"The mission where you scared the despicable husband Johnathon earned you 10 experience points. You're just 10 points away from leveling up your ghost clone from Level 1 to Level 2," Derek's ghostly assistant explained in detail.
"Then hurry up and find me another task from the Ghost Leaderboard! I need to level up my ghost clone to deal with Jimmy's evil tricks and punish him properly!" Derek instructed eagerly.
"There's a mission available to capture a ghost, worth 10 experience points. Completing it will let you reach Level 2. Do you want to accept it?" the assistant asked.
"Of course!" Derek agreed without hesitation.
Mission issued: Capture a hanging ghost in the women's restroom on the fifth floor of the #10 teaching building at Cangnan University.
Mission time limit: Three days.
Objective: At least drive the hanging ghost out of the building.
Rewards: 100 ghost power points, 10 experience points, 1 Marker Card, 1 Monitor Card, 1 Lock Door Card, 1 Flickering Light Card, and 1 Soundproofing Card.
The assistant translated the mission details into simpler terms for Derek.
"Completing this task will make us stronger, right?" Derek confirmed.
"From Level 1 to Level 2, then to Level 3, Level 4… You'll grow more powerful," the assistant replied.
"What exactly are you, anyway? You're not my ghost clone but more like some kind of intermediary, aren't you?" Derek pressed.
"Alright, fine. Think of the Ghost Leaderboard as a system for assigning spooky missions, and I'm… the system assistant, a link between you and the leaderboard. I'm your helper, not really connected to the ghost clone," the assistant admitted.
"Fair enough. Tell me more about this mission," Derek said, cutting to the chase.
"This mission takes place in the women's restroom on the fifth floor of the #10 teaching building at Cangnan University. A girl once hanged herself there over heartbreak. Since then, late-night visitors have reported hearing crying or even seeing the ghost.
"Because the ghost has never harmed anyone, the school hasn't taken these reports seriously, brushing them off as rumors. Your task is to find the ghost and either capture or drive it out of the building."
"Alright. I'll scout the area first before summoning the ghost clone," Derek said, preparing for the task.
Cangnan University was one of the top universities in the city, with tens of thousands of students and dozens of buildings. By 9 PM, the #10 teaching building was bustling with students studying late, despite the ghost rumors.
To blend in, Derek disguised himself as a university student, carrying books and choosing a seat near the women's restroom. He observed the restroom traffic: plenty of people went in and out, and some students even joked about the ghost legend to spook each other.
Around 10 PM, the building began to quiet down. By 10:30, only a few diligent students remained. Derek scouted the fifth floor and found one lit classroom with three students—two boys and a girl. Otherwise, the floor was empty.
With the coast clear, Derek entered the women's restroom, a five-stall space. The original pipe where the girl had hanged herself had been sealed by the school. He called out a few times, then checked each stall, finding nothing.
Resigned to a long night, Derek settled into the eerie quiet.
"Hey, you there?" Derek called out to his assistant.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Nothing... just checking," Derek grumbled. Despite his bravado, the silence unsettled him.
"Are you scared?" The assistant teased.
"Scared? Of course not!" Derek snapped. "But what if she doesn't show up? Do I have to come back tomorrow night?"
"The system doesn't allow me to give hints. You'll have to figure it out yourself!" the assistant said, clearly amused.
"You're useless," Derek muttered.
Suddenly, a startled female voice called out behind him.
"You… What are you doing in the women's restroom?"
Derek froze.