"Did you notice? The ghost students involved in this mission all come from the same class."
Jiang Xiaohui and Sun Jingyan—the classes shown on their student cards were both Class 3 of Senior Year 3. Although Xu Meiqian's identity was still unclear, given that she could uncover Jiang Xiaohui's secret about stealing, the probability of them being classmates was quite high.
If all the ghost students in this mission came from the same class, then what exactly happened in that Class 3 of Senior Year 3 was worth pondering deeply.
"Let's go. Find this Class 3 of Senior Year 3."
This cursed classroom might still hold more clues hidden within!
--
Meanwhile, by the flagpole on the playground, four figures appeared. Among them was the bespectacled, refined man who spoke with measured words—Zhong Qing, the captain of Group 4.
(PS: There was a mistake earlier in the text, but since the editing window has passed, I can't update it. Going forward, the setting is that Jiang Rou is in Group 9, and Zhong Qing is in Group 4.)
Beside Zhong Qing were two men and one woman, all members of Group 4. The plumper of the two men was He Zhongtian, while the taller, thinner one was Zhang Haochen. Despite He Zhongtian's stout build, he was a nimble fat man; both had survived two horror stories, making them quasi-veterans.
The last member, a middle-aged woman with a mercenary face, was Li Cuinian, the owner of a bun shop. She was also on the plump side, similar to He Zhongtian, and had survived one horror story.
At this moment, a bloody, mangled corpse lay at their feet. The head was smashed like a crushed watermelon, gruesome beyond recognition, but the face was still vaguely identifiable.
This person was Liu Yuan, killed by the flashlight ghost not long ago.
He Zhongtian calmly pulled an old-fashioned camera from his bag. Like a police officer gathering evidence, he ignored his bulky frame, crouched down, and took several photos of Liu Yuan's body.
"What did you find?"
Hearing Zhong Qing's question, He Zhongtian chuckled and shook the camera. Three photos dropped out, but instead of showing Liu Yuan's corpse, they depicted Liu Yuan being killed by the flashlight ghost, as well as Liu Yuan standing with Pan Long and the others!
This camera was a supernatural one, with effects varying based on the film used.
The film He Zhongtian used couldn't exorcise or seal spirits, but it could recreate events from three previous time points through the photos. With their intelligence, it wasn't hard to deduce what had happened to Liu Yuan before his death.
"Pan Long... Group 2... ruthless."
Though he said this, Zhong Qing's face remained expressionless. In the struggle for a slim chance of survival, people would not only kill members of other teams but even betray their own.
In the photos, Liu Yuan's face was twisted in terror, his slightly open mouth seemingly begging for mercy. But the ghosts in the mission were utterly uncommunicative, like puppets executing killings without emotion. Amid Liu Yuan's fear, the ghost remained expressionless as it crushed his skull.
From the photos, the ghost's appearance was faintly visible—it looked like a teacher.
"Liu Yuan's death was likely caused by someone taking his student card... no, it should be that Pan Long and the others used Liu Yuan's card, redirecting the ghost's hatred, ultimately killing him."
Adjusting his glasses, Zhong Qing's face remained indifferent, as if solving a simple puzzle rather than a matter of life and death.
"So our earlier suspicion was correct. This mission gives everyone a student card usable at the check-in machine, but using it also triggers a killing mechanism."
"Why... why?" Li Cuinian's greasy face showed fear, her voice stammering.
"Why? To make us participants kill each other. Isn't that what the radio loves to see in team missions?" Zhang Haochen said bitterly, his face twisted with resentment.
As participants, except for a rare few, everyone was filled with anger and hatred toward the so-called radio that controlled their fates. Zhang Haochen was no exception.
"I get it now. This team mission is forcing us to find ways to steal others' student cards. Only then can we survive!"
At the same time.
On the third floor of the I-shaped building, Tan Shuyue shuddered.
"Don't bother looking," Jiang Rou said behind her, frowning again.
"Liu Yuan... is probably dead too."
"What?" Tan Shuyue froze, her face showing shock and fear. "What do you mean, Jiang Rou? What are you saying!"
"Can't you feel it? Liu Yuan is no longer among us."
How could she not feel it? A participant's death usually sends a ripple to others in the same mission. Tan Shuyue had sensed that pang of dread, but she refused to believe it.
"Xing Yina is dead, Liu Yuan is dead... no..."
It wasn't ignorance but a subconscious denial of reality. In just a short time, Group 9 had lost two members!
"Jiang Rou, I'm so scared..." Tan Shuyue hugged her arms, curling up on the ground.
"We're all going to die, aren't we? With just two of us, we're no match for the other groups. Even if the ghosts don't kill us, people will. Jiang Rou, what do we do!"
"Tan Shuyue, calm down." Jiang Rou's voice remained steady. "Even if it's just the two of us, we can still survive."
Feeling the encouragement in those words, Tan Shuyue's crumbling emotions steadied a bit.
"Sister Jiang Rou, you're so kind. Without you, so many of us in this terrifying radio would have given up. Someone as good as you shouldn't be dragged into this..."
"Enough, let's not talk about that. We need to find clues quickly." Jiang Rou stood up, her gaze shifting to the depths of the corridor. For a moment, her expression flickered.
--
PS: Second chapter delivered. Sorry for the wait, everyone.