"Will this trick actually work? Don’t you dare lie to me," Dr. Chen said skeptically, stuffing the icy jar into the newly bought outfit.

"Relax," the system replied. "Just follow my instructions. Haven’t you heard the red high heels story? A woman found a pair of crimson heels. The moment she saw them, an intense craving seized her. She put them on. That was the start of a nightmare. After a string of supernatural incidents, she realized her appearance had changed—into a complete stranger’s. In the end, her body was possessed by a malevolent ghost. The end."

Dr. Chen had never heard this version of the red high heels tale. He only knew a similar horror story: a girl received a beautiful black wig. After wearing it, the wig fused to her scalp and wouldn’t come off. It belonged to a girl who died tragically; her lingering grudge clung to the wig. The girl met the same fate—her body taken over, becoming a vessel for the malevolent ghost’s resurrection.

"You’re not trying to turn me into a girl, are you?" Dr. Chen muttered, genuinely uneasy after hearing the tale.

The system’s half-baked plan? Buy women’s clothes, wrap the jar, let them absorb ghostly energy until they became spirit garments. In horror lore, spirit garments were clothes worn by the tragically deceased, steeped in resentment. A living person wearing them would be possessed, slowly transforming into the original owner’s likeness.

"What are you imagining?" the system chuckled. "It’s not like I’m having your ‘wife’ possess you. These clothes, tainted with just a trace of ghostly energy, will only alter how others see you—an illusion like the ‘Ghost Loop.’ Remember those zombies at the mental hospital? Same principle. The high-tier item shop sells similar gear, but your level’s too low."

"Oh, good. Just don’t make me look androgynous," Dr. Chen sighed slightly with relief. He’d feared this was some gender-swap scheme all along.

"Wrap the jar for a week. The absorbed energy will be enough for your disguise. Also—your fashion sense? Jeans and a white shirt? Seriously? Change now while you still can."

"What exactly do you want me to wear?"

"A sailor uniform with a micro skirt, gartered white thigh-highs… or black pantyhose. Hehehe… super cute."

"Enough!" Dr. Chen snarled, slamming his phone shut. As a staunchly masculine man, he’d never dress like that. Gender-neutral clothing was already his biggest compromise.

---

"Hello, I’m a new student here to register." Dr. Chen handed his printed documents to the admissions officer, heart pounding. He dreaded being mistaken for a pervert and thrown out. He’d checked the mirror after wearing the outfit—no change. But the system insisted outsiders would see a different image. *Should be fine*, he told himself.

"Why so late?"

"Family matters. Sorry for the trouble."

"No worries. Dorms are still open. Let me check roommates—you’re a girl, right? Probably don’t want to stay alone."

"No, I’m fine alone!" Relief flickered in Dr. Chen’s chest—then tightened again. *Crimson Robe’s still in my backpack. If she sees me sharing a room with another girl… she’ll throw a fit.*

"Perfect. All occupied rooms are full. I’ll assign you an empty room on the fifth floor. Any issue?"

"None at all! Thank you!" After signing the forms, Dr. Chen grabbed his rolled bedding and thermos, heading toward the girls’ dorm.

"Weird," the officer muttered after he left. "Why’s her bangs so long? Covering her eyes—can she even see? And… terrible fashion sense. What a waste of a good figure."

Soon after, another girl knocked and entered.

"Hello, I’m Lan Yiyang. A new student here to register."