Midnight Ghost Stories?
Wasn't this the WeChat ID that had sent him a friend request earlier? Of course, Chen Mo hadn't forgotten either—the eerie radio program in the taxi had a host who called himself "Midnight Ghost Stories."
Those four words suddenly made Chen Mo feel an indescribable pressure from the ghost-like woman before him.
He had already witnessed the power of that strange radio station. Could someone playing the role of "host" in such a bizarre existence be an ordinary person?
The woman studied the expression on Chen Mo's face seriously, then seemed unable to hold back a laugh, letting out a snort.
As she laughed, the frozen air around them seemed to instantly start flowing again, and the indescribable pressure from moments ago vanished in an instant.
But Chen Mo still caught a glimpse of a bracelet on her left wrist, resembling blood jade, faintly glowing with an eerie red light.
As if something had returned to that bracelet.
"I've been looking for you all night. I'm cold and hungry now—shouldn't you treat me to something to eat first?"
The woman looked at Chen Mo and said it very seriously.
At this hour in Jiangcheng, night beer stalls and street food joints were the most down-to-earth and popular spots for food. Chen Mo found a nearby place called "Fallen Crawfish," ordered two bottles of beer, a large serving of spicy crawfish, and a plate of edamame.
Regardless of what this woman was about, he was starving himself. The constant danger pressing in from every angle in the story world had made it impossible to enjoy a meal.
The woman didn't touch the beer but seemed to have a particular fondness for the crawfish. The shells were hard, and no matter how beautiful a woman, peeling them wouldn't look graceful—but she was an exception. Even this street food seemed to become refined and elegant in her hands.
Facing such a mysterious woman, Chen Mo had countless questions but didn't know where to start for the moment.
After peeling the last crawfish, the woman let out a satisfied sigh. "Now, let's get down to business. Give me your phone."
Chen Mo didn't waste words. He pulled out his phone and handed it to her, watching her slender fingers tap away at the screen.
"I've registered the app for you. Study it when you have time, and don't miss the task prompts. You can also check your remaining points and reward items in there. There are some things you can exchange, but don't spend them all—saving them for upgrades works too."
With that, she handed the phone back to Chen Mo.
Suspicious, Chen Mo unlocked the screen and found a new icon on his home screen—a black, somewhat eerie design with the words "Strange Tales Radio" written in what looked like congealed blood.
"Wait a minute..." He felt like the information in that last bit was a lot to take in.
"What tasks? What points? What's really going on here?"
"From now on, you're an official participant in the horror stories," the woman explained, seeming unusually patient. "You were all randomly selected listeners of the Strange Tales Radio. Once you tune into the program, the radio pulls you into the supernatural worlds of various horror stories. Only by completing the tasks issued within the story can you be transported out."
"But don't get too nervous. After finishing the beginner script and becoming an official participant, you can use the app I just installed on your phone. Before each task begins, it will release the next supernatural world's story summary and participant list to the relevant participants. And every time you complete a task given by the story, you'll receive rewards from the Strange Tales Radio—story points. You can use those points to make exchanges in the shop."
"Besides that, there's a special type of reward: items obtained within the story that can be brought out of the supernatural world. You might not understand this now, but if you come across items like that, it's best to try your hardest to get them."
"That way, you might have a better chance of surviving longer in these story worlds."
Hearing this, Chen Mo's mind stirred.
It seemed she didn't know about the flashlight. Could that flashlight, which could drive away ghosts, be one of those special items?
Though full of questions, Chen Mo didn't plan to reveal that item now. He nodded to show he understood, then asked another question.
"So, what does 'host' mean?"
The woman's face instantly turned cold.
"As the host, I'm your guide in this story world. If you hadn't rejected that WeChat request earlier, I wouldn't have had to come find you in person."
Uh, it seemed he'd asked something he shouldn't have.
"Speaking of which, there's one more thing..."
"Remember, you and I are both part of the Seventh Program Group. The Strange Tales Radio doesn't just have our group. In future stories, if you encounter other program groups, be extra careful."
As she said this, her expression returned to that icy coldness, radiating a chill that kept people at a distance.
"Got it all?"
"Got it," Chen Mo immediately replied. "But I still have a few questions."
"Go ahead."
"Can I get stronger by topping up in this app?"
"Heh."
"So that's a no." Confirming this left Chen Mo a bit disappointed.
"How do we contact each other in the real world?"
"The app has an instant messaging feature like a group chat. Each program group has its own channel for discussing tasks and sharing information. As a newcomer, I suggest you interact with everyone as much as possible."
"Okay." Chen Mo nodded. "Last question: what happens if I die in a story?"
"If a participant dies in a story, their existence is erased from the real world. No one will remember you except us participants."
Though it was the answer he'd expected, it still sent a chill down Chen Mo's spine.
"Actually, that's the best outcome."
"Rather than letting loved ones suffer the pain, it's better for them to forget completely. For people like us, at least it means fewer attachments."
Chen Mo didn't respond. For some reason, he suddenly thought of Old Zhang, who had saved him three times in the story.
"Ah, why dwell on it? Better to study this damn app and figure out how to handle what's coming next."
When Chen Mo calmed his tangled emotions and looked up again, the ghost-like woman had already left her seat, vanishing into the night.
"Midnight Ghost Stories" was obviously just an alias. Her identity was likely the same as his—a story participant. But that calm demeanor—how many terrifying tasks must she have gone through to develop such a mindset?
And that blood jade bracelet on her left wrist, seemingly containing some kind of cold energy, had left a deep impression on Chen Mo.
"It's probably like Old Zhang's flashlight—a mysterious item brought out of a story. And that red-dressed female ghost seemed to be released from that bracelet. She wasn't afraid of the flashlight's light, which means her item's level is probably higher than the ghost-repelling flashlight."
Regardless, after talking with that mysterious woman, this string of bizarre events had finally been partially explained. But that explanation was just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the sunless abyss, countless more unknown horrors awaited him.
That night, Chen Mo fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, sleeping peacefully without a single dream.