Brother Feng shrank further into himself, his back pressing into the corner of the bed. The way Chen Ge stood there—bloodstained clothes, that unsettling doll in his grip—made his imagination spiral. This man looks like he'd dismember corpses just to improve his haunted house's "authenticity." A cold sweat trickled down his spine. Am I even leaving alive?
Chen Ge sighed. "Relax, I was joking." Disappointment tinged his voice. He'd seen potential in Brother Feng—the way he'd resisted the mirror's control, even fought back with sheer willpower. With the right training, he could've been useful. Someone like that was rare.
For a fleeting moment, Chen Ge had considered recruiting him. The supernatural threats were growing, and allies were scarce. But one glance at Brother Feng's shell-shocked expression told him it was hopeless. Some people aren't built for this world.
"Guess it's just me, then," Chen Ge muttered, locking the Murder by Midnight scenario behind him. As he guided Brother Feng downstairs, his black phone buzzed violently in his pocket. His stomach lurched—bad news always comes at the worst time.
He yanked it out, pulse racing, only to freeze at the screen:
[Notification]
Monthly Visitors: 100+
Reputation: 60% Positive
CONDITIONS MET FOR HAUNTED HOUSE EXPANSION!
WARNING: Each expansion grants a mysterious reward.
After 3 expansions, the venue upgrades to a MAZE OF TERROR.
Expansion already? Chen Ge's mind whirred. While growth was good, his priority was the mirror entity—a ticking time bomb. One crisis at a time.
Stepping outside, he was blinded by sunlight. The medical students sprawled across the haunted house's steps like casualties of war. Some clutched their heads, others stared blankly at the sky, their makeup streaked with tears. Every few seconds, a twitch or whimper proved they were, in fact, still alive.
Chen Ge blinked. This feels familiar. Yet the scale of devastation dwarfed anything he'd seen before. Forty minutes. That's all it took to break them.
Around them, tourists whispered and pointed. Chen Ge ignored them. If they wanted tame, they'd visit a petting zoo.
With a thud, he deposited Brother Feng beside his traumatized peers. The "happy family" was reunited—a mosaic of shattered nerves and thousand-yard stares.
"Xiao Chen! Get over here!"
Uncle Xu's voice cut through the murmuring crowd like a foghorn. The middle-aged man stood with his hands on his hips, his expression caught between exasperation and disbelief. "What am I supposed to do with you?" He gestured at the dazed students sprawled across the steps. "Last time, you scared someone unconscious. Today, you took out seven at once! Are you trying to get our park shut down?"
Chen Ge's gaze flickered sideways, and he cleared his throat. "They came for a haunted house experience. I just gave them the best one possible—how is that my fault?" He raised his hands defensively. "Zero physical contact. Check the cameras. Everything was by the book."
Uncle Xu's eye twitched. "Cut the act. Then explain that." He subtly pointed toward Xiao Hui, who was nursing a bump on the back of her head. His voice dropped to a whisper. "You expect me to believe that just happened?"
"I swear, I'm innocent!" Chen Ge's tone was the picture of wounded sincerity. "I was hiding in a cupboard, minding my own business, when she grabbed my shirt and yanked me out. She even shined a flashlight right in my eyes—blinded me on the spot! Before I could say a word, she panicked and whacked her head on the wall." He sighed dramatically. "If anything, I'm the victim here."
Uncle Xu stared at him. "So you're the one who suffered?"
Chen Ge blinked. "Isn't that obvious?" Although he used her virgin vagina to relax himself afterwards, Chen Ge still felt that he was the suffered side.
"Stop treating this like a joke." Uncle Xu sighed, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening. "You need to be more careful. What if someone gets seriously hurt? Or worse—what if you run into someone unreasonable? It could ruin your haunted house's reputation for good."
"I know, I know. Any other pearls of wisdom?" Chen Ge nodded along while mentally rolling his eyes. If someone really wants to cause trouble, I'll just give them the 'love letter.' Let's see who's more unreasonable then.
Uncle Xu studied Chen Ge's face and immediately recognized his words were falling on deaf ears. After a long pause, he continued, heavier now: "Xiao Chen, I know you don't have to listen to me. But with your parents gone, someone needs to say these things."
"I'm listening." Chen Ge straightened slightly.
"This morning, Xu Wan said you were on TV—claiming to be the key witness who helped solve that arson case four years ago." Uncle Xu's expression darkened. "Was that true?"
"Yes."
"What were you doing in a haunted house at night? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Those were murderers!" Uncle Xu barreled on, leaving no room for argument. "If you needed money, there were safer ways. I could've helped with your utility bills. You're young—don't throw yourself into danger for a quick payout."
"Don't worry, Uncle Xu. I know what I'm doing."
"I hope so." The older man turned to leave, then added sharply: "Now get those kids off the ground. Having them sprawled everywhere makes the whole park look bad."
"Wait—" Chen Ge caught his arm. "I... actually need a favor."
Uncle Xu raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
Chen Ge rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Could you lend me 5,000 RMB? I want to install cameras throughout the haunted house. I'll pay you back as soon as the reward money comes through." After the incidents with He San and Brother Feng, covering every blind spot had become a priority.
"You're still investing in this place?" Uncle Xu froze, then pulled Chen Ge into the shade, his voice dropping. "I'll lend it, but listen—this park is dying. Putting money here is like tossing it into the ocean."
He glanced around before continuing: "We've been running for eleven years. Everything's outdated. Today's crowds want VR, cutting-edge experiences—things we can't offer. We're being phased out. Every other attraction's attendance is plummeting. Even the janitors are planning their exits."
"I know that." Chen Ge's resolve didn't waver. Security upgrades were non-negotiable.
"You know that? What do you know?" Uncle Xu switched off his walkie-talkie with a sharp click. "Eastern Jiujiang's VR Futuristic Carnival is about to open. It'll be one of the country's first fourth-gen theme parks. When it does, we'll be obsolete. Tell me—how do we compete with that?" He shook his head. "Everyone here, from management down, is scrambling for an escape plan. And you? You're the only fool still charging forward."