The weak light cut through the darkness and shone weakly on the ground. It was almost noon, but the sky was still dark.
“Teacher Gao, I still don’t agree with your decision. We still have time to regret it.” Yan Lan and Wang Chuqing followed behind the kids of Class Seven. They thought Han Fei was crazy for trying to bring the kids out for a test. The adults wouldn’t have time to protect them when dealing with Pure Hatred.
“How about we come with you?” After Han Fei got No. 2’s permission, he decided to bring the teachers along. The doors of the multiple checkpoints opened. The cars rolled out, and at the back of the team were three black cars. The last two cars were driven by the logistics people. The cars were filled with various supplies. The two patients Han Fei saved from the hospital were in this car too. Han Fei was the teacher of Class Seven. He thought a class that had a 100 percent rate of persona users. The center wanted to know how he managed to do that. Therefore, even though people thought he was unreasonable, no one stopped him. After all, in the tragedy, no persona user was going to awaken in comfort. The cars drove down the street. When the center arrived at Third Mental Hospital, it was the brightest hour of the day.
“The ghost territory has expanded.” Two new buildings were added to the hospital. It didn’t look out of place. They felt like they were there in the first place. “The Third Mental Hospital is one of the famous Black Buildings. We started our investigation into it a few years ago. We’ve paid a lot to investigate it. We’ve been preparing for this day.” Xue Ba had his members move the equipment. He found Han Fei and placed the security devices around the students of Class Seven. “Once we start the mission, we might not have time for these children. You better have them stay far away.”
“Okay.” Han Fei drove the students to a building designated by No. 2. This was a children’s clothes store. It was facing the hospital’s backdoor.
“We’ll leave the mission of killing the Pure Hatred to others. Your main mission is to find the can.” No. 2 looked at the hospital, and his expression was scary. “The thing inside the can is very important to me. After I have it, we can turn this around.”
“Don’t worry.” Han Fei had a hide-and-seek talent, so looking for things wouldn’t be hard for him. As if worried, No. 2 cut his hand and dripped his blood on a piece of white paper. Then he drew a lot of strange symbols on the paper and folded it into a paper plane. “When you’re lost, this will help you navigate the maze of fate.”
When Han Fei touched the plane, the system rang out. “Notification for Player 0000! You’ve obtained the mission object—Fate’s Guidance. Carrying this object will increase your chance of gaining a Grade D Cursed Object.
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve obtained the hidden mission—Brain inside the Can.
“Brain inside the Can: Perhaps the world we see is just dreams. Every one of us lives inside a can. This is your only chance to get close to the truth. Hopefully, you can grasp it.
“Mission requirement: Find No. 2’s brain fragment inside the altar world.”
In this worst future, No. 2 didn’t die fully, but his brain fell into Gao Xing’s hands. The booming sound interrupted Han Fei’s thoughts. He turned to the hospital. The surrounding buildings had been leveled. The ghost territory was unaffected.
“All tactical units are ready!”
“Investigation team 2 ready!”
“Patrol Team 1 ready!”
Replies came from the black band. Han Fei hurried to reunite with Xue Ba. He almost died in the previous mission so the center didn’t give him any hard mission this time. He was told to move with Xue Ba to protect the devices. When all the units were in place, the commander’s car in the middle of the base started to move. The door opened and a kind middle-aged woman and a thin young man walked out.
The woman was the vice-captain of the logistics team. She had awakened eight appreciative persona. She had done a lot of good things in her life. After the tragedy, her soul was awakened, and many people she saved returned to thank her. The more people she saved, the stronger her persona would be.
The other young man had his arms covered in needle holes. He looked like he was 20 plus, but his actual age was a mystery. Some said he had been alive for a decade already. Others said his body had been destroyed in biological experiments. The young man’s name was Fu Lie. He once worked at Immortal Pharma, but he was framed and forced to participate in many biological experiments. A long string of numbers was carved on his chest. That was his number. Before the tragedy, he was trapped deep inside the lab. He managed to escape during the tragedy. He had the revenge persona. He was the vice-captain of the investigation team and one of the strongest people at the center. The members didn’t know much about Fu Lie, but the man had a long winning streak.
“Prepare to enter the ghost territory!”
The kind lady walked to the front door. She looked unassuming, but her inner strength was stronger than most. She closed her wounded hands and lowered her head to sing a hymn. The song danced around her like elves. The power within the woman’s heart poured out like the ocean. Compared to the ghost territory, the power was pure and kind.
“Our fates are bound once this door is open.”
The door cracked. A ray of light shone into the permanent darkness. This caused the ghosts inside the territory to be scared. The ghosts around the front door escaped. The woman didn’t chase after them. She stood there and helped everyone open the door to the ghost territory. She burned herself to bring light to others.
“Move out!”
Fu Lie nodded at the woman and walked past her. The other members followed. Darkness swallowed the members, but no one retreated.
“It’s our turn now.” Xue Ba carried the box with the equipment and waved at Han Fei. They walked over to the woman. When he was close, Han Fei felt the warmth from the woman. The negative emotions in his mind faded.
“Be careful. You have many kids looking after you.” As Han Fei passed by, the woman suddenly spoke. She smiled at Han Fei.
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve gained the blessing—Come Home Safely.
“Come Home Safely: Increase stamina by 1. Increase luck.”
Han Fei was surprised. He nodded his thanks to the woman and followed Xue Ba into the ghost territory. Once he was inside, it felt like he had stepped into winter. Even the air was chilly. The other teams entered the building a few minutes ago, but Han Fei couldn’t see them anymore. This was one of the powers of the ghost territory. It would teleport people around. However, the center was ready. The vice-captain had the power to control the ghost territory. Plus, everyone had the talisman. Unless one were very unlucky, one wouldn’t get lost.
“Am I targeted? Or has the same happened to everyone?”
There was no one around Han Fei. He turned around and saw the middle-aged woman. However, as he tried to move toward her, she moved further away. “No matter where I go, I’ll end up closer to the main building.”
The middle-aged woman’s song disappeared, and only silence remained. The buildings were like a beast sitting in the dark. The feeling was very oppressive.
“I don’t hear the sound of any fight. This Pure Hatred understands humanity. It uses every means to evoke fear in people’s hearts.”
There was no exit and no reinforcement. Han Fei was abandoned. Every step was a challenge.
A scream appeared not far from Han Fei. It was the voice of someone from Team 10. Han Fei had just talked to him. Han Fei pushed open the door of the main building and ran towards the scream. At the corner, a young man was nailed to the cross, and blood poured out of his body.
“Hang in there!”
Han Fei pulled the young woman down and opened the first-aid box. He bandaged the wound. “I remember your name is Zheng Li, right? Who attacked you? Is it still around?”
“It’s the priest. He’s the fear in my heart. He’s back! He’s in this building too…”
“Priest?”
“When I was young, a gentleman priest lived in my building. When the adults were busy with work, they would have the priest look after the children. I discovered the priest’s secret. He liked to collect children’s skin and blood to make paintings out of them.” Zheng Li’s voice was shaking. “He threatened me. If I exposed him, he would kill me. No one would believe a child…”
“Did you call the police?”
“The priest kept me locked up until very late at night. He destroyed all the evidence and disappeared. I thought that was the end, but whenever I was at home alone, the phone would ring, and the priest’s voice would come through the line. He said he was looking at me from outside the window, and he was outside the door…” At that moment, the phone rang again. “It’s back!”
Zheng Li’s face was pale as she curled in the corner. These members were well-trained. Normal fear wouldn’t affect them.
Han Fei ignored the girl’s resistance and picked her up, and ran toward the source of the phone. He kicked the door down. It was not a ward but a girl’s bedroom. The girl’s parents loved her a lot. The room was very nice, but for Zheng Li, this place was her nightmare. Han Fei answered the phone, and a strange man’s voice said, “I am watching you!”
“Do you want to meet me then?” Han Fei shoved black mist into the phone. The voice became distorted and then disappeared. Finally, he summoned Wu Chang. He wanted Wu Chang to follow the ghost through the phone line, but Wu Chang couldn’t do that. Han Fei frowned and summoned the Executioner. The two Large Lingering Spirits still couldn’t shatter the illusion. The room was still how Zheng Li hated it.
“The director knows how to use our deepest fear. It is not simple.”
