Under the dim lights, several moths bumped against the glass cone. They danced in the light before their bodies fell weakly into the darkness. The boots of the investigation centre stepped over the moth’s corpses. Security members with the blood band walked out of the darkness. The night was so dark that it looked like it was about to fall. They moved around without making any sound.
“We’re here.” Zuo Jun raised his hand. Everyone stopped. They stood on Ya Shou Street east of Everlasting Life Apartments and looked across the street.
Black vans with Xin Lu’s registration number slowed on the other side of the street. Wan Jie opened the door and got down. He lit a cigarette, leaned against the car window and asked, “What time is it?”
“There’s still four minutes and forty-four seconds,” The leader of Team One glanced at his watch. “All fours. What an auspicious number.”
Different from the East City special security team led by Zuo Jin, Wan Jie’s team was all injured like they had passed the past few days in life-threatening ordeals.
Wan Jie nodded and looked behind Zuo Jun. His gaze landed on Bai Xiao. Bai Xiao was fully different from before. His body was hidden by the uniform as his hand held the strange blade.
“Has he eaten the malice’s meat? The bunch of crazies from the Research Centre dare to try anything.” Wan Jie closed his eyes as if waiting for the end to arrive. The horror game players and other forces gathered there, but they avoided Wan Jie and Zuo Jun’s groups astutely.
“The investigation centre sent so few people this time. However, why are their communication bands different? Don’t they usually have black bands?”
“Shush. Don’t let them hear you. They are half-human and half-ghost monsters.”
“Everlasting Life Apartments and Prosperity Neighbourhood, as well as the nearby streets, like Ya Shou Street, Song Fu Street, Wan He Street and so on, are within the influence of this anomaly. I don’t think I need to elaborate on the rewards provided by the investigation centre for this mission. Anyone who manages to leave this anomaly alive will join the Research Centre to participate in the selection. If they manage to provide extra information about the anomaly, the rewards will be greater.” Jing Tuoshen’s driver exited the car with an umbrella. “The occurrence of this anomaly is related to Li San Hospital. Our investigation shows that two Big Ghosts who have escaped from the hospital are responsible for this. Considering some of you have no experience, we do not require you to hunt down the ghosts. The goal of this mission is to filter out the citizens with potential. Therefore, the length of survival is the selection criteria of this exercise.
“However, you have to pay attention to two things. First, the ghost’s power is related to memory. Your memories might be modified. Do not trust even yourselves when you’re inside. Second, the ghost’s main body is made of two mud figurines. Destroying them will greatly reduce the power of the anomaly.”
The driver made it sound so simple as if the danger rating of this anomaly was just one.
The people who gathered outside the apartments had different responses. Some frowned in thought, while others were already discussing animatedly what kind of cursed objects they’d get for rewards.
“For those who are certain they want to participate in the selection, please come to choose your room key. Each key corresponds to one rental unit. After you enter the apartments, the first thing you need to do is to find your key’s room and hide inside! Remember. This is very important!” The driver picked up the ring of keys and scanned everyone’s face. “Each key can be used by five people at most. You can come to claim it now.”
The crowd started to move. A lot of them had already split into groups. A few groups took the keys and entered the apartment gate. The shadow started to spread, and lights came on inside the old apartment as if to welcome the living.
Figures were swallowed by the darkness. Strangely enough, no one looked back after they crossed the gate. No matter the direction they took, they would eventually head right to the main apartment complex.
The horror game players who had been observing started to mobilise. The keys lessened in number. Wan Jin pinched off his cigarette and led his team forward.
“Five people a team, and go take your keys.” Wan Jie glanced at Jing Tuoshen inside the car, “The people you want to capture don’t seem to be here.”
“Perhaps they are already inside.” Jing Tuoshen removed his white gloves and studied the ghastly scars on the back of his hand. “Both of us have no other choices, right?”
“You were the one who pushed them to this state. However, I hear that he always manages to convince potential citizens to join him as horror game players. There might not be that many players, but they all possess great potential.”
The driver was worried that Wan Jie might anger Jing Tuoshen, so he quickly handed Wan Jie a key. After the security members from Xin Lu left, Zuo Jun’s team sauntered over.
Jing Tuoshen tossed away the white gloves. His nails dug into his scars. He used the pain to ease a different kind of emotion. “The death portraits given to you by the headquarters have been sewn into your arm. After you enter the apartments, try to use the portraits to recover the memory. After that, follow the plan.” Jing Tuoshen’s gaze was venomous and sharp. “If there’s a chance, make sure to have them stay inside the anomaly forever.”
“Understood.” Zuo Jun and the other leaders nodded. They didn’t follow the rules and took one key each.
The new East City security team entered Everlasting Life Apartments. Bai Xiao stayed behind the team. He held the blade in his right hand and glanced at the key in his left. Ṝἁ
The copper key didn’t feel special. A string of numbers was etched at the top--4343.
As he entered the yard, the malice inside Bai Xiao gushed to his brain uncontrollably. It screamed, but the scream sounded far away. His vision blurred. Bai Xiao memorised the number 4343, gripped the key and ran into the apartment complex.
More and more citizens gathered outside the apartments. Most of them just wanted to try their luck because the driver made the mission sound so simple. However, the headquarters had never treated them as humans before. They were just chips on the betting table.
Jing Tuoshen’s eyes cooled. He touched the white band around his wrist and switched on the communication channel. “How is the situation at Prosperity Neighbourhood? Are the people from Class 13 there?”
There were two mission-gathering spots this time. They were Prosperity Neighbourhood and Everlasting Life Apartments.
“No sign of them for now.” The man on the video wore the uniform of the headquarters branch. He had a square face. He looked rather similar to Gao Ming’s classmate, Wang Jie.