Before entering the building, Qin Yue and her team had naturally researched the background of the Ghost Building.
The fire from seven years ago was their primary focus of analysis.
That blaze had claimed the lives of nine innocent bystanders, and even one of the firefighters involved in the rescue had yet to wake up from a coma.
He Xiaoyi speculated that the evil ghost mentioned by the mysterious woman was likely the arsonist, Zheng.
“Why are people afraid of ghosts? It’s because their actions are unpredictable, and their thoughts are vastly different from those of the living.”
“After a person dies, they first become a soul.”
“At that point, as long as they aren't holding onto a grudge or a final breath of unwilling life, they won't become a ghost. Instead, they follow the road to the Underworld to be reincarnated.”
“Ghosts are different from humans. Humans have three souls and seven spirits, they feel joy, anger, sorrow, and delight. They think before they act and rely on reason.”
“But ghosts are different. They are born incomplete. Their existence is fueled purely by obsession or the resentment they held just before death.”
“Therefore, ghosts act entirely on instinct. They are cunning, suspicious, and very difficult to communicate with.”
Zhao Daxian scanned the surroundings and let out a cold, blunt laugh.
“The owner of this building had some brains, at least. He knew to add a few extra floors to confuse the ghosts here and keep them from causing trouble.”
“Nowadays, spiritual energy is thin. Logically speaking, even if all the people who died in the fire became ghosts, they would be trapped in the building and unable to become a serious threat.”
“If they had just waited a few more years, the human vitality around the building would have slowly ground down the resentment of the deceased, and basically nothing would have happened.”
“But I never expected the tenant on the fifty-ninth floor to build an escape room on the site of the fire. They were even unscrupulous enough to reconstruct the scene based on photographs of the actual fire.”
Qin Yue shook her head, her eyes cold.
“No wonder there have been two fires on this floor in a single year, and the causes were so strange.”
“Master He, in your opinion, do you think the supernatural incidents in the building are related to this escape room?”
Through the earpiece, He Xiaoyi sounded like he was about to start cursing.
【What kind of person is this? How dare they make such blood money?】
【Places like escape rooms and haunted houses are naturally hubs for yin energy and tend to attract foul things. And this person specifically set it up in a place where people died.】
【Think about it. If you were a ghost who died here, being forced to relive the experience of being burned to death every single day would be enough to make anyone miserable and aggrieved.】
【Then this idiot comes along, stabbing you in the heart every day and making a joke out of your death. Who wouldn't be furious?】
If something really happened, the owner of the escape room would be the first one held responsible.
Those who die in fires are naturally fierce spirits.
Not to mention, the soul of the arsonist might still be lingering here.
Ghosts are already difficult to predict and understand.
Add a psychopathic ghost into the mix, and you have a double-stacked threat.
No wonder that mysterious woman said an evil ghost would manifest tonight.
Other people set up escape rooms for thrills and fun.
This owner, however, went and did a live reconstruction, practically forcing an evil ghost into existence!
If that psychopathic ghost really escaped the building and started killing and setting fires everywhere, it would be impossible to defend against.
Qianli City would be thrown into absolute chaos.
【Section Chief Qin, I just don't feel right about this place. Even looking at the photos feels oppressive and sad. There must be at least three ghosts there. Be careful.】
Chen Ping also came online to speak at that moment:
【I’ve heard other ghosts say that the more tragic the death, the fiercer the ghost becomes.】
【Especially burned ghosts. They watched themselves being slowly consumed by fire. It’s a very painful way to go. Their resentment is far greater than mine.】
“I understand. Therefore, tonight’s operation is primarily focused on elimination.”
“As Daxian said, ghosts that can be reasoned with are a minority. I must first ensure the safety of the public's lives and property, and I must also be responsible for the comrades in the action group.”
Qin Yue tapped her earpiece and turned to Zhao Daxian.
“How is it?”
Zhao Daxian curled his lip. He was about to say something, but then he remembered the beating he had received earlier and immediately swallowed his words.
He obediently pulled out a handful of lush green willow leaves. Pressing his index and middle fingers together, he traced a charm over his eyelids and chanted:
“Clear sky and bright earth, grant me divine spirit. Willow leaves open my eyes to see the demons.”
Zhao Daxian opened his eyes and scanned the escape room. His gaze eventually settled on a blind spot.
Qin Yue followed his gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Dilapidated furniture, walls stained with soot, charred chairs, and the fragments of a shattered lampshade.
There was nothing.
But Zhao Daxian’s eyes were fixed on one spot as if something were truly there.
“A mother and child. The woman is about thirty-five or thirty-six, and the child is three or four. Their clothes are burned to rags. They look quite pitiful.”
Zhao Daxian silently put away the stout peach wood sword he was clutching.
“They’re trapped in the building and have lost their way. They can’t leave, yet they aren't alive. They can only treat this place as home.”
He decided he would file a report to have this cursed place demolished once he returned.
Qin Yue glanced at the corner and asked in a low voice:
“There was indeed a mother and child among the victims. What is their danger level?”
She believed him just like that?
Zhao Daxian paused, his expression turning a bit awkward.
“They aren't dangerous. Little ghosts like this are usually starving and cold. They struggle just to move a glass marble, and the yin energy on them is very thin.”
“When this is over, just have Master He come over and recite a few passages of the Scripture of Deliverance to send them on their way.”
Qin Yue nodded without hesitation.
“Good. Room 5917 is clear. Move on to the next one.”
...
...
Although checking the rooms one by one was slow, the other eight members of the action group had successfully finished inspecting the hidden fire hazards on the fifty-ninth floor, which saved the two of them a lot of time.
After a full round of inspection, Zhao Daxian had discovered traces of ghosts in the restrooms, wall corners, ceilings, and ventilation ducts.
But unfortunately, none of them were the target of their mission.
As 11:30 PM approached, Qin Yue had to end the first round of inspection.
After covering such a large area without finding any trace of the evil ghost, Zhao Daxian felt an inexplicable heat rising in his chest, making him somewhat irritable.
“Could that woman have lied to us? Maybe that psycho didn't even turn into a ghost after he died?”
“No. Since she was able to enter the Special Investigation Section silently, she wouldn't go to all this trouble just to give us a fake lead.”
Qin Yue pondered for a moment before making a decision.
“Rest for ten minutes, then we start the second round of inspection.”
For some reason, she also felt like the oxygen in the air was getting thin. An indescribable feeling of stifling heat surged in her chest.
It felt like a mid-afternoon in a desert—sweltering, dry, without a single drop of moisture.
Looking at the other team members, they were all drenched in sweat, struggling to stay alert.
As soon as Qin Yue finished speaking, the remaining ten people immediately relaxed.
It was too hot.
Their uniforms and boots were filled with sweat.
The white undershirts and socks inside were already soaked through.
Despite the central air conditioning, the heat in their hearts refused to subside.
Zhao Daxian sat on the floor, disregarding his image, his eyes darting around.
If there really was an evil ghost, where would it be hiding?
Suddenly, his gaze landed on the other team members and froze.
One, two, three, four... nine, ten, eleven.
Himself, Qin Yue, and the eight team members—there should only be ten people in total.
There was one too many.
Rate on N.U.
