Following No. 47's indication.
Everyone examined the family photo on the screen.
"Why do you think this grandfather is scolding the Little Boy? Anyone know."
As he spoke, No. 47 took out another little red flower.
A correct answer would be rewarded with a little red flower.
Jiang Jiuguo noticed that everyone's expressions became more alert upon seeing the little red flower.
Earlier, when he received a little red flower, the others had also looked at him with envy, like kindergarten children wanting to get a little red flower from their teacher.
They considered obtaining little red flowers an honor.
"Could it be that the little red flowers aren't just No. 47's quirky behavior, but have another purpose?"
Thinking this, Jiang Jiuguo raised his hand.
He explained: "Because the Little Boy stuck his chopsticks upright in the rice bowl."
"Go on," No. 47 nodded.
"In some regions, there is a folk custom: people shouldn't stick chopsticks upright in their rice bowl while eating. It's taboo because chopsticks stuck vertically into rice are offerings for ancestors, for the dead."
Jiang Jiuguo recalled the content of an elective course he took in university.
He had been interested in ghosts and the supernatural since childhood, so he had chosen 'Folklore Studies' as a university elective.
Among other things.
Folklore Studies covered folk taboos, including the taboo about sticking chopsticks upright in rice.
"So, the living must not stick chopsticks upright in rice; that's for the dead to eat. If a living person does this, it's like cursing themselves to die early."
"Besides that point."
"In some regions that more strictly preserve folk customs, people also believe doing this can easily attract some unclean things, since it's meant for the dead to eat."
"If any unclean things wandering nearby see it, they might think it's for them."
No. 47 gave Jiang Jiuguo a satisfied nod.
He clapped his hands: "Your explanation is very comprehensive. Good, that's the reason the Little Boy was scolded."
He awarded the little red flower to Jiang Jiuguo.
Afterwards, No. 47 pressed the projector remote, displaying dozens of photos.
Each one involved taboos to some degree.
Among them were ancient folk customs... like not singing while walking at night, the spirit of the pen game, etc.
There were modern urban legends... like the four-corner room tag game, counting stairs, peeling an apple at midnight, etc.
There were also Western taboos... like summoning Bloody Mary, avoiding marriage on Saturdays, etc.
The content was broad.
But all were related to supernatural taboos.
No. 47 focused on explaining folk customs and urban legends.
"What I just showed you are all triggers that can cause the 'Ghost Gate Pass' to appear."
Immediately after.
Seeing everyone looking confused, with many seeming on the verge of speaking but holding back.
He understood their thoughts.
"Are you thinking that people still play with these taboos nowadays? For example, the spirit of the pen game. I imagine some of you have played it. Those who have, raise your hands and let me see."
The next second.
Over half of the dozen or so people present raised their hands.
They indicated they had all played it.
"I've played the spirit of the pen game, and I followed the detailed online process seriously. Why didn't the Ghost Gate Pass appear? Why didn't any ghosts appear?"
"Yeah, I played it that way too."
"I didn't just play the spirit of the pen game; I even tried the four-corner game and the apple-peeling thing."
"I bet you played it in university, right?"
"How did you know? Haha, well, yeah. If we guys in the university dorms weren't gaming, we basically liked to play some thrilling stuff."
Jiang Jiuguo also raised his hand.
However, unlike the others.
He didn't look very puzzled; he had a vague guess about why they hadn't seen ghosts despite playing with taboos.
No. 47 said taboos were triggers for the Ghost Gate Pass, but he never explicitly said the trigger ignites upon a single touch.
Perhaps... the trigger requires repeated attempts.
Sure enough.
No. 47 spoke up at this moment.
"How many times have you all played the spirit of the pen game? Probably only once, right?"
"Yeah, just once."
"True. I was just looking for a thrill back then, wanted to see if I could attract a ghost. Didn't happen, so I didn't play again."
"I doubt anyone played it twice. If you don't encounter a ghost the first time, who would play again? It's all just for fun."
As everyone spoke in turn.
The people present weren't stupid. Based on No. 47's earlier words and everyone's answers, they began to vaguely understand the reason.
"No. 47, do you mean one attempt isn't necessarily enough to make the Ghost Gate Pass appear?"
No. 47 shook his head: "Your understanding... I can't give you a little red flower for that, because it's not entirely correct."
"You tell us," No. 47 said to Jiang Jiuguo. "Get it right, and I'll give you another little red flower."
Worried Jiang Jiuguo might not know the purpose of the little red flowers.
He waved the little red flower he had taken out again.
"These little red flowers of mine aren't just a trick kindergarten teachers use to coax children, although I did have that in mind."
"However, their function isn't just praise; they have a practical use. They can be exchanged for money."
"One flower equals ten thousand yuan, which will be added to the ten million or fifteen million you're getting."
Jiang Jiuguo was instantly energized.
Ten thousand per flower?
Was there any faster way to make money? Even spending a night with a rich woman couldn't compare to this speed of income.
After all, while money from rich women comes fast.
It also requires facing the corresponding 'rich woman's happy ball' that represents pain and endurance.
"Ahem, then let me share my view."
Jiang Jiuguo stood up, pretending to be reserved.
"No. 47, you said 'triggers' are what cause the 'Ghost Gate Pass' to appear. As for why the 'Ghost Gate Pass' didn't appear when we played, I suspect it's because we didn't activate the 'trigger.'"
"To put it simply."
"Maybe playing once wasn't enough to activate it, because you never said a 'trigger' causing the 'Ghost Gate Pass' to appear is a hundred percent certain."
"I think the 'trigger' is probably activated probabilistically."
"Perhaps the 'trigger' is like a long-neglected switch or a damp fuse. One attempt might not be enough to turn it on; it might require multiple tries, or even..."
"The taboos we played might not even qualify as 'triggers' yet."
He paused and looked towards the high platform in the hall.
That was the platform used earlier for adapting to the ghost sequence cornerstone.
He said: "The formula given by the ghost sequence cornerstone doesn't just include materials; taking the formula also requires a specific time or location."
"Perhaps 'triggers' are the same."
"The way we played the spirit of the pen game might have been correct, but perhaps the environment or time was wrong, so it couldn't become a 'trigger.'"
As Jiang Jiuguo spoke, his eyes gleamed.
"Among folk taboos, many also involve environment and time."
"For example, not doing certain things at midnight or in a graveyard."
"So, the spirit of the pen game, as a 'trigger,' might be the same. It might require playing at a specific time or in a specific environment to have... a certain probability of causing the 'Ghost Gate Pass' to appear."
Clap, clap, clap.
No. 47 applauded repeatedly, the sound loud and echoing in the hall.
He didn't give an answer immediately. Instead, he first handed the little red flower to Jiang Jiuguo.
"Jiang Jiuguo, you are absolutely right," No. 47 said.
"For a taboo to become a trigger and cause the Ghost Gate Pass to appear, it requires a specific environment or time, and also a certain amount of luck."
Listening to No. 47's words.
"Holy shit, so that's how it is," the former white-collar worker said in sudden realization.
"Now I understand why some people online say they've tried taboos. Even with the same taboo, some find it works while others don't."
"So that means... trying to use folk taboos to verify if ghosts exist in the world is basically impossible, because it requires the right time, environment, and then multiple attempts, relying on luck."
At this moment.
Everyone looked at each other with a sense of sudden enlightenment, but then immediately felt a chill run down their spines.
Back when they had played death-defying games like the spirit of the pen to see ghosts.
They had thought it was just for fun.
The truth was, they had walked right past the Ghost Gate Pass.
Perhaps they had chosen the right location and time back then, but fortunately, they only tried once and were lucky it didn't succeed on the first attempt.
But what if it had succeeded on that first try?
The consequences were easy to imagine.
The Ghost Gate Pass would have appeared, and ghosts more terrifying than Sadako would have manifested...