Chapter 23
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“How could they be this cruel?” I lightly ran my fingers over Xiao Feng’s back. She was still a bit nervous, instinctively wanting to dodge my touch.
“The policewoman said the needle had been rusted inside my flesh for too long, making it difficult to remove.”
I couldn’t imagine the pain Xiao Feng had endured, and while I sympathized with her, it was impossible for me to marry her.
She was a woman with a strange past whom I had only met once. How could I feel confident bringing her home, especially when there might be a vengeful ghost residing within her?
“You have suffered enough.” I helped her straighten her clothes. “As for the matter of marrying me, I hope you will consider it carefully. This is a lifelong decision for a woman, so choose wisely.”
Xiao Feng belonged to the kind of women who were very pleasing to the eye. Her gentle and graceful demeanor, typical of a southern girl, was evident in every aspect of her. Without knowledge of her past, anyone would find it difficult to resist such temptation.
I didn’t give a direct response, but my intentions were clear.
“The Peace of Mind (Anxin) Hotel is a nightmare for me. I can never go back there. I never went to school, and I’m not good at communicating with people. Besides you, I don’t even have a friend,” her eyes grew dim.
In fact, at this moment, I wanted to say something cruel, like, “I’m sorry, I never saw you as a friend. That night, I just used you to get useful information.” But after a moment of silence, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. She had suffered enough, and I didn’t want to hurt her anymore.
“Think carefully about marrying me. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead of you,” I moved a chair and sat down across from her.
Xiao Feng’s face suddenly showed a kind of decaying grayness, her eyelids twitched constantly, and her hands clung to the handcuffs. Her bound ankles were lifted backward, and her feet pushed hard against the ground as if she wanted to stand up.
Seeing her terrifying appearance, I sighed deeply. If no one cared for her, she would be compelled to enter a mental facility.
With her fingers tapping on the table, Xiao Feng’s expression became even more ferocious. Even under the light, she still looked scary.
“Beep beep.” The intercom in the drawer rang before it was connected. It was Tie Ningxiang ordering me to evacuate immediately.
I stood up, snuffed out my cigarette, and looked at Xiao Feng’s painful expression, feeling somewhat guilty.
“Gao Jian, leave now! The suspect may be losing control again!”
I stood still and casually turned off the walkie-talkie. After becoming a host of the underworld show I began to explore a world that normal people could not see. A world of horror and fear that could only be understood through experience.
As if on impulse, I walked over to Xiao Feng and gently held her in my arms, protecting her head with one hand. “I know you’re lonely, and I understand what you’re afraid of. How about this? If you have nowhere else to go, my store is currently in need of a waitress. If you don’t mind, you can come work for me. The salary is 1000 yuan per month, with room and board included. What do you think?”
As she remained in my embrace, there caame no response from her for a long time. It wasn’t until I felt a slight warmth in my hand that I realized Xiao Feng was crying, her tears making her look fragile and delicate.
Five minutes later, Tie Ningxiang and Xiao Wang entered the room, and they began the normal interrogation.
“You’re quite something, huh? A veteran at handling different kinds of situations; you had her behaving like a docile lamb in no time.” After leaving the police station, Tie Ningxiang invited me to their cafeteria for lunch, and she didn’t stop talking the whole way. “By the way, is it true that you’re going to let her work for you as a waitress, or was that just a bluff? Your place is only about 15 square meters; can you even fit two people in there?”
“Even if we can’t fit, we have to make it work. I already promised her, can I go back on my word?”
“It must be really difficult for you to help me, and I understand that the situation has evolved to the point where it’s not easy for you either. Your senior sister is feeling quite uneasy about it as well…”
I didn’t know how Tie Ningxiang truly felt about this, but what I did know was that early the next morning, two police cars were parked outside my adult store, and several officers were knocking on my door.
“Gao Jian, open up! We’re here to take someone away!”
“Take someone away?” I was still half asleep, but I quickly put on some clothes and rushed over.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Tie Ningxiang in her neatly pressed police uniform and a big smile on her face. “Good morning, Gao Jian!”
“What’s going on here?” I asked.
“Didn’t we agree on this yesterday? I’ll safely deliver the person to you, and you can’t bully her!” Several police officers lined up in formation on either side of the door, and behind them, Xiao Feng walked over in her new black dress.
“This is too sudden; you could have at least given me a phone call!” I protested.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Tie Ningxiang said, grabbing the shy Xiao Feng. “From now on, treat this place as your home. If he dares to bully you, just let me know. The police never oversight a good person for a bad one, and we never permit a bad person to go! Alright, you two go in and have a private chat. We should be going now.”
“Hey, wait a minute, Tie team leader!”
“Mission completed, let’s wrap it up!” Two police cars sped away, and from their appearance, it seemed they had finally gotten rid of a hot potato.
“I thought the police were supposed to serve the people…” I sighed, feeling disheartened as I ushered Xiao Feng into the store.
This innocent girl curiously touched this and looked at that, making me feel awkward about explaining the true purpose of the products to her.
“Feng, from now on, you will be the only waitress in our store. I’ll give you a key soon, and you can eat and live here. Oh, by the way, the first floor will be yours, and the second floor is my office. If there’s nothing important, don’t go up there.”
I swear on my conscience that I didn’t say this to hide the fashion magazines under my bed or the hundred gigabytes of reality shows on my computer. I was just afraid she might accidentally come across records of the Underworld show.
“Okay, I’ll do as you say.” Xiao Feng obediently nodded her head, appearing to have fully immersed herself in the role of a new bride.
“The product catalog and price list are in the drawer. Familiarize yourself with them. Also, this device is called a stun gun. If anyone tries to bully you in the future, just press this button.”
“Is it this one?”
“Ah!” A scream pierced through the slumbering streets, signaling the start of a new day.
…..
Today was the day for releasing missions on the Underworld Show app again, so I charged my phone and left it with Xiao Feng. I headed to the overpass to borrow a talisman from Blind Liu. However, that old slickster seemed to have known I was coming and closed up his shop early. I don’t know where he went hiding.
“Damn it! This is a matter of life and death, and he’s not willing to help! Liu, you better wait for me!” I shouted at his doorstep for a quarter of an hour before leaving with a heavy heart. I had no choice but to tough it out today.
At eight o’clock in the evening, I sent Xiao Feng away and sat alone beside my phone. The hands of the clock ticked away, and the large screen of my phone emitted a faint, cold light. Then, a strange number called me.
“Who could it be this time?” I put the phone to my ear and answered the call.
“Drop the handkerchief, drop the handkerchief, twist off your head, and sneakily place it behind the little child. Don’t let him know; hurry up and catch him! Hurry up and catch him!” This nursery rhyme, which should have been cheerful, sent shivers down my spine.
Finally, the singing came to an end, and a few sinister children’s laughter echoed from the other end of the phone: “Let’s play a game. If you can find me before dawn, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck here with me forever…”
As I hung up the phone, a new message appeared in my inbox.
“The campus at night is a mysterious place. Count the thirteen steps beneath your feet, listen to the crying baby in the infirmary, and open the door to the last stall in the bathroom, where the ghostly doll is waiting to ask you where your lost left hand went. Now, answer me one last question: Do you like blue, white, or red?”
“Live streaming mission: Arrive at New Shanghai High School at midnight and survive until the sunrise.”
“Optional mission: Play seven games on campus, and for each game completed, earn one point as a reward.”
Staring at the sudden appearance of the optional mission, I scratched my head and muttered to myself,
“Are you sure this mission is just for fun and not a death trap?”
During this live broadcast with no protective talismans, I needed to be extra careful. “New Shanghai High School?”
I didn’t recall there being such a school in Jiangcheng. After doing some research online, I discovered that the school had actually closed down completely five years ago.
There has been no official explanation for the closure, but there were many different rumors and speculations circulating among internet users. Some speculate that it was due to a sudden fire that resulted in a mass stampede with many fatalities caused by the poor management of the school’s administration. Others claim that the school had a high incidence of students committing suicide by jumping off buildings, leading to its closure by the Ministry of Education.
Some even suggest that the school was haunted, with classes taking place during the day and ghosts attending at night for their own education.
I found some old photos of the school online, and they showed a bright and spacious campus. After some further research, I discovered that it was actually a prestigious private school established through a joint venture between China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families could attend, with many transferring from other cities.
“Normally, a school like this should be very well-known, but in recent years, I have never heard of it. It seems that information about the said school has been deliberately suppressed.” Checking the address, I found that New Shanghai High School was located in the middle of Jiangcheng and Puhushan, being quite remote.
“That’s not good,” thinking back to my close call at the Anxin Hotel the previous night. Thanks to the police arriving on the scene in time, I had narrowly escaped danger. However, New Shanghai High School was located in between the two cities, and it would take the police over an hour to get there, even if they rushed with all their efforts.
No protective talismans and I couldn’t even call for help. I rubbed my chin anxiously, feeling increasingly agitated.
“What’s on your mind? You look worried,” Xiao Feng emerged from the back room, carrying a steaming bowl of mixed sauce noodles. “I made this myself; give it a try.”
“Xiao Feng, I need to go out tonight. Can you stay here and look after the shop? I won’t have time for dinner. I need to leave now,” I said, checking my broadcasting equipment and picking up my black leather suitcase.
“Are you going to broadcast again? Can you take me with you?” She asked hopefully, holding the steaming noodles in her hand and looking at me with eager eyes.
I shook my head firmly and rejected her request, “No, you stay here and take care of the shop. Don’t wander around at night.”
“Well, at least take a bite. I made it specially for you,” she said, placing the fragrant noodles in front of me. It had been many years since anyone had cooked for me after that incident.
“Alright,” I said, taking a few hasty bites, and I was pleasantly surprised, “This is pretty good. You’re quite the cook.”
“Thanks. And what about…”
“I have to go. Don’t worry, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I interrupted, picking up my suitcase and hurrying out the door without noticing the smile at the corner of Xiao Feng’s lips.
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“How could they be this cruel?” I lightly ran my fingers over Xiao Feng’s back. She was still a bit nervous, instinctively wanting to dodge my touch.
“The policewoman said the needle had been rusted inside my flesh for too long, making it difficult to remove.”
I couldn’t imagine the pain Xiao Feng had endured, and while I sympathized with her, it was impossible for me to marry her.
She was a woman with a strange past whom I had only met once. How could I feel confident bringing her home, especially when there might be a vengeful ghost residing within her?
“You have suffered enough.” I helped her straighten her clothes. “As for the matter of marrying me, I hope you will consider it carefully. This is a lifelong decision for a woman, so choose wisely.”
Xiao Feng belonged to the kind of women who were very pleasing to the eye. Her gentle and graceful demeanor, typical of a southern girl, was evident in every aspect of her. Without knowledge of her past, anyone would find it difficult to resist such temptation.
I didn’t give a direct response, but my intentions were clear.
“The Peace of Mind (Anxin) Hotel is a nightmare for me. I can never go back there. I never went to school, and I’m not good at communicating with people. Besides you, I don’t even have a friend,” her eyes grew dim.
In fact, at this moment, I wanted to say something cruel, like, “I’m sorry, I never saw you as a friend. That night, I just used you to get useful information.” But after a moment of silence, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. She had suffered enough, and I didn’t want to hurt her anymore.
“Think carefully about marrying me. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead of you,” I moved a chair and sat down across from her.
Xiao Feng’s face suddenly showed a kind of decaying grayness, her eyelids twitched constantly, and her hands clung to the handcuffs. Her bound ankles were lifted backward, and her feet pushed hard against the ground as if she wanted to stand up.
Seeing her terrifying appearance, I sighed deeply. If no one cared for her, she would be compelled to enter a mental facility.
With her fingers tapping on the table, Xiao Feng’s expression became even more ferocious. Even under the light, she still looked scary.
“Beep beep.” The intercom in the drawer rang before it was connected. It was Tie Ningxiang ordering me to evacuate immediately.
I stood up, snuffed out my cigarette, and looked at Xiao Feng’s painful expression, feeling somewhat guilty.
“Gao Jian, leave now! The suspect may be losing control again!”
I stood still and casually turned off the walkie-talkie. After becoming a host of the underworld show I began to explore a world that normal people could not see. A world of horror and fear that could only be understood through experience.
As if on impulse, I walked over to Xiao Feng and gently held her in my arms, protecting her head with one hand. “I know you’re lonely, and I understand what you’re afraid of. How about this? If you have nowhere else to go, my store is currently in need of a waitress. If you don’t mind, you can come work for me. The salary is 1000 yuan per month, with room and board included. What do you think?”
As she remained in my embrace, there caame no response from her for a long time. It wasn’t until I felt a slight warmth in my hand that I realized Xiao Feng was crying, her tears making her look fragile and delicate.
Five minutes later, Tie Ningxiang and Xiao Wang entered the room, and they began the normal interrogation.
“You’re quite something, huh? A veteran at handling different kinds of situations; you had her behaving like a docile lamb in no time.” After leaving the police station, Tie Ningxiang invited me to their cafeteria for lunch, and she didn’t stop talking the whole way. “By the way, is it true that you’re going to let her work for you as a waitress, or was that just a bluff? Your place is only about 15 square meters; can you even fit two people in there?”
“Even if we can’t fit, we have to make it work. I already promised her, can I go back on my word?”
“It must be really difficult for you to help me, and I understand that the situation has evolved to the point where it’s not easy for you either. Your senior sister is feeling quite uneasy about it as well…”
I didn’t know how Tie Ningxiang truly felt about this, but what I did know was that early the next morning, two police cars were parked outside my adult store, and several officers were knocking on my door.
“Gao Jian, open up! We’re here to take someone away!”
“Take someone away?” I was still half asleep, but I quickly put on some clothes and rushed over.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Tie Ningxiang in her neatly pressed police uniform and a big smile on her face. “Good morning, Gao Jian!”
“What’s going on here?” I asked.
“Didn’t we agree on this yesterday? I’ll safely deliver the person to you, and you can’t bully her!” Several police officers lined up in formation on either side of the door, and behind them, Xiao Feng walked over in her new black dress.
“This is too sudden; you could have at least given me a phone call!” I protested.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Tie Ningxiang said, grabbing the shy Xiao Feng. “From now on, treat this place as your home. If he dares to bully you, just let me know. The police never oversight a good person for a bad one, and we never permit a bad person to go! Alright, you two go in and have a private chat. We should be going now.”
“Hey, wait a minute, Tie team leader!”
“Mission completed, let’s wrap it up!” Two police cars sped away, and from their appearance, it seemed they had finally gotten rid of a hot potato.
“I thought the police were supposed to serve the people…” I sighed, feeling disheartened as I ushered Xiao Feng into the store.
This innocent girl curiously touched this and looked at that, making me feel awkward about explaining the true purpose of the products to her.
“Feng, from now on, you will be the only waitress in our store. I’ll give you a key soon, and you can eat and live here. Oh, by the way, the first floor will be yours, and the second floor is my office. If there’s nothing important, don’t go up there.”
I swear on my conscience that I didn’t say this to hide the fashion magazines under my bed or the hundred gigabytes of reality shows on my computer. I was just afraid she might accidentally come across records of the Underworld show.
“Okay, I’ll do as you say.” Xiao Feng obediently nodded her head, appearing to have fully immersed herself in the role of a new bride.
“The product catalog and price list are in the drawer. Familiarize yourself with them. Also, this device is called a stun gun. If anyone tries to bully you in the future, just press this button.”
“Is it this one?”
“Ah!” A scream pierced through the slumbering streets, signaling the start of a new day.
…..
Today was the day for releasing missions on the Underworld Show app again, so I charged my phone and left it with Xiao Feng. I headed to the overpass to borrow a talisman from Blind Liu. However, that old slickster seemed to have known I was coming and closed up his shop early. I don’t know where he went hiding.
“Damn it! This is a matter of life and death, and he’s not willing to help! Liu, you better wait for me!” I shouted at his doorstep for a quarter of an hour before leaving with a heavy heart. I had no choice but to tough it out today.
At eight o’clock in the evening, I sent Xiao Feng away and sat alone beside my phone. The hands of the clock ticked away, and the large screen of my phone emitted a faint, cold light. Then, a strange number called me.
“Who could it be this time?” I put the phone to my ear and answered the call.
“Drop the handkerchief, drop the handkerchief, twist off your head, and sneakily place it behind the little child. Don’t let him know; hurry up and catch him! Hurry up and catch him!” This nursery rhyme, which should have been cheerful, sent shivers down my spine.
Finally, the singing came to an end, and a few sinister children’s laughter echoed from the other end of the phone: “Let’s play a game. If you can find me before dawn, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck here with me forever…”
As I hung up the phone, a new message appeared in my inbox.
“The campus at night is a mysterious place. Count the thirteen steps beneath your feet, listen to the crying baby in the infirmary, and open the door to the last stall in the bathroom, where the ghostly doll is waiting to ask you where your lost left hand went. Now, answer me one last question: Do you like blue, white, or red?”
“Live streaming mission: Arrive at New Shanghai High School at midnight and survive until the sunrise.”
“Optional mission: Play seven games on campus, and for each game completed, earn one point as a reward.”
Staring at the sudden appearance of the optional mission, I scratched my head and muttered to myself,
“Are you sure this mission is just for fun and not a death trap?”
During this live broadcast with no protective talismans, I needed to be extra careful. “New Shanghai High School?”
I didn’t recall there being such a school in Jiangcheng. After doing some research online, I discovered that the school had actually closed down completely five years ago.
There has been no official explanation for the closure, but there were many different rumors and speculations circulating among internet users. Some speculate that it was due to a sudden fire that resulted in a mass stampede with many fatalities caused by the poor management of the school’s administration. Others claim that the school had a high incidence of students committing suicide by jumping off buildings, leading to its closure by the Ministry of Education.
Some even suggest that the school was haunted, with classes taking place during the day and ghosts attending at night for their own education.
I found some old photos of the school online, and they showed a bright and spacious campus. After some further research, I discovered that it was actually a prestigious private school established through a joint venture between China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families could attend, with many transferring from other cities.
“Normally, a school like this should be very well-known, but in recent years, I have never heard of it. It seems that information about the said school has been deliberately suppressed.” Checking the address, I found that New Shanghai High School was located in the middle of Jiangcheng and Puhushan, being quite remote.
“That’s not good,” thinking back to my close call at the Anxin Hotel the previous night. Thanks to the police arriving on the scene in time, I had narrowly escaped danger. However, New Shanghai High School was located in between the two cities, and it would take the police over an hour to get there, even if they rushed with all their efforts.
No protective talismans and I couldn’t even call for help. I rubbed my chin anxiously, feeling increasingly agitated.
“What’s on your mind? You look worried,” Xiao Feng emerged from the back room, carrying a steaming bowl of mixed sauce noodles. “I made this myself; give it a try.”
“Xiao Feng, I need to go out tonight. Can you stay here and look after the shop? I won’t have time for dinner. I need to leave now,” I said, checking my broadcasting equipment and picking up my black leather suitcase.
“Are you going to broadcast again? Can you take me with you?” She asked hopefully, holding the steaming noodles in her hand and looking at me with eager eyes.
I shook my head firmly and rejected her request, “No, you stay here and take care of the shop. Don’t wander around at night.”
“Well, at least take a bite. I made it specially for you,” she said, placing the fragrant noodles in front of me. It had been many years since anyone had cooked for me after that incident.
“Alright,” I said, taking a few hasty bites, and I was pleasantly surprised, “This is pretty good. You’re quite the cook.”
“Thanks. And what about…”
“I have to go. Don’t worry, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I interrupted, picking up my suitcase and hurrying out the door without noticing the smile at the corner of Xiao Feng’s lips.
How could they be this cruel? I lightly ran my fingers over Xiao Feng's back. She was still a bit nervous, instinctively wanting to dodge my touch.The policewoman said the needle had been rusted inside my flesh for too long, making it difficult to remove.I couldn't imagine the pain Xiao Feng had endured, and while I sympathized with her, it was impossible for me to marry her.She was a woman with a strange past whom I had only met once. How could I feel confident bringing her home, especially when there might be a vengeful ghost residing within her?You have suffered enough. I helped her straighten her clothes. As for the matter of marrying me, I hope you will consider it carefully. This is a lifelong decision for a woman, so choose wisely.Xiao Feng belonged to the kind of women who were very pleasing to the eye. Her gentle and graceful demeanor, typical of a southern girl, was evident in every aspect of her. Without knowledge of her past, anyone would find it difficult to resist such temptation.I didn't give a direct response, but my intentions were clear.The Peace of Mind Anxin Hotel is a nightmare for me. I can never go back there. I never went to school, and I'm not good at communicating with people. Besides you, I don't even have a friend, her eyes grew dim.In fact, at this moment, I wanted to say something cruel, like, I'm sorry, I never saw you as a friend. That night, I just used you to get useful information. But after a moment of silence, I couldn't bring myself to say it. She had suffered enough, and I didn't want to hurt her anymore.Think carefully about marrying me. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead of you, I moved a chair and sat down across from her.Xiao Feng's face suddenly showed a kind of decaying grayness, her eyelids twitched constantly, and her hands clung to the handcuffs. Her bound ankles were lifted backward, and her feet pushed hard against the ground as if she wanted to stand up.Seeing her terrifying appearance, I sighed deeply. If no one cared for her, she would be compelled to enter a mental facility.With her fingers tapping on the table, Xiao Feng's expression became even more ferocious. Even under the light, she still looked scary.Beep beep. The intercom in the drawer rang before it was connected. It was Tie Ningxiang ordering me to evacuate immediately.I stood up, snuffed out my cigarette, and looked at Xiao Feng's painful expression, feeling somewhat guilty.Gao Jian, leave now! The suspect may be losing control again!I stood still and casually turned off the walkie-talkie. After becoming a host of the underworld show I began to explore a world that normal people could not see. A world of horror and fear that could only be understood through experience.As if on impulse, I walked over to Xiao Feng and gently held her in my arms, protecting her head with one hand. I know you're lonely, and I understand what you're afraid of. How about this? If you have nowhere else to go, my store is currently in need of a waitress. If you don't mind, you can come work for me. The salary is 1000 yuan per month, with room and board included. What do you think?As she remained in my embrace, there caame no response from her for a long time. It wasn't until I felt a slight warmth in my hand that I realized Xiao Feng was crying, her tears making her look fragile and delicate.Five minutes later, Tie Ningxiang and Xiao Wang entered the room, and they began the normal interrogation.You're quite something, huh? A veteran at handling different kinds of situations; you had her behaving like a docile lamb in no time. After leaving the police station, Tie Ningxiang invited me to their cafeteria for lunch, and she didn't stop talking the whole way. By the way, is it true that you're going to let her work for you as a waitress, or was that just a bluff? Your place is only about 15 square meters; can you even fit two people in there?Even if we can't fit, we have to make it work. I already promised her, can I go back on my word?It must be really difficult for you to help me, and I understand that the situation has evolved to the point where it's not easy for you either. Your senior sister is feeling quite uneasy about it as wellI didn't know how Tie Ningxiang truly felt about this, but what I did know was that early the next morning, two police cars were parked outside my adult store, and several officers were knocking on my door.Gao Jian, open up! We're here to take someone away!Take someone away? I was still half asleep, but I quickly put on some clothes and rushed over.As soon as I opened the door, I saw Tie Ningxiang in her neatly pressed police uniform and a big smile on her face. Good morning, Gao Jian!What's going on here? I asked.Didn't we agree on this yesterday? I'll safely deliver the person to you, and you can't bully her! Several police officers lined up in formation on either side of the door, and behind them, Xiao Feng walked over in her new black dress.This is too sudden; you could have at least given me a phone call! I protested.We wanted to surprise you, Tie Ningxiang said, grabbing the shy Xiao Feng. From now on, treat this place as your home. If he dares to bully you, just let me know. The police never oversight a good person for a bad one, and we never permit a bad person to go! Alright, you two go in and have a private chat. We should be going now.Hey, wait a minute, Tie team leader!Mission completed, let's wrap it up! Two police cars sped away, and from their appearance, it seemed they had finally gotten rid of a hot potato.I thought the police were supposed to serve the people I sighed, feeling disheartened as I ushered Xiao Feng into the store.This innocent girl curiously touched this and looked at that, making me feel awkward about explaining the true purpose of the products to her.Feng, from now on, you will be the only waitress in our store. I'll give you a key soon, and you can eat and live here. Oh, by the way, the first floor will be yours, and the second floor is my office. If there's nothing important, don't go up there.I swear on my conscience that I didn't say this to hide the fashion magazines under my bed or the hundred gigabytes of reality shows on my computer. I was just afraid she might accidentally come across records of the Underworld show.Okay, I'll do as you say. Xiao Feng obediently nodded her head, appearing to have fully immersed herself in the role of a new bride.The product catalog and price list are in the drawer. Familiarize yourself with them. Also, this device is called a stun gun. If anyone tries to bully you in the future, just press this button.Is it this one?Ah! A scream pierced through the slumbering streets, signaling the start of a new day...Today was the day for releasing missions on the Underworld Show app again, so I charged my phone and left it with Xiao Feng. I headed to the overpass to borrow a talisman from Blind Liu. However, that old slickster seemed to have known I was coming and closed up his shop early. I don't know where he went hiding.Damn it! This is a matter of life and death, and he's not willing to help! Liu, you better wait for me! I shouted at his doorstep for a quarter of an hour before leaving with a heavy heart. I had no choice but to tough it out today.At eight o'clock in the evening, I sent Xiao Feng away and sat alone beside my phone. The hands of the clock ticked away, and the large screen of my phone emitted a faint, cold light. Then, a strange number called me.Who could it be this time? I put the phone to my ear and answered the call.Drop the handkerchief, drop the handkerchief, twist off your head, and sneakily place it behind the little child. Don't let him know; hurry up and catch him! Hurry up and catch him! This nursery rhyme, which should have been cheerful, sent shivers down my spine.Finally, the singing came to an end, and a few sinister children's laughter echoed from the other end of the phone: Let's play a game. If you can find me before dawn, I'll let you go. Otherwise, you'll be stuck here with me foreverAs I hung up the phone, a new message appeared in my inbox.The campus at night is a mysterious place. Count the thirteen steps beneath your feet, listen to the crying baby in the infirmary, and open the door to the last stall in the bathroom, where the ghostly doll is waiting to ask you where your lost left hand went. Now, answer me one last question: Do you like blue, white, or red?Live streaming mission: Arrive at New Shanghai High School at midnight and survive until the sunrise.Optional mission: Play seven games on campus, and for each game completed, earn one point as a reward.Staring at the sudden appearance of the optional mission, I scratched my head and muttered to myself,Are you sure this mission is just for fun and not a death trap?During this live broadcast with no protective talismans, I needed to be extra careful. New Shanghai High School?I didn't recall there being such a school in Jiangcheng. After doing some research online, I discovered that the school had actually closed down completely five years ago.There has been no official explanation for the closure, but there were many different rumors and speculations circulating among internet users. Some speculate that it was due to a sudden fire that resulted in a mass stampede with many fatalities caused by the poor management of the school's administration. Others claim that the school had a high incidence of students committing suicide by jumping off buildings, leading to its closure by the Ministry of Education.Some even suggest that the school was haunted, with classes taking place during the day and ghosts attending at night for their own education.I found some old photos of the school online, and they showed a bright and spacious campus. After some further research, I discovered that it was actually a prestigious private school established through a joint venture between China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families could attend, with many transferring from other cities.Normally, a school like this should be very well-known, but in recent years, I have never heard of it. It seems that information about the said school has been deliberately suppressed. Checking the address, I found that New Shanghai High School was located in the middle of Jiangcheng and Puhushan, being quite remote.That's not good, thinking back to my close call at the Anxin Hotel the previous night. Thanks to the police arriving on the scene in time, I had narrowly escaped danger. However, New Shanghai High School was located in between the two cities, and it would take the police over an hour to get there, even if they rushed with all their efforts.No protective talismans and I couldn't even call for help. I rubbed my chin anxiously, feeling increasingly agitated.What's on your mind? You look worried, Xiao Feng emerged from the back room, carrying a steaming bowl of mixed sauce noodles. I made this myself; give it a try.Xiao Feng, I need to go out tonight. Can you stay here and look after the shop? I won't have time for dinner. I need to leave now, I said, checking my broadcasting equipment and picking up my black leather suitcase.Are you going to broadcast again? Can you take me with you? She asked hopefully, holding the steaming noodles in her hand and looking at me with eager eyes.I shook my head firmly and rejected her request, No, you stay here and take care of the shop. Don't wander around at night.Well, at least take a bite. I made it specially for you, she said, placing the fragrant noodles in front of me. It had been many years since anyone had cooked for me after that incident.Alright, I said, taking a few hasty bites, and I was pleasantly surprised, This is pretty good. You're quite the cook.Thanks. And what aboutI have to go. Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow, I interrupted, picking up my suitcase and hurrying out the door without noticing the smile at the corner of Xiao Feng's lips.
