[Congrats on completing the mission and being the sole survivor! Your reward: a hand-copied Sutra of Liberation. Just recite it, and any ghost will feel agony. Heads up—don’t overuse it. Ghosts adapt fast; after two tries, they’ll basically become immune.]
“Huh? But I can’t even read the sutra!”
[No worries. I’ve already sent the matching audio file.]
*Ding dong…* His phone vibrated. Dr. Chen thought about opening it, but remembering the Crimson Robe’s jar was still next door, he decided against it.
“Got any cash? I’m broke—can’t even afford food soon! I can’t exactly tackle missions on an empty stomach, right?”
[Finish all Level-1 VIP missions to unlock the item shop’s points-to-cash feature.]
“Really? Sounds like a proper game system. Guess I’d better step up my game.”
Last night’s sleep was decent, except for a weird dream. He’d fallen asleep early, back when the Crimson Robe was still sealed in her jar. In the dream, Dr. Chen stood in this room. A knock came at the door. He opened it—Glasses Girl! Her headless body cradled her own head, blood-red eyes brimming with resentment.
She opened her mouth: “Give me back my life!”
But the moment she stepped halfway in, a mass of long black hair snaked from the darkness behind Dr. Chen, coiled around her, and hurled her out.
*Probably her ghost coming to settle scores,* Dr. Chen mused. *They say: “Clear conscience, no fear of ghosts at your door.” But wronged spirits seek the guilty—why me?*
She got tossed out anyway.
“Didn’t she know about the Crimson Robe? How dare she knock on *my* door?” He figured she didn’t know how she died—just saw him last and blamed him.
But wasn’t the mental hospital cursed ground? Souls trapped there turned into ghosts—like Patient Four and the staff. Had the taboo broken?
Because the Crimson Robe consumed Patient Four? Or just her presence disrupting the balance?
“If those ghosts got out… would they hurt people? …Nah, it’s the middle of nowhere. Should be fine.”
Still, he’d check later. If ghosts escaped, he’d recapture them—or exorcise them on the spot.
[Hey, spacing out? Ignoring me?]
“I was wondering… did the mental hospital ghosts escape because of me?”
[Completion turned it into a haunted spot. Not your fault. The escaped Malevolent Ghosts? Next rookies will handle them.]
“That’s a relief. As long as it’s not on me.” Dr. Chen sighed. No extra ghost-hunting hassle.
“So next—is it the school? Group mission. How many teammates?”
[Special case. School’s in session; students live in the haunted dorm. Try entering like the hospital? Security stops you. And it’s the *girls’* dorm—you might get labeled a creep.]
“What now? Girls’ dorm…” Dr. Chen didn’t imagine lucky encounters. He pictured bringing the Crimson Robe there—if a girl accidentally brushed him… would she get torn apart?
[Two options. One: disguise as a cross-dresser. I’ll alter your records to enroll you. Two: dorm supervisor or security guard. I’ll handle the setup.]
“Pfft! Cross-dresser? Read too many cross-dressing novels? Look at me—stubble, rough skin, burly build? I’d freak people out. Nah, just slot me in as security or dorm supervisor.”
[Oh, come on—makeup could work! You’re just… tall, broad, muscular… Okay, fine. You really can’t pull it off.]
The system conceded. Dr. Chen had read those otaku cross-dressing stories too—but weren’t the male leads always fair, delicate, and effortlessly passable? Visually, minus the chest, they’re girls. Hmph. Write a girl, insist it’s a boy.
[You’ll team with three others: two women, one man. Previous trio failed; difficulty increased, so we added backup. Remember: some Malevolent Ghosts feed on souls or grudges. If someone dies, the school ghost grows stronger. Go now—semester just started, campus buzzing. Wait until it adapts and starts a killing spree? Difficulty’ll skyrocket past Level-1.]
“Got it. Arrange it ASAP.”
