“Who will like that kind of game?” Teacher Lee immediately moved to stop Gao Ming. She still had more to say, but the driver, Wei Tian, got onto the bus. “Those people in the uniform have left. They seem to be searching for something, and they are unwilling to help us.”
“That’s how the investigation centre operates.” Gao Ming said easily. “If we wait any longer, the missing students will probably die from blood loss.”
Wei Tian grabbed Teacher Lee’s shoulders. “You’ll stay on the bus. Mr Gao and myself will lead the students into the restaurant. If we don’t come back, stay here and wait for rescue.” The driver was very responsible. Teacher Lee was slowly being convinced.
“Teacher Lee, you should keep the keys. Other than us, do not open the door for anyone else.” Gao Ming reminded her, “Even if it’s us, you have to double-check because we might be replaced by something else to trick you.”
After that, they left the bus. Wei Tian opened his toolbox and handed the spanner and hammer to the students. “Let’s go.” Wei Tian aimed the flashlight forward and carefully entered Piety Safety Hotel.
“The missing five students are all from the seventh study group. I believe they took the elevator to the seventh floor to check the high-end suites.” Shen Tuxiao hid behind Gao Ming. “Mr Gao, what do you think we should do?”
“We’ll check the place out too.” Gao Ming strode into the elevator. This directness unsettled Wei Tian. He suspected Gao Ming was also an inmate.
“We don’t have any other choices than trusting him. We’ll watch and see.” Chen Jing and the other students entered the elevator. The new elevator doors slowly closed. The red number on the panel was like a bloodshot eyeball. Inside the enclosed booth, the group felt difficulty in breathing. The black mist in the air took the chance to crawl into their nostrils.
One’s sight was blocked by the black mist. It was like the rooms could open at any moment. The students were worried that something might crawl out of the rooms and were worried that they’d be dragged into them. Their breathing became heavier. Every time the blood coursed through their hearts, it chilled a bit more. The group squeezed together and had to rely on each other to move forward.
Wei Tian held an iron stick tightly. He regretted entering the hotel. He promised Teacher Lee in the heat of the moment, but now he realised how cowardly he was.
The real scary thing about this hotel was that it was not the potential inmates in hiding, but one didn’t know what would happen next. Every step was torture. One’s imagination could cause one to go insane.
“The door of Room 7001 is open. None of students has the room key so how did they open the door?” Chen Jing grabbed Shen Tuxiao by her shoulder to stop her but Gao Ming kept marching forward.
There was a ringing from an old-fashioned phone. Wei Tian and the students shivered. No one dared to move. Their bodies froze in the corridor.
“Why do I feel like the ringing is approaching us?”
“It seems to come from Room 7001. Shall we go look?”
The black mist made the corridor feel more oppressive. Gao Ming was already pushed to Room 7001’s door. There was the sound of running water. Gao Ming walked to the only landline and picked it up.
“...” There was no sound on the phone. It felt like a prank.
Gao Ming hung up. To his surprise, once he did that, the phone rang again.
With curiosity, Shen Tuxiao tried to answer it. As she placed the phone beside her ear, her pupils trembled. She slowly turned around, and the hairs stood on the back of her neck. Shen Tushen nodded and replied softly as if conversing with someone on the phone.
Seeing this, Gao Ming immediately leaned in. However, once he did that, all the sounds on the phone disappeared. The pale Shen Tuxiao held the phone dumbly. After some time, she put it back.
“What did that thing tell you?” Gao Ming looked at Shen Tuxiao. The latter was scared by him. She rapidly ran to Wei Tian and the rest. Her eyes coloured with fear.
“It’s the missing students. They told me…” Shen Tuxiao gathered her courage and pointed at Gao Ming, “That you’re a ghost. This whole town is filled with ghosts! They told me to get back to the bus!”
“Is that all?” Gao Ming narrowed his eyes. “It’s not that easy to trick me. How can you be scared by that? Don’t panic. What else did the person on the phone say?”
“He said that the corridor…”
“Look!” Shen Tuxiao’s voice sharpened. They turned to the corridor. They had a perfect view of the window. There was a figure that swam through the black mist like a fish. However, they were on the seventh floor.
Shen Tuxiao slowly knelt down. She hit her head. The black mist sedimented on her head. It had seeped into her body. “The phone is ringing again! Pick it up!”
The rest frowned because the phone was silent.
“Answer it! It’s so noisy! I don’t dare to do it anymore! I’ve answered it once! It’s your turn now!” Shen Tuxiao seemed to have turned into a different person. She forced the others to answer the phone. It was not until Chen Jing picked up the phone that she quieted down.
However, a few seconds later, Shen Tuxiao suddenly raised her left hand and appeared to grab the phone from the air and place it beside her ear. “Yes. I can hear you. I’ll tell them.”
The voice on the phone entered Shen Tuxiao’s heart. Chen Jing and Gao Ming noticed something. There was a gossamer-like layer of mist in Shen Tuxiao’s eyes.
Putting down her left hand, Shen Tuxiao’s voice returned to normal. She grabbed Lee Wen and Chen Jing, “Monitor, we have really entered the deep level of that taboo game. We’re now trapped in that death game!”
“What are you talking about?” Chen Jing wanted to shake her off.
“Gao Min and I are deskmates. He once showed me the banned game. The game’s starting lines are similar to the ones I’ve just heard on the phone!” Shen Tuxiao grabbed her classmates tightly, “Welcome to Perfect Life! He said welcome to Perfect Life!”
Chen Jing and Lee Wen were startled. Gao Ming became serious. Many people had heard of the taboo game in Han Hai. Wan Jie’s group came from the game. However, no one knew the game’s actual name. This name didn’t seem to be approved by fate.
“Is Han Hai built in a deep part of the game? The whole city is played by ghosts? Is that why everyone around me… has a death portrait?”
Gao Ming covered Shen Tuxiao’s mouth. Certain things couldn’t be said. Once the things were exposed, they might not be able to leave anymore.