“What kind of creepy place is this? Not a single taxi in sight. Ah-choo! Freezing to death…” Stepping down from the hearse, Dr. Chen watched the ghost road vanish. He now stood alone in a desolate suburban wasteland—no cars, no people, nothing.

Having endured nearly half an hour inside the near-freezing vehicle, even his sturdy frame felt numb with cold.

With no ride available, Dr. Chen rubbed his hands together for warmth and trudged toward the city, guided by memory.

“My milk tea…” After walking who knew how long, a thirsty Dr. Chen suddenly recalled the half-finished cup in his messenger bag. But when he eagerly unzipped it, only an empty cup remained.

He clearly remembered half was left. The cup wasn’t leaking. How could the rest vanish so mysteriously? Who drank it… Could it be *her*?

“How can a ghost even drink? That’s not scientific… Sigh. Ghosts exist now—what’s the point of ‘science’ anyway?”

Resigned, he stuffed the cup back into his bag and kept walking. Eventually, he spotted a highway, hailed a Didi, and nearly drained his entire savings.

[Congratulations on completing the task. Seeing you survive truly makes this one quite ‘happy’~]

Back home, Dr. Chen burrowed deep under the blankets, phone already in hand, eager to message the so-called System.

With barely any contacts on QQ or WeChat, this System was the only one he could talk to.

“Why the quotes around ‘happy’? You were *hoping* I’d die, huh?”

[Don’t be silly. You’re this one’s most valuable client. This year’s targets depend entirely on you.]

“So I’m just a tool, huh?”

[You catch on fast. All users are tools. Next time—team task—you’ll meet them. Handsome guys, pretty girls~ Bonds forged in crisis aren’t rare… though their endings seldom are. Burned. Hanged. They become Malevolent Ghosts, forming new haunted locations.]

“Forget it. I’d rather survive a few more episodes. Hey—does hell actually exist? That hearse driver yesterday… was he transporting souls?”

[That question exceeds my clearance. Climb higher. Become a premium VIP. Then you’ll know.]

“Fine. When’s the reward coming?”

If the next task was a team mission, Dr. Chen vowed to avoid relying on the Malevolent Ghost Sister. He couldn’t risk others discovering his bug-level item—use it only when utterly alone.

[Already at your doorstep.]

“Whoa! Don’t make it creepy! Did a *ghost* deliver it?”

[The same one who knocked last time. Your dedicated courier now. He can fetch food deliveries too.]

“Nah. That pus-covered face, eyeballs dangling… I don’t need an extra ‘course’ with my meal.”

He yawned. Phone screen glowed 4:17 a.m. All-nighter. Any minute now, big sis might drag him into a dream-date.

“How long’s the break after this task?”

[One week. You may accept early. Reminder: haunted locations shift constantly. Rising death tolls strengthen the Malevolent Ghosts. Others might clear them first—we’d assign you a new one.]

“Whatever. Let me rest. Goodnight, bro. Off to meet my wife.”

He chuckled. The phone slipped, smacked his nose. Ignoring the sting, Dr. Chen sank into sleep.