"Li Cuinian, don't move!"
Seeing Li Cuinian, who was eager to act, about to step out, Zhong Qing quickly called out a warning. Startled by his shout, Li Cuinian shot him a displeased look. "I'm not stupid, what are you yelling for? Don't need you to tell me—this is obviously a ghost's trap."
"A trap?" Zhong Qing's mind stirred.
"Isn't it obvious? This ghost used some kind of illusion to make us think this is the exit. But in reality, what's outside probably isn't what we see at all. The moment we step out, it's a bottomless abyss. Otherwise, why would it be called a 'jumping ghost'! Let me tell you, the ghost stories I heard as a kid were just like this..."
"Wait, what did you just say?" Zhong Qing pressed.
"I said this ghost used an illusion..."
"Exactly, that illusion tricked He Zhongtian and Zhang Haochen!" Zhong Qing gritted his teeth. "This jumping ghost deliberately made us see the ghostly figure falling by the window, luring us down to investigate, then set a trap at the main entrance. The moment we step out, something supernatural happens, and we die the same way it did."
"So, what should we do now?"
"The best way to break a ghost's curse is to find its true form. Right now, we're trapped here by its trick, so finding it won't be easy. But there's another way—use special items to exorcise it. Li Cuinian, you're carrying special items too, aren't you? Since we know it's an illusion, use them to drive it back."
"Captain Zhong, that's not very fair of you." Li Cuinian pursed her lips, a shrewd look flashing across her worldly face. "You've been through five missions and have way more stuff on you than I do. I won't make a fool of myself trying to show off."
This woman was sharp! Zhong Qing thought to himself, a bit exasperated. I underestimated her—thought she was just a rookie who'd been through one horror story, but she won't take a single loss.
"I think we don't need to rush out of here. There are plenty of places in this building we haven't searched yet. Maybe the trap will disappear after a while, or we might find the ghost's true form."
"You're the captain, I'll follow your lead." Li Cuinian chuckled, trotting along behind him. After a few steps, she suddenly called out again, "Captain Zhong, look, isn't there someone up ahead?"
He didn't need her to point it out—Zhong Qing had already seen it. A figure was slowly approaching from the depths of the corridor, slender and seemingly female.
Li Cuinian immediately ducked behind Zhong Qing, her face full of fear. "Captain Zhong, is that a female ghost?"
What female ghost? That's clearly a person, Zhong Qing cursed inwardly. But isn't that Jiang Rou from the ninth group? Why is she alone?
Just then, Jiang Rou apparently spotted him too and stopped.
"Why are you alone?" Zhong Qing frowned, a few thoughts racing through his mind.
In this team mission, you had to get the cards from other participants to survive.
"Are you thinking about how to get my student card from me?"
Completely caught off guard that she'd so bluntly called out his thoughts, Zhong Qing froze for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.
"Yes."
"Fine then." Jiang Rou showed no surprise, nodding. "I'll give it to you, but I have one condition—you give me a bottle of recovery potion."
"Someone in your team is badly injured? Who?"
"That's none of your concern." Jiang Rou said flatly. "And I can tell you one dead end: in this team mission, you absolutely cannot forcibly snatch someone else's card, or it'll trigger the ghost's killing spree."
As if weighing the truth of her words, Zhong Qing's expression shifted a few times before he finally nodded. "This trade seems like a win for me—why wouldn't I agree?"
"But to save your teammate, you're putting your own life at risk, Jiang Rou. Is it worth it?"
"That's my business."
"Tsk, cold as ever. Fine, maybe there's more than one way out in this mission. Figure it out yourself."
With that, Zhong Qing reached into his pocket and pulled out a red potion.
"As long as the injured person doesn't die within five minutes, this potion can heal all their wounds." Zhong Qing gave a wry smile. "It was pricey, though—cost me 20 plot points. I was saving it for myself."
"20 plot points for a life-saving item—you're not losing out."
"Alright."
Watching him leave, Jiang Rou stood like a ghost in the dark corridor, glanced at the red potion, and tucked it into her pocket.
But instead of returning to the floor where Tan Shuyue was hiding, a strange smile crept onto her face. She casually raised a hand and rubbed a green jade ring on her other finger.
A faint glimmer flashed from the ring in the darkness, as if something stirred and vanished in an instant, lifting a strand of her hair.
--
"Captain Zhong..." As they walked, Li Cuinian suddenly wore a grave expression.
"Do you think that Jiang Rou might be trouble?"
"I don't know." Zhong Qing shook his head. "But we can find out by testing it."
The two returned to the first-floor lobby, and sure enough, the red machine was there. Zhong Qing took out the card, turning it over and over as if sensing something.
There was no tampering on the card. Yet doubt still lingered in his mind.
Using this card would trigger the ghost's hatred, leading to being marked and killed. Could she have some way to escape that inevitable mark?
After all, she was the host of the ninth group, a veteran who'd survived five horror stories.
With that thought, Zhong Qing, still puzzled, inserted the card into the machine. Soon, as the check-in completed, a notification echoed in his mind.
"So that's it." Zhong Qing nodded. "Collect four password numbers to enter the principal's office. But with only two of us left, we'll eventually have to team up with another group."
Just then, he suddenly noticed Li Cuinian staring at him in terror and confusion.
Though she was just a worldly middle-aged woman, her gaze sent a chill through Zhong Qing's mind.
"You..."
Li Cuinian's trembling finger pointed at the red machine's screen. "Captain Zhong, th-this... it's still your name!"
"What?!" Zhong Qing jolted, his whole body shaking as he looked back at the screen. The name there suddenly blurred into a mess...
What's going on? What is this?!
Even without understanding it, a primal terror made his hair stand on end. Any anomaly often meant a horrifying outcome!
"Say it again—whose name do you see?!"
Zhong Qing nearly roared the words. Li Cuinian, trembling all over, shrank back as if looking at a monster.
Unfortunately, she hadn't exchanged for items like ghost tears or silver leaves. Otherwise, a swipe over her eyes would have revealed a terrifying sight.
A small ghost with a bluish-purple face was perched on Zhong Qing's shoulder, its ghostly hands covering his eyes!
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PS, third update today. Who says the author won't add more? Hurry up and give the hardworking author a thumbs up~