“Ghosts showing up in broad daylight?” Spotting a figure in the first-floor corridor, Dr Chen silently pulled an enchanted wrench from his backpack, wondering if he could sneak in and knock out a ghost first.
Why had he grown so bold? Simple—he’d faced a terror that transcended death that night. Now, aside from the Crimson Robe, every ghost felt as cute as a kitten. And with his wife backing him up? Dr Chen grew even more brazen.
“Roaming around in broad daylight? Just wait—I’ll knock you flat!” He activated stealth assassin mode, crouched low, crept quietly to the hospital entrance, and tiptoed inside.
Though the temperature plummeted like any haunted spot, Dr Chen—sleeping beside a Malevolent Ghost nightly—was nearly immune. He pressed flat against the icy floor and crawled forward.
Movement came from the first room on the left. Clanging and clattering echoed inside—who knew what they were doing?
“Zhao Shuang, pass me a few nails.”
“Got it, Brother Wang.” Just as Dr Chen prepared to charge in, a man and woman’s voices drifted out.
“Ghosts… talking human language?”
While he hesitated, footsteps approached from behind.
“Who are you? Why are you lying there?” Dr Chen turned. A man descended the stairs opposite the entrance, eyeing him with clear disdain.
“Air conditioner repair?” The two from the room stepped out too, staring at Dr Chen on the floor. Together with the man behind him—two guys, one girl, all in their twenties.
“Someone’s here?” A soft, timid voice floated down. With a pitter-patter of footsteps, a woman and man came downstairs.
“You must be the fifth. Haha! I’m Dr Chen—here to clear this haunted spot.” He stood and offered a hand to the nearest man, who frowned, then reluctantly shook it with obvious hesitation.
“So you’re the last one? A newbie? Clueless?” Three rapid-fire questions. Dr Chen fell silent—it was true. He *was* a newbie. His two prior missions had been… casual.
“Uh… clueless about what?”
“Scouting! If you don’t know the layout, how’ll you find an escape route?” The guy said it without shame. To him, running was the only way to survive ghosts.
“No ghosts here?”
“Ghosts at our difficulty level won’t show in daylight—my boss said so. He’s a Level 3 VIP!” Pride swelled in his voice.
“Listen. Newbies like you drag teams down. You’ll die here. But follow *my* lead? Maybe you’ll live.”
Minutes in, this guy had crowned himself leader. The others nodded along.
“Don’t be upset, big brother,” the bespectacled girl murmured softly, descending to shake Dr Chen’s hand. “Brother Li’s from Organization No. 3. We survive by following him.”
“What organization?”
“A user-formed group. We share intel, gear—even hire high-level VIPs for low-level haunted spot runs. Like a guild. Organization No. 3? Top-tier. Their highest member’s Level 4 VIP with ghost-slaying tools. Survival rate over fifty percent!” She sighed wistfully—clearly not a member.
“Why tell *him*? Think he’ll join?” Brother Li chuckled, slung an arm around her waist, and squeezed. She stiffened instinctively, then softened, leaning into him coyly.
Heh… Classic horror trope. People making out everywhere without a care? Always first to die.
“Uh…” Dr Chen felt awkward. About to face death together, yet sidelined. But honestly? Made sense. To them, he was dead weight. Them sticking together boosted survival odds. And honestly—he preferred it. Less risk of his secrets getting out.
“Alright,” Zhang Wen—the man from the stairs—stepped in smoothly. “We’ll spend a terrifying night together. Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Zhang Wen. Four missions cleared.”
“Zhao Shuang.” The girl from the room.
“Li Qi.” The bespectacled one.
“Wang Wen.”
Names blurred instantly in Dr Chen’s chronically face-blind mind. So he tagged them mentally: Brother Li → Annoying Brat. Li Qi → Glasses Girl. The pair from the room: the woman → Big-Chest Sister, the man → Glasses Guy. The stairs guy? Stone-Face Guy.
