Because Ethan had stayed up late reading the forum story the previous night, he spent the day at the Chinese boarding school yawning and feeling listless. In class, every time he drifted off to sleep, the image of the old man from the photo would involuntarily flash in his mind. In his drowsiness, he felt as though those empty, lifeless eyes were staring at him from some unseen place. Startled, he snapped back to full attention. "I can't fall asleep again. That photo is truly chilling."
"Hey, Ethan, can I talk to you for a moment?" A tall, thin student leaned in from the side. Ethan was puzzled. "What do you need to talk about?" Sam, his childhood friend, patted his shoulder and whispered, "Why do you look so tired?" Ethan replied, "I stayed up late reading a ghost story on my phone last night, so I didn't get much sleep." "Ghost story? Speaking of ghost stories, have you heard about the supernatural event that occurred in a community in the city recently?" a classmate chimed in from the side. "What supernatural event?" Ethan asked. "I haven't heard about it." Sam said, "I know about it. They say that one night, more than twenty people in a community hanged themselves collectively. Their bodies were hanging on the anti-theft windows, just like bacon being air-dried. It was truly terrifying. I have a photo of it, but I don't know if it's real or fake."
After speaking, Sam took out his phone, opened the album, and showed Ethan the photo. The picture was taken in the evening, and due to the poor lighting in the community, it appeared slightly blurry. However, the human-shaped silhouettes hanging on the balcony's anti-theft windows were still visible, forming a dense row. The gruesome and horrifying faces of the bodies could be vaguely discerned, especially their wide-open eyes filled with fear, hinting at the horrors they experienced before their deaths. From a distance, the dozens of bodies truly resembled air-drying bacon. What was strange was that while the heads of the bodies were inside the anti-theft window, their bodies hung below. The gap in the anti-theft window was too small for an adult to pass through. Furthermore, the heads were tilted back, contorted in a strange manner. The closer one looked, the more uneasy and scared they felt. This photo, much like the one of the old man in Ethan's phone, had a similar effect—it stirred deep emotions within people. "Damn, Sam, where did you get this photo? I couldn't find it anywhere," the classmate beside Ethan remarked.
Sam proudly replied, "It was taken by a friend of mine who happened to pass by. The area has already been sealed off, so taking photos there is no longer allowed. If you want it, just say 'Dad,' and I'll give it to you." "Speaking of supernatural events, I've been hearing a lot of people talking about them online recently. The stories sound so real that I'm too scared to even read them. Do you think these things are real or fake? Could there truly be haunted places?" a female classmate named Susan leaned in, joining the conversation. Ethan responded, "Most of the stories online are fake. I don't believe in ghosts unless I see them with my own eyes. But it's better to acknowledge the existence of something than to outright deny it. If you do encounter such things, it's best to keep your distance." Susan nodded in agreement.
"Enough talking, everyone be quiet." At that moment, Teacher Wang entered the classroom with long strides. Mr. Wang was their English teacher at the Chinese boarding school. "The school has announced a temporary change. Today's evening self-study will be replaced with a safety awareness class. During the lecture, I don't want to hear anyone talking or disrupting the classroom. Now, let's welcome Mr. Zhou to deliver the lecture. Everyone, please applaud." Ethan, while clapping, felt puzzled. Why would they have a safety lecture at this late hour? However, when the person expected to give the lecture, Mr. Zhou, entered the classroom, Ethan's eyelids twitched. This man named Zhou wore a tightly wrapped gray windbreaker, even in the sweltering heat. He also wore a mask, which was quite unusual. Something hung from his chest—a kind of ID or badge. But what caught people's attention the most was his eerie appearance. His face was extremely emaciated, almost just skin and bones. The contours of his facial bones were visible, devoid of any excess flesh. Despite his extreme thinness, his eyes appeared large, filled with bloodshot veins, as if he hadn't slept for days. Strangely, underneath his emaciated face, his stomach protruded like a beer belly, contrasting sharply with his thin frame. It was abnormal—bizarrely abnormal—and it made people feel uneasy.
Now, Mr. Zhou stood at the podium, emitting a gloomy, exhausted, and numb aura. He remained rigid and motionless, his bloodshot eyes subtly shifting, resembling lifeless glass beads. As his gaze swept across the room, all the students felt an indescribable fear. Ethan instinctively clenched his fist, his entire body tensing up. He dared not meet Mr. Zhou's eyes and thought to himself, "This feeling is even stronger than when I saw that photo." "Students, hello. My name is Zhou, and I am an international criminal investigator. I'm glad to be here today to deliver a lecture." Zhou finally spoke, his voice dry, hoarse, and grating, like glass scraping against the floor. Coupled with his extreme emaciation, it sent shivers down people's spines. Alive to give a lecture? Ethan's heart skipped a beat. Why did those words sound so peculiar?
At that moment, Zhou picked up a piece of chalk, turned around, and hastily wrote a word on the blackboard: "Ghost!" "Ghost legends have existed since ancient times, not only in our country's history but also in the histories of various countries. I'm not well-versed in history, nor can I speak about ancient events. Let's focus on major events that have occurred in recent decades—such as the Louvre incident in France, the haunted villa incident in the United States, the ghostly figure in an island nation's parking lot, the curse of the Egyptian pharaohs, and the sealed village incident in our country." Zhou's voice remained hoarse and grating, but he continued at a steady pace. "Someone once said that the end of science is theology, and this statement holds true. Students, there are certain things you must believe now. In recent years, supernatural events in various countries have surged in frequency, no longer isolated incidents. They are evolving into global catastrophes. If this situation isn't effectively controlled, there may be no hope left for the world in the future." Everyone felt somewhat taken aback upon hearing these words. How did this safety lecture turn into a ghost story convention? And now they were even discussing the end of the world. Both the students and Teacher Wang were momentarily stunned. "I can't go into great detail about these matters, and you don't need to ask. What I am going to say next, I hope you all remember it. This safety lecture may one day save your lives."
Zhou didn't immediately continue speaking. Instead, he turned around and wrote another sentence on the blackboard: "Ghosts cannot be killed." "If ghosts cannot be killed and possess extraordinary abilities, combining these two factors leads to a crucial question: How can an ordinary person survive when targeted by a ghost? This question is of utmost importance, and I hope you remember it forever—preferably for the rest of your lives." He turned back, his bloodshot, exhausted eyes fixed on everyone, as he earnestly spoke these words. Then he turned around again and wrote a third sentence on the blackboard: "Only ghosts can deal with ghosts."
Zhou went on, "Since ghosts cannot be killed and have exceptional powers, considering these factors, we must ask: How can an ordinary person survive when a ghost targets them? This is crucial, and I hope you all remember it. Insight into the rules of ghosts." "Every phenomenon adheres to certain rules, and ghosts are no exception. Research data suggests that each type of ghost follows an almost fixed method of killing and operates in a specific mode, just like computer programs. You press the power button to start a computer, and you click the mouse to open software. Overcome your fear, gain insight into the rules of ghosts, and find their weaknesses. This is an ordinary person's only chance of survival when targeted by a ghost." "Remember, besides this method, you have no means of survival if a ghost targets you. Don't harbor any illusions, as the horrors they bring surpass your imagination." He repeated this solemnly, his tone heavy with gravity.