Kira had the same realization. "Now that I think about it, if the Head Ghost can influence its host, could this word be a clue it left on purpose? Something to keep us preoccupied with meaningless speculation while it sneaks into the crowd, preparing to infiltrate the auditorium?"
"Possible, but unlikely," Li Mo replied decisively.
"Why not?"
"Because there's no need for it."
Li Mo's experience told him the trace left behind was deliberate—human-made.
The distorted letters were so mangled that, without careful inspection, one could hardly discern them. Whoever wrote it was already at the brink of insanity. Frantically biting their fingers, they etched the word with sheer desperation. This moment of struggle was likely the critical phase when the ghost's consciousness fully fused with the human host.
Aikiri must have glimpsed something in the ghost's memories, yet couldn't leave an overt clue for fear that the ghost would erase it.
The preserved broadcasting equipment was no coincidence—it was connected to that cryptic word.
"Why does he have to leave riddles like this?!" Kira exclaimed, her mind overwhelmed by the sheer volume of odd details and phenomena. The fragments seemed unrelated, yet they were intricately connected.
But merely figuring out how to survive the night was already exhausting her; thinking beyond that seemed impossible.
"Because he's a clever man," Li Mo said suddenly. "And I think I've finally understood."
"Understood what?"
"How to handle the ritual on the third day."
"Really?!"
Kira was elated. It had been only two hours since they started, yet Li Mo had already figured out a solution for the third day. In their current state of ignorance, nothing could have been more uplifting.
"Then why don't you look happy?"
"This is just my usual expression," Li Mo said indifferently.
He walked to his backpack, pulled out three bottles of cola, and placed them on the desk in the broadcasting room. Reclining on the sofa, he tilted his head back at a 45-degree angle, opened a bottle, and downed it in one go.
His body was too unusual. Even the sting of fizzy cola did little to stimulate his dulled organs.
"You—"
"I have to stay here," Li Mo interrupted.
His abrupt declaration caught Kira off guard.
"Why?" she asked, her heart sinking. She wanted him to stay with the group. After all, Li Mo was their true guide. Without him, they'd have perished on the first night.
Li Mo lowered his head and tossed a silver-gray pistol to Shigure Kira.
"Take this. When you return, fire a shot at every survivor. These bullets won't kill living humans, but if one of them is a ghost, the wound will burn with blue and purple flames."
He spoke with such finality, as if leaving instructions in his last moments. Before she could ask further questions, Li Mo handed her a coin.
"You've seen me use this before. Throw it into a ghost's line of sight, and they won't be able to resist picking it up. Use these two tools to determine who's human and who's a ghost."
Kira suddenly felt the weight of the situation. Li Mo clearly had no intention of returning, even handing over his weapons and anomalous items.
"But can't we just check for the seam on their necks? Wouldn't that be quicker to identify the Head Ghost's host?"
"Yes, but how do you know the infiltrators are only Head Ghosts?" Li Mo's cold tone sent a chill through the air. "The choice is yours, Kira. Will you risk your companions' lives to protect innocent strangers? Or will you sacrifice others to ensure your companions' survival?"
"Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't even consider saving the others. I have no connection to them and made no promise to lead them out. Some entities can hide so perfectly that even these two methods might fail."
"You saw it last night—the anomaly resurgence, the wandering of ghosts. Under these conditions, I doubt many humans are left alive. Your best bet is to drive them away or kill them before the ghosts within them awaken."
Li Mo's voice was cold and emotionless, his eyes clouded over like a ghost's, void of any humanity.
The chilling aura around him was suffocating, as if she were being stared down by an eerie entity.
"I understand," Kira said, trembling. "I'll make a decision. But why won't you come back with me? Without the suppression of the incense sticks or the barrier of the auditorium, the ghosts will find you..."
Li Mo shook his head. "I have to stay here to complete the third-day of the ritual. Tonight's ceremony is about keeping vigil. Those keeping vigil cannot leave the auditorium. If I go back with you, someone will have to step outside tomorrow night to deliver a mourning notice."
"The second day's rule forbids leaving. The third day's rule demands it. With such conflicting rules, we're doomed no matter what."
His analysis was calm and rational, devoid of concern for his own survival.
The word Aikiri left behind wasn't "Thred" but "Three Day." It referred to the third day. He couldn't write the Roman numeral III because the ghost would notice, so he resorted to this cryptic riddle to convey the message.
The broadcasting equipment bore traces of blood, indicating that Aikiri had considered destroying it but stopped. He stopped because the third-day ceremony required the broadcasting system.
"What should I do now?" Kira asked.
"There are three things you must do."
Li Mo, without any hesitation, removed his shirt and handed it to her.
Kira froze, her pupils contracting. She cleared her throat and looked away, though her gaze involuntarily darted back towards him.
"Why are you taking off your clothes?!"
Li Mo replied seriously, "First, discard your sympathy. Execute any survivors trying to enter the auditorium and protect the black coffin and the incense."
"Second, if a ghost bypasses the suppression and enters the auditorium, that will signify the beginning of the third day. You'll need to send a clear, bright signal that I can see. That shouldn't be hard for you."
"Third, switch my shirt with the one on the headless corpse in the black coffin. Not now—wait for the right time."
Kira exploded, "Then why are you stripping now?!"
"To ensure the human scent on it is faint enough not to disturb the black coffin. At seven o'clock, bring me the headless corpse's clothes."
The clothing might help him evade the ghosts' detection. By then, his only enemies would be the dead that was already possessed.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎊 🎇