Chapter 43: "Terrifying Expedition"

After this trivial interlude, under Chu Ning’s urging, they began to search the house for any clues that might have been left behind.

To Chu Ning, what had just happened truly was insignificant—he could distinguish between first impressions and deeper matters. For someone as lazy as himself to travel all this way to the scene of the crime, it was nothing but the lure of money! Tanya had offered far too much—how could he not put in some effort? The competition these days was fierce; even a substitute detective like himself had been called in, adding pressure to the job market.

His objective was perfectly clear: to unmask the real murderer behind the scenes, clear Tanya’s sister’s name, and fulfill the contract between them!

But after a lengthy, meticulous search, they found nothing of value—not even a hint of a clue. This wasn’t surprising; after all, professionals had already combed the crime scene. It was unlikely any decisive evidence had been overlooked. Chu Ning wasn’t disappointed; he’d come here mostly to get a feel for the place. Sometimes, things happened quite suddenly—like the abrupt, sharp banging at the door that shattered the silence. Whoever was outside must be desperate; otherwise, they wouldn’t be pounding so insistently.

Chu Ning turned to Tanya with a puzzled look. “Is your house always this lively?” he asked. What was with people these days, all showing up at such ungodly hours? He was beginning to understand Tanya’s late-night visit—perhaps it was her way of getting back at society.

“No, I have pathetically few friends. No one ever knocks at my door. It’s usually very quiet,” Tanya quickly distanced herself from whoever was outside. She marveled at how many people seemed eager to court disaster—some could even arrange to party on their own graves.

The banging grew more frantic. Seeing this, Chu Ning strode to the door and opened it without hesitation, determined to put an end to the infernal racket.

He still believed most people were law-abiding, and whoever was outside likely meant no harm. If evil did appear, he could always let Tanya’s sister handle it. As for why he wouldn’t do it himself—well, Chu Ning saw himself as a bona fide villain, and it was more prudent to let his newly recruited underling do the dirty work.

“Who is it?” Chu Ning called out bluntly. People who disturb others’ sleep rarely win favor; the fact that he even opened the door was a testament to his good nature.

As soon as the door cracked open, a pair of bloodstained hands shot through the gap, gripping the door tightly and trying to pull it wide. “Help me, please! Let me in, I beg you!” The man outside was Zhang Long, who had performed the ritual in the living room earlier. His face was contorted with terror.

Chu Ning saw a deep gash along Zhang Long’s left side, the flesh torn and bloodied. His left hand clutched at the wound, but it was too long for one hand to cover.

Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep and wasn’t life-threatening; his blood had already begun to congeal. Still, with his clothes soaked in blood, Zhang Long looked a sorry sight.

Seeing this, Chu Ning realized now wasn’t the time for questions. If he wanted to know what happened, he could let Zhang Long in and hear him out. Judging by his unstable demeanor, the danger hadn’t passed.

“Come in,” Chu Ning said, stepping aside to let Zhang Long hurry into the room. He poked his head out for a quick look up and down the dark corridor—nothing.

He shut the door completely and turned his attention to their uninvited guest. With Tanya having dragged the corpse into the bedroom, only Chu Ning remained in the living room, so the task of negotiation fell to him.

Tanya, having hidden the body, returned quietly to Chu Ning’s side. Rising on tiptoe, she whispered in his ear, “How can he see us? Aren’t we...?”

Chu Ning replied cryptically, “Because we’re alive, of course he can see us.”

Clearly, Tanya recognized the intruder—she would never forget the man who had barged into her home for that ritual. She felt no sympathy for Zhang Long’s gruesome injury; if anything, she wished it were worse.

“Ahem, perhaps you’d better tell us what happened outside. Who’s chasing you? Was it a ghost?”

With Chu Ning’s barrage of questions, Zhang Long’s expression grew more and more grim. He looked at Chu Ning in terror—it was obvious Chu Ning had guessed the truth.

Zhang Long was silent for a long time before finally answering, “One of my former companions is hunting us in the dark. He’s lost his mind completely, like something possessed by a demon, with inhuman strength. We couldn’t fight him, so we scattered. I was lucky—just caught a swipe and managed to escape.”

“I know it sounds unbelievable, and you probably don’t believe me. Forget it, just think of it as me being chased by someone—I’m asking for shelter. Afterwards, I’ll pay you for your trouble, I promise.”

Zhang Long figured that if he explained any further, they’d think he was mad and throw him out. He himself could barely accept what had happened. It was all beyond imagination—a haunted house, a companion turned into a monster, the eternal sixth floor.

If he hadn’t already braced himself for supernatural encounters, he would have lost his mind. By joining the “Horror Adventure” event, Zhang Long was prepared to die in the street—he knew the game’s mortality rate was sky-high, and few ever survived to claim the prize.

Every gambler believes they’ll be the final winner, and Zhang Long was no exception. He too believed he would live to claim the reward. Everyone who joined the game had their reasons, but who cared about that?

The size of the “Horror Adventure” prize was tied to the difficulty of the task. Seven people split a million—when you did the math, it wasn’t much. Zhang Long had chosen this mission for that reason; he was, in fact, terrified of dying.

That’s why he chose a task within his capability—so he could survive to spend the money.

But reality always has surprises in store. The mission was far more dangerous than expected, and that’s what had put Zhang Long in such peril. Still, he didn’t complain about fate—this was his lot, and he would bear it.

“Here, this is all the money I have—about a thousand. Once we get out safely, I’ll pay you more, much more.”

With that, Zhang Long pulled all the cash from his pocket and offered it to Chu Ning, who stood calmly before him. Zhang Long had a keen eye—if Chu Ning could stay composed in such a situation, he must have something up his sleeve.