Chen Ge's first wish was fulfilled very comfortably. As for the second wish, Chen Ge decided not to grant it for the time being. He patted Zhang Ya's head, who was choked by his thick semen and lost consciousness, under his crotch, and asked her to lick his penis clean. Then he put on his clothes and took out his mobile phone to continue his research.
Chen Ge's pulse still raced from the surreal encounter with Zhang Ya, his body tingling with a mix of exhilaration and dread as he adjusted his clothing in the dim storeroom. Inspector Lee, oblivious to the spectral interlude, continued photographing the blood-stained ballet shoes, his flashlight casting stark shadows across the cluttered space. Chen Ge's black phone buzzed again, a subtle vibration that snapped him back to the present. Another alert? he thought, frowning. I already completed the Bloody Heart Mission.
He opened the new message, his eyes scanning the screen as the words unfolded, each one sinking like a stone in his gut:
"Specter's Favored, congratulations on completing the Rare Level Ghost, Red Specter's Bloody Heart Mission. This mission is a side mission for the four-star scenario—School of the Afterlife!
Note: When the Bloody Heart Mission's completion rate reaches 100%, it will unlock the Trial Mission for School of the Afterlife (effective for three months). Completing all Trial Missions will unlock the full scenario!
School of the Afterlife—Scream Factor: 4 Stars!
Side Mission 1: Red Dancing Shoes (The school after midnight is the Red Swan's stage. She is a wicked specter and a red ballet dancer). Venue: Western Jiujiang's Private Academy.
Side Mission 2: The Hanging Man (I never jest, not in life nor death). Venue: Western Jiujiang's Private Academy.
Side Mission 3: The Stink (He hoards trash in his bedroom to conceal an unspeakable secret). Venue: Western Jiujiang's Private Academy.
Side Mission 4: The Pen Spirit Who Refused to Leave (Pen Spirit, Pen Spirit, who will die next?). Venue: Mu Yang High School.
Side Mission 5: The Fifth Cubicle in the Toilet (Every midnight, a red shadow appears in the toilet. To catch her, I hid in the fifth cubicle). Venue: Mu Yang High School.
Side Mission 6: Deep Well (A brother and sister went to school, but why did no one return?). Venue: Mu Yang High School.
Side Mission 7: The Sealed Classroom (A classroom at the corridor's end, always sealed. No one enters, yet it stirs with life each night). Venue: Mu Yang High School.
Side Mission 8: Eternal Life (In a hidden underground morgue, a group seeks eternal life). Venue: Western Jiujiang's Medical University.
Last Mission: Currently Locked."
Chen Ge's breath caught, his mind reeling. A four-star scenario? Even one-star missions had pushed forensic students to collapse from fear; a four-star scenario was unimaginable, a plunge into terror that could shatter a person's sanity. The descriptions alone—each dripping with ominous intent—made his skin prickle. These are just side missions, he realized, his gaze lingering on the locked final mission. I'd need to clear all eight to even touch the finale. That's… insane.
He closed the message, his thumb trembling as he navigated to the unlockable scenarios tab. Alongside The Third Sick Hall and The Haunted Hearse, a new entry pulsed: School of the Afterlife, its name scrawled in blood-red ink, a stark contrast to the others' muted text. The sight sent a chill down his spine, as if the phone itself were warning him of the horrors ahead.
Chen Ge pocketed the device, his thoughts spiraling. A four-star scenario is way beyond me now. Maybe someday, but not today. The weight of Zhang Ya's mission—and her unsettling "affection"—still clung to him, her spectral presence a constant reminder of the stakes. He glanced at Inspector Lee, who was now bagging the ballet shoes as evidence, his face grim with resolve. "We'll need to analyze these," Lee muttered, unaware of the supernatural undercurrent. "Could be a breakthrough."
Chen Ge nodded absently, his mind elsewhere. The black phone's missions were escalating, pulling him deeper into a world where ghosts like Zhang Ya wielded both desire and destruction. Her earlier act—her lips, her tongue, her cold, skilled hands—had been a twisted reward, a taste of her power that left him both enthralled and terrified. She's not just a specter; she's a force I can't control. The thought of facing more entities like her, each tied to the School of the Afterlife, made his resolve waver.
"Xiao Chen, you okay?" Lee's voice cut through, his sharp gaze noting Chen Ge's distraction. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Chen Ge forced a weak smile. "Just… processing. Let's get out of here." He followed Lee out of the storeroom, the academy's dark corridors swallowing their footsteps. Outside, the police team was sweeping the grounds for Zhang Peng, their flashlights slicing through the night. Chen Ge's eyes darted to the shadows, half-expecting Zhang Ya's red dress to flicker into view, her knowing smile promising more perilous intimacy.
As they reached the gate, Chen Ge's phone buzzed once more, a faint vibration that felt like a heartbeat. He ignored it, his focus on the living world for now—Inspector Lee's investigation, the hunt for Zhang Ya's killer, the promise of justice. But deep down, he knew the black phone's call would pull him back, its blood-red missions binding him to Zhang Ya and the School of the Afterlife, where every step risked not just his life, but his soul.
The revelation of the School of the Afterlife scenario—a four-star nightmare weaving together every haunted school tale—left Chen Ge reeling as he stood outside Western Jiujiang's Private Academy. This is a monster of a scenario, he thought, his mind grappling with its scope. Even if I unlock it, it's too intense for the average visitor. All characters involved, including himself, Zhang Ya, and the spectral women in the chairs, were at least eighteen, their stories steeped in adult horrors that transcended mere ghost stories.
Staring at the black phone's blood-red text, a strategy formed in Chen Ge's mind. The Scream Factor ratings offered a natural progression: one-star scenarios could be open to all, but three-star and above—like School of the Afterlife—should require surviving lower-tier challenges first. It's like a gauntlet, he mused. A safeguard for visitors, but also a hook to keep them coming back. The idea sparked visions of his Haunted House evolving into a layered experience, each scenario more harrowing than the last, drawing thrill-seekers to test their limits. They'd chase the bragging rights, the thrill of conquering every level. It'd make my Haunted House a legend.
He pictured He San, the only visitor to tackle multiple scenarios, his nervous but determined face a symbol of the Haunted House's allure. That kid's practically a mascot, Chen Ge thought, a faint smile forming. I should invite him back when I unlock this beast. New ideas flooded in—certificates for surviving high-star scenarios, exclusive rewards like behind-the-scenes tours or custom scares. It's like I'm running a horror dungeon, and I'm the damn master.
His grin widened, lost in the possibilities, until Inspector Lee's voice snapped him back. "Why're you smirking like some scheming villain? Up to no good, huh?" Lee emerged from the storeroom, his initial survey complete, the blood-stained ballet shoes now bagged as evidence.
Chen Ge shrugged, pocketing his phone. "Just thinking about work." Lee's skepticism was palpable, but he let it slide, focusing on the mission at hand. "I've checked with Teams 1 and 2—no sign of Zhang Peng. This place gives me the creeps, and it's too maze-like to search at night. We'll pull back and regroup when the investigation team arrives."
"Sounds good," Chen Ge said, eager to leave. His goals—finding Zhang Ya's shoes, surviving her "affection," and uncovering evidence of her killer—were met, at least for now. The police sealed the gate, standing vigil as dawn's first light crept through the forest. When the investigation team arrived, their faces as haggard as Lee's, Chen Ge exchanged brief nods before climbing into Lee's police car for the ride home.
Slumping into the backseat, Chen Ge felt the night's tension drain away. "Another sleepless night," he mumbled, stretching languidly across the cushions, his body sinking into the worn upholstery.
Lee glanced at him through the rearview mirror, half-amused, half-irritated. "You're the only guy I know who lounges in a police car like it's a damn sofa. I've got questions, Xiao Chen, and you've been dodging them all night."
"Don't ask," Chen Ge groaned, pulling his backpack over his face to feign sleep. He could already predict Lee's line of inquiry.
"Why were you at that academy at midnight?" Lee pressed, undeterred, as he started the engine. "And how'd you know Zhang Ya's time of death? That case is four years old—even a forensic expert needs the file to pin it down, but you just knew. That's not normal."
"Lucky guesses," Chen Ge muttered, rolling onto his side. "Uncle San Bao, crank the AC, will ya?"
"You've got some nerve dropping the formalities," Lee grumbled, flicking on the air-conditioning. Just then, his phone rang, the sharp tone cutting through the car's hum. Chen Ge peeked out from under his backpack. "Uncle, your phone's buzzing."
"Keep yapping, and I'll toss you out," Lee shot back, checking the caller ID. He answered, but no words were exchanged—just silence from both ends. Three seconds later, the call ended.
"Who's bold enough to prank-call a cop?" Chen Ge teased, sitting up slightly, but Lee's expression had softened, a rare warmth in his tired eyes.
"My wife," Lee said quietly. "When I'm on high-risk missions, she calls to check on me. We don't talk—too sensitive sometimes—so we've got a system. If I pick up, it means I'm safe. That's enough for her."
Chen Ge fell silent, the simple gesture hitting harder than expected. As the car rumbled toward home, his thoughts drifted back to Zhang Ya—her spectral touch, her deadly allure, the red dancing shoes that tied her to this cursed school. The black phone's missions loomed like a shadow, each side mission a step toward the School of the Afterlife, a four-star abyss he wasn't ready to face. Yet, with Lee's promise to hunt her killer and the evidence now in police hands, Chen Ge felt a flicker of hope that justice might free Zhang Ya's soul—and loosen her dangerous hold on him.