Chapter 76: Entering the School on a Rainy Night
"A kid came to visit my haunted house today. He looked about eight or nine, didn't talk much, and the darker and scarier the environment got, the more excited he became. What condition do you think that fits?" Chen Ge cut straight to his question. The only people he could consult now were two: He Shan and He Feng.
"We forensic medics major in applied medicine, biology, and some chemistry courses. Psychology studies mental phenomena, mental functions, and neuroscience—they're completely different branches. Asking me is a waste of time." He Shan looked helpless. "Boss, are you really not going to do anything? I noticed your short videos haven't been updated for days, and you haven't streamed either. If this keeps up, the popularity you've worked so hard to build will slowly fade away. Look at your homepage—people are already saying you've run out of ideas, and some are starting to badmouth your haunted house."
"Badmouthing the haunted house? Is that so?" Chen Ge couldn't stay calm. He opened his personal page and sure enough, there were plenty of negative comments.
"Boss, there are too many short videos now, and they're all too similar. Once your video's buzz dies down, they'll quickly shift their attention to other streamers."
"You've got a point, but it's not as serious as you think." Chen Ge agreed, but his mind was still on Fan Yu and the thin, dark woman. In his view, streaming and short videos were just supplementary tools; the most important thing was still the black phone's missions.
"Alright, I'm just letting you know." He Shan still sounded a bit regretful. "That Qin Guang is a big streamer with a lot of resources. The platform will definitely push him hard, but I think his streams aren't as good as yours."
"What he streams is just leftovers from what I've already done." Chen Ge smiled. The biggest difference between his short videos and other streamers' was that his were completely real and impossible to replicate. "In terms of resources, channels, and fan count, Qin Guang can leave me in the dust. But when it comes to mastering and using horror and suspense, he's still far off."
"True, you're the professional." On the other end of the line, He Shan paused for a moment. "Boss, I suddenly remembered something."
"What is it?"
"That senior you scared to tears last time—do you remember her?"
"I've scared plenty of 'seniors' to tears. Just say the name."
"Gao Ruxue. Her father is a psychologist and a senior lecturer in criminal psychology. I'll try to get her number for you tonight."
"Great, once you get it, I'll treat you to a meal and take you for a free tour of the new haunted house scenes." Chen Ge was grateful to this straightforward, honest medical student and made a promise.
"No way! Last time I came out of your haunted house, I had nightmares for days. I felt like my mind was messed up." He Shan vented his grievances. "Once in class, I fell asleep and didn't even notice when the teacher came over. I was dreaming about being chased by a doctor with a hammer, running through a building, and just as I was about to reach the rooftop, I felt someone grab my shoulder. I was so scared I threw an elbow back. When I opened my eyes, I saw the teacher's glasses had flown off."
Chen Ge held back for a while but eventually laughed. "Alright, I won't force you to visit."
After chatting a bit more, Chen Ge hung up. He looked out the car window at the scenery. The sunlight was blocked, and thick clouds piled up in the sky—it looked like the weather was about to change.
Returning to New Century Paradise, Chen Ge saw a crowd gathered near the entrance of the Haunted House from a distance. Xu Wan was communicating with them.
"Xiao Wan, what's going on?"
"You're finally back. These are all people who came specifically to visit the haunted house. I couldn't find you, so I had to calm everyone down and tell them not to worry." Xu Wan had removed her makeup, and her forehead was beaded with sweat from anxiety.
"Good job. Just handle the ticket sales outside; leave the rest to me." Chen Ge pushed open the barrier, put on the Skull Cracker Doctor's coat, and entered the Midnight Escape scene.
Around three or four in the afternoon, it started drizzling outside, and the clouds grew thicker.
Many outdoor amusement facilities in the park shut down. Some visitors who didn't want to leave began focusing on indoor attractions. Chen Ge's haunted house inadvertently became the most popular spot, with more and more visitors gathering outside. It wasn't until closing time at 5:30 that the numbers started to dwindle.
After dragging a sledgehammer around the haunted house all afternoon, Chen Ge was also tired. He took off the doctor's uniform and stepped outside.
The sky was gloomy, dark clouds pressing down, and a heavy rain was imminent.
"On the night Fan Yu's parents disappeared a few years ago, it was also a torrential downpour." Chen Ge looked up at the sky, his expression complex. He let Xu Wan leave work early and went back to the repair room to grab his backpack.
He stuffed a lighter, flashlight, tool hammer, and cloth doll into it, then put on a raincoat and left the Haunted House.
With so many visitors today, Chen Ge didn't leave the park until six o'clock. He hailed a taxi at the gate, but when he told the driver the destination was Muyang Middle School, the driver refused the fare.
He had to switch to another cab. The driver told Chen Ge that the area around Muyang Middle School was already a wasteland, with no roads at all, and could only drop him off nearby.
The black phone's mission had a time limit. Arriving earlier meant more time to freely explore and minimize risks.
Chen Ge didn't want to waste time. After agreeing on a price with the driver, they set off.
Along the way, he tried to ask the driver for information about Muyang Middle School, but the driver remained expressionless, silently staring ahead and driving.
For a moment, Chen Ge almost missed that chatty大叔 who had taken him to Xicheng Private Academy.
It was past seven in the evening when the taxi finally reached the area. The road conditions were terrible—they had essentially left the suburbs and were in a more remote place.
"I can't drive any further on this road. I can only drop you off here." The taxi driver pointed outside. "There should be people living nearby. If you're unsure, you can ask around. Pay the fare by scanning the QR code; I don't take cash."
"Don't take cash?" The driver was very firm. Though Chen Ge found it strange, he didn't dwell on it. He paid via WeChat and got out of the car.
The rain was getting heavier, and the sky was completely dark. Chen Ge looked around. In the distance, there were a few rows of houses, but since no one had lived there for a long time, no light shone from them.
"How am I supposed to find Muyang Middle School?"
Chen Ge wanted to ask the driver, but when he turned around, he saw the driver toss the cooling mat Chen Ge had sat on out the window. Without a moment's hesitation, he started the car, turned around, and sped off.
"He didn't take my cash and even threw away the mat I sat on. What does that mean? Is he afraid his car will pick up something bad?"