Everyone was on edge, tense to the breaking point. Being locked onto by this ghost was as good as receiving a death sentence.
The flashlight ghost's face, shrouded in black mist, swept over a sea of terrified expressions before it moved again, shuffling step by step—*shuffle, shuffle, shuffle*—toward Zheng Zihao.
In that instant, Zheng Zihao felt a chill run down his spine, nearly scaring him to death.
Why me? Why me?
What exactly had triggered the killing intent?
Before he could figure it out, the flashlight ghost produced the same pen that had killed Song Ze, and in Zheng Zihao's utterly horrified expression, stabbed it into his eye socket.
With extreme shock, terror, and confusion, Zheng Zihao became the second person killed by the ghost.
Was it going to kill us one by one? Pan Long's heart was also filled with terror at that moment, but in past missions, ghosts always followed rules when killing!
This was like a game—unless a participant triggered a serious dead end, a ghost couldn't possibly kill consecutively!
Had we really unknowingly triggered such a dead end?
Just as Pan Long was consumed by despair, things took an unexpected turn. After killing Song Ze and Zheng Zihao, the terrifying flashlight ghost actually transformed back into a cloud of black mist and vanished into the hallway.
As the flashlight's glow dimmed and disappeared, the oppressive force that had immobilized them also dissipated without a trace.
Gone?
That flashlight ghost had actually let them go!
Pan Long and Zhou Chuhan exchanged glances, their faces a mix of fear and confusion. Moments ago, they had both thought they were doomed, but unexpectedly, after killing Song Ze and Zheng Zihao, the flashlight ghost simply vanished into the hallway.
Had only Song Ze and Zheng Zihao triggered the dead end?
Jiang Rou and Tan Shuyue were also bewildered, clearly unsure of what had happened. Pan Long shot them a complicated look, then gritted his teeth and called out to Zhou Chuhan, "Let's go!"
"Sister Jiang Rou, what's going on?" Watching Pan Long and the others leave, Tan Shuyue's face was still full of confusion. "Why didn't that ghost kill us all?"
"Because only Song Ze and Zheng Zihao triggered the killing intent." The confusion on Jiang Rou's face faded, replaced by a faint smile. "I just realized that this, too, can trigger a dead end."
"This?"
"Using someone else's student card to sign in can shift the ghost's hatred, but forcibly taking another's student card triggers a different killing mechanism. Song Ze and Zheng Zihao brought about their own deaths by violating that rule."
"But what about Liu Yuan's card? Wasn't it taken too?"
"That depends on the mission's judgment. Maybe Liu Yuan handed over his card under threat, but Song Ze used force and injured someone, which might have violated a hidden rule."
"As for Zheng Zihao, he was unlucky. He touched the knife that injured you, which also triggered the ghost's killing opportunity."
"I see." Tan Shuyue was about to say something, but Jiang Rou interrupted, "Let me see your arm."
"It's fine, Sister Jiang Rou, I'm fine."
Despite her words, Tan Shuyue's face was deathly pale.
"No, the wound needs treatment." Jiang Rou looked around. "Come on, let's go into the classroom first."
"For now, let's just hold on until the mission ends."
Watching Jiang Rou, whose forehead was beaded with sweat as she bandaged her wound, Tan Shuyue bit her lip, her expression suddenly hardening.
"You're right, Sister Jiang Rou. We can't die in a place like this. We have to survive! And we need to find a way to live without killing each other!"
"That's right, Shuyue. We'll find that way."
"Wah... Sister Jiang Rou, thank you..."
"Alright, stop crying. You're not a rookie anymore, why are you still so teary?"
"I know, I'm just moved... Sister Jiang Rou, since there are ghost teachers in the school, there might be ghost students too. Finding them could give us new clues."
"Hmm, that makes sense."
Jiang Rou stood up. "Shuyue, stay here and hide somewhere to wait. I'll figure out the rest."
"What?" Tan Shuyue looked shocked. "Jiang Rou, what are you planning?"
"You're injured and can't move well. Encountering ghosts or other participants would be dangerous. Once I find a way to break this, I'll come back here for you!"
"But that would put all the danger on you."
"It's okay, I'll be careful." Jiang Rou thought for a moment, then pulled an item from her pocket and placed it in Tan Shuyue's hand.
"This is..."
"It's Xing Yina's item, a fragment of the Ghost Mirror. If you point it at a ghost, it can seal it inside the mirror. Hiding in the classroom is safer, but there's still a chance of encountering a ghost. It's better for you to keep it."
"Jiang Rou, you're so good to us!"
"Sigh, we're companions, after all." Jiang Rou surveyed the classroom. "Why don't you hide under the teacher's desk?"
After Tan Shuyue crawled under, Jiang Rou checked the spot and nodded. "Shuyue, wait for me here."
"Okay, Sister Jiang Rou, you be careful too."
Jiang Rou nodded and turned to leave. After a couple of steps, she seemed to remember something and turned back. "Oh, Shuyue, give me your student card. If the ghost uses the cards to track us, being locked onto in a closed classroom would be dangerous."
"Huh?" Tan Shuyue hesitated. "Is that possible?"
Jiang Rou nodded. Tan Shuyue thought for a moment. "Sister Jiang Rou, please be very careful." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her student card.
"You be careful too, Shuyue. Don't make a sound unless you hear my voice. I'll be back for you soon!"
Tan Shuyue nodded, curling herself tighter into the darkness.
Jiang Rou smiled, pocketed the card, and then pulled open the classroom door to leave, her face still carrying a gentle smile.
As she left, the classroom fell back into pitch blackness. After a while, in the endless solitude, fear surged once more in Tan Shuyue's heart.
-- PS: This is the first update today. There will be more. I'll keep writing after I eat. Please support me!