Yang Yan is useful too; in the plan, she’s ant to be the backup Substitute Death in case of accidents. No matter who eventually goes to the office area, she’ll be taken along.
Of course, she herself doesn’t know any of this, and no one told her. Chen Nang and Munan also haven’t spoken of it plainly.
If tonight passes without incident, that’s naturally best. No one wants to see a teammate die right before their eyes, especially in missions with requirents for the survival count.
If an accident occurs, whether it’s Chen Nang or Munan, they’d try to save people imdiately. If they can’t, there’s nothing they can do; such is the fate of a rookie.
Yang Yan also voluntarily asked to join them, so this can’t be blad on them. Moreover, even staying in the office doesn’t guarantee Yang Yan’s survival, which she knows better than anyone.
"Scratch."
"Scratch."
Walking alone on the road, Chen Nang heard faint sobbing beside his ears, a voice both lanting and grievous, just like Yang Xiao had encountered before—a young woman.
No, it was a young female ghost.
Vigilant of his surroundings, Chen Nang began to recall the clues Yang Xiao had ntioned. He now felt a certain constraint around his neck, not to the point of suffocation yet, but it was real—a rope seed to bind his throat.
His interest in Chu Xi was no less than the latter’s interest in him. This was a very capable man. Rember, the night before, Chu Xi hadn’t even gotten a walkthrough.
When this individual suddenly detected the ghost tightening around his neck, he didn’t panic. Through observation and reasoning, he found the female ghost’s hideout and dealt with it—such capable individuals are extrely rare.
Following Yang Xiao’s clues, Chen Nang effortlessly found the room at the end of the corridor, in front of which lay a toppled over and shattered blue-and-white porcelain vase.
On the glass door was a noticeable upside-down red "Fortune" character. Chen Nang pushed open the door, behind which lay an empty office with no woman in sight.
He continued towards the floor-to-ceiling window behind the desk, and indeed, as he got close, he saw a reflection of a woman in the window.
The woman stood right before him, their faces nearly touching.
Through the mirror, Chen Nang also saw himself and the rope tether made from cut and sewn curtain pieces, wrapped around his neck.
Even faced with the grotesque female ghost, Chen Nang, holding the answer, didn’t panic. He didn’t imdiately try to untie the rope to escape, knowing that doing so would cause the ghost to break through the window and leap out, leaving him without the thing he sought.
Chen Nang gazed at the window reflection, focusing on the pocket on the female ghost’s chest, extending his hand forward to touch the cold corpse.
Chen Nang continued without pause, carefully removing a paper from the female ghost’s chest pocket.
Before he could make out the words on the paper, an abrupt change occurred—the previously motionless female ghost abruptly lifted her head to stare at him, both arms broken began to tremble violently.
Chen Nang quickly untied the rope from around his neck, swiftly wrapping it around the female ghost’s neck instead.
As he completed this, the female ghost suddenly turned and bolted towards the floor-to-ceiling window, smashed through the glass, and leaped out, instinctively snapping her neck with a terrifying cracking sound.
As the female ghost vanished, the oppressive feeling that had surrounded Chen Nang dissipated. With Yang Xiao’s assistance, he had successfully evaded the ghost’s chase and secured the paper.
Bringing the paper before him, handwritten words caught Chen Nang’s attention; the title had three large characters, "Letter of Promise..."
...
Inside a lit office on the 17th floor, Zhang Jianjun crouched, curled up in a corner.
Just recently, coughing sounds could be heard from the abandoned office hall at the end of the corridor.
The sound was muffled, interspersed with heavy, oppressive panting—like soone collapsed on the ground, covering their mouth and nose, on the brink of suffocation.
Zhang Jianjun continued taking deep breaths to steady his emotions; claiming he’s not nervous would be false, but he doesn’t regret it. Knowing well that following Chen Nang and Munan posed a greater danger.
He wasn’t like Yang Yan, gullibly believing whatever people said; he had his own judgnt.
The mission was drawing to a close, leaving them little ti, so he believed that tonight, Chen Nang and Munan would engage in risky moves, which ant substantial risk.
Such risk they wouldn’t bear alone, thus needing Substitute Deaths.
Convincing himself to follow was logical; Chen Nang and Munan paired, he and Yang Yan were the two Substitute Deaths.
In Zhang Jianjun’s view, ghosts weren’t their greatest danger tonight—those teammates posed the real threat.
Aware of his limitations, Zhang Jianjun knew he couldn’t compete with Chen Nang and Munan, hence choosing to distance himself from them.
If he couldn’t fight, he could at least avoid confrontation. That Hanging Ghost and Waist-breaking Ghost hardly seed manageable, especially against the creeping creature appearing at the last mont.
Based on current info, that was likely the Source Ghost in this mission.
The 18th floor was Chen’s Strange Film Industry’s location, evidently the most dangerous spot, so he aid to steer clear.
Although the deaths occurred within offices at night, suggesting office areas as risks, the reality wasn’t as straightforward.
Firstly, consider who perished inside offices—Su Xiaomin and Wu Zhuo, a pair of useless individuals, dying anywhere wouldn’t be surprising.
But who ventured to the 18th floor? Chu Xi and Zhou Mingxiao, two exceptional figures. Hearing of their encounters from last night made his back shiver in daylight.
The two faced multiple ghosts, not just one. Notably, Chu Xi confronted three: Hanging Ghost, Waist-breaking Ghost, and upon returning, the disguised Wu Zhuo ghost—and survived; he’d likely die twice over in their shoes.
Zhou Mingxiao was visibly strong, perishing not due to lack of skill but absence of clues. Even so, he left them a recording before dying, achieving all he could.
Zhang Jianjun admired such individuals; at least pondering a swap, he wouldn’t manage the sa.
Overall, judging by Zhang Jianjun’s perspective, his chance of survival was highest by staying put, while Yang Yan seed dood.
"Knock."
"Knock."
Suddenly, Zhang Jianjun frowned—he heard knocking, not on the office’s glass door, but from a nearby door within the office corridor.
It was close.
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