Fan Yu's aunt's gaze was locked on the sealed classroom, her face drained of color as she witnessed the chilling scene within. The spectral students sat at the tables, their heads bowed in an eerie mimicry of the group photo her brother had once shown her, the one that had fueled his paranoia. Her collapse to the floor seemed to freeze her in place, her body trembling as fear etched itself into every line of her expression. She struggled to rise, her limbs shaking uncontrollably, as if the sight of the ghostly classroom had severed her connection to her own body. The corridor's dim light cast long shadows, amplifying the terror that gripped her, while the sealed classroom's door loomed like a portal to a nightmare. Chen Ge's heart pounded, the reality of the supernatural presence in Mu Yang High School now undeniable, its weight pressing down on them both.
"Shush!" Chen Ge hissed, his voice sharp as he rushed to her side, his instincts screaming to get her away from the classroom's ominous presence. He grabbed her arm, his grip firm but careful, and half-dragged her trembling form out of the education block, her raincoat trailing wetly across the floor. The corridor's oppressive silence seemed to chase them, the sealed classroom's dark energy pulsing as if reluctant to let them go. Chen Ge's mind raced with the implications of what they had seen—ghostly students, an old man at the lectern, a classroom alive with the dead. The air grew heavier with each step, the school's haunted legacy clinging to them like a second skin as they stumbled toward the exit, desperate to escape the spectral grip of Mu Yang High School.
The rumors about the sealed classroom were true, Chen Ge realized, his pulse quickening as he processed the sight of the ghostly students. Regardless of how they had died, the spirits had returned to that classroom, their presence a chilling testament to the school's tragic history. The image of their bowed heads, their silent vigil, burned into his mind, confirming the supernatural forces at play. The corridor's shadows seemed to shift, as if the spirits were watching, their intentions unclear but their presence undeniable. Chen Ge's grip on Fan Yu's aunt tightened, her trembling form a reminder of the human cost of the school's horrors. He couldn't shake the feeling that the classroom was a nexus of grief, a place where the dead lingered, bound by the tragedies that had unfolded within its walls.
"You saw it, right? Right‽" Fan Yu's aunt's voice was a frantic whisper, her eyes bulging with terror as she clung to Chen Ge's arm. The difference between seeing the students in her brother's haunting photo and witnessing them in the flesh—or rather, in their spectral forms—was overwhelming, her breath coming in short, halting gasps. The corridor's dim light cast her face in stark relief, her fear palpable as she grappled with the reality of the ghosts she had long denied. Chen Ge's heart raced, the weight of her panic amplifying his own unease. The sealed classroom's dark presence lingered in his mind, its ghostly occupants a stark reminder that they were not alone in Mu Yang High School, that the spirits of the past were watching, waiting.
"Let's leave this place for now," Chen Ge said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. He dragged Fan Yu's aunt toward the entrance of the education block, her weight heavy against him as she stumbled, still shaken by the classroom's spectral scene. Before they stepped out, he turned back for one final glance at the classroom. The door and windows were closed, the interior shrouded in complete darkness, as if the ghosts had retreated into the shadows. The sight sent a shiver down his spine, the classroom's eerie stillness a stark contrast to the vivid vision of its ghostly occupants. The school's oppressive atmosphere seemed to cling to them, urging them to flee before the spirits grew restless, their intentions still unclear in Chen Ge's mind.
Chen Ge's thoughts raced as he considered the spirits' behavior. I've been inside the school for so long already, and they haven't actively attacked me. Looks like they aren't malevolent spirits. His reasoning was grounded in the clues he had uncovered—the girl who had been driven to insanity by Fan Yu's father had taken her life in that classroom, and the ghostly arm that had handed him the pen suggested a protective intent. The warning notes accusing Teacher Fan, likely written by the spirits, were meant to shield the school's students, even if their methods were misguided. The corridor's shadows seemed to pulse with the weight of this realization, the sealed classroom's dark energy a testament to the spirits' lingering grief rather than malice. Chen Ge's resolve hardened, his determination to protect Fan Yu and bring closure to this tragedy unwavering despite the supernatural forces at play.
Holding Fan Yu's aunt's trembling form, Chen Ge guided her toward Mu Yang High School's front gate, seeking shelter from the rain under its overhang. The night had passed midnight, the hour when the school's ghosts were said to stir, and Chen Ge's instincts told him it was unwise to remain within the three buildings, especially with the unpredictable variable of Fan Yu's aunt. Her erratic behavior—her confession, her attempted attack, her collapse—made her a liability in this haunted place. The rain-soaked gate offered little comfort, its rusted bars a stark reminder of the school's decay. Chen Ge's heart pounded, the weight of the night's events pressing down as he scanned the darkness, wary of both the aunt and the spirits that might still be watching.
At around 1 am, the rain began to slow, its relentless drumming softening to a faint patter. A faint light pierced the darkness, approaching Mu Yang High School through the dense forest. Chen Ge's pulse quickened as he spotted the glow, hope surging that help had finally arrived. He turned on his flashlight, waving it frantically as he shouted, "Here! The suspect has already been detained!" His voice echoed through the night, cutting through the forest's eerie silence. As the leaves parted, a group of figures in raincoats emerged, their boots crunching on the wet ground. The sight of them filled Chen Ge with relief, but as the leader's face came into view, his confidence wavered, replaced by a mix of recognition and unease.
"Why is it you again?" Inspector Lee's voice was laced with exasperation as he reached the gate and locked eyes with Chen Ge, his face twitching with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "The same person has called the emergency hotline thrice in a week. This is the first time that has ever happened in the station's 35 years history. Did you know that? Even the officer who answers the calls felt like he can now recognize your voice." The words carried a grudging familiarity, Inspector Lee's irritation tempered by the absurdity of their repeated encounters. The rain glistened on his raincoat, the faint light of his flashlight casting sharp shadows across his weathered face. Chen Ge's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, the weight of his frequent brushes with danger now a point of contention with the local police.
Chen Ge stood speechless for a moment, the inspector's words catching him off guard. The absurdity of being recognized by the emergency hotline operator was almost comical, but the gravity of the situation quickly pulled him back. He hauled Fan Yu's aunt from the ground, her trembling form heavy with defeat, and led her toward Inspector Lee. "She's also a victim?" the inspector asked, his tone cautious as he signaled his men to break open the school's gate. Chen Ge shook his head, his voice firm as he clarified, "No, she's one of the killers." He handed her over to one of the officers, her raincoat dripping onto the ground as she was restrained. The gate creaked as it was forced open, the sound echoing through the night, a stark reminder of the school's secrets now being laid bare.
Inspector Lee's eyes narrowed as he flickered his flashlight three times, alerting his men to the potential danger. "One of the killers?" he repeated, his voice sharp with urgency. "There are other killers still hiding inside the school?" The question hung in the air, the rain-soaked gate framing the group as they prepared to enter the haunted grounds. Chen Ge's heart raced, the weight of his discoveries—the notes, the carvings, the drawings, the aunt's confession—pressing down as he prepared to summarize the night's horrors. The school's shadows seemed to watch, the sealed classroom's ghostly presence lingering in his mind as he faced the inspector, ready to reveal the truth.
Chen Ge took a deep breath, his voice steady as he laid out the grim tale. "The other killer is already dead," he said, his words cutting through the rain's soft patter. "This woman's brother was a voyeur, and after the brother's wife found out, she used it to leverage a divorce. Unwilling to part, her brother killed his wife, and she happened to see her brother do that. To prevent herself from being killed, she killed her brother." The summary was concise but heavy, each word a piece of the tragic puzzle that had unfolded at Mu Yang High School. The inspector's flashlight beam wavered slightly, his expression hardening as he processed the story. The school's gate loomed behind them, its rusted bars a silent witness to the horrors Chen Ge had uncovered, the truth now in the hands of justice.
Inspector Lee's voice cut through the damp night air, his tone sharp and focused as he zeroed in on the critical question. "So, it was self-defense?" he asked, his flashlight beam steady on Fan Yu's aunt, whose trembling form was now restrained by one of his officers. The rain had slowed to a faint drizzle, but the weight of the night's revelations hung heavy around Mu Yang High School's rusted gate. Chen Ge's heart raced, the inspector's question echoing his own doubts about the aunt's story. The school's shadowy buildings loomed behind them, their dark silhouettes a stark reminder of the horrors they concealed—the sealed classroom, the ghostly students, and the well that held the truth of a family's destruction. Inspector Lee's weathered face was set in a grim line, his experience telling him there was more to this case than a simple claim of self-defense.
Chen Ge's response was measured but pointed, his voice carrying the weight of his suspicions. "If that was the case, she should have reported to the police after that. However, after she killed her brother, she cleared the crime scene and left. The murder happened three years ago, and there is no other witness. Everything I know, it was she who told me." He gestured toward Fan Yu's aunt, who stood silently, her raincoat glistening under the flashlight's glow. "So, it is not unlikely that she was lying." His words were a challenge, casting doubt on her narrative of self-preservation. The school's oppressive atmosphere seemed to pulse with the uncertainty, the rusted gate creaking softly as if echoing his skepticism. Chen Ge's mind churned, the aunt's confession riddled with gaps that only the well's discovery could fill, tying her story to the physical evidence of her crimes.
Inspector Lee's eyes narrowed as he turned to the aunt, bypassing any questions about Chen Ge's presence at the school—a fact that seemed almost expected given their history. "Where was the crime scene then?" he asked, his tone direct and unyielding. The assisting officers exchanged glances, their calm acceptance of Chen Ge's involvement a testament to his recurring encounters with the law. The rain-soaked ground glistened under their flashlights, the forest's dense shadows pressing in as they awaited her response. Chen Ge's pulse quickened, his own curiosity burning to know the exact location of the well—the final piece of his four side missions. The school's dark legacy loomed large, its secrets buried not just in the aunt's words but in the earth itself, waiting to be unearthed.
"That, you'll need to ask her," Chen Ge said, his voice steady as he deferred to the aunt, though his eyes never left her. He was desperate to locate the well, the last marker of his trial mission, but he trusted Inspector Lee's expertise in interrogation to extract the truth. The inspector, seasoned and methodical, accepted a clean towel from one of his men and handed it to Fan Yu's aunt, his gesture calculated to build rapport. "Assault with intention to murder may send you to the chair," he said, his voice calm but firm, "but if it was self-defense and the suspect shows signs of remorse, there might still be a chance for you to see the light of day." The words hung in the air, a subtle pressure to coax her cooperation. The school's gate loomed behind them, its rusted bars a silent witness to the unfolding drama, as Chen Ge watched closely, hoping her resolve would crack.
Fan Yu's aunt clutched the towel tightly, her fingers trembling as she remained silent, her expression devoid of the fear one might expect from someone facing such consequences. Her stoic demeanor unsettled Chen Ge, her lack of visible panic suggesting a deeper resignation—or perhaps a belief that she had nothing left to lose. The rain's faint patter filled the silence, the school's shadowy buildings casting an oppressive weight over the scene. Inspector Lee's eyes softened slightly, sensing an opportunity to press further. "Think about your family," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "At your age, you should have your own children by now. If you refuse to cooperate, you might never see them again." The mention of family struck a nerve, her face twitching as her resolve began to waver, the memory of her lost children and her obsession with Fan Yu surfacing in her haunted eyes.
After ten tense minutes of Inspector Lee's measured persuasion, Fan Yu's aunt finally broke her silence, her voice barely above a whisper. "The hiding spot is at the hill behind the school, but I can only remember a general direction," she said, her words heavy with defeat. She rose unsteadily, leading Chen Ge and the police through the rain-soaked grounds to a small hill behind Mu Yang High School. The terrain was uneven, the mud slick under their boots as they navigated the dense forest. "The bodies were dropped down a well," she continued, her voice trembling as she pointed to a vague area shrouded in shadows. "At the time, there was a landslide, and it covered the well completely." The hill loomed ominously, its dark earth hiding the secrets of that fateful night, the school's haunted legacy pulsing beneath the surface as they stood on the precipice of discovery.
Chen Ge surveyed the hill, his mind racing with the logistical challenges of unearthing the well. The area around Mu Yang High School lacked roads for heavy-duty vehicles, meaning any excavation would require manual labor—a daunting task given the time constraints. The rain had softened the ground, but the landslide's impact would have buried the well deep, its exact location uncertain. Chen Ge's heart pounded, the urgency of confirming the aunt's story tied to both justice for Fan Yu and the completion of his final side mission. The school's shadows seemed to watch, the sealed classroom's ghostly presence lingering in his mind as he considered the well's significance—not just as a crime scene but as a nexus of the supernatural forces that haunted this place.
"Inspector Lee, if we do not confirm her words as soon as possible, the case might shift when dawn arrives," Chen Ge said, squeezing past the officers to stand beside the inspector. His voice was urgent, his concern for the mission's deadline mingling with his desire to see justice served. The fading rain cast a misty veil over the hill, the school's dark silhouette looming in the distance. Inspector Lee nodded, already on his phone, coordinating with his team. "Seal the scene first, and we'll wait for the crew to come with the necessary tools before the digging can start," he said, his tone authoritative as he arranged for reinforcements. The school's gate creaked in the background, its rusted bars a reminder of the barriers they were breaking down, both physical and metaphorical, to uncover the truth buried in the earth.
At 2:15 am, the excavation crew arrived, their equipment clattering as they navigated the muddy terrain. Inspector Lee assigned roles with precision, his experience guiding the team as they began the arduous task of digging. Chen Ge grabbed a shovel, his determination to see the mission through driving him to join the effort. His muscles strained as he worked alongside the officers, his resolve earning admiring glances from the team, who were touched by his conviction. The hill's wet earth yielded slowly, each shovelful a step closer to the well that held the bodies of Fan Yu's parents. The school's oppressive atmosphere seemed to pulse with anticipation, the sealed classroom's ghostly students a silent presence in Chen Ge's mind as he dug, driven by the need to bring closure to this tragic tale.
By 3 am, the well's outline began to emerge from the earth, its dark mouth a grim confirmation of the aunt's story. At 4:30 am, the well was fully cracked open, revealing the grim sight of two bodies, their forms preserved in the cold, wet depths. The discovery sent a chill through Chen Ge, the reality of the murders now undeniable. As the officers carefully retrieved the remains, Chen Ge's black phone vibrated in his pocket, a subtle hum that signaled the completion of his mission. The school's shadows seemed to retreat slightly, the weight of the night's horrors lifting as the truth was finally unearthed. Chen Ge stepped back, his breath ragged from exertion, his heart heavy with the cost of the tragedy but resolute in his success.
Finding a secluded spot away from the officers, Chen Ge pulled out his black phone, his fingers trembling as he clicked open the message. The screen glowed faintly, its words a testament to his harrowing night: You managed to reach the Mission Location on time, successfully experienced all four side missions, and survived until dawn. Mu Yang High School Trial Mission successful! A new scenario has been unlocked. Player can manipulate the props inside the set freely using the interface available on the phone! The message filled him with a mix of relief and pride, the school's oppressive weight lifting slightly as he realized he had conquered its challenges. The night's terrors—the sealed classroom, the ghostly arm, the well—had tested him, but he had prevailed.
The message continued, revealing an unexpected reward: Trial Mission completion rate more than ninety percent. Unlocked this mission's hidden item—The Cursed Ballpoint Pen. Chen Ge's heart skipped a beat, his mind flashing to the pen that had rolled off the table in the sealed classroom, handed to him by an unseen spirit. The description followed, tinged with an eerie humor: The Cursed Ballpoint Pen (Broken): The Pen Spirit refused to answer to your call. It rolled its eyes at you before hiding away. The words sent a shiver down his spine, the idea of a sentient pen spirit both intriguing and unsettling. The school's dark legacy lingered in the air, the well's grim discovery and the ghostly classroom a reminder of the supernatural forces he had faced, their secrets now his to wield as he prepared for the next challenge.