Chapter Two

Unlocking the Novice Task

After finishing its speech, the narration went silent. No matter how much Cen Sheng called out, it didn’t reappear.

With Wu Pang sent away, Cen Sheng was left alone in the apartment. Despite the poor sound insulation of these old-style residential buildings, he couldn’t hear a single sound.

There was no movement in the hallway, no neighborly chatter in the building, not even the usual irritating buzz of insects.

An eerie silence filled the rental house, the overpowering scent of incense dizzying. In the dimly lit living room, there seemed to be an almost imperceptible gaze, constantly fixed on Cen Sheng.

Cen Sheng could clearly hear his own rapid, anxious breathing.

He had an excellent memory and could accurately recall what the narration said after hearing it just once. He kept replaying the words in his mind, trying to understand their meaning.

At 15, the narration began recounting mystery detective stories in his mind, each story perfectly aligning with Rong Ye’s experiences.

Previously, the narration would only appear after an event concluded, to summarize, not to speak of things that hadn’t happened yet.

Wait, what else did the narration say? Deducting 10 points of goodness and gaining a chapter preview?

So, was the segment it just narrated a preview of his future?

Was he dying, or more precisely, about to face a lethal danger?

Cen Sheng suddenly felt it absurd; he knew the dangers of Yinhe Community and had prepared mentally before coming.

He wasn't afraid to die here, but having just moved in, he hadn't had the chance to interact with the residents. How could danger strike so soon?

Could the criminal who imprisoned Rong Ye have recognized him, knowing he was Rong Ye's assistant?

Cen Sheng rubbed his face, as faces he had encountered in Yinhe Community twice before flashed through his mind.

They were the residents he had met. In his memory, each of them behaved normally, none paying extra attention to him.

The narrator's words made Cen Sheng even more uneasy. He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

Grasping the doorknob again, the narrator's voice did not reappear.

His roommate's bedroom door was locked. Lifting his shirt, Cen Sheng took out a thin wire hidden in his belt. After ensuring there were no other traps on the door, he skillfully picked the lock.

Pushing open the bedroom door, the stench of blood and decay hit him instantly.

It was the smell of a rotting corpse.

Cen Sheng's breath halted for a moment, his heart sinking. His hands and feet turned ice cold, and his mind went blank. Stunned for a couple of seconds, he quickly stepped into the room to locate the source of the foul odor.

Actually, there was no need to search; the small bedroom was swarming with flies everywhere. The place with the most flies was where the corpse lay.

Cen Sheng walked to the corner of the room, standing in front of a storage box covered with flies, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Reason told him that Rong Ye, standing at 188 cm tall, couldn't possibly be dismembered and stuffed into a storage box of this size.

Yet, Cen Sheng was still very nervous, fearing he might see his lover's decapitated head, eyes wide open in death.

As he trembled to open the storage box, swatting away flies, Shen Sheng finally saw the source of the stench inside.

Inside the box, there was a long-dead rooster and a black dog with its head sawn off.

It wasn't his boyfriend.

Instantly, Shen Sheng's tension dissolved, and he slumped against the window sill, exhaling deeply.

What had he been thinking? With Rong Ye's extensive experience as a detective, he surely wasn't dead, just imprisoned.

He must still be alive. With a bit more effort and intelligence, Shen Sheng could bring Rong Ye back.

————

Wiping away tears of fear, Shen Sheng began to search his roommate's bedroom.

The desk was littered with toy water guns, filled with a thick liquid barely visible through the thin plastic.

Dismantling a toy, Shen Sheng sniffed it - it was blood.

Connecting this to the animal corpses in the storage box, Shen Sheng's brow furrowed slightly.

His roommate had killed the rooster and black dog, likely attempting to use their blood for exorcism. She had also plastered talismans and a Bagua mirror on the door and worshipped a deity figure in the living room.

His roommate believed she had encountered a ghost.

Or maybe she really had!

What exactly had happened to his roommate?

Was there a connection between her supposed ghost encounter and Rong Ye's disappearance?

Shen Sheng wasn't afraid of murderers. No matter how twisted or brutal the killer, he was willing to confront them with a swing stick. However, he was terrified of ghosts and couldn't handle any movies or shows related to them.

The overall atmosphere of room 404 made him extremely uncomfortable.

As he pondered, Shen Sheng thoroughly searched his roommate's bedroom. Apart from the densely packed talismans on the walls, there was nothing particularly unusual.

After putting everything back in place, Shen Sheng turned his attention to the large wardrobe facing the bed, the only area he hadn't inspected yet.

His phone in his pocket vibrated twice; it was a call from Wu Pang.

"Shen Sheng, why haven't you come down yet? Is there that much to tidy up? Do you need my help?"

Wu Pang's booming voice, mixed with the noisy street sounds, slightly dispelled the oppressive and gloomy air in room 404.

Relaxing his tense body, Shen Sheng didn't rush to hang up. He cradled the phone between his ear and shoulder, chatting with Wu Pang while picking the wardrobe lock.

"No need, I'll be done soon, just a few clothes left. Hey, did your wife go to work today? I missed your wedding; how about I treat you and her to dinner? Bring your daughter along; I haven't met Lingling yet."

"Xiaohui took Lingling to her parents' home two days ago, not coming back until next week, so it's just us. Not many good places to eat around here. How about a movie or some karaoke, then drinks and skewers in the evening?"

"Skewers sound good, but I've been advised by my doctor to abstain from alcohol this year."

His roommate was overly private, chaining up the wardrobe with an iron chain and an old-fashioned padlock.

In a few moments, Shen Sheng managed to pry open the rusty lock.

The moment he opened the wardrobe door, he came face to face with a woman's pale, bloodless face.

Shen Sheng shuddered, nearly dropping his phone.

————

The curtains in the roommate's bedroom were drawn, and the lights wouldn't turn on. The room was dimly lit, and through the gaps between the clothes, he could faintly make out a long-haired woman standing in the closet.

Her dark, hollow eyes were staring straight at Shen Sheng.

Upon closer inspection, Shen Sheng realized the woman's eyes were not those of a living person.

Holding a baton, Shen Sheng pushed aside the clothes to reveal a pattern printed on the wardrobe's wooden panel.

The image of the woman on the panel was life-size, with disheveled black hair and dressed in maternity wear. Her expression was one of terror, as if she had seen something horrific.

It was unclear what material was used, but the woman looked incredibly lifelike, almost as if she would step out of the painting the next second.

Why would his roommate print an image of a pregnant woman on the wardrobe and then lock it with a padlock and chain?

Shen Sheng looked around, frowning at the yellow talismans plastered all over the bedroom.

He had changed his mind.

The roommate didn't seem like someone who could threaten Rong Ye; she likely was just someone who knew something. And she had encountered a ghost, living in fear and mess every day.

Although Shen Sheng was also in danger at any moment, he still felt that the girl was somewhat pitiable.

If he could ascertain that she wasn't a threat to him or Rong Ye, he was willing to help her as much as he could.

Picking up his phone, Shen Sheng made an excuse to hang up on Wu Pang. He took a photo of the pregnant woman in the closet, planning to look up her information later.

After covering his tracks, he returned to his bedroom and took out surveillance equipment from his luggage, installing cameras in each room.

The wardrobe in the bedroom was peculiar, so Shen Sheng adjusted the angle to focus specifically on that wardrobe.

These skills weren't taught in school; he had learned them from Rong Ye.

Thinking of his missing lover, Shen Sheng paused, feeling a sting in his eyes.

They had lived together for five whole years, sharing everything except a bed.

Their friends often joked that they were so inseparable that no one else could fit into their lives, suggesting they might as well get married.

Rong Ye had wanted to marry him. A few days before his disappearance, he had even ordered a custom engagement ring.

Rubbing his temples, Shen Sheng forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

Perhaps the oppressive atmosphere in room 404 was affecting him, making him feel paranoid. While installing the cameras, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was constantly watching him.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact source of the gaze; it was just an intuition he had developed over the years.

Shen Sheng suspected that the landlord or roommate had installed surveillance in the living room. After finishing his work, he meticulously checked but found nothing unusual.

Hesitantly, he turned to look at the deity statue facing the main door, the only place he hadn't inspected yet.

The living room's arrangement gave off a strong religious vibe. Slightly fearful of the statue, Shen Sheng ate a piece of chocolate to calm his nerves before daring to touch it.

The moment his fingertips brushed against the statue, Shen Sheng's eyes widened in shock.

The familiar AI narration returned.

[Detecting 'Shen Sheng' touching a special object — the statue of the luminous Holy Mother]

[Congratulations 'Shen Sheng' on initiating the storyline of "Yin He Ghost Tales" — The 404 Blood Case]

[In the dead of night, room 404 resounded with screams of terror from midnight till dawn. Friendly neighbors told the investigating police that they had broken into the room wielding kitchen knives and axes, only to find it empty. Yet, the harrowing screams still echoed in the corridors.]

[Congratulations 'Shen Sheng' on unlocking the beginner's mission]

[As a kind and upright detective assistant, you decide to investigate the story behind the 404 Blood Case, prevent the tragedy from occurring, and help the poor, helpless victims.]

[Mission Reward: Saint Father Simulator, 1-on-1 Intelligent Voice Assistant]

[Accept beginner's mission: Yes/yes]

Shen Sheng: ...?

Having known the AI narrator for twelve years, this was the first time he realized it not only narrates audiobooks but also cracks dry jokes.

Author's Note:

Here I am! Thank you to the little angels who cast their Overlord votes or nourished me with nutrient solutions during the period from 2023-08-06 17:42:45 to 2023-08-07 17:19:02~

Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Feng Chui Luo, Serein 1 each;

Thanks to the little angels for nourishing me with nutrient solutions: Serein 54 bottles; Fei Chi You Fei Chi 40 bottles; Kou Shi Zi 32 bottles; Chi Xiao Zhi Ye 20 bottles; Strange Power Cat People Like Cats! 17 bottles; Nan Mu 15 bottles; Wu Bai 13 bottles; YUZU Yao, Utsukushi Kare, A Li, Du Shao Qing, Luo Ze 10 bottles each; Mei Lin · Hermes, The Legendary Nine Thousand Years Old 5 bottles each; Shou Zhu Dai Tu 4 bottles; Wu Shi Ya 2 bottles; Huai Qing, Shan Chui Xi Mu, Mu Er Ti Yi Bing, Rong Rong Rong 1 bottle each;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!