There was an indescribable feeling among the group, a moment where they even harbored thoughts of distancing themselves from Zhao Yi. This guy was just too dangerous!
Usually, when someone makes a move, there's at least a warning, a justified buildup and release of emotions. Even when peeing, you'd expect someone to unzip first, right? But no, Zhao Yi would just do it silently, without any forewarning. He'd finish and then tell you about it. Who could possibly stand that?
Who knows who might next do something to displease him, happily chatting away one moment, only to have their head blown off the next!
Behind them, the elderly lady Qin Xiufang watched Zhao Yi with a complex gaze, remembering the message she had received earlier at the guild's base. A hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes but was quickly suppressed.
In front of everyone, Zhao Yi walked up to a human skull and picked up a ghost candle. The moment the candle, made from human brains, was pulled out, it began to slowly shed blood-red tears. The countdown had begun.
Seeing Zhao Yi heading for the door, Bai Shuiji hesitated for a moment before quickly grabbing a candle as well. "I'll go with you!" she said, taking a deep breath. Knowing the outside world would be dangerous, Bai Shuiji didn't want to hide in the carriage. She believed that staying by Zhao Yi's side was the safest option.
Wen Long also picked up a candle, not wanting to be left behind. "The three of us will go explore. The remaining three candles... you guys decide how to split them," he said, handing them out.
The lovely train attendant opened the door for them, and a bone-chilling cold wind immediately blew in, making everyone shiver. The world outside was exceptionally dark. Without the ghost candles, they wouldn't be able to see even a meter ahead. With the candles, their visibility was barely extended to about ten meters. Still, the eerie surroundings were enough to make anyone shudder.
"Bai, what do you think about this mission?" Bai Shuiji asked, following closely behind Zhao Yi, completely unsure of what to do next.
Zhao Yi surveyed their surroundings and said, "Didn't you get any clues in the carriage?"
Clues? What clues?
Bai Shuiji thought hard. She had been playing a game of jump rope with some ghosts, using her wits to win and save her organs from being taken, but she hadn't noticed any particular clues.
"Cough cough…"
Wen Long coughed dryly, giving Bai Shuiji a look that suggested he knew something about the clue.
Bai Shuiji turned to him curiously. "Is your throat uncomfortable?"
Wen Long: "…"
Attempting to show off but seemingly a bit deflated, he still offered:
"I do know a useful clue... Apparently, we need to head to some sort of... control console."
Zhao Yi corrected him:
"It's a control room."
"Inside, there's a complete map of the train station... Our station in the Chaotic Realm is an abandoned one from many years later, with many areas already collapsed and altered."
"Mo Ye Village isn't a small village; it has a sizable population, so the train station there was built quite large. Our ghost candle can only last for an hour, so to avoid wasting time, we must find the map first."
The little ghost girl from the sixth carriage had left him with several key pieces of information.
Besides the map, there was also the morning paper from Mo Ye Village.
It might record something of interest.
As they made their way, a thick fog enveloped them, occasionally allowing glimpses of strange, fleeting shadows in the distance.
They tensed up, carefully avoiding any dangers as they groped their way to the station's exit.
It looked no different from when they had entered.
"But what can we do once we find the map?"
Bai Shuiji tried to learn from Zhao Yi, constantly guessing his intentions.
The Clown Game and the Butcher Game had filled her with trust towards Zhao Yi.
"I think, the way to complete our task lies outside the station."
It was Wen Leng who spoke.
He cautiously surveyed their surroundings, as if fearing something would suddenly burst out of the darkness!
Zhao Yi added:
"The task requires us to unravel the grudge. To do that, we first need to understand the nature of the grudges within the train, and where these grudges come from."
"Only by understanding what happened here in the past and the relationships involved can we possibly complete our task."
"I've asked several ghosts inside the carriages, and they all seem to be afraid of something, unwilling to speak of the past."
"This indicates that somewhere in the train, there's an unseen, terrifying presence watching over them and us!"
"So, we can't gather information from inside the train; we have to look elsewhere... like recordings, notes, newspapers, or firsthand accounts from the ghosts..."
Zhao Yi laid out his thoughts simply, and the two felt enlightened, everything clear and straightforward.
Even now, part of Zhao Yi's attention was still on the information left by the little ghost girl from the sixth carriage.
—It will always be watching you.
Who is 'it'?
Is it a hidden ghost on the train?
If so, where is it hiding?
If not, then what else could be watching them?
Following the corridor upwards, they returned to the interior of the station.
The station within this instance was intact.
Larger than they had anticipated.
Some ghosts wandered around, seemingly not very aggressive, and continued their aimless wandering upon seeing the ghost candles in the hands of Zhao Yi and his companions.
Upon reaching the control room, they found it was a large office mostly enclosed by glass. Outside the door stood a burly security guard ghost, its eyes as big as copper bells, holding a meter-long baton, staring straight ahead!
Its body was conveniently hidden by the corner of a wall, so they only noticed it when they approached from the side.
Wen Leng and Bai Shuiji, being closer, were nearly scared out of their wits!
…
[Guardian Ghost: Extremely Dangerous!]
[Weakness: None!]
[Note: Don't be fooled by its open eyes; it's actually asleep. Unless it's disturbed with significant impact or harm, it won't wake up. Most ghosts nearby are terrified of it! If it spots you... run as fast as you can!!!]
As Zhao Yi read the message about the Guardian Ghost, a brilliant smile appeared on his face.
Seeing Zhao Yi smile, Bai Shuiji felt a sudden chill.
What is this guy up to now?
"Be careful!"
"This ghost is fierce; it might attack us!"
Watching Zhao Yi walk towards the Guardian Ghost, Wen Ling warned.
He saw Zhao Yi as a rival, but since they were all in this together, Zhao Yi was undoubtedly a valuable ally. He didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
"No, it won't," Zhao Yi casually replied.
Bai Shuiji cautiously followed behind Zhao Yi and asked:
"How do you know?"
Zhao Yi reached out and plucked a nose hair from the Guardian Ghost:
"See, it's asleep."
Achoo!
As soon as Zhao Yi finished speaking, the Guardian Ghost sneezed violently, causing Bai Shuiji and Wen Ling to scramble back several meters in panic. Only when they confirmed the ghost hadn't moved did they tiptoe back.
Looking at Zhao Yi, who remained utterly unfazed, Wen Ling couldn't help but say:
"How are you so fearless?"
Zhao Yi seriously examined the terrifying specter before him:
"Don't be ridiculous, I've always been cautious because I'm naturally timid."
Wen Ling almost choked on his saliva.
Cautious? Where?!
Who else would dare pluck a ghost's nose hair like that?!
Sighing, Wen Ling approached the control room door.
Attempted to open it.
Failed.
The door was locked.
He turned to Zhao Yi and said:
"Zhao Yi, the door's locked... Holy crap!"
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Wen Ling was dumbfounded to see Zhao Yi... frantically stripping the clothes off the ghostly guard!
"Can't you see? I'm taking off its clothes!" Zhao Yi exclaimed excitedly.
Wen Ling panicked.
He quickly stepped back, ready to flee at any moment.
Zhao Yi was really pushing his luck, apparently unafraid of awakening the fearsome ghost.
Bai Shuiji stood frozen in place.
Initially, she hoped to grow stronger by understanding Zhao Yi's thought process.
But now, she realized... she couldn't comprehend what was going on in Zhao Yi's mind at all.
Zhao Yi grew more excited as he stripped, his eyes shining brightly. He tossed aside the ghost candle, stripping the ghost guard down to just a pair of floral briefs embroidered with a sparrow.
Seeing Zhao Yi showing no sign of stopping, Bai Shuiji grabbed him around the waist and dragged him back, panicking:
"Bro! Bro! That's enough! Let's not strip it anymore! We have actual business to take care of!"
Even if it was a ghost, the sensitivity of the sparrow must be high, and Bai Shuiji was genuinely afraid the ghost guard would awaken due to Zhao Yi's rough handling.
Zhao Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead, picked up the ghost candle, and panted:
"Fine, we'll let it go for today."
Wen Ling cautiously approached, looking at the guard uniform on the ground, and couldn't help but laugh and cry:
"We only needed the key; you didn't have to strip it down!"
Zhao Yi chuckled mischievously, his eyes gleaming as he kicked the uniform towards Wen Ling.
"Put it on."
Wen Ling's expression stiffened.
"What... what?"
"Put it on."
Zhao Yi fished out the key from the uniform.
"Put it on!"
"From now on... you're the ghost guard!"