°Focus on money, future even troubles are better than focusing on rtionships.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s words silenced Su Mo. As someone who had zero romance experience, he had no idea what was troubling Xuan Wen so much. He just wanted to know whom the voice on the phone belonged to. ¡°The people from the investigation centre areing soon. We need to leave this ce. We¡¯ll meet them after we gather enough power.¡± Xuan Wen walked out of the room. She was so calm before she answered that man¡¯s phone. ¡°What a scary woman.¡± Su Mo grumbled and walked to the back of the group while holding the pair of heels. Thete afternoon light was slowly swallowed by the dark clouds. The night was like giant hands covering everyone¡¯s eyes. Footsteps echoed all around the building. The patients were doing the final preparation for the night. Xuan Wen¡¯s group was also no different. The ICU was the most dangerous floor. Most highly mutated patients were there. However, most of them would only appear after dark. Those who were willing to move around during the day were the ones who had not been fully corrupted by the darkness. In other words, the patients who walked around during the day were considered 60 percent human. ¡°The other patient I¡¯m bringing you to see is also an insomniac. However, his symptoms are much more serious than mine. I hope you won¡¯t be scared by him.¡± The insomniac with the long head led Xuan Wen down the corridor. At the end of the corridor, there was a stack of white doors. It was like a few sick rooms wereid on top of each other. Shadow spread around like tentacles. Someone connected the white doors with threads that were hung with bells. If one looked through the gaps between the doors, one could asionally see white eyeballs. ¡°This feels more like a haunted house. Are we finally going to meet a big ghost at the hospital?¡± Xuan Wen returned to normal. The walls that led down the corridor started to tilt. Xuan Wen lifted her hand to push open the doors. At that moment, all the threads shook, and the bells chimed. The white paint on the wall peeled off. Bugs crawled out of the floor. The darkness spread rapidly. Xuan Wen looked like she had stepped into a nightmare. The doors opened. The door axles appeared to settle between the two worlds. ¡°This patient does have a heavier symptom.¡± Wearing the bloody coat, Xuan Wen slowly entered the room. The que hung inside the door--First ICU Ward.There were no medical devices or doctor¡¯s equipment. There was only a giant, white bed inside this nted room. The room looked empty, but strange sounds kepting from the corners. There were sounds of teeth grinding, sawing, hammering, munching and crows. When the whole group entered the room, the doors behind them closed on their own. Then, they opened on their own again. After this was repeated a few times, more sounds appeared inside the room, as if more people had joined them. Su Mo was the first to feel that something was wrong. He had difficulty breathing like he was being crushed in a crowd. Even his heartbeat slowed down. ¡°Hang on a little bit more.¡± Xuan Wen walked to the bed, peeled back the bedspread and looked under it. A young man was hiding under the bed. His eyes were bloodshot, like he hadn¡¯t slept in a long time. To make things more frightening, he seemed to have cut off his own eyelids so that he couldn¡¯t close his eyes forever. ¡°She is a new doctor. She¡¯s here to help you.¡± The other insomniac said carefully. ¡°Mr Yi, thank you for remembering me, but my situation is different than yours.¡± The man with no eyelids hugged his head. He didn¡¯t want to interact with anyone. Mr Yi appeared to be the name of the insomnia with the mutated head. The two of them bonded over the same illness. ¡°Trust me. She is different from the other doctors.¡± After some coaxing from Mr Yi, the young man finally climbed out of the bed. Xuan Wen gave the man a quick sweep. She couldn¡¯t find anything mutated on the man. The symptoms should be psychological. ¡°Did you cut off your eyelids yourself?¡± Before Xuan Wen entered this ward, she saw many white eyeballs in the gaps between the doors. However, the man¡¯s eyes were so red, like they were about to explode. ¡°Yes.¡± The man sat on the bed. He was very anxious, like he was surrounded by ghosts. ¡°Do you suffer from insomnia too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t sleep, but I don¡¯t dare to sleep.¡± The man yawned. ¡°Once I close my eyes, the ghosts will appear. Once I open my eyes, they will be gone.¡± ¡°Ghosts? How do they look like?¡± Xuan Wen walked to the man and looked him right into his eyes. ¡°Just¡­ I can¡¯t say. They have all kinds of appearance. I can¡¯t see them when my eyes are open. However, when I n to go to bed, the ghosts will appear. Some of them kneel in the living room, others crawl onto my bed. Somey on the rooftop, and others were hanged from the rope. No! No! I can¡¯t keep going. They will hear me!¡± The man shook his head like crazy. Blood seemed to leak out of his eyes. ¡°They are still here! They are around us! I know! I know they are here!¡± ¡°Is that why you cut off your eyelids?¡± Xuan Wen grabbed the man by his head. ¡°How long have you been awake?¡± ¡°A long time. I haven¡¯t slept since I was registered at the hospital. I¡¯m so scared. Am I going to die?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. All of us will stay in your room. We¡¯ll stay guard beside your bed. You can try to sleep now.¡± Xuan Wen handed the man a sleeping mask, ¡°Lie down and close your eyes. Let me see the world in your slumber.¡± The man wanted to reject her, but Xuan Wen pressed him to the bed. He instantly felt so sleepy. ¡°Are you asleep? Did this ward appear inside your mind?¡± ¡°It did! I can¡¯t sleep! The ghosts will be here!¡± Even though the man was so sleepy, he tried so hard to stay away. ¡°Can you see us in your dream?¡± Xuan Wen looked around. ¡°Yes. You are all here! Be careful! Something ising!¡± As the man screamed, the door was knocked open. ¡°Ghosts! There are ghosts everywhere!¡± Pairs of eyeballs appeared at the gap in the doors. The horrifying things that the man imagined would appear after he closed his eyes. Chapter 242: Eyes Chapter 242: Eyes I was a cowardly man. I never dared to go out at night because I felt like there was something waiting for me outside the door. Home was the only ce where I felt safe. However, ever since father and mother went missing, everything changed. Father and mother went missing at home. That night, I was woken up by my parents. They told me to run and leave home. However, when I opened my eyes, my home was scarily quiet. I hid under the nket and peeked into the living room. The furniture and electronics were all there. Nothing was missing. If anything¡­ There were additional shadows there. They stayed there quietly like coffins standing upright. Finally, it was morning. I pulled open the curtain and ran into the living room, shouting my parent¡¯s names. There was no answer. I opened the main bedroom door. My parents were gone. I quickly called the police, but the neighbours told the police that it was me who murdered my parents. They said they could hear arguments and pleasing from my home throughout the night. They called me a crazed murderer. They said they heard my parents yelling my name through the night. Even now, the police couldn¡¯t find my parents. In this world, I should be the only one who knew where they were hidden. Look¡­ They are here now¡­ The night enveloped Li San Hospital. After thest ray of light disappeared, the doors of the ICU units became coffins as they leaned on the walls. Shadows spread like moss. The man with the missing eyelidsy on the bed and slowly stopped struggling. After he fell asleep, white eyes appeared on the walls and doors. Various barely humanoid creatures crawled out. The horrors from the man¡¯s imagination came true. They crawled towards his bed after he fell asleep. This power was beyond that of a normal big ghost. The three patients crowded beside the bed. Su Mo, who hugged the heels, wanted to hide under the bed. ¡°Is the source of mutation his brain?¡± The ground trembled like someone stomped heavily on the floor. Fingers wed through the windows. Everyone could hear a shrill shriek. A giant face appeared at the ICU ward door. It was the face of a middle-aged woman. She was in deep pain and fatigue. Her cheeks billowed in and out like a sail. ¡°Chen Meng! Chen Meng!¡±The face wanted to squeeze into the room. However, it was held back by the thin lines between the doors. The endless bells tinkled. ¡°Is this his mother?¡± Xuan Wen walked forward. However, she only took one step when she was assaulted by a sense of vertigo. The shadow on the ground seemed to have turned into a cliff. If she moved further, she would fall into the shadow world. The monster yelled sharper as she tried to enter the ward. The thin threads snapped one after another as blood sshed everywhere. Emotional fragments fluttered. The bells chimed faster. They matched the man¡¯s racing heartbeat. It felt like the whole ward was shaking. ¡°These threads are not normal threads. They seem to represent the man¡¯s taut nerves. When all of them snap, he will never wake up again.¡± The real world was the reverse of the shadow world, but neither was less authentic than the other. The mother¡¯s face finally entered the ward. It yanked off most of the lines. Her giant head kept expanding as she stared at the sleeping man in the bed. If the ward was the man¡¯s heart, something his mother did in the past had fully dominated his heart, so that he couldn¡¯t help but be haunted by it. The man¡¯s body curled up involuntarily. The load-bearing wall of the ward faded away to reveal the white bones underneath. It was a white spine, and the father lived inside it. The father had wasted away until only his skeleton remained. After the father appeared, the insomniac with the dragging head didn¡¯t hesitate as he took out a bottle of pills. He climbed onto the bed and shoved all the pills into the man¡¯s mouth. The sleeping man seemed to be infiltrated by something. His body convulsed violently. Two forces fought in his head. The mother¡¯s face started to grow age spots. It rapidly aged until it ked away. The father in the spine failed to struggle to get out before he was yanked back by some force. The wall slowly returned to normal. The screams and shrieks retreated to the shadows. The man in the bed took off the blindfold and woke up! His ward before and after his sleep didn¡¯t change much. The only change to him was that there were more snapped threads between the many doors. ¡°You saw the ghosts, right? They wille out once I fall asleep! They¡¯lle to find me!¡± The man pulled on his hair. His eyes were red. ¡°I think I¡¯m close to healing you. However, to do that, I need your full cooperation.¡± Xuan Wen touched the lines between the door. ¡°What was your upation before you came here?¡± The man calmed down after some time. He looked forward with his crimson eyes. ¡°I was an actor. Many people loved me when I was young.¡± ¡°There were many eyeballs looking at you in your dream. Have you been stalked before?¡± Xuan Wen nned to reconstruct everything from his dream to figure out the corrtion to the shadow world. Many big ghosts possessed haunted houses. However, the scariest among them were people like Zhang Ding. They could rey their painful memory in their haunted houses. This man in the ICU appeared to be such a ghost. However, he still hadn¡¯t gained full control of his power. ¡°How is that rted to my illness?¡± The man was unwilling to answer. ¡°Every question I ask you now will be very difficult for you to answer. They will expose your heart and thoughts. However, we need to do that to cut the mutation out of your system.¡± Xuan Wen dragged Su Mo out of the bed. ¡°You are too dangerous. If you don¡¯t want to cooperate, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°Before I fell sick, I was quite good-looking, but I was never famous. Therefore, I asked my friend to pretend to act as a paparazzi to follow me and to drive up some hype. I actually enjoyed the feeling of being stared at a lot. It felt like the world was my stage¡­¡± ¡°And then what happened?¡± ¡°My friend died in a car ident. Their eyes are still on me. I can¡¯t seem to shake them. I start to suspect there are dead people in the corridor and dead bodies at the corner. I didn¡¯t dare to go anywhere, so I only stayed at home.¡± The man widened his eyes with fear. ¡°Then, the stalking eyes appeared in my home too. My parents became so strange, like something had taken over their bodies.¡± Chapter 243: Nightmare and Reality Chapter 243: Nightmare and Reality ¡°The re of the dead will never disappear. My friend became a corpse, but she still remembered me because she kept staring at me. My parents would move around the bedroom at night. Sometimes, they would both stand beside my bed. Their expressions made me think that they were strangers. They seemed to have my dead friend¡¯s face.¡± The man hugged his head. He didn¡¯t dare to sleep. Once he closed his eyes, he would see those ghosts. ¡°I tried to save myself. I went to my friend¡¯s home and entered her bedroom. It was then that I realised she had been loving me for a long time. She even had my childhood photos. Her room was covered in my pictures in different poses. I took her as my best friend, but I was only her toy. On herputer, I saw the videos she took. She had been tailing me before I even knew her. The paparazzi idea was merely her way to satisfy her perversion.¡± The bloodshot eyes filled with pain and guilt. ¡°Your friend liked to stalk, and you liked to be stalked. You two are perfect for each other.¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t show pity for the man. ¡°I only treated her as a friend.¡± ¡°You should have more than one such friend, right?¡± Xuan Wen saw through the man¡¯s heart. ¡°Can you tell me how your friend died?¡± Sitting on the bed, the man¡¯s expression became more painful. He shook his head, refusing to think about this further. ¡°You won¡¯t tell us. Is it because you are rted to her death? Did you kill her? Was she your first kill?¡± Xuan Wen picked up the handcuffs at the corner of the ward. ¡°Just how many people you¡¯ve killed to be detained when you¡¯re in ICU?¡± Everyone rted to this man appeared to have died, but he was still alive. That was very suspicious. ¡°I can¡¯t remember! That¡¯s all! Certain things happened in the nightmare. They had nothing to do with real life!¡± The man became agitated. ¡°I¡¯ve never killed in the real world. I haven¡¯t done anything over the line. I am the victim! They are the ghosts!¡± ¡°Calm down. Then, tell me. What have you done in the nightmare?¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯te to any conclusions. This patient¡¯s situation wasplicated. The kid patient couldn¡¯t differentiate between reality and the game, and this man appeared to havepounded the nightmare and the real world. His situation was worse than the kid.¡°In the nightmare¡­¡± The man hesitated for a long time before continuing, ¡°My best friend became a spider. Her head grew on a giant spider body. She skittered about as she chased me down. She spat out sticky threads to try to bind me to a giant web.¡± ¡°Your best friend became a spider.¡± Xuan Wen was thoughtful. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°How could a human be a spider in the real world? Therefore, it had to be a nightmare! I was cornered in the dream. In the end, I found an axe and immobilised her. However, she was so tough in the nightmare. She kept getting revived. I had no choice but to bury her.¡± The man said in fear. ¡°This happened in the nightmare. It had nothing to do with real life. I only killed a giant spider that happened to have her head.¡± ¡°Is it possible that you¡¯ve conted the nightmare and the real world? You said that the spider silk was sticky. Could it be representative of her controlling love towards you?¡± Before the man could retort her, Xuan Wen walked towards the threads that hung between the doors. ¡°Just like how these threads represent your emotions and nerves.¡± Xuan Wen took out a scalpel and sliced through one of them. The bell rang, and the thread bled. The man started to convulse like he had been pierced. ¡°The nightmare has embedded itself into the real world. Your symptom is indeed rare.¡± Xuan Wen tied the broken thread back. However, the pain and wound couldn¡¯t be erased. ¡°How did your parents die in your nightmare?¡± ¡°They¡­¡± The man slowly remembered some things. ¡°Mother¡¯s body lost all its bones. She only had the bby skin in my nightmare. She could transform into different things. When I dreamed of the sea, she was the boat; When I fell from the sky, she was the balloon. Father¡¯s body was hidden inside a white house made from bones. Whenever I had a nightmare, I had to find the bone house made from his body. Once I found the house, the nightmare would end.¡± ¡°Your mother has been protecting you, and your father is the key to ending the nightmare.¡± Xuan Wen felt that her earlier hypothesis was right. The man couldn¡¯t have killed his parents. Su Mo was dumbfounded when he heard these things. A normal person like him couldn¡¯t understand the world of the mad. ¡°I remember your mother calling you Chen Meng earlier.¡± Xuan Wen took out her phone to search online. There were many Chen Mengs, but there was only one that fit the man¡¯s appearance and job. ¡°Found it¡­¡± There was a case that happened half a year ago in the old city. The killers were actor Chen Meng¡¯s parents. Chen Meng¡¯s life was also ruined because he had been harbouring the killers. After reading many articles, Xuan Wen had a guess. ¡°From half a year ago, you started to mistake the real world for your nightmare. You are the real killer. Your parents were dragged down by you. They admitted to your sins. That is the only exnation why they would appear in that format in your dreams.¡± ¡°Impossible! My parents are missing! They have been taken by the nightmare! I am looking for them too!¡± The man¡¯s words couldn¡¯t be fully trusted because he couldn¡¯t tell what was a dream and what was real. In other words, he could have lied to himself. ¡°Compared to that, I¡¯m more curious about what happened to you half a year ago. Why did you start to have difficulty separating the real from the dream?¡± Xuan Wen asked the key question. ¡°Half a year ago¡­ I had trouble sleeping, so I came to the hospital for counselling¡­ Yes. It was Li San Hospital.¡± The man opened his mouth. The blood moved in his eyes. ¡°That day, I wandered down the wrong corridor. I identally entered the back building. On the fourth floor of the back building, a doctor helped me. He even gave me some medicine.¡± ¡°How could there be a doctor when the back building had been abandoned for so many years already?¡± ¡°There was really a doctor. I remember it so clearly. That day, the vice president of Han Hai Charity, Situ An, was there to see the doctor too. Before he left, he even told me that I didn¡¯t need to pay for the medication.¡± The man added, ¡°Yes. It was inside the psychiatry counselling room on the fourth floor of the back building. At that time, there was a psychiatrist from Hen Shan Penitentiary, who was there for refill, present too!¡± Chapter 244: Trust Chapter 244: Trust The man could not be trusted. It was not his fault because he couldn¡¯t tell what was true. ¡°Why would the richest man in Han Haie to a ce like this? He might have dreamed that.¡± Su Mo thought the man was lying again. His words didn¡¯t make sense. Ever since Situ An released the video, most of the normal citizens, including Su Mo, thought he was a good person. He risked his life to expose the truth. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Xuan Wen reminded him. ¡°Have you forgotten the room with the shoes at the back building? All the shoes are worshipping Situ An. This hospital might be one of his estates.¡± Compared to Situ An, Xuan Wen was more interested in the other person, ¡°You said there was a psychiatrist from Hen Shan Penitentiary that day. What did he look like?¡± ¡°You¡¯d expect a psychiatrist to be over thirty, but that man was very young. He looked just over twenty.¡± The man couldn¡¯t remember too clearly, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the hospital records. There are cameras inside the counselling room. All the sessions are recorded and filed.¡± ¡°To protect the patient¡¯s privacy, the counselling sessions will not be recorded at hospitals.¡± ¡°But they do it here. It¡¯s probably to protect the back building¡¯s doctors just in case the patients be aggressive and attack the doctors. The hospital has to protect the staff legally.¡± The man¡¯s patience was exhausted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it is with the other patients, but my condition worsened after I came here. The more I went for the treatment, the more painful it became. Most of the doctors here are unreliable.¡± The man sneaked a look at Xuan Wen. It was clear what he was thinking. Xuan Wen noticed this. However, she didn¡¯t deny anything. She wasn¡¯t a doctor anyway. ¡°Do you remember the date? Bring me to the ce where the hospital records are stored.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already dark. You can¡¯t go to the back building after dark.¡± The man¡¯s eyes moved about. Even he was scared of that ce. ¡°Lead the way. I¡¯ll figure out a method to heal you.¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t care why Situ An was at the hospital. She cared more about the young psychiatrist. From what she knew, there was only one man who became a psychiatrist at Hen Shan Penitentiary in his twenties. She was very intrigued by this man. The things the man did confused her. He was the only person she couldn¡¯t see through.¡°I suggest you listen to her.¡± The insomniac with the dragging head suddenly said, ¡°Some strange people have entered the front building and are hunting patients. We can use this chance to go to the back building to hide. I know you are scared. It¡¯s not fully dark yet. We probably won¡¯t run into the scariest thing.¡± The man hesitated for a few minutes before he got up. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you, Mr. Yi.¡± After so many days, Chen Meng left the ICU for the first time. He was hunched over, wore a dirty garb, and his face was pale. ¡°This way.¡± The smell of blood in the air thickened. Chen Meng kept his head lowered and walked down the fourth-floor corridor. He urately avoided the security members and passed through the abandoned garden to get to the back building entrance. ¡°We seem to have been discovered. Those killers have power beyond my understanding.¡± Mr. Yi shook his body. He felt gazesing from behind him. ¡°Ignore them. Head to the back building.¡± ¡°Hopefully, those things haven¡¯t awakened.¡± Chen Meng entered the back building through the side door. He avoided the room with the shoes and entered the corridor filled with trash. ¡°Don¡¯t stay here for too long.¡± The group was very efficient. They hurried to the fourth floor. They followed the signs and found the psychiatry counselling room where Chen Meng met the doctor half a year ago. From the outside, this was a normal room. It was nothing special. It just didn¡¯t look like a hospital ward. After passing through the wooden door, there was another unlocked iron door. This was a bit strange. The inside of the room was huge. Three wards were connected together. The ce seemed to be cleaned daily. It looked like how it was half a year ago. ¡°Is someone living here?¡± The white walls, the grey tiles¡­ The yellow table had an oldputer and a broken tablemp on it¡­ ¡°I remember I was sitting there. Situ An and the psychiatrist were in the other room¡­¡± ¡°Where is the recording?¡± Xuan Wen cut him off. ¡°Check the innermost room.¡± Chen Meng thought Xuan Wen was so focused because she wanted to treat her, but he felt that something was wrong. Xuan Wen opened thest door. She checked the location of the camera, switched on theputer and filtered the videos using the date. The oldputer glowed weakly. The videos from the recent months had been deleted. Xuan Wen typed on it, and her gaze becameplicated. The day Chen Meng came to the hospital was the day the anomaly first appeared in Xin Lu. Xuan Wen yed the recording from that day. Xuan Wen noticed that there were many patients that day. They were all reacting like Chen Meng. They somehow lost their way and were led by the doctors to the back building. ¡°It looked like you weren¡¯t lost, but the back building was selecting suitable patients to cultivate into seeds of the shadow world.¡± Xuan Wen saw the key instantly, ¡°Li San Hospital¡¯s back building is the base for the shadow world to infiltrate the real world.¡± Xuan Wen fast-forwarded and saw Chen Meng. Chen Meng, from half a year ago, was apletely different person. He was tall and handsome. However, he had this brooding air. Xuan Wen increased the volume to hear the conversation between Chen Meng and the doctor. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in a long time. I keep dreaming of my friend.¡± ¡°Can you tell me about your dream in detail?¡± ¡°It was one night when I identally drove into her with my car. The dream felt very real. Her facended on the windshield. Her eyes were wide open, and her limbs were syed on my car like a giant spider.¡± Chen Meng, in the video exined the situation with pain. He still looked normal then. ¡°Then, did you wake up from the fright?¡± ¡°Sometimes, I would, and sometimes, I wouldn¡¯t. I¡­¡± Chen Meng slowly said, ¡°I dreamed that I buried her corpse at an abandoned construction site. Her eyes kept looking at me. I was so scared that I cut her into pieces and hid her in different ces.¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t kill her?¡± ¡°Impossible! She was my best friend!¡± Chen Meng became agitated. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. A man in the Hen Shan Penitentiary uniform came in. Xuan Wen paused the video. She stared at the man on screen. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± Chapter 245: Dreamer Chapter 245: Dreamer Xuan Wen put away her smile. She radiated no warmth or kindness anymore. She stared at the screen seriously. She checked to make sure she got everything right. Gao Ming had been to the back building of Li San Hospital half a year ago. He was there, not as a patient. He might been chosen by the shadow world back then. ¡°Erm¡­¡± Chen Meng looked at the paused video. He did not see himself or his doctor. It was another person. ¡°Aren¡¯t we here to treat me? Did you get this wrong?¡± As a patient, Chen Meng didn¡¯t want to interrupt, but Xuan Wen was treating this with such severity that Chen Meng felt like he could be dead the next second. ¡°Every time you can¡¯t sleep, someone around you will die, but you¡¯ll always be fine. Therefore, you are fine.¡± Xuan Wen shushed Chen Meng. She took out a headphone and connected it to the oldputer. Xuan Wen pressed the y button. She stared with such focus. The video continued to y. The ward door opened. Gao Ming entered the ward in his uniform. Dust danced in the light. There was no smell of disinfectant but a strange smell of decay. Gao Ming frowned slightly. He held the resit for the medicine as he looked at Chen Meng, who was receiving treatment. ¡°How can an outsider walk into this ce so easily?¡± Chen Meng was panicking because he justid his darkest secret on the table. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor too. You can continue.¡± Gao Ming scanned the room. There were five seats in the room. There were two beside the table, two beside the window and one beside the bookshelf that was hidden in the shadow. Without much consideration, Gao Ming took the seat in the shadow. He was fully enveloped in the dark. ¡°Are you a doctor here too?¡± Chen Meng¡¯s expression was not as natural as earlier. ¡°Mr. Chen, I think I got a grasp of your illness already. Please wait a moment.¡± The doctor opposite Chen Meng seemed to be surprised by Gao Ming¡¯s appearance as well. He smiled, ¡°You said you are a doctor, but only those with serious mental illness wille to me.¡± ¡°Ever since Hen Shan Penitentiary got the devices that were transferred over from Xin Lu, the emotions of the patients appeared to have settled down. However, once they were triggered, they would instantly fall into a great state of agitation. There was a prison riotst night. My superior told me toe here to get some drugs. This is the resit and proof. He said you already had everything prepared.¡± The hospital had its own purchasing system. Gao Ming didn¡¯t want to get involved. He just wanted to get the drugs and leave.¡°Doctor, I have an acting gigter. Can you prescribe me the pills first?¡± Chen Meng urged. He hated Gao Ming for cutting in. He was there first. ¡°Pills are not going to cure you.¡± Gao Ming suddenly interjected. He had heard everything when he was standing outside. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be troubled by pain anymore, my solution is for you to surrender to the police and admit to your murdering crimes. You hit your best friend with your car, dismembered her and then buried her.¡± ¡°Nonsense! I wouldn¡¯t do something like that!¡± Chen Meng retorted angrily, ¡°That only happened in my dream!¡± ¡°Dream is a reflection of real life. A kernel of truth whittled down from a web of lies.¡± Gao Ming dealt with death penalty criminals daily, so he was familiar with people like Chen Meng, ¡°If you really can¡¯t remember if you have killed someone or not, you can ask the police to help you. For you, death is a release.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Chen Meng stood up. He gripped his fists. ¡°Don¡¯t get all worked up. I¡¯m just sharing my treatment idea with you.¡± Gao Ming still resided in the shadow. ¡°The absurdity of the dream is always rted to our emotive world.¡± The doctor listened to Gao Ming and then consoled Chen Meng, ¡°Dream is the feelings beyond our soul. Sleeping allows us to enter the passivity of our thoughts. Therefore, in our dreams, we¡¯ll often do things we can¡¯t control or understand.¡± On the surface, Chen Meng appeared civilised. He arranged his cor and made himself calm down. ¡°Dreams appear after we sleep, providing us an escape from the waking world, mutating certain things in the process. However, all the mutations have a basis in logic.¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t be clearer with his words. A person¡¯s dream is heavily rted to one¡¯s perception of self. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Chen Meng was about to re up again. He rolled up his sleeves and turned to Gao Ming, ¡°I just can¡¯t sleep. When I did say I killed someone?¡± ¡°Mr. Chen, I¡¯ll bring you to take the medicine now.¡± The doctor pulled Chen Meng away. He led him into the deepest room of the counselling ward. The video became silent. Gao Ming sat on the chair alone and held the resit. He didn¡¯t notice that the shadow behind him appeared to havee alive. It slowly eroded his neck and silently wanted to squeeze into his body. The resit slipped to the ground. Gao Ming closed his eyes like he had fallen asleep. About five minutester, the doctor brought out Chen Meng, who was in a patient¡¯s garb. Chen Meng¡¯s eyes were dull, like something had been taken out of him. ¡°Mr. Chen, take your medicine and go to the seventh floor to get a hospital stay certificate.¡± The doctor patted Chen Meng¡¯s back with a smile. ¡°With our treatment method, you¡¯ll be cured after you¡¯ve stayed with us for three days.¡± Chen Meng left the other room obediently. The doctor came to Gao Ming with a smile. ¡°Wake up.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s eyes flew open. He pulled on his cor like he was cold, ¡°Is the killer gone?¡± ¡°He just had some strange dreams.¡± The doctor picked up the resit from the ground. He studied the different pill names on it. ¡°Have you fallen asleep? Did you dream of anything strange? Do you think you¡¯re crazy?¡± ¡°What is your point?¡± Gao Ming seemed to have been in a dream. ¡°Isn¡¯t a crazy person just a lucid person in a dream?¡± The doctor appeared to be talking to himself. ¡°You have fallen asleep, but are you sure you are awake now?¡± The doctor didn¡¯t look at Gao Ming. When Gao Ming heard the doctor, he felt goosebumps all over. He looked around subconsciously. The world became unfamiliar to him all of a sudden. Xuan Wen had said nothing so far. She stared closely at Gao Ming, trying to glean more information from his face. Chapter 246: Awake Chapter 246: Awake Xuan Wen could be considered the person who knew Gao Ming the best. She knew many of his secrets, and Gao Ming never hid anything from her. However, from Xuan Wen¡¯s perspective, Gao Ming was still a mystery. In her memory, which was tempered by the shadow world, she would fall in love with Gao Ming involuntarily because she was a main character in a game designed by Gao Ming. She shouldn¡¯t exist in the world. She woke up from the shadows and headed to the tunnel to change her fate. However, when she first saw Gao Ming, the killing intent in her heart disappeared. She seemed to have met Gao Ming many times before. When she saw Gao Ming from a distance in the tunnel, she hid the de behind her and subconsciouslybed her hair. She was there to threaten him, but somehow, she ended up carrying him out of the tunnel. That was not her n, but it seemed to have happened many times already. ¡°Who should I believe?¡± The memory given to her by the shadow world and the memory Gao Ming told her conflicted. It was a strange feeling. It was like you had experienced certain things, and someone came to tell you that those experiences were all fake. You were not some killer. You were just you. Xuan Wen wanted to know the truth. It was rted to a basic principle--Should she trust the world or herself? Xuan Wen silenced the outer world and used her power to analyse everyone''s emotional state in the video. In the video, Gao Ming paused for a while. He scanned the counselling room. As the youngest psychiatrist at Hen Shan Penitentiary, he was very sensitive to minute changes in his environment. This was the baseline he needed to achieve to protect himself. ¡°It looks like you have questions too.¡± The doctor returned to his seat. ¡°My name is Lu Zang. I am Li San Hospital¡¯s pyschiatrist. I¡¯ve been in the business for more than two decades already. Shall we chat?¡± The gentle light shone into the room through the open window. Holding the resit, Gao Ming sat in the chair Chen Meng vacated. The two doctors sat across from each other. Neither spoke as they observed the other. Lu Zang looked around 40. He was kind and approachable. His coat was clean, and there was always a pen pinned in his pocket. Lu Zang should have been very handsome when he was young. However, he seemed to have gone under the knife before because there were light scars on his face. ¡°Doctor Gao, I¡¯ve checked the resit. The drugs will be here soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lu Zang gave off a harmless feeling. He could easily gain people¡¯s trust. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite curious about your job. Isn¡¯t it dangerous to be a psychiatrist for criminals?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so cautious. I¡¯m very familiar with a psychiatrist¡¯s trick. You wanted to use that as a gateway to make me suspect that I¡¯ve been corrupted by the criminals that I consult.¡± Gao Ming pointed it out.Lu Zang was not offended when he was exposed. ¡°You should be more familiar than I am regarding the dangers of consulting them. Furthermore, you have already been affected. Do you know why your superior sent you here for this task?¡± Gao Ming shook his test. ¡°You failed your most recent psyche exam. Your superior is worried about your mental health. Your colleagues said that you had been making games during your downtime, but the games you made had some concerning contents.¡± The people at the prison had contacted Lu Zang beforehand. Gao Ming was both a patient and a doctor. ¡°The games were made using the criminals¡¯ nightmares and memory worlds. I¡¯m just a recorder.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with him. He was very rational. ¡°You were only recording at the beginning, but the more you recorded, the more you would be influenced by the stories. You looked into their hearts, and the darkness in their hearts looked back at you.¡± Lu Zang sat in the pool of light. ¡°The pain in life reached into the dreams. Despair umted to form nightmares. They paved the steps downward to lead you to another world.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s words hinted at something. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can test it out using the devices at our hospital.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. Give me the medicine. I should go.¡± Gao Ming rejected him. ¡°Okay. However, before that, I have a question.¡± Lu Zang looked at the chair hidden in the dark, ¡°There are five chairs in this room. Why did you choose that one?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± ¡°Then, how about I phrase it this way?¡± Lu Zang¡¯s eyes looked through Gao Ming¡¯s heart. The scars on his face moved like dragons. ¡°When I took the patient away for his treatment, you fell asleep here. What kind of dream did you have? Was it a nightmare?¡± Since Gao Ming was unwilling to answer, Lu Zang smiled, ¡°Once you answer me, you can leave.¡± ¡°It was not a nightmare for me.¡± Gao Ming answered expressionlessly. This answer surprised Lu Zang, ¡°Then, what did you see in your dream?¡± ¡°I dreamed that all my games became real.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a nightmare?¡± Lu Zang smiled. He was very satisfied with Gao Ming¡¯s answer. He used the phone on his table. Soon, the door opened again. A doctor in a white coat entered the room, pushing a cart filled with drugs. Behind that doctor was another man. Xuan Wen paused the video again. So many things happened. She recognised both men who had just entered the room. The doctor who pushed the cart also had the surname Lu. He had been killed by Gao Ming. One couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was his connection to Lu Zang. The other man who entered the room was recognised by everyone easily. He was imposing and handsome. He was Situ An. ¡°Why are you here too? Did you run out of medicine already?¡± Lu Zang instantly stood up when he saw Situ An. ¡°Keep doing your work. We can talk about meter.¡± Situ An waved his hand as he walked to the chair beside the bookshelf. That seemed to be his reserved seat. The room became crowded. Chen Meng happened to walk out of the other room. The dark circles under his eyes became heavier. He held a pack of medicine in his hand. Xuan Wen memorised everyone in the video. After all, even the weakest among them had be a big ghost. Chapter 247: Sides Chapter 247: Sides Chen Meng was clearly different after he received treatment at the hospital. Before this, he was troubled by insomnia, but at least he was awake. Now, he looked befuddled. Even his eyes were murky. Chen Meng was ready to go to the seventh floor after he took the medicine. However, he turned and saw Situ An. He felt strangely attached to Situ An, like Situ An was the kindest person to him in the world other than his parents. ¡°President Situ? Nice to meet you.¡± Chen Meng greeted him nervously and politely, like a kid meeting the senior of his family. Situ An didn¡¯t answer instantly, but he turned to Lu Zang as if getting his permission. ¡°He is our new family member. He¡¯ll be staying on the seventh floor.¡± Lu Zang mentioned the word family. Hearing that, Situ An¡¯s expression shifted. He smiled brightly. ¡°Since you¡¯re family, tell me if you need anything in the future. I still have some connections in Han Hai.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to say. You are even kinder than what is depicted of you on the television.¡± Chen Meng did not expect this Situ An. He almost bowed down. Gao Ming studied everything. Before Chen Meng epted the treatment, he had a lot of pain in his heart. He was a very sensitive and arrogant person. Many killers became killers because of their personalities. However, he saw a man literally change his personality before his eyes. The way Chen Meng treated Situ An was better than how he treated his parents. ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t want to stay anymore. He took over the cart with the drugs and prepared to leave. There was a dry cough, and Doctor Lu, who pushed the cart in, blocked Gao Ming¡¯s way. He closed the door behind him, ¡°You are not to take these away.¡±¡°Xiao Lu, don¡¯t be so impolite.¡± Lu Zang warned in a low voice before brightening up with a smile at Gao Ming, ¡°He¡¯s also Doctor Lu. He¡¯s a new doctor. Wee from the same hometown.¡± Gao Ming suspected this im. Both Doctor Lus were abnormal. Their hometown was probably a crazy ce. ¡°And this is¡­¡± Situ An quickly noticed that Lu Zang treated Gao Ming differently from other patients. ¡°He is also a psychiatrist. He¡¯s here to refill some prescriptions.¡± Lu Zang didn¡¯t reveal more to Situ An. He only added, ¡°He might be my colleague in the future.¡± Then, Lu Zang purposely changed the subject by waving at the other doctor, ¡°Xiao Lu, bring Gao Ming to the pharmacy. I have something to discuss with President Situ An.¡± Doctor Lu nced at the list and grinned at Gao Ming, ¡°Come. The medicine you need is here.¡± In the video, Gao Ming and Doctor Lu entered the room Chen Meng first entered. After Gao Ming left, Lu Zang asked Chen Meng to leave the room and then slowly pulled the curtains back. The light was blocked off. The door between the nightmare and the real world gradually closed. When thest ray of light disappeared, Lu Zang turned around. Half of his face was covered in scars and strange patterns, like he had been bitten by beasts. His lips curled, and the scars joined to form a dragon covered in scabs. The ward transformed as well. Brownish-red lichen grew on the walls. They gathered to form what appeared to be breathing human faces. Horrifying pictures appeared on the wall. All the patient¡¯s eyes were blindfolded. The patients sat at the corner of the ward with dumb smiles as they were watched over by endless monsters. The oldputer on the table emanated static. Other than static on the screen, there were also strange people screaming. The heavy CPU was smoking. ¡°This feels much better.¡± Situ An was used to this. He picked a random book from the shelf. The pages felt like skin. The words in the book wailed. ¡°The book you borrowedst time hadn¡¯t been returned yet.¡± Lu Zang still carried the familiar smile. ¡°I damaged that book.¡± Situ An lifted his head. ¡°I came here to tell you some things. Xin Lu¡¯s home has been discovered. That city is going out of control. Should we push the n forward?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to hurry. We can wait for another half a year.¡± Lu Zang leaned on the table. ¡°The real world is not as simple as you think. We need to be careful.¡± ¡°Even if humans can gain part of the unknown power, how can they resist the many ghosts of the shadow world?¡± Situ An always had this question, ¡°Why is the shadow world so careful?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve cooperated for so many years already. You have a certain understanding of the shadow world. Have you considered this simple problem?¡± Lu Zang said some shocking things. ¡°Do not be confused by the definitions of humans and ghosts. Have you wondered why the scary monsters are trapped in the shadow world? Is it because they don¡¯t want to shake loose of despair and other negative emotions?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Perhaps in this world, we are the ghosts, and those who first died in the shadow world are the humans. Reality has been taken over by ghosts, and everything we see is the beautification of the dream. In reality, the real humans have be zombies and monsters. They growl and roar as they try to take back what they are owed, but they cannot because the shadow world has been destroyed,¡± Lu Zang looked at Situ An calmly. ¡°Which side is the real world is dependent on who survives in the end. Those who remain are the humans, and those who die are the ghosts.¡± Situ An stood up silently. The ghost''s wails echoed in his ears. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Lu Zang smiled as usual. ¡°Let¡¯s move away from that. How many people have you savedtely? We need to collect as many sacrifices as possible before the eruption of anomalies.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken over the entire Han Hai Charity. The people they save are all my people.¡± Situ An thought of something. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared everything, but I¡¯m still anxious. Are there other parents than myself in Han Hai? Just like how you found me at first, the shadow world could have reached out to them too.¡± Lu Zang nodded. ¡°Of course. Each dead God corresponds to one parent.¡± Chapter 248: Name Chapter 248: Name ¡°I knew there were others, but howe I can¡¯t find out anything about them?¡± Situ An¡¯s eyes burned with ambitions. He was like a hungry wolf. ¡°Do you n to kill them before they have the chance to grow? It¡¯s pointless. The shadow world will not just choose one person. You can¡¯t kill all of them.¡± Lu Zang knew Situ An well. ¡°There are only dead Gods in the shadow world. Each parent is a spare vessel they¡¯ve prepared for themselves. When the shadow world sessfully unites with the real world, they will be reborn through the parents.¡± ¡°Then, will I be consumed too?¡± Situ An had never heard Lu Zang mention these before. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so important to choose which God to aid. They can¡¯t be too weak or too powerful. They can¡¯t be too kind or too evil.¡± The scars on Lu Zang¡¯s face rippled like scales. After he said that, there was a loud struggleing from the inner room. Someone mmed into the door. ¡°It sounds like your new colleague doesn¡¯t like his job.¡± Situ An didn¡¯t continue this subject. He headed to the door, holding the book. ¡°I want to go see our new family member. What is his name?¡± ¡°Chen Meng. He has killed more than one person. Both his brain and his parents have been tricked due to some reason.¡± After Situ An left, Lu Zang opened the door to the inner room. Figurines tumbled out. ck mist growled inside the figurines. When one met their eyes, one would be under great mental pressure. ¡°Move!¡± Gao Ming pushed Lu Zang brusquely away. A piece of a mud figurine flew into his left eye. There was a small scar on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We mean no harm.¡± Lu Zang observed Gao Ming patiently as thetter stood in the eerie and scary shadow world. The human-skin books fell to the ground. The human faces made from lichen slowly breathed. Things crawled through the bricks. The ground pulsated like a blood vessel. ¡°People¡± moved outside the door. Some of their heads had been reced by tools. Others were strung up like puppets. They were all Situ An¡¯s family members. In this strange hospital, Gao Ming didn¡¯t look shocked. It was like nothing had changed in his eyes.¡°Did you injure your eyes?¡± Lu Zang was very concerned. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! You are not psychiatrists! There are no drugs in that room!¡± Gao Ming backed away while holding his eye. Doctor Lu came out of the room holding a broken figurine. ¡°He didn¡¯t take the drugs and broke the figurine of the God of Flesh and Blood.¡± ¡°God of Flesh and Blood? He chose the same God as Situ An?!¡± Lu Zang didn¡¯t seek responsibility. If anything, his expression became kinder. ¡°Do not tell Situ An about this.¡± ¡°Why? Situ An has worshipped the God of Flesh and Blood for two decades already.¡± Doctor Lu didn¡¯t get it. Lu Zang ignored Doctor Lu and walked towards Gao Ming. With each of his steps, the ck mist in the room screamed. The walls bulged to form tombstones made from rotten meat. ¡°The real world is different from the world you see. You and your parents, as well as everyone around you¡­ They only exist in a dream. The world you see does not exist.¡± Lu Zang caressed the human-faced worms that crawled out of the wall. However, in Gao Ming¡¯s eyes, the ward had not changed. He couldn¡¯t see any of the scary things. Even when the hands reached out from the books to touch his neck, he couldn¡¯t sense anything. ¡°Reality¡¯s existence and state are rted to my personal perception. How the world looks depends on the world in my heart.¡± Gao Ming was a certified psychiatrist. He couldn¡¯t be brainwashed so easily. Theputer crackled. The ghost silhouettesughed at Gao Ming. The eyeballs bled. The patients passing by noticed something interesting. The decaying face stuck to the door and windows. They stared at Gao Ming, but Gao Ming felt nothing. ¡°Everything in this world is preordained. It is a dream that one can¡¯t wake up from. I¡¯ve not even seen the thing that wrote the script for you. Or rather, no one in the dream has seen it. We have no idea if he is a human or something else. For the sake of this conversation, let¡¯s call this unknown thing fate.¡± Lu Zang rambled on, ¡°You live in the dream, but you almost woke up a moment ago. The choice given to you by fate encountered a problem. I have no idea when this problem was formed. It could be yesterday or ten years ago.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Are you a patient here? Did you steal the doctor¡¯s coat?¡± Gao Ming knew that something was wrong. He felt a chill wind blowing around him, and he shivered. He could not see the ghastly faces opening their maws at him. ¡°I am not a doctor. I came to this city to find people like you and Situ An. You possess fate¡¯s loopholes. We need you to kill fate.¡± Lu Zang was like a madman, talking about things no one understood. ¡°Fate¡¯s loopholes have terrible lives. You¡¯ll soon see that. You will face unimaginable ns until you are fully wiped away by fate. The only way you can survive is to cooperate with me.¡± ¡°Cooperate?¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t even considered that. He agreed on the surface because he just wanted to leave. Lu Zang knew that, but he didn¡¯t expose Gao Ming, ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a betting man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy. You don¡¯t need to do anything but wait.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s smile slowly disappeared. The scars grew to cover half of his face. ¡°Fate has assigned you a life, including details like your name. The one you use now is not your real name.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve used this name for twenty years already. Do you want me to change my name now?¡± ¡°Changing your name is easier than changing your fate. The bet I¡¯m making with you is that one day, your name will be Gao Ming.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s eyes were as dark as the abyss. ¡°One day in the past or the future, you will wake up, and your family, friends and yourself will refer to you as Gao Ming.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡®Gao Ming¡¯ felt that Lu Zang was being very scary. ¡°That is not my name. Even if my name changes in the future, how can my past change overnight?¡± ¡°Your current name is given to you by fate. Gao Ming is your name after you wake up from the dream. Then, you will believe me. You are all living in the dream. Reality is not reality. After fate is killed, everyone will wake up and see the true reality.¡± Lu Zang said that and turned to look down a corner. ¡°Someone will deliver this video to you. I hope you still remember our bet then.¡± Xuan Wen quickly paused the video. Her back was drenched in cold sweat. Lu Zang appeared to be talking to her earlier. Xuan Wen¡¯s fingers were white. Her heart tossed around. Through Gao Ming and Lu Zang¡¯s conversation, she confirmed one thing. Gao Ming was not called Gao Ming in the past. As Lu Zang said, everyone, including Gao Ming, referred to Gao Ming as Gao Ming, like Gao Ming had always been his name. Chapter 249: A Bet Chapter 249: A Bet ¡°Lu Zang¡¯s words from half a year ago became true! ¡°Did he change the truth? Or is this the truth all along?¡± In the memory given to her by the shadow world, Xuan Wen had always known Gao Ming as Gao Ming. He had no other name. However, based on his conversation with Lu Zang from half a year ago, his name wasn¡¯t Gao Ming back then. ¡°Change name to change fate¡­ Does this mean the current Gao Ming has woken up from the dream?¡± Rapid footsteps came from the outside corridor. Someone knocked on the doors as they dragged something heavy with them. Chen Meng and Mr. Yi shut their mouths. Su Mo also carried the heels and moved away from the door. ¡°Something is approaching!¡± Xuan Wen felt imminent danger, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from watching the video. The video resumed. Lu Zang had turned back to Gao Ming. ¡°When you remember this conversation, I hope you can help me with two things.¡± Lu Zang went ahead, not caring if Gao Ming promised him or not. ¡°There are many people like you and Situ An. You carry fate¡¯s loophole on you. The first thing I need you to help me with is to figure out the nature and carriers of these loopholes. Do not let them die. Each loophole can be the key to killing fate. The second thing is easier. There is an eyeball that can see through the dream and reality hidden in this hospital. If Situ An failed to get its approval, you should try to install that eye in your head.¡± Gao Ming had no idea what Lu Zang was talking about. He only felt the chill on him getting denser. The twisted ghost''s face was torn apart. The mutated mouth wanted to swallow Gao Ming¡¯s head whole. Lu Zang red at the face, and thetter quickly shrunk back with fear.¡°If you are willing to take my bet, I¡¯ll tell you how to leave here.¡± Once Lu Zang said that, Doctor Lu frowned. He carried the figurine of the God of Blood and Flesh and walked to Lu Zang. ¡°He has destroyed the worshipped figurine, and you n to let him go?¡± ¡°The piece of the figurine flew into his eye. He didn¡¯t destroy the figurine, but the God inside it chose him.¡± Lu Zang smiled. ¡°You have given me another reason to let him go.¡± ¡°I agree to the bet.¡± Gao Ming felt that he had run into a group of crazy people. However, he didn¡¯t know how to exin the fear in his heart. The thing that confused him the most was that even though the piece of the mud figurine had flown into his left eye, the piece had magically disappeared, and he felt no pain in his left eye. ¡°Have you thought about it clearly? You¡¯ll pay a very scary price if you vite the bet.¡± Lu Zang confirmed it again with Gao Ming. ¡°Okay. I also want to see the world of the mad.¡± Gao Ming looked calm, but he physically resisted the room. It was like his body was telling him to leave. ¡°You are the third one I found. One of you will be able to wake up fully.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s ugly face grimaced. ¡°To leave the shadow world, you need to find the boundary between the real world and the shadow world. This boundary can be a path or a door. However, at Li San Hospital, it is a pill. Once you take the drug, you can return to the real world.¡± As if worried that Gao Ming might misunderstand him, Lu Zang was very direct, ¡°The seventh floor is our inpatient wards. Some of the patients survived until they were discharged, but they made the wrong choice at thest moment. They should have left behind some pills in their rooms.¡± Gao Ming turned around with suspicion. He opened the door. His focus was on Doctor Lu and Lu Zang. He couldn¡¯t see the ball of patients standing before him. Gao Ming left immediately once he realised the two doctors hadn¡¯t followed him. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why did you help him?¡± Doctor Lu ced the broken figurine on the table. ¡°I will not help anyone. Everything I do is to kill fate. Be it Situ An or Gao Ming, they are my de to pierce fate.¡± Lu Zang seemed to remember something as he walked to the old recording devices. ¡°Do not delete this video. Leave it in theputer.¡± ¡°Do you think Gao Ming will return?¡± ¡°If he can leave this ce alive, he¡¯ll definitely return.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s eyes seemed to look beyond the screen at Xuan Wen. Xuan Wen turned off the video. Xuan Wen shivered as the video ended. The information she just got was too explosive. She needed time to digest it. ¡°We should go! There are thingsing!¡± As night fell, brownish-red lichen grew on the walls. Nails scratched the edges of the walls. The psychiatry counselling room was turning like the one in the video. ¡°Wait a little bit more.¡± Xuan Wen wanted to enter the inner room. She wanted to see what had happened to Gao Ming back then that he fought with Doctor Lu. The oppressive footsteps approached. Mr. Yi was ready to run. Only Xuan Wen headed away from the exit. She saw rows of medicine cabs in the inner room. However, the cabs were not lined with medicine but figurines. Xuan Wen heard about Gao Ming¡¯s experience in the Si Sui Apartment. She remembered Gao Ming saying that an olddy at the apartment also had her room filled with figurines. ¡°Is this how the dead Gods in the shadow world select the parents?¡± All the figurines looked normal. They were not as evil as shown in the video. ¡°We need to go!¡± Mr. Yi urged and opened the door. He led the patients and ran out. Xuan Wen scanned the cabs. Her eyes were caught by something. She saw the broken figurine instantly. It was a mud figurine, but its shell was as real as human skin. ¡°The God of Blood and Flesh? The figurine Gao Ming broke half a year ago?!¡± She swiped the figurine and put it in her bag. She left the counselling room. The unknown presence blocked their way. The walls and ceiling changed. They couldn¡¯t return from the way they came. ¡°Go to the seventh floor! I know how to leave this hospital!¡± In the bloody coat, Xuan Wen looked like a doctor who worked there. The patients and Su Mo didn¡¯t have much time to think. They followed Xuan Wen. Along the way, they saw how the hospital mutated before their eyes. The elevator booths yawned open. Arms reached out from the shadows. Different kinds of patients bumped into the ward doors. Chapter 250: Map Chapter 250: Map Li San Hospital showed its true self after dark. The nightmare from the video was slowlying true in real life. The people trapped in the hospital couldn¡¯t differentiate between the two. Were they trapped in the nightmare and couldn¡¯t wake up, or had their lives turned into nightmares? ¡°Go to the inpatient wards on the seventh floor!¡± The mutation speed of Li San Hospital¡¯s back building was fast. This was different from the other horror scenarios Xuan Wen had encountered. Normally, the horror story would slowly infiltrate the real world after midnight. However, the hospital¡¯s back building was like it came from the shadow world. Su Mo was numb. The back building was scary for the ghosts, much less the humans. The internally twisted Chen Meng and Mr. Yi, with his strange appearance, as well as the two kid patients, ran so fast. Even they were scared. Su Mo gasped for air. He didn¡¯t have the guts to observe his surroundings. He focused on running until the person before him stopped. He turned around subconsciously. He saw the corridor windows. Blood dripped from the top of the transparent ss windows. Outside the window was the front building. It was then that he realised the front building had the same architectural style as the back building. They were identical. However, the front building was bathed in light, and the back building was like its shadow. ¡°I wonder how Brother Xiong and the rest are. I hope they haven¡¯t entered the back building.¡± Su Mo was very kind. Even at that moment, he was still worried about his brothers. ¡°Come with me! Stick close!¡± Xuan Wen grabbed the doorknob. The blood vessels hidden in the door shrunk like they had been sprinkled with salt. Xuan Wen kicked down the door. They managed to reach the seventh-floor ward before the situation became worse. ¡°Isn¡¯t the exit on the first floor? Why are we here?¡± The kid with the gaming helmet grumbled. His brain was installed with a new game by Xuan Wen. His persona was changing. He stopped asking for murder, but it was hard for him to return to normal overnight. ¡°Get in! Enter the different wards to look for pills!¡± Xuan Wen listened to the voice on the video through her headphones. She knew how to leave, but Lu Zang didn¡¯t mention the exact shape of the pills. To find the correct pill, they had to try the drugs found.¡°Hey, we shouldn¡¯t barge into these wards.¡± Mr. Yi used to be a very good nurse at the hospital. He seemed to know something about the back building. The mutation started to spread. The bannisters were morphing into flesh. As the rust fell to the ground, they became broken nails. Once one looked up, the bannisters had be fingers. The things that looked normal in thest second would change in the next. The only thing that felt authentic was the heart that was jumping out of one¡¯s chest. ¡°Find the pills.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s tone changed. This was the first time she had used this tone since they had entered Li San Hospital. It sounded no different from before. However, the patient and Su Mo¡¯s bodies moved on their own, like they were being controlled by Xuan Wen. They pushed through the first door. Something was lying on the giant white bed. It was covered by a rotting nket. IV drip bags hung on the wall behind it. The tubes ran down as they reached under the nket. ¡°It is still alive!¡± Su Mo saw the nket move. The thing under the nket was in a lot of pain. ¡°Do not disturb the patient. Focus on the pills.¡± Xuan Wen knew that Gao Ming was hurrying over. That was why she was desperate to leave. The doctors at the hospital seemed to know Gao Ming would return half a year ago! Certain things appeared to be destined. They moved around quietly. Eventually, they turned to the hanging IV bags. ¡°Are those considered liquified pills?¡± After Chen Meng came to the seventh floor, he was a bit out of it. The environment looked strangely familiar to him, like he had stayed there before. ¡°Those should make you forget stuff once you take them.¡± Once one took the pill, one would wake up from the dream and return to the real world. If the liquid inside the IV bags were the pills mentioned by Lu Zang, the thing under the nket would have woken up already. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t disturb the thing in the bed and moved them to the next room. ¡°Ward 7002.¡± The door opened, and a bouquet of horrible scents assaulted them. ¡°If you can¡¯t stand it, you can stay outside.¡± Xuan Wen frowned. Once she entered the room, she felt ufortable. A thickyer of carpet wasid on the ground. Xuan Wen nudged it with the tip of her shoe. Xuan Wen realised the carpet was actually broken pieces of human skin. Everything in the ward was moulting. The walls were repeatedly cracking and falling off. The bed ked off like skin once it was touched. Under the thickyer of dust, a mound started to bulge up at the room corner. The shape was like a football or a human head. It slowly moved under the skin as the silhouette became clearer. The head, fingers, body. The thing suddenly sped up as it rushed at the door. Xuan Wen quickly backed out and shut the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the treatment here?¡± The real mutation had arrived. The patients Xuan Wen had met so far could only be considered people with light symptoms. Xuan Wen locked the door. All the wards had their locks on the outside. This arrangement was probably because the hospital was afraid the patients might leave their wards on their own. Looking down the dark corridor, the ce wasrger than Xuan Wen thought. Each ward was dangerous. ¡°Even for me, finding the pill is extremely difficult. How did Gao Ming, who was still a normal person, manage to do this back then? How did he figure out the pill was authentic?¡± Xuan Wen pondered it as she opened the door to Ward 7003. The room didn¡¯t have any strange smell, but Xuan Wen was stunned, standing at the door. The walls, floor and bed were covered in deductions and forms. There were many indecipherable symbols. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t let the other patients enter the ward. Xuan Wen stood on her tiptoe and used her power. She tried to understand the forms, but it was pointless. ¡°This patient appeared to be calcting the probability of the real world existing¡­¡± Xuan Wen walked around the room and noticed some terms left on the walls. The patient tried to analyse and reconstruct the dream. They recorded every object, event and scenario in the dream to try toe to a conclusion. The words and forms were like a whirlpool, sucking one in. ¡°The patient is not here. Where are they?¡± Xuan Wen scanned the room. Her eyesnded on a map hanging in the middle of the wall. The other wards had no map. This room was special. Xuan Wen stared at the map as she slowly approached it. Her eyes narrowed when she saw something on the map. ¡°This is impossible!¡± The map had marked out all the cities. The only thing was there was a sea where Han Hai was supposed to be! ¡°Is this the real Han Hai? Does Han Hai not exist?¡± Chapter 251: Fight Chapter 251: Fight There was no Han Hai on the map, but Xuan Wen lived in Han Hai. Her friends, life, and emotions in the city were real. Both the memory given to her by the shadow world and her own experience were rted to Han Hai. However, something was trying to tell her that everything was fake. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Han Hai on this map?¡± The slender, bloodless fingers touched the spot where Han Hai should be. Li San Hospital was the home of the ill. The map was probably drawn by some crazy person. ¡°Which side is real? Which side is fake? ¡°Have we been living in a nightmare that we can¡¯t wake up from? ¡°If Han Hai really doesn¡¯t exist, how can we exist in this city?¡± Lu Zang said everyone in this city was controlled by fate, and everyone lived and died ording to fate¡¯s script. However, a few people had be fate¡¯s loopholes. Li San Hospital was built to find these loopholes. Each patient there could be fate¡¯s loopholes. Their mental and physical anomalies were proof of their escape from fate¡¯s control. ¡°I need to figure out a way to bring this map out with me.¡± Xuan Wen failed to find the owner of the ward. The person seemed to have predicted something and disappeared from the nightmare. Xuan Wen yanked the map off the wall. She found aplicated divine pattern behind the map. Every line seemed to be marked by destiny. The perfect lines intertwined to form a bloodred city. There were many exquisite buildings in this city. Each building¡¯s doors and buildings were open. Anyone could enter them. ¡°It feels like I¡¯ve found the answer to a question that I don¡¯t know. Is this city the ending point or the starting point? Why is it the centre for all the forms?¡± Xuan Wen put the map in her bag. Xuan Wen discovered a barely discernible crack on the wall covered up by the map. She inched her fingers into it, and the crack expanded. Pills fell out. There were so many kinds.¡°Has the patient in Room 7003 been tricking the hospital? He didn¡¯t take the pills and hid them before escaping¡­¡± Xuan Wen took out an empty bottle and stuffed the pills inside it. She was just about to leave Room 7003 when she saw a glint moving outside the window. Xuan Wen moved subconsciously to the window. Xuan Wen turned to the first floor of Li San Hospital¡¯s front building. Her gaze wandered between the lights. She caught a blurry figure. The person seemed to be wearing a mask she made. ¡°Is he already here?¡± ¡­ Gao Ming felt someone¡¯s gaze on him. He turned to the hospital window. The shadow spread. Only thick darkness remained outside. Gao Ming took out his new phone. He nced at the time. He lost contact with Xuan Wen about forty minutes ago. ¡°Li San Hospital is different from all of the anomalies you¡¯ve experienced. This ce hides the city¡¯s secret and the treasure left behind by Situ An. It is a ce outside of fate¡¯s control. You will see rules that are different from Han Hai. If you are not careful, you will be trapped here forever.¡± Xia Yang whispered to Gao Ming. ¡°What is your point?¡± ¡°This ce is so dangerous. Why don¡¯t you let Situ An and me explore this ce for you? After all, this is his home.¡± Ever since Xia Yang entered Gao Ming¡¯s heart, he couldn¡¯t leave his torture room freely. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust Situ An, I can share part of your pressure.¡± Static came from the hospital speakers. Then, the person coughed a few times. An unfamiliar voice cut through the night. ¡°Attention all horror game yers! There are security members from the investigation centre who are hunting us down! The information about the instance has been leaked! Escape and do not return!¡± After the broadcast had been repeated thrice, it became a soul-wrenching scream. The horror game yer who ran into the broadcast room to warn the others had been hunted. ¡°It¡¯s quite crowded at the hospital tonight.¡± At the corner of the lobby of the front building, a ball was kicked out. The hair stuck to the wound. It rolled past and left behind a long trail of blood. The pure ck boots slowly appeared in the dark. The blood dripped down the shoes. The warm blood reflected the cold uniform. Standing beside the human head, the security member¡¯s numb face was a direct contrast to the fearful expression on the human head. The blood band vibrated. The security member¡¯s gaze turned serious. The blood band would only vibrate when it detected specific horror game yers. Based on the images sent over by the East City investigation centre, the security member confirmed the identity of the horror game yer before him. He was ss 13 member Qian Junran, who had incited the crowd to fight against the centre! The fingers cracked. The tattoos around the fingers crawled into the man¡¯s body. The security member removed the top two buttons of his uniform. He took out a de that was bound with strands of long hair. The hairs naturally curled around the security member¡¯s arm. He raised his arm. He pointed the de at Gao Ming. The tattoos on his body were activated. A long-haired woman crawled out of the man¡¯s cor like a snake. She curled around his body and his neck. ¡°Have they branded the ghosts into their bodies? That is simr to my method of painting on Red Spectres.¡± Xia Yang scratched his chin. ¡°The human body is the canvas and paint. The ghost is my artwork.¡± Gao Ming had no time to listen to Xia Yang. Gao Ming and Xuan Wen had a special method ofmunication. However, all modes ofmunication had been cut off. They couldn¡¯t sense each other¡¯s location. ¡°The sky is darkening. The anomalies are slowly surfacing. The loss ofmunication can be due to the unique environment or human actions.¡± Xuan Wen appeared many times in Gao Ming¡¯s memories of death. She had always died before Gao Ming, and she had saved him more than once. ¡°Even though she can¡¯t remember anything, I remember everything.¡± Gao Ming charged forward with his bare fists. His crazily pounding heart was like a burning ball of fire! The ck hair curled around the arm. The security member shivered from the chill. He aimed at Gao Ming¡¯s heart. However, before he could move the de, a giant bloody shadow enveloped him. The giant bloody hand grabbed him by his face and mmed him into the ground! The other bloody hand grabbed the long-haired ghost by her neck. The ghostly roar echoed through the lobby. The arms tore the long-haired ghost and the security member into pieces. Chapter 252: Xia Yangs Time Chapter 252: Xia Yang''s Time The blood rained on the human head. The ghost tattoo on the security member was torn apart. Gong Xi swallowed the female ghost with the de into his stomach. The walls and floor turned into flesh. After Gong Xibined with the haunted house of Situ An¡¯s kid, the ce he stayed would turn into mutated flesh after he was there for a prolonged period of time. ¡°Have you seen a beautiful woman at the hospital? She looks¡­ like this.¡± Gao Ming took out a ck-and-white wedding picture. It was very scary. Gao Ming held the picture between his fingers. Gong Xi held up the security member¡¯s head. ¡°She¡­ She has been taken away by my team leader. She was sent into the tattoo ghost¡¯s home and pulverised into meat paste. She was turned into tattoo paint and would be inked on our bodies.¡± The security member grinned as he said that. ¡°Are you trying to get me to be angry and track down your team leader?¡± Gao Ming put the picture away. His fingers held the man¡¯s almost-shattered head. Gong Xi tightened his grip, and the sound of bone crunching came. The security member¡¯s head fell beside the head of the horror game yer. The four eyes met, and their gazes were filled with fear. ¡°The chance of Xuan Wen being caught is high. Since you knew Situ An¡¯sst effects are here, the people from the investigation centre would know about that as well. They will not give up on this opportunity. They¡¯ll do everything to seal up the hospital.¡± Xia Yang needled while Gao Ming¡¯s emotions were unstable. ¡°Zhang Ding is organising the shadow world, and he has to guard that door. How can you face the entirety of the centre on your own? Let me help you. It¡¯s not that I want toe out, but you need me.¡± The sound of fighting attracted the attention of the other security members. The others who stayed to guard the first floor walked out of the wards. Each of them had bloody arms. Their exposed skin showcased different kinds of ghost tattoos. ¡°I finally understand why the centre¡¯s uniform is pure ck in colour.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The man closest to Gao Ming looked at his vibrating blood band and asked nonchntly. ¡°That way, blood won¡¯t be obvious on it.¡± Just at that moment, Gong Xi closed his hands. The walls that had been turned into flesh closed in from both sides. Simultaneously, gunshots echoed everywhere. Holes appeared on the flesh walls, and the scent of meat floated out. If Gong Xi hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, Gao Ming would have been riddled with holes already.¡°That¡¯s a quick reaction.¡± Two members hidden in the dark aimed their guns at Gao Ming. The shells dropped to the ground. They were sticky with ck liquid and carved with strange patterns. Instead of bullet shells, they looked more like dried children''s fingers. ¡°Be on alert! The pictureparison isplete. He is Qian Junran from ss 13!¡± The sharp des eased into the flesh walls. Each security member had different assigned des. Different ghostly shadows gripped the des with them. ¡°Move!¡± The sound of a knife grinding against the floor entered everyone¡¯s ears. The security members moved aside to reveal a giant man bound in ck cloth. He dragged a giant de with a ghost face with both of his hands. His blood dripped into the knife. A horrible cry echoed out of the de. The man dragged the de as he raced down the corridor! When he got close to the flesh wall, he spun around. The giant de shone like a crescent moon as it sliced through the flesh. The blood with the fragrance of meat sttered all over him. Gao Ming seemed to stand at the end of the corridor. He didn¡¯t run away. He looked at the team of security members calmly. There were many of them there in the first-floor lobby. They had gone through hell-like training in the taboo game at Xin Lu. They had special ghost tattoos and had ess to the power of one or more types of ghosts. This singr unit could easily handle a Level 3 Anomaly. They worked closely together and had no weaknesses. ¡°Give up now. Don¡¯t struggle. You are powerless before the investigation centre.¡± The man with the ghost face de stood in the middle of the corridor. He seemed to have the power to slice through the dark. Gao Ming scanned all the security members and asked lightly, ¡°Where is your team leader? Have you run into a horror game yer who is exceptionally beautiful?¡± ¡°The leader has gone to the back building. I don¡¯t know the rest.¡± The man raised the giant de. He appeared to be in the mood to chat with Gao Ming. ¡°Back building?¡± ¡°Yes. As for the others, we¡¯ve killed all of them. Doctors and patients; ghosts and humans; males and females¡­ As long as they¡¯ve been inside the anomalies, we will eliminate all of them.¡± The man¡¯s words seemed to be a signal. Once he finished talking, the gunshots started again. The bullets designed by the researchers pierced through the dark and hit Gao Ming in his heart and other body parts! There was the sound of an explosion. The blood turned the night red. Therge man was there to distract the enemy. The other members moved in the dark to find the opportunity to strike. They had done this multiple times and killed many humans and ghosts with this method. Gao Ming leaned against the wall, and blood leaked out of his wounds. Therge man smiled. He was about to use his blood band when he noticed something was wrong. The blood that flowed out of Gao Ming¡¯s wounds was too bright. It was more like paint. ¡°Be careful!¡± The man shouted in warning. Gao Ming, who should have already died, moved his fingers. His body trembled weakly. Suddenly, the voice of another man came out of Gao Ming¡¯s lips. ¡°Impressive. You discovered my secret earlier than I expected you to.¡± The broken arm removed the mask. Xia Yang¡¯s face appeared on Gao Ming¡¯s body. He dropped the mask. The mask that could see through the truth disintegrated into bloodred powder. The security members then realised Gao Ming was not leaning against the wall, but he was painted onto the wall. The painting was so realistic. ¡°The ghost is hiding inside the painting?!¡± Therge man put away his smile. His team moved forward together. The man inside the painting didn¡¯t move. Heughed openly. ¡°To be honest, I should thank you for giving me the chance to regain freedom.¡± Xia Yang narrowed his eyes as he studied the security members. ¡°As a thank you, let me paint some new ghost tattoos on you. I will peel off your skin and figure out a way to brand the Red Spectre on them.¡± Chapter 253: Awake Chapter 253: Awake ¡°You know about Red Spectres. You are on the same side as the shadow world.¡± The giant man gripped the hilt of his de with ten fingers. The blood in his body was continuously being absorbed by the ghost''s face. Slowly, his shadow expanded to form a two-metre-tall bloodred shadow. The giant man and the shadow behind him raised the de at the same time. He controlled the de while the shadow controlled his soul. Without any warning, the man took a step forward, and the other members behind him started to shoot. The remaining members activated various devices. Different from the devices used by the normal members, the devices used by the security members were taken out of the anomalies with risks to their lives. Each of them was stained with blood and curses. ¡°You are outside the painting, and I am inside the painting. How do you intend to harm me? Simrly, how can a human inside a dream murder a ghost outside the dream?¡± Xia Yang looked down the dark corridor kindly. His gaze reflected the figures of all the security members. This was a death match. Xia Yang needed to kill everyone before they could figure out the method to kill him. ¡­ The elbow shattered the window. Gao Ming jumped through andnded on the grass of the abandoned garden. Gao Ming examined the irregr footprints on the ground before looking up. The back building was like a reflection of the front building, and it radiated a lot more pressure. Once he approached, the God of Flesh and Blood howled. The death memories in his heart collided with each other. ¡°I seem to have been here before¡­¡± The death memories were unrted to the back building of the Li San Hospital, but Gao Ming still felt the ce was familiar. The night breeze shook the grass, and children sang a strange luby. Gao Ming saw a young man with a deformed face sitting on the steps. He wore a fast-food restaurant uniform. He hugged his knees and mumbled some numbers. ¡°Is he a horror game yer or a patient here?¡± When Gao Ming approached the door, the man raised his head carefully. ¡°Have you seen a woman being captured and brought to the back building?¡± Before Gao Ming could take out the picture, the man nodded.¡°She is very beautiful but also very scary. My mom sent me out to find her.¡± The man stood up with difficulty. ¡°Your mother? Why are you looking for her?¡± ¡°Because my little brother and sister are hungry¡­¡± The man didn¡¯t dare to enter the building. He took his hand out of his wet sleeves. His nails were dirty with rotten mud. His family seemed to live in the sewer. ¡°What is your name? Do you normally live here?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s fingers touched his chest. His heart raced. ¡°Yang Yu.¡± The man lowered his voice. ¡°Mom didn¡¯t want me to chat too long with outsiders. If you¡¯re here to find someone, I advise you to leave.¡± ¡°Because this ce is very dangerous?¡± ¡°Many people came here to look for their family, but none of them managed to leave this hospital. The front and back buildings are two different worlds. You¡¯ll see different things.¡± The man turned around and walked towards the back building. His back was covered in bloody whishes. ¡°Wait.¡± Gao Ming took bandages and pills from his first-aid kit. He tossed them to Yang Yu. He didn¡¯t ask about anything else. When he was about to enter the back building, Yang Yu¡¯s voice came from behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re looking for, but a lot of people went to the psychiatry counselling room on the fourth floor. Mom said a lot of important things are hidden there.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t harm Yang Yu. His focus was singr. It was to find Xuan Wen. Gao Ming¡¯s eyes were taken over by anomalies. All the devices and tools had grown flesh. ¡°What is this?¡± ck, white and red formed everything in the hospital. Thebination stunned everyone who walked into the back building. Gao Ming only stood there for a few seconds when he was targeted by something. A room door not far away opened, and a pair of old shoes appeared at the door. The shoes pointed at him. Gao Ming felt someone¡¯s gaze on him. He wanted to take out the chains from his heartroom. The next second, pairs of shoes rushed out of the room. It was like a crowd rushing out. The footsteps were like drumbeats. Gao Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and rushed into the corridor. The big clock in the abandoned garden swayed. ck shadows hid behind the curtains. The devices inside the hospital started toe alive. The buzzing sound and screaming came from different rooms. Gao Ming was chased by the pairs of shoes. He didn¡¯t check the route, but his body seemed to know where to go. When he stopped and lifted his head, he saw the name of the ward before him: Psychiatry Counselling Ward. Gao Ming pushed the door open and entered it. He closed the door behind him and used the curtain to cover the window on the door. The footsteps outside the door slowly faded away. Gao Ming¡¯s fingers that held the doorknob slowly released. He wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. He studied the room. Compared to the mutated outside world, this room was rtively standard. ¡°This is the psychiatry counselling ward, and I¡¯m a psychiatrist. What a coincidence.¡± Gao Ming studied the chairs and tables in the room. He pulled out a random book from the shelf. The strange feeling assaulted him again. He felt that he had seen the content inside the human-skin book. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Li San Hospital, but I don¡¯t remembering here.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart had too many death memories. Therefore, he didn¡¯t mind the strange, familiar feeling at first. ¡°Someone has been here before me.¡± Gao Ming looked at the headphones dumped beside the oldputer. He tried to switch on theputer, but there was only a ghost shadow screaming on the screen. ¡°What information did they get? Why did theye here?¡± Gao Ming pushed open the door to the inner room. The shelf was lined with broken figurines of Gods. Gao Ming noticed the footprints of the security members in the room. ¡°Did they destroy the figurines?¡± The security members showed no respect for the Gods. They treated everything as tools. Gao Ming stood silently in the middle of the room, ¡°Why did theye to this room?¡± Gao Ming walked around. He didn¡¯t want to leave any stones unturned. With his brain churning, he subconsciously took the chair beside the bookshelf. His breathing turned heavy. Gao Ming suddenly felt a chill run up his spine. He could hear a strange man¡¯s voice. ¡°So¡­ Have you woken up?¡± Chapter 254: Hospital Visit Chapter 254: Hospital Visit Gao Ming opened his eyes and looked at the only table in the room. It felt like someone was standing beside it. Gao Ming¡¯s head felt heavy, like he had just napped. ¡°Are you awake?¡± He slowly stood up. For a moment, his mind couldn¡¯t match up with his body. It was an out-of-body experience. ¡°I did hear a voice.¡± The anomalies around him disappeared. The world in his eyes returned to normal. The books had normal covers, and the ghostly shadow on the screen disappeared. Even the figurines inside the inner room were reced by normal medicine. ¡°Have I woken up? What is the purpose of that question?¡± Gao Ming was on high alert. Earlier, the whole building was submerged in despair, but suddenly, everything had returned to normal. ¡°Am I in an illusion, or am I asleep?¡± Gao Ming walked to the door and yanked away the curtain. He narrowed his eyes. The situation outside the corridor had returned to normal. The light shone on the yellowed tiles, and the doors to the wards were closed. ¡°I seem to be having a vision of the past¡­¡± The window reflected Gao Ming. He was in the uniform of Hen Shan Penitentiary, and he held a piece of paper in his hand. ¡°A resit?¡± Gao Ming lowered his head. He wore a ck coat and held a chain taken out from the torture room. The bloodred chain was made from Doctor Lu¡¯s soul. ¡°The reflection of myself in the ss is a version of myself from the past. He seems to be in trouble.¡±Gao Ming didn¡¯t move, but his reflection in the window turned around. He seemed to have opened the door and prepared to leave. Gao Ming decided to follow the reflection and exited the corridor. The speakers mentioned that the hospital was looking for someone. However, the broadcast didn¡¯t mention the person¡¯s details or names. Gao Ming walked down the fourth-floor corridor. He scanned the wards. A small window was cut into each door to enable the doctors to check on the patients without entering the wards. Gao Ming found his moving reflection in the windows. He raced down the corridor. Gao Ming chased after his reflection. The music turned light and airy. The racing souls ran under the lights. Gao Ming had no idea where his reflection would lead him. He had never encountered something like this. He raised his hand and pushed open the door with his reflection. His reflection continued to run upstairs. The broadcast raised in volume. It sounded like both a mantra and a song. The broadcast appeared to be looking for someone who could never be found. Mottled stains appeared on the steps. Gao Ming followed the steps until he arrived on the seventh floor. ¡°The in-patients department?¡± The light above his head shed. Gao Ming pushed open another door. The music from the speakers became crackly and dark. The shiny tiles of the seventh floor reflected Gao Ming. His reflection slowed down like he was looking for someone. ¡°Room 7001?¡± The tiles showed the first ward Gao Ming¡¯s reflection had entered. A dehydrated and thin patienty on the giant, white bed. Ever since Gao Ming walked in, the patient¡¯s eyes had never left Gao Ming. ¡°I¡­ am here to look for someone.¡± Normally, the shadow would follow the person, but in Gao Ming¡¯s case, he was trailing after his shadow. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± A gentle female voice came out of the male patient¡¯s lips. ¡°Someone who is like me.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t sense any malice from the patient. He forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯m looking for my past self. What about you? Why are you here?¡± The patient pulled away a corner of his nket. The IV drip needles pierced into his skin. A single IV bag dangled on the wall behind him. ¡°I am resistant to drug treatment, but the doctor said this would be myst session. I will be able to leave this ce soon.¡± ¡°Then, I wish you a quick recovery.¡± Gao Ming followed the shadow on the ground. He realised his reflection was rummaging through the shelves in the ward. Why am I looking for stuff on the seventh floor just as the sun is setting? Is there something I need in these wards? Gao Ming was confused. He lifted his head and realised the man¡¯s eyes were still on him. ¡°Brother, do you mind telling me what time it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 7.15 pm. It¡¯s dark because it¡¯s about to rain soon.¡± ¡°I mean the day and date.¡± ¡°February 28th.¡± The male patient moved to touch the needle. However, his hand hovered a few inches above his actual skin. He touched the air above his hand instead. It was as if his hand had expanded several times, but only in his eyes. ¡°Half a year ago?¡± The patient¡¯s details, like when they were admitted, were on the document pasted near the front of their beds. The man was indeed admitted to the hospital half a year ago. Gao Ming confirmed that he had entered Li San Hospital¡¯s back building before he was thrown into the death loop. ¡°Is the death loop rted to Li San Hospital?¡± Around that time, the anomalies exploded at Xin Lu. He came to Li San Hospital, and soon after, he was fired from Hen Shan Penitentiary due to his mental issues. After that, he took the ghost bus on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival. The missing link of fate appeared to be hidden here. ¡°I hope that you can be discharged from the hospital soon.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection had left the room, so he moved to follow. ¡°Why did Ie to this ce to search for stuff half a year ago?¡± He entered Ward 7002, and a scream greeted him. A young female patient curled up in the corner. She had long, luscious hair, and she looked barely of age. The girl appeared like she had experienced something traumatising. She¡¯d be nervous in thepany of strangers. She scratched the wounds on her body until her nails were covered in blood. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯ll cooperate with the treatment. I¡¯ll not run away anymore!¡± Gao Ming was a professional psychiatrist, so he knew not to trigger the girl. Gao Ming from the past and the present made the same choice and exited Ward 7002. ¡°The reflection has the same mindset as I do. He should be my past. But why can I see my past? Am I in a dream?¡± The broadcast that was looking for a missing person became clearer. Gao Ming turned to Ward 7003. Chapter 255: End of the Path Chapter 255: End of the Path The endless hospital corridors and the missing person¡¯s broadcast muddled Gao Ming¡¯s mind. ¡®Has someone gone missing at the hospital?¡¯ The ss on the door of Ward 7003 reflected Gao Ming¡¯s face. The two seemed to lock onto each other at the same time. Gao Ming pushed the door open. He heard the sound of the pen tip scratching against the wall. A bespectacled young man stood beside the wall with absolute focus. He seemed to be calcting something. He was so thin, but his lower body was bound to the bed, so he couldn¡¯t stray too far from it. His wrists were chained, and his neck was roped. There was a bloodred danger symbol on his patient¡¯s outfit. The young man was shocked to see someone enter his room. He turned to study Gao Ming. He seemed to be asking Gao Ming and also himself, ¡°A doctor? A patient? Or a fish who has swam into the?¡± The patient was ced under heavy surveince, but he didn¡¯t look like he was ill. After a quick observation, Gao Ming followed his blurry shadow into the room. ¡°Do not touch anything on the wall or step on the words on the ground.¡± The young man¡¯s pen had already run out of ink. He used the sharp tip to carve strange symbols into the wall. ¡°What are you calcting?¡± ¡°This dream is too fake, like an absurd dream. I¡¯m calcting how to way to wake up.¡± The young man said without turning his head. ¡°You won¡¯t believe me if I tell you. You won¡¯tprehend it.¡± The walls near the bed were covered in symbols and characters. Gao Ming did notprehend them. However, he did feel like he was trapped in a dream, ¡°Then, have you reached any solution? I also need to wake up as soon as possible.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s tone was serious and devoid of mockery. Hearing Gao Ming¡¯s agreement, the young man paused. ¡°The dream has devoid us of our control of our bodies and consciousnesses. It won¡¯t be easy to wake up. Everything we do now is within the creator¡¯s calction. We need to triangte the creator¡¯s loopholes to wake up.¡±¡°I might be the loophole.¡± Gao Ming had died multiple times on the bus. He was the blind spot fate couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Actually, Ie from half a yearter. I am not the current me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The young man slowly turned around. He frowned. He wanted to confirm if Gao Ming was mentally ill or not. ¡°Youe from half a year in the future?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, what is the current version of yourself doing now?¡± The young man was curious. ¡°He is right here.¡± Gao Ming pointed at his reflection in the tiles. The two Gao Mings were different. The young man seemed to have discovered a giant secret. He knelt on the ground to get a closer look. He asked Gao Ming a few questions. He realised Gao Ming¡¯s answer matched his prediction of the future. ¡°I know this hospital is collecting special patients. I came here willingly for research. I didn¡¯t expect to really find something.¡± The young man looked at Gao Ming with a burning passion. ¡°I¡¯ve used many names. However, my current name on my patient¡¯s details is¡­¡± The man took out the document, but the name box was left with only a question mark. ¡°I guess you can call me Question.¡± ¡°What a good name.¡± Gao Ming said insouciantly, ¡°I can cooperate with your calction, but I need to wake up as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Since youe from half a yearter, you don¡¯t have to worry. If you die now, you won¡¯t exist half a yearter. That is the invible truth.¡± The young man held the pen. ¡°Normally, when we dream, we¡¯ll wake up if we fall from a high spot or approach death.¡± ¡°Do you want me to die?¡± ¡°That is the key. The creator of this dream has assigned you a fate where you won¡¯t die. You have lived at least for another half a year. If you die, you will have escaped fate¡¯s control; if you don¡¯t die, what is there for you to worry about?¡± Question walked back to the bed. ¡°The seventh floor has many different kinds of patients. New patients are sent here every day, but no one ever leaves. In the end, all the patients are led deep down into the corridor.¡± He bent down to take out a hand-drawn map from under the mattress, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to wake up from the dream, but I did overhear the doctor saying that you need a kind of pill to leave the hospital. The pill is hidden in the room at the end of the corridor. If you can bring the pills back for us, I swear to dedicate the rest of my life to help you wake up.¡± The young man wanted to leave the hospital. That was his goal. Gao Ming hesitated. After all, he had just met the man. Gao Ming couldn¡¯te to a decision after ten seconds, but his shadow had already started to walk deeper into the corridor. His past version wanted to give it a try, so he had to follow suit. ¡°I was just a normal person half a year ago. If the room at the end of the corridor is as dangerous as the patient in Ward 7003 says, I wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡± Gao Ming knew how scary the anomalies could be. The danger rating of Li San Hospital was higher than that of Han De Private School. The speakers were still broadcasting the search for a missing person. Gao Ming and his shadow took slow steps into the dark. ¡°I should have conversed with the patient in Room 7003 half a year ago as well. How did he convince me back then?¡± The current situation was not important. The important thing was the choice Gao Ming made half a year ago. There was no monster in sight, but the God of Flesh and Blood kept yelling. The eight arms yanked the chains in the torture room. Situ An and the Red Raincoat felt ill at ease. ¡°Gong Xi has never been so excited. This is not a sign of danger.¡± The patients in the wards on both sides of the corridors were woken up by Gao Ming¡¯s footsteps. They leaned on the windows to stare at Gao Ming. Gao Ming held his breath and ran down the corridor. He saw someone ahead of him. The person wore the hospital¡¯s white coat and appeared to be showing him the way. The key entered the locks. The gears turned. Pairs of hands reached out through the ward windows. ¡°Has the doctor opened the locked doors?¡± The closer the wards were to the end of the corridor, the more dangerous the patients inside them were. The doctor appeared to have released all the patients to wee Gao Ming. The crazy patients howled and roared. The seventh floor was the corridor forgotten by the creator. The path didn¡¯t leave to the exit but a ce scarier than death. ¡°Have I experienced this half a year ago?¡± Chapter 256: Union Chapter 256: Union The surrounding patients didn¡¯t pose much threat to the current Gao Ming, but for Gao Ming from half a year ago, this trip would have been hell. A determined psychiatrist was torn apart by crazy people. In a way, it was an ironic ending. Gao Ming¡¯s shadow on the ground started to run. Gao Ming followed his shadow closely. The broadcast became shriller and shriller. Slowly, the patient¡¯s shadow appeared on the tiles. The clean tiles were like the surface of the water. The past and present reflected and permeated each other. There was a scream. A dishevelled nurse rushed out of a ward. Her uniform was frazzled, and she was holding a giant syringe. The nurse pushed away the other patients and aimed the needle at Gao Ming¡¯s eyes. Both Gao Mings evaded her. However, the past Gao Ming tripped, and the liquid in the syringe sshed into his eyes. Gao Ming perfectly avoided the needle. However, when his past self was affected by the liquid, his eyes burned as well. His movement became more difficult. The ward doors slowly moved past like windows in a slow-moving train. This was the first time Gao Ming felt the flow of time so clearly. ¡°Will I die if my past self is killed?¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t tell if he was in a dream or he had travelled back in time. All the boundaries blurred. Only the pounding of his heart was real. Gao Ming¡¯s shadow climbed up quickly. He had no option but to run deeper into the corridor. More patients appeared. Gao Ming¡¯s scalp was numb. Half a year ago, the anomaly hadn¡¯t arrived, but there were already so many monsters at Li San Hospital! Following his past self, Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay. They raced down the dark corridor. The windows and doors faded away. They were on the train of time, and every stop was a cycle of pain and tragedy. ¡°Is this a dream? How can a dream be so realistic? But what if this is not a dream? How can this happen in real life?¡± The broadcast was ear-piercing. Gao Ming¡¯s past self ran until he was exhausted. When he couldn¡¯t carry on anymore, the doctor in the white coat reappeared. He opened a door not far away. That seemed to be the exit. With hisst breath, Gao Ming came to the door and looked in.The sound ofughter, prayer, crying, and others swallowed him like a giant wave. Holding the door frame, Gao Ming saw a terrifying sight. Inside the room at the end of the corridor, the four walls were covered in ck-and-white death portraits of different patients. A giant sacrificial altar was situated in the middle of the room. On top of it sat a few white bowls filled with pills and several figurines covered under ck cloth. The sound of knocking came from everywhere. The shadow on the ground slowly ovepped the reality. The ck cloth on the table gradually slipped away. The figurines possessed careful smiles as the eyes looked around. The changing wards were like untouchable altars. The dead Gods stood at the end of time, turning around to examine everything. Gao Ming stood before the portraits of many patients. He lowered his head to look at his past self. Wearing the uniform from Hen Shan Penitentiary, he was surrounded by endless ghosts. Doctors and patients had their separate uniforms. Bright red and pale whitepleted the world. The spying eyes were like dancing fire. The greedy fingers hooked at flesh. The cruel growl caused the soul to tremble. Gao Ming from the past entered a room he shouldn¡¯t. There were pills there, but the pills were made from his own flesh and blood. His consciousness was cut through by a de. A giant force pushed Gao Ming to the ground. This was a worship and a game. The divine patterns painted on the walls gathered together. The bones collided, and the muscles were shredded. The human heads slowly turned around. The bowls on the table rang out. The sound of breathing came from under the ck cloth. All the patients stared at Gao Ming. They were calling to him because they had already prepared the seat for him. Gao Ming couldn¡¯t see how to escape this. Half a year ago, he didn¡¯t know anything. How did he survive this? ¡°But I am alive now! How did I survive that night? How did I leave this room?¡± His memory was foggy. There was only a sense of familiarity. The sense of fear cut from the past to the present. It soaked into his soul and nerves. He couldn¡¯t breathe. Gao Ming looked at himself on the tiles as his hands pressed against them. His reflection was the game. His hands pressed against the cold tiles. The vessels on the back of his hands popped. He was the centre of the ritual. He was the sacrifice. The oppressive nature of death enveloped him. The birthday picture Gao Ming hid in his heart fell to the ground. When his past approached death, Gao Ming in the picture started to lose colour! His parents in the picture revealed shocked expressions. ¡°I will die if my past dies?! Is this a dream or reality?¡± Gao Ming was a copy of his past. He couldn¡¯t tell if he had bled into the past or the past had caught up to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t die on that day. That is the truth! Who saved me? Who helped me?¡± In the death portraits, the patients opened their pupilless eyes. They had strange expressions. The figurines on the table cackled. The nearby wards opened. The terror from the darkest parts of the nightmare extended its neck. The toothy grin spread as it approached Gao Ming. Indescribable horror pinched his nerves. Death wasing for him. Gao Ming, in the birthday picture, was losing colour fast. Breathing was hard, and his body was cold. Death memories in his heart shed against each other! ¡°I¡¯ve died so many times. I am not my former self anymore! ¡°If no one came to save me, then I¡¯d save myself! ¡°Be it the past of the future, I will hold my own hands to walk out of the abyss and despair!¡± The right hand that held the torture room chain mmed against the floor. Gao Ming¡¯s reflection splintered with cracks. The bleeding hand smashed again. Blood sipped through the cracks. Gao Ming, from the past, seemed to hear a voice, and he looked down. His left eye, which was injured by the mud figurine, pulsed with pain. He forced his left eye open and saw another version of himself in the tiles! Wearing the mask of death, the other him was cunning, vicious, crazy and unhinged like an Evil God. Chapter 257: Chain Chapter 257: Chain ¡°Grab the chains!¡± The right hand mmed into the ground, and blood flew everywhere. The God of Flesh and Blood had never been so excited. Each beat of Gao Ming¡¯s heart was like a drum beat. Gao Ming, from the present and the past, took the same action. The flesh connection joined the past and present. Eight arms extended out of Gao Ming¡¯s back. His reflection in the tiles also had his back torn apart. Under the scrutiny of the ck-and-white death portraits, the God of Flesh and Blood crawled out of the past Gao Ming¡¯s back. Situ An¡¯s worship of the God of Flesh and Blood was destined to fail because, from the start, or even before that, God had already chosen Gao Ming. No one saved him, and he kept dying, so he had to save himself every time. He grabbed the chains, and thest link to the missing fate was connected. The bright tiles were like a mirror. The floor was like the sky. Two Gao Mings knelt on their single knees. They looked at each other. They grabbed the chains and slowly stood up. The chip in his left eye slowly melted away. Gao Ming stood among the maddening patients. The dead Gods stared at him, and the mutated monsters surrounded him. They couldn¡¯t hear each other. The God of Flesh and Blood was the only link between them. Be it in the past or the future, the God of Flesh and Blood always existed. It escaped fate¡¯s control. Once one was chosen, the God of Flesh and Blood would always live in one¡¯s heart. This was probably why Gao Ming could escape the cycle ten yearster. Perhaps the creator saw this and had him on the bus ten years ago. The broadcast stopped. It became the ticking of the clock. The eight arms tore apart the nearby patients. Fresh blood sttered on the death portraits. The patients in the portraits shut their mouths and silently observed the massacre. Broken limbs fell to the ground, and blood dyed both worlds red. In the past, the God of Flesh and Blood killed until everything was red. The present Gao Ming stood before the altar. He did nothing, but his clothes were drenched in blood. The deaths umted in the past exploded at that moment. The ticking sound moved faster. The God of Flesh and Blood became more unhinged. It seemed to have abandoned all restraints to expose its true self. In this deepest room, each second was filled with death. When thest patient copsed, the time ticking paused. Blood was everywhere. The mud figurines turned their eyes away. The monster that came out of the ward also receded with the shadows. The past Gao Ming survived despite the impossibilities. Gao Ming rubbed his left eye. His mask fell, and his clothes were wet. He couldn¡¯t tell the difference between reality and dream. He couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between the past and present anymore. Gao Ming¡¯s reflection on the ground became blurrier. This seemed to represent that the present and the past were slowly uniting. Gao Ming grabbed the death portrait in his pocket and prepared for the worst.Knocking came from his back. The broadcast changed into light and happy music. Gao Ming turned around in the blood-stained room. He saw a middle-aged man in a doctor¡¯s coat standing at the door. ¡°Hello. I am Lu Zang. I was your psychiatrist half a year ago. I¡¯m the reason you are the way you are now.¡± With a smile, half of the doctor¡¯s face was hidden in the shadow. Even his smallest expression could difit someone. ¡°Lu Zang?¡± Gao Ming had no impression of this name. ¡°You look more rational and calmer than half a year ago. This means that the treatment is very sessful.¡± Lu Zang didn¡¯t enter the room. The light shone in from behind his shoulders. ¡°Have I been to this ce half a year ago? Is this illusion what I experienced back then?¡± Gao Ming mentioned a possibility. ¡°This is not an illusion. It is your dream from half a year ago. You dreamed the start half a year ago, and now, you will dream the ending.¡± Lu Zang was happy to see Gao Ming, ¡°From the moment the God of Flesh and Blood chose you, everything had been put into motion. Situ An is responsible for helping the shadow world infiltrate Han Hai while you help to expand fate¡¯s loophole. There are other parents, of course. Everyone has their role.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am like you, a loophole of fate. We will soon be wiped away by fate. Therefore, we are bound to kill fate.¡± Lu Zang seemed to have taken Gao Ming as his kin. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many undesigned futures in the dream. Most of them involve you.¡± ¡°Based on what you said, was it your contribution that I was on the bus on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s death memories collided. His heart sank in despair. ¡°Do you know why that bus can never leave the tunnel?¡± Lu Zang suddenly asked Gao Ming. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The reason you became fate¡¯s loophole is that ss 13¡¯s bus encountered an ident ten years ago. In fate¡¯s arrangement, all of you should have died, but all of you survived.¡± Lu Zang knew about everything that happened in Han Hai. He was the one who researched everything for Situ An. ¡°As long as any of you is still alive, that bus will keep on being trapped in that tunnel. ¡°The most amazing thing is you¡¯ve gained the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s approval. You¡¯ve be a man that can¡¯t die and appear in a nightmare that will only end after everyone in it is dead.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s eyes shone like he saw hope on Gao Ming. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t understand Lu Zang anymore. ¡°We all live in a false dream. The real world you see is a dream. What you have just experienced is a dream. The bus is trapped in a dream. I am merely trying to circle one dream around another dream to see if I can wake more people up.¡± Lu Zang was very at ease. ¡°Anomalies appear at Han Hai because the giant dream can¡¯t sustain it anymore. More and more people want to wake up. Therefore, they can see the anomalies.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re saying, but¡­¡± Gao Ming¡¯s eyes turned dangerous, ¡°Since you¡¯ve designed everything, are you the one who has been killing me every time in the tunnel?¡± ¡°Were you killed in the tunnel?¡± Lu Zang was shocked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you die and wake up normally on the bus? Why would someone go after you in the tunnel?¡± Chapter 258: Wake Up Chapter 258: Wake Up Something went wrong in Lu Zang¡¯s careful n. Someone added something he didn¡¯t know in his n. ¡°Someone killed you inside the tunnel?!¡± Lu Zang¡¯s smile slowly disappeared, ¡°It¡¯s not me who killed you. Due to fate¡¯s limitations, I can¡¯t leave the shadow world. At most, I can appear at ces where the two worlds ovep the most.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the tunnel count as a location where the two worlds ovep?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t trust Lu Zang. Honestly, he still hadn¡¯t grasped what the man said. Lu Zang shook his head. He didn¡¯t exin everything but grumbled, ¡°It is a location set between three different sets of rules. If the dream is a giant bubble, then it is a crack that exists on the bubble.¡± ¡°Once a bubble has a crack, it will burst. What kind of analogy is that?¡± ¡°That is what fate believes, too. That is why it hasn¡¯t discovered the tunnel¡­¡± Lu Zang¡¯s voice ovepped with the voice from the speakers. ¡°However, I can promise you that I have no malice towards you, and I will not kill you. I swear to protect everyone who can be fate¡¯s loopholes.¡± ¡°That sounds like what a movie viin would say.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t think someone would resist fate without reason. He didn¡¯t reach the stage he was at because it had been nned but because of himself. Fate couldn¡¯t fully control Gao Ming¡¯s destiny, much less Lu Zang. The ident inside the tunnel was the best example. ¡°I need to figure out what happened inside that tunnel. Other than myself, dirty things from other cities might have entered the tunnel on that rainy night ten years ago.¡± Lu Zang proffered a possibility. ¡°Other cities?¡± ¡°When you wake up from Han Hai¡¯s dream, you can take the bus to the other cities. You¡¯ll encounter some very special people.¡± Lu Zang returned to the main topic. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll tell you how to wake up from the dream.¡±Gao Ming didn¡¯t speak. He was there to witness the performance. ¡°Han Hai has many big ghosts that can control the rules. These ghosts can use the dream rules, and they are called Dream Ghosts. When there are more than ten Dream Ghosts that are willing to assist you, you have the chance to wake up from the dream.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart was still when he heard Lu Zang. ¡°Ten big ghosts to help me? Are you dreaming?¡± It was very hard to be a big ghost. Of the people Gao Ming knew, only Zhang Ding had that potential. ¡°There is a second way to wake up, and that is to help the shadow world fully consume Han Hai. The dream you reside in will be disintegrated by the shadow world. The bubble will burst. Everyone inside the bubble will be affected. Your memory will shatter.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, as if the sacrifice of a whole city meant nothing to him. ¡°Thest and the third method is to snatch the control of Han Hai from fate. You need to change the fate of at least half of the city citizens and lead the city to its awakening.¡± Lu Zang opened his palms and slowly turned them. ¡°Help those who should die to survive. Give the despairing souls their salvation. Give fate¡¯s toys the weapon they need to overthrow fate until itsst drop of blood is dry.¡± ¡°Even the investigation centre doesn¡¯t dare to im that they can change the fate of half of the people in the city. You sure have high hopes for me.¡± Gao Ming noticed everything inside the room had turned blurry. His heart became more powerful, and his breathing became evener. ¡°It¡¯s not a question of whether you can do it or not, but you have to do it. The investigation centre, the anomalies, the shadow world, the Dream Ghosts and other unknown forces, everyone has their own goals. If you do not fight for the control of fate, you will be ced on the sacrificial altar and be other people¡¯s sacrifice.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s voice was slowly suppressed by the broadcast. At this ce, the broadcast appeared to be some kind of mental trick, or it could be a representation of Gao Ming¡¯s self-consciousness. ¡°I have no reason to lie to you. I don¡¯t have much time left. We will meet again. If everything goes well, I¡¯ll wait for you in the city after the dream is over.¡± Lu Zang¡¯s eyes appeared to see through Gao Ming¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Other than that, I hope you can abide by our bet.¡± ¡°What bet?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill¡­¡± Lu Zang¡¯s voice was fully overshadowed by the shadow. He seemed to sense danger as if something was chasing after him. Before he could finish, Lu Zang opened the door beside him and entered it in a hurry. The door closed. The broadcast mentioned that the missing child had been found. The walls around Gao Ming started to melt. His past in the tiles ran down the distance on his own. Just as Gao Ming wanted to chase after his reflection, a strong vertigo assaulted him. Gao Ming¡¯s eyes flew open. He realised he was still sitting in the chair in the corner of the psychiatry counselling room. The bookshelf next to him was about to fall. The books made from human skin were scattered all around him. The ghostly shadow on the screen wailed. A bloody face stuck to the window of the door. The bloody eyes stared at Gao Ming. Everything around him kept mutating. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Gao Ming stood up from the chair. His shadow was like dirty clothes dripping on the back of the chair. His earlier experience was like a dream, but the dream was so real. ¡°I was indeed trapped inside a dream. In that case, the Han Hai we live in might really be a dream.¡± Gao Ming was shaken, ¡°But in that dream, the broadcast and my shadow are all loopholes¡­¡± Gao Ming stared at the monster at the window. ¡°Based on what Lu Zang said, these monsters should be dream¡¯s loopholes in real life.¡± The concept that reality was a dream was too crazy. It started to influence Gao Ming. In the past, he might care about others and be shackled by things like morality. However, he seemed to have broken through another shackle. ¡°I need to change fate¡¯s script, help those who should die to survive, and send all the lunatics having fun during the tragedy to hell.¡± The window cracked. The ghost face forced itself into the ward when Gao Ming¡¯s worldview was shattered. Gao Ming showed no trace of fear in his eyes. He walked towards the ghost like it was his dancepanion. Chapter 259: Fixed in the Present Chapter 259: Fixed in the Present Opening his arms, Gao Ming looked like he was about to give the monster a big hug. His insouciance and gentle gaze caused the pupils of the monster to narrow. ¡°Are you shy?¡± Gao Ming stood two metres away from the monster. The monster seemed to sense something. It paused. The next moment, eightrge arms reached out of Gao Ming¡¯s back. The monster was held in ce. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn¡¯t get loose. The fragrance of meat entered its body, and the arms sank into its flesh. The God of Flesh and Blood embraced its soul. It slipped into God¡¯s embrace until it became one with the flesh. ¡°Any monster with flesh mutation will be oppressed by the God of Flesh and Blood until they be a part of Gong Xi.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood was very satisfied. When he let go, the monster was already gone. Only a tattered patient¡¯s outfit remained on the ground. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have slept for long.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s clues rted to Xuan Wen ended there. However, he felt that Xuan Wen was trapped in the same building as he was. ¡°Lu Zang can only appear in ces where the two worlds ovep heavily. The back building of Li San Hospital has been modified by them. This is not only Situ An¡¯s home but also the channel to the shadow world.¡± Gao Ming saw many patients in his dream. They were collected by Lu Zang and Situ An over the years. They were part of Situ An¡¯s assets. ¡°Situ An told me about the east city investigation centre. Through his three core underlings, I gained the map, which got me the location of his home.¡± Situ An wouldn¡¯t help Gao Ming out of kindness. He did so much to lure Gao Ming to the hospital. It meant that there was something there that could help him regain freedom. ¡°Who would put the most dangerous thing in their own home?¡± The clues disconnected. Gao Ming left the psychiatry counselling ward and entered the corridor. The back building radiated anomalies. ¡°When the whole world is abnormal, normal people will be seen as monsters andmon thoughts will be seen as crazy thoughts. Clearly, that is what I¡¯m experiencing.¡± Gao Ming sighed. After he woke up, he felt a lot more rxed. He walked down the twisted corridors. He was like a gardener, pruning flowers in his master¡¯s garden. The shoes that chased him had disappeared. Gao Ming perked up his ears to listen to his surroundings. Without knowing it, he arrived at the seventh floor. Compared to the dream, this ce was darker and scarier. Many personal effects that the patients didn¡¯t have time to pack were left on the ground. The wilted flowers were stepped on. The music box toppled over, and the heads of the spinning figures were snapped apart. Only their bodies swirled with the unending music.He pushed open the door to Ward 7001. The sticky blood smeared the room. Blood dripped from the ceiling. Irregr footprints covered the ground. The giant bed was overturned. The white mattress cover was sliced through by a de. The IV bags that hung in the room had been pierced. The rotting medicine mixed with blood. Gao Ming picked up the sleeve that contained the symbol of the investigation centre and stood before the bed. ¡°The patient of Ward 7001 hadn¡¯t left the hospital. He stayed here until recently. He died before I entered the back building.¡± Looking at the familiar IV bags and the intertwining feeding tubes, Gao Ming felt they were familiar. ¡°My dream about the past is scattered. Lu Zang didn¡¯t tell me everything. He hid the most important pieces to lure me to find him.¡± Gao Ming put the sleeve back. He returned to the corridor. He wiped away the blood from his shoes and turned to Ward 7002. The door was left open. In the dirty room, a female corpsey in the middle of the room. Her wounds were actively healing. Her body became stronger with every metamorphosis. However, her mind had been fully broken. ¡°This group of security members has no sense of mercy.¡± Perhaps it was fate trying to rectify the mistakes. All the patients Gao Ming met in his dream had all been killed. ¡°I wonder if Mr. Question in Ward 7003 is still alive. He should have already escaped from this hospital.¡± With anticipation, Gao Ming pushed on the door of Ward 7003. Gao Ming frowned when he saw blood spilling all over the walls and ceiling. There were also cuts and gouges everywhere. ¡°This room should be filled with Question¡¯s calctions. However, they have been deliberately covered up by the investigation centre. What are they afraid of? Why did they cover up these things? Was Question telling the truth?¡± Gao Ming stood in the middle and slowly turned around. He studied the walls. There was an empty space on one of the walls. Something was pasted there, and it had been recently taken down. Thinking back to his experience with Question, Gao Ming walked to the bed. He peeled back the bedsheet, and his fingers wandered among the bed frame until they paused at the seventh gap. ¡°It¡¯s like my dream.¡± Gao Ming yanked the board back and took out an old handpainted map. In his dream, after Gao Ming promised to help Question, thetter took out a map from this ce. He swore that if Gao Ming brought back the pills, he¡¯d help Gao Ming wake up from the dream. Gao Ming¡¯s eyes blinked as his expression changed. He stared at the note at the back of the map. The note appeared to be written half a year ago, ¡°Live in the dream! Do not wake up! There is no hope in the waking world!¡± ¡°Lu Zang is doing everything he can to get more people to wake up from the dream and return to the real world. Now, Question is warning me from waking up. Is this his message for me?¡± Gao Ming held the wrinkled map. He was confused, ¡°What did he see after he woke up?¡± No one would im they were good or evil openly. Everyone in the city was working towards their own goal. Fate, Lu Zang, the investigation centre and the shadow world¡­Gao Ming was squeezed in the middle. He had no idea what kind of future was the best future. ¡°Now, I¡¯m even more interested in the world after waking up.¡± Gao Ming turned the map around. It was a mini-map of Li San Hospital. It marked out five exits. Three of them had been crossed off with a red X. The underground morgue of the back building was marked with a red question mark. Chapter 260: Tattoo Chapter 260: Tattoo Each corridor was drawn by the patient in Ward 7003 on the map. Using his photographic memory, he drew out Li San Hospital¡¯s front and back buildings. However, Question¡¯s map of the map was different from the hospital in real life. Most of the wards in the back building had been ckened out like they had been taken over by the shadow. ¡°Did he intend to use this map to trade with me? To help me leave the hospital.¡± The map was still hidden inside the ward. However, Gao Ming from half a year ago and Question were gone. This meant that both of them had sessfully escaped. ¡°How did I leave half a year ago? What happened between Question and me? Why did he leave that message for me?¡± Gao Ming and Question were patients valued by Lu Zang. However, they seemed to have gone on different paths. Gao Ming entered the tunnel ording to Lu Zang¡¯s n and slowly expanded fate¡¯s loophole. Question seemed to have escaped Lu Zang¡¯s control, and he had woken up from the dream earlier than intended. ¡°Does Question really exist?¡± Gao Ming tried to remember the man¡¯s face, but he couldn¡¯t remember much of it. The door creaked softly. Gao Ming lifted his feet. There was a bug riddled with curses hidden in the blood. It was a butterfly made from paper. Its wings featured two painted eyes. ¡°Is this left behind by the security department? It looks like they value this ward a lot to leave behind this little thing for surveince.¡± Gao Ming crushed the bug. With the protection of the God of Flesh and Blood, he didn¡¯t mind the curse. The eyes bled on the butterfly wings. A person wailed, and then the butterfly shattered. Gao Ming put away the hand-drawn map. He held a chain and walked out of Ward 7003. The scent of blood in the air suddenly thickened. Barely discernible blood vessels crawled in the corridor. Three security members walked out of the ward at the end of the corridor. It was evident that they had just experienced an intense battle. They were wounded. The man who walked at the back had a pair of bleeding eyes as he red at Gao Ming. ¡°I¡¯ll turn you into a bug!¡± The man unbuttoned his shirt. Paper butterflies hung inside his uniform. Each butterfly was painted with a pair of eyes. With the man¡¯smand, all the butterflies pped their wings. The butterflies flew everywhere. The man mumbled something. The other member who stood before him was blind. When he heard the order from the other man, he waved his hands in the air. The thin threads in the corridor pierced at Gao Ming.¡°A puppeteer using blood as strings?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t evade the attack. He charged forward. He was going to deal with the enemies before he was controlled. The three members had a wealth of battle experience. The mute that walked in front opened his mouth. He punched his face. The thorns on his gloves pierced into his flesh. The blood was injected into the ghost tattoo. A bloody shadow enveloped the security team. ¡°One is responsible for surveince, one is responsible for long-distance attack, and one is responsible for defence. They are clearly very experienced. Where did they receive their training?¡± In the blink of an eye, the lines of blood had already reached Gao Ming. They attacked from hard angles. Normally, no matter what Gao Ming did, he couldn¡¯t defend against the attack. Gao Ming pressed his hand against his heart as he charged at the lines. Just as the lines were about to touch his eyes, eight hands blocked everything like a castle wall. They pushed forward and mmed into the security members. The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s howl echoed down the corridor. After he woke up from the dream of the past, Gong Xi seemed to have changed. The eyes of the four faces wanted to open. The three members were swept away and crashed into the wall heavily. Ignoring the pain, the blind member sent the blood threads into Gong Xi to try to control the God of Flesh and Blood. However, just as he had that thought, ck blood oozed out of his orifices. The blind man¡¯s ghost tattoo seemed to discover something very scary. Blood leaked out of the man¡¯s skin. The blind man screamed. He could feel the horrible transformation urring in his body. The pain was immeasurable. ¡°Do you intend to use your blood to control God? Who do you think you are?¡± Gao Ming stood in the middle of the corridor. God grabbed the blood threads and injected the meat fragrance into the three security members. The God of Flesh and Blood was using brute force to consume the ghost tattoos on them. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood can¡¯t consume certain ghosts, but after they have been turned into tattoos and carved into the human body, they will be food for the God of Flesh and Blood. They are precious food for God.¡± Gao Ming sensed God¡¯s excitement, ¡°If this is really a dream, this is a horrible nightmare for you.¡± New chains appeared in the torture room. Each chain was branded with a corresponding ghost tattoo. The God of Flesh and Blood was not yet satisfied. He grabbed the chains and mmed into the souls of the poor humans to forge them into something else. However, human souls were too weak. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood has be a lot more aggressive.¡± After Gao Ming woke up from the dream, the God of Flesh and Blood had changed. When Gao Ming entered life-threatening danger in the past, the God of Flesh and Blood saved Gao Ming through their shared connection. However, because of this, the God of Flesh and Blood could read some memories in Gao Ming¡¯s heart. Some of the memories Gao Ming had already forgotten. The blood threads dangled weakly. The paper butterflies had broken wings. The massacre was over. The four faces of God hadn¡¯t calmed down. They howled at a room deep down the corridor. God was guiding Gao Ming down the corridor. He walked past the familiar path. Most of the patients were dead. The remaining had been killed by the security members. ¡°This should be the ce.¡± He kicked down the door from his memory, and the chill wind hit him in the face. The walls of death portraits looked at Gao Ming silently. ¡°Hi, everyone. I¡¯m back.¡± For Gao Ming, he had just been here a few minutes ago. However, the ghosts inside the death portraits hadn¡¯t seen Gao Ming for half a year already. Gao Ming didn¡¯t waste time as he walked towards the altar. The white bowls filled with pills had been emptied. All the pills had been taken away. The figurines were shattered as well. ¡°It looks like you need a new God.¡± Chapter 261: New Weapon Chapter 261: New Weapon Eight arms reached out from behind Gao Ming. The God of Flesh and Blood tore down all the death portraits. The shadow churned. The sharp trills of ghosts were ear-piercing, but Gao Ming didn¡¯t care. ¡°I need to change the fate of half the citizens in the city. If one person can¡¯t handle the world after waking up, then I¡¯ll awaken the entire Han Hai and have them see the real world together.¡± The death portraits in the shadow world were the tickets to enter Han Hai. Those who possessed a death portrait were the ones chosen by the shadow world and had the potential to be fate¡¯s loopholes. The ck-and-white portraits were sent into the torture room by God. The shackled Situ An saw the portraits flutter around him like snowkes. He resisted the pain and lifted his head. His eyes glowed with madness. All of these should be his, but he had reunited with his family in another manner. He stood alone on the snowy battlefield. There were corpses everywhere. He was the only one bound and faced the endless dark abyss alone. His body shivered. The chains tightened. Situ An rarely lost control of his emotions. Even if he was tortured, he only gritted his teeth. The pictures were pasted on the wall of the torture room. The patients in the death portraits recognised Situ An. Their response was interesting. Their eyes carried worry and fear but also a smidge of derision. They feared Situ An, but they were gleeful to see Situ An in this state. However, that joy turned into despair. If the culprit treated Situ An like this, how would they fare? ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything is worth it. After I escape, I¡¯ll avenge you. I¡¯ll remember your sacrifice. After all¡­ we¡¯re family.¡± Situ An slowly lowered his head. He knew Gao Ming had entered Li San Hospital. Then, he only needed to wait for Gao Ming to enter the room in his home. The security members only destroyed the figurines. They seemed to be on the hunt. They left in a hurry. The most valuable item in that room was not the figurines but something else. Li San Hospital had collected a lot of death portraits. All of them were sent into the torture room. The God of Flesh and Blood crushed the sacrificial altar. He tore apart the ck cloth, grabbed the shattered figurines and showed them into his mouth. The face that represented Death started to change. Different pieces of the divine figurinesbined on the face of death. The shadow world¡¯s Gods were not friends but food for the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°These figurines were worshipped by the hospital.¡± In the dream of the past, the mud figurines fell into the body of the God of Flesh and Blood. The torture room trembled. Eight arms tore apart the death portraits. Shadow rushed over like a giant wave, but the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t care. He yanked the chosen ¡®family¡¯ out from the death portraits and pressed them on the stage used to forge torture items.The blood and flesh forge gurgled. Gao Ming¡¯s heart pounded. Fresh blood boiled like a me! The forge was the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s altar. However, his way of sacrifice was unique from other Gods. The souls of the patients were thrown into the flesh forge. The chains bound together. They were wet with blood and became a part of the torture room. A howl echoed from the forge. The God of Flesh and Blood allowed the searing chains to bind around his body and limbs. He couldn¡¯t feel pain. After thest death portrait was sent into the forge, his eight arms tightened around the new chain of flesh made by the forge. There was an endless howl. The four faces of God growled as the eight arms pulled at the same time! The chains were pulled taut. He was hauling something out of the forge. Situ An watched this expressionlessly. He should be the one who controlled the flesh forge. Something so important was taken away from him, but there was no trace of regret on his face. Blood sshed everywhere. The piercing screams filled up the torture room. Even the Red Raincoat, who normally didn¡¯t care about anything, slowly turned towards the God of Flesh and Blood like she was threatened. The God with eight arms ignored the others. He stomped heavily on the ground. He howled as he held onto the chain. The fire burned on the flesh. The thing at the end of the chains slowly appeared. The oppression caused Red Raincoat to turn aggressive. All the torture devices ttered as if in response to something. Gao Ming, who stood in the room, started to change. He lowered his head to grab the chains Gong Xi handed to him. He pulled along with God. It felt like he was holding a living me. Gao Ming¡¯s fingerprints and other things like fate were slowly changing. It was due to the thing inside the forge. ¡°You¡¯ve consumed the seed that Li San Hospital has nurtured for thirteen years in one go. What a waste.¡± Even the extremely rational Situ An couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. His face darkened. Gao Ming¡¯s entire attention was on the forge. He didn¡¯t hear Situ An. He felt his hands reaching into the fire. Even his soul was charred. The torture device made from the souls of endless patients was rejected by the real world and the shadow world. Its appearance affected Gao Ming¡¯s fate. The burning chains curled around Gao Ming¡¯s arm. His heartbeat mmed on the forge. With thest howl of the ghosts, the mes consumed the whole flesh forge. A crushing presence appeared in the torture room. In the blood and me, the ghastly silhouette slowly appeared. Gao Ming saw the device made from flesh and blood. The chains bound around a giant scythe. Destiny was branded on one side, and life was branded on the other. The scythe stood in the room. The de trembled with the screams of the patients. The various symptoms and mutated bodies made up the base of the scythe. Their bodies were doused with fresh blood. Their eyes glowed with venom and hatred. All the patients at the hospital could be fate¡¯s loopholes. They were seeds chosen by the shadow world. Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect the God of Flesh and Blood to use the hope of the shadow world to forge a new torture device¡­ And he seeded! Other than the chains, the God of Flesh and Blood had a new weapon. His presence was a lot scarier than before. ¡°Strong, evil and wicked. This thing is just a manifestation of malice.¡± Chapter 262: Feed Chapter 262: Feed Fingerprints, palm prints¡­ Everything rted to fate was changed slightly in Gao Ming. The appearance of the new torture device signified the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s new departure from fate. As the one chosen by the God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming was affected too. If the chains were for binding, the new device was for attack. After Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood absorbed all the patients, their power increased. ¡°What is this? In the files given to me by Lu Zang about the God of Flesh and Blood, there is no mention of any scythe.¡± Situ An tried to hide the shock in his eyes. The new torture device that came out of the forge was not only rted to the things thrown into the forge but also to Gao Ming¡¯s life as well. Everything inside the torture room was rted to Gao Ming because they were parts of Gao Ming. The fiery pain came from both arms. The chains bound together with the blood vessels. Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s fates started to intertwine. Fate controlled everything. As Lu Zang said, if this reality was a nightmare, then fate created this dream. Normal people were insignificant before fate. Only a small number of people had the right to attract fate¡¯s gaze and be its puppet. In such a world, Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood forged a device to execute fate. Their madness stunned Red Raincoat and Situ An. The most desperate ghost and the craziest man were both affected. This was something Gao Ming did not expect. His heart rate slowly returned to normal. Gao Ming stretched. His blood radiated an indescribable fragrance. Once one smelled it, one would be captivated by it. ¡°A part of my body appears to have united with the God of Flesh and Blood¡­¡± In the past, God only stayed in Gao Ming¡¯s torture room. Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s Heart of Flesh and Heart of God. Now, Gao Ming¡¯s body was slowlybining with the God of Flesh and Blood. He was like a living divine figurine. ¡°I¡¯ve be more and more estranged from the definition of a human, but this doesn¡¯t feel bad.¡± His five senses sharpened. Even from a distance, Gao Ming could hear the silent footsteps from the corridor. Gao Ming lifted his head and looked at the exit. A mechanical arm that gave off a horrible stench grabbed the door. The bright light shone into the room.¡°Found you.¡± A robotic voice came from underneath the humanmade skin. A security member in an old uniform had his eyes locked on Gao Ming. The dark pupils reflected Gao Ming. The man opened his lips to expose the mechanical parts inside his maw and the pieces of meat that stuck to his sharp teeth. The security members filtered into the room and blocked the exit. The ck boots stepped on the red blood. The knife cut through the ripple. Several secondster, a figure appeared at the door. Every inch of his skin was branded with ghost tattoos. ¡°It was you who killed the trio from Team Seven.¡± The man stood in the middle of all the members. His eyes stared at Gao Ming. The fingers around his neck bloomed like petals. The hidden ghost''s eyes slowly opened. Surrounded by so many people, Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He leaned back on the table to change into a morefortable pose. ¡°I¡¯ve killed many security members from the investigation centre. You are different from them. Why?¡± ¡°After I cut off your limbs and turn you into a human stick, I¡¯ll slowly answer you.¡± K knew that someone had been killed through his blood band. They had survived so many practices in the taboo game, but some of them had already been killed when they started their first mission in Han Hai. ¡°Listen to yourself. Do you sound like you¡¯re from the side of justice? You are representing the investigation centre.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s lips curved. He silentlypared everyone to the death portraits. Ever since he left Han De Private School, he hadn¡¯t fully used his power before. He had no idea how strong he was and whether he could fit the ¡®antagonist¡¯ of the investigation centre. ¡°What a waste of time.¡± K nced at the first man who entered the room. The man got the message and charged at Gao Ming with bare firsts. The sound of gears turning came from the man¡¯s body. When the man was within five metres of Gao Ming, he suddenly sped up to far beyond the human body limit. Before his shadow dissipated, the man already appeared before Gao Ming. He raised his arms and swung his fists at Gao Ming¡¯s head! Gao Ming moved to the side. The table behind Gao Ming was smashed. Wood chips flew everywhere. The man¡¯s fist moved towards Gao Ming¡¯s face again. The chains appeared on Gao Ming¡¯s arms. He took a few steps back until his back was to the wall. The red chains bound the man¡¯s fists and tore through his uniform. Through the tears, Gao Ming noticed that the man¡¯s body was 70 percent mechanical. ¡°A few years ago, I was tormented in a devil¡¯s pit until only my heart was left alive. It was my team leader who saved me. The despair made me resistant to most curses, pain and mental attacks. When a human faces ghosts and monsters, the first thing he needs to do is to ovee his fear. I fear nothing in this world!¡± The man had no living human weaknesses. His body and mind were impossibly strong. Strange characters flew through his heart. Those should be some kind of special ghost tattoo. ¡°Is it possible that it was the investigation centre and your team leader who designed and threw you into the devil¡¯s pit?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice entered the man¡¯s ears. His heart started to pace differently. The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s power went beyond mere physical prowess. The heart wrapped inside the cold machine halted for a second. The tube inserted into the heart trembled slightly. The man¡¯s chest groaned. ¡°I can hear the voice inside your heart. It is inviting me to feast.¡± Gao Ming swung his left arm. Tainted chains flew out from behind him. They swallowed the man like a wave. ¡°Save him!¡± K shouted, but he was already toote. Gao Ming¡¯s handnded on the man¡¯s chest. The small chains crawled into his body through his mouth and nose. ¡°You don¡¯t need to live in pain anymore.¡± The fragrance of meat spread. Gao Ming closed his fist. Fresh blood oozed out between his fingers. The man looked at his chest in disbelief. The heart that was protected by titanium was exposed. It was bound by endless chains. He couldn¡¯t control his body. ¡°You underestimate me.¡± The man growled like crazy. Even if he died, he wanted to deliver onest hit! The machines chugged along. The ghost tattoos crawled along the chains. Before the man could do anything, his heart wilted like a dead flower. Blood flowed. When the chains returned to Gao Ming, there was an extra chain. Chapter 263: Bones and Gods Chapter 263: Bones and Gods ¡°I can¡¯t underestimate the investigation centre. They might not be that good at killing ghosts, but they are experts at killing humans.¡± Gao Ming wiped the blood away from his hands. His insouciance caused K¡¯s face to darken. ¡°We have everything on Qian Junran from the moment of his birth until now. It is so urate that I can say we know everything about him.¡± K suppressed his anger. He tried to maintain hisst vestige of calmness. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste for you to focus your resources on humans rather than ghosts?¡± Gao Ming wore a psychological mask. This mask made by Xuan Wen allowed him to precisely pinpoint his enemy¡¯s location. ¡°You are not Qian Junran. You should be his ssmate. We temporarily can¡¯t confirm your identity, but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± K grabbed the sheath with his left hand and the hilt with his right. ¡°They call you their team leader, so you call the shots for this mission. I¡¯m d that I can meet you here.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s joy was genuine. This meant that K had stopped chasing after Xuan Wen and came to him, ¡°Themotion I made was meaningful.¡± ¡°Did you purposely want to get our attention?¡± A polite-looking security member wanted to stop K. ¡°Leader, he might be on the same team as the ghosts from the hospital. We have discovered traces of people living here. Li San Hospital is probably the base of the horror game yers. ¡°K, don¡¯t be fooled by him.¡± The member touched his blood band. Other than K, no one cared about the dead teammate. ¡°Our mission is to kill all the horror game yers. The target is standing before us now. There¡¯s no reason to let him go.¡± K was not saying this to his teammates but to the people watching them from the bands.Even though the back building had blocked all the signals, they had to record everything. After they left, there would be professionals to examine the recordings frame by frame to ensure that no one was consumed by the ghost tattoos. All the security members who came from the taboo game were covered in ghost tattoos. The ghost tattoos were the sharpest knives, so sharp that even the users were cautious of them. ¡°K? What a strange name. However, I¡¯m thankful that you came to find me. This might be thest time you can do that.¡± Gao Ming picked up a dirty coat and put it on to cover his bleeding back and the divine tattoo of the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°Since it is a dream, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± ¡°Horror game yers are a group of parasites that will harm the city. With you as the start, we¡¯ll eliminate all of you.¡± K grabbed the knife, and the finger tattoos around his neck bloomed like a lotus. He chanted a mantra as he slowly pulled out the de. A horrible smell came out of the sheath. The stench was so heavy that one¡¯s nostrils would throb with pain just from smelling it. The fingers around K¡¯s neck reached out of his skin. They tore open his shirt. The muscr body was covered in ghost tattoos and wounds. They formed a strange image of the Buddha. The security members found certain unmentionable things in the taboo game. They couldn¡¯t exin it. So, they could only try to tattoo them on their bodies using their imagination. Many normal people couldn¡¯t survive the pain. Someone like K, who could carry the image of the unmentionable figure, was limited in numbers. K¡¯s muscles tightened. The strange Buddha showed an angry visage. The finger tattoos swam under the skin. They were like fish or roots. The ghost eyes on K¡¯s neck suddenly widened. Deep inside the pupils was the figurine of the God of Flesh and Blood. There was no fear. It was more like enemies colliding. With K¡¯s sacrificial summon, the fingers bound together. The Ghost Buddha opened both eyes. The finger tattoos and scars morphed into thousands of white arms and opened up behind K. Another blurry face grew out of the Buddha¡¯s features. It bit on K¡¯s heart. With a bleedy mouth, it controlled the wilted arms behind K. The white bones grew like bamboo, extendingyers uponyers. It exploded in the shape of a giant lotus. Even though the other members had worked with K many times, they were still stunned when they saw this. K had controlled something a human being shouldn¡¯t. In the taboo game, K was once lost deep inside an unexplored area. Other than K, no one knew what happened to him. When everyone thought K had died, he returned with the corpse of a God. That God was extremely ugly and disgusting. However, no matter what the others said, K confirmed that this God had saved him multiple times. ¡°The presence on you has bypassed a Big Ghost with a haunted house. No wonder you are so confident.¡± Gao Ming could hear the summons of the God of Flesh and Blood. God couldn¡¯t wait to appear. He sensed the presence of his kin. The chains in the torture room rattled. The God of Flesh and Blood was heavily triggered. Gao Ming frowned as he stared at K. He thought that everyone in the investigation centre would side with fate to maintain the rules created by fate. However, K acted more like a parent from the shadow world. Like Gao Ming, he was chosen by a certain dead God. ¡°Will you wake up from the dream or be the owner of the dream?¡± Thousands of white bones pressed down. The security members jumped back. From their perspective, Gao Ming was already dead. No one could survive K¡¯s attack. A thick fragrance of meat seeped out of the gaps between the bone fingers. Everyone suddenly heard the heavy heartbeats. The heartbeats echoed in everyone¡¯s heart before congregating at the spot within the centre of the white bones. The heartbeats sounded like drums and thunder! The security members then realised the walls, floor, table, and everything in the room were turning into flesh. The captivating scent of meat floated everywhere. The fragrance surrounded the awful stench. The white bones shattered as a giant bloody hand reached out from the broken bones. The chains with the brand of soul crawled towards K! The white bones were illusory. They borrowed the power of ghost tattoos, faith and death to be partially real. The chains in Gao Ming¡¯s torture room werepletely different. Every chain was made from a twisted soul. He didn¡¯t need the power of the God of Flesh and Blood to control them. Made by hatred, they would automatically destroy everything before them. ¡°From your habits, you don¡¯t appear to be left-handed. However, the way you carry the de is different from others. Your stronger right hand holds the hilt, and your left hand holds the sheath. This can only mean that the sheath is more important than the de.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice climbed out of the white bones. His eyes were filled with red. His expression was scarily calm. ¡°I am very sensitive to flesh and blood. Your sheath should be made with the corpse of that God, right? That would exin why the horrible smell floated out when you pulled out the de. It can also exin why the white bony fingers can only move within the zone with the smell.¡± In just a few seconds, K hadn¡¯t found Gao Ming¡¯s trump card, but Gao Ming had already figured out K¡¯s weakness. Chapter 264: Grass Chapter 264: Grass With each word Gao Ming said, K¡¯s face changed. Even the security members who were guarding the exit felt threatened. K¡¯s power was a top secret. Even his team members didn¡¯t know about it. However, the secret was openly revealed by their enemy. They had just returned from Xin Lu to Han Hai. They had experienced unimaginable pain and despair before they got the ghost tattoos on their bodies. They thought this mission was going to be a cakewalk. They just realised how wrong they were. A calm mind, a scary power, the protection of an unknown God, ruthlessness and a twisted soul: that was the leader of the horror game yers. Gao Ming¡¯s image slowly rounded out in the eyes of the security members. His danger rating flew up. Some were ready to call for an emergency n. ¡°Every time you use the ghost tattoo, you will exhaust the power of that divine corpse. You must be feeling desperate.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart burned with the me inside the flesh forge. The boiling blood ran through his body. His hands grabbed the chains as the God of Flesh and Blood did the same. K hadn¡¯t encountered a situation like this before. In the past, both humans and ghosts would be turned into nutrients by the thousand white bones to feed the divine corpse. However, he sensed a presence simr to that of the divine corpse within Gao Ming. The white bone lotus couldn¡¯t get close to him at all. When the God of Flesh and Blood crawled out of the back of Gao Ming¡¯s heart, K¡¯s heart was stunned. The creature that he thought would only appear in the taboo game had shown up in Han Hai. Plus, Gao Ming¡¯s God seemed to be alive! Theyers of white bone were shattered. The four faces of God growled at the same time. Therge body stretched apart the cage made from bony fingers. The arms pulled on the chains with Gao Ming. The chains of soul collided. The souls of the patients crawled deep into the lotus with hatred. The lunatic souls tore at the white fingers. They embedded themselves inside K¡¯s wounds. K¡¯s face paled as he felt as if molten iron was poured into his flesh. He gritted his teeth until he bled. The two arms approached. K chanted something. He stabbed the de he held in his left hand into the sheath held by his right hand. Rotten and ck blood leaked out of the sheath. Another bloodred eye opened inside K¡¯s wound. The divine corpse was waking up. K cut the sheath again. The second eye opened! ¡°You have another secret power, but it¡¯s a shame that it takes so long to trigger it.¡± Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t give the man a chance. When he discovered K still had a trump card, he immediately controlled the chains to bind K¡¯s arms. The chains cut into the flesh so that K couldn¡¯t make another move. ¡°Your appearance has reminded me. The investigation centre still possesses the absolute advantage in strength. No wonder Situ An still kept such a low profile even after he was chosen by the shadow world.¡± Gao Ming and God tightened the chains. ¡°As a repayment, I¡¯ll bring you along to witness the waking world.¡±The mes in the flesh forge crackled and burned. The scythe of fate showed up. The chains pulled him towards Gao Ming. It felt like he was about to be abandoned by the whole world. The sense of helplessness was hard to describe. It was like his fate, and every trace of his existence was about to be erased. ¡°What is that thing?¡± The God of Flesh and Blood opened his chest. His ribs yawned open like a giant maw. The scythe of fate slowly rose from inside the flesh. The souls that died inside the hospital crawled out of the base of the scythe. Their lower bodies had been burned into the flesh forge. They screamed, wailed and cried. They had been forged into the chains, and they wanted to drag everyone who was caught by the chains into the torture room. These people were forgotten by fate and were the seeds in the shadow world. They lost their minds in between the nightmare and the real world. All they wanted was to drag more people into the nightmare. ¡°Wake up or slumber. Open your eyes or sink forever.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice drilled into K¡¯s ears. He saw the masked face among theyers of chains. A chill crawled around his heart. In his childhood memory, the scythe was used to cut grass. The cut grass would be used to feed the livestock. No one considered the perspective of the grass. It was at that moment that K felt how helplessness the grass was. Before the scythe of fate, all humans and ghosts were like grass. They were food. They were so insignificant that they couldn¡¯t even struggle. The chains became tighter and tighter. K¡¯s lips bled. He wanted to say something but he was too weak to even do that. When a man faced his fate, any struggle wasughable. ¡°Han Hai still has a living God, a living Taboo!¡± His eyes widened. K and the dead God in him were dragged to the God of Flesh and Blood. The eight arms punched through the white bones. The chains entered K¡¯s skin and curled around the ghost tattoos and blood vessels. The gut-wrenching pain only stopped when the chains circled around K¡¯s heart. He raised his head. Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood stood before him. Gao Ming didn¡¯t look arrogant or excited. He scanned the script written by fate and then tore it apart, sending it flying. Everything happened so fast. K barely had time to say hisst words. ¡°When the dream is over, you will wake up.¡± K couldn¡¯t clearly hear what Gao Ming said at the end. His body, which was covered with ghost tattoos, had already been dragged into the torture room. All the torture devices vibrated. The meat fragrance and blood filled up K¡¯s world. The sheath he had finally woke up. The eyes flew open, but it was already toote. The scythe swung. At that moment, K saw an upside-down world. The ugly and monstrous ghosts wore human clothing and lived under the sun. The living who was infected hid in the dark with little dignity. ¡°Is this the real world?¡± The threads of fate were severed. K became a soulless shell. The ghost tattoos on his body had faded away. All the ghost tattoosbined to form a bloody shadow with a thousand hands. It was filled with cracks of faith and rotten wounds. The chains captured not K but the God, who had already died for a long time. The shadow struggled wildly, but it was still dragged to the scythe of fate. Eight arms held the scythe. The God of Flesh and Blood seemed to recognise the dead God. The face of death revealed traces of greed. Chapter 265: Taboo Game Chapter 265: Taboo Game The strong desire to eat consumed Gao Ming. His heart was connected to the God of Flesh and Blood, so he understood how excited God was. A giant bloody shadow was affixed to the scythe of fate. The chains made from souls curled around his body. The shadow became more corporeal. It was different from what Buddha K had imagined. The real thousand-hands white bone was a monster wearing a giant ram mask. It wore kindness as a disguise and lived in the dark. Whenever it killed someone, it added a new finger to its collection. Every dead God in the shadow world was an extreme amalgamation of sins! ¡°How can a shadow be so scary?¡± The ram monster had been dead for a long time already. It wanted to revive through K, but it encountered Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood. The arms of the shadow were pinned by the scythe. The giant shadow roared like thunder. Eyes opened inside the wounds on its cheeks. The God of Flesh and Blood was familiar with his enemy. With one hand on the goat¡¯s head, the other hand swung the scythe! The de beheaded the shadow. The scary roar ended. A red broken finger hidden deep inside the shadow was consumed by the face of death. A sense of divinity appeared on God¡¯s face, and his body grewrger. ¡°Is that finger the actual body of the shadow? Has its corpse been exhausted until this degree already?¡± The character, Life on the scythe was dyed red. Red patterns extended out of the character, Fate. The pattern was simr to the ghost tattoo on K. The ghosts that were reaped by the scythe would be branded on the scythe. The shadow dissipated inside the torture room. Situ An and the Red Raincoat witnessed the whole process. Situ An became silent while the Red Raincoat appeared to be touched. Her expression became more authentic. The God of Flesh and Blood let go of the chains and touched his face with satisfaction. The face of death radiated such a powerful presence that the other three faces had to work together to suppress it. After the shadow was beheaded, the sheath broke into two sections. Rotten ck blood was sucked up by the souls inside the scythe. The eyes on the sheath stared silently at Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood. Without any hesitation, the God of Flesh and Blood threw the broken de and sheath into the flesh forge. Blood flew everywhere. The red mes in the forge danced as a new torture device was being made! Painful screams came from the mes. The pairs of vengeful eyes dissolved. Several minutester, the God of Flesh and Blood yanked out a boning knife the size of a finger out of the forge. The de was pure white and thin. There was an open eye on the hilt. God ced the de on the wall of torture devices before turning to the other security members present. ¡°There have to be other divine corpses where these members got their ghost tattoos. The God of Flesh and Blood hungers for the residual power and faith in them.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t have Gong Xi return to the torture room. He had already been exposed. The best solution was to deal with all the witnesses.In the hearts of the members of Team Seven, K was like a God. No one could harm him. No matter how dangerous it was, K could always survive. However, the miracle did not happen that day. The bone hands were shattered, and the divine corpse was consumed before it had the chance to awaken. If they didn¡¯t see it with their own eyes, they wouldn¡¯t believe something would dare to eat a divine corpse. A few of the members who were close to K stood by the door. The others had already initiated the emergency protocol. When they encountered something they couldn¡¯t handle, they would split up and escape to maximise the chance of bringing the information in their blood bands out. ¡°This hospital is Situ An¡¯s home. I haven¡¯t found his secret, and the investigation centre is already here to ruin my party.¡± Gao Ming stood there and left the massacre to God. Due to his multiple deaths, he felt a special way when lives perished before him. It was like pain but also loneliness. Silence returned. The ghost tattoos on the security members were stripped away to create new chains. ¡°There are some questions I need to ask.¡± With Gao Ming¡¯s reminder, the God of Flesh and Blood kept one survivor. He pulled the security member to Gao Ming. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m not one who likes to kill and torture.¡± The chains and torture devices rattled. Gao Ming¡¯s special self-introduction scared the man. His heart chilled just seeing the stuff inside the torture room. Despair crawled all over him. ¡°I can tell you everything I know. I hope you can give me a quick death.¡± The man didn¡¯t beg for mercy. He just wanted a quick exit. ¡°The security members from Han Hai have these strange patterns on their bodies. Where did you get this power?¡± Gao Ming was not interested in normal ghost tattoos, but he wanted to find more divine corpses. ¡°Half a year ago, we were sent into a taboo game at Xin Lu for training. That game is separated into the surface world and the inner world. The surface world is no different from real life. The inner world is filled with ghosts and negative emotions. There, you can see the darkest side of humanity.¡± The man¡¯s breathing caught as if he remembered something scary. ¡°Can you bring stuff out of that game?¡± Gao Ming pointed at the man¡¯s ghost tattoo. ¡°The game became a taboo because it was apparently connected to the darkest spot in the human heart. There is a tunnel deep inside the game that leads to the mind world.¡± The man¡¯s exnation reminded Gao Ming of the definition of home. The inner part of the taboo game appeared to exist in the shadow world. ¡°Is the creator of the game still alive?¡± ¡°That is highly confidential information that only the headquarters¡¯ higher-ups will know. However, I heard the team leader mention that the game creators are lost in the inner world. They have gone to a far-away ce and will not return any more.¡± The man was very honest. ¡°Currently, Xin Lu Investigation Centre has taken over the taboo game. The female captain has the surname Li. She is forceful and powerful. Many people have suffered under her iron rule. However, she is alone at Xin Lu. As the tragedy approaches, different voices start to appear within the inside of Xin Lu Headquarters.¡± The man said things Gao Ming hadn¡¯t encountered before. His life had been limited to the city. ¡°Onest question,¡± Gao Ming knelt before the man, ¡°If I want to enter that taboo game, what do I need to prepare?¡± Chapter 266: Surgical Room Chapter 266: Surgical Room Gao Ming just asked a casual question, but the security member thought about it seriously. A few minutester, he finally said, ¡°First, you need to find a gaming hub that is not on the market anymore. Then, you need to find former yers in the game to see whether you can get log-in ess from them. Lastly, and most importantly, you can only log in and out of the taboo game at Xin Lu Intelligent City. However, non-Xin Lu natives cannot even pass the identity verification of the intelligent city system. ¡°The investigation centre knows the value of the taboo game, so they will not give city entry ess to anyone. Only those with the cleanest background will be allowed through.¡± The man¡¯s words encouraged Gao Ming to ignore the taboo game for now. However, another hypothesis appeared in his mind. ¡°The taboo game transfers a person¡¯s consciousness into the game to allow them to see a different world. If Lu Zang was not lying, could the gaming world be the real world or the waking world?¡± Gao Ming was about to ask the man when he realised the man didn¡¯t look right. Blood poured out of the man¡¯s eyes. ck blood oozed out of his orifices. ¡°Suicide? No¡­¡± Gao Ming removed the blinking blood band. Something inside the band pierced the man¡¯s blood vessel. It was some kind of poison. Gao Ming examined the band and understood the situation. The man said something to trigger the system within the band. Those who exposed the centre¡¯s secret would be killed by the band. ¡°Is the investigation centre really an agent of justice?¡± If the reality was a dream, the investigation centre was the ws of the nightmare. However, this w was cracked due to different voices controlling it. Gao Ming didn¡¯t deny that there were actual people fighting for justice inside the investigation centre. However, the centre was corrupted at the top. If the ship were not steered on the right path, it would only derail. ¡°These security members should have ess to enter the game. I have to capture some living ones.¡± Gao Ming took out the blind man¡¯s death portrait and summoned the big dog. The big dog wanted to stretch since he didn¡¯t have many chances to visit real life. However, when he saw the broken ghosts and gods beside him, he was so scared that his fur stood on the ends. ¡°I feel that there¡¯s a real God standing here. What have you been feeding it?¡± A low voice came from the big dog.¡°Nothing.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s vague answer worried the big dog. He dragged Gao Ming to the corner by biting on his sleeve. ¡°You have to pay a certain price to use a ghost¡¯s power. It¡¯s a fair trade. When the dayes that you can¡¯t satisfy him anymore, you will be his nutrients.¡± ¡°I am one with the God of Flesh and Blood anymore. Our many deaths have sealed up together.¡± ¡°Do not trust him!¡± The big dog said seriously, ¡°There are no Gods who ask for nothing. Perhaps this is what he wants to see. Once you cannot be separated anymore, he will be reborn in you.¡± The big dog had spent a long time in the shadow world. He had seen and heard many scary things. ¡°If I can survive until that day, I don¡¯t mind fulfilling his wish.¡± Gao Ming knew how dangerous his path ahead was. He couldn¡¯t do it with the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°You have lost your mind.¡± The big dog stopped persuading him. He stayed in the shadows and looked around with alert. ¡°Why did you call me out? This ce is more eerie than the shadow world.¡± ¡°Situ An¡¯s home is hidden here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a real dog. I can¡¯t track a person¡¯s trail.¡± The big dog rolled his eyes. Ever since he followed Gao Ming, his personality had brightened a lot. ¡°I need you to help me capture a few people and lock them up inside your resentment room.¡± Gao Ming shrugged, ¡°They¡¯ve seen my secrets, and I don¡¯t like to kill.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can find live people here?¡± Once the big dog said that, gunshots came from outside the building. They walked to the window and looked out. The horror game yers had received the mission from Xuan Wen. They entered the front buildings all prepared. Some ran into ghosts, while others were hunted. ¡°Xia Yang is still there.¡± Gao Ming had a headache. The front and back buildings were like two different worlds. His connection to Xia Yang weakened. Teacher Xia disappeared once Gao Ming moved his eyes away. However, he had to admit the man was useful. Gao Ming punched the window. After the window shattered, he couldn¡¯t see the lights from the front building anymore. He only saw the thick darkness. ¡°Can you only enter and not leave the back building?¡± Horrid screams came from the sixth floor. When the security members tried to escape, they encountered the awakening anomalies. Gao Ming did nothing, but some of them had already been killed. After they lost K, the team could barely handle the horror at the back building. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s go check on them.¡± The staircase of the back building grew pus and mould. The folds on the wall thickened. The corridor of the sixth floor was dim. The only light source came from the glow of the surgical room signs. The signs shone in a light red colour. They were like the eyes of a beast. Several pools of blood were left on the corridor. There were also torn investigation centre uniforms. The big dog picked up a broken part of a blood band. ¡°Don¡¯t bite that. There is poison in their bands.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t want to enter the sixth floor. The anomalies were awakening, and the ce would only be more dangerous. However, he needed the living members to get more information. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The ce was quiet, but the atmosphere was tense. Gao Ming paused before the surgical room. The red light shone on his face when the door suddenly opened. A giant white curtain split the room into two. Gao Ming could see the curtain fluttering, but he couldn¡¯t see what was behind it. ¡°Is there where the security members were caught and kept?¡± The chains crawled into the room. Gao Ming used his eyes to signal Gong Xi to be careful. He still had no idea what the real threat was at Li San Hospital. Since Situ An dared to trick him into going there, he must have confidence that something at the hospital could kill Gao Ming. Gao Ming slowly approached the white curtain. Suddenly, a man¡¯s voice came from the other side, ¡°Hand me the blood-stopping mp.¡± Chapter 267: Correction Chapter 267: Correction ¡°Blood-stopping mp?¡± Gao Ming was an expert at blood-letting. However, as a former prison psychiatrist, he knew what the mp was. He looked around and noticed a giant cab outside the white curtain. There were many surgical devices in it. ¡°Quick! Hurry up!¡± The voice behind the curtain became agitated, as if something bad would happen if Gao Ming didn¡¯t hand him the thing. Gao Ming¡¯s instinct told him that it was very dangerous behind the curtain. He couldn¡¯t enter it casually. After some thought, he opened the cab. Gao Ming frowned as he saw bits of dirty stain still stuck to the devices. Gao Ming found the mp. Just as he pondered how to hand the thing over to the man, an arm reached out from behind the curtain. The hand was pale and slender. It also gave off a light perfume smell. Once the hand got the mp, it slipped back behind the curtain. ¡°Move! I need the whole set ofparoscopes now!¡± The man¡¯s voice returned with a tinge more dissatisfaction. Gao Ming found the scope, separator, mp and other stuff in the cab. As he moved the stuff, he found a closed wooden box inside the cab. ¡°Hand them over!¡± An aged hand reached out of the curtain. The skin was covered in needle holes and skin spots. It waved angrily. Gao Ming put the stuff in a box. After the hand took it away, the personplimented Gao Ming eerily, ¡°You found everything. Wonderful¡­ Now, hand me the bone mp and the scraping spoon that is used to sever the dead flesh and grantions.¡± From the person¡¯s chaotic requests, it was hard to tell what kind of surgery they were doing. Gao Ming scanned the box. After he found the tools, he reached towards the white curtain. An arm covered in white bandages reached out. The hand looked like it had been frozen. It was frostbitten at ces. It grabbed the devices and quickly pulled back. ¡°The three arms are all different. Which one belongs to the doctor? Or are all of them doctors?¡±The white curtain was unstained. It was clean and saintly. ¡°Another bleeding! Quick! Get today¡¯s blood bag from the box!¡± ¡°Today¡¯s blood bag?¡± Gao Ming seemed to understand something. He opened the box in the cab. There was nothing inside the box, only some blood-stained investigation centre uniforms. Gao Ming carried the dirty clothes to the white curtain. This time, before Gao Ming even raised his hands, a man¡¯s hand reached out. The man was also in the centre uniform. The wrist wore a broken blood band. The five fingers grabbed Gao Ming¡¯s wrist like a hook. The voice behind the curtain became twisted. It contained the voices of an elder, a child, and a woman. They were mixed together as they called out excitedly, ¡°Found it! Found today¡¯s blood bag!¡± Gao Ming raised his head to the source of the voice. In the space between the curtain and the ceiling, a few human heads floated there, staring viciously at Gao Ming. The doctor wanted to drag Gao Ming behind the curtain to be his blood bag, but Gao Ming was not a pushover. He had been avoiding unnecessary conflicts, but clearly, the mutated things inside Li San Hospital didn¡¯t have the same thoughts. ¡°Give me! Give me today¡¯s blood bag!¡± The different voices ovepped. They were shrill and sharp as they shouted, ¡°Give me!¡± ¡°Give you what?¡± The soul chains crawled out of the torture room. They bound around the arm. It was not the arm grabbing Gao Ming but the other way around. Under the influence of the God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming¡¯s body became stronger. He stood firmly and then yanked! The gap in the white curtain widened. Gao Ming dragged out the owner of the arm. The security member who escaped earlier had a dull expression on his face. Half of his body was pierced by chains, while the other half had been corrupted by mutated flesh. Root-like blood vessels punctured his neck and head, turning him into a creature that was between animals and nts. In the strange surgical room, only the doctors could demand stuff from the patients. However, Gao Ming had dragged the doctor out. As if sensing danger, the big dog jumped out of the shadow, swallowed Gao Ming and retreated to the corner. Half a secondter, the white curtain was shed. Sharp scalpels created white gouges at the spot where he stood. The God of Flesh and Blood roared. The curtain was torn apart. The scene behind the curtain shocked the big dog so much that he almost spat Gao Ming out. Human body parts were sewn together to form a giant meat mountain. Inside the scary valley of flesh, two doctors in white coats were busy working. The male doctor hadbined with various mechanical devices, and his body was covered in des; the female doctor¡¯s hands had dissolved into strings. It was she who sewed the giant flesh together. All the patients inside the surgical room had their bodies and souls cut apart and sewn back together. The surgical room was one of the cores of Li San Hospital. It perfectly exemplified the existence of Li San hospital. It turned all the normal things abnormal. Lu Zang had gone insane in his pursuit to kill fate. He would go against everything fate supported. To awaken more people, he used the cruellest and most direct method. It was fine if you couldn¡¯t understand the mutation because once you became a mutant, your mindset would change as well. Your enemies would be your friends. The meat mountain started to move. The female doctor didn¡¯t wish to be seen in her state. The male doctor was triggered as well. The des on his body protruded. Immense resentment rushed at the God of Flesh and Blood. A lot of broken body parts appeared on the walls. This was the resentment room of the two doctors. ¡°Whenever I think you won¡¯t do anything crazier, you¡¯ll prove me wrong.¡± The big dog darted about. Gao Ming used the big dog¡¯s eyes to carefully observe the surgical room. As the meat mountain wiggled, Gao Ming discovered that the two doctors would keep mumbling the term correction as they mobilised their resentment room. ¡°What are they trying to correct? Their treatment methods?¡± Chapter 268: Newborn Chapter 268: Newborn The big dog swallowed Gao Ming and leapt through the shadow. Every time he moved, the shadow he hid in would be sliced into pieces. ¡°What thing have you angered this time? This is the first time I¡¯ve met a monster that can cut through the shadows!¡± The big dog didn¡¯t even dare to open his resentment room. He was scared that his ¡®hole¡¯ would be damaged. ¡°Li San Hospital¡¯s surgical room bes these two doctor¡¯s resentment room. This is different from the other resentment rooms. This ce is veryrge and has contradictory properties: slicing and sewing.¡± Gao Ming was very experienced. The appearance of the resentment room was rted to the big ghost¡¯s memory. What had the two doctors experienced before they died? Why did they keep mentioning the corrections? ¡°Kill me! Kill me, please!¡± The security member with half of a mutated body screamed. He still had self-consciousness, but he could no longer control his body. He could only watch his body slowly be part of the monster. He could sense clearly the changes happening inside his body. The blood band trembled. Before the security member could touch it, his body was enveloped by the meat mountain. He struggled underneath the transparent skin like a drowning man. Many souls that had been corrected and sewn together crawled into his skill. The crazy thoughts dominated his nerves. His expression slowly became one with that of the souls. The two doctors slowly turned the living man into a monster. They cut off the normal parts and then reconstructed the mutated parts. That was the purpose of the surgical room. The surgical room was air to create monsters. It was the heart that provided fresh blood to Li San Hospital. ¡°This resentment room is locked up!¡± The big dog couldn¡¯t figure the way out. He was nervous, but Gao Ming was calm. ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± The me in Gao Ming¡¯s heart slowly rose. The eight-armed God moved his heavy body. The Death Face smiled, but then it was pushed away by the Sin Face. Without any word from Gao Ming, the God of Flesh and Blood charged at the meat mountain like a beast. ¡°Your God is crazy!¡± The big dog¡¯s fur flowed about. The male doctor still chased after them, but the God of Flesh and Blood focused on the female doctor, ¡°It doesn¡¯t even care about your safety!¡±¡°Every resentment room has its own rules. Sewing is healing, and slicing is attacking. If the God of Flesh and Blood bes tangled with the male doctor, the female doctor will only keep on healing him. We¡¯ll get nowhere.¡± Gao Ming had the same idea as the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°In that case, don¡¯t drag me down with you!¡± The big dog was already very fast, but there was less and less shadow inside the surgical room. His power was severely limited. ¡°Hang in there.¡± Gao Ming turned to the other side of the surgical room. The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s eight arms pierced the meat mountain. As the female doctor wailed in pain, God tore apart the monster made from endless, broken bodies. The female doctor¡¯s power worked on flesh and soul, but she couldn¡¯t control the body of the God of Flesh and Blood. When the threads of her hands approached God¡¯s body, they would slow down. They could only temporarily slow down God, much less control him. The blood with the meat fragrance slid along the threads. The female doctor realised the monsters inside the mountain started to experience a second mutation! From the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s perspective, the monster before him still wasn¡¯t a pure monster. It still had a lot of room to grow. In terms of flesh maniption, she was weaker than the God of Flesh and Blood. The male doctor, who was chasing after the big dog, heard the female doctor. His eyes wandered between the female doctor and the big dog. After a few seconds, he gave up the chase and rushed at the God of Flesh and Blood. The body empowered with various machines moved rapidly. Those close to the male doctor would be wounded. In less than a minute, the back, neck and legs of the God of Flesh and Blood were already covered in blood. ¡°Your God doesn¡¯t seem to be doing well.¡± The big dog knelt at the corner. He wanted to help but couldn¡¯t do much. ¡°Do you want me to try to trap the male doctor inside my resentment room and see if I can limit him for some time?¡± The sess rate of the n aside, the big dog¡¯s resentment room could deprive his enemy of their sight and hearing. However, it was not an offensive move. Consuming the male doctor was like swallowing a knife, and the big dog would be damaged as well. ¡°Don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He silently cooperated with the God of Flesh and Blood. As more wounds appeared, it seemed to rain blood inside the blood room. The God of Flesh and Blood couldn¡¯t catch up to the agile male doctor. He could only attack the slower female doctor. It looked like the God of Flesh and Blood was cornered and was trying to bring down the female doctor before he copsed. However, before the two doctors realised, the entire resentment room had already been tainted by a thick meat fragrance. ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Gao Ming whispered to the big dog, ¡°Time to move.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The big dog was confused. They were fully on the back foot. ¡°I need you to send me behind the male doctor to buy more time for the God of Flesh and Blood.¡± When Gao Mingmunicated with the big dog, the female doctor finally noticed something was wrong. She suddenly spat out blood. The blood wiggled like it was alive. It emanated an alluring smell. The female doctor¡¯s mutated fingers were tainted red. The monsters who drank from the blood felt a fuzz running through their bodies. The broken hearts started to revive as new blood vessels grew out of the wounds. The giant meat mountain underneath the female doctor was taken over by the God of Flesh and Blood. God finally found the chance to unleash his flesh resentment room. Situ An¡¯s child¡¯s resentment room ignored the territory and had no fixed location. It could be used wherever there was flesh. Human faces appeared on the walls and floor of the surgical room. Everything was turning into flesh, including the meat mountain. Using the patients as materials, the God of Flesh and Blood injected his blood into the meat mountain. The meat mountain, which had been sewn together, was separated by the God of Flesh and Blood. Each piece of flesh started to gain consciousness. The meat mountain was torn apart from within. The four faces roared. The God of Flesh and Blood dug through the meat mountain. He saw a special heart inside the sewn mountain. The blood vessels weaved together to protect a bloodred cradle in the middle. It swayed along with the female doctor¡¯s breathing. ¡°Is this the heart of the big ghost?¡± There was no baby inside the cradle. There was only a death portrait. The male doctor was performing surgery on the female doctor. He sliced open the female doctor¡¯s stomach to pull out a newborn. The back of the death portrait was covered in shadows. The newborn¡¯s face was blurry like it had been cursed. Chapter 269: Love Chapter 269: Love ¡°A death portrait? A newborn?¡± The surgical room weed both life and death. In the death portrait, life and death were intertwined. ¡°A death portrait that records the birth of life¡­ Is this child a ghost in the shadow world? Why can¡¯t I see his face clearly?¡± Gao Ming hid inside the big dog¡¯s body as the two slowly approached the centre of the surgical room. When the two doctors noticed that the baby''s cradle had been exposed, their eyes shone with madness. They stopped chanting about correction. The female doctor mobilised her exposed intestines to shield the cradle despite the move hurting herself. The male doctor growled, and various des grew out of his arms. The white coat was shredded. The male doctor¡¯s arms turned into ded wings. As he moved, he raised a metallic storm. The God of Flesh and Blood failed to find the heart he wanted. His n was to eat the monster¡¯s heart and then assimte it. There was a baby¡¯s cries. The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s shoulders were cut through by the male doctor. One of his arms fell weaklessly. It was almost severed by the male doctor. When she heard the baby, the female doctor screamed. She scratched her body madly as the threads sunk into her flesh. She forced the monsters to fight the God of Flesh and Blood for the control of the meat mountain. The flesh was pierced. This was God¡¯s first time dealing with a situation like this. Gong Xi¡¯s life face grimaced with pain. The death face with the ram mask had a chilling re. The sin face grinned crazily. The seven arms punched the meat mountain continuously. The chains were injected into the wounds. The God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t show any fear as hebined himself with the meat mountain. Nothing could fully destroy his body, and nothing could control his flesh. The four faces looked at the two doctors. The God of Flesh and Blood wanted to consume them directly. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re off the two doctors¡¯ radar. Your God is wild.¡± The big dog wanted to say that the God of Flesh and Blood was cruel and savage, but he was scared of the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°The female doctor is like the mother, and the male doctor is like the weapon. Is the death portrait the thing that is controlling everything?¡± Gao Ming considered it. ¡°I need to get closer to steal the cradle.¡±When Gao Ming obtained the God of Flesh and Blood, Gong Xi controlled God as the face of life. However, as time passed, the three other faces became stronger, especially the death and sin face. The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s personality had changed fully and became more and more like a ghost. The female doctor¡¯s threads and the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s chains entangled in the flesh. Neither party backed off, even if the fight would destroy them. Blood flowed. The God of Flesh and Blood exhausted too much energy when he destroyed K¡¯s white bone lotus. However, he didn¡¯t n to rest. He nned to consume the enemy to restore his energy. Both parties fought with the cruellest intentions until their flesh slowly united. The female doctor tried her best in defence, while the male doctor did everything for offence. The God of Flesh and Blood tried to shove himself into the meat mountain so that his blood could infiltrate the cradle. The fight between the ghosts was scarier than Gao Ming imagined. Their power was mostly rted to sacrifices and curses. When ghosts of the same power met, the image of mutual consumption was the scariest. ¡°Their resentment rooms are ovepping! No! The God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s resentment room wants to grow on the surgical room!¡± The big dog spotted an opportunity. The surgical room split open. The cracks were like wounds on human skin. They started to scab. However, during the healing process, shadows would leak into the resentment room. The big dog moved between the new shadow. Even though he kept grumbling, he still followed Gao Ming¡¯s orders. Gao Ming only had one goal: the cradle near the heart of the meat mountain! ¡°Quick! Quicker!¡± The God of Flesh and Blood was under a lot of pain. The face of death and desire didn¡¯t have much response. The face of sin cackled while the human face almost copsed. The human face was the humanity within the God of Face and Death. It was because of the human face that God would listen to Gao Ming and consider his safety. Therefore, Gao Ming would not let the human face disappear. Gao Ming hid inside the big dog, holding the chains. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the swinging cradle. The big dog knew how dangerous it was. To send Gao Ming to his destination, when he was exposed by the male doctor, the big dog leapt out of the shadow and threw Gao Ming at the meat mountain. He used his body to cover Gao Ming as he bit the organs and vessels that whipped at them. Using the big dog as a stepstool, Gao Ming crawled into the wound torn open by the God of Flesh and Blood earlier. Gao Ming¡¯s cooperation with the God of Flesh and Blood was initiated much earlier. Gao Ming walked down the chainsid down by the God of Flesh and Blood. Everything was going ording to n. When the doctors realised that something was wrong, Gao Ming was already inside the meat mountain. The chains with ghost tattoos gushed out of the torture room. Compared to the giant God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming was more agile. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t stop Gao Ming, the female doctor screamed. Blood mist wafted out of the vessels near the cradle. It formed a cocoon to protect the cradle. With the chains bound around his arm, Gao Ming smacked the blood cocoon. However, he couldn¡¯t shatter it. The thin blood cocoon seemed to contain the female doctor¡¯s emotions. Monsters that were stitched together crawled out of the meat mountain. They were close to Gao Ming. Sticky ck liquid dripped from the ceiling. Some of them crawled to Gao Ming¡¯s head. ¡°There¡¯s only one chance.¡± Gao Ming entered the torture room. His heart beat violently. The flesh forge burned. He grabbed the bone-paring knife the God of Flesh and Blood created from the divine corpse. The single eye on the hilt reflected Gao Ming¡¯s image. When he grabbed the de, a few white hairs appeared on his head. Gao Ming stabbed the knife into the cocoon. He carved a giant hole in the cocoon. Before the other monsters approached, Gao Ming yanked off the blood vessels underneath the cradle and pulled the cradle out of the cocoon. The mother¡¯s blood drenched Gao Ming¡¯s clothes. He pinned the bone-paring knife on the death portrait. The two doctors trembled like a nail had been pinned into their hearts. Gut-wrenching screams escaped their lips. A gash appeared on their hearts. Their expressions were coloured with panic. They were very anxious, but it was already toote. The chains made from souls constricted around the cradle and the death portrait. Gao Ming pulled out the scythe. The chains rattled loudly. The female doctor wailed, and the male doctor charged at Gao Ming. Based on their reactions, it was as if it was not a picture but their baby inside the cradle. ¡°Did Situ An and Lu Zang misuse their parental love?¡± Just as the scythe was about to hit the cradle, Gao Ming stepped on the chains. He held the scythe of fate and stared at the male doctor coolly. ¡°Back off.¡± Chapter 270: Home Chapter 270: Home The sharp scythe stayed on the side of the cradle. Any small movement could cause the cradle to fall. Gao Ming stood in the middle of all the stitched-up monsters. ¡°Back off!¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t like to kill, and he didn¡¯t want to torment the two doctors. He just wanted to figure out the hospital¡¯s secret and find Situ An¡¯s home. The metallic des on the male doctor ground against each other. His red eyes trembled. His face represented the two different forces fighting inside his heart. As the mother, the female doctor had a trace of pleading in her eyes. The chains had punctured her internal organs. The female doctor stopped resisting and delivered herself to her enemy. Gao Ming wanted to kill the two doctors, but their reactions caused him to hesitate. ¡°They still have humanity.¡± Gao Ming picked up the death portrait and looked at the two doctors, ¡°Your child is not inside the cradle. There is only a death portrait from the shadow world. What did Lu Zang and Situ An told you before they left?¡± The two doctors couldn¡¯tmunicate like normal. They only knew how to follow orders based on the obsession in their hearts. Gao Ming had to find the answer on his own. He searched through the cradle and, to his surprise, found another picture. This picture had nothing to do with the shadow world. It was a very normal picture. In the picture, Situ An wore the uniform of the temp chief of the East City Investigation Centre. He sat in his office with a smile. Many toys were scattered on the floor in front of the office table. A kid around four sat on the ground, ying happily. Since he produced the picture, the two doctors¡¯ gaze was fixed on it. ¡°Is he your child? Has Situ An taken him away?¡± The boy yed with the building blocks and cars without worry. He seemed to like building houses and making a small neighbourhood beside the table. Gao Ming turned the picture around. Situ An wrote something on the back of it. ¡°I have decided to name him Ah Fang. I will treat him as my own child. He will not have anything to do with the shadow world. He will grow up happily and healthily like a normal child. I hope you won¡¯t worry. Do not let him see you like this. That is the only way for him to disconnect fully from the shadow world.¡±¡°Has Situ An promised to help you look after your child?¡± Gao Ming knew that Situ An had tricked the two doctors. The bastard could turn his own kid into a ghost, much less other people¡¯s children. ¡°Their child has been selected by the shadow. The separation from the shadow world is impossible.¡± The big dog only dared toe closer after he made sure it was safe. ¡°Look at that death portrait. The newborn came into being as a seed of the shadow world. His fate has been decided the moment he was born.¡± The two doctors dominated Li San Hospital¡¯s surgical room and kept providing the hospital with various mutated monsters. If the hospital was a monster, they were the monster¡¯s heart. How could a child born in a monster¡¯s heart be normal? ¡°Ah Fang?¡± Gao Ming studied the picture. ¡°There has to be something about this kid to be valued by Situ An so much.¡± Gao Ming controlled the chains and pulled Situ An behind the various torture devices. He held the death portrait and reunited with the God of Flesh and Blood. The God with a broken arm was hungrily absorbing the blood from the meat mountain. The four faces became more corporeal. The scale of victory had tipped towards Gao Ming. As time dragged on, the situation was basically under Gao Ming¡¯s control. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll not hurt you. In fact, I¡¯ll help you find your son.¡± Gao Ming was different from Situ An. He really did intend to help the family reunite. ¡°However, I have a condition. One of you has to move into my heart.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood was connected to Gao Ming. The ribs pierced the chest. The door of the torture room slowly opened. The various torture devices were like sharp teeth. The chains glided, and the meat fragrance wafted. The scene was like a theme park in the apocalypse. The Red Raincoat who stood at the corner seemed to have heard this very promise before. She lifted her head to look and then went back to spacing out again. To be alive was to have hope. The monsters that were born from the meat mountain started to wilt. The mountain gradually disintegrated. The female doctor knew that she would perish soon. She yelled at the male doctor. Her threads mobilised her body onest time. The female doctor at the top of the mountain tipped towards the torture room! At the same time, the male doctor rushed to the female doctor. This was the first time he retracted all the des on his body. He wanted to stop the female doctor. Just as the female doctor¡¯s threads couldn¡¯t heal the wounds in their hearts, the male doctor couldn¡¯t do anything to stop or harm the female doctor. Gao Ming didn¡¯t use any force or coercion, but the two doctors seemed to misunderstand him. They struggled in each other¡¯s embrace as they tumbled into the torture room. The God of Flesh and Blood couldn¡¯t care less about romance and love. The ribs closed, and the two doctors were trapped inside the torture room. ¡°Why did both of them fall in?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t anticipate this. ¡°This makes me look like the bad guy.¡± It was easy to enter the torture room but impossible to leave. They would join Gao Ming and escape fate¡¯s control. Gao Ming wanted to pursue the rest of the investigation centre, but the God of Flesh and Blood was injured and needed to rest. The God of Flesh and Blood toppled the meat mountain. The monsters became God¡¯s food. Most of them were absorbed into his resentment room. When this was done, the size of the resentment room would at least double. ¡°You should let your God rest.¡± The big dog knelt at the corner. Gao Ming put the bone-paring knife back on the torture room wall. He slowly approached the two doctors. To show his sincerity, he took out both pictures. Seeing the change in Gao Ming, the two doctors were cautious. They didn¡¯t dare to make big moves. In the end, it was Gao Ming who shoved the pictures into their hands. ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word. I will help you find your child. However, before that, I need to leave this hospital.¡± Gao Ming sat down and put on the psychology-reading mask. ¡°You¡¯ve been at the hospital for a long time. Have you heard anyone mentioned anything about a home?¡± Chapter 271: The Craziest Curse Chapter 271: The Craziest Curse Gao Ming wanted to enter Situ An¡¯s home, but he had no idea where to start. The two doctors hugged each other as if they were ready to die together. Gao Ming frowned. Gao Ming felt like they didn¡¯t understand him. He wanted the big dog to be his trantor, but the big dog didn¡¯t dare toe out of the shadow. He was afraid that he¡¯d be kicked into the torture room by Gao Ming. The big dog was clear-minded. He saved Gao Ming because he knew what kind of person Gao Ming was. He didn¡¯t go close because he knew what kind of person Gao Ming was. ¡°Never mind. I won¡¯t force you.¡± Gao Ming took Xuan Wen¡¯s wedding picture out of his pocket. This death portrait had changed a lot from when he first found it. In the picture, Gao Ming was colourful. Xuan Wen¡¯s dress started to gain colour, but her skin was as pale as death. Gao Ming showed the picture to the two doctors. Gao Ming pointed at the kid in their picture and then at Xuan Wen, ¡°The child is your family, and she is my family. Have you seen her at the hospital?¡± After multiple exnations, the female doctor finally understood Gao Ming. She showed him the wound on her arm that couldn¡¯t heal. Then, she took out a bottle of medicine from her coat. ¡°A bottle from the gastroenterology department?¡± The bottle was empty. Gao Ming picked up the bottle and moved his eyes to the female doctor¡¯s arm. The long gash had the power of faith lingering in it. ¡°Is this caused by Xuan Wen? She has gathered the consciousness of the living through the game.¡± With the female doctor¡¯s guidance, Gao Ming saw a symbol at the door of the surgical room. There was a red question mark that was sliced by a red line. In To Our Transient Love, the symbol represented imminent danger. ¡°I was rushing too much that I didn¡¯t notice this warning left behind by Xuan Wen.¡± Holding the clues, Gao Ming left the torture room. The God of Flesh and Blood had exhausted all the monsters inside the surgical room. He pushed the remains to the side. Gao Ming finally realised the surgical room had been turned into a giant altar. The surgical table was the altar centre. Contaminated by blood, the whole surgical table was red. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gao Ming stood at the door, but the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t wish to leave. He raised his healed hand and touched the surgical table. This felt like an adult bringing a kid to the theme park. The adult wanted to leave since it waste, but the kid hugged the slide and refused to go. The surgical table was very special to the God of Flesh and Blood. This made Gao Ming feel helpless. ¡°You are not going to carry it with you, right?¡± As he finished, Gao Ming saw the God of Flesh and Blood reach all eight arms under the surgical table. The blood scabs peeled off. God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s chest creaked open, and he swallowed the entire surgical table. Gao Ming and the big dog could only look on in shock.The ground trembled, and the hospital started to cry. The God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t care about it. After he swallowed the surgical table, he stood on the opening in the ground. After it was sent into the torture room, blood capiries grew out from the surgical table. It slowly became a part of the torture room. The two doctors didn¡¯t expect this either. It was as if God wanted them to work even when they were incarcerated. The bloody scabs on the surface of the surgical table fell off to reveal the pattern hidden underneath them. The divine patterns that looked like dragon scales moved around to form the map of Han Hai! The monsters¡¯ blood, the corruption of the shadows, the misunderstandings and the shadows submerged Han Hai. This map imprinted on the surgical table appeared to be Lu Zang¡¯s curse on the whole city! He wanted to use shadow, terror, tragedy and illness to envelope everything. He intended to use the scariest method to wake everyone up. The thin capiries were like veins on the leaves to send the monsters into the buildings on the map. The buildings looked fine for now, but eventually, they would be cursed. In light cases, the tenants would fall ill. In serious cases, there would be death. The God of Flesh and Blood moved the surgical table to the centre of the torture room, where the torture devices were hanging from. The des nged against each other. The sharp des dangled over Han Hai. The map of Han Hai was surrounded by various torture devices. The God of Flesh and Blood dripped his own precious blood on the map. The drop of blood slowly permeated the surgical table and allowed a light mist of blood to descend on the buildings. The scent of meat wafted out. ¡°Someone has cursed the whole city and used the mutated patients at the hospital as sacrifices to empower the curse. How much karmic debt has they umted?¡± The big dog said in a serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s toote to consider the consequence now since he has already eaten everything.¡± Gao Ming had seen many cursed objects. At Han De Private Academy, some students learned how to use the cursed objects to deal with ghosts. However, they had found mostly low-level cursed objects. This was Gao Ming¡¯s first time encountering something as powerful as the surgical table. He had no idea how powerful this thing was, but if it were allowed to spread, it would infect arge area and cause a severe anomaly. After taking the surgical table, the God of Flesh and Blood became more honest. He pulled back his body, took away the trace of the massacre and crawled back into Gao Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°Come. We¡¯ll go to the gastroenterology department,¡± Gao Ming waved at the big dog. Between Xuan Wen and the investigation centre, Gao Ming chose Xuan Wen. ¡­ At the security passage of the tenth floor of the east city investigation centre, Jing Tuoshen looked at the corpses that littered the stairs. He frowned as he dumped his bloodstained gloves. His underling knew that he was in a bad mood, but he still took out the reports, saying, ¡°Situ An seemed to have cultured a big ghost and a child in this building.¡± With a touch on the screen, the video started to y. A kid around four carried a schoolbag filled with building blocks and wore dirty dinosaur pyjamas. He ran through the passage. When he saw the corpses, he was scared. However, the investigators were all murdered by the big ghost beside him. He had no idea these people died because of him. ¡°The temporary chief of the east city investigation centre raised a ghost inside his office.¡± Jing Tuoshen was calmly furious. His voice was icy, ¡°Who is that child? What is his rtionship with Situ An?¡± ¡°Based on the information, the kid¡¯s name is Ah Fang, Number 0109. He is a living bait Situ An used to feed the big ghost. However, the child managed to survive despite all of the baits before and after him are all dead. The researchers believe that the resentment inside the resentment room has now gathered on 0109.¡± Chapter 272: Wan Jie Chapter 272: Wan Jie ¡°How could a live bait be protected by a big ghost? The trash at the research department is getting more and more useless.¡± Jing Tuoshen said darkly, ¡°I think they¡¯ve been behind the frontline for too long, and their brains are dull. They can only think within the box.¡± His two underlings didn¡¯t dare speak. The researchers were extremely influential. Only Jing Tuoshen, who was also a researcher, dared to talk negatively about them. ¡°The kid won¡¯t be able to go far. You have to capture him for me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°His living area is close to Situ An¡¯s office area. Situ An raised him close to the big ghost for a reason. Maybe he wants to use the big ghost to cover something on the kid. The so-called live bait and number are used to confuse others.¡± Jing Tuoshen just gave the order when the white band that represented his identity as a researcher vibrated. Jing Tuoshen¡¯s expression dimmed when he saw the message on the band. ¡°The guests are here. I¡¯ll leave for now. When I return, I want to see all the stains cleaned. Do not let me see any blood.¡± Back on the first floor, the investigators and staff at Han Hai stood at the corner of the lobby. There was a team in full ck and wearing a blood band standing in the middle of the lobby. They were like silent killing machines. No one spoke. All the security members turned their heads when they saw Jing Tuoshen walk out of the elevator. Their gazes filled with murderous intent. A normal person wouldn¡¯t dare to meet their eyes. ¡°Wan Jie, you¡¯rete.¡± Jing Tuoshen ignored the rest. His eyes were fixated on a middle-aged man. The man looked very normal, the kind to disappear in a crowd. He was theplete opposite of K, who would stand out anywhere. ¡°I am indeedte.¡± When the man spoke, the people around him didn¡¯t dare to breathe too loudly. His speech was unhurried, but it carried an indescribable pressure. It was like they were facing not a man, but a silent sea. Jing Tuoshen heard the hidden meaning in the man¡¯s words. He waited for the man to continue. The man waved his hand slightly. The security members moved two ck boxes out of their car. They opened the boxes before Jing Tuoshen. The box on the left had four mud divine figurines inside it. The ghost-faced Buddha with a thousand arms had been shattered and couldn¡¯t be repaired.¡°Half a year ago, Han Hai Headquarters sent 597 elites into the Xin Lu Taboo Games afteryers of selection. Only four of them obtained divine-level ghost tattoos. They correspond to the four divine figurines. They are the corebat forces of the security department.¡± The middle-aged man picked up a broken piece. ¡°However, half an hour ago, one of the divine ghosts dissipated.¡± ¡°Do you mean K has been killed? He left with two security teams, and he hasn¡¯t been gone for long!¡± Jing Tuoshen was confused. He knew how scary these security members were. They had experienced the worst training inside the taboo game, and only 1/7 survived the test. The middle-aged man opened the box on the right. It was filled with blood bands, and only a few were still intact. ¡°Every one of the security members will leave behind a spare band at the headquarters. They are a set and lock onto every member¡¯s information. When the owner dies, the spare band will self-destruct.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s face was calm, but the fury in his eyes was pouring out. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°Team seven and nine have been wiped out?!¡± Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t expect this either. ¡°What kind of mission did you send them on?¡± ¡°A group of horror game yers recently surfaced at Han Hai. They seem to be connected to the shadow world. They wish to overthrow the investigation centre and rece it. I received news that their mission location tonight was at Li San Hospital. So I sent K there.¡± Jing Tuoshen did tell K to wait but K wanted to start the mission. ¡°Li San Hospital? What is the anomaly level there?¡± The middle-aged man was clearly more careful. ¡°It was Situ An¡¯s asset. No one knew what he did there.¡± ¡°You allowed a monster to grow under your eyes?!¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s tone was unfriendly. From his perspective, it was the carelessness of someone at Han Hai Headquarters that caused him to lose his people. ¡°Wan Jie, you better be careful with your words. Neither of us can make decisions like this.¡± Jing Tuoshen lowered his voice. ¡°It is not our call to decide who is a human and who is a monster.¡± ¡°Call the wrong shots and face the consequences.¡± Unlike the others, the middle-aged man was not going to live his life as a weapon. ¡°I can pretend not to hear you.¡± Jing Tuoshen sent the information he gave K to Wan Jie and left. He was on the same level as Wan Jie, so he had no power to order him around. ¡°Horror game yers¡­ In the taboo game, everyone is a horror game yer.¡± ¡­ The God of Flesh and Blood returned to the torture room to rest. Gao Ming and the big dog walked down the fully-corrupted hospital corridors. One could barely notice that they were inside a hospital. After the windows of the back building were shattered, Gao Ming could see the ughter happening in the front building. After humans gained power, their desire would expand. If the desire were not controlled, one would only head towards destruction. At the current stage, the horror game yers were not united. They obtained powers during the early stages of the tragedy due to luck. They gathered at the front building and used their power to destroy the rules. The front building had turned into hell. Some horror game yers had to escape to the back building to avoid the ghosts and their ¡®teammates¡¯. ¡°There will be more yers. When Xia Yang controlled the Dead Water Forum, he didn¡¯t care about the livelihood of the normal people. Everything he did was to maximise his profit. I can¡¯t walk the same path. After I leave the hospital, I need toy down some rules for the yers.¡± Blood flowed freely at the front building. Gao Ming knew how scary humanity could be. In his many death memories, most of the time, he was killed by other humans. ¡°You need to save yourself before you save others.¡± The big dog bit down the hospital map from the wall. ¡°I found the gastroenterology department, but this ce is not what I expected it to be.¡± The big dog carried Gao Ming to the first floor. The lobby had changed fully from when they first arrived. All the sealed examination rooms were open and horrifying sounds echoed from every one of them. Chapter 273: Treatment Chapter 273: Treatment ¡°These rooms arepletely different from when we came.¡± The inside of the back building was no longer silent. After the night arrived, the doctors at Li San Hospital started to work. The mutated patients moved around the rooms. Long lines appeared at the pharmacy. Everything was simr to how it was in the real world¡­ if one disregarded the mutations in the patients. Some of them didn¡¯t even look human. They were just meat blobs with a faces. ¡°Do not disturb them.¡± The big dog saw the shadow entangling the patients. They were citizens of the shadow world. The back building had been fully consumed by the shadows, but this ce was their home. ¡°We are deep inside the shadow world now. The longer we stay here, the more likely we¡¯ll be corrupted by it.¡± The big dog was on high alert. ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t even dare to enter a building in the shadow world. I fear running into ces like this where they can self-produce shadows.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gao Ming suddenly had a question, ¡°What is the shadow in the shadow world? You can move between the shadows freely. You should understand it, right?¡± The big dog shook his big head. ¡°The shadow is like a human emotion. When a human is angry, he will produce the emotions of anger. The shadow is like the emotions left behind when a world dies. It contains many things. There are despair and pain but the majority is sadness.¡± The big dog¡¯s fur fluttered in the wind like weeds in the water. ¡°I can melt into the shadow because the emotions I generate are simr to the shadow. However, this is why I¡¯m scared. I know my experience. A child who has no sight and hearing grew up in violence, darkness and panic. The shadow¡¯s emotions are simr to mine. That means it has experienced the same thing as I do.¡± ¡°Will a world feel scared?¡± ¡°The shadow world is a dead world.¡± The big dog stopped before the gastroenterology department. Compared to the other departments, the door was very wide, and the space wasrge. The patients lined up in the corridor. When it was their turn, they would walk past the curtain and enter the treatment room. Most of the patients felt better and looked better after they left the treatment room. The big dog lowered his head and whispered to Gao Ming, ¡°There are two types of patients at Li San Hospital. The first kind is the patients who are sent to the hospital from the real world. Their mental conditions are not stable. Most of them have been tormented by the shadows until they go insane. Their mutations mostly have to do with their fears. The second kind is the patients we see now. They are natives of the shadow world. They are used to the life here. They have a thinyer of shadow on their skins. They are stable because, for them, anomalies are just parts of their lives.¡± ¡°Are the second kind still considered humans?¡± Just as Gao Ming said that, a nurse pushed a patient out of a room. His body was sliced into parts, but blood didn¡¯t flow out. Only the shadow flowed around the wounds.¡°I guess not.¡± The bodies of the natives had been hollowed out, and only their shells remained. Their life force had been sucked away, and the shells became a part of that despair. In other words, most natives were shadows. When another number was called out inside the gastroenterology department, the big dog¡¯s eyes darted about. He stared at the patient who was about to enter the treatment room and then swallowed them whole. ¡°This is not queue-cutting, right?¡± The big dog nudged the door open. He and Gao Ming entered the room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The bespectacled female doctor sat behind the table. She didn¡¯t look old. Her beautiful eyes hid behind thick sses. Even when she heard the door open, her gaze stayed on theputer screen. She didn¡¯t look at her patient. ¡°I have a stomachache and a light fever.¡± Gao Ming wanted to find a ce to sit, but there was no chair in the room. The female doctor rambled as if to herself, ¡°If you¡¯re overeating or have eaten something you shouldn¡¯t, go to the second room on the left to take the medicine. If your mind starts to tell you that the food is disgusting, and you start to see the food as other items like hair and fingers, please enter the third room on the left to receive treatment. If your stomach is in pain like something is growing inside it, please use the fourth room on the left.¡± ¡°What if I have other symptoms?¡± ¡°If none of the rooms can help, go into the first room on the left.¡± The doctor repeated the same thing. Gao Ming was suspicious. He walked to the other end of the table and realised the female doctor didn¡¯t have a lower body. The end of her waist tapered to the shadow. The shadow curled around the wires. The female doctor¡¯s soul appeared to be trapped inside the oldputer. ¡°Li San Hospital exists in the shadow world. It has been treating patients many years ago.¡± The big dog moved his body in the room. ¡°It was not Situ An who dragged the hospital from the real world into the shadow, but he swapped the hospital from the shadow world with the one in real life. ¡°Many years ago, Situ An¡¯s fate was changed at the hospital. He might have identally entered the hospital in the shadow world when he worked here as a nurse.¡± Gao Ming followed the female doctor¡¯s orders. He took a left turn and walked from the second door to the fourth door. Each room had a big ghost inside them. The three sick rooms were three resentment rooms. The big ghosts put on the white coats and armed themselves with various tools. The medicine was mind-numbing. There were strange bugs, smelly liquid and cursed items. There were murderers¡¯ weapons, babies¡¯ hair, and corpses¡¯ clothes being used as medicine. Different from the female doctor, when the three big ghost doctors saw Gao Ming and the big dog, they didn¡¯t make any moves. They only shook their heads and told them to leave. The big ghosts didn¡¯t act offensively. They were very polite. They reminded Gao Ming of the big ghost teachers at Han De Private School. They would selectively follow the rules. Since they didn¡¯t respond to him, Gao Ming had to go to the first room. ¡°The female doctor said this is the room we shoulde to if the other three doctors can¡¯t help us.¡± The big dog sniffed at the door. ¡°What a strange smell. Shall we take a look?¡± ¡°We¡¯re already here. Why not?¡± Gao Ming opened the door and sucked in a cold breath. It was not a normal room behind the door. It was not a resentment room but a moving tunnel that wiggled like an intestine. Chapter 274: Home Chapter 274: Home ¡°Do you want to go in?¡± The big dog was highly resistant. ¡°Why would the patients be guided here after they failed to be treated by the other three doctors? What is at the end of this tunnel?¡± Gao Ming took out the map left behind by Mr. Question. It didn¡¯t detail theyout of the gastroenterology department. However, Mr. Question drew a small house in this department. ¡°This map looks like it was drawn by a kindergartener.¡± The big dog bit Gao Ming¡¯s clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly. This ce feels wrong.¡± ¡°Do you think the small house icon means home? Is Situ An¡¯s home deep inside this tunnel?¡± Gao Ming used his hand to touch the walls. He didn¡¯t feel anything wet. He tried to walk in. ¡°Who will build their home in such a disgusting ce?¡± The big dog hung his head. He resisted the urge to throw up and followed Gao Ming. ¡°Tunnel¡­ Intestine¡­¡± The light behind them faded away. Gao Ming felt like he was transported back to the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival. There was the sound of an axle turning. Gao Ming turned back and realised the door behind them had been closed. The way back was gone. Everything seemed to change at that moment. ¡°Gao Ming, something is growing on the walls. Do not get close to them.¡± The big dog warned Gao Ming, but Gao Ming was in a strange state. The environment felt so familiar to him. Shadows grew inside the gaps of the wiggling walls. Gao Ming reached in to pull something out. It was a uniform from twenty years ago. There was even a work ID that belonged to Situ An. In the picture, he was young and handsome. His eyes glowed with justice. He gave off a good first impression.¡°A nurse?¡± Gao Ming moved further down the tunnel. He saw a picture embedded in the wall. Situ An and the patient¡¯s family stood together. The family thanked him profusely, but some of their faces had been marked by a red cross like they had been killed. ¡°The uniform and the ID represent his job. The picture represents his conscience. Everything he has was slowly being lost inside the tunnel, digested by the shadow world.¡± The big dog analysed the clues. Gao Ming didn¡¯t give any response. ¡°Why? Are you going to tell me you have a simr experience?¡± The deeper they ventured, the more things appeared inside the meaty walls. This tunnel was like a time capsule, recording Situ An¡¯s unknown past. At first, the things that grew out of the walls were rtively normal, like pictures, uniforms, presents from the patients, money and so on. However, after a wedding ring showed up, everything started to turn south. Gao Ming examined the ring. The diamond on the ring was very small. It was not expensive. However, it stood out in the tunnel. It gathered all the light. It was like an eye that stared at Situ An. Right after the wedding ring was a doll that had grown human hair. The doll was cute, but it looked frightening with the hair. Not far away from the first doll was the second doll. For the second doll, other than hair, human fingernails and teeth had grown. ¡°This doll is bing more and more human-like.¡± Soon, Gao Ming saw the third doll that had human skin. Then, the fourth wall had human eyes and internal organs. When Gao Ming saw the ninth doll, he was stunned. The doll was no different from a child in real life. The scariest thing was Gao Ming had seen this doll at Han De Private School. He was Situ An¡¯s biological child! The nine dolls recorded the process of a normal doll turning into a human. Looking from another perspective, it was how a living human was slowly reced by a ghost. The nine dolls looked normal, but they represented Situ An¡¯s dying humanity. ¡°Father¡­¡± Gao Ming could hear a boy¡¯s voice. He walked near the wall and realised the child¡¯s voice wasing from inside the wall. ¡°The things that grow out of the wall are the things abandoned by Situ An.¡± The kid was still waiting for his father toe home, but that was never Situ An¡¯s intention. The tunnel moved more violently. The things that grew out of the wall became even more demented and cruel. Situ An could turn his own child into a ghost. Why would someone like him show mercy to others? In his beautiful suit and pretence of kindness, he used the sharpest de to cut through one after another beautiful faces and blind pairs of hopeful eyes. The meaty walls had iplete corpses growing out of them. They were the people who needed the help the most but were drained of the most value by Situ An. From the homeless to the big shots in Han Hai, Situ An was fair in terms of who to kill. He¡¯d do anything that was beneficial to him. He would eliminate everyone that stood in his way. The ruined faces grew in the gaps of the walls. They could barely wave their arms. They begged Gao Ming to take them away from the dark intestine. Walking down the tunnel, Gao Ming looked at the half-dying corpses, and he understood why it felt so familiar. ¡°The tunnels¡­¡± On the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, after he got off the bus, he saw something simr inside the tunnel. In Situ An¡¯s tunnel, the corpses belonged to others. In Gao Ming¡¯s tunnel, all the corpses were of Gao Ming. ¡°One might need to conduct a special ritual to start breaking down fate. Situ An uses other people¡¯s lives while I use my own lives.¡± Gao Ming still had no idea what was at the end of his tunnel. However, at that moment, he was about to see Situ An¡¯s deepest secret. Gao Ming and the big dog walked past the endless corpses. The murders were all special. More mutated ghosts and humans appeared. Suddenly, Gao Ming and the big dog heardughter. Inside the tunnel of corpses, theughter was very out of ce. The more innocent it sounded, the scarier it was. ¡°Is it Situ An¡¯s home up ahead?¡± The big dog couldn¡¯t tell either. He hid behind Gao Ming. ¡°Is it Situ An¡¯s home at the end of the tunnel? Then, is my home at the end of my tunnel? Is there where my family and past are?¡± Chapter 275: Home Chapter 275: Home The things that grew on the meaty walls became stranger and stranger while the voices in their ears became more and more normal. The innocentughter, the warm conversation and the loving concern¡­ ¡°The things I hear and I see belong to different worlds.¡± The fur on the back of the big dog¡¯s neck stood up. This ce made him very ufortable. ¡°Gao Ming, we should stop moving forward.¡± The big dog rarely called Gao Ming by his name. This meant that he was really scared. ¡°Can you hear the voices too?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s status was different from that of the big dog. He felt the voices were very familiar. Even though the conversations didn¡¯t involve him, he could hear the invitation in them, like his family asking him toe home. He slowly walked down the tunnel. He couldn¡¯t hear any problems with the voices. It was as if he had grown up with them all along. ¡°Stop moving forward!¡± The big dog warned. He reached out to bite Gao Ming¡¯s arm. The jaws bit at the air. Gao Ming was right before him, but he couldn¡¯t touch him. ¡°Shit! Stop listening to the voices!¡± The big dog barked. He wanted to drag Gao Ming away, but the liquid that oozed out of the intestine matted his fur. Gaps opened in the wall and bit on him like small mouths. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± Gao Ming was startled awake. The voices around him disappeared. When he turned around, the big dog was gone. The giant dog that was bigger than Gao Ming was gone. Instead, only a small, stic toy dog remained. Gao Ming picked up the toy and poked its tummy. It barked cutely. ¡°Damn. I¡¯ve been separated from the big dog.¡± Gao Ming quickly snapped to attention. However, he had no idea when he had been charmed. He stood there and looked at the path that he came from. The intestine tunnel was dark and creepy. It was filled with disgusting corpses. The big dog was not with him. ¡°I have to be more careful and can¡¯t be distracted anymore. Situ An¡¯s home should be here somewhere!¡± Gao Ming had his own colourful picture, so he knew the uniqueness of a parent. However, he had never been inside his home, so he had no concept of home. Gao Ming took a deep breath and turned around. He narrowed his eyes.The disgusting tunnel was gone. Instead, he stood in the corridor of an old building. Holding the toy dog, he turned around again. The tunnel behind him turned into a corridor as well. Everything happened so suddenly that everything earlier felt like an illusion. ¡°Am I in Situ An¡¯s home?¡± There was the sound of a bottle of soda being opened. The bubbles burst through the bottleneck. It gave everything a refreshing feeling. There was a light lemon scent in the air. Laundry hung around the fence. A few kids were ying hide-and-seek in the corridor. The neighbourly uncle slept on the chaise, waving the fan and listening to the cicadas. The sudden appearance of the sun made Gao Ming ufortable. His eyes watered from difort. The red in his eyes became more obvious. Gao Ming blocked the sun and looked around. He wasn¡¯t in an enclosed corridor. On one side was the rooms, and on the other was the yard. Theyout was rather simr to Li Jing Apartments. The yard was nted with vegetables and fruit trees. Charging e-bikes and rusty bicycles sat in the garage. The tenants sat in the yard, chatting. The retired uncles and aunties yed cards attentively under the tent. Everything was so normal that Gao Ming was scared. He couldn¡¯t see any problem. It was as if he had suddenly woken up from a nightmare. The kids ying in the apartments were active. However, they didn¡¯t disturb Gao Ming. They were cute and understanding. A rather rotund kid held a bottle of soda. He finished getting the bottle open, but the straw slipped from his fingers. While no one was looking, he quickly picked up the straw and wiped it on the shirt. He stuck it into the bottle and took a quick sip. Perhaps he was too focused. He drank as he ran, and he identally bumped into Gao Ming. The soda soaked Gao Ming¡¯s sleeves. The little fatty was very cowardly. He prepared to apologise and run, but Gao Ming held him back. The little kid looked wronged, and Gao Ming was confused. Was this kid Situ An¡¯s family? ¡°What is your name?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice was normal, but it still frightened the little fatty. The kid didn¡¯t answer. In the end, Gao Ming had to kneel down and ask in a very gentle tone, ¡°Do you know Situ An?¡± The little fatty held the bottle of soda and nodded dully. ¡°Do you know where his home is?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s tone was even, but his gaze became sharper. The kid nodded again. He ran down the other end of the corridor. Gao Ming followed him. They ran past the lines of dryingundry. The little fatty led Gao Ming to a door in the middle of the corridor. A pair of couplets decorated the sides of the iron door. A delicious smell drifted out of the room. The little fatty seemed toe here often for a free meal. He knocked on the door and shouted softly, ¡°Granny! Granny!¡± Footsteps came from inside the room. Soon, the door opened. A middle-aged woman around 50 appeared at the door. ¡°Granny!¡± The little fatty held the bottle and ran into the room. ¡°What a cute kid.¡± The middle-aged woman rubbed the little fatty¡¯s head lovingly. Then, she turned to Gao Ming, ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Is this Situ An¡¯s home?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Yes. Do you need anything from him?¡± The woman was very open about it. ¡°He is still at work. Do you want toe in to wait for him?¡± Gao Ming looked into the room. The apartment was notrge, but it was very clean. Calligraphy decorated the walls. There was a stuffed toy box in the corner. ¡°Okay.¡± Gao Ming had just answered when the toy dog barked twice. It startled both Gao Ming and the middle-aged woman. Only the fatty looked at the toy dog curiously. ¡°Was that him?¡± The kid appeared to like toys a lot. ¡°I identally squeezed his tummy.¡± Gao Ming smiled and walked forward. He held the door and sensed his surroundings. Gao Ming was very careful, but it was unnecessary. Nothing scary happened around him. ¡°My dishes are almost ready. You can wait here, and we can eat togetherter.¡± The middle-aged woman wiped her hands on her apron and returned to the kitchen. Chapter 276: The Shape of Home Chapter 276: The Shape of Home The cheap clock hanging above the couch ticked. Gao Ming¡¯s heart would be affected whenever the clock needle moved. The middle-aged woman entered the kitchen. The smell of food floated in the home. When Gao Ming attended primary school, he often enjoyed a simr scent at home. His stomach grumbled. He stood in the middle of the living room and observed every corner of the apartment. The uneven wooden table leaned against the wall. The old newspaper was stuck underneath the table legs. A flower-patterned tablecloth was draped over the table. Candies and apples were ced on the table to wee the guests. The little fatty held the bottle of soda, ran to the table and sneaked a piece of candy. He put it in his mouth. Then, he looked at the apple with desire. ¡°Everything is normal. Even the candies are the types that you can find on the market.¡± The sun shone into the room. Gao Ming moved around and studied the calligraphy on the wall. They seemed to be written by Situ An. Every brush stroke was powerful and steady. The scent of food thickened. Gao Ming¡¯s frown deepened. This was Situ An¡¯s home, but it waspletely different from what he had imagined. He couldn¡¯t find anything absurd or strange. ¡°Is the home a location that can¡¯t be tainted in the memory? Is it the only clean room in one¡¯s murky life? Is there no danger at home? Only precious memory?¡± Various questions dominated Gao Ming¡¯s mind. Before he could figure things out, the kitchen curtain was pulled back. The middle-aged woman walked out, holding the cooked vegetables and ribs. The dishes were all home-cooked, but the fragrance was very alluring. ¡°Normally, he¡¯d be home by now. Is he working overtime today?¡± The middle-aged woman ced the dishes on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll call to ask.¡± The woman came to the other end of the couch and pulled back the doily. There was a redndline underneath. Mobile phones were somon that Gao Ming hadn¡¯t seen andline phone in a long time already. The middle-aged woman picked up the speaker and dialled a number. No one answered.¡°Why isn¡¯t he answering? He¡¯d answer me no matter how busy he is¡­¡± The woman¡¯s expression changed. She called the number again and again until the sound of ringing appeared in Gao Ming¡¯s heart¡­ ¡­ The big dog who had been trapped by the meaty walls gritted his teeth. His fur stood on end due to fear. ¡°Gao Ming! Come back!¡± The walls had changed. Big gashes opened on them. Each intestine seemed to lead to a different ce, representing the choices one might face in life. Gao Ming silently moved forward as if he couldn¡¯t hear the big dog. The innocentughter slowly approached. Ghost children with blindfolded eyes walked out of the flesh. They were the seeds chosen by Situ An from the orphanage. Every child was dominated by the shadow. The group of kids seemed to be ying with Gao Ming. They surrounded Gao Ming. They didn¡¯t attack or leave. They appeared to be leading Gao Ming somewhere. The tunnel was filled with a horrid stench as more horrifying things appeared. The death clock chimed. A fatty with heavily rotten flesh squeezed out of the meaty wall. A giant meat straw grew out of his mouth. He gurgled down the green liquid that oozed out of the intestine. The monster nced at the big dog, grabbed Gao Ming and led him deeper into the dark. Many despairing words were written on the walls. They were maddening. Situ An liked to collect thest letters written by the despairing victims. The letters were like alcohol, dragging the readers into them. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± No matter how loud the big dog howled, Gao Ming couldn¡¯t hear him. Led by the giant fatty, they came to the end of the tunnel. Along the edge of the meaty wall was a sacrificial table made with a divine corpse. The divine ghost was covered in wounds andy on the ground. The left arm was broken to be reced by a thick stack of hospital records. The wall wiggled harder. Various faces gathered together to form a woman¡¯s face. Stepping on the steps made from the patient¡¯s records, Gao Ming and the ugly fatty slowly moved towards the table. The smell enveloped everything. All the power lingering in the building targeted Gao Ming! ¡°Gao Ming! Come back!¡± The big dog could only watch as Gao Ming slowly moved into the dark. The big dog had no friends. In his silent and lightless world, Gao Ming was a special existence. He couldn¡¯t describe his rtionship with Gao Ming, but after the female viger passed away, Gao Ming chatted with him the most. Different from the other humans he interacted with, Gao Ming never treated him as a monster. He had always been treated by the vigers of Bo Wan Vige as a ck dog. After he mutated, he took on the appearance of a giant dog, but Gao Ming had always treated him like a human. He could feel that Gao Ming didn¡¯t have prejudice or overwhelming pity towards him. He only treated him as a trustworthy friend. As they got to know each other, the big dog found out certain things about Gao Ming. He discovered that there were a lot of painful memories inside Gao Ming¡¯s heart. Each of the death memories would make a normal person go crazy. The big dog knew what kind of pressure Gao Ming was under. Gradually, he started to like to chat with Gao Ming because Gao Ming became his only friend. ¡°Gao Ming!¡± The ck fur melted into the shadow. Two strange characters appeared in the big dog¡¯s eyes. The left eye had the character Sound, and the right eye had the character Shape. He opened his jaws, and the resentment room that could consume all the light and sound was forced open by the big dog. Part of the meaty walls was consumed by the big dog. Darkness spread from the sides of his mouth. The meaty walls clearly wouldn¡¯t allow the big dog to disturb Gao Ming. The intestines moved to form folds of strange patterns. They rushed at the big dog like waves. The dog cer resentment room was continuously oppressed. The big dog¡¯s wails turned pitiable. His ws reached forward as he tried to jump out of the swamp. The ck furs were torn apart by the walls. Blood floated in the dark. Just as Gao Ming was about to walk into the darkest terror, the big dog¡¯s skin tore apart, and his resentment room expanded again! A giant ck flower appeared on the wall. The beauty was made at a heavy price. The moment the meaty walls were squeezed apart, a pale arm reached out of the big dog¡¯s mouth. A blind man with a slightly deformed face, cut ears, and an extremely weak body slowly crawled out of the big dog¡¯s body. He had no name and was treated as an animal by the vigers. He had been hiding in his cer, but he finally reached out from the dark! The big dog was trapped by the walls. He couldn¡¯t see or hear, but his heart could sense Gao Ming¡¯s heartbeat. It was just ahead! He ran and didn¡¯t dare to stop until he managed to grab the man! ¡°Follow me!¡± Chapter 277: Welcome Home Chapter 277: Wee Home The middle-aged woman kept calling. She was worried about Situ An. No matter how impressive Situ An was to the outside world, he was always a child in her eyes. He was a child who would get into trouble, get injured and make people worry. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and he¡¯s not answering my calls. Did something happen to him?¡± The middle-aged woman made the call again and again. Gao Ming stood to the side. He knew Situ An couldn¡¯t answer the call and would not return because he was locked in his heart. ¡°He must be caught at work. We can eat while we wait for him.¡± The middle-aged woman put down the phone. She entered the kitchen to serve the rice. The calls ended, but the ringing still echoed in Gao Ming¡¯s heart. The sound became clearer as if waiting for Situ An to answer it. What would happen if Situ An really answered it? Gao Ming looked at the table full of dishes. The sun shone through the window and split the room into two. He stood in the shadow. The table¡¯s side was brighter. ¡°Somehow, the dining table doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s for food.¡± Gao Ming stayed in the dark and continued to look for anomalies in the room. ¡°There has to be more in Situ An¡¯s home. He has personally created so many sins. How many families have been shattered and broken because of him? How could his home retain warmth and love? ¡°The blood is probably hiding in the ces that I can¡¯t see and the corners the sun cannot hit. There have to be rotten corpses hidden around here!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s shoes bumped against the dresser. Between the dresser and the corner of the wall was a tattered paper box. The box was small and filled with many toys. Everything in the apartment felt familiar to Gao Ming¡­ with the exception of this toy box. Most of the toys had the human shape. There was a kid holding a metallic gaming helmet, a nurse wearing a nightcap that had a long tail, a cute doll with a giant head and a celebrity toy that had heavy dark circles. ¡°Hmm?¡±The toy that Gao Ming held seemed to move its eyes. Gao Ming touched the toy¡¯s eye socket. The male celebrity toy¡¯s workmanship was poor. It didn¡¯t even have eyelids. There were many simr toys. They didn¡¯t seem to be old toys thrown out by others or toys sold on the market. They appeared to be collected by the middle-ageddy. ¡°Situ An yed with those when he was young. I gathered them and wanted to give them away to the kids in the yard, but Situ An rejected the idea. I don¡¯t know why he still hangs on to them, considering his age.¡± The middle-aged woman walked out with two bowls of rice. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± The middle-aged woman kept looking out the window. The sun of the early summer was warm. The scenery outside the window was flushed with life. Time seemed to flow slowly in the old apartment. All the dishes were served. The people who should have been there weren¡¯t, and the people who should have sat down didn¡¯t. One was waiting for her son toe home, and the other was waiting for the other shoe to drop. ¡°Do you have any children?¡± The middle-aged woman suddenly asked. ¡°Why?¡± Gao Ming turned back and saw the womandling out the dishes into a small bowl. She reserved them for Situ An. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking at the tous. I assume you n to buy some for your kids.¡± The woman covered the bowl meant for Situ An. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± This was the woman¡¯s second time asking Gao Ming to join her at the dining table. The fragrance invoked the memory from his past. Gao Ming involuntarily moved towards the dining table. He couldn¡¯t sense any danger. As he got closer to the table, Gao Ming could hear someone calling his name. However, the sound was soon overwhelmed by the sound of the ringinging from his heart. Gao Ming came to the table and took the seat meant for Situ An. The middle-aged woman mumbled as if to herself, ¡°Kid, you are so simr to my child.¡± The middle-aged woman was very kind, gentle and open. ¡°Situ An doesn¡¯t have many friends. He is always too hardworking and aims for the first ce. He doesn¡¯t know how to share with others.¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Other parents hope their children will study hard so that they will have a bright future, but I hope Situ An can cut himself some ck. I¡¯m happy as long as he is healthy.¡± Noticing Gao Ming studying him, the middle-aged woman pushed the cooked ribs towards Gao Ming, ¡°Try some. Situ An used to like my cooking. Heplimented me every day and made me feel like such a great chef.¡± Gao Ming used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of ribs. He didn¡¯t eat it but pondered the sentence the woman said. ¡®Situ An used to like my cooking.¡¯ This meant that Situ An didn¡¯t like her cooking any more, or rather, Situ An hadn¡¯t had her cooking for some time already. Gao Ming caught this detail and understood one thing. The middle-aged woman was lying to herself! She knew Situ An would never return home! In that case, why would she wee him with such passion? This meant that she wanted to stay at her ¡®home¡¯ forever. Bang! Bang! Bang! There was suddenly a knocking on the door. Gao Ming put down his chopsticks. ¡°That should be Situ An. I¡¯ll go get the door.¡± He left the table with a jog. The woman stood up and looked at the front door with anticipation. She wished for Situ An toe home more than anyone. Gao Ming opened the heavy door. The summer breeze carried the warmth of the sun into the room. The ck hair caressed her cheeks, and the fragrance of rice faded. The skirt fluttered. The sound of cicadas faded away. The world became silent. The woman outside the door stood facing Gao Ming. Seeing the woman¡¯s familiar face, Gao Ming was shocked. He didn¡¯t expect them to be reunited like this. ¡°Xuan Wen?¡± Gao Ming lowered his voice. Xuan Wen at the door was shocked. However, she quickly took a polite step back, as if she didn¡¯t recognise Gao Ming. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t say anything else. He nodded with cooperation like this was their first meeting. The ringing in his heart was noisy. Gao Ming moved back to open a path for her. ¡°Do you wish to enter this home too?¡± Chapter 278: Wait Chapter 278: Wait Gao Ming knew that Xuan Wen had gone to the gastroenterology department based on the information on the medicine bottle. However, he had no idea what Xuan Wen had encountered. Normally, Xuan Wen would never ignore Gao Ming. Perhaps she was purposely hiding it, or she had been influenced by something in the home. For the sake of security, Gao Ming didn¡¯t act strangely. Almost the moment he turned around, he fully settled on his attitude and expression. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve developed the pictures, but the colours are still a bit strange.¡± Xuan Wen walked past Gao Ming. Perhaps unintentionally, her hair touched Gao Ming¡¯s nose. The fragrance of rose lightened the smell of dishes. It also allowed Gao Ming to notice a titled, small wound on the back of Xuan Wen¡¯s neck. This was the first time Gao Ming saw a sign of weakness in this normal, warm and kind family. Without saying much, Gao Ming finally understood something. He lowered his head to nce at the toy dog he was holding. He and the big dog entered the intestine together. The big dog had always been with him, but when he turned around, he saw only a stic toy on the ground. The toy dog that would asionally make sounds should be the big dog. Based on this theory, the box of toys should be the ghosts Situ An had collected. If the toys were ghosts, then what were the humans in this world? The elders sleeping in the chaise, the kids ying hide-and-seek, the aunties and uncles ying in the yard¡­ No ¡®human¡¯ was that simple in this home. Gao Ming and Xuan Wen maintained a fixed distance. One was a psycho killer, and the other was the youngest psychiatrist at the prison. No one could see through their acting. ¡°Is it because the lighting during the shoot was too dark?¡± The middle-aged woman took the bag from Xuan Wen. She pulled out a few erged ck-and-white pictures from it. The pictures were taken at the apartment. Most of them were pictures of Situ An and the middle-aged woman. The pictures were nice but all of them had no colour. The middle-aged woman looked weing and kind, but in the pictures, she was as lifeless as a corpse. Standing next to her, Situ An was tall and handsome. Different from the middle-aged woman who always had the same set of clothes, he wore different outfits in the pictures. He was in a nurse outfit, a schr outfit, an exercise outfit, and a suit. There was a picture taken by the dining table. Situ An was wearing the clothes of the temp leader of the east city investigation centre. Situ An would often return home to take pictures with his mother to preserve the memories.¡°No. This is not right.¡± The middle-aged woman touched Situ An in the pictures, ¡°Situ An used to have colours in the pictures. My kid has colours. Why is he like me now?¡± The ck-and-white pictures didn¡¯t fit with this home. They didn¡¯t belong in this world. ¡°Are you sure? Uncle Zhang at the photography centre said¡­¡± Xuan Wen hesitated. ¡°What did Ol Zhang say?¡± ¡°He said that the pictures were originally ck-and-white. He wanted to make sure you didn¡¯t remember things wrongly.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice was calm. Her tone made it easy for her to gain other people¡¯s trust and affection. ¡°Impossible! How could I forget the pictures I¡¯ve taken with my own child? My child has colours!¡± The middle-aged woman said confidently. ¡°Then, why are you ck-and-white?¡± Xuan Wen was leading up to this question. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Do you believe the colours of ck and white are not good? Is that why you don¡¯t hope your child to lose his colours? But you have forgotten that he had the sameck of colours as you did. Could there be problems with the pictures?¡± Xuan Wen spoke faster, not giving the woman the time to think. ¡°I know my child is not ck-and-white in colour. He should be back from work soon. I¡¯ve prepared all the food for him.¡± The woman changed the topic. ¡°Give it some more thought. Where did it go wrong?¡± Xuan Wen pointed at the ck-and-white pictures. She casually pointed at the mirrors in the pictures and the shadows on the ground. She was trying to drop a hint for the middle-aged woman. She hoped the woman would look at her reflection. Gao Ming said nothing as he stood beside the toy box. He had a guess regarding what Xuan Wen was doing. Xuan Wen, who entered Situ An¡¯s home earlier than he did, was not made crazy. If anything, she was trying to slowly ¡®cure¡¯ Situ An¡¯s family. ¡°Everything I see now is an illusion.¡± Gao Ming held the stic dog. ¡°This should be what Situ An¡¯s mother desires to see. I want to see the actual appearance of this home. The key is to shake Situ An¡¯s mother.¡± The middle-aged woman stared at the pictures for a long time before pushing them away. ¡°My son will be home soon. He is different from me.¡± The woman was anxious. She walked to the phone and called the same number again. ¡°Do you remember where Situ An works? I can go find him at his workce.¡± Xuan Wen picked up the pictures from the ground. ¡°He works as a temporary nurse at Li San Hospital.¡± ¡°Your son is good at everything, but he is not good at taking care of people. Why did he choose to be a nurse? I don¡¯t mean to offend anyone, but I think nursing is a hard job. Honestly, with his looks, even if he doesn¡¯t have a degree, he has better ways to earn money.¡± Xuan Wen picked her words carefully. ¡°He just wants to apany me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re at home, and he¡¯s at the hospital every day. How is he apanying you? Plus, aren¡¯t you currently at home, and he¡¯s at the hospital?¡± Just as Xuan Wen said that, there was a thud beside the dining table. The little fatty sneaked a bite of the ribs and identally knocked over the bowl with the fruits. The ripe apple rolled to Gao Ming¡¯s feet. He realised there were red blood vessels underneath the apple¡¯s bruised skin. While the woman¡¯s attention was on Xuan Wen, Gao Ming slowly retreated to the door. ¡°Do you want me to apany you to the hospital? I know you are worried since he hasn¡¯t answered your calls.¡± Xuan Wen helped the middle-aged woman. Her every sentence concerned the middle-aged woman. ¡°No. I promised Situ An that I would wait for him at home. No matter what he experiences outside, I will always keep a light open for him at home.¡± The middle-aged woman rejected her. She dialled the numbers again. The woman ced the speaker beside her ear. She couldn¡¯t remember how many times she had called her child already, ¡°I know my son. He wille back home¡­¡± There was a ringing sound and the woman¡¯s expression changed. However, she listened to the speaker and realised the ringing didn¡¯te from it but from the corridor outside the apartment. Chapter 279: No One Is Innocent Chapter 279: No One Is Innocent Xuan Wen and the woman turned around at the same time. Sunlight filtered into the room. Gao Ming, who stood beside the dresser earlier, had disappeared. ¡°My son is back. He¡¯s outside!¡± The woman hung up the phone, put on her slippers and ran to the door. Xuan Wen followed her. Only the little fatty remained, eating the ribs at the table. The woman opened the door and came to the corridor. The sun was blinding. She looked around, but there was no one in the corridor. ¡°I heard the music just now.¡± The middle-aged woman was confused. She grabbed Xuan Wen¡¯s hand. ¡°Girl, did you hear the music too? That was my son¡¯s phone ringtone. He has always used the same one.¡± ¡°Phone ringtone?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s brain spun. Her confusion became more obvious, ¡°I heard no such thing.¡± ¡°There was!¡± The middle-aged woman shouted at the little fatty who was eating, ¡°Xiao Wei! You heard the ringtone too, right?¡± The little fatty had just shoved a piece of meat into his mouth. He froze beside the table silently as if afraid of being captured. ¡°I really heard it!¡± The middle-aged woman ran towards the stairwell. Xuan Wen tailed her closely. There was shock in her eyes. She had been at the apartment for a long time already. The middle-aged woman had never left her home. If she needed anything, she would ask her neighbours to help her. This was her first time leaving her home. Just as the woman stepped out of her home, the light distorted. A chill invaded the apartment. ¡°Auntie, slow down.¡± Xuan Wen and the woman ran down the stairs. They couldn¡¯t find the person they were looking for. The anticipation on the woman¡¯s face slowly turned into anxiousness. The greatest cruelty in the world was to show someone hope and then take it away. ¡°My child will never not answer my calls.¡± The middle-aged woman was sure she heard her son¡¯s ringtone. Her son was right outside their home, but he was evading her. Why? ¡°He was so close to me¡­¡±¡°But none of us heard that sound.¡± Xuan Wen consoled thedy. She looked at the exit a few steps away. ¡°Shall we look for him around the building?¡± The woman hesitated. She nced at the yard outside the door. She moved her feet but ultimately pulled back. ¡°I¡¯ve promised Situ An to wait for him at home.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to leave home to go look for him since he hasn¡¯te home?¡± Xuan Wen carefully observed the woman¡¯s emotions. The woman shook her head. ¡°I know he has his difficulty. Let¡¯s go back home and wait for him.¡± ¡°Do you want me to help you find him?¡± Xuan Wen still had some of the ck-and-white pictures. ¡°Auntie, do you have anything you want to tell him? When I find him, I will tell him.¡± ¡°Tell him not to skip meals and don¡¯t just focus on his work. Everything is perfect at home. He doesn¡¯t need to rush home if he¡¯s busy¡­ Actually, tell him to give me a call when he¡¯s free, and that¡¯s enough.¡± The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t leave the stairwell. She turned to walk back up the stairs. She mumbled, ¡°That was Situ An¡¯s ringtone. He was just outside. Why didn¡¯t he stay to meet me? Did I really imagine it?¡± Xuan Wen kindly apanied the woman home. After that, she left the room. Xuan Wen walked through the conspicuous yard. Soon, she saw the person she wanted to see. ¡°Situ An¡¯s mother might still be watching from above. Don¡¯te close. Walk forward. We¡¯ll meet at the corner of the apartment building.¡± Gao Ming nodded slightly. He walked through the shadow and met up with Xuan Wen a few minutester. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you care so much about me.¡± Xuan Wen leaned against the wall and looked tired. She didn¡¯t need to put up a disguise around him. ¡°How did you get here?¡± No one was willing to have a heart-to-heart with a killer. However, Gao Ming trusted Xuan Wen unconditionally. This was the truth he verified after many deaths. ¡°The security teams from the investigation centre have arrived at the hospital. I wanted to use their hands to kill others. However, I found myself here instead.¡± Xuan Wen took out a pocket mirror to fix her make-up. ¡°This ce is very special. It¡¯s a venue Situ An created for his mother. Everything looks so nice, but it is an illusion. To trick his mother, he turned all the scary items into cute andmon everyday items.¡± ¡°Is that middle-aged woman really his mother?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t get it. ¡°Why would someone trap their beloved family deep inside their nightmare?¡± ¡°This ce is very important to Situ An. He needs someone he can trust implicitly to guard it. But¡­¡± Xuan Wen pressed her lips together to smooth out the lipstick. ¡°I feel like Situ An¡¯s mother is long dead. This woman is probably someone whom he imagined to be his mother.¡± ¡°Everyone chosen by the shadow world is a parent. This is Situ An¡¯s home. We need to escape this ce and take over as its new parents.¡± Gao Ming approached Xuan Wen. ¡°Do you have a n?¡± ¡°A home is only a home when the family is there. The key is Situ An¡¯s mother.¡± Xuan Wen shared her discovery. ¡°The middle-aged woman can¡¯t leave her apartment. Once she steps out of the door, this warm world will start to crumble. Other than that, I also notice something else. When she is emotionally fraught, this world will be affected too.¡± ¡°So?¡± Gao Ming moved his hand to his heart. ¡°Do you want to deliver her a mental breakdown?¡± ¡°We will share the things he has done with her.¡± Xuan Wen put away her lipstick. ¡°As his mother, she has the right to know the kind of demon her son has be.¡± ¡°Do you think his mother will help us?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Xuan Wen could read the human hearts really well. ¡°I suspect his mother already knows the truth, but she has been lying to herself. In this ce, there is no innocent victim, including you and me.¡± Xuan Wen showed her pocket mirror to Gao Ming. The reflection in the mirror was different from what they saw. The apartment building, the old furniture and the nts were all made from flesh and guts. ¡°This mirror is my eyes. The reflection is the truth. I can see more things when Situ An¡¯s mother is mentally unstable.¡± Xuan Wen only wanted to show Gao Ming the reflection, but they noticed with shock that there was a blind man with an injured ear following Gao Ming. The man only appeared in the mirror. He was thin and weak. He held onto Gao Ming tightly while he was almost crushed by the twisting intestines. Chapter 280: The Man in the Mirror Chapter 280: The Man in the Mirror ¡°Is he¡­¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t expect Gao Ming to leave someone outside as a backup. However, based on his conditions, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive for long. ¡°A blind man with an injured ear? Did hee out of the big dog¡¯s body?¡± Gao Ming knew the big dog¡¯s actual persona had always been hiding inside the dark, resentment room. The man was heavily damaged by the evil in the world. He¡¯d rather be a dog than leave his dog cer. However, he had somehow escaped his cer and held onto Gao Ming¡¯s arm at the risk of perishing. ¡°What did he see? Is he here to save me?¡± Gao Ming felt guilty. He treated the big dog as a friend, but he didn¡¯t expect the man to stay. He even did everything to save him. ¡°Another poor soul who is tricked like me. If someone treats me as kindly and as selflessly as this man does, I¡¯ll do everything for them.¡± Xuan Wen mocked. ¡°Look at him. You have to leave as soon as possible if you don¡¯t want him to die because of you.¡± Xuan Wen handed the little mirror to Gao Ming and pointed at the road outside the apartment building. ¡°Situ An works at the building across the road. However, I can¡¯t use my power here. I can¡¯t enter his workce. We need to create more loopholes in this world.¡± ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Just show up when you¡¯re needed and make use of Situ An in your heart.¡± Xuan Wen and Gao Ming returned to the yard. The neighbours had gone to rest. The sun shone silently on the old furniture. The drying clothes in the corridor gave off a light detergent scent. Everything was weing and rxing. The ce had four buildings, and they surrounded the yard in the middle. Situ An and his mother lived in the innermost building. Xuan Wen didn¡¯t head there but walked towards Building 1, which was closest to the gate. The old apartment was huge. Some of the tenants transformed their homes into small convenience stores and even clinics. Uncle Zhang¡¯s photography studio was in the basement. The old man had a bad temper. Normally, no one visited him. ¡°Why are we here? Does Uncle Zhang have any clues on him?¡± Gao Ming entered the basement with Xuan Wen. He heard Xuan Wen mention Uncle Zhang at the middle-aged woman¡¯s home.Xuan Wen took out the key and opened the basement door. The ce had been cleaned, but the smell of blood lingered in the air. Xuan Wen switched on the lights, locked the door behind her and said, ¡°Even if he has the clues, he won¡¯t be able to tell us¡­ Because he¡¯s dead.¡± Xuan Wen hadn¡¯t changed. In one of the past versions, she killed all the other female main characters. Gao Ming pulled back the thick curtains. He saw the blood leaking out from underneath the bed. He bent down. The purplish face bloated. An old man¡¯s corpse was dposing at a rapid speed. His eyes were bandaged, and he looked like he was smiling. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°He killed himself¡­ under my persuasion.¡± Xuan Wen started to ransack the room. Gao Ming said nothing and took out the small mirror. He aimed the mirror at the old man. The reflection showed a stone figurine of an elder covered in moss. ording to legends, one would encounter the Stone Elder when hiking in the deep mountains. The Stone Elder would lead the lost to be the sacrifice to the Mountain God. If the hikers escaped, the Stone Elder would follow behind them until the Stone Elder grew into their spines. With each kill, the Stone Elder would obtain a piece of bloody spine on its back. The Stone Elder under the bed had aplete human spine. ¡°I can¡¯t use my ghostly power inside the apartment. I used a lot of time to deal with it.¡± Xuan Wen found Uncle Zhang¡¯s phone in the drawer. She keyed in the numbers Situ An¡¯s mother used to call Situ An. The clear ringing sound came from Gao Ming¡¯s heart. Situ An¡¯s soul was trapped inside the torture room, and he was doing everything to answer the call. ¡°That works.¡± Xuan Wen turned around and discovered Gao Ming had dragged the Stone Elder¡¯s corpse out from underneath the bed. He curled the bandage around it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°After it¡¯s wrapped and doused with some stuff, we can seal it inside the closet. That will lower the chance of it being discovered.¡± Gao Ming expertly cleaned up the scene. Scratching her head, Xuan Wen studied Gao Ming, ¡°The way you flirt is quite special.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Gao Ming moved the mirror. He noticed the blind man¡¯s condition had worsened. His body was bent beyond recognition. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have the time to kill everyone here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wasted all of my cards to kill Uncle Zhang. Do you think it¡¯s easy to kill people here?¡± Xuan Wen rolled her eyes. ¡°Come on. We need to find Situ An¡¯s mother. We can¡¯t reveal any malice and have to help her as best as we can.¡± Xuan Wen hid Uncle Zhang¡¯s phone and took out some pictures and a diary from the cupboard. She edited them and rushed to the floor where Situ An¡¯s mother was. ¡°Auntie, Auntie!¡± Xuan Wen tousled her hair. Sweat lingered on her forehead. She sounded nervous, but she tried to hide it. After opening the door, her breathing rhythm changed. ¡°Have you seen Situ An?¡± The middle-aged woman had no appetite. She had been waiting for news. Once she heard Xuan Wen, she ran over. ¡°No. But¡­¡± Xuan Wen showed great hesitation as if she didn¡¯t know if she should continue or not. The middle-aged woman looked disappointed at first, but her eyes brightened when she heard the ¡®but¡¯. Her emotions were led by Xuan Wen. ¡°I found something at Uncle Zhang¡¯s ce. It has to do with you, but I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you or not.¡± Xuan Wen ¡®identally¡¯ revealed a corner of the diary. She was like the friendly girl next door with no mal intention. ¡°It has to do with me?!¡± ¡°To be more precise, it has to do with you and Situ An.¡± Xuan Wen seemed to havee to a great decision. She closed the door and the curtains to block the ¡®sun¡¯ outside. ¡°You suffer from a very rare mental illness. Your son works as a nurse at the hospital and has suffered a lot to apany you.¡± ¡°I know Situ An has suffered a lot. But I¡¯m not sick.¡± The middle-aged woman was confused, ¡°I¡¯m very healthy.¡± ¡°Then, why did Situ An move to the old city and work as a nurse at Li San Hospital?¡± ¡°So that he can apany me when I¡¯m sick¡­¡± The woman remembered certain things. ¡°But where are you now?¡± Xuan Wen pointed around. ¡°You are at home.¡± The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Everyone in thisplex is lying to you. They are part of your treatment. Your home is a giant sick room.¡± Chapter 281: Break Chapter 281: Break ¡°I know my physique is not the best, but I don¡¯t have any mental illnesses.¡± The middle-aged woman shook her head. ¡°Do you still remember the phone ringtone? Situ An hasn¡¯t returned. I have looked around the apartment. It was in your imagination.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s tone became severe. ¡°Imagination?¡± The middle-aged woman was uncertain. ¡°It¡¯s a very simple observation. Since your son loves you so much, why would he purposely hide from you?¡± ¡°Yes. Situ An will never not answer my call.¡± The middle-aged woman was in pain. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°These are some records and pictures I found at Uncle Zhang¡¯s home. Most of them are rted to you. Your condition is worsening. If this continues, you might never see your son again.¡± Xuan Wen took out a lot of ck-and-white pictures. Everything taken inside the home was devoid of colours. The neighbours, nts and even the sun were startlingly pale. The middle-aged woman flipped through the diary. Every page had an entry rted to the middle-aged woman. The words were unsettling. ¡°No! These cannot be real!¡± The middle-aged woman was shaken. Xuan Wen continued to expand the ¡®cracks¡¯. When the woman flipped through the fake diary, Xuan Wen reached her hand into her pocket and dialled Situ An¡¯s number. The familiar ringtone rang in the corridor. The memories danced on the melody. Various words shed in the woman¡¯s eyes. She lifted her head in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s my son! I can hear his phone ringing!¡± The middle-aged woman closed the diary. She wanted to rush out but was held back by Xuan Wen. ¡°Auntie, please be mindful! You didn¡¯t even call Situ An. Why would his phone ring?¡±The middle-aged woman paused and stood in the living room, holding the diary and pictures. ¡°Yes. Why did it ring? Is it my imagination? Can you not hear it? It¡¯s just outside!¡± ¡°Calm down!¡± Xuan Wen removed the ring from her finger. She circled her strand of hair through it. She had the woman focus on the swinging ring. The ringtone faded away slowly until it disappeared fully. ¡°That was very sudden. Did you remember something when you read the diary?¡± Xuan Wen helped the woman to the couch. She poured the woman a ss of water. ¡°I¡­ was worried about Situ An.¡± ¡°Your neighbouring adults and kids are fake. You live in a fake home. At a time like this, are you still worried about Situ An?¡± Xuan Wen was shocked. ¡°I have a feeling that he has run into trouble. He hasn¡¯t been home in a while.¡± Worry, anxiety and confusion would be hard to remove from one¡¯s heart once they had taken root. They would infect every corner of one¡¯s heart. When one received traumatic information under such a condition, this was the first step to make one go insane. Outside the door, Gao Ming leaned against the wall and hid in the shadow. Xuan Wen¡¯s every step was calcted, and she called the home a giant sick room. She changed every neighbour into a part of the treatment. She was purposely destroying the sense of security provided by the home. Her kindness was slowly pushing the middle-aged woman to the edge. What Xuan Wen wanted to do was to make the middle-aged woman believe that she was really sick. When the normal world became abnormal, then the abnormal world had to be normal. ¡°I can empathise with that. However, why won¡¯t you leave since you¡¯re so worried about him?¡± Xuan Wen watched the woman finish the ss of water. ¡°Situ An told me never to leave this home.¡± ¡°Is he worried about you going to find him, or is he worried that you might discover something?¡± Xuan Wen sat beside the woman. ¡°Perhaps he is experiencing something very horrible. He doesn¡¯t want to make you worry, so he doesn¡¯t tell you anything. However, the more he acts like this, the greater the pain you¡¯ll be in.¡± The woman held the ss of water, and she looked aged. ¡°It might be a white lie, but one thing is for certain. Situ An is lying to you. In fact, he might be doing something horrible to treat your illness.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice entered her ears. The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t say anything. Xuan Wen was merely voicing the thoughts in her heart. There were two voices arguing inside the middle-aged woman¡¯s heart. One voice told her to leave home to find Situ An. The other voice warned her from leaving home. However, with Xuan Wen¡¯s encouragement, the bnce was broken. Xuan Wen pinpointed the weakness in the woman¡¯s heart. She read out the entries in the diary and erged the fear in her heart. The woman¡¯s emotions were shaken. The sunlight in the room was distorted. The toys in the old box shivered. The mirror beside the closet dimmed. Even the ss of water the woman held trembled. Her reflection blurred like she was never real. The middle-aged woman¡¯s shoulders shook. She couldn¡¯t ept the ¡®truth¡¯, but she had to ept it. When the contradiction in her heart reached its height, Situ An¡¯s phone rang again. ¡°Situ An! Situ An!¡± The woman pushed Xuan Wen away and ran to the door. She was determined to see the truth. She didn¡¯t even put on her shoes and ran out the door. The ringtone was just around the corner. Situ An¡¯s mother chased after it. The scale in her heart had been tipped over, and she ignored Situ An¡¯s warning. She ran out of the home and the corridor! She entered the yard and ran through the twisting canopy. The ringtone from her memory was before her, but she couldn¡¯t catch up to it. She ran to the gate until she saw someone standing in the shadows. ¡°Situ An! Is that you? Are you finally home?¡± The ringtone disappeared. The middle-aged woman ignored her wounded leg and walked into the shadow. ¡°Auntie, someone ran across the street earlier.¡± Gao Ming pointed across the street. ¡°It happened a few seconds ago.¡± Standing in the shadow where the sun couldn¡¯t reach, behind Situ An¡¯s mother was theplex that represented home. The four buildings made her look so small. With heavy gasps of air, the middle-aged woman looked across the street. She took steps towards it. When she left the shadow of the apartment building, some kind of shackles were broken. She saw the shape of the hospital beside the street. Something scary was happening inside the hospital. The inconspicuous screams echoed everywhere. The whole world was painted a thinyer of red. ¡°Is this where Situ An works?¡± Chapter 282: Truth and Madness Chapter 282: Truth and Madness The middle-aged woman moved slowly forward. Her steps were heavy. She believed that she understood her child, but slowly, she discovered that was not the case. Following behind Situ An¡¯s mother, Xuan Wen and Gao Ming finally managed to enter the zone that they couldn¡¯t before. At this ce, only Situ An¡¯s mother could move freely. The apartmentplex was a part of the home. The home was onlyplete when the apartmentplexbined with Li San Hospital across the street. All the beauty and ugliness were cut off by a road that led to the future. Warmth and cruelty were ced side by side. The middle-aged woman walked in front. In her heart, Situ An was her pride. He was hardworking, studious, honest, kind and was loved by everyone. ¡°I watched the kid grow up. He has never lied to me¡­¡± The sunlight in the yard appeared to grow blood capiries. They were like arms trying to hold the middle-aged woman back. However, the home¡¯s real owner was dead. The sunlight of the past extended the woman¡¯s shadow but couldn¡¯t drag her back to the apartment. ¡°It is as I¡¯ve guessed.¡± Xuan Wen sensed the anomaly. ¡°In this seemingly normal world, the mother is the only patient. However, in reality, everything is transformed from ghosts and cursed objects. The mother is the only normal person because she possesses Situ An¡¯sst humanity, and she is his most precious treasure.¡± When the mother was corrupted, then home was no different from the outside. The sun dimmed. Its ray no longer delivered warmth but chill. More blood mixed into the sun. The disgusting intestine walls appeared to float at the end of the sky. ¡°Situ An trusts no one but his dead mother. Therefore, his mother is the real guardian.¡± The home was where one¡¯s mother was. After his mother became insane, the world would take on the colours of madness. ¡°We appear to be experiencing Situ An¡¯s past.¡± Gao Ming and Xuan Wen followed the woman to the middle of the road. The woman slowed down. She saw the scenes inside the hospital and noticed the horror that was anomalous to the warmth of the apartment.¡°Auntie, you¡¯re the only one who can help Situ An now. If you refuse to help him and watch him fall into the abyss, then he¡¯ll lose thest bit of hope.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s handnded on the woman¡¯s shoulder lightly. Perhaps it was Xuan Wen¡¯s words or her motherly love. She didn¡¯t stop. With each step closer to the hospital, the normal things started to crack. The four buildings at the apartmentplex started to morph into morgues. The blue sky began to shatter. ¡°Is this also an illusion?¡± The middle-aged woman looked through the hospital¡¯s ss window. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. ¡°Are you going to let Situ An face these alone?¡± Xuan Wen stood before the middle-aged woman, ¡°The truth is right there. The real Situ An is there.¡± Due to love, there was a loophole. Situ An¡¯s mother eventually reached the other side of the road. She paused at the hospital entrance. Xuan Wen wanted to say something, but she noticed that Gao Ming didn¡¯t follow them. ¡°Are you waiting for someone?¡± Gao Ming shook his head and raised his left arm. Five dried fingers were revealed. When he used the pocket mirror to look behind him, he could see the blind man¡¯s body being almost torn apart. Two strange divine figurines bit into his body, but he didn¡¯t let go of Gao Ming¡¯s left arm. Situ An¡¯s home was extremely unstable. The blind man¡¯s hand really reached Gao Ming. ¡°He managed to reach his hand into the home?! How did he do that?¡± Xuan Wen was shocked. ¡°But your close rtionship does make me feel extra.¡± She might say that, but her actions say otherwise. ¡°The home¡¯s murder method is simple. Our consciousness is trapped in the house, and our physical bodies will be eaten by the divine figurines in the outside world. Your body is unharmed now because he is protecting you. If he dies, you¡¯ll be next.¡± ¡°There are many ws in this home. Perhaps we can try to force a gap.¡± ¡°There are many broken ghost Gods sleeping in the intestines. Lu Zang and Situ An collected them over the years. They are very hard to deal with.¡± Xuan Wen stared at Gao Ming¡¯s heart. ¡°What other things do you have in your heart? Try tomunicate with them and see if you can summon them out here.¡± ¡°Will it work?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it?¡± Xuan Wen returned to console Situ An¡¯s mother. Gao Ming grabbed the fingers covered in wounds and callouses. The blind man couldn¡¯t see, and his ear had been cut off. His hands were his way tomunicate with the world. However, the world was vicious to him. ¡°Thank you.¡± Gao Ming called after the God of Flesh and Blood. Earlier, when he was limited by the rules of home, the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t answer him. At that moment, he could hear him. The chains tingled. Gao Ming ced his left arm on his heart. ¡°We have to save him no matter what. He won¡¯t be abandoned again.¡± The blood dripped on his fingers. Gao Ming triggered the God of Flesh and Blood. All the torture devices trembled. The face that belonged to Gong Xi was the first to respond to Gao Ming. He dragged the heavy chains, and his hand slowly moved towards Gao Ming¡¯s chest wound. Under the pale sunlight, the blood turned into mist, but Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t care about this small price. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t you want to see your son¡¯s true appearance?¡± Xuan Wen picked up a patient¡¯s list from the ground. There were horrifyingb records on it. Sometimes, Situ An would handle some seedy things at home. There was where his darkest secret was hidden. Situ An¡¯s mother¡¯s breathing became unsteady. Her brain was distracted by different voices. She saw the blood on the window and the indescribable, scary scenes behind the window. She couldn¡¯t believe Situ An was behind these. She would rather believe this was her illusion, and she had gone mad. The middle-aged woman walked up the steps and paused at thest moment. Her tears fell involuntarily. She had experienced this very moment many years ago. Time seemed to go back. She had never left once she entered the hospital. That was when the tragedy started. The whole home expanded and shrunk following the woman¡¯s breathing. She shook her head. Suddenly, she knelt down before the entrance. She pounded her head. ¡°My son is not doing these things. He will never. I must have lost my mind!¡± Chapter 283: Revenge When would a person admit that they were crazy? Was it because they saw something they couldn¡¯t process, or was it because their worst imagination had be reality? Situ An¡¯s home was always enveloped by sunshine. His home was always bright as if the owner were deathly afraid of the dark. However, many bloody stories took ce at such a sunny location. Every sick room was a record of the treatment process of every special patient. They were transformed from humans into seeds of the shadow world. This was the truth of ¡®home¡¯. ¡°I can see that your son loves you, and he desperately wishes to live under the sun.¡± Xuan Wen opened her hand, and the cold light slipped through her fingers. ¡°But his heart is already rotten. Even the strongest sun can¡¯t warm his heart.¡± With a slight nudge, Xuan Wen and the woman entered the hospital. The boundary was shattered. Various images appeared in Situ An¡¯s mother¡¯s mind. The woman called Situ An¡¯s name inside the hospital but received no response. Outside the hospital, Gao Ming¡¯s chest was covered in blood. The more unstable the middle-aged woman was, the greater the w of ¡®home¡¯. The God of Flesh and Blood used this rare opening to grab the blind man¡¯s five fingers! Flesh grew between the blind man and Gao Ming like a bridge. The God of Flesh and Blood turned himself into a path. The blind man''s status was weak. He could be consumed by the mud figurines at any moment. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood and the big dog are connecting home to the real Li San Hospital. They have be the path.¡± Gao Ming had a mad idea. He wanted to get the God of Flesh and Blood to open the torture room and hand all the death portraits to the red raincoat. ¡°I might be trapped here forever! Bring my family and escape through this path! Find your child!¡±The red raincoat, who had been spacing out in the torture room, was stunned. She epted the death portraits and then looked at Gao Ming. ¡°Your child is waiting for you.¡± This was not a plea. This was a simple narration of the truth. Momentster, the red raincoat put all the death portraits inside her coat. Her body turned into an unstoppable rain. She rained on the God of Flesh and Blood and the blind man as she walked out into the world. Gao Ming released the red raincoat to save the blind man! The bloody rain wetted the intestines. The broken divine figurines in the fleshy walls opened their eyes. The tenants in Si Sui Apartment were triggered as well. Granny Shen, who was always aloof, appeared beside Auntie Busybody. She ced some bamboo tes on the ground and grumbled, ¡°What a tragedy¡­¡± As if sensing the changes around him, Situ An, who was pinned to the torture devices, smiled, ¡°The God who is found in death and silence, the taboo that is taken out of the game, and the anomalies that I¡¯ve collected for decades are all hidden at home. Thank you for bringing me home, Gao Ming!¡± The sun mixed with blood. The crack in the sky became clearer. The warm home was shattered. Or rather, this home was showing its true self. Gao Ming ignored Situ An. He ran into the hospital and moved between the different departments. This hospital hid all of Situ An¡¯s secrets. His life, memory, changes and dark thoughts were exposed before Gao Ming. His mother¡¯s apartment represented Situ An¡¯s residual love and kindness. The hospital carried all of his sins. Walking down the corridors, Gao Ming was experiencing Situ An¡¯s life and how he tussled between the real world and the shadow world to be a devil in Han Hai¡¯s shadow. ¡°These are all fake! I¡¯ve gone insane. This is all an illusion!¡± Situ An¡¯s mom cried. She was under a lot of pressure. ¡°Even though the woman is mad, we can¡¯t leave. Why?¡± ¡°She is merely using madness as an excuse to avoid epting the truth.¡± Xuan Wen walked out of a counselling room, holding a thin sheaf of paper. ¡°This might be the straw that breaks the camel¡¯s back.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Her death notice. She died here many years ago.¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t expect to find this notice at the hospital. ¡°I need you to lure her here.¡± Through Situ An¡¯s phone number, the ringtone in the heart rang. The familiar melody was not only a memory but also the woman¡¯s obsession with her son. ¡°Situ An! Situ An! Are you here?¡± Hearing the ringtone, Situ An¡¯s mother entered the endless cycle of the hospital corridors. She followed the ringtone and ran forward. Along the way, she saw the sins Situ An hid. ¡°Situ An, stop running! Wait for mother, Situ An!¡± Memories and horror flowed into her mind until the middle-aged woman saw herself in Situ An¡¯s memory. Two different kinds of memories collided, causing her unimaginable pain. Her mind felt like it was being torn apart. In the end, she copsed in the corridor. ¡°Situ An¡­¡± At that moment, the sun was no longer warm, the verdant greenery turned pale, the children¡¯s skin started to crack, and the warm home was chilling. In the bleeding sky, the giant and ugly Gods fought with the red raincoat. Everyone at home could see the truth exposed before them. The moving walls of flesh crumbled the human corpses. Inside the smellyke filled with stomach juices, the broken figurines turned around with grins. Gao Ming had used all of his trump cards: the monsters in the death portraits, the God of Flesh and Blood and the red raincoat. To be the new owner, he had to kill the old owner. However, Situ An¡¯s imagined mother blocked Gao Ming. Situ An¡¯s mother died a long time ago, and Gao Ming knew what happened to Situ An. The man¡¯s transformation urred at Li San Hospital. He was unwilling to give up his studies. While he worked, he looked after his sick mother. He did everything he could. He believed he had done everything, but he was still slower than death. His mother¡¯s sudden death ruined him. It twisted his stubborn soul. Negative emotions grasped his heart. He couldn¡¯t ept the truth. He suffered from nightmares for many days. In theyers of the nightmare, he met Lu Zang. Doctor Lu had never encountered such a wonderful seed. He valued Situ An and told him the shadow world¡¯s secret. In Lu Zang, Situ An saw the hope of bringing his mother back to his side. He knew from Lu Zang that Han Hai was just a dream, a game of fate. Once fate was killed, everything would be reset. The two shared the same goal. They started their n twenty years ago. To achieve that goal, they worked together to move the shadow world¡¯s Li San Hospital into the real world. They also set up many rituals and sacrifices around Han Hai to ease the infiltration of the shadow world. Most of the horror games Gao Ming saw in the future were designed by Lu Zang and Situ An. ¡°Situ An¡¯s earliest goal was very simple. However, he changed as time passed. His ambition burned away his conscience. He turned his own children into ghosts and murdered his family. His hands were covered with blood. He had forgotten his earliest goal and his love for you.¡± Gao Ming sighed. ¡°Situ An has long forgotten what love is. He can¡¯t even be called human anymore. You are just a fragment of his imagination, a lie he told himself.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I know my son! He is not the man you use him of!¡± The middle-aged woman had never been so furious. She was like a wounded lioness. Despite her weakened body, she had to protect her child. ¡°We found this at the hospital.¡± Xuan Wen took out a yellowed death notice. ¡°This is your death notice. Situ An was worried that you¡¯d be his new weakness, so he left this behind. When he told you he came to work, he came to check on your death notice! He needed to remind himself that his mother was dead. You are just a creation in his mind. You are not real!¡± ¡°Impossible! This is fake! You falsified this! You are scammers!¡± The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t even look at the notice. ¡°You are not going to trick me! My son wille home soon!¡± ¡°Falsified?¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s expression becameplicated. She realised she had greatly underestimated the greyness within humanity. ¡°Do you know why Situ An refuses to let you leave home? Go and take a look at the room at the end of the corridor.¡± The middle-aged woman seemed to have known something. She didn¡¯t move. In the end, it was Xuan Wen who opened the door for her. In the tiny room, there was a simple set of tables and chairs. The same death notice was pasted all over the walls. It was not hard to imagine Situ An sitting there all alone after he left home. He was always reminding himself that the woman at home was not his real mother. He couldn¡¯t allow any weakness to appear in his heart. The cigarette ash fluttered through the air. He might even pull open the window to look at his ¡®home¡¯ that was not far away. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for less than half a day. Is it possible that we¡¯ve done this?¡± Xuan Wen picked a random death notice from the wall. ¡°When Situ An needed you the most, you left this world. The current you is merely a creation of his mind and his only humanity.¡± Li San Hospital was Situ An¡¯s home, not because he was born there but because his mother died there. Fate formed a closed circle, and the same thing was going to happen again. The windows in the corridor reflected everything that was happening in the real world. The red raincoat was captured by the broken Gods. The figurines heard the summon, and they pulled the red raincoat into the corrosiveke. The red clothes were burned away. The path formed by the God of Flesh and Blood had copsed. Gao Ming heard the growl of God. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the only thing I can do now is to kill you.¡± Situ An¡¯s mother was hisst trace of kindness and love. It was a wless reflection of humanity. She had not done anything wrong. She was caring and fair. She was nice to everything. In her eyes, the world was always gentle. This might be Situ An¡¯sst revenge on Gao Ming. If he did not murder hisst bit of kindness, Gao Ming would never be the new parent of this home. However, if Gao Ming murdered Situ An¡¯s mother, Gao Ming would break his own principles and kill an innocent woman. Even if he couldn¡¯t kill Gao Ming, Situ An wanted to break something precious to Gao Ming. He used his purest love and memory of his mother to set up his revenge. No matter how Situ An was twenty years ago, he had changed. The man had be a monster. Chapter 284: Leave Even if she saw the walls of death notices, the middle-aged woman refused to believe it. Perhaps she already had the answer, but she didn¡¯t want to admit it. Situ An picked up the bloody scalpel from the floor and walked towards Situ An¡¯s mother. They stood in the corridor that detailed Situ An¡¯s life and looked at each other. ¡°If the devil descends on earth, he¡¯ll probably have your face, right?¡± The middle-aged woman leaned against the wall. The bloody sunlight slid down her shoulders. In this strange world, she appeared so pure. Gao Ming didn¡¯t answer the woman. He slowly raised the knife, but he didn¡¯t stab the woman. With Xuan Wen looking on in confusion, Gao Ming cut open a gash on his chest. Things that flowed out with the blood included the death memories that were buried inside his heart. These things were exposed to middle-aged women. ¡°Your son will never return. The curtain has fallen for his life. It¡¯s time for you to rest too.¡± The chains in the torture room collided with each other. They seemed toe alive. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re just his imagination or his mother¡¯s soul.¡± Gao Ming stood between the light and shadow. The wound on his heart widened. The middle-aged woman saw the horrifying scene inside his heart. ¡°I can bring you to meet Situ An so that you can reunite with him.¡± Xuan Wen seemed to understand something. She reached into her pocket and called the number using Uncle Zhang¡¯s phone. The familiar melody floated out of Gao Ming¡¯s heart. The woman lifted her head with a shock. She parsed through theyers of death memories. The torture devices moved away. Deep inside the torture room, she saw a familiar face. Situ An was chained, and his face carried the craziest smile. His eyes were vicious. ¡°Situ An¡­¡± At the same time, Situ An stopped breathing for a few seconds. The smile on his face froze. He didn¡¯t greet her. Instead, Situ An appeared to have lost his mind as he yelled at the middle-aged woman, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you never to leave home?¡± Gao Ming had interacted with Situ An many times through his many deaths, but he had never seen such fury in Situ An before. Situ An was rational to the point of sickness. As a parent chosen by the shadow world, he had never raised his voice before. When he was pursued by death, he would calm down and figure it out. When he was cornered, he¡¯d have a back-up. Even after he was killed, he didn¡¯t lose control and wanted to restart as a ghost. However, such a bastard who fought fate to the bitter end revealed a different face when he saw the middle-aged woman. The middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes reddened. She cried not because she was scolded by Situ An, but because she finally saw her son. Her former pride had be a chained prisoner.¡°Stay at home! Stay at home! How many times I¡¯ve told you that?¡± Situ An waved his arms. The chains rattled. The wounds on his soul tore open, but he didn¡¯t seem to feel pain. ¡°I knew I should have killed you! I can¡¯t leave any humanity behind! I knew you¡¯d be my weakness!¡± As long as the middle-aged woman didn¡¯t leave home and remained mentally stable, the consciousness of all the outsiders would be trapped in his home. The divine figurines collected by Lu Zang and Situ An would awaken and consume the outsider¡¯s consciousness. From Situ An¡¯s perspective, once Gao Ming died, he would be able to revive and be an Evil Ghost in the shadow world. However, his n was ruined because of the middle-aged woman. ¡°Home is where you are. You can bring Situ An home now.¡± Gao Ming opened the door to the torture room. The middle-aged woman was a part of Situ An. Once the woman entered the torture room, the existence of Situ An would be wiped from the world. ¡°Leave! You¡¯ll only drag me down! I should have killed you!¡± Situ An was agitated. He used all his might to break free from the chains, but that only worsened his wounds. ¡°Everything you see at the hospital is done by Situ An. Are the victims not other parent¡¯s children too? Due to his existence, many families have been ruined. Someone has to rectify his mistake.¡± Gao Ming handed a chain to the middle-aged woman. ¡°You have no other choice because even if I die, Situ An will not be able to escape the cage.¡± ¡°Do note in here! Get lost! I have hated you since I was young! You are the source of my mistakes! I don¡¯t need you!¡± Situ An growled angrily. He was like a gambler who had lost all of his chips. He brandished a broken bottle at his loved ones. ¡°Situ An¡­¡± The woman was kind. If she had a shred of malice, she wouldn¡¯t be there. Because of her love, she would not leave at this moment. The reflection on the window blurred. The middle-aged woman returned to the time from many years ago. She stepped into the hospital twenty years ago, and she stepped into the torture room twenty yearster. ¡°Run! Leave!¡± Situ An¡¯s soul had been twisted out of shape by the chains. He didn¡¯t even push this hard when he tried to escape himself. He was trying his best to stop the woman from joining him. ¡°Son, I should have stayed for you so many years ago. I¡¯m so sorry for leaving you alone.¡± Her hair instantly turned white, and her skin folded with wrinkles. The woman¡¯s body withered away. The more she got closer to Situ An, the closer she got to Death. She walked past the various torture devices and came to Situ An. Her face was covered with tears, and her eyes shone with apology. Situ An, who had been scolding her crazily, slowly calmed down. ¡°He said those hurtful words to stop you from entering the torture room.¡± Gao Ming was Situ An¡¯s nemesis and the person who knew him the most. Situ An would never sincerely scold his mother. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t given up.¡± Situ An stopped struggling. He wanted to reach out to touch the middle-aged woman, but his body was punctured by chains and rendered immobile. The middle-aged woman slowly leaned forward to hold Situ An¡¯s hands. ¡°Stop crying.¡± Situ An said coldly but with determination. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you out of here.¡± Chapter 285: Memories Situ An didn¡¯t refer to the woman as his mother. However, he¡¯d only show a different attitude before the woman. ¡°You still haven¡¯t given up, have you?¡± Gao Ming was surprised that Situ An was so stubborn even at a moment like this. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve won?¡± Situ An straightened his body, which was punctured by chains. He looked at the open door of the torture room. ¡°There are many broken divine figurines hidden around Li San Hospital. The dead Gods and copsed faith are attached to them. My home is built using them as the foundation. Once you destroy everything, the dead Gods will awaken. You will send Han Hai into hell!¡± ¡°Are you serious? You did everything to create this tragedy, and now, you¡¯re pinning it on me?!¡± Gao Ming stood with Xuan Wen. The hospital was copsing. However, the transmuted memory of the patients didn¡¯t disappear. Their memories peeled off like paint. They fluttered in the air until they pieced together to form nightmares rted to the hospital. ¡°The power of the divine ghosts cannot be controlled. It can easily ruin Han Hai. Therefore, my only choice was to trap it inside the hospital and appease them with the patients. Gao Ming, they are my most precious treasure and thest present I have for you.¡± Gao Ming ignored Situ An. Once the middle-aged woman entered the torture room, Situ An¡¯s home rules started to change. The hospital and the apartments rippled. They turned transparent. Gao Ming could finally see the various dangers hidden around the home. The retired uncles and aunties were sources of pollution that existed in the shadow world. The polite children were giant ghosts with ugly faces. The neighbours who slept at home were mud figurines and stone statues like Uncle Zhang from the photo studio. In terms of anomaly level, Situ An¡¯s home was at the top level. ¡°Gao Ming, you¡¯ve seeded my fate. Everything that has happened to me will repeat to you. That is the game of fate.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a game, it can be cleared.¡± Gao Ming pulled the chains and opened his arms. All the memory pieces rushed towards him. The anomalies collected by Situ An flowed into Gao Ming¡¯s heart. Large pieces of pattern appeared on the walls of the torture room. The cruellest pictures of the world were carved inside the room.¡°The home can separate humans and ghosts¡¯ consciousness. It is one¡¯sir of the mind. Building a home requires many rare things from the shadow world.¡± This was Xuan Wen¡¯s first time seeing this. After she saw that Gao Ming had taken the upper hand, she rushed out of the hospital at the fastest speed. Gao Ming didn¡¯t ask her for any exnation. He trusted her unconditionally. The home was changing, like an oil painting losing its colour. Xuan Wen rushed back to the apartment. She avoided the neighbours and children and headed to Situ An¡¯s home. Without any hesitation, Xuan Wen picked up thendline used by Situ An¡¯s mother and the box of ¡®toys¡¯. Every toy was a naughty ghost. Every one of them was valued by Situ An. Those without potential had already been eaten. Inside Li San Hospital, Gao Ming¡¯s fingers phased through the ss window. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± To be honest, Gao Ming didn¡¯t know much about his own home. He only knew that the formation of one¡¯s home was heavily rted to the shadow world and that every home was different. The bloody sunlight shone on Gao Ming¡¯s eyes. The home was like a dream. As Gao Ming opened his eyes, the memory inside the home was imprinted on the walls of the torture room. When thest pattern was inscribed, the God of Flesh and Blood howled. Strange blood patterns appeared on his skin. The nightmares that belonged to the patients and Situ An appeared in the torture room. Theybined to form a scary dream. Gao Ming noticed the anomaly in the God of Flesh and Blood. As the bloody scars appeared, the presence radiated by the God of Flesh and Blood was stronger than Zhang Ding. The ghosts at Han Hai had to go through three steps to be dream ghosts. First, they had to be big ghosts that possessed self-consciousness. Then, they had to own their respective haunted houses. Finally, they could use their own experience to weave a nightmare. Zhang Ding was currently in the third stage. After the God of Flesh and Blood consumed Situ An¡¯s memory about home, he reached the same stage. After the dream was over, all the sins exposed under the sun were stored in Gao Ming¡¯s heart. ¡°This is what Situ An¡¯s home really looks like.¡± At the end of the intestine, the sticky shadow formed a ckke. It looked like one¡¯s stomach. A lot of ruined divine figurines were inside theke. A lot of them had their eyes open. There was a wall of flesh embedded with pristine corpses to the left of theke. To the right of theke was a wall of highly-mutated dead bodies. ¡°The left is the foundation of the apartment blocks, and the right is Li San Hospital.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood shattered the figurines that held onto the blind man. However, the pieces were instantly reconstructed. Their smiles became more alive. ¡°They are long dead. The easiest way to destroy them is to eat them, or else we have to wait until the faith in them perishes.¡± Xuan Wen picked up the dying blind man. The man was like a leaf fluttering in the fall wind. ¡°Eating them carries the risk of being possessed by them, but it shouldn¡¯t matter to you. You already have a scary God inside of you.¡± ¡°Get ready to leave!¡± Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood help the red raincoat. The red raincoat was about to be dragged into the ckke. The four faces yelled. The God of Flesh and Blood ignored the shadow. He originated from the ckke, but he was lucky to have encountered Gao Ming. Once the God of Flesh and Blood departed, the broken figurines immediately surrounded Gao Ming. Gao Ming wanted to retreat with Xuan Wen, but Xuan Wen stood forward. ¡°I¡¯ve found some help for us from home.¡± She peeled back to the tape on the toy box and tossed the toys at the figurines. Once the toys left the box, their bodies were reunited with the shadow to be patients rife with resentment. Chapter 286: Lake The idol toy with the cut eyelids absorbed the shadow around him madly. The man started to cry. The toy¡¯s body slowly filled with shadow. Chen Meng appeared near the broken figurines. He just woke up from his nightmare. His face still carried the joy of achieving freedom when he saw the smiling divine figurine. ¡°Doctor Xuan, do you want to kill me that much?!¡± Many patients like Chen Meng showed up. They wore patient¡¯s garbs from decades ago. ¡°Charge out together!¡± Gao Ming carried the blind man and ran down the path from which they came. However, they only took a few steps when they noticed the intestine had narrowed by a lot. The folded walls squeezed internally. The monsters and ghosts that grew into the walls red at them with venom. They joined each other¡¯s flesh to seal up the path. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you leave?¡± Situ An lowered his head in the torture room. ¡°Lu Zang and I spent years modifying the shadow world¡¯s Li San Hospital. This is my home. Everything is well-designed. When the home¡¯s good memory is destroyed, the evil I left in the tunnel will awaken. They are criminals with no goodness in their hearts. No matter how sad their situation is, they will do their best to harm others. They will deal with you with the cruellest method and bury you here. ¡°Those who destroy my home will be the first sacrifice for the broken figurines. Then, the whole Han Hai will be sacrificed!¡± Situ An¡¯s tone was calm, but his eyes were shining madly. ¡°A city without me has no meaning in existence.¡± Looking at Situ An, the middle-aged woman was wrought with pain and worry. She didn¡¯t understand how her son became like this. The only exit was sealed. Gao Ming and the others had no other exit. ¡°Situ An!¡± Gao Ming hissed. Situ An was crazy. He was so calctive that he had even prepared for his own defeat. If Gao Ming had not been given a second chance, it would have been impossible for him to kill Situ An.The knife cut into the wall of flesh. The wounds healed so fast. They were not in the real world. In the shadow world, the things inside the walls could recover rapidly by absorbing the endless malice in the air. ¡°Who knows how thick this meat wall is? Situ An will not allow people to destroy the path so easily.¡± Xuan Wen held Gao Ming¡¯s cor. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try another path?¡± ¡°Is there another path?¡± Gao Ming looked at where Xuan Wen was pointing. ¡°The ckke?¡± ¡°Yes. Although I don¡¯t know why Situ An and Lu Zang would collect so many divine figurines, there has to be a reason for them to gather so many twisted faiths in the same ce. There might be something hidden at the bottom of the pool.¡± Xuan Wen was so brave that even Gao Ming was iparable. ¡°Since there is no other way, we might as well give this a try.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, but I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Gao Ming studied theke, which was made from unknown substances and shadows. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯d be dragged back into the shadow world.¡± Last time, Xuan Wen died being consumed by the shadow world at Si Sui Apartment. Gao Ming remembered that clearly. ¡°I am from the shadow world. What are you talking about?¡± Xuan Wen was confused by Gao Ming¡¯s worry. She waded into theke. The pale fingers soaked into the water. She didn¡¯t feel wet, but her soul chilled. Many voices appeared in her mind. Most voices lured her to go deeper into theke. Some voices hoped that Xuan Wen would die directly by telling her that living was a sin. ¡°Follow behind me.¡± Before Gao Ming could say anything, Xuan Wen grabbed his hand. The awakened figurines were focused on the red raincoat and the God of Flesh and Blood. Xuan Wen told Gao Ming to keep a low profile as the two silently waded through theke. ¡°You should know Situ An better than I do. Everything he left behind is rted to his home. It¡¯s like he is purposely training our focus on his home so that we might ignore the rest.¡± Xuan Wen felt that something was off. ¡°Situ An said that the broken figurines are the foundation of his home.¡± ¡°You should know better than to trust him.¡± Xuan Wen and Gao Ming were highly focused. Neither of them was affected by the voices. The ckke was a source of the darkness.The shadow originated from this ce. ¡°The shadow is the memory that lingers after the world dies. As the source, there has to be something special here!¡± Xuan Wen confirmed her hypothesis. She and Gao Ming carefully avoided the slumbering figurines as they headed deeper into theke. The visibility was low, but Xuan Wen had her own way of navigation. She only needed to head towards the source of evil. The voices in their heads multiplied. The shadow stuck to Gao Ming¡¯s skin like ayer of gauze. They were also like bugs trying to crawl under his skin. ¡°I might not be able to survive this much longer.¡± Blood patterns simr to the God of Flesh and Blood appeared on Gao Ming¡¯s body. Bloody lines pierced through his pupils. He was about to go mad, but with Xuan Wen by his side, he could still retain his consciousness. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Xuan Wen led Gao Ming forward. They saw the centre of the ckke from another angle. Several awakened divine figurinestched onto the red raincoat. They wanted to drag her somewhere. ¡°What is that?¡° Xuan Wen was lured involuntarily forward. She saw a death portrait underneath the red raincoat and the broken figurines. All the shadows came from this portrait. This portrait was different from any of the ones she and Gao Ming had seen before. It radiated a powerful presence. Most of the figurines near the centre of theke hadn¡¯t awakened. They were made to sleep by the death portrait. It was the real foundation of Situ An¡¯s home. ¡°Situ An is using the dead Gods to nurture this portrait. What thing needs the sustenance of the faith of broken Gods?¡± Xuan Wen was curious, but she didn¡¯t dare to go any further. Just as she and Gao Ming hesitated, the ckke suddenly rippled. The shadows mmed into the flesh walls and melted into them. ¡°What is happening?¡± The two looked at the meat wall not far away. The monsters inside the walls wailed as if something was attacking the wall from outside. ¡°Did you arrange for reinforcement?¡± Xuan Wen looked at Gao Ming with confusion. Gao Ming shook his head. He knew that Zhang Ding couldn¡¯t enter the hospital so he came there alone. ¡°Then¡­ Who else knows that Situ An¡¯s home is here?¡± Chapter 287: Cooperation ¡°If we spend more time together, you¡¯ll find that I¡¯m a person who likes peace and justice,¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice came from a portrait of a female security member. He had his hands behind his back as long nails were punctured into his body. ¡°I do not like fighting and prefer to use words to resolve conflicts¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The person responsible for Han Hai¡¯s special security unit stood in the corridor filled with blood and paintings. The female member beside him appeared to be cursed. Her face was decorated with curses, and long nails cut into her body. To capture Xia Yang, they used their own people as bait and paid a heavy price. ¡°With your power, you could have taken me head-on. Why did you resort to the dirty tricks? This is not like the investigation centre.¡± Xia Yang said teasingly. He could move between the paintings freely, but he had to paint on a canvas. Xia Yang¡¯s power was very unique. However, there were special members in the investigation centre. The female member could curse herself to damage her enemy, and she could turn her soul into a cage to trap ghosts. Xia Yang was trapped in the girl¡¯s soul when he painted her picture. ¡°You look quite at ease.¡± The leader of Security Team 2 was a talldy. Her body was fully covered up, so no ghost tattoo was revealed. ¡°You¡¯ve killed so many of us, and you still have the time to spew nonsense?!¡± She took out a long nail and pierced it through the arm of the female member. The woman¡¯s arm didn¡¯t bleed. Instead, it was the woman¡¯s portrait on the wall that started to bleed. ¡°That K that you mentioned¡­ I haven¡¯t even seen him. How can I kill him? The horror game yers are just a bunch of helpless kids. You overestimate them, but I can provide you with valuable information.¡± Xia Yang moved his neck with difficulty. ¡°Look out the window. I heard from your other members that K had brought his team to the back building.¡± ¡°We are familiar with K¡¯s power. There is indeed no trace of him using his ghost tattoo here.¡± The leader of Team Three was muscr and tough. He had no ghost tattoo on his body, but he carried a coffin. ¡°The back building¡­¡± Wan Jie nced out the window and already gathered a lot of information. ¡°That ce has already been transformed into the shadow world. This hospital has been corrupted a long time ago. How did the trash at the investigation centre not discover this?¡± There came footsteps. A normal-looking man walked out of the corridor. If not for the blood band he was wearing, people would think he was amon working-ss citizen.¡°Captain, there are many horror game yers here, but most of them are people who have just interacted with anomalies. They can¡¯t even deal with big ghosts, much less kill K.¡± The man walked to Wan Jie¡¯s side. There was no trace of blood on him. His tone was calm. ¡°Did you not capture them?¡± Team Leader 2 frowned. ¡°Why should I? I didn¡¯t harm them either.¡± The man nced at the watch on his wrist. ¡°I feel like we can keep them and have them join the investigation centre. Compared to the normal investigators, at least they have interacted with anomalies before.¡± The man was the leader of Team 1. No one other than Wan Jie dared to go against him. ¡°Leave those small fries to fend for themselves. We¡¯re heading to the back building. There are still survivors from Team Seven and Nine. We need to save them.¡± Team Leader 3, with the coffin, was the most righteous. He was worried about his colleagues. The man crumbled the wall and moved the wall with the portrait of the female member. ¡°We have to bring this ghost with us. He doesn¡¯t look like a good person.¡± Xia Yang had just gained freedom, but he was trapped again. He was annoyed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll lead you to the back building.¡± When they entered the back building, Xia Yang started to sense Gao Ming¡¯s location. His death portrait was with Gao Ming, so there was an indelible connection between them. ¡°Found it¡­¡± After they entered the real shadow world, Xia Yang¡¯s senses became sharper. He could sense some issues with Gao Ming¡¯s state. ¡°The killer who murdered your teammates has noticed your arrival. It is hiding in a safe ce. I can bring him to it, but when we¡¯re there, you have to promise to let me go.¡± Teacher Xia was so good with words. Logically speaking, the security members were outsiders, and it was normal for them to be discovered by the natives. When the enemy noticed how powerful they were, it was normal for them to hide as well. ¡­ The meat wall was under attack. The patients who were inside started to cooperate when they noticed this. If they stayed there, they would eventually be the sacrifice to the broken Gods. Once they could escape, they had a chance. ¡°Could it be the other security members?¡± Gao Ming fought K before. People from the Xin Lu Taboo Game had ghost tattoos on them. They had gained super power from the Taboo Game. Compared to the broken figurines in the ckke, Gao Ming was more interested in the divine corpses. The divine corpses could be used directly by the God of Flesh and Blood to produce more torture devices. The people outside tried their best to get in, and the people inside wanted to get out. Both parties tried to find the meat wall¡¯s weak points. ¡°We can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Gao Ming summoned the God of Flesh and Blood and told him the location of the death portrait. The God of Flesh and Blood abandoned the red raincoat when he heard Gao Ming. The four faces looked into the ckke and cackled joyously. This was the first time Gao Ming saw ¡®joy¡¯ in the God of Flesh and Blood. He didn¡¯t know if it came from his continuous improvement in strength or the allure of the death portrait. Eight arms mmed on theke. The shadow turned murky. Some of the figurines sunken at the bottom of theke started to surface. ¡°What is in that picture?¡± Xuan Wen held Gao Ming¡¯s hand. They met up with the God of Flesh and Blood at the heart of the ckke. The giant God stood among the broken figurines. He stepped on many broken faiths and reached out to grab the death portrait at the bottom of theke. Theke formed by the shadow rippled. The shadow scattered. The figurines at the bottom of theke bled. Some of them shattered fully. The current God of Flesh and Blood was like Gao Ming back in Granny Shen¡¯s room. He reached his hands into the copper basin. The water turned red and all the figurines in the room stared at him. Chapter 288: Opening Theke churned violently. The smiling figurines buried deep in the despair turned around. They looked at the God of Flesh and Blood with bloody eyes. The God of Blood and Despair escaped the haunting of fate through various methods. He was revived through Gao Ming and became the only living divine ghost in Han Hai. The eight arms cut through the ckke to grab at the death portrait. The thin photograph felt like it weighed a thousand tons. God¡¯s arms bulged with veins. The four faces roared with joy and pain as God tried to pick the picture up. The waves moved as all the shadows tried to swallow the God of Flesh and Blood. The way the broken figurines looked at the God of Flesh and Blood was filled with envy. ¡°It is mine! It is mine, be it inside or outside the dream!¡± A familiar voice came from the corner of the torture room. Both Situ An and Gao Ming heard it. ¡°Who is speaking? Is it Gong Xi or the God of Flesh and Blood?¡± The colourful patterns on the torture room walls appeared on God¡¯s skin. The torture devices trembled. God gave it his all to turn the picture over before more figurines awakened. Gao Ming and Xuan Wen finally saw the picture. It had the bloody city as its background. The city hid thirteen survivors. Situ An, who was wearing thepel of the chief of Han Hai Investigation Centre, stood before his mother¡¯s grave. His body was the clearest, but it had turned ck and white, bing a part of the city. Xia Yang, with a paintbrush and knitted sweater, sat in the ssroom. He painted his own corpsezily. Simr to Situ An, his body was devoid of colour, but his painted corpse was immensely colourful. Then, it was Jing Tuoshen whom Gao Ming had seen at the east city investigation centre. The beautiful man was a germaphobe. He stood in the bath, cleaning himself, but the bath had no water. The thing that flowed out of the showers and faucets was blood. The more he cleaned his body, the dirtier he was.Gao Ming took a closer look and found himself in the picture. He was on a running bus. The bus was filled with carcasses of his ssmates, and he was the only one alive. The strangest thing was the surviving student looked like him in terms of body frame, but his face was blurred out. He was the only survivor whose face couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. ¡°Situ An and Xia Yang are dead. Therefore, they are one with the bloody city and lose their colour. Are the other eleven still alive?¡± Gao Ming was not expecting to see himself in Situ An¡¯sst trump card. ¡°This picture features the bloody city as its background. Will the city how Han Hai look like this once the shadow world takes over? Are the thirteen of us the parents chosen by the shadow world?¡± In the future, Gao Ming had once experienced Situ An bing the chief of the investigation centre and the most powerful person at Han Hai. Xia Yang controlled the horror game yers and was Situ An¡¯s greatest nemesis. From these two, one could deduce that the other eleven people were not simple characters. ¡°If you kill the other twelve, will you be Han Hai¡¯s owner?¡± Xuan Wen suddenly said, ¡°After all, there are only thirteen survivors in this picture.¡± Gao Ming had never considered controlling the city. He was more concerned about the title of the survivors. ¡°Assuming everyone in Han Hai is living in a dream, does it mean only the thirteen of us are awake?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, fate will want to see the thirteen of you go after each other. Is this part of fate¡¯s script?¡± Xuan Wen and Gao Ming had not reached any conclusion, and the God of Flesh and Blood was about to go insane. He had fully escaped Gao Ming¡¯s control, like a criminal who had been locked up for decades and finally found freedom. All the disguises were shed. He didn¡¯t even care about the potential harm the death portrait might bring him as he opened his mouth greedily. The four faces represented the conflict within the God of Flesh and Blood. They fought each other as they chased to swallow the death portrait. The strongest was the Face of Death. The Faces of Sin and Desire were not weak as well. As the Face of Lifegged behind, Gao Ming let go of Xuan Wen and ran towards the God of Flesh and Blood. Compared to the original God of Flesh and Blood, Gao Ming definitely had more trust in Gong Xi. The sealed death portrait was dragged out. The twisted lines of faith were torn apart. The divine figurines were crushed by the God of Flesh and Blood. However, some of the broken figurines showed anomalous symptoms. They were slowly ing alive¡¯. Holding the chains, Gao Ming climbed on the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯srge body without fear. Other than him, no one dared to do something like this. The God of Flesh and Blood would not allow people to step on him. The Face of Death radiated a strong presence. After it finally knocked the other faces back, when it wanted to bite at the portrait, the chains pulled at him from behind. Gai Ming wagered that the God of Flesh and Blood would not kill him. God would not kill him¡­ at least not at that moment. ¡°You are reborn in my heart, so you are a part of me. You should follow my consciousness.¡± With Gao Ming¡¯s intervention, Gong Xi¡¯s face of life swallowed the special death portrait. The portrait, sustained by endless mud figurines, entered the body. The God of Flesh and Blood changed instantly. He becamerger and seemed to have united with the city under his feet. The cause and effect were severed. The world, in the eyes of Life¡¯s Face, changed. He seemed to see the waking world. The other faces and the nearby broken figurines revealed envy. These dead Gods once lived in the waking world, but something happened to them. They opened their eyes and turned around as they tried to shred the God of Flesh and Blood alive. Gao Ming stood on God¡¯s shoulders, and his heart raced. The God of Flesh and Blood required time to digest thetest portrait. After all, it was the picture of a whole city. The sharp w pierced through the meat wall. With the cooperation of the patients and the force on the other side of the wall, the weakest spot crumbled. The shrill screams echoed. Then, endless curses crawled into the fleshy walls. The patients didn¡¯t have the time to escape before they were knocked back into the intestine. ¡°What a crowded ce.¡± The leader of Team Three dragged a coffin in his left hand and carried a b of wall on his right as he blocked the opening. Chapter 289: Escape Chapter 289: Escape ¡°Reinforcement?¡± When the patients inside the hospital saw the security members, they couldn¡¯t react instantly. Some of the lunatics cheered joyfully, shouting that they had been saved. The security members, in their clear-cut uniforms, cut through the meat walls and chased away the shadow. However, they didn''t bring light. ¡°Finally, you¡¯vee! I¡¯ve imagined this so many times already. Finally, someone will save us from this demonicir!¡± Most patients were trapped there by Lu Zang and Situ An. They were desperate for freedom. They were unwilling to give up, but due to their immense potential, Situ An transformed them into toys and ced them at home. ¡°Save you?¡± The Team 3 Leader threw the wall aside. His eyes shone withplications. The patients had been corrupted by shadow. They were not humans or ghosts. The investigation centre had a clear rule that these creatures had to be exterminated to prevent the corruption from spreading. A pale paper doll appeared behind a patient. The paper doll¡¯s arm easily poked through the patient¡¯s chest. Like a naughty pet, it swallowed the patient¡¯s heart. With blood on its lips, the paper doll floated on the wind to a thin elder. The hand with the blood band raised. A stack of paper money fluttered in the air. The elder was the leader of Team Four. He looked like a kind, friendly elder but was extremely cruel. After lighting three joss sticks, the elder tossed out more paper dolls from his sleeves. The security members entered through the opening. They were the strongest trump cards cultivated by the headquarters. The patients were surrounded by security members and the awakened divine figurines. If they knew the outside world was so despairing, they¡¯d stay as toys. ¡°Li San Hospital has be their of demons. It is a nail the shadow world has pinned into the real world. We need to level this ce.¡± Team Leader One silently appeared beside Team Leader Three. He adjusted his watch, ¡°It looks like we¡¯re going to work overtime.¡± ¡°So many figurines are hidden here. Do these people know about the secrets of the taboo game?¡± The Leader of Team 2 was fully covered. She followed Wan Jie. ¡°The shadow world is a dead world where the power of the dead has percted. Most of the power is collected on the divine corpses, while the others are hidden in the scattered figurines. The owner of the hospital must have a big ambition to have collected so many figurines.¡±¡°He must have done this to revive a certain God. Look at the source of the shadow.¡± The Leader of Team One pointed at theke centre. All the chaos originated from there. Everyone turned their eyes. Their gazes were fixated on the God of Flesh and Blood. The divine ghost with eight arms stood in the middle of all the figurines like all the figurines were there to revive him. ¡°The pictureparison is sessful. Based on the information sent by Jing Tuoshen, this monster once appeared at Han De Private School. The level 4 Anomaly at the school appears to be rted to it!¡± The vice leader of Team Eight wore spectacles. His body was protected byyers of protective clothes. He was responsible for the logistics. Many security members¡¯ eyes reddened. ¡°That is the source of the chaos in Han Hai.¡± The Leader of team 3 pressed on the coffin. He requested permission to attack from Wan Jie. The other team leaders turned to Wan Jie. With his eyes on the God of Flesh and Blood, a strange talisman in Wan Jie¡¯s eyes. Soon, the talisman morphed into Gao Ming¡¯s face. ¡°Found it.¡± Wan Jie said severely, ¡°There is a living human standing on the shoulder of the monster. We have to catch him alive. Other than him, the others have to be eliminated!¡± Hearing that, the leader of Team One was startled. ¡°Some of the patients can be used. They are rational and can bemunicated with.¡± Wan Jie said nothing but shot a look at the man. The leader of Team One lowered his head and walked towards the patients and the broken mud figurines. The ghost tattoo crawled up his spine. The leader of Team One undid the first button of his shirt. With him as the centre, the shadow and death were washed back. The shadow of an Unmentionable surfaced on his back. The Leader of Team One was a legend in the taboo game. He found a watch that could only read the time backwards on an altar. The horror of an Unmentionable was hidden in that watch. The other security members avoided the leader of Team One. With the leader of Team Three as the head, they formed a formation and slowly pushed forward. ¡°Open the coffin!¡± The members of Team Three dripped their blood into the coffin brought by their team leader. A ghost tattoo appeared on the coffin. The leader pushed open the lid to reveal a in red dress lying inside. The dress used to be white, but it had turned red after being soaked in blood for so long. The leader of Team Three guarded the coffin. The members who had fed their blood to the coffin had their eyes changed. They appeared to be suffering some collective trauma. Using their physical bodies to sustain evil and then using that extreme evil to resist the shadow was how the Han Hai security members protected the city. The few teams worked together perfectly and revealed no weaknesses. The patients that approached them perished instantly. The leader of Team One and the members of Team Three, who were dominated by hatred, were like two sharpnces. In a few minutes, they had reached the edge of the ckke. ¡°Gao Ming, this is not good. They areing for you.¡± Xuan Wen stood behind the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood requires time to control the bloodred city. I need to figure out a way to have them fight the divine figurines.¡± Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. His mind was connected to Xia Yang, who was trapped inside the wall. Both of them stared at the opening in the wall made by the security members. ¡°Now is not the time to run.¡± The leader of Team Eight hadpiled all the information about Gao Ming. Wan Jie memorised everything after he scanned them. Through the ckke that was made from shadows, Wan Jie took out the order given by the headquarters. ¡°Gao Ming, we suspect you are involved in many anomalies in Han Hai. You sacrifice the citizens in the hopes of reviving the divine ghost to overturn Han Hai. Now, Han Hai Headquarters has officially released the order to detain you.¡± ¡°Did you misunderstand something?¡± Sitting on the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s shoulder, Gao Ming scoffed at Wan Jie. However, he still replied to the man politely, ¡°I have done none of that. Everything I do, I do because I am the divine ghost!¡± The divine figurines opened their eyes. Gao Ming appeared to be on the same side as them. Even his arrogant expression mimicked theirs. Chapter 290: Why Escape? None of the security members expected Gao Ming''s arrogance. Even Wan Jie darkened his expression. Gao Ming was too bold to expose his identity as a divine ghost before the investigation centre. The headquarter¡¯s attitude towards ghosts had always been clear-cut: elimination. If Gao Ming imed that he was human, they still had room for negotiation. ¡°We¡¯ve investigated everything about you. You and your ssmates from ss 13 are not escaping.¡± Wan Jie stared at Gao Ming. He had not seen a situation like Gao Ming where the man and the ghost were of one body and tied together by the threads of fate. ¡°Escape? Why should we escape? I¡¯ve lured you here for this moment.¡± Gao Ming adjusted his facial expression. He was a good psychiatrist, but at that moment, he acted like a perfect mental patient. ¡°After you die, the shadow world will swallow Han Hai, and this void dream will be over.¡± Gao Ming mimicked the expressions on the mud figurines. However, with the God of Flesh and Blood standing in the middle of the figurines, it appeared like they were all worshipping Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood. The security members saw Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood standing in the middle of the ckke once they entered. They didn¡¯t know about the existence of the bloodred city death portrait. In addition to Xia Yang¡¯s description, they naturally thought that Gao Ming was the culprit. Wan Jie¡¯s eyes could see through things that normal people couldn¡¯t. However, since Gong Xi had coincidentally swallowed the death portrait, all the twisted faith flowed towards the God of Flesh and Blood, creating the illusion that they were on the same side. Another point that caused Wan Jie¡¯s misjudgment was that he had seen information about the red raincoat in the files sent by Jing Tuoshen. He knew that the red raincoat had appeared at Han De Private School. She was one of the Red Spectres controlled by the research department. The fact that the red spectre was fighting the mud figurines by the ckke meant that they were enemies. Furthermore, even if the red raincoat had escaped the researchers¡¯ control, she had distracted part of the divine figurines, thus helping the security members. During the mission, things changed in mere seconds. He didn¡¯t have much time to think and many decisions had to be made in an instant. As more broken figurines awakened, Wan Jie gave the order to attack.The members of Team Three looked like they had been possessed. The hatred in their eyes materialised. No matter their gender, all of them became feminine, and bloodstains appeared on their uniforms. There were too many security members to avoid the mud figurines in theke. The figurines moved silently through the shadows. The first scream appeared without warning. Team Three members who walked in front were untouched, but one of the members from Team Eight suddenly disappeared. The vice leader of Team Eight looked around. A flower-faced figurine appeared at the location where his missing member had upied seconds ago. Its limbs were short, and it wore the uniform of the missing member. ¡°Has Xiao Ge turned into a figurine?¡± One of the other Team Eight members wanted to check. His fingers were about to touch the figurine when his vice leader shouted at him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± The member listened to the order. However, he soon felt pain in his finger, like something had bitten him. He turned around and saw the flowery face being inches away from his eyes. He saw his reflection in the pupils. ¡°There¡¯s a living person inside the mud figurine!¡± His face in the reflection slowly corroded to grow flowery patterns. At the same time, his face started to burn and itch. A paper doll climbed on top of the mud figurine and covered its eyes. Then, the head of the figurine was smashed. A rotten flowery-patterned shirt and smelly flesh rolled out of the smashed head. The oldest team leader used a small copper mallet to smash into the figurine''s head again and again. The paper dolls cheered and danced. They tore apart the clothes and ate the meat. Flowery patterns soon appeared on their paper bodies. The contaminated paper dolls started to cry. With no expression, the old man lit the tainted paper dolls on fire. ¡°You owe me a life.¡± The old man told the team member. Then, he disappeared into the ckke with his mallet. Teams One and Three spearheaded the mission, and Team Four was responsible for bringing the rear up. Every team worked together to ensure there were no loopholes. Different from the brute force employed by the red raincoat, these security members fully utilised the benefits of being humans. They garnered a lot of experience in the taboo game and came up with different solutions to deal with different mud figurines. They tried to gain new curses from the figurines as they lowered the damage dealt to them to the minimum. Gao Ming underestimated the power of these people. A few of the team leaders could kill Gao Ming, much less all of them. More mud figurines awakened at the ckke. However, due to the arrival of the security members, the pressure on the red raincoat lessened. The mud figurines retained the consciousness of the dead Gods. Compared to the red raincoat, the living security members were better targets for sacrifice and possession. Without Gao Ming having to do anything, the mud figurines in the ckke opened their eyes. The dead consciousness surrounded the security members. ¡°Now, do you know who should escape?¡± Gao Ming stood on the shoulders of the God of Flesh and Blood. He cackled openly and without fear. ¡°Leader, this might be a trap. The painter''s ghost probably directed us here on purpose.¡± The vice leader of Team Eight was worried and told Wan Jie. Wan Jie didn¡¯t give the order to stop, and he kept his eyes on Gao Ming, ¡°Keep moving forward. Do not let go of any opportunity to capture him.¡± Gao Mingughed happily as he scanned the security members. Xuan Wen, who hid behind the God of Flesh and Blood, tried to approach the red raincoat as they prepared to retreat. Why wouldn¡¯t they escape? The power of the mud figurines was uneven. Some were powerful, and some were not. Gao Ming had no idea how many figurines were at the bottom of theke. If something scary really appeared, he wouldn¡¯t have the chance to escape. ¡°Now, I just need to wait for the God of Flesh and Blood.¡± Gao Ming urged the God of Flesh and Blood. At the same time, he noticed Xia Yang, who was trapped inside the wall. Teacher Xia resisted the urge to contact Gao Ming to prevent Wan Jie from noticing anything. Chapter 291: Hes Here With Xia Yang¡¯s personality, he¡¯d spend his free time talking into Gao Ming¡¯s ears. He must have discovered something to be so honest that day. Sometimes, silence was a hint. Gao Ming instantly stopped being distracted. He suspected there was someone who could observe one¡¯s soul among the security members. If the enemy could read one¡¯s thoughts, the best solution was to lie to oneself. With a cruel smile on his face, Gao Ming focused on uniting with the God of Flesh and Blood. He had always been very cautious and sane. However, this time, he handed the power of agency to the God of Flesh and Blood. Murky red clouded his eyes. Gao Ming looked down on Wan Jie. He held the chains forged from endless souls. He was cruel, battle-hungry and blood-thirsty. Gao Ming in Wan Jie¡¯s eyes slowly changed. He seemed to be dissecting everything about the man. Arge door covered in blood appeared deep inside his eyes. As the door slowly opened, he saw a room hanging with torture devices. Even if he had seen many shocking scenes in the taboo game, he was stunned. He didn¡¯t dare to imagine someone so crazy would live in Han Hai and create this liar right underneath the eyes of the investigation centre. ¡°You seem to have seen my secret.¡± The calm voice came out of Gao Ming¡¯s mouth. The tone was chilling. ¡°In that case, you should join me.¡± Perhaps it was their imagination. The security members realised more mud figurines were crawling at them. The Gods in the ckke appeared to be controlled by Gao Ming. ¡°Beware of your surroundings! Grade One Alert!¡± This was the second order Wan Jie gave after he entered the ckke. He was finally certain that K had died to Gao Ming. He could sense the presence of the divine corpse inside the room filled with torture devices. ¡°None of you can escape!¡± Gao Ming seemed to have the upper hand as he trapped the security members inside the ckke. ¡°Only the investigation centre has the power to capture others. Who do you think you are?¡± The leader of Team Three picked up the coffin and used the hatred to chase away the shadow. He looked powerful and strong, but he was slow. Every step taken by the security members was exchanged for curses, pain and sacrifices. Once a team member left the range of the team, they would be taken away and killed by the figurines.¡°I don¡¯t want to do this too, but you insist on killing me without evenunching a legit investigation. You are a tragedy and not a blessing to Han Hai.¡± If Gao Ming were captured by Wan Jie, his ending would be worse than death. The researchers would conduct inhumane research on him. They would torture him endlessly to obtain the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s power. Gao Ming had no choice but to resist. The door of the torture room opened a crack. The sound of soul wailing entered everyone¡¯s eyes. The wounds on Gao Ming¡¯s body tore open, and his blood dripped on the head of the God of Flesh and Blood. The four faces growled. The red eyes were like burning mes. The eight arms smacked into the sediments at the bottom of theke. The memories of Gods turned into ash. The mud figurines containing the twisted faith were shattered. The God of Flesh and Blood, who had consumed the death portrait of the bloodred city, appeared to be the source of the shadow and had inherited the will of the dead world. If a big ghost retained a strong resentment after they died, they had a chance to obtain a resentment room. If they could reconstruct their past in the resentment room, they could have their nightmare. The God of Flesh and Blood took over the resentment room of Situ An¡¯s child. After that, he turned the hospital patients'' and Situ An¡¯s imaginations of home into a nightmare. However, that was not the end. After consuming the death portrait of the city, bloody patterns appeared on God¡¯s skin. The patternsbined together to form the silhouette of the bloodred city! The God of Blood and Flesh wanted to turn the bloodred city in the shadow world into his death realm to escape from the bonds of fate. ¡°The bloodred city?¡± Wan Jie studied the changes to the God of Flesh and Blood. The image of the city appeared in his eyes. He sucked in a cold breath as he was reminded of a legend about the taboo game. The taboo game¡¯s only city was split into two parts. The surface city was covered in healing sunlight, while the deeper city was bloodred in colour. ording to legends, the bloodred city spread for miles and hid many anomalies and horror games. The city was built on the corpse of an evil ghost! Everything rted to the taboo game was confidential. Wan Jie didn¡¯t expect to see something rted to the bloodred city in Han Hai. Gao Ming was a lot weaker than the bloodred city, but the city was dead, and Gao Ming was alive. ¡°Eventually, I¡¯ll dig out your eyes!¡± Gao Ming knew that Wan Jie had read his secrets. His aura burst into the sky. The God of Flesh and Blood opened his eyes to re at Wan Jie. He seemed to be determined to murder Wan Jie no matter what. ¡°Protect the team leader!¡± The leaders of Teams Three and Four paused. The members on the outer ring shrunk. They were very close to theke centre. When the pattern of the bloodred city appeared on the God of Flesh and Blood, several suffocating presences came from the bottom of theke. The Gods that had been sealed at the very bottom had awakened! Gao Ming had no idea how much longer he could stay. Compared to the security members, he was more worried about the figurines. They would not allow him to bring the death portrait of the city away so easily. ¡°Things shoulde to an end now.¡± The ckke rippled. The shadow burst forth like mist. Before the bloodred city was fully imprinted on God''s skin, Gao Ming gave orders while God was still mobile. The howls shattered the corpses embedded in the walls. Xuan Wen carried the blind man and waded out of the ckke. They mixed with the patients near the opening. The red raincoat also forced back the mud figurines around her and found temporary safety. At the same time, the God of Flesh and Blood charged at the security members, apanied by the oppressive presence. ¡°Do not panic!¡± The leader of Team One stayed in front. The old watch on his wrist ticked backwards. The murmurs of the Unmentionable appeared around him. The silhouette became clearer as time flowed backwards. The scary presence at the bottom of theke threatened them like never before. All the team leaders showcased their best abilities. All the security members were so nervous that they forgot to breathe. A single collision would decide their fate. The giant ghost with four faces and eight arms was like a devil from the shadow world! The living man on the giant ghost was like an unbridled madman! ¡°He¡¯sing!¡± The blood and flesh resentment room expanded. The light was twisted. Colours were sucked from the world. Gao Ming stared at Wan Jie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Die!¡± The undting flesh collided with the three teams. Before they could react, the security members saw the God of Flesh and Blood brush past them and aim at the ¡®safety passage¡¯ they had created earlier! The goal of the God of Flesh and Blood was clear. It was the opening that was slowly closing! The horrifying presence rose from the ckke. Anger and horror spread. A few voices howled to stop Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood from leaving. The Leader of Team One turned around in shock. The biggest enemy of his life had escaped more than a hundred metres away in the blink of an eye. Chapter 292: Underground Morgue ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Before the warning echoed away, the God of Flesh and Blood had already changed direction. ¡°And¡­ he¡¯s gone?!¡± The red raincoat and the security members attracted a lot of mud figurines. The sudden assault by the God of Flesh and Blood surprised the mud figurines in the ckke. ¡°Enjoy my presents for you!¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t shed the disguise of madness. After he gave the God of Flesh and Blood the order, he started to hypnotise himself into believing that he was a cruel murderer. The red raincoat and Xuan Wen retreated in advance. Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood open the torture room door. Before he left, he shouted at the patients, ¡°If you want to live,e in here!¡± The patients had been detained by Situ An for so long, and now, they were surrounded by the security members and the mud figurines. They entered the torture room without thinking. Compared to the murderous security members and the mud figurines, Gao Ming was willing tomunicate with them. Earlier, it was also Gao Ming who brought them out of that home. ¡°Leave?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s summon was the sound of salvation for the patients, but it confused the security members greatly.Is the man insane? A few seconds ago, he bragged about killing everyone, but at this moment, he wanted to flee. The man had the upper hand. He had set up a giant. They were trapped in the. But he chose to leave at this point? The leader of Team One cursed. Wrinkles grew on his wrist. The watch couldn¡¯t be stopped once time started to rewind. He paid a heavy price, but the expected battle did not happen. ¡°Leader?¡± A lot of talismans appeared in Wan Jie¡¯s eyes. He seemed to be crumbling down the bloodred city to detect more things inside it. In just a few seconds, Gao Ming had ¡®saved¡¯ more than ten patients. When the security members changed their formation, he quickly closed the torture room door. The bloodlines that cut through his pupils faded away. Gao Mingy on the back of the God of Flesh and Blood. Gao Ming told the security members openly, ¡°Situ An set up everything here. After the mud figurines awaken, the whole city might fall into chaos. I came here to stop him, but he trapped me in the ckke. Without your reinforcement, I might have died here.¡± Once Gao Ming said that, the three leaders¡¯ faces paled. They came to capture Gao Ming but ended up saving him, with the loss of so many members. Humans were definitely more cunning than ghosts! ¡°This time, I¡¯ll let you go. Next time, I won¡¯t be so charitable anymore!¡± Gao Ming¡¯s every word touched their nerves. ¡°Damn you!¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay to listen to them. After he said his piece, he had the God of Flesh and Blood pick up the wall that sealed Xia Yang and left. To fight for more time, Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood adjust the opening. The power of the God of Flesh and Blood wasn¡¯t simr to that of the meat walls. The opening would be knocked down by the security members without taking much time. Therefore, Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay and headed to the underground morgue. ¡°Follow me!¡± The map provided by Mr. Question marked out the exits. Gao Ming had gained a lot at Li San Hospital. All the figurines at theke had awakened. He couldn¡¯t stay there anymore. Holding Xuan Wen with one hand and the red raincoat in another, Gao Ming ran ahead. The red raincoat dealt with all the mud figurines alone earlier. She was greatly drained, so she couldn¡¯t resist Gao Ming. ¡°Should we bring Teacher Xia out from the wall first? Those security members might be able to track us down through him.¡± Xuan Wen wanted to crush the wall when she saw the portrait inside the wall wave at her. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Xia Yang to somewhere in the east city after we leave the hospital.¡± Gao Ming did this on purpose. His people were all in the old city, so he wanted to use Xia Yang to lure the security members away. Li San Hospital had fully mutated. The ce waspletely shrouded by shadows. It was difficult to find one thing that had not been touched by corruption. ¡°It is a dead world. One will go crazy after living here for too long.¡± The slumbering mud figurines were Situ An¡¯sst effects and hisst revenge on the real world. The madman had decided to die with Han Hai from the very start. He probably wanted to use this to negotiate with the real higher-ups at Han Hai at the key moment, but Gao Ming killed him before he had that chance. ¡°Those mud figurines are probably why those people are so desperate to save Situ An.¡± Gao Ming had the protection of the God of Flesh and Blood, so normal ghosts didn¡¯t dare toe close to him. ¡°Not necessarily. There might be people from the shadow world at the headquarters.¡± Xuan Wen was more familiar with the dark sides of humanity than Gao Ming was. The irony was she was right most of the time. There were many strange and scary existences inside Li San Hospital. However, Gao Ming didn¡¯t have time to explore further. With the aid of the God of Flesh and Blood, they came to the first floor underground. Seeing the locked door at the end of the corridor and the talismans pasted on the door, Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood try to turn it into flesh. To Gao Ming''s surprise, even the God of Flesh and Blood couldn¡¯t open the door easily. In the end, God had to work together with the red raincoat to break the door down. Gao Ming rushed down the stairs beyond the door. The chilly air condensed into liquid as they dripped from the ceiling. After a few steps, Gao Ming looked between the bannisters. Strange buildings were scattered underground. Many shadows Gao Ming had not encountered before wandered among the hospital rooms. There appeared to be another hospital underneath Li San Hospital. Images shed in his mind. Gao Ming felt like he had been there a long time ago. Gao Ming took out Mr. Question¡¯s map and barged into the morgue. The ce was extremely quiet as if it were a monster that fed on sound. Gao Ming walked past the empty beds and noticed a wet trail on the ground. ¡°Before I came here, I met a horror game yer called Yang Yu. He and his family used to live underneath the hospital. His mother was the manager of the morgue.¡± Xuan Wen thought for a while and took out a note with a bloody handprint. ¡°I promised to lead him back to the hospital. He owes me. I hope his family will recognise that.¡± Chapter 293: Door Xuan Wen and Yang Yu entered Li San Hospital together. She was not worried about Yang Yu escaping. As long as the letter of debt was still there, Xuan Wen had a way to find the other person. Xuan Wen wiped the blood on the letter of debt on a nk death portrait. She watched as the blood slowly spread into the death portrait. Her lips moved as she summoned Yang Yu. Xuan Wen¡¯s power was unique. With her summons, the bloodstain faded and melted into the shadow. It created Yang Yu¡¯s silhouette. ¡°The kid is very cute. He has always been protected by his family. He doesn¡¯t know how dangerous the world is.¡± Yang Yu in the death portrait had nothing to do with ¡®cute¡¯. However, no one there cared about appearances. In the portrait, Yang Yu was like a kid waking up. His eyes flew open, and he looked at Xuan Wen in disbelief. He waved his hands like he was banging on an invisible mirror. ¡°Tell your parents toe fetch us.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s tone made Yang Yu¡¯s hair stand on end. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t, they might never see you again.¡± The blood moved on the death portrait. Yang Yu screamed from fear. Gao Ming and the red raincoat focused their attention on the surroundings. About ten secondster, the iron cupboard that was the deepest in the morgue opened from the inside. The cupboard was originally used to store various items. The clothes of the dead hung inside it, and bones that had not been cleaned. The thick arms were pierced by iron nails. A man in a strange flowery dress crawled out. His body shook like he was scared, but there was no trace of fear on his face. The man had long hair and blood on his lips. His lips asionally opened to reveal his ckened teeth. ¡°Is he¡­ your mother?¡± Gao Ming asked uncertainly. Yang Yu hadn¡¯t said anything, but the man had already nodded madly. His eyes wandered between the red raincoat and the God of Flesh and Blood. The man cleverly chose to surrender. He mumbled for a long time as if trying to speak after he hadn¡¯t spoken for decades. Finally, he gurgled out, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve seen you before. You said you would never return.¡± ¡°Seen me?¡± Gao Ming had no impression of Yang Yu¡¯s family.The man knocked over the cart beside him. The things on the cart were scattered everywhere. His mutated arms picked up a heartless corpse. ¡°You were lying beside a corpse. I still haven¡¯t found that corpse.¡± ¡°He probably is not lying. You have been to Li San Hospital before you met me.¡± Xuan Wen had seen the recording between Lu Zang and Gao Ming in the psychiatry counselling room. ¡°I was lying beside a corpse?!¡± Gao Ming thought of a possibility. ¡°Is that corpse a patient? Did he call himself Question?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember. I only know that he lives in Room 7003. I¡¯ve been looking for him.¡± The man pointed at the giant wound on his neck. ¡°This was the punishment the doctors gave us after we lost him.¡± ¡°The patient in Room 7003 should be Question. I was with him during thest period of my memory. However, hasn¡¯t he woken up from the dream? Why did he turn into a corpse?¡± Gao Ming was desperate to leave, so he didn¡¯t have much time to contemte these things. ¡°The divine figurines inside the Li San Hospital have awakened. This ce will be destroyed soon. If you know the exit, we can leave together.¡± ¡°Doctor Lu said that you¡¯de here. I¡¯ve already opened the exit for you.¡± The man said so, but his body didn¡¯t move. ¡°He also told me that you could help me remove the broken medical device from my body and aid me in escaping the hospital curse.¡± ¡°Remove the medical device?¡± ¡°Yes. This is what I¡¯m talking about.¡± The man took out a serrated knife from the cupboard. He cut open the scar that extended from his neck to his shoulder. An iron cage was installed in his chest. His mutated heart was like a bird pping its wings in the cage. ¡°I¡¯ve tried removing it myself, but once I touched the medical device, the cursed doctors woulde. This thing meant that I couldn¡¯t leave the hospital.¡± After some thought, Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood open the door of the torture room. The roomful of patients was shocked. They shared a look with the man. They saw the confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come. Lay on the surgical table.¡± Gao Ming had stolen the surgical table of the Li San Hospital. Even the two doctors'' ghosts were inside his heart. With the two¡¯s help, the iron cage in the man¡¯s chest was slowly removed. Since the surgery was conducted inside Gao Ming¡¯s heart, the cursed doctors were not triggered. The man was excited about tasting imminent freedom. His eyes turned cruel and dangerous. The man had to be twisted and crazy to be chosen by Lu Zang as the guard. Only the crazy would be admired by Lu Zang. The iron cage was only halfway removed when Gao Ming told the doctors to stop. ¡°You can finish the rest after we leave the hospital.¡± The man was not dumb. He obediently told Gao Ming the method to leave. He took out a smelly key from the wound on his stomach. After he tossed it to Gao Ming, he pointed at the mortuary cabs. ¡°The door to leave is hidden in the fourth cab of the fourth row.¡± Gao Ming opened the cab. There was a bloody door inside it. It was covered in warm blood. ¡°I¡¯ve conducted the sacrifice for you.¡± The man chuckled. He seemed to have enjoyed the sacrifice. The key was pushed into the hole. The haunting breeze blew in from outside the door. The shadows gathered at the door like crazy. ¡°We can finally leave.¡± Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood and the red raincoat return to the torture room. He and Xuan Wen escaped. Before the shadow dissipated, Gao Ming closed the door. Inside the door was the dead shadow world. Outside the door was Han Hai, where he had grown up. The experience that night overturned his worldview. Even if he was back in real life, he felt ufortable. ¡°The feud between the investigation centre and me is set.¡± After killing a security team leader, he indirectly caused the death of two teams. He also harmed the remaining seven teams. He had caused more damage to the security department than the shadow world did. ¡°When the mud figurines and the security members are out, I assume Li San Hospital will be a Level Five Anomaly.¡± Xuan Wen didn¡¯t know how scary the mud figurines were. However, based on their presence, no one at Han Hai could destroy them. ¡°Go back to inform Zhang Ding to be ready. Furthermore, I need you to release thetest horror game rules through the Dead Water forum. We have to try to keep as many citizens alive as we can.¡± Gao Ming nced at the time. ¡°The sky is still bright. I¡¯ll bring Xia Yang to the other city locations.¡± Chapter 294: New City ¡°Be careful.¡± Xuan Wen wanted to say something more to Gao Ming, but she chose to say nothing. She helped the blind man up and followed Gao Ming into the front building. The leader of Team One didn¡¯t murder all the horror game yers. If he were not trapped, he might use this chance to improve the yers¡¯ impression of the investigation centre. Unfortunately, there was no if in this world. Putting back the mask made by Xuan Wen, Gao Ming summoned the God of Flesh and Blood in the front building. He howled openly. The security members who stayed back to guard quickly rushed over. However, they were no match for the God of Flesh and Blood. As the horror game yers watched on, the God of Flesh and Blood stopped both humans and ghosts. His existence was the scariest horror story. ¡°The tragedy is here, and no one is willing to be sitting ducks. We are merely using our own methods to protect the things we want to protect.¡± Gao Ming, who stood on the shoulder of God, nced at the many faces. The horror game yers were still very weak. However, if they were given time to grow, some of them would definitely see the waking world. ¡°The anomaly started at Xin Lu half a year ago. The investigation centre knew about them earlier than we did. However, they chose to keep it a secret until they couldn¡¯t any more.¡± The blood and flesh resentment room corrupted the ground. Endless torture devices collided in his heart. Gao Ming¡¯s voice was influential and oppressive. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted to overthrow anything. We have been cornered. We have to choose between darkness and death. ¡°There is only one way to kill the anomaly, and that is to be an anomaly. After you¡¯ve experienced indescribable pain, you will unleash the monster hidden inside your heart. ¡°No one wants to be a monster. However, this is the only choice if you want to see the sun again. ¡°However, in the eyes of the investigation centre, you are not different from the ghosts. You have to be eliminated. That is the purpose of our existence. We will provide Han Hai with a new answer, one that we handwrote ourselves.¡±Gao Ming calcted the time. He walked to the hospital front door, and the God of Flesh and Blood opened eight arms. As the thunder boomed, the God of Flesh and Blood opened the hospital door. ¡°Escape this ce. Experience more anomalies. Try to survive with your own method. Hold fate firmly in your hands!¡± The night fell. Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood disappeared out the door. The horror game yers instantly dispersed. Xuan Wen mixed among them and headed to the old city. ¡­ The ss cup was mmed into the ground. The sharp pieces flew everywhere. Jing Tuoshen looked at the virtual screen inside the east city investigation centre with disbelief. His glove was cut. He didn¡¯t even realise blood had dyed his fingertip. ¡°All the nine security teams from Xin Lu have lost contact with us¡­¡± The sun was almost up. However, no one in the meeting room was drowsy. If anything, their nerves couldn¡¯t be more taut. The security members from the taboo game were the headquarters¡¯ trump cards. However, two teams were trapped, and one of the team leaders was killed on the first day, and the seven teams that arrived as reinforcements went missing on the second day! ¡°They might have entered too deep into the anomaly, and their signal has been disrupted.¡± Cen Guan was Han Hai¡¯s experienced vice-captain. He dared to speak because he was one of the most senior members. ¡°Wan Jie has his own contact method, which uses blood, curses, and live bodies. No matter how many of them enter the anomaly, they will leave behind logistic members to stay guard outside. They have experienced hundreds of anomalies. They won¡¯t mess up something as basic as this.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s face was scarily pale. ¡°A group loss ofmunication¡­ This at least means that Wan Jie¡¯s team has been trapped, and the logistic teams left outside have been killed.¡± ¡°How are the horror game yers so powerful?¡± ¡°Send people to Li San Hospital now! The old city has a high poption. We cannot let Li San Hospital be the second Han Hai Private School. It¡¯ll be too difficult for us to deal with two highly dangerous anomalies at the same time!¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s blood seeped out of his glove. When he saw the blood, his eyes twitched, and his voice sharpened. ¡°K has been killed, and Wan Jie¡¯s teams have gone missing. It feels like a pair of hands is pressed on the investigation centre¡¯s back, trying to push us into the abyss.¡± ¡°The culprit knows the investigation centre and even the security teams training at the taboo game in Xin Lu. This is a targeted attack.¡± Cen Guan hesitated. ¡°Li San Hospital was where Situ An once worked. And he is currently missing. Could he be the culprit? ¡°He faked his death to escape and then revealed hisst words to the public to destroy the citizens¡¯ trust in the investigation centre. Then, the horror game yers appeared in the east city in droves. Would he target the headquarters next? I feel like he¡¯d do something even worse.¡± Everyone broke out in cold sweat. When they worked with Situ An, they didn¡¯t think he was that special. However, after he ¡®betrayed¡¯ them, they realised how scary he was. ¡°If he¡¯s really behind this, there has to be a goal for him to do all these¡­¡± Jing Tuoshen suddenly thought of something. His bloody glove controlled the buttons. An investigation centre building at the northern port city appeared on screen. To handle the tragedy, the investigation centre built a new city near the isted northern port city. All the buildings in the new city were meant to hold back against the tragedy. The research centres and the stuff taken out of the anomalies were stored there. The north port new city not only had the research centres but also the real high-ups of the Han Hai headquarters and their family members. Based on the headquarters rules, only those who had contributed in the anomalies could send their families to live in the new city. The new city was like Noah¡¯s Ark. Many investigators risked their lives to enter the anomalies for the sake of the ark¡¯s tickets. ¡°That madman¡­¡± ¡­ The storm had ceased. Before the night faded away, Gao Ming arrived at the east city¡¯s Bo Wan Vige. The vige was hidden in the deep mountain. Many strange events had urred there. Even if the security members followed him, Gao Ming had the confidence to shake them off. Gao Ming pulled back the curtain of the clinic. He ate some simple food. Then, he had the God of Flesh and Blood toss Xia Yang out of the torture room. Chapter 295: Twelve People ¡°Teacher Xia, how did you be like this?¡± Gao Ming righted the wall. The limbs of the painted woman on the wall were pinned. She looked haggard. ¡°If I said I was purposely captured to trick them to save you, would you believe me?¡± Xia Yang¡¯s smile was incongruent with how dishevelled he looked. ¡°But that was the truth. Everything was as I expected. A good artist had already finished the whole painting in his mind when he took his first brushstroke.¡± ¡°Then, should I thank you?¡± ¡°I am you, and you are me. Thank you is unnecessary.¡± Xia Yang was trapped in the wall and couldn¡¯t use his power. Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect Xia Yang to be so stubborn and childish. How was he once the biggest demon in the world? ¡°The sun ising up. I suggest you let me out soon. The security members have strange powers. They could be tracking this wall.¡± Xia Yang said in a kind tone. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Gao Ming released the tired God of Flesh and Blood to carry the wall. Xia Yang could sense the change to the God of Flesh and Blood. The oppressive power made him feel ufortable. ¡°Where do you n to take me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when we¡¯re there.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood and Gao Ming headed deeper into Bo Wan Vige. Many strange events urred in this vige. It was located on and with now. With Situ An¡¯s deliberate maniption, the vige became the hiding spot for many homeless people and criminals. Most vigers stayed on the outskirts. The deeper one headed into the mountain, the more dangerous it would be.¡°Hey!¡± A coarse voice came from somewhere. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you lend us some money? We also don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Gao Ming looked around. Two men in tattered clothes walked out of the trees. One of them held a rusted axe, while the other aimed a gun at Gao Ming¡¯s head. ¡°Remove your clothes, including your underwear. Quick!¡± The man with the axe slowly approached. ¡°Follow our orders, and we won¡¯t hurt you!¡± The God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t warn Gao Ming because he didn¡¯t sense any danger. ¡°Alright.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s hands reached the top of his shirt buttons when he lifted his eyes. His pupils suddenly trembled with fear as he looked behind the men. ¡°These tricks won¡¯t work on us!¡± The two felt a chill. The man with the axe couldn¡¯t help but lift his head to look. His axe fell to the ground. He and his partner were lifted up by multiple arms and flung away. Gao Ming didn¡¯t want to kill random people. He wanted to distract the investigation centre, so he needed these criminals. ¡°An abandoned vige deep inside the mountain, a midnight hospital that has been turned into a sacrificial altar, and a school where you have to follow the rules to live¡­ Han Hai is bing more and more like a horror game city.¡± There were no paths in the mountain. There were asionally one or two abandoned houses, but they were taken over by grasses. The owners left a long time ago. Only old furniture and dead bugs remained. ¡°The nts here are so lively, but I can¡¯t hear any animals. It feels like all of the animals have been sacrificed.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice came from the wall. ¡°This makes me want to draw a scenic picture.¡± Gao Ming ignored Xia Yang. He realised there were fire pots underneath most old houses. The pots had broken hair and ashes of paper money. Once the ash blew away, there were pieces of unburned pictures. Gao Ming checked a few of the old houses. The pictures featured different people. The only simrity was all the human faces had been deliberately burned away. ¡°The vigers in the pictures look like Lu Zang from Li San Hospital.¡± Gao Ming had seen Lu Zang. The doctor would have dragon-like scars appear on his face under certain circumstances. ¡°Bo Wan Vige hasn¡¯t always been the name of this ce.¡± Xia Yang looked around inside the wall. ¡°The vige name makes it sound like the ce is cursed.¡± ¡°I need to digest the things Situ An has left for me before I can consider anything else.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t dare to stay in one spot for too long. Gao Ming only stopped when he was almost lost. ¡°We can¡¯t go any further.¡± The status of the God of Flesh and Blood worried Gao Ming. Perhaps he had been staying in the sun for too long. The God¡¯s four faces blurred, and growls echoed from his throat. He seemed to be warning something from approaching. Danger encroached silently. Gao Ming gave the order to destroy the piece of wall. The bricks crumbled. The portrait that entrapped Xia Yang was washed out. The iron nails were pulled out of flesh. The painted woman was covered in hatred and pain. Before she shattered, she opened her eyes and memorised everything. ¡°Next time, I have to paint everyone from the investigation centre.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s tone was warm as he demolished the woman¡¯s portrait. ¡°Come back.¡± When Xia Yang was unwilling to return to the torture room, Gao Ming turned to the God of Flesh and Blood helplessly. Both of them seemed to have started their rebellious period. Ever since he swallowed the death portrait of the bloodred city, the God of Flesh and Blood started to show self-consciousness. Or perhaps he had always been pretending. ¡°The two of us need to have a good chat.¡± Gao Ming ced his hand on his chest. His heart pounded with God¡¯s heart. Their fates were intertwined. ¡°I have your help to reach this point. However, you can¡¯t escape fate if I haven¡¯t repeated my deaths to collect all the pieces of your body from the past and the future.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood stood in the forest. The sunlightnded on him through the canopy. The light shimmered with blood. Other than Gong Xi, the other three faces growled. Xia Yang and Situ An inside the torture room suddenly screamed. Two bloodlines crawled out of God¡¯s heart to dye the bloodred patterns on two of his arms fully red. It was like two bloody torches raised in the light. Four faces looked at Gao Ming. The remaining six arms hung weakly. The God of Flesh and Blood used this method to answer Gao Ming. ¡°The God of Flesh and Blood has four faces and eight arms. I am not in the death portrait of the city. There are twelve people in two. Do you want me to send the twelve people into the torture room?¡± Hearing that, the God of Flesh and Blood slowly lowered hisrge body. He seemed to be saying, he would fully follow Gao Ming¡¯s orders after he dealed with the other twelve people. Chapter 296: Thirteen There were thirteen people in the death portrait of the bloodred city. They represented thirteen different choices and futures. As the tragedy approached, these thirteen people would shine brighter. They would only be stronger with time. The perfect example was Situ An. if Gao Ming hadn¡¯t made his move before the tragedy, he couldn¡¯t have pulled Situ An into his heart. The bastard was a heavenly-blessed viin. He had practically no ws. ¡°There can only be one owner of the bloodred city and one future¡­¡± As if worried that Gao Ming might be shaken, the God of Flesh and Blood ced his two dyed hands on Gao Ming¡¯s shoulders. The divine patterns spread through Gao Ming. God was willing to share everything with Gao Ming. Warm blood sshed onto Gao Ming¡¯s skin, and the meat fragrance spread. He could feel a power surging through his body. The God of Flesh and Blood only stopped when the mutation was about to be triggered. The survivors living in the tragedy were willing to sacrifice everything to gain power. It was the reverse with Gao Ming. The divine ghost fed him the power, afraid that there might be a misunderstanding between them. The God of Flesh and Blood shared everything without holding back. Gao Ming could sense the change in his body. Before this, his arms felt like they had been held back by some invisible forces. However, the God of Flesh and Blood had just helped him break through this limitation. ¡°Was that fate¡¯s shackles on everyone in Han Hai?¡± Gong Xi nodded. He pulled back his arms and allowed Gao Ming to feel everything himself. Two blood vessels materialised inside Gao Ming¡¯s two arms. The crystalline capiries looked pretty from afar but twisted from up close. They were carved with Situ An and Xia Yang¡¯s names. ¡°I think I understand why Lu Zang didn¡¯t want to vanquish Situ An¡¯s soul now.¡± All thirteen people in the death portrait had shattered part of fate¡¯s shackles. Any one of them could be a weapon to fight fate. The God of Flesh and Blood shared a mind with Gao Ming. He cackled as he looked at Gao Ming. Thirteen human faces surfaced on the pattern of the bloodred city. They were Gao Ming¡¯s targets.¡°I might not need the ghost¡¯s help to wake up from the dream. Once I send the other twelve people into my torture room, I can fully break free from fate¡¯s bindings.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice suddenly appeared, ¡°I¡¯ve seen one of them.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Ever since Xia Yang moved into the heart room, Gao Ming was not as defensive against him as before. After all, their lives were bound. ¡°That kid.¡± Xia Yang pointed at a corner of the city. At a secluded corner, there was a boy in a bright red pyjama. He was the only minor among the thirteen people. Many toys were ced around him, but he paid them zero attention. He cried heartily, his cute face turning purple. ¡°When you sent me into the east city investigation centre to scout, I heard Situ An was keeping big ghosts in the building. I was free, so I went to check. I realised this kid was in a close rtionship with the big ghosts on the tenth floor. Those big ghosts even wanted to kill me to protect the kid.¡± Xia Yang said, ¡°His name is Ah Fang. He¡¯s a living bait Situ An used to feed the big ghosts.¡± Gao Ming stared at the kid. He opened the torture room and summoned the two doctors. Afterparing the pictures, Gao Ming confirmed that Ah Fang was one of the thirteen people and the two doctors¡¯ kid. ¡°He is the child of shadow cultivated by Situ An and Lu Zang at Li San Hospital. However, he should have been taken over by the investigation centre now.¡± Gao Ming was surprised at how fast they managed to find one of the thirteen people. He and the God of Flesh and Blood became busy. After they set up everything to confuse the investigation centre, Gao Ming sent the God of Flesh and Blood back into the torture room while he headed somewhere else alone. ¡­ ¡°Jia Mei Apartments feature one of the top ten murder cases in the east city. The crazed mothermitted suicide, wearing a red dress, after murdering her two children. From that day onwards, this apartment has been troubled by different kinds of strange events. It¡¯s chilly even in the summer.¡± The investigator reported the situation to Li San Investigation Centre chief Chen Yuntian. However, Chen Yuntian¡¯s attention was on Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao was Li San Investigation Centre¡¯s trump card and Chen Yuntian¡¯s ideal sessor. However, ever since Bai Xiao entered and left Han De Private School, he changed. ¡°Chief, Jing Tuoshen requested us to capture the living bait, Ah Fang, before sundown. Based on our tracking, the kid is currently living at Jia Mei Apartments¡­¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chen Yuntian interrupted the investigator. ¡°The tragedy ising. Is now the time to go after a kid?¡± ¡°Jing Tuoshen doesn¡¯t trust us, so he tries to send us away.¡± Bai Xiao stood at the back of the team. He lowered his head to look at the de that had been dipped in corpse oil. This was the knife Situ An had given Qing Ge. It was made by Doctor Lu. It could cut through shadow. After Situ An was killed, Gao Ming gave the knife to Bai Xiao. ¡°Bai Xiao, we¡¯re all sad that your sister has gone missing in the anomaly. However, I hope that this will not change you. You¡¯ve done everything you could.¡± Chen Yuntian was a qualified superior, but Bai Xiao was no longer the same subordinate. ¡°Chief, I¡¯m fine.¡± After meeting Gao Ming, Bai Xiao encountered many things. He saw the other side of the centre when he was inside Han De Private School. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare to enter the apartments. Jing Tuoshen will be mad if he finds out we¡¯ve been cking off. The man is crazy. I really have no idea how he can gain the headquarters¡¯ trust.¡± Chen Yuntian sighed but said nothing. He paused before the entrance to Jia Mei Apartments. Inside the apartment about ten metres away from them, the curtains moved. A shadow in a red dress shed by. Inside the same room, a toy car was activated. The car rumbled about. Ah Fang, in his dinosaur pyjamas, sat in the living room with the remote control. He didn¡¯t show any fear. He had a big smile on his face. His schoolbag was filled with toy blocks. ¡°Happy birthday to me~ Happy birthday to me~¡± Ah Fang hummed. After he got tired of the toy car, he climbed onto the study table. He was very close to the window. With a slight push, he¡¯d fall. However, he didn¡¯t seem to realise the danger he was in. He was fully focused on picking his crayons. The curtains fluttered. The dresser door creaked. A red sleeve appeared in the mirror. An arm covered in knife wounds reached Ah Fang. Before Ah Fang could react, the hand picked him up and moved him gently and lovingly away from the window. Chapter 297: Im Just a Child Ah Fang was already used to the strange things happening around him. When he was moved away by the hand, he didn¡¯t show any fear. The little boy patted the dust away from his body and looked around. Even though there was no one in the bedroom, he still bowed politely in the air and said in a cute tone, ¡°Thank you, Mom! I won¡¯t go to the dangerous ces!¡± His small face was very cute. One couldn¡¯t help but have the urge to pinch his cheeks. Ah Fang grabbed the crayons, toddled out of the bedroom, and found a book to draw in. He swayed his feet. The tail of his dinosaur pyjamas swayed with them. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t show up, I know you¡¯ve always been by my side.¡± Ah Fang hummed. He seemed so carefree as if he were not in the most famous haunted house in the east city. The room was silent. After ying for half an hour, Ah Fang was tired. He put down the crayons, curled on the sofa and slept. Ah Fang¡¯s breathing was even. He seemed to dream of something happy. His lips moved as if he was eating. The curtains moved, and blood flowed down the window. However, the blood only flowed halfway down the window when it was stopped by something and obediently flowed backwards. The bedroom door was lightly pushed open. A thin nket flew out andnded on Ah Fang. The shiny tea cup reflected an arm covered in wounds. The red dress covered the fingers. She reached slowly towards the boy. As if worried that her fingers¡¯ coldness might awaken Ah Fang, the pale hand paused before it touched him. The tall and thin woman stood beside the sofa. Her eyes moved. The wounded fingers picked up the book from the ground. In the dark room, the colourful drawings in the book stood out even more. Ah Fang had just drawn a giant cake. It was covered in a thickyer of cream and decorated with fruits.¡°Did no one celebrate your birthday with you¡­¡± Footsteps appeared in the corridor. The book fell to the ground. Ah Fang was picked up by a mysterious force. ¡­ ¡°The target was once here.¡± Bai Xiao picked up the book from the ground. He touched the painted birthday cake. ¡°They must have just left.¡± ¡°To be able to interact so peacefully with ghosts and even get them to protect him¡­ The target this time is very special.¡± Chen Yuntian had never seen something like this. He picked up the thin nket. ¡°The target enjoys staying at haunted spots.¡± ¡°The ghosts in the anomalies might not be evil.¡± Bai Xiao had met the boss, Zhang Ding. The big ghost was respected when he was alive. Even after he died, he did his best to save everyone. ¡°Gentlemen, now is not the time to discuss that. Our most important mission is to capture the target for Jing Tuoshen.¡± Jing Tuoshen assigned his driver to this mission to monitor Bai Xiao and Chen Yuntian. He might be a driver, but he looked down on Chen Yuntian. Before this, he gave Chen Yuntian face because they still required power from the investigation centre. However, he just received a piece of good news not too long ago-- the security members trapped at Li San Hospital had sessfully escaped! Of the nine teams, only five and a half remained. However, that was still more powerful than normal investigators. ¡°The security team four doesn¡¯t receive much damage. They are hurrying our way. They discovered some clues at Li San Hospital. This kid who had been turned into a living bait by Situ An might carry some big secrets.¡± Sensing the change in the driver¡¯s attitude, Chen Yuntian merely smiled, ¡°Then, we should wait for them. I don¡¯t dare to snatch the glory from them.¡± Chen Yuntian couldn¡¯t care less about that. He just wanted to protect his people. As the sky darkened, the atmosphere in Jia Mei Apartments became weirder. Children¡¯s wailings asionally echoed in the dark corridors. Some of the rooms appeared to have a crazy woman inside mumbling to herself. The wind blew, and the keys that were strung on the door handles jingled. The keys were decorated with different keychains. The front of the keychains featured different cute kids, and the back was stuffed with broken hair and exquisite white hairpins. Those unfamiliar might think that the keychains were well-made, but the white pin was ground from children¡¯s bones. They were highly unlucky. The children¡¯s cries fluctuated. The mad mother who couldn¡¯t find her children carried something and waited at the corner of the corridor. The red dress fluttered in the wind. She was very tall. Her dress couldn¡¯t hide the red ¡®paint¡¯ that stained her shoes. Inside Room 1601, there was a weak light in the living room. Ah Fang wore his dinosaur pyjamas, carried hisrge school bag and carried a small candle with both hands. He explored the unfamiliar rooms on his own. Something scary had once urred inside Room 1601. All the furniture was sealed with stic wrap. There was tattered police tape on the ground. Ah Fang slowed down and pulled up the corner of the sofa. The dark red mould was horrifying, like a giant scar. He turned to the bedroom. The dresser door was open. All the clothes inside the dresser were shredded with a knife. There was not a singleplete outfit. There was a rustling sound. Ah Fang discovered something. He turned around nervously. He raised the candle and slowly moved to the kitchen. Holding his breath, Ah Fang pushed the door open a gap. He saw a woman in red standing before the cutting board. Inside the dim kitchen, thenky figure wore bloody clothes. Her exposed skin was covered in wounds. Her face was scarier than most nightmares. The rusted de fell, and the red juice squirted everywhere. Ah Fang covered his nose with one hand. His other hand pushed open the door, and he ran into the kitchen. ¡°I found you!¡± The excited fingers grabbed forward, but Ah Fang had caught nothing. The woman had disappeared like she was never there to begin with. ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t do that! I saw you!¡± Ah Fang shouted, but there was no response. He moved his candle closer to the cutting blood. Beside the mouldy stove, there was a clean cutting board. On top of it sat a rotten ball of dough. Someone had shoved cut-up apples and decaying tomatoes into the edge of the dough. There were no other fruits in the apartments. Who knew where the woman found the apples and tomatoes? ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a birthday cake!¡± Ah Fang looked at the cutting board with apparent surprise and joy. ¡°This is the first time someone is celebrating my birthday! Mom! You have to join me! We¡¯re celebrating my birthday!¡± The boy¡¯s adorable voice echoed in the empty, haunted house. He held up the cutting board with difficulty, but the joy was apparent on his face. Chapter 298 The rotting dough was mixed with old fruits. The cake didn¡¯t look appetizing, but Ah Fang treated it as a treasure. He carried it carefully to the coffee table. He peeled off the thin saran wrap. The smell of formalin and cleaners assaulted his nostrils. Ah Fang ced the lit candles beside the cake. ¡°This is my first time having a birthday celebration and the first time someone made a cake for me.¡± Ah Fang closed his hands, mimicking the scenes he had seen on television. His expression was serious when he wished, ¡°Mom, I know you¡¯ve always been by my side. Can you sit down beside me?¡± The nails scratched the ss. The old ceiling fan creaked noisily. The bugs crawled inside the cracks in the tiles. A force waspressed inside Room 1601. The owner of the room heard Ah Fang¡¯s wish, but she didn¡¯t want Ah Fang to see her. The mes on the candles danced. The light-yellow me slowly turned red. A wisp of ck smoke wafted out. Mottled lights swayed on the wall. The mirror bled. Two arms filled with wounds appeared in the dark. The ck hair covered her face. A woman in a bright red dress stood at the door. She blocked the door as if worried that her children would run away from her, causing her to lose something important again. However, based on the anomalies inside the room, it was clear that the woman¡¯s feelings were conflicted. She didn¡¯t want to part with Ah Fang, and she didn¡¯t want to harm him either. ¡°That¡¯s right. You must be my mom! My mom has always worn red! She loves red clothes!¡± Ah Fang couldn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s face. He jogged over to the woman. His tiny stature formed a great contrast to the ugly woman. One was cute and innocent, and the other was crazy and scary. The small hand grasped the edge of the red dress. The woman nced at the boy¡¯s bloodied hand and quickly retreated into the shadows. ¡°I¡¯m not your mother. I¡¯m a ghost.¡± ¡°Okay, ghost mom.¡± Ah Fang didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Thank you for your cake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your mother¡­¡± The woman¡¯s head was almost touching the ceiling. She lightly nudged Ah Fang away before disappearing into the dark. ¡°Another hide-and-seek?¡± Ah Fang giggled. With the little dinosaur''s tail swaying, he ran to the coffee table. He puffed up his cheeks to blow out the candle. When the room was fully dark, he ced his hands over his heart and whispered, ¡°I hope everyone can stay with me. I hope everyone finds happiness and is as happy as me.¡± After making his wish, Ah Fang ran into the bathroom to wash his hands. The faucet was dripping blood, but as Ah Fang twisted it, clean water flowed out. He wiped his hands and said thank you. He ran back into the living room to taste the cake, but strangely enough, the cake grew legs and ran away. ¡°Hey! Put down the cake mom made for me! I¡¯m going to be mad!¡± In his pyjamas, Ah Fang chased after the smelly ¡®cake¡¯. A scary ghost was reflected on the television, but the ghost didn¡¯t harm Ah Fang. It only raised the cake high so that the boy wouldn¡¯t consume rotten food. Different from the scenario inside the room, the atmosphere outside Jia Mei Apartments was heavy. Chen Yuntian and Bai Xiao led the people from the Li San Investigation Centre and stood to the left. The leader of Team Four and some of the investigators stood to the right. They appeared to be in a conflict. ¡°Hand over the de. That is not something you can control.¡± The leader of Team Four was old. His hair was white. His face was wrinkled, but he was no weaker than Bai Xiao. He radiated a weird presence. ¡°That is for me to decide. Even if I can¡¯t, it is not within your jurisdiction.¡± For Bai Xiao, Gao Ming had gifted him this weapon that could harm ghosts. Why would he hand it over to someone else? ¡°Even if the investigation centre wants something, we have to trade it with contribution points. Isn¡¯t this too much for you to demand a weapon so brashly?¡± Chen Yuntian knew the security members were not to be trifled with, but he sided with his people. ¡°The investigators risked their lives to enter the anomalies. No one has the power to snatch their winnings.¡± ¡°Winnings?¡± The old man scoffed. His face was simr to a paper doll¡¯s. When he smiled, his wrinkles folded together to mimic old newspaper. ¡°The de he holds is made by the ghosts of the shadow world. Who knows how many lives have been sacrificed to it? I smell a familiar scent on it. It reminds me of the mud figurines at Li San Hospital. What is your connection to the ghosts at Li San Hospital?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Can¡¯t youe up with a better excuse?¡± Bai Xiao drew his de and red at the old man. He joined the centre to protect more people. However, as he found out more and more, he realised the centre was not as good as he thought. ¡°Stop arguing.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s driver stood in the middle to mediate. When the leader of team four came, he was quite happy. However, when the old man saw Bai Xiao¡¯s knife, he changed instantly. He wanted to take away Bai Xiao¡¯s knife. Revenge was one thing. The other was he was scared. After they escaped from the hospital, the mud figurines escaped with them. He was worried that these objects rted to the hospital might lure the figurines over. Just the thought of the figurine buried deepest underneath the ckke caused the old man¡¯s scalp to numb. His tone firmed up. ¡°The investigators and security members have different responsibilities. I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡± ¡°Do you even listen to yourself?¡± Bai Xiao tightened his grip on the knife. ¡°Fine. When you¡¯re dead, the knife will fall into my hands eventually.¡± The old man didn¡¯t choose direct conflict, but Bai Xiao was already a dead man in his eyes. He waved his hands, and a few paper dolls crawled out. He took a deep look at Bai Xiao before he went up the stairs with the other security members. The wind moved the branches in the yard. The leaves fluttered to the ground. The paper dolls removed the keys from the door handles. They giggled as they did so. Team Four''s attention was on the apartment. After all, during the anomaly, the building interior had to be the most dangerous. They didn¡¯t realise a pair of eyes were watching them. Gao Ming, who had changed, stood at the corner. Different from the security members, he carried arge bag of toys. ¡°Stay back. Let me.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice entered Gao Ming¡¯s ear. His even tone hid a trace of hatred. Chapter 299: Ghost Market Chapter 299: Ghost Market ¡°Bunch of bastards.¡± The investigators from Li San Investigation Centre red at Security Team Four and cursed under their breaths. ¡°Why are they trying to snatch our items at a time like this, instead of working together?¡± ¡°Many humans are worse than ghosts. When the tragedy is really here, you¡¯ll see uglier things.¡± Chen Yuntian patted Bai Xiao¡¯s shoulders and said seriously, ¡°But I hope you¡¯ll never lose yourself. Understand why you are alive.¡± Chen Yuntian knew the security members were inhumanly strong. If there were conflicts, they would be on the losing end. ¡°Captain, thank you for speaking up for me.¡± Bai Xiao put away the de. He turned to the corner like he had sensed something. ¡°The investigation centre was built to protect Han Hai citizens. If I can¡¯t even protect my own people, how can I protect others?¡± Chen Yuntian headed down the corridor. ¡°I¡¯ve always treated you as my son.¡± In the corridor, Team Four moved behind the paper dolls in a unified formation. It was very strange. The elder opened his arms. He was stubborn and aged like he was still living in thest century. The members who followed the elder were armed with guns and bullets. They wore night-vision goggles and various items made by the researchers. ¡°Leader, aren¡¯t we going to warn those normal investigations? This ce has strong Yin energy. There should be more than one big ghost.¡± ¡°If they want to die, who am I to stop them?¡± The elder held ques with paintings of children on them. He crushed them, and the wailings of children echoed. ¡°Lead the way.¡±He waved his hands, and the white bone hairpins rolled to the ground. They bounced against each other and stopped before the elevator. The old, blue-grey elevator was decorated with a couplet. The old decoration fluttered in the wind. The lights above them flickered. ¡°Do we have to take the elevator?¡± Team Four met Gao Ming once they reached Han Hai. After they left the hospital, they became a lot more careful. The elevator light lit up. The number stared at them like an eye. The elevator doors opened slowly like they hadn¡¯t been greased for a long time. The small booth was covered in various flyers and graffiti of curse words. The elder took out a cigarette, lit it up and ced it on the north side of the booth. The smoke rose slowly. Human silhouettes appeared inside the booth. They stared at the old man. ¡°Do not linger once you¡¯ve passed away. I¡¯ll send you to where you should go.¡± The old man waved behind him. A team member carried over arge box. The box opened to reveal stacks of paper money. ¡°Travel safely once you¡¯ve had your fill.¡± The elder scattered a fistful of paper money. Then, he reached for a lighter hidden at the bottom of the box. He ignited the lighter, and a burst of fire rushed into the elevator. In the burning lights, several souls struggled in pain. Those who epted the old man¡¯s paper money howled in great despair. ¡°How dare you ept the king of hell¡¯s money?¡± Standing before the zing me, the old man looked like a demon. He stared at the twisting figures in the mes and picked up the white bone pins. He tossed three pins into the mes and pinched thest pin. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to follow them, lead the way.¡± After that, he tossed the pin into the corridor. A child¡¯s soul resided inside the pin. After itnded, it rolled upstairs. The elder led his team to follow the pin. A few minutester, Gao Ming appeared in the corridor. ¡°What a cruel man. I know how to kill him now.¡± Xia Yang¡¯s voice entered his ears. He and Gao Ming entered the mes. The elevator moved. The light dimmed. However, a new painting appeared inside the booth. The apartment citizens who were tortured by the mes shoved a faceless old man into a furnace. ¡­ The elder paused when he felt a pain prick his heart. He took out a murky jade carving from his chest. Normally, people wouldn¡¯t carve names on jade, but the white jade was carved with the old man¡¯s name. The white jade was cracked. The crack started from the heart of the jade. ¡°Leader?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Keep going.¡± Following the bouncing pin, Team Four had moved far ahead of Bai Xiao¡¯s group. When they reached the 11th floor, the cries of a market assaulted their ears. The corridor was no longer dark. Rednterns hung above the doors. The citizens of this floor set up stalls in front of their homes, selling various everyday items. Most of the items were stained with blood. ¡°Ghost market.¡± The elder took out a copper mallet. He took a sip of strong alcohol and drew a talisman. He spat the alcohol at the talisman. A fire consumed the talisman. The old man pasted the talisman on the wall. The voices started to distort. The citizens closest to them slowed down. The elder swung the copper mallet at the citizen. The wall cracked. The citizen was just a painting. ¡°Is this ghost market painted?¡± The elder was reminded of Xia Yang, whom they encountered at Li San Hospital. Xia Yang used his own power to dy the entire security team for a long time. ¡°Is that ghost here?¡± Before the old man could react, the painting on the wall recovered. The corridor looked like it had no end. More ghosts appeared at the ghost market. Some of them were the original tenants, and others wore the patient outfits of Li San Hospital. The most unsettling thing was some of the mutated ghosts and mud figurines walked the corridors. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. The devil ghost drew these things. They aren¡¯t real. We just need to escape this illusion.¡± The old man cut his palm and smeared the blood on his eyelids. ¡°It dares to draw the mud figurines at the hospital. Does it not know that the Dead Gods have a chance to possess its drawings?¡± ¡°Of course, I know that.¡± The citizen who was destroyed by the old man reappeared. Xia Yang¡¯s voice came from his lips. ¡°But I want you to die.¡± The members of Team Four opened fire. They wanted to kill Xia Yang, but Xia Yang onlyughed. ¡°Can you capture me this time?¡± Team Four was trapped by Xia Yang. To cooperate with Xia Yang, a few tenants from Si Sui Apartments came out of the death portrait. The ghost market was not entirely fake. After ensuring everything was fine, Gao Ming carried therge bag of toys and entered the elevator again. He took out the colourful death portrait of Ah Fang. Chapter 300: Collector ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to meet your real parents.¡± Ah Fang¡¯s death portrait was connected to Ah Fang. The closer the two were, the clearer the characters inside the portrait. The elevator moved up. Gao Ming was ready to encounter a superviin on Situ An and Xia Yang¡¯s level. In all his death memories, the boy was never once featured. Even though he was also a child of shadow, he seemed to have chosen a pathpletely different from the other twelve. ¡°In the picture, the boy is cute and innocent. However, he must be special to have appeared in the death portrait of the bloodred city.¡± The elevator paused on the 16th floor. He was like a big brothering to fetch his younger brother. Holding a bag of toys, he ignored the anomalies around him as he walked past the doors. Gao Ming looked down at Ah Fang¡¯s picture and the rooms rolled by him. When he raised his head again, the room before him was Room 1601. Gao Ming knocked on the door lightly. This was the first time he was so polite inside an anomaly, ¡°Is anyone home?¡± Several old newspapers fluttered in the dark corridor. They recorded the horrible murders that happened at the apartment many years ago. The mad woman, covered in blood, ran down the corridor, brandishing a knife. She carried the corpse of her child. Tears flowed down her face, but she couldn¡¯t stopughing. There was more than one victim. There were more than five murders. Every murder appeared on the newspaper front page. ¡°Ah Fang? I¡¯m here on your parent¡¯s behalf.¡± Blood oozed out of the ck-and-white newspaper. The woman in the article slowly turned around. Her hand that held the ck knife appeared to reach out of the paper. The lock turned. The old door was opened from the inside. A boy in a dinosaur pyjamas stood at the door. His eyes were pure and wless. He looked scared. Compared to ghosts, human strangers scared him more. Ah Fang lifted his head, and the pyjama cap covered his forehead. He looked at Gao Ming¡¯s face with confusion. ¡°Ah Fang?¡± The kid was simr to the one inside the picture. Gao Ming didn¡¯t think things would go so well. ¡°Your parents have been looking for you. I¡¯ll bring you to meet your mom and dad.¡± ¡°Mom and Dad¡­ But¡­¡± Ah Fang looked shyly behind Gao Ming, ¡°Isn¡¯t my mother standing behind you now?¡±Goosebumps rose on his neck. A sharp, murderous aura came like a de. Gao Ming instantly grabbed the chain from the torture room and blocked his side. The giant impact sent Gao Ming flying. He mmed into the wall. If he hadn¡¯t been strengthened by the God of Flesh and Blood, he¡¯d die from that one move. Gao Ming quickly adjusted his posture and evaded. A rusted knife stabbed where he was. Gao Ming had the chance to breathe when he was more than five metres away. He studied Room 1601. The mad woman, about two metres tall, wore a bloody dress. Her limbs were thin. Her dry fingers curled around an impossiblyrge knife. Her ck hair fluttered in the wind. The woman smiled to reveal uneven teeth. Ah Fang was not scared, facing such a ghost. He hid behind the woman and stared at Gao Ming with alertness. ¡°Is she your support?¡± Gao Ming hadn¡¯t interacted with Ah Fang before. Security Team Four was on the 11th floor. Gao Ming was not scared of a single team, but he was afraid that they might call for reinforcement, like Wan Jie and the rest. Gao Ming raised his hands after he put down the chains. ¡°You were born on the surgical table of Li San Hospital. Situ An stole you from your parents and handed you to the big ghosts. I found your biological parents. They are inside my heart.¡± No matter what Gao Ming said, Ah Fang hid behind the woman. He didn¡¯t trust living humans. ¡°I can let you see them now.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s heart raced. Eight arms reached out from his back and tore open the door of the torture room. On the sides of the surgical table, the pair of doctors turned subconsciously towards the outside world. Their eyes met the gaze of the boy behind the woman. The female doctor¡¯s tears fell instantly. Then, she hurriedly hid behind the male doctor as if afraid that Ah Fang would see her in her current state. The male doctor¡¯s expression changed for the first time. A smile that would frighten most patients appeared on his scary face. ¡°Are they my parents?¡± Ah Fang had no impression of his real parents. The confusion in his eyes deepened. His pair of wless eyes looked at the two doctors. Then, he ran back into the room and dragged the giant schoolbag out. Ah Fang hugged the bag with difficulty and then pushed it over. Building blocks fell out noisily. When they touched the shadow, the blocks automatically arranged themselves into a simple city. The city looked simple and unassuming, but if onepared it to the murder cases at Han Hai, one would realise that the city corresponded to all the haunted houses in the city! The chill wind blew. The twisted souls inside the wooden homes opened their eyes. Different big ghosts crawled out. Standing in the middle, Ah Fang asked Gao Ming innocently, ¡°Then, what about them?¡± The horrifying presence sted the surroundings. Gao Ming retreated. He felt his scalp numb. This kid was a collector of haunted houses! Putting the schoolbag back on, Ah Fang was like a little monster standing in the city made from building blocks. It looked ludicrous, but Gao Ming felt that Ah Fang had the power to destroy the city. ¡°Roar!¡± Ah Fang pretended to growl when he saw Gao Ming back away. The boy was pure, but there was too much negative energy around him. Strong ghosts showed up and squeezed into the corridor. Ah Fang used the building blocks to create many haunted houses. The haunted houses influenced each other in unexpected ways and showed signs of turning into a death realm. Gao Ming confirmed that Ah Fang was born with a special power of piecing together unrted haunted houses. ¡°Is this the child of the shadows?¡± Gao Ming tossed the bag of toys behind the two of them. He touched his heart to send the two doctors out. ¡°I¡¯vepleted my part of the promise. Now, it¡¯s your turn to verify your identity.¡± The female doctor studied the big ghosts that surrounded Ah Fang. She was d to see how ¡®well-loved¡¯ her son was. At the same time, she was rather disappointed because her son couldn¡¯t recognise her. Chapter 301: What is in His Body Being a parent was like a human being¡¯s second birth. Sometimes, it was hard to say whether we had given our children love, or our children had taught us love. The pair of doctors was the scariest ghosts at Li San Hospital. They had eviscerated and sewn back many patients. They were the shadow world¡¯s executioners. They had lost human emotions, but when they saw Ah Fang, their dry hearts were soaked with warm blood. Their eyes changed. A mother¡¯s instinctpelled the female doctor to want to get close to Ah Fang, but she knew that she couldn¡¯t appear to harm Ah Fang. In contrast, the male doctor was more direct. He pulled back the des on his body, carried the female doctor and walked out of the torture room. Gao Ming didn¡¯t stop them. Everything that had entered his torture room would be tied to him by fate. Death couldn¡¯t separate them. Ah Fang looked at the two doctors curiously. He had no malice. He didn¡¯t want to harm anyone. He kept building with the blocks to help the lost ghosts find new homes. As the two doctors approached, Ah Fang moved back cowardly. The woman in the red dress groaned with a warning. She raised the knife and showed great aggression. The two doctors were not affected by the woman. They didn¡¯t resist. They merely called Ah Fang¡¯s name softly. The two doctors weed the woman¡¯s de. The female doctor took out a cradle from her chest. Before this, the two doctors sewed the cradle inside the meat mountain. The cradle was the heart of the meat mountain. This was why the two doctors were forced to serve Situ An and Lu Zang. The chimes above the cradle swayed in the wind. Ah Fang¡¯s eyes widened. He remembered this sound from his memory. The female doctor hid her scary face behind the male doctor. She hummed a luby that she often sang when she was pregnant with Ah Fang. Back then, she was afraid and nervous, but whenever she touched the new life in her stomach, she would calm down. They were a happy family, but everything changed when the shadow world infiltrated. Hearing the chime and the female doctor¡¯s humming, Ah Fang let go of the school bag¡¯s strap. He slowly walked out from behind the woman. He couldn¡¯t recognise the female doctor, but he could remember those sounds. He stared at the two doctors with his round eyes. No matter how scary the ghosts were, Ah Fang was never scared. However, he was anxious at that moment. He held the edge of the woman¡¯s dress and appeared flustered. The familiar feeling in his soul melted with the female doctor¡¯s song. Ah Fang was taken away by Situ An after he was born. He had been searching for his parents, but he didn¡¯t know what being with his parents would be like. His impression of family was based on what others told him. He could easily take in random ghosts as his family, but when he faced the two doctors, he was speechless.There was a force preventing him from getting close to the doctors. In his fate, he would never see his biological parents. He would spend his whole life searching but never finding them. Ah Fang had many toys, but he was also fate¡¯s toy. Great shadows leaked out of the building blocks. The big ghosts around Ah Fang expanded their haunted houses. A giant ghost city opened up behind Ah Fang. The giant pressure taunted the God of Flesh and Blood. He screamed in Gao Ming¡¯s heart. The two doctors didn¡¯t back away. They were not afraid. At first, they were forced by Gao Ming. They thought Gao Ming was lying to them. Even though they carried a bit of hope, they didn¡¯t think they¡¯d see their son so soon. Their son was before them. This time, they had to get close to him. The two doctors started to get injured. This was especially true for the female doctor who was already heavily injured. Her skin split open. She was leaking like a human balloon. They took small steps forward until they reached their son. The female doctor carried the small cradle. The cradle contained everything they had prepared for their newborn. They were once anticipating the arrival of the new life. They nned to pour all of their love on him. However, they had be the ugliest ghosts. The two doctors gave off a feeling that was different from the other ghosts in the building blocks. From them, Ah Fang got a fiery feeling. He had no idea what it was. He knew that it was warm. He wanted to get close because it could light up every corner of his soul. ¡°Mom?¡± Looking at the female doctor, Ah Fang uttered the word. In his original fate, he¡¯d call many ghosts that name but never the female doctor. The shackles of fate were broken. Fate and the shadow world¡¯s n was disrupted. When he said that, Ah Fang¡¯s expression suddenly twisted with pain. Something was rapidly growing inside his tiny body! ¡°Not good!¡± Gao Ming, who had been watching instantly knew something was wrong. He threw out the chains and dragged the two doctors back! At that moment, a giant ck arm reached out from Ah Fang¡¯s dinosaur pyjamas. The arm that was covered in rocks almost pierced the two doctors, destroying them before Ah Fang¡¯s eyes. ¡°When Ah Fang was born, did Situ An and Lu Zang ce something from the shadow world into his body?¡± Just as Gao Ming had that thought, he and the two doctors saw something unbelievable. As Ah Fang screamed in pain, a barren night sky appeared behind him. The sky was covered in bones and corpses. It was shrouded by endless darkness. The asional buildings of horror peeked through. Some of the buildings were dragged by Red Spectres, and there were inds that were carried by giant whales. There were also dotted stars that were formed from fallen Gods. ¡°It is not a specific ghost hidden inside Ah Fang¡¯s body but a part of the shadow world¡¯s will after it had fallen!¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect Lu Zang and Situ An to do something like this, but probably only the partial consciousness of the shadow world could suppress so many mud figurines at the bottom of the ckke at Li San Hospital. Chapter 302: Gaze The building blocks copsed around Ah Fang. The haunted houses were pulled up from the ground. Ah Fang used the haunted houses to build his own death realm as if he were ying with toys. The tiny body emitted apletely unfamiliar sound. The spreading shadow of the world wanted to tear him apart. Just as everything was about to spiral out of control, inside the endless darkness, twelve pairs of red eyes slowly opened. They turned to where Ah Fang was. The bloodred cities stood in the ck mist. Gao Ming and Ah Fang stood where the 13th city was. As a peal of madughter rang out, the will of the dead world was affected. The other eleven gazes moved. The world consciousness that wanted to tear Ah Fang apart instantly pulled back. It crawled back into Ah Fang¡¯s body like it was afraid of being discovered. The cap of the pyjamas fell down and covered Ah Fang¡¯s face. Ah Fang¡¯s expression was different from before. He did not look like a child but more like an old man who was half-dead. His face was covered in fear. He raised his head. His gaze skipped over his parents to focus on Gao Ming. ¡°You mustn¡¯t let the twelve of them find me. You need to wake up! Whoever you are, you need to wake up!¡± Ah Fang¡¯s voice was urgent and unfamiliar. He rapidly picked up all the toy blocks and shoved them back into his bag. ¡°Wake up?¡± Ah Fang¡¯s words were simr to Lu Zang¡¯s order. They both hoped that more people would wake up from the dream to see the real world. Sensing the tone in Gao Ming¡¯s voice, Ah Fang became more afraid. He dragged the giant bag and ran through the haunted houses. The two doctors were worried and instantly chased after Ah Fang. When Gao Ming wanted to follow them, the corridor had returned to normal. ¡°The shadow world is a dead world. Who can manage to murder a world?¡± Gao Ming was reminded of the shadow world that expanded behind Ah Fang. There were twelve bloodred cities in that endless ck mist. They corresponded to twelve pairs of red gazes. Any one of them could frighten the lingering will of the world. ¡°The twelve cities in the mist are far from Han Hai. However, once they are mentioned, everyone can feel great pressure. They are unmentionable.¡± From Ah Fang, Gao Ming gained more information. To gain the approval of the world, one had to wake up from the dream. This indirectly verified what Lu Zang and Question said. Han Hai was like an impossibly realistic dream. ¡°In this dream, everything has been arranged by fate.¡°But¡­ Why does this dream exist? And why are all the innocent people trapped here? Is it to trap the partial will of the shadow world?¡± Gao Ming looked at the corridor, which was returning to normal. Suddenly, he had a crazy thought. ¡°Are all the citizens here ghosts with heavy crimes? They have to repeat their sins to experience their sins?¡± Gao Ming shook his head to veto this crazy thought. He grabbed one of the chains to carefully sense the direction. Ah Fang¡¯s parents entered the cluster of haunted houses to chase after Ah Fang. Even though Gao Ming didn¡¯t follow them, he could sense their general location. Anyone who had entered the torture room would be bound to Gao Ming. The appearance of the world¡¯s will pressured Gao Ming. Only by changing the fate of half of the people in the city would he have the chance to kill fate. However, the issue was no one knew what fate was. Struggling without purpose would be exactly what fate wanted. ¡°I need to pick up my ck.¡± A loud explosion came from downstairs. Gao Ming looked down. Great fires burned in the dark. The fire crawled up from the 11th floor. A few charred bodies fell. Gao Ming heard Auntie Busybody''s screams. ¡°With Xia Yang and the residents of Si Sui Apartments, everything should be fine. What is happening?¡± Gao Ming had the God of Flesh and Blood detect everything about the old man. He didn¡¯t even have the scent of a divine corpse. ¡°That old man can hurt Xia Yang by using normal ghost tattoos?!¡± The elevator broke down, so Gao Ming used the stairs to get to the 12th floor. Before he rushed into the fire, he saw the heavily burnt leader of Team Four running down the stairs. The old man was like a man on fire. The ghost tattoos on his body were burned away. He used selfceration to stop the evil from approaching him. Other than him, all the other members of Team Four had disappeared into the corridors. ¡°Fuck!¡± The self-portrait of the old man appeared on the wall. It was very realistic. However, his body was bitten by paper dolls and pierced by silver needles and red threads. Xia Yang painted the old man. But the old man singed his own body and face without hesitation. He fully changed his appearance and used his body to set a trap for Xia Yang. Xia Yang was always kind and smiling. This was the first time Gao Ming saw hatred and regret on Teacher Xia¡¯s face. ¡°These security members from Xin Lu are something else.¡± Xia Yang hounded the old man. The two soon arrived at the 9th floor. Bia Xiao and Chen Yuntian led their team and just reached the 8th floor. Gao Ming, who was behind Xia Yang, quickly intercepted. Bai Xiao was instrumental in his n. The Leader of Team Four was exhausted, but this old man was evil. He purposely ran towards the investigators because he wanted to use these normal investigators¡¯ lives to buy him more time. Bai Xiao and Chen Yuntian instantly saw the problem. However, they reacted differently. Chen Yuntian held Bai Xiao back and gave the order to retreat through the ck band. However, Bai Xiao drew the knife given to him by Gao Ming. The old man did not even acknowledge them. In his eyes, they were already dead. However, he was surprised when Bai Xiao charged forward and injured Xia Yang in the painting with a sh. Bai Xiao and Xia Yang, who got the hint from Gao Ming, put up a show. The others helped the old man retreat. The old man was surprised by this development. Even though he managed to trap Xia Yang, Bai Xiao was a normal man who didn¡¯t even have a ghost tattoo. ¡°Is it because of that knife? Or is it something about him?¡± Chapter 303: Choice Chapter 303: Choice ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you run?¡± ¡°Why should I run? Isn¡¯t it easier to kill it?¡± Chen Yuntian looked at Bai Xiao, who charged into the mes. He was reminded of the first time they met. In a Level 3 Anomaly, Bai Xiao and his little sister were the only survivors of the whole incident. To survive that long night, Bai Xiao tried every method. They struggled at the edge of death. However, after the investigators intervened, Bai Xiao didn¡¯t leave. He chose to follow them into the building for the second time. The image of the young Bai Xiao ovepped with the current Bai Xiao, who was swinging his knife in the mes. He had never changed. Han Hai belonged to the living. Those who should flee were the ghosts in the shadows! Chen Yuntian¡¯s order to retreat stuck in his throat. He didn¡¯t lower his hands but waved them forward. ¡°Support Bai Xiao!¡± None of the investigators retreated. The group of normal people charged into the sea of fire with no hesitation on their faces. The investigators were the centre¡¯s cannon fodder. The old man was not wrong. They were like toys to the ghosts. However, most of the information in the centre was obtained with the lives of the cannon fodder. ¡°Come back. You are not his match.¡± The old man was anxious. His breath was catching. His body felt like falling apart with each of his steps. The fire had ruined his everything. He needed the investigators¡¯ aid to escape. The investigators flew into the mes. They were like devils from hell, immune to fear and pain.The old man watched the mes consume the investigators. These idiots didn¡¯t possess the ghost tattoo and didn¡¯t know how to use the cursed items. They had no methods to fight the ghosts, but they were fearless. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Xia Yang was held back by the paper dolls. He possessed the old man¡¯s self-portrait and was limited byyers of curses. He couldn¡¯t use his full power. This was the second time he was injured recently. After avoiding another sh by Bai Xiao, Xia Yang got the hint from Gao Ming. The God of Flesh and Blood sensed the scent of the divine corpse. This meant that the other security teams wereing. ¡°So careful. No wonder you can survive for so long.¡± Xia Yang nced at the leader of Team Four before disappearing into the fire. The self-portrait turned into ashes. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t chase after Xia Yang. He felt like the ghost was holding back. ¡°Stop chasing! Wait for reinforcement!¡± The Leader of Team Four used thest bit of his energy before copsing on the ground. About ten minutester, Team Eight and Two arrived. They brought a lot of investigators and sealed up the area. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He won¡¯t die.¡± The Leader of Team Two checked the old man¡¯s condition and reported the situation to Wan Jie. Then, the heavily charred old man was sent into the ambnce. ¡°Every one of you wille with me.¡± The attitude of the leader of Team Two was better than that of the old man, but he still didn¡¯t treat the investigators at the same level as the security teams. The mission targets were gone, and the clues were cut short. Everyone was brought to the east city, Han De Private School. This was Situ An¡¯s real estate. It had been taken over by the investigation centre to situate the sick and injured. Chen Yuntian and Bai Xiao reported the situation to the superior through the ck bands as usual. However, when they tried to leave, they were halted by the security members at the door. The old man woke up at midnight. He instantly updated Wan Jie. Wan Jie was not too surprised by Xia Yang¡¯s sudden appearance. It was normal for the ghosts to target the security members. He was more interested in Bai Xiao and his knife. Wan Jie told the old man to rest. Then, he carried a ck box and came to the room where Chen Yuntian and Bai Xiao were. Once he entered the room, Bai Xiao frowned. He looked at Bai Xiao¡¯s knife, and a talisman, and a snippet appeared in his eyes. ¡°Who gave you the knife?¡± ¡°I found it at Han De Private School.¡± Bai Xiao heard from Gao Ming that the knife came from Situ An. He did not mention Gao Ming but offered a location rted to Situ An. ¡°You are lying. You have something to hide.¡± Wan Jie ced the ck box on the table. ¡°Everyone has their secrets. I will not look into your heart.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Bai Xiao had enough of these people. All of them took the investigators as cattle. ¡°I¡¯ve never treated anyone as cattle. I respect everyone who is willing to join the investigation centre.¡± Once Wan Jie said that, Bai Xiao was quiet. The man could read his mind. ¡°Everyone has their own value and ability.¡± Wan Jie ced his hand on the lock of the ck box. ¡°You haven¡¯t fully unlocked your potential, but I can help you with that.¡± The lock was opened. Wan Jie waved at Bai Xiao. ¡°Give me the knife, and I will help you gain the power to kill ghosts.¡± Wan Jie gave Bai Xiao two choices. Abandoning the knife meant giving up his past. Wan Jie could forgive his past transgression and allow Bai Xiao to join the security teams. However, if Bai Xiao insisted on keeping the knife, he wouldunch an official investigation into Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao gripped the hilt. Wan Jie looked normal, but he put a lot of pressure on Bai Xiao. He saw through everything. In Wan Jie¡¯s eyes, he was like a newborn. ¡°I will only give you one chance.¡± Wan Jie touched his blood band. ¡°You have another ten minutes to consider this.¡± When they were at a standstill, footsteps came from outside the corridor. The security members were pushed open. A feminine face appeared at the door. Jing Tuoshen¡¯s white band kept vibrating. He received the messages from Chen Yuntian a few hours ago. ¡°Wan Jie, if I find out you have been going rogue again¡­¡± ¡°Will you report the situation here to the headquarters?¡± Before Jing Tuoshen could finish, Wan Jie cut him off. His teams died a lot inside Li San Hospital. Someone had to pay for that. ¡°Have you stayed too long inside the taboo game that you forgot why the headquarters selected me to lead the east city?¡± Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯te alone. There were many people behind him. Bai Xiao recognised a few of them, like the former captain of the Queens Investigation Centre, Zuo Jun, Gao Ming¡¯s ssmate and the monitor of ss 13, Yuan Hui, and the reinforcement security member from Han Hai, Fu Huo. Chapter 304: Test Chapter 304: Test Wan Jie was surrounded, but he didn¡¯t panic. His eyes scanned everyone. His gaze stopped temporarily on Zuo Jun and Fu Huo. ¡°The anomalies are happening all over the city. The tragedy ising. The things you¡¯re good at might be useful against me, but are they useful against the ghosts?¡± Wan Jie turned his gaze back to Jing Tuoshen. ¡°I have no intention of fighting you for anything. The power that you pursue is dirt to me. I merely do not wish for my teammates to die for no reason.¡± He turned back to Bai Xiao, ¡°You think our security department is inhumane and treats the normal investigators as cannon fodder. However, we are also knives in other people¡¯s hands. Does the de need emotions? No. As long as they are sharp.¡± Wan Jie picked up the ck box and walked out. ¡°If you change your mind, you cane find me anytime.¡± Wan Jie had a pair of eyes that could see through the fog. This was the reason why he was not favoured by certain higher-ups. Bai Xiao, who stood inside the room, did not put his knife away. He looked at Jing Tuoshen with alertness. None of these people were good people. ¡°Your de should be used to challenge ghosts and not your colleagues.¡± Jing Tuoshen was satisfied with Bai Xiao¡¯s performance. ¡°Chief Chen has told me everything. You can rival the ghost who heavily injured the security team four. You are a good seed. Once you¡¯re with me, no one will steal your knife. Everything you gain in the anomalies will be yours.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bai Xiao felt like Jing Tuoshen was recruiting him. ¡°You¡¯ve been targeted by the security department. The only party who can shield you now is us.¡± Zuo Jun put on the new chief uniform. ¡°The east city is rebuilding a new force. If you join now, you¡¯ll be one of the core members.¡± Zuo Jun had met Bai Xiao at Han De Private School. He had a deep impression of Bai Xiao. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a member of ss Thirteen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from those horror game yers. My goal is to capture and send them all to the research department.¡± Cruelty shed in Zuo Jun¡¯s eyes. He abandoned Situ An andmitted to serving Jing Tuoshen. He had done very horrible things to his ssmates to prove his loyalty. Yuan Hui, beside him, looked mentally unstable. It was very highly that they had personally murdered their ssmates. ¡°You can even murder your ssmates. How can I trust people like you?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t want to interact too much with them. ¡°Murders are simple. What they did are worse than murders.¡± Jing Tuoshen revealed a rare smile. His smile didn¡¯t make people feel happy but afraid.¡°Bai Xiao, you don¡¯t need to worry about Li San Investigation Centre.¡± Chen Yuntian suddenly spoke, ¡°You should go with Jing Tuoshen for now and listen to your orders.¡± Chen Yuntian did this to protect Bai Xiao. He knew how powerful the security department was. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Bring your knife ande with me.¡± Jing Tuoshen picked up Bai Xiao and headed to the city of north port. They turned around many times before the field of vision widened. On a spot where the sea should be, there was a new humanmade city. Everything had a simplistic style. There were threeyers of walls. Several patrol teams worked twenty-four hours. The temperature inside the city was five degrees higher than outside. ¡°Put on the ck helmet underneath your seat.¡± Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t munch his words. Bai Xiao could only follow orders. However, he didn¡¯t let go of the knife. Once he put on the helmet, his senses were deprived. Someone led them away once the car doors opened. The temperature kept dropping. About half an hourter, Bai Xiao noticed the helmet had opened on its own. He took a deep breath and felt ice forming in his lungs. Jing Tuoshen and Zuo Jun were gone. There were only nine uniformed investigators around him. They were weaponless and had codes on their uniforms. ¡°Did hee in from the backdoor? Why is he allowed to keep his weapon?¡± Spitting out blood from his mouth, the most ghastly-looking investigator studied the other nine as he pretended to examine his wounds. Bai Xiao felt that something was wrong. He had been inside the anomalies many times. The room he was in made him feel like he was in the shadow world. The door at the corner opened. The stairs behind it led down to an old and battered mountain house. ¡°The test begins.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s voice came from the ck band. The other investigators instantly rushed towards the old home. Only Bai Xiao and the other two investigators didn¡¯t act rashly. ¡°What is this test?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t know anything. An injured investigator close to Bai Xiao heard his confusion and slowly approached. ¡°This is the basement of the research centre. We are in the middle of the third-stage ghost tattoo test. ording to legends, there is a piece of divine meat inside the old house.¡± The investigator grumbled, ¡°Whoever can pass this test can not only move into the north city but also have their past crimes absolved.¡± ¡°Crimes?¡± ¡°Stop acting. Who here hasn¡¯t killed a few people? We can¡¯t be med. It¡¯s the anomaly that has corrupted us.¡± The investigator wiped away the blood from his mouth. ¡°I wonder what divine meat tastes like.¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t exin further. He stared at the old home. ¡°The security members from Han Hai gain the power to fight ghosts from passing these tests?¡± ¡°There are four stages to the ghost tattoo tests. You can join the security department once you pass the second stage. However, for great sinners like us, we have to pass this third test.¡± The investigator yanked down the number nine on his back. He didn¡¯t enter the mountain home but targeted the other investigator. ¡°Divine meat? Ghost tattoo?¡± Bai Xiao had heard of the research department before, but this was his first time being involved in its testing. This waspletely different from what he thought. ¡°In the past, a normal investigator like me wouldn¡¯t have the right to enter the headquarters. It looks like the situation at Han Hai is very bad.¡± Bai Xiao entered the old home with his de. He had no idea his every move was carefully monitored. Outside the testing area, Jing Tuoshen and a few researchers with white bands watched the screen carefully. They had collected all the information on Bai Xiao. ¡°There¡¯s no problem with Bai Xiao¡¯s personal information. However, part of his history into the anomalies has been wiped away.¡± ¡°Try to recover it. It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t.¡± Jing Tuoshen waved his hands. On the screen, about a hundred people participated in the tests. The headquarters didn¡¯t have time to allow the investigators to slowly get used to the power of the ghost tattoo so they utilised the most direct and bloody filtration method. ¡°Hopefully, the survival rate is higher than 7 percent this time.¡± Chapter 305: Do Not Open From some time onward, a lot of old homes in the Han Hai Countryside began to be abandoned due to different reasons. Once the original owners left, other things moved in. The others slowly entered the home until only Bai Xiao remained outside. The countryside was the focus area for anomalies. However, the investigation centres wouldn''t send people there because the poption was low unless there was a clear report. This meant that the dirty things inside the old homes would have plenty of chances to fester and grow. The home underneath the research centre was probably moved there from somece in the countryside. ¡°Everyone here has experience with anomalies before. They know how to interact with anomalies and have mastered the ways of survival, but¡­¡± Bai Xiao looked through the window into the home. ¡°It has been a few minutes, but things are still so normal.¡± Holding the de, Bai Xiao entered the home through the front door. Theyout of the ce waspletely against normal Feng Shui. It was not meant for the living but for the dead. Everything in the room was odd in number. There were three chopsticks on the table. The wooden clock at the corner of the living room was like a squatting person. The moving second hand was his heartbeat. The investigators, still exploring, slowly felt anxious. The experience they gained was useless there. The ce was dangerous, but they couldn¡¯t find the source of the danger. ¡°Should we gather in the living room?¡± Investigator Number Nine summoned everyone to the living room. ¡°There will be more than one person who passes the test. We are notpetitors. We can share information and gain the ghost tattoo together.¡± Since no one offered, No. 9 began again, ¡°Shall I start?¡± He took out a few letters of debt, ¡°The owner once owed a lot of money. However, he managed to pay off all of them using some strange methods.¡± ¡°I found corpses of birds and fishes under the bed in the daughter¡¯s room. They are rotten and smelly. They look like sacrifices.¡± No. 2 crossed his arms before his chest. ¡°The owner might have conducted some rituals to sacrifice stuff to the ghosts. He started with animals and eventually graduated to his family members.¡± ¡°Do you think everyone here has been sacrificed?¡± No. 3 was old. His eyes were murky, and his hair was white. ¡°But, where is the ghost? How will the anomaly manifest itself?¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± No. 5 looked around, and his expression darkened, ¡°Have you discovered that Investigator 4 is gone?¡±Without any sound of struggle, a living person disappeared into the old home within a few minutes. ¡°This home only has two floors and seven rooms. We have stuck close to each other. If No. 4 made any sound, we would have heard them.¡± Everyone surrounded the coffee table in the living room. They stood under the light, but fear rose in their hearts. ¡°Do you think¡­ No. 4 could have been trapped inside the dresser?¡± No. 7, who had been silent, pointed at the main bedroom. ¡°I noticed a giant, taped dresser inside the main bedroom. There¡¯s a note stuck to the doors. It said, Do not open.¡± ¡°Dresser?¡± They immediately moved into the main bedroom. Compared to the daughter¡¯s bedroom, the main bedroom was huge. The bed could easily fit four people. The decoration wasvish. However, no one cared about those things as they crowded around the dress. The note was yellow and stained with blood. The handwriting was uneven. They looked like crawling worms. In this old home, this dresser was conspicuously out-of-ce. ¡°Should we remove the tape?¡± No. 9 urged as he stood at the back of the group. ¡°The note told us not to open the doors. As long as we don¡¯t do that, we should be fine.¡± No. 2 stood beside the dresser and tried to look in through the gap. Then, he put his ear on the door. ¡°There¡¯s no sound of heartbeat or breathing. Even if No. 4 is in here, he¡¯s a corpse now.¡± ¡°It looks like the test is focused on the dresser. What is inside it?¡± No. 5 held the knife he found in the kitchen. His hands were mmy with sweat. ¡°This fucking test. There¡¯s not even a single hunt.¡± No. 9 held his wound and cursed. No. 2 stared at him and Bai Xiao. He moved to stand with the others. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of another possibility. Could this dresser be a red herring, and is the real ghost among us? There are two special people among us. One is No. 9. Everyone who enters this test is in their best condition, but No. 9 is injured. The other is No. 10. He brought a de with him.¡± ¡°My de can kill ghosts and humans. If you want to fight, I don¡¯t mind eliminating you first.¡± Bai Xiao hated mind games. Compared to humans, most ghosts were more direct. ¡°This is my second ghost tattoo test. It¡¯s normal for me to be wounded. However, based on my knowledge, there will not be more than nine participants in the same test.¡± No. 9 wanted to direct the ire to Bai Xiao. ¡°This home is only so big. Everyone here is experienced. Even if one can¡¯t escape from the ghosts, it should not pose a big issue to yell for help.¡± No. 5 changed the subject as his eyes shed with panic. ¡°Other than that¡­ did you realise that the temperature inside here has dropped?¡± ¡°We should stick together.¡± No. 2 looked at the rest. ¡°But, the two suspicious ones can stay behind.¡± The investigators gathered around the dresser. They were not only careful of the ghosts but also No. 9 and Bai Xiao. ¡°Hey, should we work together?¡± No. 9 smiled at Bai Xiao. He looked manic. His mind was so influenced by the shadow world that he was not normal anymore. Bai Xiao walked out into the yard without saying anything. Bai Xiao reconstructed theyout in his mind, ¡°This underground home is like an altar¡­ An altar holding a human head.¡± He walked around the home. The human figures inside the home slowly disappeared and the temperature dropped. When he returned to the old home, the living room lights were off and it was eerily silent. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t help but turn to the main bedroom. ¡°Could they have opened the dresser? Were the ghosts really hiding inside the dresser?¡± Bai Xiao gripped the knife as he moved slowly in the dark towards the main bedroom door. Chapter 306: Malice The bed was spread t. The sheet was not wrinkled at all. There was no sign of fighting inside the main bedroom. Everything was the same as before. ¡°Where are they?¡± Bai Xiao lowered his body. Everything was normal inside the main bedroom, but he felt oppressed. It was like someone had pressed his head underwater. He couldn¡¯t find anything for purchase, no matter how hard he struggled. All the lights had been switched off. The dresser was nothing more than a silhouette in the dark. It was like a coffin standing upright or a Pandora¡¯s Box. The note was squeezed into the corner of the door. Do Not Open crawled in his gaze. When Bai Xiao came to, his hands were already on the dresser. ¡°No. I mustn¡¯t open it!¡± His strong constitution snapped Bai Xiao out of it. He wanted to move away from the dresser, but as he turned around to leave the bedroom, he felt something was wrong. The gap between the dresser doors widened. There was an eye inside the dresser looking at him! A ss fell to the ground. Bai Xiao turned to the kitchen. The ck liquid flowed among the shattered ss. He then realised a lot of ck mould had grown on the walls. These things portented the arrival of worse things. The ck mould spread very quickly. Bai Xiao tried to leave, but the door to the living room suddenly closed. Something under the sofa grabbed Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao kicked the sofa over, but there was nothing underneath. The danger level of the old home rose rapidly over a few seconds. Various anomalies urred. This was very abnormal. ¡°Once No. 4 disappeared, the temperature started to plummet, and more people disappeared. Have they really been sacrificed?¡± The way to leave had been blocked. The clock in the living room chimed. The second hand carved a smiling face of death. The wind blew in through the window. Knocking came from the woman¡¯s room. A bitten live fish flopped on the ground. A bird missing a wing was grabbed by something. Nothing at this old home was normal! Something unknown controlled everything. Ghosts were waking up everywhere!The chill wind caressed his face. Bai Xiao waved his de around. A lot of hair fluttered to the ground. He knew he had been targeted. ¡°Come out. Why are you afraid of a human if you¡¯re a ghost?¡± Bai Xiao dared to enter a Level 3 Anomaly even when he was unarmed. At that moment, he had a de that could injure ghosts. It was not that he was not afraid, but he knew how to transform fear into power. Static came from the television. Several secondster, it switched on on its own. The static screen was like a pair of blinking eyes. Then, the faces of investigators surfaced on the screen. They stared at Bai Xiao with their dead eyes. Their lips moved as if summoning him to join them¡­ The sound of grinding teeth came from the bedroom. The ck mould continued to spread. Bai Xiao tried to chop the door, but it was pointless. He was trapped inside the room. The grinding sound turned insidious. The walls started to close in. The ck mould tried to grow on Bai Xiao¡¯s skin. ¡°There¡¯s only one path forward.¡± Bai Xiao raised the knife, entered the main bedroom and stood before the dresser. ¡°Everything you did is to force me to open this dresser. Do you wish to die again?¡± With a sh, the tapes fell away. Oppressiveughter and dim breathing sounds came from the dresser. Endless malice materialised into tentacles that reached out from inside the dresser. Murmurs of different investigators appeared in the dark. The moment the dresser opened, the entire home felt like it had been drawn into another world. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save us? Why were you the only one who survived?¡± ¡°You killed us, right? Who gave you the right to join the test with a weapon?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leave. You have to stay with us!¡± The voices sharpened. Their idiocy led to their downfall, but they med everything on the survivor. In the rising malice, the investigators¡¯ bodies were glued together like a pile of mud. They had lost their sense of humanity. Malicious tendrils grew out of them. ¡°You can¡¯t leave! Stay with us!¡± The tentacles dripped with ck liquid. The spots contaminated by the liquid would be overgrown with ck mould. The mould spread the malice further. ¡°The ghost here can control the malice in human hearts. To kill it, I have to deal with these people with malicious intent.¡± The investigators inside the dresser were technically not humans anymore. Their conjoined bodies dragged each other down. They were joined by theirbined malice. They hated everything around them. ¡°I¡¯ll give you sce.¡± Bai Xiao never thought about escaping. When he was first dragged into an anomaly, he was ready to die. However, he hoped his death would be more valuable, like killing a powerful ghost before he perished. The tentacles mmed down. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t evade. He even closed his eyes. He held the hilt and submerged his mind into the de. Traces of shadow crawled on the de until the de was fully covered. When Doctor Lu and Situ An made this de for Qing Ge, they only focused on one property: sharpness. Wielded by the living, it was used to kill the ghosts in the shadows. Bai Xiao showcased a fighting stylepletely different from Qing Ge. Using the wind, he determined the direction of his enemy. He charged at the dresser. The tentacles were cut off. The de shed by the investigators¡¯ necks. Two heads rolled to the ground. The heads on the ground kept on cursing. More malice oozed out of their wounds. The malice spread like roots as they crawled towards Bai Xiao. ¡°I should have five more seconds.¡± With a calm smile on his face, Bai Xiao sliced and diced for a few more seconds. Meat and flesh burst everywhere. A giant wound appeared on the dresser door. The bodies of the mutated investigators were destroyed, but the malice didn¡¯t dissipate. If anything, it intensified. A tiny tentacle curled around his ankle. When Bai Xiao pierced thest monster¡¯s chest, he realised he was already inside the dresser. The dresser looked tiny from the outside, but inside, it was like a dark tunnel. The tattered uniforms of dead investigators and twisted corpses strung along the path. The old home had been the venue for the test many times. The researchers had been using this method to feed the unfortunate entity inside the dresser. Chapter 307: Malice If Situ An¡¯s actions at Han De Private School shocked Bai Xiao, then everything he had seen at the old home tanked his impression of the investigation centre. The investigators who participated in the ghost tattoo test were already polluted mentally. Some of them were sent to the headquarters for treatment. However, no one realised that the so-called treatment was to send them for tests and feed them to the ghosts. Mental treatment required too many resources. This was a lot lighter on the resource exhaustion. However, it was so unfair to the investigators. The words of the Leader of Team Four Security Team echoed in Bai Xiao¡¯s ears. The investigators were just cannon fodder. For the headquarters, they were numbers on a chart. ¡°Is it worth sacrificing yourself for an investigation centre like this?¡± Looking at the corpses inside the dresser, negative emotions dominated Bai Xiao¡¯s brain. ¡°There are many questions in this world that have no answers. Many mistakes cannot be proven. Perhaps the infiltration of the shadow world is not a bad thing. After all, I¡¯m already a monster. When everyone is a monster, no one is a monster. No one will be mistreated. ¡°No¡­¡± Bai Xiao sliced off the malice that stuck to his legs. He shed the inside of the dresser wildly. Bai Xiao ran towards the spot where the malice was the thickest. He cut through the bodies taken over by malice unless he could barely stand anymore. He was surrounded by malice. Bai Xiao fought until thest moment. Endless malice entered his body. The seeds of sin took root in his mind. ¡°I can¡¯t die like this. The sins are still alive. I can¡¯t die!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s will was like a white me, lighting up the corner of the dresser. Malice washed against him like a ck sea. Eventually, he felt like he had be part of the malice. He could see every corner of the dresser and the old home outside the dresser.¡°Have I been consumed by malice and be part of it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This is irreversible. You¡¯ve be part of us. You¡¯ve be the ghost you hate the most.¡± Despair and pain triggered his mind. The investigators he killed were revived in his heart. The dead faces looked at him, and they peppered him with curses. ¡°You killed us, and we will always stay in your heart to torture you until the next persones to rece you.¡± The answer was terrifying. Bai Xiao was directed by a mysterious force. He discovered there was still a survivor inside the old home, No. 9. No. 9 was cowering inside the kitchen cupboard above the ground. He bent his body impressively to fit inside the cupboard. He gritted his teeth. There were video devices and SOS devices strapped on his back. The biggest problem was the band that No. 9 had been hiding from them was not the normal ck band but the white band that was unique to the researchers. ¡°The researcher they sent in here with us is still alive. You¡¯re lucky. You¡¯re not thest. You don¡¯t need to suffer all the pain.¡± Sin was spreading. Various cruel thoughts appeared in Bai Xiao¡¯s mind. All the dead investigators looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to burn him? Strangle him? Or toy with him until he gives up?¡± Bai Xiao didn¡¯t like No. 9, but it was not to the stage where he wanted to murder the man. ¡°Humans are selfish. Once you drag him inside the dresser, you can find freedom. Otherwise, all the malice will enter your body!¡± His will was shaken. The weak me trembled in the darkness. Bai Xiao¡¯s brain almost imploded from the different voices. ¡°Kill him! Control the malice inside the house! Once you kill him, you will be free from the pain!¡± Many voices echoed. When malice was about to extinguish the me of will, Bai Xiao made a decision. He abandoned himself and voluntarily controlled the tentacles formed by malice to open the dresser doors. No. 9 was so scared that he forgot to breathe. Pairs of malicious eyes stared at him. Just as everyone wondered how Bai Xiao would kill him, Bai Xiao changed his target. He used thest bit of his consciousness and mmed the tentacles at the living room door! ¡°Run!¡± An opening appeared in the old home. The living room door was smashed open! Seeing the exit, No. 9 raced towards it. ¡°Perhaps No. 9 deserves to die, but you deserve it even more!¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s will burned. He allowed the malice to pierce his body, but he never surrendered! The weak me burst in the dark. No. 9 slowed down as he reached the exit. He stood at the door and turned around to face the dresser. ¡°I¡¯m so unlucky. Why is there someone like this?¡± No. 9 extended his hand silently. He wanted to close the living room door. However, as his hand touched the door, it wilted rapidly. All the malice flowed out from his body and gathered towards Bai Xiao inside the dresser. ¡°Did I reveal some ws? Shouldn¡¯t you torment me?¡± No. 9 failed to close the front door. ¡°Humanity is evil. You are no exception! No one is the exception!¡± No. 9 yelled. He tried to shut the door. Half of his body fell out. The malice from his body flowed back into the dresser. In the observation room, Jing Tuoshen studied everything silently. There was a piece of meat cut from a God¡¯s heart hidden inside the old home. God could control malice, so the meat was rife with malice. It was hard to gain its approval. First, one had to survive the malice it carried and maintain a sense of self under the assault of malice. Then, one had to make the kindest choice while struggling in malice. Only through kindness would survival be possible. This was how the old home started to mutate as more investigators calcted and harmed each other inside the old home. Of course, the investigators were doomed from the start because there was a traitor among them. The investigator from before was not wrong. The ghost tattoo test would only admit nine people at most. In this test, Bai Xiao was the real No. 9. The No. 9 with the white band was a researcher who was controlled by malice. A few weeks earlier, the researcher had fallen under the divine corpse¡¯s control and became a disciple of malice after prolonged exposure to it. The number on his back could be changed easily. He even grabbed the number from the dead investigators so that he could trick the test subjects better. If no one passed the test, the researcher would serve the meat of the divine corpse forever as a servant of malice. Chapter 308: Map Jing Tuoshen had already given up on this piece of divine meat, but the situation changed. After ensuring No. 9¡¯s soul had perished, he touched the white band on his wrist and ordered, ¡°Bai Xiao has passed the Stage 3 test! Prepare for rescue!¡± The waiting security members rushed underground. Bai Xiao singrly held back all the malice. The security members were not affected and easily entered the old home. They didn¡¯t directly approach the dresser. Instead, they split into pairs and rearranged the furniture inside the room to destroy the ce¡¯s Feng Shui. Then, they took out a string of rope covered in corpse oil to drag the dresser out of the main bedroom. When the dresser was fully out of the old home, the members finally dared to move forward to open the dresser doors. The malice and shadow were like a mutated flower in the abyss. It bloomed as the doors opened. Its petals unfurled and spread throughout the entire underground space. Bai Xiaoy in the middle of the flower. The faces of the other investigators shed across his face. He was under unimaginable pain. The whole processsted for a whole hour before it ended. The flower of malice started to wilt. All the malice gushed into Bai Xiao¡¯s body. It took root inside his heart, and many ghost tattoos were painted on his chest. As Bai Xiao screamed, the wilting tattoo of the flower of malice became clearer. Bai Xiao sessfully united with the piece of divine meat. He was not beaten by malice and still had control of his body. The researchers walked over to admire Bai Xiao as they would a piece of masterpiece. ¡°Congrattions on obtaining the ticket to a new world.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s beautiful eyes danced with excitement. ¡°However, to obtain theplete divine tattoo and gain the power that surpasses the leader of Security Team Four, you still need to participate in the Stage 4 Test.¡± Bai Xiao merely obtained a piece of the divine corpse. To fully control malice and reach the same level as K, he needed more. The fully-exhausted Bai Xiao opened his eyes. He looked around. The old home had transformed. These researchers had all the chances in the world to save the investigators, but they not only didn¡¯t do that but also purposely turned the old home into an altar to cultivate the divine corpse.¡°Fuck.¡± Bai Xiao cursed once and then fainted. ¡°Do we need to send him to the headquarters hospital?¡± The security member said so, but he didn¡¯t move. They looked at Bai Xiao with envy. ¡°This guy sure is lucky.¡± ¡°Lucky?¡± Zuo Jun scoffed. ¡°After he entered the dresser, he murdered all the investigators taken over by malice while being affected by malice. If you were him, could you do that?¡± Strange patterns surfaced around Zuo Jun¡¯s uniform cor. The security member lowered his head and became quiet. The security members were delineated into different levels. Those who stayed in the headquarters had the highest level. Then, it was the group that came back from Xin Lu¡¯s taboo game. They only heeded Wan Jie¡¯s orders. Finally, it was the normal security members. ¡°Go and conduct tests on his body. If there¡¯s no big issue, toss him into the room for the Stage 2 Ghost Tattoo Test. We desperately need people who can fight against the big ghosts.¡± Jing Tuoshen wanted to snatch the de away from Bai Xiao. However, even though Bai Xiao was unconscious, he didn¡¯t let go of the knife. Jing Tuoshen pulled out a syringe and wanted to give Bai Xiao a shot. Suddenly, the siren red. He turned away from Bai Xiao and rushed back to the observation room. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We just received reports from various centres. The rate of anomaly urrence has tripled overnight! There are four Level 3 Anomalies! There are sightings of unknown mud figurines in the anomalies!¡± The workers sent the videos and images taken from the frontline to Jing Tuoshen. With Li San Hospital as the centre, all kinds of strange figurines appeared in the old city. They spread twisted faith and took over the living humans. ¡°The anomalies caused by these figurines are spreading very quickly. Among them, a faceless figurine has taken over a whole apartment building in mere hours. Those who worship it will lose their memories until they be a faceless monster.¡± The workers reviewed strange pictures daily, but even they were stunned this time. ¡°Contact Wan Jie immediately. Get his people over there.¡± Jing Tuoshen flipped through the reports. The situation at Han Hai was getting worse. ¡°We¡¯ve already contacted them. However, Captain Wan Jie led his people to Bo Wan Vige to go after K¡¯s killer,¡± The worker said timidly. The air chilled. Jing Tuoshen slowly raised his head. ¡°They are the ones who created the issue at Li San Hospital. Go and tell Wan Jie that if he doesn¡¯t return to the old city before dawn, the consequences will be heavy.¡± The worker nodded solemnly. He was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. ¡­ Gao Ming escaped from the security members. To avoid the ever-present surveince, he had to use the power of the ghosts to return to the old city. Gao Ming lit up the only candle in the room after he entered Zhang Ding¡¯s home. He knocked on the blood door and called some names. Several minutester, wet fingers reached out from behind the door. Hearing Gao Ming¡¯s voice, Zhang Ding and the others from the supermarket walked out of the shadow world. They met up in Zhang Ding¡¯s old room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Zhang Ding pointed at the old man¡¯s self-portrait on the wall. Xia Yang was defeated twice by the security team. He was filled with hatred. ¡°Probably menopause.¡± Gao Ming took the main seat. The small living room was filled with ¡®people¡¯. Since his departure from the tunnel, Gao Ming turned fate around. He gathered all who could help him resist the east city investigation centre. The strongest Zhang ding sat beside Gao Ming. The blind man who had recovered slightly curled up in the shadow. He ced himself back in the big dog¡¯s body. The art teacher and sports teacher from Han De Private School guarded the door. Xuan Wen held a cup and turned over the pages of a book. Gao Ming¡¯s friend, Wei Dayou, and Bai Xiao¡¯s little sister, Bai Qiao, sat together. The representative from Bo Wan Vige stood behind them. On the other end of the table, there was Si Sui Apartments¡¯ Granny Shen. Beside her was Li San Hospital¡¯s insomniac patient, Mr. Yi. Each of them represented a different party. Only Gao Ming could bring them together. ¡°Right. We had a guest yesterday.¡± Zhang Ding suddenly said. He opened the blood door again and led a high-school student in the student council uniform through. The young man wore the badge of the student council and looked very simr to the president of Han De Private School¡¯s student council president. Chapter 313: Legendary Weapon: Monarchs Scepter It turned out to be a legendary weapon. Though iplete, it wasn''t damaged and was still usable. The top of the scepter, where something should have been iid, was empty. Without the iy, the weapon lost its supplementary skills, rendering its attributes iplete. Yet, despite this, Lin Moyu couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement after seeing its attribute boost. The scepter''s attribute boost was astonishing¡ªraising all attributes by 500,000 points. In total, this provided a 2 million-point increase, far surpassing the basic attributes of level 70 third-awakened top-level ss users. It was an overwhelming bonus. Even among legendary weapons, the Monarch''s Scepter stood out. Lin Moyu didn''t mind the missing supplementary skills since many were ss-specific and often useless to him. For him, the attribute increase was the true treasure. This legendary weapons could only be used at level 70 afterpleting the third ss awakening. For now, he could only admire it, but the more he looked, the more eager he became to wield it. Eventually, Lin Moyu put the Monarch''s Scepter away. At that moment, the Angel statue copsed, revealing the dungeon exit. Instead of rushing out, Lin Moyu sat down to meditate, recovering his depleted spirit force. He could easily imagine what awaited him outside the dungeon¡ªAbyssal Demons. Once he emerged, a fierce fight would surely erupt. He could opt to return to the Human World and leave the Demons waiting outside as much as they want, but he wasn¡¯t ready to back down. Since he''de this far, he wasn¡¯t leaving without a fight.After just ten minutes, Lin Moyu¡¯s spirit force was fully restored, his 17 undead legions at the ready. He equipped a new set of Bone Armor. "Let¡¯s begin." After lying dormant for a time, his murderous intent surged, boiling over within the dungeon. Upon hearing of themotion in the secret realm, Demons swarmed in, surrounding the dungeon exit. And it wasn¡¯t limited to the secret realm¡ªan even greater number of Demons were gathering outside. This was Lin Moyu¡¯s first journey into the Abyssal World. Though several hours had passed, he had yet to truly experience its depths. But that moment was fast approaching. The Abyssal World had also Demon cities, and there happened to be arge one nearby. News of Lin Moyu¡¯s presence spread quickly, drawing Demons from the nearby city and even others farther away. This secret realm, known as the Radiant Secret Realm among the Demons, held great significance. Every time it appeared, its light element would be assimted into Abyssal Fire, causing a mutation. By absorbing the mutated Abyssal Fire, Demons could enhance their resistance to the light element and even evolve their bloodline. It could not only increase their level, but there was also a chance for ordinary Demons to evolve into elite ones. Naturally, such rewards made the Demons eager to enter the Radiant Secret Realm. Typically, thousands would gather to absorb the mutated Abyssal Fire each time. However, the secret realm had a strict rule¡ªthose above level 45 were barred from entering. As a result, only Demons below level 45 woulde here. But this time was different. Demons above level 45 had mobilized, waiting outside the secret realm for Lin Moyu to emerge. It was rare for enemies to infiltrate the Abyssal World, and so the Demons were quite excited. A subtle spatial distortion arose, and Lin Moyu appeared outside the dungeon. ¡°He¡¯s out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the human, kill him!¡± ¡°Get him! We¡¯ll split the spoilster!¡± In an instant, a flood of attacks engulfed Lin Moyu. Upon leaving a dungeon, there was always a brief two-second stasis, leaving one vulnerable to attacks. Two seconds was enough time to unleash countless attacks. Lin Moyu relied on his Bone Armor, confident it would hold for the duration. Even if it didn¡¯t, he had Damage Transfer and Summon Health Link to fall back on. With 17 undead legions¡ªover 6,000 skeletons¡ªsharing the damage, he was well-prepared. The Bone Armor shone brightly, blocking the onught. ¡°This guy¡¯s defensive skill is insane.¡± ¡°Hit harder! Break it down!¡± These Demons were low-level, all under level 45, and their attackscked the strength to deal any significant damage. In the span of two seconds, they could unleash four or five waves of strikes, but Lin Moyu¡¯s Bone Armor absorbed them all. Still, the relentless onught pushed it to its limits, causing cracks to appear. The Demons, sensing victory, grinned wickedly, already imagining Lin Moyu being torn apart. But just as the Bone Armor was on the verge of shattering, a brilliant white light shed, restoring it to its original state. The two seconds were up. A smirk crossed Lin Moyu''s lips, "My turn." Space twisted violently, and his undead troops appeared, materializing in the spaces between the densely packed Demons. The Skeletal Warriors immediately swung their des, and Skeletal Mages began casting spells, targeting the nearest Demons. ¡°Where did these undead monsterse from?¡± ¡°These are his summoned creatures!¡± ¡°He¡¯s an undead-type Summoner! And there are so many skeletons, all of them very powerful!¡± The sudden appearance of the undead troops threw the Demons into chaos. The ones under attack panicked, while those outside the fray, unable to see what was happening within, couldn¡¯t force their way in. Buzz! Suddenly, a strange buzzing sound filled the air as a red glow descended. A small red sword symbol appeared on top of each Demon¡¯s head. Lin Moyu had cast Damage Curse, increasing the damage the Demons suffered by twelvefold. All of a sudden, a single scream pierced the air, marking the start of the massacre. The first Demon fell, and with him came a deafening explosion that echoed throughout the secret realm. One by one, the Demons fell like wheat before a scythe. [Corpse Explosion (level 6): detonate a corpse and deal 35% of the corpse''s health as damage to enemies within a radius of 6 meters.] Thanks to Lin Moyu''s Comprehensive Amplification talent, the range of Corpse Explosion expanded to 240 meters, and the damage surged to 14 times the health of the corpse. In the Dragonkind Frontline Outpost dungeon, the corpses from the 1,000-strong Dragonkind army had pushed the skill from level 5 to level 6. With each level-up, amplified by his talent, both the range and destructive power of Corpse Explosion grew exponentially. The secret realm was rtively small, just over a thousand meters deep. A single Corpse Explosion wiped out all the Demons around him. Demons flying overhead dropped like rain, and in moments, the ground was littered with lifeless bodies. Those outside the explosion¡¯s range hadn¡¯t reacted yet, still stunned by the sudden deaths of their kin. ¡°What just happened?!¡± Before they could wrap their heads around what happened, the corpses in front of them exploded in turn, annihting them in a wave of destruction. For Lin Moyu, their sheer numbers meant nothing. He pressed forward, detonating corpse after corpse. The sound of explosions echoed throughout the entire secret realm, a relentless symphony of death. In under ten seconds, the once-crowded secret realm was silent¡ªevery Demon had perished. Dusting off his hands, Lin Moyu muttered, "Alright, time for the ones outside." But before he could leave, a deafening roar erupted from the depths of the secret realm. The ground trembled beneath him. "A boss?" Lin Moyu raised an eyebrow, surprised that such a small secret realm housed a powerful boss. Dark green mes surged from the depths, coalescing into the form of a fire dragon that shot toward Lin Moyu. Under normal circumstances, he might have taken a more cautious approach¡ªusing Detection to analyze the enemy¡¯s attributes and skills before engaging. But now, there was no need. A faint smile touched his lips. With a simple gesture, more corpses were hurled into the air, and then were detonated by Lin Moyu, obliterating the fire dragon before it could even reach him. As the green mes dissipated, he turned his gaze to the depths of the secret realm. In the swirling mass of dark green fire, a new figure began to form, slowly taking the shape of a Demon. ¡°Abyssal Fire Sprite!¡± Lin Moyu instantly recognized the secret realm¡¯s boss. In the Abyss, Abyssal Fire raged fiercely, and under certain conditions, this fire could mutate and form Abyssal Fire Sprites¡ªelemental creatures that took on various shapes. The Abyssal Fire Sprite surged toward him, and soon the entire secret realm was engulfed in green mes, transforming it into a zing inferno. Lin Moyu, unfazed by the mes around him, calmly remarked, ¡°Last time I faced an Abyssal Fire Sprite, it dropped a Fire Gem. I wonder if you''ll drop one too." Without wasting time, his skeletons hurled more corpses into the air, triggering a cascade of explosions. Lin Moyu didn¡¯t know the exact level of the Abyssal Fire Sprite before him¡ªwhether it was level 50 or 55¡ªbut it didn¡¯t matter. Against therge supply of corpses and the immense damage multiplier of Corpse Explosion, it was doomed. Even though the corpses were low-level with limited health, the sheer power of Corpse Explosion more thanpensated for it. The only question was how many detonations it would take to bring down the Abyssal Fire Sprite. Wave after wave of explosions rocked the secret realm. The Abyssal Fire Sprite shrieked as its mes were sted apart, its once massive form shrinking with every detonation. The onught continued for over 30 rounds before the Abyssal Fire Sprite let out a final, desperate cry, and its mes werepletely extinguished. From beginning to end, it never even got close to Lin Moyu. [Killed Abyssal Fire Sprite, EXP +1,800,000] [Obtained Fire Gem] Chapter [NaN] Chapter [NaN] The text is missing, perhaps a site error, report this to the admin #panic# Chapter 309: Different Zones Chapter 309: Different Zones ¡°Student council? Gao Yun? Why is he looking for me?¡± Gao Ming had a deep impression of the 51st student of ss 13. He was supposedly the only survivor of the bus ident. However, the other students were tricked to get back into the tunnel. The dead students were alive again. Gao Yun, who should survive, died on their behalf. Of the two parties, only one could leave the tunnel. However, due to the loophole in fate¡¯s arrangements, they both appeared at Han Hai. ¡°The president wants to give you something.¡± The student council member walked towards Gao Ming when he saw him. He was rather dull-looking, and his tone was even like that of a puppet without his own thoughts. He reached into his pocket and searched for a long time. Eventually, he took out two old phones. One of them was stained with blood like it was taken from a crime scene; the other was fully ck. Its model was even older than the other. ¡°The president wants to ask you a question. Please answer it carefully. Do not try to lie to him again.¡± He held a phone in each hand. The student stood before Gao Ming, ¡°If this time you are required to stay inside the tunnel for him to exit, are you willing?¡± Gao Ming did not answer immediately. Only the students of ss 13 knew how hard this question was. After a long silence, Gao Ming nodded. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± After getting Gao Ming¡¯s reply, the student felt like a puppet who had finished his mission. He ced the bloody phone before Gao Ming and put away the other phone. ¡°The president doesn¡¯t want to have conflict with you. The things he¡¯s doing are recorded on this phone. You can contact him through it. Of course, this phone might expose your location. If you think it¡¯s too dangerous, you can toss it away.¡± Gao Ming switched on the phone. The screen saver was a group photo of ss 13. However, it was the photo painted by Xia Yang, where everyone had died horribly. The only contact in the contact list, the student president, had sent many videos to this phone. After leaving Han De Private School, Gao Yun handed the school rules back to Yan Xizhi. He led the student council members to escape to the central circle of the east city. He created a new student council in the big city. Different from the other ghosts, Gao Yun didn¡¯t harm the innocent and didn¡¯t want to expose himself. He spread the rules silently in the dark. The people who followed his rules had surpassed a certain limit, and his influence included three residential areas and a school. Most of the horror games existed to serve the shadow world. However, Gao Yun¡¯s student council rules were different. Its core was to help those who followed the rules survive. The rules gathered the scattered masses into a giant collective. The student council was its core, binding everyone together. As the tragedy approached, more citizens followed the rules of the student council. This was why Gao Yun sent people over to Gao Ming. He hoped that Gao Ming would retreat out of the east city so that the investigation centre wouldn¡¯t benefit from their conflict.In the videos, information was provided on the student council as well as the other zones in Han Hai. Different from Gao Ming, who had been running to save his skin, Gao Yun had mastered most of the rules. Han De Private School was the centre for Situ An to cultivate sacrifices. It was his back garden. Many information and secrets there fell into Gao Yun¡¯s hands. After Situ An¡¯s death, he took over Situ An¡¯s forces, including thergest underground force in the east city and the many undercover spies nted inside the investigation centre. Situ An¡¯s n was deep. Gao Yun was originally one of his pieces. However, he was tricked by Gao Yun at the school. Gao Yun went not only for the school rules but also for the man¡¯s soul and memory. Gao Yun didn¡¯t seem like he had gained much from school, but he escaped with the exact thing that he wanted. Through Gao Yun¡¯s videos, Gao Ming gained a clear understanding of the new Han Hai. The north port city was the investigation centre headquarters¡¯ base. It housed the strongest members of the research and security departments. It was the production line to deal with the tragedy. It was where Han Hai¡¯s ¡°hope¡± was located. Anomalies barely had a chance to surface there. The east city that once belonged to Situ An was basically half-fallen. It was the busiest part of the city. After the Level 4 Anomaly, Han De Private School lost control, more citizens were reced by ghosts in the dark. This was the location where parties like the ghosts from the shadow world, the student council, the investigation centre and Han De Private School fought crazily. The old city was the most chaotic zone at Han Hai. It had the highest and densest poption. It was the focus of infiltration for the shadow world. Situ An had once conducted more than ten rituals there. The anomaly at Li San Hospital had spiralled out of control. The investigation centre hadn¡¯t given an official danger rating, but the situation was worse than in the east city. The only good thing was that Gao Ming was based there, and it was the zone where the horror game yers were the most active. The west port had the future tech garden. The west city investigation centre had the strongest security team outside of the one at the headquarters. The 13 investigation stations located there were led by capable agents. Lastly, it was the south port. Some of the Han Hai locals were from this area. Gao Ming¡¯s ssmate, Wang Jie, was from this ce. Wang Jie¡¯s eldest uncle was the captain of the one of the centres there. In the face of the tragedy, the south port didn¡¯t care for procedures and justice. They epted and protected any people or ghosts who were willing to help. They followed full practicalism. If humanity lost, they might willingly embrace the shadow world. Gao Yun shared a lot of information with Gao Ming. To thank Gao Ming for giving up on the east city, he even sent Gao Ming a present. In thest video, Gao Yun did a demonstration for Gao Ming. He found a citizen who was lured into an anomaly. He forced the other party to follow the student council rules. After they were put in danger, different people would explode with different levels of will. These powers of will could further strengthen the horror game rules. They could make the rule more realistic and could help Gao Yun break away from the shackles of fate. Gao Yun¡¯s presence was closer to a dream ghost. ¡°Those who should have died survive. Their fates have been changed. It can help me break the chains of fate. Their wills can be turned into nutrients to improve the power of the God of Flesh and Blood and Zhang Ding. Isn¡¯t this what I need?¡± Chapter 310: List Chapter 310: List Gao Ming¡¯s eyes glowed as he watched the videos. Zhang Ding had been trapped in the flood nightmare for a long time and still hadn¡¯t found a way to be a dream ghost. Gao Yun¡¯s videos offered a great path. ¡°The key to bing a dream ghost is not with the ghost but with the normal people in the city. We need their will to shake off the shackles of fate¡­¡± Zhang Ding saw the videos as well. ¡°He is not wrong. I can recreate the flood because of the trust I gain from my neighbours. They are willing to transmute their painful memories into power for me to control. As more water ghosts regain consciousness, my power is greater.¡± ¡°Collective¡­ rules¡­¡± Gao Ming remembered Lu Zang saying that Han Hai was a dream and all the citizens were living in a dream. Only when everyone was woken up from this dream would they have the chance to kill fate. ¡°Han Hai is different from the other cities. Due to the presence of fate, we can¡¯t rely on our constitution to achieve breakthroughs like the Red Spectres. Therefore, we can only rely on changing more people¡¯s fates and borrowing their collective will to fight against fate.¡± Zhang Ding felt that he hade to a solid conclusion. Granny Shen rolled her eyes and sighed. ¡°Even if you want to die, do you need to drag others down with you? What is wrong with living a normal and peaceful life? Even if this city is a dream, what if the waking world is worse than this dream?¡± ¡°Even the worst reality is better than my dream.¡± The blind man curled inside the big dog. His skin started to grow the ck fur again. ¡°The tragedy ising. The peaceful days are gone. In this world where anomalies are everywhere, who can guarantee us peace?¡± Xuan Wen spun the teacup. ¡°We have no other choices. If we do nothing, the normal citizens will be sacrificed to the shadow world.¡± ¡°It is necessary to help themon people get used to the anomalies beforehand.¡± Wei Dayou raised his hand. ¡°Sending them into controble anomalies is better than allowing them to be lost in the shadow world, right?¡± Bai Qiao, who sat beside Wei Dayou, gave her opinions too. ¡°The investigation centre has been sealed up the news about the shadow world. The consequences are evident. We are not sending the citizens to their deaths. We are merely giving them a chance to see the truth and make their own choices.¡°That¡¯s right. Most people in this world don¡¯t possess the power of choice. They are merely pawns of the bigger powers. We are like angels, bringing the agency of choice back to the citizens.¡± Xia Yang turned around in his portrait. He burned off thest paper doll on his body as his eyes shined with hatred. ¡°What kind of life do you live if you don¡¯t even have the power to control it? That¡¯s worse than an animal.¡± Teacher Xia¡¯s words silenced Granny Shen. A few people felt like they had been insulted. Only Zhang Ding¡¯s son ran about freely in the living room. ¡°There¡¯s no need to argue.¡± In the future Gao Ming saw, more than half of the people in Han Hai would be lost in the anomalies. Changing the future was not hard. One only needed to help those people survive instead of perish. ¡°The future is crueller than we think. The tragedy is only beginning. We don¡¯t need to purposely lead people into the anomalies. We only need to collect their will in the anomalies. If we encounter people with special will, we can invite them to join us.¡± Gao Ming opened the blood door and led everyone into the Home of Butchers. He stared at the number of families shown on the map. ¡°We are far behind Gao Yun at the moment. We need to pick up the ck.¡± He erged the map of the old city. He assigned everyone their mission. ¡°Save those who need to be saved. Kill those who need to be killed. I¡¯ll write everyone a new script. Hopefully, the next dream ghost will be among us.¡± Gao Ming created a list. Every name on the list represented blood and murder. Crazy was not powerful enough to describe these people. They killed more than ghosts in the anomalies. In the future Gao Ming experienced, these people perfectly assimted into the life of the shadow world. They had the ¡®best lives¡¯ in the shadows. ¡°We mustn¡¯t let go of a single person on this list. We have to send them into my torture room.¡± ¡­ ¡°Xiao Guo, is this your home?¡± Liu Jiaru was the ss teacher of Da Zai Primary School Year One ss Three. Recently, she noticed that one of her students often appeared in ss with mysterious bruises. She asked the child about it, but the child refused to say anything. She was worried that this was a case of domestic violence, so she decided to make a family visit. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Xiao Guo lowered her head and kicked the pebbles on the ground mindlessly. She walked so slowly. She didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to go home. ¡°Are your mother and father home today?¡± Liu Jiaru felt that something horrible had happened to this child. ¡°Did they do something to you? You can tell teacher.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t do anything to me¡­ Just¡­¡± Xiao Guo¡¯s braids fell on her beck. The bruise on the back of her neck was very obvious. ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t be scared. Teacher will help you.¡± ¡°They like to look at the mirror¡­ If I tell them to stop, they¡­¡± Xiao Guo walked past the road with many holes and stopped before the gate to the residential area for the employees of Da Zai Electrical Company. This was a residential area before the electrical nt was built. The ce was older than Liu Jiaru¡¯s father. ¡°Why is there no one here?¡± The ce felt deserted. It gave off an ufortable feeling. Teacher Liu didn¡¯t know how to describe it, but the ce had no sense of life. ¡°My home is here¡­¡± Xiao Guo led Teacher Liu to the third floor of Block Five. The windows in the corridors were bricked off. It was afternoon, but the ce was pitch ck. Xiao Guo found the key from her pocket and opened the door with shaking hands. The axle creaked noisily. The rust fell on her clothes. Xiao Guo looked at the dark living room and shouted into the room, ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°The food is on the table. Heat them yourself.¡± Her mother¡¯s voice came from the bedroom. Her tone was rife with annoyance as if Xiao Guo had interrupted something important that she was doing. Xiao Guo kept her head lowered as she moved to the dining table. She picked up the leftovers from the delivery. The stic box radiated a rotting food smell. There was used napkin beside it. ¡°How can you eat these things?¡± Teacher Liu grabbed Xiao Guo by her wrist. She stomped into the living room and yelled at the bedroom. ¡°Hello, Xiao Guo¡¯s mom. I¡¯m Xiao Guo¡¯s ss teacher. We need to talk!¡± An unexpected sound appeared inside the home. The sound of stuff moving came from the bedroom. Ten secondster, the bedroom door opened. A middle-aged woman appeared at the door with her back facing Teacher Liu. Chapter 311: Look Away Chapter 311: Look Away ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were doing home visits today. Look at the mess of this home.¡± The middle-aged woman was very polite. She was no different from the other parents Teacher Liu had visited. However, she kept facing away from Teacher Liu. It was strange. ¡°Xiao Guo¡¯s mom¡­ Are you alright?¡± Teacher Liu studied the woman¡¯s back. Her dishevelled, ck hair reached her shoulders. The woman was at home, but she was well-dressed. She wore a dress that was very expensive but not very fitting. ¡°It¡¯s indeed not that convenient for me at the moment. Did Xiao Guo give you any trouble? This damn kid. I¡¯ll be sure to teach her a lesson tonight.¡± The woman walked backwards out of the bedroom. Teacher Liu¡¯s breathing caught in her throat. However, she instantly shielded Xiao Guo behind her. ¡°It has nothing to do with the child. If anything, I have concerns about your teaching methods. Meaningless beatings and scares will affect the normal growth of a child¡­¡± Teacher Liu shut up instantly because the middle-aged woman was already one meter away from her face. There was silence inside the living room. Due to the immense pressure, Teacher Liu had to take a step back. The middle-aged woman didn¡¯t turn around, but she appeared to be able to see from the back of her head. She didn¡¯t bump into anything. ¡°Xiao Guo¡¯s mom, if you¡¯re not feeling well today, I cane back another day.¡± Teacher Liu felt that the woman was mentally ill. She held Xiao Guo¡¯s wrist and nned to leave. However, as she turned around, she noticed a man standing facing away from her outside the living room door. He appeared to be Xiao Guo¡¯s father. ¡°When did he arrive?¡± Teacher Liu felt a chill run down her spine. She held Xiao Guo¡¯s hand, and her palm started to sweat. ¡°Teacher Liu, since you¡¯re here, you should stay for a meal.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s voice was weing and gentle. ¡°We brought something delicious for you.¡±The man backed into the room and closed the door. The moment the door closed, the temperature inside plummeted. It was like the house was isted from the outside reality. ¡°Xiao Guo was like me when I was young. She must have been very naughty. I apologise.¡± The man spoke as he moved backwards. He looked normal, but when he approached, Teacher Liu instantly shivered with goosebumps. Every cell in her being was telling her to run. ¡°Xiao Guo,e over here!¡± The middle-aged woman shouted. Xiao Guo shivered. She let go of Teacher Liu¡¯s hand unwillingly. ¡°How can you call yourselves parents?¡± Teacher Liu pulled out her phone to call the emergency number. ¡°The police areing! I have to save Xiao Guo from you!¡± ¡°Is your phone working?¡± The man¡¯s voice echoed from his body. He ced the food on the table. With his wife, they approached Teacher Liu from both sides. ¡°Teacher Liu, I know you¡¯re a responsible person. Your students love you. We love you too. Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we make a few dishes for you?¡± Liu Jiaru just wanted to leave. She didn¡¯t think about staying. However, the couple didn¡¯t give her a choice. She was scared, but she tried to calm down. ¡°Okay. You can go cook. Then, we can talk over a meal.¡± Teacher Liu¡¯s n was to wait for Xiao Guo¡¯s parents to enter the kitchen and then leave the ce with Xiao Guo. ¡°Thank you foring over. We are normally so busy. Incidentally, we have so many things to discuss with you. Thank you for choosing our home¡­¡± Xiao Guo¡¯s dad was not making sense. He kept thanking Teacher Liu. The couple didn¡¯t move to the kitchen. Something moved under their skin. Their joints twitched unnaturally. The middle-aged woman¡¯s arm snapped back as she grabbed Teacher Liu¡¯s wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Teacher Liu reacted instantly. ¡°Showing you the food.¡± The couple forcibly pulled Teacher Liu into the bedroom and ced her before the make-up table. Before Teacher Liu could react, she saw herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened. An indescribable fear filled her body. Her reflection was sitting upright in the mirror. She wore the same clothes and had the same hair, but her reflection had no face! The face was just a blob. However, upon closer inspection, there was a light silhouette. ¡°It¡¯s not me inside the mirror!¡± ¡°Teacher Liu, thank you foring! Now, there¡¯s one more in my home!¡± The middle-aged man ced the stic bag of food on the make-up table. The thing inside the mirror started to look like Teacher Liu. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Teacher Liu wanted to avert her eyes, but her head was held in ce by the couple. As they pushed her head closer to the mirror, the thing in the mirror started to take her features. ¡°Help! Help!¡± Rapid footsteps sounded. A small figure appeared at the door. ¡°Look away from the mirror!¡± The young voice said. Then, Teacher Liu heard a crack. Xiao Guo threw the knife that was used to chop meat at the mirror. The smooth mirror had a few splinters. Teacher Liu¡¯s reflection grimaced. Xiao Guo¡¯s parents paused for a moment. Teacher Liu used this chance to escape. She grabbed Xiao Guo¡¯s hand and ran towards the door. She shoved through the door. Xiao Guo¡¯s parents chased after them. ¡°Teacher, you should go.¡± Xiao Guo let go of Teacher Liu to hug her mother¡¯s legs. She also lifted her head to look at her mother. When she saw her mother¡¯s face, Xiao Guo¡¯s face started to blur. At that moment, Teacher Liu finally understood why Xiao Guo always kept her face down. This discovery frightened Teacher Liu. She ignored everything and ran downstairs. The sky outside was dark. She had no idea what time it was. It felt like she had spent a long time at Xiao Guo¡¯s home. Tracing her memory, she ran to the residential gate. The ce where the gate should be had turned into a wall. Footsteps came from behind her. Teacher Liu ran with all her might, but she was still too slow. Soon, a hand pressed on her shoulder. ¡°I just want to ask for directions. Do you need to react like this?¡± The man said between breaths. After he caught up to Teacher Liu, a few others came over. They were dressed differently, but they shared one simrity. Their phones had received a mission update from Dead Water Forum. Chapter 312: Friends Chapter 312: Friends When she saw that she was surrounded, Teacher Liu was scared. She felt like everyone was working against her. ¡°Who are you?¡± Teacher Liu gasped for air as she tried to scurry away. ¡°I¡¯m with the police from Da Zai Electrical Supply Police Station,¡± the man said, taking out his ID. He was not that old. His picture looked more handsome than his person. ¡°Fan Li?¡± Teacher Liu read the name on the ID and slowly calmed down. ¡°Did youe here after receiving my call? This is not right! My call didn¡¯t go through! Who are you?¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Fan Li couldn¡¯t handle the screaming Teacher Liu. He told the others to back away slightly so as not to pressure Teacher Liu, ¡°We can surmise that you¡¯ve encountered something scary based on your attitude and status. We¡¯re here to handle those situations. You can call us horror game yers.¡± Teacher Liu was confused. The man before her should be beyond the age of make-believe. The name horror game yers were too juvenile. ¡°Is that something like extreme sports lovers?¡± ¡°How do I exin it? We have once experienced an anomaly like you did. The difference is we did not gain help from others and managed to survive through luck. Therefore, we decided to band together to help more people.¡± Fan Li was young, but probably because he was in the force, he gave off a reliable feeling. Seeing the suspicion on Teacher Liu¡¯s face, Fan Li started to introduce the people around him. ¡°This fashionable sister with curly hair was a nanny at a rich man¡¯s home in the east city. You can call her Sister Zhang. Back then, the little ghosts her employer nurtured in the basement of the vi came out, and only Sister Zhang survived.¡±The rotund Sister Zhang smiled. She was very approachable. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Sister Zhang. To survive the night, Sister Zhang treated all the little ghosts as her children and spent a whole night and day with them.¡± Once Fan Li said that, Teacher Liu¡¯s thoughts of approaching Sister Zhang disappeared. ¡°This couple are students at Han Hai University. They¡¯ve been together since high school. They are very good at their studies.¡± Fan Li knew everyone in his team well. ¡°My name is Bai Shu. This is my girlfriend, Youyou. We¡¯re both math majors.¡± The male student looked thin, tall and polite. The girl was tall too. They looked like an ideal couple. ¡°A few days ago, a lot of students disappeared from our university. We were trapped inside the library too. It was because of the aid from our seniors on Dead Water Forum that we managed to survive.¡± Bai Shu hugged Youyou when he thought about the incident. ¡°This other pair I¡¯ve rescued from the admin office.¡± Fan Li looked at the couple, who were standing away from each other with a headache. ¡°Who is a pair with him? We¡¯re divorced!¡± The woman said loudly. Her body had beautiful curvature from a lot of training at the gym. ¡°Do you think I want toe with you? If not for the ghosts that day, I would have run after we finished our divorce dealings!¡± The man yelled back. His body was rounder. He was the same age as the woman, but he looked aged. ¡°Run? Stop joking! I remember it was me who carried you when the ghost showed up that day! Are you still a man?¡± ¡°I only fell down to protect you! Didn¡¯t I tell you to let me walk on my own?¡± The man¡¯s neck was red. ¡°How can you not see that? I think you spend too much time throwing the lead ball, and your brain is also lead now!¡± ¡°Lee Caicheng, if I hear one more thing from you!¡± The woman rolled up her sleeves. ¡°After living with you, it¡¯s no wonder that I¡¯m not scared of ghosts anymore!¡± The man said stubbornly as he hid behind Fan Li. With a bitter smile, Fan Li exined to Teacher Liu, ¡°The big brother¡¯s name is Lee Caicheng. He¡¯s a doctor; His wife is a retired lead ball sportswoman. Her name is Ou Yang Susu.¡± ¡°That was the name she used to trick me before we went out. Susu is such a demure name. It is so unlike her real person.¡± ¡°Lee Caicheng, do you want to die?¡± Sister Susu instantly grabbed Brother Lee by his neck. ¡°Let me down! Or I¡¯ll sue you for domestic violence!¡± Lee Caicheng groaned in pain. ¡°Go ahead! We¡¯re divorced already!¡± Ou Yang Susu said, but her hand eased open. ¡°Xiao Fan, don¡¯t just stand there! Arrest her!¡± Fan Li ignored the couple and introduced thest person, ¡°This man¡¯s name is Gao Ming. We met him before we entered the anomaly. His family owns a kindergarten. He helps out normally. He¡¯s very good with kids.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Gao Ming greeted Teacher Liu shyly, ¡°I was also very scared when I was in my first anomaly. Even though I still feel nervous, it¡¯s much better now.¡± ¡°Everyone here knows what you¡¯ve been through,¡± Fan Li concluded, ¡°Horror game yers like us should band together to save more people.¡± Fan Li was someone who could be fired for doing this. However, he possessed something special that made others want to stay close to him. It was justice. In a certain future, the normal Fan Li did something he could never imagine. Teacher Liu looked at Sister Susu and Brother Li. She finally believed them. Ghosts wouldn¡¯t argue like a couple. ¡°One of my students is trapped inside her home by her parents. It¡¯s that building! Her parents kept standing facing away from me. Once you see their faces, your face will disappear like it has been stolen!¡± ¡°A faceless monster?¡± Fan Li took out his notebook. ¡°There are simr anomalies around Li San Hospital. Many residential areas are in lockdown because of this. It¡¯s apparently rted to a faceless mud figurine. This should be our mission venue.¡± After he confirmed that, he turned to the apartment building. ¡°Maintain the team position. We¡¯ll go take a look.¡± ¡°Should we wait for the other yers?¡± Bai Shu opened his phone. ¡°Dead Water Forum released 17 new missions yesterday night. They cover the entire old city area. I feel like things are changing at Han Hai. We should be more careful.¡± ¡°A child¡¯s life is at risk. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to her.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 314: What Kind of Kids Do You Teach? Chapter 314: What Kind of Kids Do You Teach? ¡°It¡¯s normal for neers to be nervous. You¡¯ll slowly get used to it.¡± Brother Lee patted Gao Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°However, you¡¯re lucky to have been assigned to our team.¡± ¡°Stop acting.¡± Ou Yang Susu pulled Brother Lee back. For some reason, she felt something special about Gao Ming, ¡°Look at yourself before you go giving others advice.¡± ¡°Stop arguing,¡± Fan Li moved Ou Yang Susu away, ¡°Teacher Liu ran into us as she escaped from the building. Not much time has passed. Xiao Guo and her parents should still be in this building. While the monsters are gathered in the activity room, we need to check this ce. Then, we need to move before the monsterse to find us.¡± After confirming Xiao Guo¡¯s family was not at home, Fan Li nned to inspect the whole building for clues. ¡°Gao Ming, Youyou, you two are new at this. You can stay here to guard this ce. Bai Shu, Ol¡¯ Lee, you can guard the corridor to warn us if anything happens. The rest will search the other units with me.¡± Fan Li said quickly, ¡°If something happens, you have to ensure your own safety before considering saving others.¡± After assigning everyone¡¯s mission, Fan Li and Ou Yang Susu left the front door and headed upstairs. Each horror game mission was the entrance to hell. If they were slightly careless, they would fall into the deep abyss. Fan Li didn¡¯t look different from normal, but he was highly alerted. He moved lightly like a cat. His eyes scanned the corridors, leaving no stone unturned. There were more shredded fabrics in the corridor. Fan Li found a single children¡¯s shoe. He paused when he was on the seventh floor. A lot of torn clothes were spread on the lightless staircase. A naked man was hanged among the heaps of smelly clothes. He was facing away from Fan Li. He had light breathing. His body was covered in heavy bruises. ¡°What is going on?¡± Ou Yang Susu squeezed over and took out a lead ball from her bag. ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a ghost.¡± Brother Lee stopped his wife. He and Fan Li approached the man from both sides. They untied the man andy him on the ground. The man¡¯s eyes were closed. He shivered in fear when he felt peopleing. His face was ruined by wounds. It was harrowing to see. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. We¡¯re here to save you.¡±Hearing Fan Li¡¯s voice, the man tried to open his eyes. His mouth opened. He tried so hard, as if he wanted to tell Fan Li something. However, due to his weakness, he failed to do so. In the end, he merely pointed at a home unit on their left. Fan Li and Brother Lee turned to look. The door on their left was open. A family of five stood in the living room, facing away from them. ¡°This is bad¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°I wonder how Xiao Bai is doing.¡± Youyou heard nothing from the corridor. She paced inside the room. Suddenly, she found a security camera inside the living room. ¡°With this, I can find out what happened here!¡± Youyou switched on theputer and found a copy of the security video. She picked the content of thetest week and started to y the video. Xiao Guo¡¯s mother was a kind, loving, hardworking and optimistic person. She was a little bit vain. She had a good rtionship with the neighbours. However, a few nights ago, Xiao Guo¡¯s mother came homete. Xiao Guo¡¯s father was worried. They argued about it in the living room. In the video, Xiao Guo¡¯s mother¡¯s status was not right already. Her head dangled weakly like she was drunk. After entering the bedroom, Xiao Guo¡¯s mother sat before the mirror and smiled dumbly. Then, she started to put on make-up. She painted her face beautifully, like she was going out on a date. Xiao Guo¡¯s father was by her side. He was nervous and scared. When he made the decision to call the police, a few olddies from the neighbourhoodmittee came to visit them. The elders escorted Xiao Guo¡¯s father out. Then, the scary things happened. At midnight, Xiao Guo¡¯s mother stared at herself in the mirror and started to cackle. Herughter became louder and louder. Her hands scratched her face uncontrobly. Her nails pierced into her mouth and eyes. The made-up face was slowly torn apart, but not one drop of blood leaked out. The woman wasughing, but crying came from the mirror. She slowly stood up. Her upper body leaned forward until her face was touching the mirror. Her body started to convulse like something had left her body and entered the mirror. Hearing themotion, Xiao Guo, who was woken up from her sleep, entered the bedroom. She looked at her mother in fear. Youyou paused the image. Her heart couldn¡¯t stop racing. All her teammates had left. Only she and Gao Ming were left at home. She was afraid, but curiositypelled her to keep watching. She pressed the y button, and her eyes were glued to the screen. The woman, who was about to be swallowed by the mirror, started to struggle. Her hands smacked against the mirror. She used thest bit of her energy to tell Xiao Guo to leave. Ten secondster, the woman and the mirror returned to normal. Xiao Guo¡¯s mother¡¯s face seemed to have been left inside the mirror. Outside the mirror, the woman was like a body without a soul. Inside the mirror, she became more beautiful and a few years younger. Her reflection looked at her child and smiled. Her gaze was so gentle that it felt as if she were looking at her favourite food. She moved her body inside the mirror. Her head slowly eased out of the mirror¡¯s surface. The video flickered, and the screen died. It short-circuited. Youyou tried to restart theputer, but it was to no avail. She wanted to call Gao Ming for help. As she turned her head around, she caught sight of the bedroom. Her back chilled. There was a woman¡¯s head inching out of the bedroom mirror. She wore heavy make-up. Her eyes and mouth were deep hollows. Her face was pulled taut like it could be stretched through at any moment. ¡°The video is continuing in real life!¡± Chills curled around her legs like snakes. Fear froze Youyou in ce. Her mouth fell open. As she was about to scream, Gao Ming, who was also in the living room, charged over! He held a rice cooker that had some leftovers inside. Without any hesitation, he smashed the rice cooker on the woman¡¯s head. Gao Ming kicked the woman and thennded one after another fist on the mirror. The mirror cracked into smithereens. The blood that oozed out of the mirror drenched Gao Ming¡¯s hands. Youyou swallowed her scream back. The rice cooker rolled to the ground, and the ghost disappeared. ¡°Wait¡­ Is this how we can chase the ghosts back?¡± Chapter 315: Will Chapter 315: Will The first reaction when running into ghosts in the anomaly was to move away from them. After Gao Ming ¡®persuaded¡¯ the ghost to leave, he copsed to the ground as if fear had drained him. Youyou hesitated for a few seconds before she ran into the bedroom. She took in the broken mirror. The female ghost was gone. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Youyou didn¡¯t dare touch Gao Ming casually. Those who had been touched by the horror story could have been reced by ghosts. She didn¡¯t want to die for a stranger. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡± When Gao Ming saw Youyou didn¡¯t have the intention to approach him, he ¡®struggled¡¯ to stand up. His hands were covered in blood. The blood was not his but came from the mirror. ¡°The faceless figurine might have discovered us. All the mirrors in its disciples¡¯ rooms are its eyes. This thing is more cunning than we thought.¡± There was only one mud figurine, but everyone twisted by its faith was its clone. ¡°We should look for Fan Li.¡± Youyou still did not get close to Gao Ming. She was scared and ran out of the living room, leaving Gao Ming alone, ¡°Xiao Bai! Bai Shu! Where are you?¡± Irregr footsteps came from upstairs. Bai Shu and Sister Zhang supported each other as they ran. ¡°Quick! The corridor is not safe! We need to go!¡± Hearing her teammates, Youyou didn¡¯t even notify Gao Ming and ran towards Bai Shu. She joined them and ran downstairs.¡°What did you encounter upstairs? Where¡¯s Fan Li?¡± Since no one cared about him, Gao Ming¡¯s condition became magically better, as if the fear that dominated him earlier didn¡¯t even exist. ¡°Xiao Fan is on the seventh floor! This ce is filled with ghosts!¡± Bai Shu and Youyou ran away. Sister Zhang at least turned back to yell at Gao Ming, ¡°You¡¯ll only be a burden if you go there! Come with us!¡± Compared to the investigation centre, the current horror game yers were not united. They would fight for benefits and expose their true character in the face of danger. Everyone wanted to survive in the apocalypse. They entered the anomalies to get stronger and save themselves and their friends. Once that was impossible, they would not hesitate to abandon their morality and teammates. This was humanity. It was because of this that people like Fan Li were extremely precious. Gao Ming didn¡¯t follow them. He went upstairs. He came there for Fan Li. After Bai Shu and the rest left, the corridor became still. There was no sound of fighting or screaming. With confusion, Gao Ming arrived at the sixth floor. He stopped at the corner of the sixth and seventh floors. The scene before him surprised him. A little girl in a white dress stood facing Ou Yang Susu and Brother Lee. She paced between the two. The middle-aged couple who was ready to get divorced stood in the dark corridor like statues. They covered each other¡¯s eyes and didn¡¯t move. ¡°A ghost that you can¡¯t see the face of?¡± In the face of danger, they both made the same choice and covered the other person¡¯s eyes. Different horrid sounds came from inside the little girl¡¯s body. She climbed onto Ou Yang Susu¡¯s body like a human bug. Her thin legs pressed on Ou Yang Susu¡¯s shoulders. Her head dangled downwards. Her head swayed before Ou Yang Susu¡¯s face. Despite how physically strong Ou Yang Susu was, her body trembled. However, the hand that covered Brother Lee¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t move. Both of them knew that the ghost was nearby. They had learned part of the rules from Teacher Liu. No matter how scared they were, they didn¡¯t dare to look at the ghost¡¯s face. The girl¡¯s upside-down face waved like a pendulum. Suddenly, she bit the back of Brother Lee¡¯s hand. Curse entered his blood vessels like wet, ck hair. Brother Lee gritted his teeth. Pain caused him to break out in sweat. However, he tried his best not to make a sound. ¡°Ol¡¯ Lee?¡± Ou Yang Susu instantly realised something was wrong. She could sense that the girl''s ghost was on her shoulders. ¡°The ghost is sitting on me. You need to let go and run.¡± Brother Lee was in so much pain that his hand shook. ¡°I will count to three and the two of us will let go at the same time and run!¡± When Ou Yang Susu counted to one, Brother Lee kept his hand over her eyes. Susu let go, but she didn¡¯t n to move. Instead, she went to grab the ghost¡¯s legs. Even if she couldn¡¯t fight the ghost, she¡¯d drag her away from Brother Lee. Her thoughts were nice, but they were hard to implement. Just as Susu grabbed the girl¡¯s legs, the ghost¡¯s flesh and skin started to mutate. They covered Susu¡¯s hands like slime. The girl¡¯s face inched closer. If not for Brother Lee¡¯s hand, Ou Yang Susu¡¯s face might have been taken already. The curse coursed through his body. Brother Lee could barely stand due to the pain. However, he didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle. ¡°Go! Leave!¡± Ou Yang Susu knew that things were not good for Ol¡¯ Lee, but she didn¡¯t know that the man had already been infiltrated by curses. Even though they often argued, they still had each other¡¯s best interests in their hearts. They never once thought about abandoning the other. ¡°Fuck this!¡± With her eyes closed, Ou Yang Susu suddenly leaned back. She knew the ghost was on her back. She mmed her body into the wall behind her. In desperation, the couple showed immense determination. Curses and pain couldn¡¯t deplete the thing that existed in them. Brother Lee worried about his wife, but he couldn¡¯t do more than hope that other horror game yers woulde to rescue her before he was taken over by the curse. As long as Ou Yang Susu could be rescued, he¡¯d trade anything for it. It was at that moment that sounds came from inside the torture room. The Human Face of the God of Flesh and Blood opened his eyes. A special energy that the naked eyes couldn¡¯t see evaporated from the couple and was absorbed by the God of Flesh and Blood. It appeared to be their emotions or love. ¡°This should be the power of will mentioned by Gao Yun.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s original target was Fan Li. He was pleasantly surprised by this couple. Ou Yang Susu and Brother Lee should have died in the tragedy, but their fate was changed by the God of Flesh and Blood. After consuming their energy, the Human Face closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to n to do anything beyond that. ¡°Different humans will evoke different levels of will energy. This couple is already not bad.¡± A chain covered in names appeared in Gao Ming¡¯s hands. He rushed forward andssoed the girl from behind. Without looking at her face, Gao Ming flung the girl into the torture room. Sister Susu was still fighting with the air. Brother Lee cried out in pain. Gao Ming ran past the couple and headed to the room where Fan Li was. Chapter 316: Ghost Face Chapter 316: Ghost Face Da Zai Electrical Company Employee¡¯s Residential Area had been infiltrated by the faceless figurine. It was the source of all the anomalies. To return this ce back to normal, one had to destroy the mud figurine, as detailed on Dead Water Forum. Gao Ming came to the seventh floor and was surprised by what he saw. A resident with a ruined face was hanged at the entrance to the living room. Fan Li was surrounded by four dark shadows. ¡°Has the whole family been mutated?¡± Hearing the sound, the dark figure slowly turned around. The dark hair covered its face as it stared at Gao Ming. Its face was nk. The facial features had been wiped away. Only a pair of eyes remained on the uneven face. Including the girl who was trapped inside the torture room, the family of five shared the same facial features. Even though they had different bodies, they shared the same soul. The mother had the eyes; the father had the ears; the grandfather had the nose¡­ When Gao Ming saw them, his brain was assaulted. Four different faces entered his mind to bite at his memory. ¡°No wonder people can¡¯t see their faces. That vites the rules of the faceless figurine. This allows them to enter normal people¡¯s brains to consume their memories.¡± As they lost their memories, normal people would lose their faces, bing puppets that couldn¡¯t see, listen, smell, or hear. Gao Ming didn¡¯t care that he had seen their faces. He evoked the death memories. ¡°Enjoy the feast.¡±The hungry ghosts started to scream like they had consumed poison. Fan Li, who had been suppressed, caught this opportunity. The man had been keeping his eyes closed. He pulled out a knife from the back of his waist. He cut his palm and allowed his blood to wet the de. ¡°I have no history with any of you, but such is the nature of the world. I know the pain you¡¯re in. Let me send you on your way!¡± Fan Li said righteously. Gao Ming felt embarrassed for him. However, Fan Li believed this was a necessary procedure. It was how he felt okay with the ¡®murders¡¯. Triggered by pain, veins popped on Fan Li¡¯s neck and arms. The young man suddenly became vicious and ghastly. Shadow oozed out of his body. ¡°Shadow? Has he been reced by the things from the shadow world?¡± This was the first time Gao Ming saw something like this. Anything could happen in the apocalypse. Nothing was impossible. Fan Li pounced at the old man who was closest to him. To Gao Ming¡¯s surprise, Fan Li¡¯s weapon was not the knife but his mouth. Fan Li must have eaten something in the previous anomaly to gain this power. Since the family of four failed to gain anything from Gao Ming, they switched their target. Their bodies melted like goo. They slithered onto Fan Li¡¯s body like parasites. The bones creaked and cracked. With his eyes still closed, Fan Li munched and bit like crazy. Humans could be scarier than ghosts to survive in the apocalypse. However, one¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t matter as long as one¡¯s heart shone with humanity. The dark figures shoved Fan Li into the living room. There was arge standing mirror in the middle of the room. The sides of the mirror were decorated with sacrifices and two white candles. They forced Fan Li closer to the mirror. ¡°Fan Li¡± in the mirror had no body or face. However, this monster was very interested in Fan Li. It couldn¡¯t wait to eat this young man. ¡°I will eventually kill all of you!¡± Fan Li¡¯s hoarse voice came out of his terrifying visage. He tried his best. He could still rival the controlled tenants, but he was too weak to resist the monster inside the mirror. His face was pressed against the mirror. His memory and emotions were drained by the thing inside the mirror. When he was a child, he worked at a roadside stall with his mother. When he was in high school, he was in a gang fight to protect his friend. He became a volunteer police officer. He didn¡¯t even have an official license, but he always rushed in front. The thing that pushed him was more than justice. He also wanted to prove himself. He wanted to be official so that people knew people like him still existed in the world. His mind blurred. He felt like he was about to forget himself. In that deep despair, he could barely move his limbs. He couldn¡¯t struggle loose. He rammed his head into the mirror, trying to smash it. As long as he still had a breath in him, he would not give up. The shadow that radiated from the ghost face thickened. Pain and torture were his nutrients. He wanted to swallow all the unfairness in the world into his stomach. The God of Flesh and Blood resonated with Fan Li¡¯s ghost face. Different from how he reacted to Brother Lee, the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s heart started to pound. Fan Li¡¯s power of will was on a different level from Brother Lee''s. Brother Lee could survive a level six torture, but Fan Li could survive until the end. Gao Ming opened the torture room. The chains pierced the bodies of the dark figures. The God of Flesh and Blood touched Fan Li¡¯s will. God dripped a drop of blood rife with the fragrance of meat into Fan Li¡¯s mouth. This meant that Fan Li¡¯s fate had been effectively tied to Gao Ming¡¯s fate. Compared to a feast, the God of Flesh and Blood wanted to use this method to continuously gain something from Fan Li. The mirror shattered. Fan Li¡¯s reflection red at the God of Flesh and Blood. Its true body was not there, so it couldn¡¯t stop Gao Ming. The chains rankled. The God of Flesh and Blood sent the whole family into the torture room. The living room quieted down. After gaining Fan Li¡¯s will, the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s Human Face became more alive. ¡°It looks like Gao Yun¡¯s method is really useful! I wonder how many people¡¯s will I need to nurture someone into a dream ghost.¡± The danger was temporarily resolved. Gao Ming didn¡¯t stay. He ran back to the sixth floor. He shouted at Ou Yang Susu and Brother Lee so they could open their eyes. ¡°Is the ghost gone?¡± Brother Lee slumped to the ground. He pointed up the stairs weakly, ¡°Go to the seventh floor! Xiao Fan is still up there!¡± Gao Ming and Ou Yang Susu came to the seventh floor. Fan Liy before the broken mirror. His face had returned to normal. ¡°Xiao Fan!¡± Ou Yang Susu shook Fan Li¡¯s body. Finally, Fan Li woke up. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ll throw up if you shake me any further.¡± Holding his head, Fan Li looked around. ¡°Did I do this?¡± Fan Li remembered using his head to crash into the mirror. However, some of the shards had flown more than several meters away from him. Was the collision that strong? Chapter 317: It Only Eats Good People ¡°There were four ghosts with you. Where are they now?¡± Ou Yang Susu carried the resident with the ruined face. She was anxious. ¡°I might have eaten them. I feel so full.¡± Fan Li checked the wounds on his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll lose control once I use that thing.¡± Everyone had their own secrets. Ou Yang Susu didn¡¯t probe. She took out the med kit and handed it to Fan Li. ¡°He needs it more.¡± Fan Li opened the kit and bandaged the resident swiftly, ¡°His injuries are serious. If he doesn¡¯t leave this ce tonight, he¡¯ll die here.¡± After being fed some water, the resident recovered slightly. His lips opened. ¡°Save my mother. Please.¡± ¡°Your mother?¡± Fan Li looked around. ¡°Why were you captured by those ghosts? What happened here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s madness. Everyone here has lost their minds. Their faces have been stolen, and they have turned into monsters.¡± The man uttered intermittently. ¡°At first, it was the auntie from the neighbourhoodmittee who picked up something back. She said it was magical. Once you worship it, everything you wish for wille true. But as more people worshipped it, more inexplicable things started to happen! You must be careful!¡± ¡°Why were you spared? Is it because of your face?¡± Brother Lee was curious. ¡°God likes perfect faces and good memories. I was born with a facial defect. It was my mother who looked after me. My dad is never home. My life is so sad that even the ghost looks down on me.¡± The man said through tears. ¡°I did this to my own face. I am cowardly. I did many bad things. I¡¯m not a good person. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to me, but you have to save my mother! She listened to the aunties from the neighbourhoodmittee. She went to find the mud figurine and hadn¡¯t returned in a while already!¡± ¡°Then, I fear the worst has happened to her.¡± Once Brother Lee said that, he was rewarded with a re by Ou Yang Susu. ¡°I was just telling the truth.¡±¡°If you have something good about you, it¡¯ll be taken away by the ghost in the mirror. I am a parasite that lives off my mother. I¡¯m better off dead.¡± The man cried. He should be quite young, but he felt aged. ¡°Think of it like this. Perhaps all the unfairness in your life is to prepare you for this moment. When the tragedy is here, humanity¡¯s darkness will be amplified. It doesn¡¯t matter how you lived your life in the past. The most important thing is how you grab your future.¡± Fan Li applied medicine to the man¡¯s wounds. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Wu You¡­¡± The man wallowed in self-pity. Both ghosts and humans disliked him. Other than Xiao Guo, he was the only one in the residential area who was still human, albeit he had been turned into a toy by the ghosts. ¡°Did your mother say anything before she left?¡± Gao Ming checked Wu You¡¯s wounds. He considered the ultimate treatment: throwing him into the torture room. ¡°She said she was going to Granny Lee¡¯s ce. She mentioned consulting something to treat my face.¡± Wu You slumped to the ground. ¡°This is Granny Lee¡¯s fault. It was she who invited the ghost into the neighbourhood. They will summon people to the activity room every night. Dark figures that face away from you might show up in the corridors any time.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve survived here for so long already. Can you tell us anything that we should pay attention to?¡± Ou Yang Susu asked the critical question, ¡°Other than ruining our faces.¡± Tears flowed down the scars on his face. Wu You shivered. ¡°Do not look at their faces. Stay away from mirrors. Right! There are other residents whose faces haven¡¯t been taken. They look normal, but they are scarier than the faceless residents! That mud figurine has a very perverse nature. It only likes to feast on the faces of good people. It munches on kindness. It will purposely ignore the sinners. The heavier the sin, the bigger the chance of being ignored by it!¡± ¡°This figurine has quite a picky taste.¡± Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He could confirm that the mud figurines had the same need as he did. They wanted the living human¡¯s power of will or twisted faith. It could help normal Big Ghosts turn into Dream Ghosts and aid the mud figurines toplete their rebirth. ¡°I need you to tell us where Granny Lee¡¯s home is. The monsters are in the activity room. If the mud figurine is at Granny Lee¡¯s ce, we¡¯ll destroy it directly!¡± Fan Li climbed up from the ground. He had just experienced something traumatic, but his condition was better than before. Furthermore, a meat fragrance radiated from his body. It was the smell of food. Carrying Wu You, the group returned to the sixth floor. They opened the side door and found the pale Teacher Liu hiding inside. After meeting the ghosts, Fan Li told them to leave. The girl flew out of her home to chase after them. Before they were trapped, Brother Lee and Ou Yang Susu shoved Teacher Liu into the side room. They had no power to defend themselves, but they subconsciously wanted to save others. This was something special they had. Most times, the world was not shone by the light. Instead, the world was lit up by normal people like them who carried the sun. Teacher Liu was still so scared even though the ghosts were gone. She didn¡¯t even dare look at Gao Ming, much less approach him. ¡°You are a responsible teacher, and we¡¯ll be responsible for your safety.¡± Gao Ming grabbed Teacher Liu by her wrist, and they went downstairs. The night was thickened by the fog. The neighbourhood became creepier. There were figures standing on the balconies, facing away from the view. ¡°You¡¯re finally here! We need to move!¡± Youyou had urged Bai Shu multiple times. If they stayed at a fixed location for too long, they would be targeted so easily. ¡°The activity is on the fourth floor of Block Seven. Granny Lee¡¯s home is on the second floor of Block Seven. There are only two floors between them. Do not make too much noise.¡± Wu Youy on Fan Li¡¯s back and said weakly, ¡°If you really run into powerful ghosts, you can toss me out as bait. It doesn¡¯t matter if I die. I hope you can save my mother.¡± The ugly and scary face pressed on Fan Li¡¯s shoulder. Wu You¡¯s sudden speech frightened Youyou and Bai Shu. ¡°Brother Fan, are we really bringing him with us?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go to our destination first,¡± Fan Li ran ahead. He would not give up on Wu You like he wouldn¡¯t give up on anyone around him. People like him were born to be the main characters. Block Seven was built in the deepest part of the neighbourhood. There were sundry shops on the first floor, a kindergarten on the third floor, and the fourth floor, which had been modified into an elderly activity room. The neighbourhoodmittee would organise activities there too. Chapter 318: The Lost Faces ¡°Quiet. The activity room is just above Granny Lee¡¯s home.¡± Fan Li didn¡¯t hide anything. He shared the known information with everyone. ¡°Our goal, the mud figurine, should be inside Granny Lee¡¯s home. After we destroy it, we¡¯ll leave.¡± Fan Li scanned everyone before pointing at Bai Shu and Brother Lee. ¡°I¡¯ll guard the staircase while the two of you enter Granny Lee¡¯s home.¡± ¡°Is that a good idea?¡± Youyou grabbed her boyfriend¡¯s arm. ¡°No one knows what¡¯s inside Granny Lee¡¯s home. What if there¡¯s danger?¡± ¡°The mud figurine is the source of all the anomalies. If we do anything to the mud figurine, it¡¯ll attract the people in the activity room. I¡¯ll stop them in the staircase to buy time for you.¡± People often followed Fan Li¡¯s assignments because he¡¯d always give himself the most dangerous task. ¡°However, defending the rear is important too. Gao Ming is a newbie. Can he do this?¡± Youyou nced at Gao Ming, who was at the back. The man was too passive and never volunteered for anything. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Leave it to me.¡± Bai Shu tapped Youyou¡¯s hand. He and Brother Lee walked to the front. The rusted corridor door creaked open. The temperature inside the corridor was lower than normal. Walking down it, one could hear the sound of singing opera. The neighbourhoodmittee¡¯s activity appeared to have started. ck lichen grew on the steps. The creepy sound blew into everyone¡¯s sleeves like a chilly breeze. The more they went up, the more harrowing the voices were. The haunting melody was dipped in pain. ¡°Ghost music?¡± Sister Zhang paused to listen. She halted like she had been possessed. ¡°Do you know this?¡± Fan Li stopped moving. ¡°When I first entered the anomaly, my employer was familiar with ghost music. It is a kind of music that mimics the wailing of souls. It has no apaniment. It is ethereal, absurd and nonsensical¡­¡± Sister Zhang looked fearful. ¡°My employer was a bigshot¡¯s kept mistress. Her hope was to rece the main wife. When the anomaly happened, the little ghosts she had been keeping underground came alive. That night, she went into the basement and never came out.¡±¡°So, she was a hidden mistress.¡± Youyou was shocked. ¡°No wonder we haven¡¯t heard you mention her before.¡± ¡°Humans areplicated. Her morality aside, she let me go after she became a ghost. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll never say anything bad about her.¡± Sister Zhang whispered to Fan Li. ¡°Normally, songs with ghost music are used to summon and send away the souls. I have no idea why people are singing ghost music here. But, the singer is even more proficient than my former employer.¡± ¡°Perhaps the singer is not human but the mud figurine.¡± Fan Li told them to cover their ears. The sundry shops on the first floor were locked. The only light came from an oldputer. The ck-and-white video showed the movement of Fan Li¡¯s group. They snuck to the second floor. After confirming the location of Granny Lee¡¯s home, Fan Li took out lock-picking tools from his bag. He knew how to break mechanical and electronic locks. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. To capture the criminals, you have to be familiar with their methods.¡± Fan Li quietly opened the front door. He held the door and gestured with his hands. Brother Lee and Bai Shu entered the home. Ou Yang Susu stood outside the door for support. The thick smell of medicine and rot drifted out of the house. Bai Shu switched on the shlight on his phone. As the light came on, Brother Lee and Bai Shu froze. The living room, kitchen and bedrooms were covered in paper dolls. The paper dolls had the faces of the residents in the neighbourhood. The dolls¡¯ bodies were written with their names. Granny Lee¡¯s n was to turn them all into sacrifices. ¡°It¡¯s all fake. Focus on finding the mud figurine.¡± Fan Li was very nervous, too. He stood near the stairs that led to the third floor. He was under a lot of pressure. ¡°I can¡¯t find it.¡± Avoiding the paper dolls, Bai Shu entered the bedroom. Granny Lee¡¯s home was filled with children''s clothes. She appeared to have collected them from the kindergarten on the third floor. Some of them had names on them. ¡°She seems to be worshipping something.¡± All the clothes had traces of cuts and sewing. They felt like curses. Bai Shu found an ugly doll deep inside an old dresser. The doll was made from pieces of other children¡¯s clothes. The stomach of the doll contained a death portrait of Granny Lee. ¡°Is she dead? Has she been using this method to extend her life?!¡± Bai Shu walked out with the doll. Brother Lee opened another bedroom. This appeared to be Granny Lee¡¯s grandchild¡¯s bedroom. There were many children¡¯s books and toys. However, in the middle of the scattered toys was an empty stone pedestal. ¡°Was the mud figurine ced here before?¡± Brother Lee thought it was very possible. He found traces of burnt ashes and rice near the pedestal. This appeared to be where Granny Lee worshipped the figurine. The two backed away from the room when they realised the locations of the paper dolls had shifted. ¡°There are more of them than before!¡± Taking a deep breath, they ran out. Sister Zhang suddenly started to hum along to the ghost music. Her eyes were dull as small handprints surfaced on her body. ¡°Sister Zhang?¡± Sister Zhang started to walk upstairs on her own. Ou Yang Susu and Youyou couldn¡¯t hold her back. Sister Zhang suddenly became so powerful that she felt like she was possessed. ¡°The mud figurine is not at Granny Lee¡¯s home. It probably has been sent upstairs already.¡± After leaving the home safely, Brother Lee and Bai Shu realised their backs were wet. ¡°We have to destroy the mud figurine to escape. I think we need to go upstairs to look.¡± Ou Yang Susu hugged Sister Zhang with all her might. ¡°Sister Zhang is not acting straight. You have toe to a decision!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll head up.¡± Fan Li sighed helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll walk ahead. Watch over Sister Zhang.¡± They headed up the stairs. The third-floor corridor became narrow. The walls had been knocked down, turning the third floor into a kindergarten. There were a lot of tables and chairs but no children. ¡°The music ising from here¡­¡± Fan Li walked past a window in the corridor. He bravely pushed his head through. On a simple stage built for children to showcase their talents, there was a woman. The woman wore an operatic costume and had on a painted face. The song she sang detailed the life of a Good Samaritan who lost everything and was buried inside a mud figurine by criminals. The criminals were afraid that their sins would be discovered, so they ruined the kind man¡¯s face and destroyed his facial features. Chapter 319: Stare ¡°Is the woman singing about the faceless figurine¡¯s past?¡± Gao Ming discerned the meaning hidden in the song, ¡°The mud figurines belong in the shadow world. They were once closest to God. Why would this one end up in such a deplorable state?¡± The ghost music continued. The harrowing tune chilled everyone. The sound was like moving time. Nothing could stop its influence on the human body. The woman¡¯s hand movements became exaggerated. She waved her long sleeves. Her dance was strange but captivating. It was like a butterfly bing a fairy or like the sun shining on the pnquin for death. It was eerie but charming. The song reached its climax. The kind man reached thest reincarnation of his lives. He received good karma from the past, but the kind man in the mud figurine changed. He stopped believing in karma. Doing good was a lie perpetuated by God. He was unwilling to be controlled by fate anymore. He nned to be someone worshipped by others. ¡°Should we ignore her? Let her dance and sing here?¡± Since the woman didn¡¯t seem like she was leaving the ssroom, Fan Li silently closed the window and returned to the group. ¡°She seems to be conducting some kind of ritual to summon the souls.¡± Ou Yang Susu hugged Sister Zhang and was rattled, ¡°Sister Zhang learned something like this from her previous employer. She¡¯d know what to do now but she¡¯s currently not in the right mind at the moment.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave the dancer be for now and head further up.¡± Fan Li and Brother Lee followed the stairs to the third floor. The activity room wasrge. All the doors had been swapped to folding doors, which were easier to open. The sound of prayers came from these rooms. Fan Li reached out to open a small gap in the door. His other teammates stayed at the lower part of the staircase. They were so nervous that they didn¡¯t dare to breathe too loudly. A few secondster, Fan Li eased the gaprger. Brother Lee and Bai Shu, who were behind, were so scared, but it was toote for them to stop him. Fan Li opened the door fully. The team looked into the room anxiously, their hearts beating. ¡°It¡¯s empty?!¡±The activity room was deserted. ¡°Isn¡¯t the neighbourhoodmittee holding an activity here? Where are they?¡± With courage, Fan Li walked into the activity room. ¡°Could this be a trap?¡± Brother Lee hesitated before he followed Fan Li. The interior of the activity room wasrge, but there were so few things to provide cover. There was no ce for people to hide. ¡°Should we look around?¡± Fan Li started to rummage through the ce. He didn¡¯t want to return empty-handed, ¡°This is the monster¡¯s oldir. Even if we can¡¯t find the mud figurine, we might find out other valuable things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Bai Shu and Youyou paused outside the door. They stared at the radio ying the recording of the prayers, and they looked unwilling. As they experienced more anomalies with Fan Li, the riff between them would widen. Their personality was too different, causing minute altercations. However, due to the difference in power, Bai Shu and Youyou must listen to Fan Li most of the time. ¡°Three minutes. We¡¯ll just stay here for three minutes.¡± It was only when Fan Li said that that the others entered the activity room. Gao Ming, who walked at the back, let go of Teacher Liu¡¯s hand. He walked around the activity room alone. Of everyone present, he understood the faceless figurine the most. This figurine that escaped from the ckke was once a very scary presence in the shadow world. ¡°Faith and will¡­ Everything in Han Hai revolves around these two things¡­¡± The recorded prayers became louder. Bai Shu wanted to shut it off. However, he noticed with fear that even after he switched off the radio, the prayers continued unaffected. While everyone was around the radio, as they were distracted by the prayers, the God of Flesh and Blood issued a warning. Gao Ming turned to the only bathroom in the activity room. After the power of the God of Flesh and Blood increased, only existence at his level would grab his attention. Gao Ming entered the bathroom and paused before the sink. He tilted his head as he looked at the mirror above the sink. The surface of the mirror was stained with water, making it blurry. Gao Ming¡¯s reflection stood upright as he lightly caressed his face. ¡°A thing that is obsessed with human faces?¡± Gao Ming whispered. His reflection was startled, but he soon recovered. He even smiled, ¡°We have met at Li San Hospital. You were walking in front of me back then.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gao Ming was not surprised that his reflection spoke. He had guessed the other party¡¯s identity, but he hadn¡¯t figured out why they had targeted him. ¡°Simr to the God on you, our bodies have perished with the shadow world. We need the living humans in the dream of Han Hai for rebirth. Han Hai is a dream, a cage and also our hope. Everything died, and only Han Hai remained.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection touched his face lovingly. It seemed to be very satisfied with Gao Ming¡¯s face. ¡°Is that why Dead Gods like you are looking for shells in Han Hai by stealing the will of the living?¡± Gao Ming could understand that because he was doing something simr. ¡°If everyone is doing that, I¡¯m afraid not everyone will get a seat at the table.¡± After he gained the aid of nine Dream Ghosts, he could wake up from the dream. However, would there be that many Dream Ghosts at Han Hai? ¡°I have no intention of having conflict with you. I can¡¯t easily utilise my true power. How about we settle this based on the way of the dream?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection was the faceless figurine¡¯s disguise. This dead God knew many secrets. Seeing the confusion on Gao Ming¡¯s face, he exined the situation further, ¡°Any ghosts and Gods in the shadow world cannot use their power casually in Han Hai. Once they do, they will be targeted by fate. Misfortune will befall them, and they will end up in horrible ways. Therefore, unless it is necessary, we will not show our hands. If there are conflicts between us, we¡¯ll send our chosen children to fight for us.¡± The mud figurines from the ckke were still cautious of fate. However, Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood didn¡¯t have such worry. They were already at war with fate. Cold light suddenly appeared inside the room. Bai Shu had switched on theputer in the activity room. When he saw the screen, colours drained from his face. ¡°Not good!¡± Theputer was connected to the surveince cameras. The screen showed the situation outside in the corridors and stairwells. In the different screens, there were people moving with their heads turned away. They were acting strangely as they all shuffled towards the activity room. ¡°They areing.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection was polite, but his smile was dark and devoid of warmth. ¡°Is Fan Li your chosen? I don¡¯t think he can leave here alive.¡± Chapter 320: Fate is a Cycle Gao Ming treated the faceless figurine inside the mirror as a horror story; the ironic thing was the figurine treated Gao Ming as a horror story. The two horrors stared at each other, not knowing what the other was thinking. The faceless figurine represented the dead Gods in the shadow world. They once lived in their own assigned rules. They might appear to be the viins, but no one followed the rules more than they did. Gao Ming represented a new force. His goal was to kill fate and overturn the rules. ¡°Humans will turn to God during desperation. However, how will they know that the desperation they face is designed by God all along?¡± The faceless figurine didn¡¯t underestimate Gao Ming. It had experienced the horror of the God of Flesh and Blood at the Li San Hospital. It treated Gao Ming as an equal. After surviving so many scary things, Gao Mingpleted the swift in identity. He changed from the food served on the table to a guest at the dining table. Different from the ¡®friendly chat¡¯ inside the bathroom, the atmosphere in the activity room was tense. Fan Li¡¯s group saw a lot of ghosts moving through theputer screen, and they panicked. ¡°I told you we shouldn¡¯te here!¡± Youyou screeched. The fear enveloped her. ¡°Is it toote for us to leave now?¡± ¡°We need to go!¡± Brother Lee calcted the time, ¡°We can¡¯t be trapped by them!¡± They failed to find the mud figurine, but they fell into a trap. Ou Yang Susu carried Sister Zhang and ran towards the exit, ignoring thetter¡¯s resistance. The folding door opened. The ghost music came from outside. A ghost with a drawn face poked through the door. The sleeves dripped on the ground. The singing faceless ghost flitted everywhere as its voice sharpened and rose. It almost pierced their eardrums.¡°Fuck! Why is she here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pull her attention, and you need to find an opening to get out!¡± Fan Li charged at the ghost as he pulled out a knife. He was scared, but everyone forced him to be brave. He had epted that fate. ¡°Where is Gao Ming? We need to leave!¡± ¡°He has probably gone into hiding! We have no time to waste! We¡¯ll go first!¡± Youyou dragged Bai Shu towards the door. As Fan Li distracted the singing ghost, they left without any hesitation. ¡°You need to bring Sister Zhang with you. I¡¯ll stay to help Fan Li and Gao Ming.¡± Brother Lee picked up a chair in the activity room. He was normally the bullied target, but when they were in danger, he never backed away. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you downstairs. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯ll return for you.¡± Ou Yang Susu was carrying Sister Zhang. She wanted to stay, but she didn¡¯t want to put other people in danger. She needed to send Sister Zhang to safety. As his teammates left one after another, Gao Ming¡¯s reflection in the mirror smirked. The despair for humans was a game for it. ¡°Humans can¡¯t be relied on. You are abandoned just like that. What a pity. They gave up on the only thing that could have saved them. And they¡¯re d about it.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection became more real. He even started to mimic Gao Ming¡¯s tone, ¡°Sit back and watch. Let them decide their own fates.¡± In the surveince video, the residents moved with their backs forward. They sacrificed their memories and faces. They were now puppets controlled by the faceless figurine. The singing ghost had her face taken away by the figurine, but it personally painted her a new face. The little girl was the family it chose for itself. This was the cruellest thing among horror stories. To fight for the faith of the living, the Gods would send their most trusted family to conduct the darkest massacre until one side perished. Despair spread. After everyone left, Fan Li also thought about leaving. However, he remembered Gao Ming still hadn¡¯t left. He shouted Gao Ming¡¯s name. He approached the bathroom, but the singing woman targeted him. She followed him closely and tried to im his life. ¡°Your family is begging you for help.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection mocked. His smile was difiting. ¡°He is not begging me. He wants to save me.¡± Gao Ming stared at the mirror. ¡°This is the difference between us. I respect their choices, and I let them decide on their fates. I don¡¯t treat them like toys like you do. Even if something like you is revived, you¡¯ll entrap all humanity in the future and be the new fate.¡± ¡°Anyone knows how to spin a beautiful lie.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s reflection stuck to the mirror. ¡°I can sense the emotions of the God inside your heart. It is more aloof than I am. He doesn¡¯t even care about these people.¡± The ghosts from the neighbourhoodmittee flooded into the building. Fan Li, who could barely look after himself, called Gao Ming¡¯s name. However, he got no response. He had to choose between Gao Ming and his other teammates. The singing woman applied a lot of pressure. He failed to get to the bathroom, no matter how many times he tried. He had to retreat to reunite with Brother Lee. The two only got into the corridor when screams came from downstairs. Youyou and Bai Shu, who were the first to escape, were ambushed by the paper dolls inside Granny Lee¡¯s home. They struggled in despair. Thick emotions percted like they were preparing for thest bloom in their lives. Human wills exploded. The slumbering God of Flesh and Blood twitched his eyes. He could taste the will of the living. However, he did nothing beyond that. The God of Flesh and Blood would not intervene. The deeper the struggle the humans got themselves in, the purer their faith. This was the thing the God of Flesh and Blood needed. ¡°I know why you can¡¯t ever kill fate.¡± Gao Ming witnessed the faceless figurine and the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s attitude towards the living, ¡°Even if you manage to kill fate, you¡¯ll be a new and worse fate.¡± To wee a new change, one had to escape from the existing cycle. Even if one day he¡¯d be dragged back into the cycle, he had to make all the changes he could in the process. Gao Ming tightened his fist and looked at his aloof reflection. His heart thumped like thunder. The goal he was there was the faceless figurine. ¡°Found you!¡± Chapter 321: Gaze The sudden action by Gao Ming surprised the faceless figurine. Why would ¡®God¡¯ make a move for a few mere mortals? The back building of Li San Hospital copsed into the shadow world. It didn¡¯t matter if Gods employed their power there. However, the world outside hadn¡¯t been assimted by the shadow world. If they were discovered by fate, both parties would be targeted by misfortune. The mirror was shattered. Every piece showed Gao Ming¡¯s face. In a few breaths, Gao Ming¡¯s many faces faded away. ¡°Do you wish to attract tragedy?¡± A hoarse, male voice came from deep inside the mirror. For a moment, Gao Ming saw multiple faces before his eyes. This appeared to be the faceless figurine¡¯s real voice. ¡°Why are you so scared? Aren¡¯t we supposed to be the tragedy?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s fingers pierced into his skin. Eight arms with divine patterns reached out from his back. They surged into the mirror like eight dragons. The meat fragrance wafted about. The location where Gao Ming was began to turn into flesh and meat. Gao Ming wanted to swallow the entire building. There were many ways to handle an anomaly. Finding the source and resolving it was one, and killing the ghost behind the anomaly was another. Gao Ming¡¯s solution was to utilise a bigger anomaly to consume the existing anomaly. If the world had only the anomalies created by Gao Ming, then, at least for Gao Ming, the world would have been normal. The tentacles crawled into the mirror. The chains cut through the memories that were painstakingly collected by the faceless figurine. Gao Ming was so fearless that he didn¡¯t feel like a good person. He didn¡¯t handle the memories of living with delicateness. He was not a bad person because he fought the mud figurine for a few living humans. The faceless figurine had considered many prospects, but he never thought Gao Ming would choose direct aggression. To be frank, the figurine didn¡¯t ask for much. It just hoped that Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t disturb him. If his disciples could kill the people chosen by Gao Ming, these few neighbourhoods would be his territory in the future. He didn¡¯t think the other party would be resistant to such a simple request.¡°The God in the flesh has been fooled by a human. Idiots, you will pay for this.¡± The human faces in the mirror cracked and disappeared. The faith and memories the faceless figurine had collected were stolen by the God of Flesh and Blood. As it saw its treasure being consumed by the God of Flesh and Blood, the faceless figurine couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Even if the risk of being discovered by fate was there, it had to fight back. Deep inside the neighbourhood, cracks appeared on a mud figurine. Thick and viscous presence of death leaked out of the cracks. The bugs hidden inside the room were killed instantly. They shrivelled into dry corpses. The wild grass around the home wilted from the roots. This was a power that didn¡¯t belong in reality. It came from the shadow. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt the caress of the wind in a long time. Even though I know this is a dream, it might not be that bad of a choice to live in this dream¡­¡± Death flowed out of the mud figurine. When it dripped on the ground, dark clouds started to gather above the neighbourhood. The night breeze picked up in intensity. Shadow started to bubble and boil. ¡°Gao Ming, you are not wrong. We are Han Hai¡¯s tragedy, but we were once destroyed by tragedies.¡± The sound of prayers came from every mud figurine. Everyone was praying to God. Their hope contained a special power. It was this power that the ghost needed. The flesh activity room was enshrouded by a unique force. The broken face in the mirror shards slowly pieced together. It had no facial features, but the face was twisted by hatred and pain. Under pressure from the God of Flesh and Blood, the faceless figurine finally showed its true self. ¡°Have you given up on hiding?¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t deal with all the mud figurines in the ckke, but he had confidence in dealing with one. ¡°You¡¯re really stubborn.¡± The faceless figurine hadn¡¯t felt the emotion of rage in a long time. God didn¡¯t lose their temper easily because someone had to suffer their fury. Once they failed to deal with the source that caused their anger, the people¡¯s faith in them would copse because God was supposed to be invincible. The hatred on the face was deep. Slowly, as the muscles moved into ce, the face became more like the God of Flesh and Blood¡¯s Death Face. The faceless God howled. A giant arm reached out of its thin body. The arm was not adorned with a divine pattern, but it was covered in the faces of its disciples. The faceless figurine¡¯s power was mimicry. It could use the power of faith to reconstruct other Ghosts and Gods it had seen. Its body expanded. Eight arms smashed through the activity room. The faceless figurine turned into a second God of Flesh and Blood. It only copied the Face of Death. However, the death that radiated off it meant that it aligned with the Death Face very well. The two giant forces collided. Shadow undted like waves. The night seemed to have been torn. ¡°Did you only manage to steal one face? It looks like you can¡¯t mimic everything.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t n to draw out the fight. His usual style was to find an opening and deliver a fatal blow. Gao Ming opened the torture room and curled the chains around his arm. The eight arms locked the faceless God in ce. The chains rankled. The torture devices bumped against each other. The scythe of fate was slowly raised. This was the first time the faceless figurine felt fear ever since its body had been destroyed. It turned to the torture room. At Han Hai, Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood had created a weapon that was meant to sever fate. ¡°The flesh room is not your resentment room! That torture room is your real resentment room!¡± The realisation came toote for the faceless figurine. The chains warped around its body. The chains dragged it forward! With the scythe of fate in his hand, Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood did the same action. However, just as Gao Ming was about to drag the faceless figurine into his torture room, the presence of death that surrounded the faceless figurine exploded. It wanted to actively grab fate¡¯s attention. Instead of being consumed by Gao Ming, it would rather die with Gao Ming. ¡°You can¡¯t escape from viting fate¡¯s rules!¡± Death intertwined with shadow to form a spreading illusion of the world. Deep inside the ck mist, a pair of bloody red eyes slowly opened to stare at Gao Ming and the faceless figurine. Gao Ming was familiar with this scene. He had seen it on Ah Fang. As the residual will of the shadow world, Ah Fang easily garnered the attention of twelve gazes. Despite putting everything on the line, the faceless figurine only managed to awaken one pair of gazes. The ck room churned. Gao Ming gritted his teeth as he tried to pull the faceless figurine into the torture room. He raised his head for the first time to look at the pair of eyes. Deep in the mist, inside the bloodred city, the eyes seemed to represent the rules of all the horror stories. ¡°Is that fate? Is the fate of everyone at Han Hai decided by that gaze?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 322: Five Seconds Chapter 322: Five Seconds The gaze bypassed reality and dreams. Even the ck mist couldn¡¯t stop it. Gao Ming didn¡¯t know how to describe it. It was just a gaze, but being stared by it was equivalent to being enveloped by endless tragedy. He felt miniscule under its gaze. After Gao Ming obtained the God of Flesh and Blood, he kept improving in strength. He thought he could safely survive the tragedy, but under that gaze, he was like a fallen leave caught in a storm. He could barely control his own fate, much less thrive. ¡°Han Hai is a dream. They might be the weavers of this dream.¡± In Gao Ming¡¯s memory, even Yan Xizhi, who was already a dream ghost, was not this powerful. The gaze inside the bloodred city seemed to represent something unmentionable. Indescribable pain erupted all over his body. Since Gao Ming looked right at the gaze, his eyes started to bleed, and his left eye started to rot. He wanted to reach out to touch his eyes, but his arms were wilting too. Different wounds appeared on his body. Every wound represented a unique way he had died in his past incarnations. The God of Flesh and Blood and the faceless figurine screamed at the same time. The presence of death around the figurine copsed. The God of Flesh and Blood crawled back into Gao Ming¡¯s body. He mobilised his full power to help cure Gao Ming. The flesh bloomed like a red flower and then rapidly wilted. It was not until the faceless figurine was fully dragged into the torture room and waspletely separated from the real world that the illusory city shrouded in fog slowly faded away. The gaze in the city possessed no emotion. It stared at Gao Ming coolly before disappearing. Gao Ming, who had been ¡®reborn¡¯,y down on the bed of mirror shards. He gasped for air, and his heart pounded. The heart of the divine dimmed slightly. ¡°I almost perished even though I¡¯ve been stared at for less than five seconds! I can¡¯t even match one of its gazes! ¡°Han Hai is a cage, and the twelve gazes appear to be the owners of the cage!¡± Ignoring the sharp shards, Gao Ming stayed on the ground as hebed through the information in his head. ¡°The shadow world is dominated by the ck mist and death. There are thirteen bloodred cities, and twelve of them have existing owners. Only the thirteen city, Han Hai, is an ownerlessnd.¡°The death portrait at the bottom of the ckke is Han Hai. The thirteen people in the picture are the candidates to be Han Hai¡¯s next owner. Situ An nned so much to be the new owner of the bloodred city. ¡°However, Han Hai is different from the other cities because it hasn¡¯t been polluted by the redness. This city appears to have died with the shadow world.¡± Gao Ming thought about some possibilities: like the original shadow world being killed by the owners of the bloodred cities and Han Hai being on the shadow world¡¯s side. This would exin why part of the shadow world¡¯s residual will would appear at Han Hai. ¡°Can a world be killed?¡± Gao Ming felt that Han Hai was a very special ce. The other twelve city owners would not surrender it easily. As he was deep in thought, someone tapped his shoulders. Gao Ming looked up and saw Fan Li crawling towards him. Fan Li grabbed Gao Ming by his shoulders and nned to drag him out of the activity room. Fan Li was shocked to see Gao Ming move his neck. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re amazing! You can still move despite being so injured?!¡± Gao Ming had wounds all over his body, and his eyes were bleeding. He looked awful, but with the aid of the God of Flesh and Blood, these all became ¡®minor injuries¡¯. ¡°How many explosives did you carry into this anomaly? Do they even work on the horror story?¡± Fan Li carried Gao Ming. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t exin why there was an ¡®explosion¡¯ in the activity room. ¡°Why did youe back?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you here! Didn¡¯t you say your family own a kindergarten? How did you get your hands on the explosives?¡± Fan Li carried Gao Ming to the first floor. He knocked on the supermarket door with a set rhythm. Soon, Brother Lee opened the door, ¡°Come in!¡± Fan Li carried the ¡®heavily injured¡¯ Gao Ming to thest row of shelves. The other teammates were all there. They were staring at the live-feed surveince video. ¡°You actually brought him back?!¡± Bai Shu looked bitter, ¡°Sister Zhang has lost her mind. Wu You and Gao Ming are heavily injured. The three of them can¡¯t move, and the ghosts areing this way¡­¡± ¡°What is your point?¡± Ou Yang Susu covered Sister Zhang¡¯s mouth. Sister Zhang made some muffled noises. If Ou Yang Susu didn¡¯t hold her back, she would have charged into the group of monsters. Bai Shu opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t speak. Youyou spoke up for him, ¡°We don¡¯t have the ability to bring them with us. That is the simple truth. Instead of dying together, we should hide the three of them here while the rest of us search for the mud figurine. After we destroy it, we¡¯lle back to get them.¡± ¡°Sister Zhang has provided us with so much useful information. How can you suggest we surrender her to the ghosts?¡± Ou Yang Susu hugged Sister Zhang. ¡°You¡¯ll die because of your overwhelming empathy.¡± Bai Shu shook his head. ¡°This anomaly has just started but the terror shown is already way beyond the ones we¡¯ve experienced. The faceless ghosts areing. The singing woman is still around here somewhere. We do not have the ability to show kindness and sympathy anymore!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s possible, I will not abandon them, but we are cornered!¡± Youyou stood beside Bai Shu. They had alreadye to a decision. ¡°You are still too kind. A bad person wouldn¡¯t have said so much. They would have found an excuse to escape. However, it is also possible that you are not capable enough to do that. Therefore, you¡¯ve been trying to persuade us to abandon the weak to serve as a distraction so that you can escape safely.¡± Brother Lee was a doctor. He had seen many incidents at the hospital, ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet in the middle? The ghosts are approaching. Leaving them here is no different from killing them. I¡¯ll go distract the ghosts, and you can move them somewhere safe. After that, you can search for the mud figurine.¡± Brother Lee might look weaker than his wife, but he was the first to volunteer when there were troubles. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Fan Li put Gao Ming down. ¡°No. You¡¯re the strongest among us. You must protect the rest!¡± Brother Lee pulled Fan Li down. ¡°I¡¯m the best candidate.¡± Gao Ming closed his eyes and leaned against Fan Li. He sank into his torture room. The God of Flesh and Blood had propped the main consciousness of the faceless figurine on the surgical table. They were ready to dissect it to consume the faith it had garnered. Chapter 323: How Many Things Live Inside His Heart? Chapter 323: How Many Things Live Inside His Heart? ¡°The unknown ghosts areing. We are food on their table. We should be thankful that we could escape alive. Do you want to bring everyone back to safety? Keep on dreaming!¡± Youyou was pacing anxiously. The ghosts were slowly approaching in the cameras. The pressure drove her up the wall. Before the threat of death, her true nature was revealed. The twisted faith knocked the door of the torture room open a small gap. The dying faceless figurine heard Youyou¡¯s cries. Its heart bled because it was in the same situation as Youyou. It tried to fight, but it was pointless. Chains cut into its soul. After the faceless figurine was pulled into the torture room, it couldn¡¯t even self-destruct. ¡°This home is getting livelier and livelier.¡± Xia Yang drew himself a chair. He sat beside the surgical table. As he mocked the figurine, he drew a painting. The red raincoat silently stared at the death that leaked out of the faceless figurine. She touched it with her finger and put it in her mouth. Then, with a grimace, she spat it out. Situ An, who was deep inside the room, stared at the faceless figurine darkly. He seemed to be questioning why it decided to go against Gao Ming instead of fleeing. Strapped to the table, the faceless figurine was going mad. ¡°What kind of monsters are living inside his heart?!¡± The faith that once belonged to the faceless figurine was eaten by the God of Flesh and Blood. The faceless residents slowly formed a new bond with the God of Flesh and Blood. In reality, the target of worship was not as important as whether God could protect its worshippers or not. The divine soul of the faceless figurine slowly turned transparent. It struggled and begged until it was fully eaten by the God of Flesh and Blood, bing a new divine pattern on God¡¯s body. ¡°Dead Gods don¡¯t perish that easily. Is that a good thing or a bad thing for me?¡±If Gods used the power that was not allowed in the real world, they would attract the gazes of the bloodred cities¡¯ owners. In a way, Han Hai was like a giant prison. Gao Ming¡¯s understanding was overthrown. He felt like his childhood had been falsified. He and all the citizens in Han Hai had been tricked by some kind of power. As the shadow world infiltrated the real world, the truth would be exposed in a more direct and cruel way. The God of Flesh and Blood munched his lips. Through the divine pattern, he confirmed the location of the faceless God¡¯s true body. He urged Gao Ming over there. Even though the faceless figurine¡¯s main consciousness had been consumed, the God of Flesh and Blood was still not satisfied. Gao Ming slowly opened his eyes. His teammates had already discussed their next steps. Ou Yang Susu would carry Sister Zhang, and Fan Li would carry Wu You. Bai Shu would support Gao Ming while Teacher Liu and Youyou would follow in the back. ¡°Have you memorised the map of the neighbourhood? I¡¯ll do our best to distract them!¡± Brother Lee held the shovel and pans he found inside the supermarket and opened the front door. After a deep breath, he was the first to charge out, ¡°Run!¡± Brother Lee ran towards Building One alone. He banged the pans he held and sang loudly out of tune. He wanted to attract the ghost¡¯s attention, but things didn¡¯t go as nned. The faceless figures ignored Brother Leepletely and headed towards Gao Ming. Bai Shu and Youyou forgot about the retreat n in their panic. They ran towards Building Three in the chaos. ¡°Fuck! Come at me!¡± Brother Lee quickly ran back when he realised none of the ghosts wereing after him. He had the chance to escape, but he ran back to Ou Yang Susu¡¯s side. ¡°Just leave us! Why did youe back?¡± Ou Yang Susu raised her hand to smack Brother Lee. Brother Lee ignored her and helped her carry Sister Zhang. ¡°Has half of the residents been corrupted?¡± Fan Li was afraid as he looked at the crowd of ghosts. He tried his best to corral the people around him. They split into three groups. Strangely enough, most of the ghosts went after Bai Shu¡¯s group. As the shuffling ghosts came after them, Bai Shu and Youyou almost lost their minds. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t run anymore.¡± ¡°Drop him! Why are you still carrying him?¡± Youyou ran in front and scolded her boyfriend without turning her head. Bai Shu had tried his best. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother. I¡¯ll burn some paper money for you when I¡¯m out of here.¡± Then, he pried Gao Ming¡¯s hands off and dumped him on the ground. Several secondster, Gao Ming was consumed by the ghosts. The couple managed to buy a few more seconds by abandoning Gao Ming. They ran like crazy, but the ghosts refused to let them go. When they passed by the neighbourhood garden, Youyou, who was running ahead, tripped. She fell to the ground, and she touched something strange with her fingers. She lowered her head to look. There were warm corpses half-buried in the soil. Beside the corpses were vibrating phones. ¡°Are these the other horror game yers?¡± Every number on Dead Water Forum represented a living human. Youyou had never felt death so closely before. Chill crawled through her body. There was a scream behind her, and Youyou turned around. Bai Shu was caught by a kid with a schoolbag. The girl had a ponytail, and she kept her head lowered. She matched Teacher Liu¡¯s description of her student. ¡°Xiao Guo?¡± Hearing her voice, the girl slowly raised her head. Her face was empty. Youyou¡¯s brain stopped working. Xiao Guo¡¯s parents slowly approached. The family of three had lost their faces. As Youyou stared at them, she felt her face fading away as well. ¡°Youyou! Help me!¡± Bai Shu wanted to kick Xiao Guo away but he was held back by Xiao Guo¡¯s mother. ¡°Youyou!¡± Youyou shook her head subconsciously. She crawled on all fours and fled. ¡°The kid really dumped me?!¡± Gao Ming had mostly recovered. Hey on the ground, surrounded by dark shadows. This should have been very scary, but he was unfazed. After he consumed the faceless figurine¡¯s consciousness, the God of Flesh and Blood was one step away from bing these residents¡¯ new God. ¡°All of you are innocent. The faceless figurine only went after good people. However, I¡¯m different. In the future, you¡¯ll live inside my heart.¡± Gao Ming crawled on the ground and followed the instructions of the God of Flesh and Blood to get to the basement of the neighbourhood. He discovered the main body of the faceless figurine. The singing woman was there. When she saw Gao Ming, she carried the figurine and escaped, even though the death around the figurine harmed her body. Gao Ming had no choice but to chase after her. Fan Li happened to see this. Fan Li instantly believed that Gao Ming was the victim. After all, how threatening could a young man who worked at a kindergarten be? Bai Shu was captured, his teammates were lost, and they had more injured members. As the team leader, Fan Li was desperate. The ghost face was summoned, and he pounced at the singing woman like a beast. The presence of death on the figurine sttered on Fan Li. ¡°This brother¡­ is a good man¡­¡± Gao Ming believed that if the singing woman still had her face, she would be crying at that moment. Chapter 324: Flying Seeds Gao Ming was there to save Fan Li, but it currently looked like Fan Li risked his life to save Gao Ming. Fan Li, who thought they were cornered, unleashed the power of the ghost face. He was forced to eat a ghost in a previous anomaly. The ghost thought it could easily control Fan Li, but Fan Li possessed absolute purity in his heart. Instead, Fan Li managed to control the ghost. This turned Fan Li into a living anomaly among the living. Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. He knew Fan Li¡¯s future. Compared to Xia Yang, Fan Li was given a horrible hand. The ghost he was forced to eat was extremelymon. However, the man used his determination and resilience to slowly rise to Xia Yang¡¯s level. The presence of death that leaked out of the mud figurine corrupted the singing woman and Fan Li. If that was everything, Gao Ming could still save Fan Li. However, the man seemed to have lost his mind as he bit into the singing woman. He was ready to abandon his life to save his teammates. The presence of death came from the shadow world. It was the despair of a world. Fan Li was too inexperienced to understand it and thus consumed it directly. After Fan Li consumed the presence of death, he chomped through the singing woman¡¯s soul. The painted face twisted. Soon, the singing woman and Fan Li¡¯s bodies surfaced with grey cracks and rigour mortis. It was like their bodies were being mummified. Even Gao Ming didn¡¯t expect someone would be crazy enough to eat the presence of death. The thing reeked of despair. It was clearly venomous and not safe for consumption. ¡°What to do now?¡± Gao Ming was there to help. He couldn¡¯t let Fan Li die before his eyes. ¡°Is this fate¡¯s warning to me?¡± The two doctors in his heart hadn¡¯t returned since they departed to chase after Ah Fang. It was impossible to separate the presence of death from Fan Li. His only chance was the God of Flesh and Blood.Gong Xi, who represented the Life Face, was prepared to conduct a ¡®blood exchange¡¯ with Fan Li. However, the presence of death was resistant to the real world. Fate was intentionally preventing Fan Li from straying from the script. As death was flowing into his heart, Gong Xi dragged Fan Li and the singing woman into the torture room. This time, even if Gao Ming were returned to the tunnel, Fan Li and the singing woman would be with him. The God of Flesh and Blood tossed Fan Li onto the surgical table. The torture devices suppressed the soul. Without using any anaesthetic, the God of Flesh and Blood started to extricate the presence of death from Fan Li¡¯s body. His treatment was simple and brutish. The parts that were too corrupted were cut off. Before Fan Li could die, God would inject him with more life force. After the extreme torture, Fan Li slowly regained his rationality. However, the moment he came back to normal, he fainted. The cycle continued endlessly until the treatment was over. The God of Flesh and Blood casually tossed the main body of the faceless figurine into the forge. Bathed in the fire, a mirror was born. Every person shown in the mirror had no face. It could silently steal someone¡¯s memory. It could be considered an interrogation device. Fan Li copsed on the table like a boneless pile of mud. The singing woman lost her faith and curled beside the surgical table. The patients from Li San Hospital, Xia Yang and the rest surrounded the surgical table. The pressure was high. ¡°Wee to the horror game yers¡¯ headquarters.¡± Gao Ming walked to Gao Ming, ¡°The Electrical Supply Company Neighbourhood has been reviewed to be a Level Three Anomaly and possesses a high chance of spiralling out of control. Therefore, the headquarters sent people here to deal with it.¡± After destroying the faceless figurine, the God of Flesh and Blood became the new God for the old disciples. ¡°You did everything to stop the mud figurine from escaping. That was amazing. Therefore, we did everything to save you¡­ despite the process being a little bit painful.¡± Fan Li heard Gao Ming and had tears in his eyes. If he had another chance, he would rather die. The torture room door opened. The faceless citizens slowly shuffled through it. ¡°They are innocent people. The faceless figurine only likes to feed on kind memories to bnce the death in its heart.¡± The God of Flesh and Blood returned part of the stolen memories to the citizens. Fan Li took in the whole process. He had more confidence that the horror game yers would be the future saviours of this city. ¡°My¡­ teammates¡­¡± ¡°They should be fine. However, death will not change due to personal determination. Just know that you have done your best.¡± Gao Ming started to help ¡®cleanse¡¯ the faceless citizens. After the faceless figurine was destroyed, the shadow that enclosed the neighbourhood started to recede. All the horror game yers received the news through Dead Water Forum, ¡°The group horror map, Da Zai Electrical Supply Company, is over. The faceless figurine has been destroyed. A yer sessfully triggered the Easter Egg and gained 10 Strong Physique, 5 Strong Heart and minus 1 Brain Power.¡± The other yers were shocked. A strong body was helpful on any map. This lucky yer gained 10 value in one go. Motivated by this message, the yers wanted to explore the anomalies even more. Fan Li also received the message. With a bitter smile on his face, he swore he didn¡¯t want to relive that near-death experience again. ¡°The horror game yers have been antagonised by the Han Hai Investigation Centre. Now that you¡¯re a part of the headquarters, you have to be more careful in the future.¡± Before Fan Li could straighten his mind, Gao Ming poured a lot of information into his mind. Then, he chased Fan Li and the singing woman out of his heart. R Fan Li was still too weak. The only thing he could provide Gao Ming for now was his will. Fan Li was tossed out in the opera costume. Laying on the neighbourhood ground, it felt surreal. ¡°Gao Ming is not a kindergarten teacher¡­ His voice¡­ I remember now! When the east city investigation centre was in chaos, the television broadcasted his voice. He¡¯s a member of ss 13, Gao Ming!¡± ¡°Xiao Fan!¡± ¡°Captain!¡± Ou Yang Susu and the recovered Sister Zhang carried Brother Lee over. They helped Fan Li up from the ground. ¡°The ghosts have gone back into hiding. It appears like someone has destroyed the mud figurine.¡± ¡°Where are the rest?¡± Fan Li understood the situation when Brother Lee didn¡¯t answer. He matured a lot overnight. Inside the dark corridor, Gao Ming leaned against the wall as he watched Fan Li¡¯s group walk away. The seeds had been nted. He only needed to wait patiently for them to bloom. Chapter 325: City One Cant Leave Gao Ming and the God of Flesh and Blood were satisfied with Fan Li. The man would continuously provide high-quality will to the God of Flesh and Blood. The more humans struggled in despair, the happier God would be. Of course, from fate¡¯s perspective, the Gods were struggling too. ¡°Howe he always manages to locate people with such immense potential?¡± Situ An¡¯s eyes reddened with jealousy. He witnessed the whole treatment process the God of Flesh and Blood conducted on Fan Li. ¡°Is he fate? Gao Ming, fate¡­ I¡¯m thinking. Don¡¯t move the chains.¡± Situ An¡¯s mother moved the chains, worried that the chains would hurt his son¡¯s wounds. ¡°What a mommy¡¯s boy.¡± Xia Yang held his brush and smiled at Situ An. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. There were more and more people inside the torture room, and there was barely enough space left. ¡°The people from the investigation centre areing soon.¡± Gao Ming stretched. He took out a name list from his pocket. He burned the page that had Fan Li¡¯s name. ¡°Who is next?¡± Han Hai''s old city had a high poption. Gao Ming and Zhang Ding didn¡¯t dare to rx. They wanted to take over the old city before the investigation centre took over. Based on the name list provided by Gao Ming, they would use horror games to rescue people from nightmares. The sess rate of Gao Ming fighting fate alone was close to zero. However, he managed to grab all the hope he saw in his future through multiple deaths. Those who could influence fate were all tied to his ship. The small ripples mightbine to form a huge wave. ¡°The faith needed by the God of Flesh and Blood is far from enough. I need to find more like Fan Li¡­¡± Gao Ming left the electrical supply neighbourhood, and he tried to contact Ah Fang¡¯s parents. He received no response. However, he could sense their rough location. ¡°Ah Fang and his parents seem to have returned to the Li San Hospital. The hospital is now under the control of the investigation centre. It¡¯ll be hard to return there¡­¡±¡­ At the northern port, underneath the research centre, several researchers with white bands were jumping with excitement. Even the normally expressionless Jing Tuoshen had a smile on his face. ¡°Congrattions on passing the fourth stage of the ghost tattoo test and bing the owner of the ghost tattoo, Malice.¡± A few metres away from the researchers was a giant monster with multiple deformed heads. It was ugly and disgusting. Its blood vessels coursed with thick malice. In terms of appearance, it didn¡¯t look like human beings at all. There was a trembling roar. The investigators and researchers in the safe zone were affected. Their internal malice was triggered. They hoped that the monster would charge through them and destroy everyone. ¡°Not bad. You can use Malice¡¯s power even though you¡¯ve just acquired the ghost tattoo. Bai Xiao, you did not disappoint me!¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s wicked smile was scary. After the crazy venting, the monster¡¯s giant body slowly disappeared. The malice shrunk to eventually reveal Bai Xiao¡¯s face. With the research centre¡¯s aid, Bai Xiao managed to assimte the different parts of the divine corpse of Malice. His whole body was taken over by the ghost tattoo. ¡°Wan Jie¡¯s security team only has three members who have united with a divine corpse. You already have the potential to be the leader of a security team.¡± Jing Tuoshen said with great satisfaction. Bai Xiao didn¡¯t speak. His eyes shone with malicious thoughts. He gripped the de Gao Ming gave him and resisted the difort. The divine corpse of Malice was brought back from Xin Lu. It was a confidential cursed object. To fully explore the maximum usefulness of the divine corpse, the research department had fed it more than twenty investigators under the excuse of science. The ghost tattoo test was impossibly hard. A total of 47 people participated in the stage 4 test, and only Bai Xiao survived in the end. ¡°I know you have many thoughts, but everything we do is for the sake of Han Hai and to protect more people.¡± Jing Tuoshen ignored the safety warning and walked out of the safe zone to hand a new uniform to Bai Xiao. ¡°This world is moreplicated than you think, but now you at least have gained the lowest qualification to know the truth.¡± Jing Tuoshen nced at the knife Bai Xiao refused to let go and waved at him. ¡°Change into your new uniform and follow me.¡± With the apaniment of the other researchers, they left the ghost tattoo test zone. After they left, the cleaning crew entered the space to ensure that no trace would remain. ? They entered the elevator. The booth ascended for more than a minute before it stopped. The doors slowly opened. After a long time, the sun finally shone on Bai Xiao¡¯s face. Bai Xiao subconsciously raised his hand. He looked at the light on his palm. It was warm and gentle. It was something he had been pursuing. However, he only felt revolted at that moment. After being given the ghost tattoo, he was more like a ghost than a human. The employees stopped to greet Jing Tuoshen. Jing Tuoshen didn¡¯t respond. He led Bai Xiao to the top floor. The wall was made up of many screens. The investigators sent their reports back through the ck bands. ¡°The anomalies are delineated into seven levels. The headquarters will only be involved when it¡¯s above level four. However, something happened recently that shook even the headquarters.¡± Jing Tuoshen looked at the screens, but he seemed to be viewing something beyond that. ¡°Is there a Level Five Anomaly?¡± Bai Xiao finally spoke. As a former investigator, a Level Three Anomaly was already very dangerous for him. ¡°This is more troublesome than that. Even now, we can¡¯t give it a danger rating.¡± Jing Tuoshen touched his white band. All the images on the screens changed. The scary images disappeared and were reced by street cams between Han Hai and other cities. Through the screens, one could see clearly the thick ck mist that had risen mysteriously on all the roads. ¡°Has Han Hai been surrounded by a fog?¡± ¡°That is not a normal fog. We¡¯ve deployed a lot of investigators, but no one has managed toe out alive. Do you know what this means?¡± Jing Tuoshen used the calmest tone to narrate the scariest truth. ¡°Han Hai has lost contact with the outside world for a few days. We¡¯re an ind.¡± ¡°Can the peoplee in from outside? Didn¡¯t Wan Jie¡¯s groupe from Xin Lu?¡± Bai Xia was confused. ¡°The ck mist appeared after they came here. To be more precise, the mist appeared on the night things went out of control at Li San Hospital.¡± Jing Tuoshen faced away from Bai Xiao as his eyes danced between the many screens. ¡°What happened at Li San Hospital that night?¡± Chapter 326: Selection ¡°Didn¡¯t Wan Jie tell you? Shouldn¡¯t they report everything to the headquarters?¡± Bai Xiao couldn¡¯t understand these people¡¯s thinking. ¡°Wan Jie handed in a very detailed report to the headquarters. It was so detailed that it was wless. One couldn¡¯t even find any problems with it.¡± Jing Tuoshen turned around. ¡°However, perfection begets problem. This is why the headquarters wants us to build up a new security force in the east city.¡± There was knocking, and therge Zuo Jun walked in. When he saw Bai Xiao there, his eyes glowed with shock. ¡°The ck mist can not only blockmunications, but it can also turn a person crazy with illusions. To get to the bottom of the source of the mist, we need a batch of security members with firm determination to enter the mist so we can connect with the other cities.¡± Jing Tuoshen ced a red file on the table. ¡°That is why I called you here.¡± The file contained information from many people. ¡°From today onwards, you will officially join the east city¡¯s special security team and enjoy the privilege of a station chief. The former Queens Investigation Centre Chief, Zuo Jun, will be your vice-captain.¡± Jing Tuoshen pulled out the page about Bai Xiao and put it into another file. ¡°When will we depart?¡± ¡°You are merely my suggested candidates. The headquarters will conduct a final selection of the whole of Han Hai.¡± Jing Tuoshen¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°The candidates will include more than the investigators. The citizens, including the horror game yers, can join the selection process.¡± ¡°The horror game yers are opposing us. Why would they trust us?¡± Bai Xiao thought it was funny. If any horror game yers joined, they would be walking into the trap.¡°As long as the reward is great enough, people wille.¡± Zuo Jun stood expressionlessly at the door. ¡°The ck mist has turned Han Hai into an ind. The big shots have be caged birds. They will take out their precious treasures to lure in volunteers. Apparently, you can get powerful cursed objects, permanent residency at the northern port and unreleased research information by participating in the selection. ¡°The appearance of the horror game yers gave the headquarters some headache, but that is all. The headquarters has many methods to change and turn them against one another. After all, human weakness is clearer than ghost weakness.¡± Jing Tuoshen tossed the red document to Zuo Jun, ¡°The headquarters has already contacted the party behind the horror game yers through Dead Water Forum. The big selection will ur in three days. Any living humans can join.¡± ¡°Dead Water Forum?¡± ¡°Are you surprised? There are many of our spies among the horror game yers. We are familiar with their movement. We haven¡¯t done anything because the missions given out by the forum haven¡¯t targeted the headquarters. If anything, the forum has been aiding us, so we¡¯ve reached a silent agreement.¡± Jing Tuoshen hid the murderous intent in his eyes. ¡°Of course, after we deal with the real problem, the horror game yers will be next. There is nothing waiting for them but death and despair.¡± Zuo Jun took the file and waved for Bai Xiao to follow them. After they left the room, Zuo Jun whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re lucky or unlucky. You better pray that the tragedy will never end.¡± ¡°What is your point?¡± Bai Xiao frowned. He didn¡¯t like Zuo Jun. He sacrificed his ssmates just to rise in rank. ¡°You are not a human now. When the tragedy is over, you will perish.¡± Zuo Jun had the ghost tattoo, but it was not as obvious as it was on Bai Xiao. ¡°In the big selection, the headquarters will force all the participants to enter the anomaly at the intersection of the two cities. I hope you¡¯ll be obedient then.¡± ¡°Which two cities?¡± ¡°Jiujiang and Han Hai. I hear we might run into some Red Spectres.¡± ¡­ The neighbourhoods adjacent to Li San Hospital were fully dark. Most citizens had been moved away. ¡°Gao Ming, I¡¯ve sent the investigation centre headquarters¡¯ request to you. They hope we can explore the ck mist with them.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s voice came from the phone. Gao Ming was hiding inside a pet toypany not far from Li San Hospital. ¡°Could it be a trap?¡± ¡°Ghosts and monsters can¡¯t enter the ck mist, but living humans can. The headquarters have too few people who fit the qualifications, and that¡¯s why they have reached out to us.¡± ¡°They will not admit their weakness so easily. There has to be a catch.¡± Compared to the selection, Gao Ming was more interested in the ck mist that surrounded Han Hai. He once saw a world enveloped by the ck mist through Ah Fang and the faceless figurine. Whenever a ¡®taboo¡¯ power appeared in Han Hai, the world would be twisted, and the ck mist would appear. R ¡°If Han Hai is just a dream, is the ck mist world the real world?¡± ¡°Perhaps Han Hai is a city built in the ck mist world. The memory we have of the outside world is all fake. After all, none of us have really left Han Hai before.¡± Xuan Wen¡¯s words echoed with Gao Ming. ¡°Ever since the rainy night when the anomalies started, no one has been able to leave Han Hai. We had left Han Hai before that, but those memories¡­ are not real. They might have been created by fate!¡± Gao Ming pressed his heart light. His memories about his parents, childhood and past were like feathers fluttering in the wind. They represented hope, light and beauty. The memories were pretty, but they were unreal. In contrast, whenever he viewed the death memories, they were shockingly solid and corporeal. Coincidentally, all of Gao Ming¡¯s death memories happened in Han Hai. He used his many deaths to prove that no one had really left Han Hai. ¡°Everything indirectly proves Lu Zang¡¯s words. Han Hai might be a dream. All the citizens¡¯ memories have been altered. The sinful ghosts have been turned into helpless humans.¡± Xuan Wen came from the shadow world, and Gao Ming came from Han Hai. They viewed the problem from the opposite perspective but came to the same prediction. ¡°We still know too little. This big selection by the headquarters will give those who are selected a chance to ess their researchbs. Other than that, there are rewards like divine corpses and cursed objects. I thought you¡¯d be interested.¡± Xuan Wen considered everything for Gao Ming, ¡°However, you can¡¯t go personally. We only need to send the best horror game yers.¡± ¡°Do you already have the candidates?¡± Gao Ming trusted Xuan Wen. ¡°The list is out. I¡¯ll summon them to the old city for the final training.¡± ¡°For the sake of safety, I¡¯ll rmend a few more people to join.¡± Gao Ming sent Fan Li¡¯s information to Xuan Wen. ¡°Are we still unable to contact Bai Xiao?¡± ¡°No. He seems to have disappeared.¡± ¡°Try¡­¡± Before Gao Ming could finish, he heard footsteps. A few horror game yers, holding their phones, were slowly heading his way. Chapter 327: Whos Mimicking This? ¡°Someone ising. I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Gao Ming put away his phone. The ghostly eyes on the screen slowly closed. His phone was also a cursed object. Xuan Wen traded it with other yers through Dead Water Forum. The ss door spun in the dark. Two youngsters in the investigation centre uniform sneaked into the lobby of the pet toypany. They were startled to see Gao Ming. ¡°Boss, someone¡¯s here before us.¡± ¡°Shush. I¡¯m not blind.¡± The two parties stayed about five meters apart. A few minutester, thepany backdoor was pried open. A family of four entered the lobby with masks on their faces like bank robbers. They made such a loud noise that they were discovered before they entered thepany. It was easier for them to use the front door. ¡°Honey, didn¡¯t you say you were an expert lock breaker?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an inte hacker, not a physical lock breaker. What do you expect me to do?¡± A group of four came in from the backdoor. The man looked around forty. He looked surprisingly buff for a man his age. His wife was about five years older. Despite her unforgiving tongue, she was a good person. Their children should be around the high-school age. However, considering the fact that they were sneaking around the anomaly with masked faces and backpacks, it put their parent¡¯s educational style into question. The three parties had a staredown. The family of four spoke first because they had the number advantage. The father walked over with his arms raised. ¡°We are here because we¡¯re all horror game yers. There¡¯s no conflict of benefit between us. We should cooperate.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± The two youngsters were about to refute him when the father continued.¡°Your uniform does not fit. You should have gotten them through some special channels. Plus, your presence doesn¡¯t match the investigators. I advise you to stop pretending to be them. If someone really takes you seriously, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± The father astutely pointed out the ws. ¡°I¡¯m Luo Dong. I¡¯m a hacker. My Dead Water Forum ID is Father Hamster. This is my wife. Her ID is Millionaire. They are my son and daughter.¡± ¡°Why would you bring your children into an anomaly?¡± The two youngsters were embarrassed after being exposed. ¡°To be able to survive in the tragedy is the greatest education they¡¯ll get. Plus, I¡¯ll handle my own children¡¯s education.¡± Luo Dong disliked others criticising his family. ¡°My name is Yu Ruolong. This is mytest underling, Yu Ruohu. We¡¯re from the Catfish Gang based in the old city. We¡¯re one of the first yers to join Dead Water Forum.¡± The young man undid the buttons to reveal the tattoo around his neck. It was a short, ck dragon. ¡°Catfish Gang?¡± Gao Ming and Luo Dong hadn¡¯t heard of this organisation before. It was probably made by the yers themselves. They turned to Gao Ming. He said, ¡°My name is Gao Ming. I was a chef. I lost my job not too long ago.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s introduction was unassuming, like his appearance. However, Luo Dong and Yu Ruolong were not so easily fooled. They were merely toozy to dig deeper. ¡°Earlier, someone obtained a miracle Easter Egg in the anomaly, and their attribute skyrocketed by ten points. They have risen beyond the definition of a human. We can¡¯t fall too far behind.¡± Luo Dong eyed the others. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t fight among each other.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± When they reached a consensus, the ss door spun again. A man carrying arge camera and a female reporter with a voluptuous figure entered the building. They seemed to be recording some kind of show. The hostess¡¯ make-up was light as she faced the camera. When she noticed there were others inside the building, her eyes glowed with great excitement. ¡°Hello. We¡¯re from the Midnight Horror Program. We focus on recording all kinds of horror stories.¡± The hostess switched on her phone to show everyone the show. ¡°We have predicted everything before the tragedy arrived. Our program was once loved byizens.¡± ¡°I know your show. It was a lot of horror-baiting. Well. I suppose you¡¯re making a documentary now.¡± Luo Dong hated the camera. He put his hoodie back on. ¡°The arrival of the tragedy did provide us with a lot of material. Therefore, we have changed our goals. Our goal is no longer to frighten people with cheap jumpscares but to provide the horror game yers with reference information through the most direct reporting.¡± The hostess passionately introduced their new program website. ¡°Dead Water Forum has gathered a lot of yers, but trading there requires a high processing fee. Our Midnight Horror website is more like a home for the yers. Everything is free, and everyone can interact freely.¡± The hostess shed a professional smile, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to use Dead Water Forum. We Midnight Horror not only has a website, forum but also an app¡­¡± Gao Ming¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He didn¡¯t expect someone would want topete with Dead Water Forum. Human greed was something even a tragedy couldn¡¯t wipe away. Gao Ming took a simple look at the content of the website for Midnight Horror. It was basically a copy of Dead Water Forum. They would link Dead Water Forum¡¯s missions at first notice and even release guides for simple anomalies. They also offered low-quality cursed items as rewards. ¡°The water at Han Hai sure is deep. Who knew someone would copy Dead Water Forum?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. The core of Dead Water Forum was the big ghosts. Gao Ming and Zhang Ding were the biggest anomalies. How could the others copy them? ¡°We are not running for profit. We are merely doing this to help everyone fight the anomaly.¡± The hostess sounded perfect, but Luo Dong frowned. ¡°Do you even believe that yourself? I¡¯ve heard simr things from the investigation centre. But what¡¯s the result? They¡¯ve abandoned the east city, and they¡¯re going to abandon the old city soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll prove our words with actions soon,¡± The hostess said as if this was some kind of holy mission. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join as member to try it out? Having more options is not a bad thing.¡± The Catfish Gang and Luo Dong¡¯s family were unmoved. Instead, it was Gao Ming who asked with intrigue, ¡°How do I register?¡± His eyes were clear. His clothes were tattered. He looked like an honest man. Chapter 328: Pet ¡°We¡¯ll ensure full confidentiality. You don¡¯t need to fill in any information that might expose you. You only need to set up your ount password. However, you can only read the information shared by others after you¡¯ve uploaded a video rted to the anomaly or shared the things you know about the horror game rules.¡± The hostess leaned close to Gao Ming to exin further. ¡°I knew there is nothing free in the world.¡± Luo Dong shook his head as he logged into Dead Water Forum to check thetest mission information. ¡°Xin Xin Nian Nian Pet Toy Building (Group Horror Map): Normal Danger Rating. Mutation Progression 35 percent. Shadow Coverage 20 percent. Surviving yers: 29. Chance of Miracle Easter Egg: 1 percent. ¡°When faith spirals out of control, humans will be the pets of other humans. The cors around their necks will be held by desire and death. They shake their tails in pity and live worse than dogs. You need to find the mud figurine that has escaped from Li San Hospital in this building and destroy it. ¡°There is a chance to obtain special cursed items in this horror map. All cursed items can be identified and traded on the forum. ¡°When the current order crumples, the new rules will appear in your hands.¡± Luo Dong¡¯s expression dropped. ¡°When did the surviving yers rise to 29? I thought we were the earliest to have arrived.¡± The cursed items were very precious and rare. This was why Luo Dong brought his family there on first notice. However, there were many yers who shared his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t see many people in the lobby. They must have gone upstairs already!¡± Luo Dong shot his wife a look. They both moved towards the corridor. Before they arrived, Luo Dong had memorised theyout of the building. Thispany would designs toys for pets every year. Their creative designb was inside the building. Based on the information gathered from the nearby residents, thispany started to turn strange when the tragedy arrived. Strange noises woulde from inside the building. People rep ¡­We are unable to load the verification. Please unblock any scripts or login to continue reading. Verify below to continue readinglogin to continue reading. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 329: Investigation Centres Plan Luo Dong¡¯s every family member had their own special power. His son could sense the presence of evil spirits within several metres of him. His wife could relieve the pain of others. She couldn¡¯t heal the wounds, but she could make people ignore the pain. His youngest daughter had always been protected. Her power had not been revealed. The reporter from Midnight Horror and the other horror game yers followed Luo Dong¡¯s family. They managed to evade a lot of dangers. They walked past the second-floor corridor and arrived at the third-floor lobby. Luo Dong¡¯s son, who was leading the way, suddenly paused. His face was scarily pale. ¡°Why did he stop? Did the ghost show up?¡± Yu Ruohu hadn¡¯t done much, and they came to the third floor easily, so he started to rx. Luo Dong¡¯s son shook his head as a cold sweat poured down his face. His hands that grabbed the straps of his schoolbag bulged with veins, and his breathing became urgent. Luo Dong patted his son¡¯s back lightly and turned back to re at Yu Ruohu. ¡°If you want to know why, you can go ahead on your own.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. My little brother is a bit direct with his words, but he¡¯s a nice person.¡± Yu Ruolong knew how reliable Luo Dong¡¯s family was, so his attitude became a lot better. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by that. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Yu Ruolong quickly apologised. Since they had apologised, Luo Dong exined, ¡°My son can sense the ghost¡¯s general location and help us find a safe path. If he is unwilling to walk forward, it can only mean one thing-- the road ahead is filled with ghosts.¡± Yu Ruohu quickly pulled his legs back. The group was stuck at the entrance of the third floor. As time passed, Luo Dong¡¯s son acted even more anxiously. When the group heard the sound of a door openinging from the second floor, Luo Dong¡¯s son started to convulse.¡°The ghosts on the second floor areing too! We can¡¯t stay here any longer!¡± Luo Dong didn¡¯t want to put his family in danger. He turned to the hostess from Midnight Horror. ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to be the second Dead Water Forum? If you can lead us through this anomaly, my whole family will join your program, and we¡¯ll tell everyone we know about you!¡± Since the woman didn¡¯t respond, Gao Ming took out his phone to aim at them. ¡°Do you only know how to hide at the back and use the other yers to gather information? And I thought I wanted to join you. I¡¯ll expose your deeds today!¡± A ghost eye opened on Gao Ming¡¯s phone. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re something else.¡± Yu Ruolong added, ¡°If Midnight Horror wants to be the second Dead Water Forum, they have to prove themselves first.¡± The hostess and the cameraman were cornered, but to Gao Ming¡¯s surprise, the hostess did not panic. She still had a smile on her face. ¡°Alright. Serving all the horror game yers has always been our goal.¡± The hostess adjusted her ear-mic and casually walked down the corridor. She didn¡¯t show fear. If anything, she smiled at the camera as she exined the situation. ¡°Has she lost her mind? She is basically luring the ghosts out. Is she trying to kill all of us?¡± Luo Dong held his shivering son, whose face was dark. ¡°We¡¯re living in a world of rules. This world runs on rules we understand. The horror games merely follow rules we don¡¯t understand. To survive in the anomalies, you only need to abandon your understanding of the normal world¡¯s rules and adopt the abnormal rules.¡± They walked past the first door. Sharp ws scratched against the door. There was a rattling sounding from inside the room. Then, they walked past the second room. There was the sound of water sttering like a giant fish was trapped inside the room. The fishtail mmed against the door, causing the door to shudder. Murky liquid leaked out from underneath the door and wetted the cameraman¡¯s shoes. The hostess suddenly quieted up as her eyes stared at the door. Her breathing changed. The charm disappeared from her eyes. Instead, she looked at the door with chilling death. The cameraman turned the camera. The door stopped shaking. However, as more water oozed out of the door, the water became dirtier. At first, there were a few strands of hair. Then, there came oil, and finally, there was a piece of fabric stuck on the bottom of the door. ¡°That appears to be a shred of clothing¡­¡± The cameraman wanted to zoom in as the wooden door was sucked open without warning. A snake weaved from ck hairs crawled out! ck water crushed against the walls. A giant fishbowl was ced in the middle of the room. There was no fish around. Instead, there was a girl in the pet store uniform. Her body was bloated, and new facial features grew on her two braids. They were parasites on the girl¡¯s head. They were like nts in the shadow world or mutated animals. The cameraman acted quickly. He was surprisingly agile. He avoided the hair python cleverly. Before he could get up, the door next to him suddenly opened. A hairy arm reached out to grab the cameraman¡¯s wrist. The sharp nails carried unique curses. Red hair grew out of the spot where the cameraman was scratched. The cameraman was determined. He pulled out a special de and shed at his wrist. Unfortunately, before his wrist could be cut loose, another hair python curled around his waist and dragged him into another room. As her partner was caught, the hostess ran forward without turning back. ? ¡°Run!¡± Luo Dong shouted. His family ran. Gao Ming followed. His attention was not on the ghosts but on the hostess¡¯ ankle. When she ran, the woman exposed her legs. Gao Ming saw a red circlet around her ankle. That was the blood band that was only avable to the security members! ¡°Is Midnight Horror built by the investigation centre? This woman should have the capability to save the cameraman, but she didn¡¯t do so to protect her secrets.¡± Gao Ming understood something. Li San Hospital was surrounded by the investigation centre. They didn¡¯t n to give up on the old city. The centre wanted to support Midnight Horror and separate the horror game yers from another angle. ¡°Has the Investigation Centre dropped so low?¡± Gao Ming knew something was wrong. Dead Water Forum had to stay very hidden. However, Midnight Horror had a website, app and everything else. They had to have someone¡¯s support to be so open about this. They ran down the corridor and only stopped when they were certain there was no danger. ¡°They didn¡¯t chase after us.¡± Yu Ruolong said fearfully, ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s simr to the other anomalies.¡± ¡°Shush!¡± Luo Dong told Yu Ruolong to shut up. He saw her son pause before the office at the end of the third floor. He paced around the door. After a quick hesitation, Luo Dong¡¯s son tried to knock on the door. ¡°There¡¯s a living human here?!¡± Chapter 330: Interviewer Human head! There was a human head inside the wine cupboard! When all animals saw their dead kin, they would feel fear. That was written in our genes. Xiao Wu had never seen a corpse before. He had no idea a human head could be so frightening when detached from the body. His hair stood on end. His face was purple, like a piece of bone was stuck in his throat. He was so scared that he forgot to run. At that moment, a knocking came. There was someone outside the door! With that in his mind, Xiao Wu shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Help! Someone has been killed!¡± Carrying thest bit of hope, Xiao Wu found strength in his legs again. He ran towards the door. The knocking became more frequent. Xiao Wu was nervous. The door was locked from the inside. ¡°Quick! I need to leave!¡± When Xiao Wu came to thispany for his interview, he helped a cleaningdy by carrying a bucket of water. At that moment, the auntie whispered to him, ¡°Leave. There are things that eat people here.¡± Xiao Wu ignored her, thinking there was something wrong with her brain. Thinking back, he realised the auntie was risking her life by warning him. The lock clicked. Xiao Wu opened the office door with great excitement. ¡°Save me¡­¡± He imagined other interviewees outside the door. He ced his hope on this moment. The door mmed into the wall. Xiao Wu looked up in anticipation. He didn¡¯t see any kin. The fear in his eyes couldn¡¯t be hidden. Xiao Wu saw a pair of swaying deer antlers. An arm covered in animal fur grabbed his neck. Heavy iron cage dragged on the ground. A giant nail pierced through the monster¡¯s arm, but it didn¡¯t seem to feel pain. His hope was extinguished easily. The giant monster raised its axe and aimed it at Xiao Wu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is this where you should be?¡±There was a sharp whistle. Manager Nian toyed with a metallic toy whistle. She slowly put on her heels and walked towards the door. Ignoring the monster, Manager Nian grabbed Xiao Wu by his hair. ¡°Do you know how sad I was when my dog died¡­¡± ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± Before Manager Nian finished, Xiao Wu started to bark. With a shivering body, he curled up in the corner. His clothes were wet with sweat. Manager Nian smiled. Her smile was beautiful. ¡°A dog needs to do many things for its owner. I look forward to your performance.¡± Xiao Wu knelt on the ground, hugging Manager Nian¡¯s shoes. He didn¡¯t dare to hug too tightly or too lightly. ¡­ After Luo Dong¡¯s son made another confirmation, he knocked harder. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea? Is it possible that he¡¯s luring more ghosts over?¡± Yu Ruohu was worried. He looked brave, but he was actually a coward. ¡°My son can still tell the difference between the living and the dead.¡± Luo Dong trusted his family unconditionally. When he moved to knock on the door, the doorknob turned, and the office door swung open. A polite young man stood behind the door. He was shocked to see them, ¡°Are you here for the interview even though it¡¯s already sote?¡± ¡°Interview?¡± Luo Dong looked at the man with confusion, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a horror game yer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an employee at Xin Xin Nian Nian Company. You can call me Xiao Wu.¡± The young man was sunny and optimistic. He didn¡¯t seem to realise horrible things were happening around him. ¡°You can hand me your resume. I¡¯ll pass them over to CEO Nian.¡± Xiao Wu was confused when the group just stood there. ¡°Are you kidding? You didn¡¯t even prepare your resume for your interview?!¡± A low growl echoed in the corridor. Xiao Wu quickly waved at them. ¡°Juste in first!¡± Xiao Wu¡¯s expression became serious after he closed the door behind them. He ran to the printer and printed a few resume temtes for the group. ¡°Some strange events began to ur here a few days ago. You can ignore them by bing an employee here.¡± He shared the printed temte with everyone. Xiao Wu stood to the side with a few empty internship tags. ¡°Fill in the form honestly, and I¡¯ll lead you to the interview.¡± Xiao Wu was very helpful and kind. He was sincere in helping them. Gao Ming was the first to finish his resume. He wrote that he was a chef for years. Xiao Wu looked through his resume and said nothing. However, he did start calling Gao Ming Chef Gao. He wrote down Gao Ming¡¯s information on the stic tag with a red frame. He then handed it to Gao Ming. The tag looked strange. It looked less like a work id but a pet tag. ¡°Ourpany can be split into four zones. The foodb area that is used to create new pet food is on the fourth floor. The everyday pet items research centre is on the fifth floor. The pet spa and the special pet training and caring centre are on the sixth floor. ¡°Different tags correspond to different zones. You can only move within the zones that correspond to your tags. ¡°There are not many rules for interns, but you need to remember three. ¡°One, if you hear a dog¡¯s bark, you have to run. ¡°Two, do not eat anything at thepany. ¡°Three, some pets can mimic human speech. Do not trust them.¡± Xiao Wu nced at the clock. ¡°Manager Nian should be working overtime on the fourth floor¡¯s pet foodb. Put on your tags and report to her there.¡± Then, Xiao Wu went down on his knees and started to clean every tile in the office. ¡°This man feels so strange.¡± Even Yu Ruohu knew something was wrong, much less the rest. No one left but searched the office for clues. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you what to do? Why are you still here?¡± There was anxiety in Xiao Wu¡¯s voice. ¡°We¡¯re just looking.¡± Yu Ruolong pulled over the table drawer. It was data from all thebs. Yu Ruohu sat on the couch and opened the wine cupboard beside it. He felt like something was looking at him from inside. He reached towards a wine bottle when there was a crashing from the toilet attached to the office. All of them turned to the toilet. The air seemed to freeze. The next moment, there was a bark. Xiao Wu dropped the washcloth and immediately flew out of the office. Chapter 331: Chaos The first rule of the petpany. Do not stay when you hear the dog bark. ¡°Run!¡± Yu Ruolong remembered what Xiao Wu said. He basically jumped up from the couch and raced to the office door. ¡°Wait!¡± Someone called from behind him, but Yu Ruolong ignored it. ¡°Wait? Only an idiot will wait!¡± The few horror game yers were already frightened by the monsters earlier. They followed Xiao Wu out of the office. ¡°Close the door!¡± After everyone ran out, Xiao Wu mmed the office door close. Then, the barking stopped. However, there was a new scent of meat rotting in the air. ¡°How did the thing inside the toilet wake up?¡± Xiao Wu looked pale. ¡°Thankfully, you ran fast or else all of us would be done for.¡± The heart-pounding sound was clear in everyone¡¯s ears. The corridor was eerily quiet. ¡°Wear your tags well. Find Manager Nian at the foodb. She¡¯ll help you adjust to life here. Remember. You have to run when you hear the barking.¡± Xiao Wu still looked fazed from the scare.Yu Ruolong didn¡¯t suspect Xiao Wu, but he was still careful. He didn¡¯t leave immediately but turned to Luo Dong¡¯s son, ¡°Kid, are there many ghosts here?¡± Luo Dong¡¯s son nodded. His face was whiter than a ghost¡¯s. ¡°You said Manager Nian would help us adjust to life here, but you didn¡¯t mention any ways to leave¡­¡± Luo Dong noticed Xiao Wu¡¯s choice of words. ¡°Why? Is it because you want us to stay here forever?¡± Luo Dong could sense his son¡¯s fear. The fourth floor was far more dangerous than where they were. ¡°I¡¯m helping you.¡± Xiao Wu was about to exin when a weak light source came from the dark third-floor corridor. ¡°Is someoneing? Is it the other yers?¡± Everyone held their breath as they looked at the light in the dark that was slowly approaching. ¡°No. It¡¯s moving faster! It¡¯s moving!¡± The heavy iron cage cut against the wall. The de-like antlers appeared in their sight. A heavily-mutated monster stomped down the corridor. ¡°Fuck!¡± The few horror game yers turned and ran. Any thinking was pointless at this point. They just needed to run faster than the others. They were chased to the fourth floor. They ran for a whole three minutes and only stopped when they couldn¡¯t see the light anymore. Yu Ruohu leaned against the wall and knelt on the ground. Luo Dong¡¯s family was at their limits as well. The person with the best condition was the hostess. Even at that moment, she had the mood to record everything around her. ¡°Where are we? When did that thing disappear?¡± Yu Ruolong covered his mouth due to the horrid smell. It smelled of decay. With the light on his phone, he saw manyrge cages. There were machines used to make pet feed inside the cages. Most of the machines were still running. Their lights turning on and off. There was arge pool at the end of all the machines. The horrible smell came from there. ?? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this floor be the foodb? How can they feed these things to animals? This food looks rotten.¡± Yu Ruohu crawled up from the ground. His fingers were red with ayer of meat paste. However, it was unclear what kind of meat it was. ¡°How disgusting.¡± ¡°Should we go find Manager Nian next?¡± Yu Ruolong stood at the back of the group. He didn¡¯t dare to get too close to the cages. ¡°Can you two be quiet?¡± Luo Dong looked severe. After a few moments, he told them, ¡°I have a few things to tell you.¡± Luo Dong seemed to have sensed something special. ¡°My son can sense the existence of ghosts, but he didn¡¯t sense a ghost inside that office.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Doesn¡¯t that prove Xiao Wu is a human?¡± Yu Ruohu had no idea what Luo Dong was getting at. ¡°There is no ghost inside the office, so the thing that barked inside the toilet isn¡¯t a ghost either.¡± Luo Dong looked around, but he couldn¡¯t see Xiao Wu. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to wait earlier.¡± ¡°Strange rules will appear inside the anomalies. Many times, ghosts have to follow the rules even if they want to kill. Since your son said that Xiao Wu is a human, then he must follow the rules to survive¡­¡± Before the hostess could continue, Luo Dong interrupted her with a re. ¡°Xiao Wu¡¯s third rule is that some pets can mimic human speech, and we can¡¯t trust them! What if Xiao Wu is a pet? The rules didn¡¯t mention only ghosts can be pets, right? If Xiao Wu is a pet, all the rules we know are fake!¡± Luo Dong¡¯s voice was chilly. ¡°Why would a human help us in a ce like this? The humans who help the ghosts are scarier than ghosts!¡± ¡°But Xiao Wu told us to stay away from the dogs. If the dog barking doesn¡¯t represent danger, what does it represent?¡± Yu Ruolong scratched his chin. ¡°Could it be a plea for help?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice pulled everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s normal for an office to have an attached toilet, but people who kill often will know that the toilet is the easiest location to deal with a corpse. It¡¯s easily cleaned with the water and drainage system.¡± No one was used to murders, so everyone became more anxious. ¡°Do the monsters here want to turn all the humans into dogs? Take, for example, the monsters we saw on the second floor. Even though they had animalistic properties, they still maintained a human shape.¡± Luo Dong took out his phone. ¡°Surviving yer number count 25¡­¡± Earlier, it was 29. That was not that long ago. Four yers had died. ¡°This map has special cursed items that can fight against ghosts. Horror game yers will keep oning here. However, the number of surviving yers doesn¡¯t increase. This can only mean that the monsters are killing the yers faster than the number of yersing here.¡± ¡°Some of them might have been turned into pets. We need to move.¡± Luo Dong stood up. ¡°As more pets join the ghosts, we¡¯ll be in more danger. We better split up to find the mud figurine. We have the chance to leave only by following the goal of the Dead Water Forum.¡± Luo Dong didn¡¯t want to stay with them anymore. He wanted to move alone with his family. However, the rest didn¡¯t want to separate from him. Luo Dong felt a headache seeing this. He was someone who relied fully on his family. He was the weakest among his family. Suddenly, there was the sound of cogs moving. Something was moving inside the giant pool. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 332: Big Dog! Chapter 332: Big Dog! ¡°Brother Luo, it¡¯s unwise to split up in an anomaly. It¡¯s better for us to stick together,¡± Yu Ruolong was a small leader in his gang. At that moment, he stuck to Luo Dong shamelessly. ¡°That is not better than dying all at once.¡± Luo Dong shielded his family. He purposely didn¡¯t want the other yers to approach his family. They continued to run for a few meters when Luo Dong¡¯s son suddenly stopped. He paused when he was around three metres from the pool. His legs trembled like he was about to copse to the ground. Noticing his son¡¯s state, Luo Dong rushed over to carry him and leaned close to his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. Rx.¡± Luo Dong¡¯s son shook his head and grabbed Luo Dong¡¯s sleeve. ¡°We can¡¯t pass. There¡¯s something very scary in the water! It¡¯s looking at us! We¡¯ll be eaten if we go closer!¡± ¡°This pool is built indoors. It looks barely one meter deep. What can be hiding here?¡± Yu Ruohu mocked. He didn¡¯t mean anything bad. Mainly, he spoke without a filter. ¡°The fourth floor is filled with big cages and machines to make feed. Where can Manager Nian be? Is she inside the pool?¡± The hostess aimed her light at the surface of the pool. The water was murky. Some ck animal fur and human clothes floated on the water. ¡°Stop using your power.¡± Luo Dong warned his son and pulled him behind as if worried that the others would see his son¡¯s face. The moment he did this, it attracted the hostess¡¯ attention. ¡°There are two ways to get to the fifth floor. Either we go back to the third floor and find another way up, or we slowly walk along the pool¡¯s edge using the iron fence around the pool.¡± Luo Dong knew the rest wouldn¡¯t let him go, so he willingly analysed the situation. ¡°What if we run into that deer thing if we turn back?¡± Yu Ruohu grabbed the iron fence and tried to climb it. ¡°This thing is very stable. As long as we¡¯re careful, we should be able to cross the pool.¡±¡°The core of this anomaly is a mud figurine that has escaped from Li San Hospital. Therefore, all the ghosts have to follow its rules. These figurines will not kill for no reason. Everything they do is to gain the trust of the living.¡± The hostess revealed some key information. ¡°In a way, we¡¯re ying a game. The mud figurine is the DM. It¡¯s simple to survive at the beginning. We only need to do what it hopes us to do.¡± The hostess grabbed the links of the fence. She also thought they should cross the pool. While they hesitated, a weak bark came from the corridor that they used earlier. Yu Ruolong who was about to share his thoughts, quickly shut up. ¡°Woof¡­ Woof¡­¡± There was no light. The barking came from the dark corridor. ¡°The barking ising! Quick! Make a decision!¡± Yu Ruohu climbed onto the fence, but he didn¡¯t dare to cross it alone. Even though everyone questioned the true meaning of the barks, they started to panic again when the barking reappeared. No one could tell what was behind the barking sound. The fear amplified due to the unknown. The barking came closer. Yu Ruohu had started moving towards the pool. He kindly eased out a space for his brother. Luo Dong¡¯s son kept shivering. He resisted getting close to the pool. Luo Dong protected his family. Everything he said was a prediction. If he believed Xiao Wu, they should leave immediately; if he believed his son, there was no need to run from the ¡®dog¡¯. Luo Dong saw Yu Ruohu edge closer to the pool. Luo Dong turned to shout. ¡°Don¡¯t act too rashly. The pool is very dangerous.¡± ¡°This is not the time to hesitate!¡± Yu Ruohu was not a bad person. As he grabbed the fence with one hand, he reached out his other towards his teammates, ¡°Get on!¡± Luo Dong shook his head. He let go of his wife. He pointed at the fence beside him and then walked towards the entrance. Luo Dong was making all the preparations. He would stand in the front. If the ¡®dog¡¯ was a source of danger, at least he¡¯d buy his family some time. ¡°Should I¡­ go take a look?¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t speak much, but every time he spoke, he would be the focus. Everyone was pondering how to escape, but this dude wanted to take a look?! Gao Ming pulled Luo Dong back with a smile, ¡°Your family needs you. You can¡¯t take this risk.¡± ¡°Calm down! It¡¯s very easy to die in an anomaly. I might not be right.¡± Luo Dong was nervous. If his prediction were wrong, Gao Ming¡¯s death would be his responsibility. ¡°Look after your family. Don¡¯t let any harme to them.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t say much and walked into the darkness. All the light disappeared. Only the approaching barking remained. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here. Right in front of you.¡± Gao Ming didn¡¯t think the barking was scary. If anything, he thought it was friendly. The other party desperately wanted to approach him. The barking was trying to tell him something. He couldn¡¯t understand the barking, but he could sense it through the heart of flesh and blood. The wounded stray exhausted thest bit of its energy to beg a stranger for help. It didn¡¯t know whether the other party was a tormentor or not. It was merely operating on ast bit of hope. ¡°I¡¯ll cure you and bring you home.¡± Gao Ming could see anything. He chased after the sound for a long time. ¡°Woof¡­¡± The stench assaulted his nose. His cells told him to stay away. However, Gao Ming walked towards the barking. He knelt down and stared at the darkness before him. Gao Ming reached forward and felt warm blood. His fingers moved around and traced the shape of a human head. ¡°A human?¡± The man¡¯s vocal chord had been modified. He could only bark. Whenever he did, he would cough up a lot of blood. His head leaned on Gao Ming¡¯s palm, and his heart eased. ¡°Your injuries are serious.¡± Gao Ming touched his own heart. Just as he was about to open the torture room door, another bark came from inside his pocket. The pure ck death portrait flowed into the shadow. A big dog with long ck fur leapt out. ¡°Leave him to me.¡± The blind man uttered using his heart. Only Gao Ming could hear him. ¡°Can you tell me in general what¡¯s going on with him?¡± Gao Ming couldn¡¯t see through this darkness without summoning the God of Flesh and Blood. ¡°I was a human, but all the vigers treated me like a monster. I lived in the dog¡¯sir and mutated into a big dog after I died. They are humans, too. They still retain a human appearance, but the mud figurine has wiped away their humanity. If everyone treats them as monsters and dogs, they will slowly forget themselves and be real dogs.¡± The petpany¡¯s methods reminded Big Dog of his own experience. It was why he stopped Gao Ming and wanted to use his own method to save these victims. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 333: Luo Dongs Uniqueness ¡°The mud figurines from Li San Hospital require the faith of the living. That¡¯s why this figurine didn¡¯t kill these humans but wipe away their humanity, turning humans into pets.¡± Big Dog thought back to what he had seen at the hospital. ¡°I remember seeing a mud figurine with an animal head. It should be behind this.¡± Each mud figurine had its own special power. Gao Ming¡¯s horizon was broadened. ¡°It¡¯s fine helping others, but don¡¯t put your own safety at risk.¡± After so many incidents, Gao Ming treated the big dog as his family. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The ck fur fluttered in the shadow. The big dog appeared to be more mature than before. He sat beside Gao Ming. It was like the night putting ayer of protection on Gao Ming, ¡°To be a Dream Ghost, one has to collect the living¡¯s faith and will. I¡¯ve been hiding in my ownir. Why would people put their faith in a monster like me? How can I get people¡¯s approval?¡± The big dog put his head against Gao Ming, ¡°But slowly, I realise there are many people like me in this world. They have human skin but live no different from an animal.¡± The fur enveloped the barking man on the ground. The big dog sent him into his resentment room. He disconnected the man¡¯s connection to a God and became the man¡¯s new God. ¡°Perhaps I can be a Dream Ghost in my own way. Even though I don¡¯t have Headmistress Yan¡¯s noble aspirations and Boss Zhang¡¯s bright and gentle soul, I¡¯ve tasted all kinds of despair in the dark. None of the torture and pain swallowed me.¡± The barking disappeared. The poor man who had been modified by the petpanyy peacefully inside the big dog¡¯s resentment room. His humanity had been taken away. His remaining will assimted into the big dog. The blind man¡¯s dark eyes glowed with some starlight. He still couldn¡¯t see anything, but the world in his eyes had started to change. Even with just one man¡¯s will, the big dog¡¯s presence strengthened. This shocked Gao Ming, ¡°This figurine¡¯s power matches you highly. It looks like we might not need to destroy it. Trapping it inside your resentment room might not be a bad idea.¡± ¡°My resentment room actually expanded¡­¡± Sensing the man¡¯s soul, the big dog found a new direction, ¡°Thispany has many modified souls. I want to save them before the figurine knows what¡¯s happening, just in case it decides to kill all of its disciples.¡± The living humans in the building were faith sources prepared by the figurine. Therefore, the big dog¡¯s worry was not unfounded. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll follow your n.¡± The big dog¡¯s fur brushed past Gao Ming. He leapt into the shadow. ¡°This is not bad.¡± Gao Ming felt d. It was like he had witnessed a close friend of his had walked out of depression. ¡°I need to work hard on my end. I have to distract the mud figurine, so it won¡¯t go after the big dog.¡± ¡­The few horror game yers stared at Gao Ming until he fully disappeared into the darkness. The footsteps and barking faded away. ¡°Did something happen to him?¡± The biggest fear was the unknown. They had no idea what had happened in the dark. ¡°What was his name again?¡± Luo Dong felt a little guilty. Gao Ming took his ce because Luo Dong had a family to look after. ¡°That ce is darker than before! There¡¯s also a chilly presence!¡± Yu Ruolong started to climb up the fence. The hostess felt something too. She removed her contact lenses. She bent down to pretend to tie her shoces, but actually, her fingers touched the blood band around her ankle. When they encountered the mutated monster on the third floor, she was not as cautious. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with the barking¡­¡± The hostess looked around. Her expression waspletely different from before. ¡°I can see a big dog!¡± ¡°Quick! We need to go!¡± Yu Ruohu stopped hesitating. ¡°What are you still waiting for?¡± Yu Ruolong shouted at Luo Dong. ¡°Do you want to kill your family?¡± Yu Ruolong¡¯s casualment seemed to pierce Luo Dong¡¯s deepest wound. His eyes turned red as he stared at Yu Ruolong. Yu Ruolong had no idea what was wrong. He wanted to help them, so he reached out to grab Luo Dong¡¯s son. Luo Dong had no power, but his son could sense the presence of ghosts. He mustn¡¯t die because he was like a radar for the group. Yu Ruolong¡¯s fingers closed around the kid¡¯s arm. He wanted to pull the kid to the fence when he realised something was wrong. Luo Dong¡¯s son had no body temperature. ? ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± Luo Dong was agitated. He carried his bag and shoved Yu Ruolong away roughly. The unknown danger was approaching, but the yers were fighting among themselves. The hostess, who had been looking at the big dog, turned towards Luo Dong. Her eyes wandered between Luo Dong¡¯s family. Then, she concluded, ¡°Is your family already dead?¡± Once she said that, the duo from the Catfish Gang felt their scalps go numb. ¡°No wonder your son can detect the ghosts. Since that¡¯s the truth, Midnight Horror has to reassess your situation.¡± The hostess took out her phone to record something. Midnight Horror was born to sow discord among horror game yers. One of their missions was to recruit potential members from the horror game yers. They would turn them against their former mates. Luo Dong had experienced many anomalies, and he valued his family. This was why Midnight Horror targeted him. His family was his power and his weakness for them to control him. The hostess came for Luo Dong, but after she figured out the truth, her assessment of Luo Dong changed. His family was already dead. That was not good for the investigation centre. The hostess abandoned Luo Dong. Yu Ruolong and Yu Ruohu also moved away from him. Only Luo Dong and his family stood there. Luo Dong had no idea what was in the dark. He only knew that his son was scared. The hostess and the two brothers wouldn¡¯t let him get close to the pool. He was cornered. ¡°I knew this would happen.¡± Luo Dong shielded his son. ¡°It has been my son who¡¯s helping you. Look at you now. I should have left when I could.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Gao Ming¡¯s voice came from the dark. He had witnessed everything. His admiration for Luo Dong rose. Chapter 334: Were Very Welcoming All the yers were stunned when they heard Gao Ming. They thought that he had died. They didn¡¯t think he was still alive. His silhouette became clearer until Gao Ming appeared before everyone. He looked just like how he was before, not one hair was out of ce. ¡°Impossible! I saw something scary! It was a big, ck dog madepletely of shadows!¡± The hostess thought everything was within her control. She realised she was wrong. ¡°Fuck! You survived?!¡± Luo Dong sighed in relief. Gao Ming¡¯s appearance meant that his prediction was not wrong. The barking didn¡¯t mean danger. Xiao Wu should be the ghost¡¯s pet. ¡°What was barking? Did you find out?¡± After Luo Dong said that, he felt like Gao Ming wouldn¡¯t answer. After all, this was a discovery Gao Ming traded with his life. ¡°Your son was right. It was a human who was barking. The figurine at thispany can turn a human soul into an animal.¡± Gao Ming pointed at the path that led to the third floor. ¡°There should be a human trapped inside the office toilet. He was asking us for help.¡± ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you save the person who was barking?¡± The hostess saw a scary dog earlier. She was sure Gao Ming was lying. ¡°There was no light at all in the corridor. How could you be sure it was a living human who was barking?¡± Gao Ming showed his bloody hands. ¡°I touched the man¡¯s face. His mouth was filled with blood. He wanted to tell us something, but he couldn¡¯t speak. Once he spoke, his mouth would spit out blood.¡± The hostess still didn¡¯t believe Gao Ming, but Gao Ming didn¡¯t care. He walked straight to Luo Dong. ¡°Hey!¡± Out of kindness, Yu Ruohu reminded Gao Ming, ¡°Don¡¯t get too close. His son¡­ is not human.¡± ¡°Not human?¡± Gao Ming stopped to study Luo Dong¡¯s family.Luo Dong was cautious. His family was important to him. Even after death, they had to stay together. ¡°His family might be ghosts, but have they harmed you? If not for his son, we would have died on the third floor, right?¡± Gao Ming¡¯s words surprised everyone. ¡°Be it humans or ghosts, we need to focus on those who can help more people survive.¡± Gao Ming walked towards Luo Dong with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. Dead Water Forum is very weing. Even if you have been corrupted by the shadow world, as long as you are willing to help Han Hai, you are a qualified horror game yer. ¡°The tragedy ising, and the citizens are doing everything they can to survive. What is wrong with that?¡± Gao Ming asked the hostess. ¡°Investigation centre elites like you will not understand the pain of themoners like us. We have nothing. We just want to live.¡± ¡°Investigation centre elites? Is Midnight Horror built by the investigation centre?¡± Luo Dong and Yu Ruolong didn¡¯t even consider that. ¡°There¡¯s a blood band around her ankle. That is amunication device shared by all security members from the centre.¡± Gao Ming exposed the woman. ¡°I¡¯m curious about one thing. Since you said Dead Water Forum will ept everyone, why can¡¯t you ept the investigation centre? We share the same goal. We want Han Hai to be safe.¡± The woman was honest. She stopped hiding after she was exposed. ¡°The biggest difference between you and the ghosts is¡­ you are faker than ghosts. You act like you want to help Han Hai, but you do the opposite under the surface. Half of the chaos in Han Hai was created by the east city investigation centre¡¯s former chief, Situ An. Was he not with the centre?¡± Gao Ming stood with Luo Dong. ¡°You can try to copy Dead Water Forum. As long as you don¡¯t change, Dead Water Forum will not disappear.¡± ¡°No one is willing to be horror game yers. We are forced to protect ourselves because the investigation centre is unwilling to protect us.¡± Luo Dong agreed with Gao Ming. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. The pool is too dangerous.¡± Yu Ruolong and Yu Ruohu hesitated. After all, Gao Ming was right. Luo Dong¡¯s son hadn¡¯t harmed them. ¡°That guy is lying. There¡¯s a scary dog hiding in the dark. I saw it with my eyes.¡± The woman smiled as her eyes changed. Gao Ming believed there was a misunderstanding, but he was toozy to exin. He returned for Luo Dong because, in one of the futures, he joined the investigation centre and reced Situ An as the East City investigation centre chief. Unlike Fan Li, Luo Dong had great management skills and high potential. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Luo Dong protected his family as they moved into the dark. Just as they were about to leave the fourth floor, the iron cage near the staircase suddenly exploded. The explosion stopped Gao Ming and Luo Dong¡¯s family from leaving the fourth floor. The stench in the air thickened. A giant bubble surfaced out of the previously calm pool. The pool seemed to boil. Dirty things like fur and hair floated up. The warning lights turned red. The machines in the iron cages started operating on their own. Bags of rotten meat were transferred from the higher floors. They were crushed into meat paste and voured with spices. As the machines operated, the fragrance of meat overwhelmed some of the stink. The prepared pet food was sealed and ced in the corner. The remains were sent into the pool. There was a gurgling sound. The water turned murkier. Arge shadow appeared underneath theyer of oil. ¡°What is that?¡± Yu Ruohu, who was hanging on the fence near the pool, was extremely nervous. He didn¡¯t dare to move. The shadow in the water becamerger. However, it didn¡¯t break through the surface. Instead, it seemed to disintegrate and disappear. Strange sounds echoed in the pipes on the fourth floor. The monster in the pool seemed to have split into multiple parts and surrounded them. The pipe near the exit burst from the pressure. ck coils of hair flowed out of the pipe. No one dared to move as they stared at the broken pipe. A few secondster, a slender child¡¯s finger reached out of the hole in the pipe. Attached to the finger was a fully mutated tendril that was impossibly long! Chapter 335: Cursed Daughter ¡°Is it a ghost or an animal?¡± Luo Dong didn¡¯t even know how to describe the thing anymore. Viscous and dirty liquid dripped from the tendril. The pipes exploded one after another. The tendrils gushed out. The tendrils ended with fingers from different humans. Different from the monsters on the third floor, the monster inside the pool was not made of one person. It had ¡®consumed¡¯ many people. The floor bulged. The tiles cracked. Something moved under their feet. The monster was like an animal and a nt. Its tendrils were like nt roots as they surrounded the fourth floor. ¡°Quick! Retreat!¡± The pool was huge. Yu Ruohu didn¡¯t have the courage to climb over. He was like a duck on the cooking stick. The two from the Catfish Gang jumped down from the fence and moved away from the pool. Right after they left, dark tendrils crawled onto the fence. The human fingers poked through the holes in the fence and distorted the fence easily. Animal screams came from the iron cages. The tendrils were like sharks as they surged towards the iron cages near the pool. They yanked apart the cages. The tendrils pierced through the rats inside the cages. The horror terrified Yu Ruohu. If he werete, he¡¯d end up like the rats. The sounds of pipe popping echoed throughout the fourth floor. The stinky water leaked out of the walls. The floor became wet. ¡°The monster needs water to move around. We need to leave as soon as possible.¡± Luo Dong was very careful but he was still toote. The entrance of the fourth floor was like a trap. The pipes around it burst open. More tendrils crawled out. They were stuck with hair and clothes. They didn¡¯t look like they belonged in real life. The sound of the machines and the sirens echoed. The red light shone on their faces. As the wastewater flowed into the room, the water from the pool rose and approached Gao Ming¡¯s group. Yu Ruohu and Yu Ruolong stopped hesitating. They rushed towards Luo Dong. As they moved, several tendrils the size of adult arms flung out. The tendrils didn¡¯t end with ¡­ We are unable to load the verification. Please unblock any scripts or login to continue reading. Verify below to continue readinglogin to continue reading. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!