Chapter 242: The Ghost in the Mirror (Part 5)

Chapter 242: The Ghost in the Mirror (Part 5)

Jie Fangcheng took a shortcut, opting for a direct route to the Xinxin Home community.

Consequently, he missed encountering the players heading to the sixth bus stop.

Neither group noticed the other on the way. Eight players arrived at the sixth bus stop in succession, with Zhu Ping awaiting them at the entrance.

The nearest resting place near the sixth bus stop was a small, rundown internet cafe. Upon arrival, the players chose their seats, giving the appearance of some sort of team-building exercise.

The group had previously faced off against each other on the bus. Although it was only to determine the weaker players and no lethal moves were made, the memory still lingered. For a while, no one spoke, everyone just warily watched their fellow players.

Zhu Ping bore the genetic traits of the lizard clan. Vertical pupils and scales shimmering with a cold light around her eyes gave her an aura of detached intelligence.

Her voice carried a serpentine hiss, "We're almost all here. Let's wait a bit longer."

There were only so many players. A few exchanged glances, quickly deducing who was missing.

The oddball who alighted at the first stop?

Given the distance, the first stop was indeed the farthest from the sixth. Without any objections, everyone sat in quiet anticipation, waiting for the last player.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

"Damn it!" a player grumbled. "What's with that guy? Even if he had to crawl, he should've been here by now!"

Guan Yingying had an inkling that something might have happened at the first platform.

But facing the players before her, she held her tongue, swallowing back the clues she had discovered.

Zhu Ping’s brow furrowed.

"Let's not wait any longer." After all, he was the first to get off; maybe he's met the same fate as He Mingguang?

Their time was precious; they couldn't waste it on someone like him.

Zhu Ping began, "You all must've been informed by the system of He Mingguang's death, right?"

Heads nodded in agreement.

Soon, Zhu Ping recounted the events she'd experienced when she had connected with He Mingguang's phone.

He had never hung up, so Zhu Ping overheard his demise.

Within two minutes, the ghost on the other end had dismembered and devoured him.

Though He Mingguang might've been perceived as weaker in this level, everyone qualified for this tier had relatively similar capabilities.

If the danger where He Mingguang was could overcome him in just two minutes, how long would the others last?

Zhu Ping wasn't naïve. Just as Guan Yingying could deduce from a system alert that they needed to split into two groups – one to search for clues in Xinxin Home and the other to guard the phone at 4444444, ensuring the smooth operation of the sleep testers – so could Zhu Ping.

After quickly analyzing the information, the players were once again engulfed in silence.

Should we split into two teams? Who will head to XinXin Community to search for clues? And who will guard the spot where He Mingguang died?

What dangers lie within that community, unknown to all? The place of He Mingguang's death is clearly perilous, that much is obvious.

Moreover, seeking clues in the XinXin Community seems to offer bonus points. A player's performance within the instance significantly affects the rewards at its conclusion. For a Level 3 instance like this, there could be a nearly thousand-point difference between those who perform well and those who don't.

Of course, everyone present has the same idea—to search for clues within the community and let others stand guard outside.

Zhu Ping is fully aware that each player has their own agenda, she's no different.

"Let's first check out where He Mingguang died," Zhu Ping suggested without revealing any ulterior motives.

No one objected. The group began their journey under the blazing sun.

These were players skilled enough to tackle Level 3 instances, so they moved swiftly. By the time they reached the hotel where He Mingguang was, Jie Fangcheng, who took a shortcut, had just leisurely arrived at the main entrance of XinXin Community.

Silence.

Just like the rest of the city, the place felt hauntingly deserted, without a soul in sight.

The community gates were locked. Peering through the iron bars, it looked like any old residential area, not unlike the one Jie Fangcheng had in his own world.

Ever since entering the instance, Jie Fangcheng felt something was amiss. The buildings gave an aura of being inhabited, yet there wasn't a soul around.

It didn't feel like the city's population vanished suddenly. It was more like the city was a perfect replica, with every item in place but devoid of its inhabitants. Quite strange.

Standing outside the locked gate, Jie Fangcheng peeked inside and even shouted a couple of times.

"Is anyone there?" Silence.

"Any ghosts around?" Still no response.

Jie Fangcheng was never one to hesitate. Decisively, he broke the community's gate lock and stepped inside.

The community was eerily empty, and although it looked old, it was surprisingly vast.

Even if Jie Fangcheng wanted to search for clues, the sheer size of the place, coupled with the lack of guidance, left him directionless.

He wondered where the rest of the players had gone...

In the blink of an eye, the scene before him shifted like a watery mirage. By the time Jie Fangcheng reopened his eyes, the desolate old community had astonishingly come to life.

There were office workers returning home at noon on electric scooters, students from the nearby school walking in small groups, adults coming back from grocery shopping, children holding new toys...

A street vendor with a sign reading "Lemon Chicken Feet" even greeted him.

"Want to try some chicken feet?"

Jie Fangcheng approached and peered into the vendor's pot.

Beneath the orange-yellow lemon slices were clean chicken feet; nothing seemed amiss.

Everything around him felt so ordinary, as if he had stepped back into his own world.

Jie Fangcheng pondered the situation.

Seeing him lost in thought, the vendor promptly packed a chicken foot and handed it over.

Jie Fangcheng looked up.

The vendor smiled kindly, "Take it. We all face tough times."

Despite Jie Fangcheng's rugged handling of the hotel, he was covered in dirt. His usual cleanliness obsession had him shaking out the dust from his hair like a wet retriever. While he managed to get rid of the dirt in his hair, the dust on his clothes was another matter, especially on his back. He looked quite disheveled.

Without further ado, Jie Fangcheng thanked the vendor, held the chicken foot in one hand, and continued to survey his surroundings.

Based on his prior experiences, he should encounter Professor Zhang in this instance, right?

Considering the significance of XinXin Community in this realm, perhaps the professor was here?

Just as Jie Fangcheng contemplated this and was about to taste the chicken foot through its plastic wrapping, the scene morphed once again like a watery mirage.

The people who had just appeared in XinXin Community vanished, and the entire place reverted back to its hauntingly silent state.

"What just happened?"

Jie Fangcheng tried to make sense of it all. However, the chicken foot was still in his hand, so he casually brought it closer to his mouth.

Before it reached his lips, an unbearable stench of rotting chicken assailed his nostrils.

Jie Fangcheng hastily pulled his hand back.

In his hand, what once looked like a delicate chicken foot had not only discolored but now emitted a foul odor, as if it had been left out for four to five days.

Jie Fangcheng, assaulted by this sour, salty, and putrid smell, quickly placed the chicken foot back into its box, sealing away the noxious fumes.

What on earth was happening?

——"What's going on?!"

Inside the hotel near the No. 1 bus stop, almost all of the nine people bore signs of injury.

Just moments ago, the group had finally reached the hotel adjacent to the No. 1 bus stop.

The hotel was deserted, devoid of any signs of struggle. The floor was spotless, making it hard to believe that a horrific scene of ghosts dismembering and feasting on a human had occurred here.

Such "ordinariness" somewhat eased the players' tensions.

Upon arrival, Zhu Ping made a beeline for the reception desk, spotting an intact landline phone.

This must be the phone with the number 4444444, right? Wasn't it after answering this phone that He Mingguang summoned those ghosts?

Zhu Ping raised her eyes and surveyed the room.

The players' attention was largely focused on her. Seeing her expression, they immediately understood her intentions.

"Get ready—"

After briefly warning them, Zhu Ping decisively lifted the phone.

Almost the moment she picked it up, an eerie breeze seemed to sweep the surroundings.

Zhu Ping set the receiver aside without hanging up, scanning the vicinity with heightened vigilance.

Soon, layers upon layers of ghostly shadows appeared in the corridor, and a faint scent of blood emerged as these apparitions materialized.

"Damn! There's so many!" A player exclaimed in terror.

Zhu Ping felt like cursing too.

Even from the phone call, she could discern that there were numerous ghosts in this place.

But she hadn't expected this many! It seemed endless as spectral figures, one after another, shuffled leisurely towards the living room from the corridor.

Can they hold them off??

Zhu Ping began to doubt her judgment.

Facing so many ghosts, would it even help if all the players remained here?

As the ghostly figures drew nearer, Zhu Ping gritted her teeth.

"Let's give it a shot!"

With that, scales appeared on half her body, and she lunged at a ghost.

Soon, a slight relief washed over Zhu Ping.

"These ghosts aren't that powerful!"

Engaging them, the players realized that individually, these ghosts were comparable to regular NPCs from a level two instance—fairly manageable.

But their sheer number was overwhelming.

After fending off two or three, Zhu Ping was caught off guard, sustaining a gash on her shoulder so deep it revealed bone.

She grunted in pain, and from her peripheral vision, saw two more ghostly figures approaching.

The other players were also struggling. Zhu Ping quickly dashed back to the reception desk and hung up the phone.

Almost instantly, the overlapping ghostly figures vanished from sight.

Zhu Ping felt an immediate sense of relief.

With the phone present, those guarding this location could simply hang up when in danger, ensuring immediate safety, right?

Just as this thought crossed her mind, the phone unexpectedly rang.

Ring-ring-ring—

Ring-ring-ring—

What's going on???

Zhu Ping's heart raced.

All the players are here. The whole city seems desolate. How could anyone be calling this phone?... Wait! Not everyone is here.

Zhu Ping hesitated for a moment before answering the phone.

On the other end was Jie Fangcheng's voice, nonchalant in a way that was almost maddening.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"