Chapter 067: Indecision.

Chapter 067: Indecision.

Chi Shen and Li Xu had returned to the haunted prefab house.

They were examining the “bloodstain” on the ground when they unexpectedly ran into Security Guard Xiao Wang.

As a veteran of the death game, Chi Shen detected Xiao Wang's approach instantly. Despite Xiao Wang's efforts to move quietly on the concrete floor, the environment was eerily silent. Chi Shen's finely-tuned senses, honed in the death game, picked up on the subtlest disturbances.

An ordinary person might have missed those footsteps, but not Chi Shen. His heightened sense of hearing was a skill he developed during a particular death game challenge where he had to differentiate between human and ghostly footsteps, navigating only by sound.

He taught this technique to his teammates, ensuring everyone's survival during that challenge.

Back then, his goal was to simply ensure the maximum number of survivors. Unity was the key. However, reality often clashed with his idealism, forcing him to adapt and evolve.

The discordant sound of Xiao Wang's steps alerted Chi Shen to a potential follower. After discussing with Li Xu, they decided to check if the person behind them was another visitor or perhaps the creator of the haunting. They communicated via text, quickly formulated a plan, and moved to corner their pursuer.

Gui Lian (Ghost Face) enthusiastically scouted ahead. Wanting a break from his study routine, Gui Lian had insisted on joining Chi Shen outdoors. After considering the electricity bill for the month, Chi Shen had agreed.

The biting cold and the nature of the construction site meant there wasn't a strict dress code. Xiao Wang wasn't in his security uniform but wore a thick cotton jacket. This made it harder for Gui Lian to recognize him as security, leading to subsequent events.

After reaching an understanding with Xiao Wang over a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, Chi Shen and Li Xu resumed their exploration of the haunted site.

"This 'blood' is syrup. It's the kind often used in film and television for blood packets." Li Xù knelt to inspect the 'bloodstains' on the ground.

Chi Shen also held a flashlight, courtesy of Li Xù's well-equipped kit. He illuminated the entire shape of the blood trail. It splattered in a spray pattern with some splashes on the wall and the floor.

Li Xù studied the 'bloodstains', closed his eyes briefly, then retreated to the entrance. Reentering, he staggered as if about to fall.

"If someone came in this way, walking to here..." He stood at the bloodied spot and leaned against the wall, "He's drunk, leans here for support. Someone approaches from behind with a sharp fruit knife..."

The corridor's temperature seemed to drop a couple of degrees, a chill set in as Li Xù spoke. A gust from outside rustled Li Xù's clothing.

Apparently feeling the cold himself, Li Xù's voice grew hushed, like he was sharing a forbidden tale, whispering: "One slice across the throat."

With the flashlight in hand, as Li Xù spoke, Chi Shen's beam trailed to the end of the corridor.

"The slice hit an artery, blood 'splashed' all over the wall and floor," Li Xù's raspy voice carried an eerie drift, "The victim tried to scream for help, but it was too late. The slice severed both artery and windpipe. His screams were just gurgling from the bloody bubbles at his neck. Soon he collapsed, thinking of the unpaid wages, and the money Wang Lao Er owed him. By then, he recognized the face behind him – it was Wang Lao Er. Trampling over the blood-soaked floor, Wang Lao Er exited with a chuckling grin, the knife dripping fresh blood."

"This here was splashed on deliberately," Chi Shen pointed to the blood direction, "If it was a throat slice, the starting point of the splatter wouldn't be this low. This pattern would only happen if he was on the ground when his throat was slit. But if he was cut while on the ground, the blood wouldn't spray this high."

Li Xù, with a weary, constipated expression, said, "...There's no need to be so meticulous."

"I just didn't want you to think it's really haunted," Chi Shen responded with a relaxed smile, leisurely strolling the corridor, "This crime scene setup is amateurish. If someone was to slice a throat from behind, they'd first cover the victim's mouth, lifting the neck for easier access."

Even though Chi Shen spoke casually, to Li Xù it sounded eerily expert. Loosening his collar, he asked, "Why does it sound like you're quite familiar with this?"

"I've seen a lot..."

Li Xù looked up: "Huh?"

"I'm into ghost stories, so I've come across a lot of tales like this. I've done some research, so I know a thing or two." Chi Shen felt a cold breeze at his ear, a hint from Ji Xing Chen to be more tactful in his explanations. Thus, he opted for a gentler way to express his past experiences, assuring Li Xù.

The cold breeze faded. Chi Shen scratched his ear, feeling a slight itch.

Li Xù didn't press further, "Let's move to the next spot."

——

Inside the security room.

Xiao Wang still felt cold. No matter how much he wore, he couldn't warm up. The cold seemed to emanate from his very bones, making it impossible to sleep.

He took out his phone to check, and the weather app showed 11°C. He pondered, "Is 13°C really that cold? Wouldn't two cotton jackets suffice?"

"If I can't sleep, I might as well take a walk," Little Wang thought. "I wonder how those two are doing. I never expected a place rumored to be haunted to attract visitors. Maybe I should've charged more or set an entrance fee. Could this be a way to make money?"

Lost in thought, Little Wang picked up his flashlight. Suddenly, he heard the sound of something heavy being dragged outside.

The sound grew louder, as if something heavy and solid was being dragged across the concrete, producing a weighty and grating noise.

"What on this construction site could make such a sound?"

"It's the sound the steel materials used for building make when dragged on the ground!"

Anger welled up inside Little Wang. "So, those two, looking so refined and not at all poor, said they came to see the haunted place. Turns out they came to steal the steel. Good thing I wasn't asleep. I need to catch them!"

With that, Little Wang flung the door open and rushed out. Then, he froze.

In the pale beam of his flashlight, the first thing he saw were droplets of blood. Then, a large axe stained with both fresh and old blood. And next to it, worn-out clothes and... a body without a head.

He quickly retreated to the security room, muttering to himself, "This joke tonight went way too far. Bringing a headless corpse here, who did the boss offend?"

"No, it must be fake. Maybe it's just a mannequin from a mall with its head broken off and placed here."

Desperately comforting himself, Little Wang thought, "It's surely fake. Just like the blood on the clothes being chicken blood, this mannequin is just here to scare people. It's not a ghost, definitely not a ghost."

The dragging sound echoed again, this time closer to the security room's door. A faint voice whispered, "Have you seen my head?"

——

The construction site had only been leveled, with partially constructed temporary housing for the workers. Some materials were piled up in the open space, and on top of them sat a doll.

It was a latex doll the size of a newborn baby. When the flashlight shone on it, its eyes glinted eerily. As the two approached, red droplets fell from its clothes.

As a horror game designer, seeing this made Li Xù shiver. He hesitated for a moment, then saw Chi Shen calmly walk forward.

"...Aren't you scared at all?" Li Xù suddenly felt the employee he hired was quite unusual. "It wasn't a coincidence that he could come up with a storyline about a floral skirt and summoning the God of Wealth."

"A little," Chi Shen felt he should be honest. "These materials look unstable. I'm afraid I might fall."

Li Xù thought, "We're clearly not talking about the same kind of fear!"

As Li Xun hesitated, Chi Shen had already climbed to the top of the pile of materials. He wasn't trying to be the most conspicuous on the construction site; he was there to retrieve the doll.

This doll mysteriously appeared here just yesterday. Even the security guard had no clue how it arrived. Since its appearance, red fluid began dripping down the building materials and continued for the whole day. It seemed impossible for the doll to hold that much liquid. Due to its eerie presence and its elevated location, no one has yet attempted to remove it.

Climbing atop the materials, Chi Shen grabbed the doll and pulled out a tiny transparent tube hidden behind the boards. Attached to the tube was a water bottle filled halfway with what looked like plasma.

Chi Shen tossed both the doll and the bottle down, and Li Xun quickly caught them, inadvertently getting splattered by the viscous fluid.

"This setup is rather intricate," Chi Shen remarked. "I suspect whoever did this used to run a haunted house."

Holding the doll, Li Xun observed its extremely lifelike eyes that emanated a faint green glow, as if trying to draw him in.

"This doll..." Li Xun handed it over, "Its gaze feels like it's constantly watching me."

Chi Shen took the doll, and to Li Xun's shock, swiftly plucked out one of its eyes, shining his flashlight on it for Li Xun to see.

The doll's eye was designed to mimic human eye movement, allowing it to adjust its gaze. Unlike a real eye, the upper half was a fleshy pink, complete with eyelashes, making it seem like the doll could blink. At the moment, however, the sight only made it seem more terrifying to Li Xun.

With his flashlight, Chi Shen appeared to be a zealous researcher, prompting Li Xun to instinctively divert his gaze.

– Such expertise in removing an eyeball! Truly unnerving!

"Take a closer look."

Chi Shen, paying no attention to his boss's discomfort, held the eyeball up for Li Xun to inspect.

Reluctantly, Li Xun peered at it. Under the flashlight's beam, the glow disappeared, revealing a regular plastic eyeball that even seemed to be of poor quality.

Why doesn't it look eerie anymore?

Li Xun glanced at the doll's remaining eye. Still emanating a green glow, it appeared to be resentfully questioning him for gouging out its twin.

"It's fluorescent material, painted around the pupil, acting as a background color," Chi Shen demonstrated, showing the glowing effect in dimmer light.

Although a bit hesitant, Li Xun didn't want to appear cowardly. He took the eye and experimented with the flashlight, confirming the presence of the fluorescent material.

"Whoever made this doll is truly skilled," Li Xun sighed in relief. "So, this doll was simply designed to scare, right?"

"It might have been taken from a haunted house," Chi Shen noted, sounding slightly disappointed. "All the horror here is man-made; there aren't any real ghosts."

Li Xun placed the eyeball back into the doll. The doll, with one eye missing, looked even more menacing, its empty socket staring back like an abyss, prompting him to restore it. Li Xun sighed, "It seems we've made a pointless trip."

Chi Shen tilted his head, looking at him, "Do you wish to encounter a ghost?"

The floral dress on Li Xu shifted as the head of the girl it belonged to lifted, gazing at Li Xu's face. Another young girl, clutching the hem of his clothes, also looked up at him.

Li Xu sighed, "I always feel like something's missing in this game. I wish I could consult a ghost. Perhaps it's because I haven't experienced it personally that I can't find the right feeling."

Chi Shen cast his eyes downward slightly. Since Li Xu had asked him for the main storyline proposal, he had been collaborating with Ma Cai Jin on it. Up to now, they had presented five versions, all of which Li Xu had rejected.

Chi Shen had found it puzzling before. Given that Li Xu was capable of single-handedly developing a successful horror game, he must have had some idea of the story. It shouldn't all be left to him and Ma Cai Jin. Could it be that the boss himself hadn't figured out how to shape the game?

Had all the story settings he and Ma Cai Jin created been in vain?

This wouldn't do. This game was tied to his livelihood; he had to help his boss.

Chi Shen lifted his eyes slightly, smiling at Li Xu, "Would you like to experience it, to meet a ghost?"

Li Xu, looking away from the dolls, wore an incredulous expression, "You have a way?"

"I do."

Chi Shen glanced at the spirits surrounding Li Xu.

"Would you like to see a child, an adult, a ghost that looks like a demon, or one that looks human?"

Li Xu: "There are so many options?"

Chi Shen nodded in affirmation.

Suddenly, a loud scream echoed from the direction of the security room, "Ghost!"