Back at the police academy, I dabbled in all kinds of extracurricular clubs—self-defense, combat drills, kickboxing, tactical baton and shield, surveillance and counter-surveillance. I wasn't great at any of them, but I somehow ended up with a pretty solid body and lightning-fast reflexes.
Which is probably why, the moment I caught a glimpse of that pale, horrified face peeking out from under the long white dress—my gaze having followed that "ghost" from thigh to head—I managed to react in a fraction of a second.
I flipped up in a kip-up and clamped a hand over her mouth before she could scream.
No kidding, if the old landlord couple had seen that scene, I'd rather have been killed by a ghost on the spot.
"Don't move. I'm not here to hurt you."
I waited for the panic in the "ghost girl's" eyes to settle before I gently pushed her back into the room and quietly shut the door behind us.
Letting out a long sigh, I ignored the burn stinging on my shin and started picking up the knocked-over thermos and teacups.
"Hey, are you hurt?"
I was bent over, both hands full, probably looking a mess. "Honestly, I'm more interested in who you are and why you're here."
She was the same woman I'd seen earlier on the second floor. Despite the awkward angle and her barely covered body, she seemed oddly calm. "I haven't spoken to a normal person in so long. If this keeps up, I'm going to lose my mind."
"What do you mean? That old couple downstairs can't talk to you?"
"They're insane," she said with a bitter smile. Then she suddenly noticed the camera in my hand. She threw her arms around her chest and crouched to the floor. "Turn that thing off!"
Yeah, okay—this wasn't exactly a scene for kids. I quickly shifted the camera away, then hobbled over to the bed and pulled the sheet over her. "It was an accident, really. You've got nothing to worry about—I'm not some undercover cop or investigative reporter. I'm not here to hurt you."
"Then why the camera?"
"I'm a livestreamer. Outdoor stuff, mostly. I specialize in ghost hunts and supernatural exploration. I booked a room at this Peace Inn for content. So...yeah, your situation's kinda interesting to me."
"Ghost hunts?" Her expression could be summed up in three words: very. much. intrigued.
"You can see for yourself!" I chuckled, handing her my Nether Showroom phone.
The stream chat was exploding:
"I wanna see the girl!"
"Lewd streamer, I'm calling the cops!"
"Damn she's pretty."
"Yo, anyone know a fast-track boob enhancement method?"
"Selling protein drinks and free-range eggs in the front row!"
She watched the endless scroll of danmu with rare amusement, then glanced back at me with a kind of wistful envy. "You're lucky. You've got so many people keeping you company."
I sat on the edge of the bed, making sure to keep some distance. "That's your idea of happiness? You've got pretty low standards."
That gave her pause. She stared at me for a long time. "You wouldn't understand what it's like. And I wouldn't know how to explain it. We're strangers anyway. I just want to talk about lighter stuff tonight."
"Your call. Long night ahead—we've got time to talk about anything."
I smiled. Even small talk could reveal a lot, if you listened closely. Basic skill for a detective.
"Streamer's got that knowing smile—he's totally flirting with her."
"Girl, run! He's setting you up!"
"I've walked through too many of streamer bro's traps—don't fall for it!"
Through our conversation, I learned her name was Xiaofeng. She was the adopted daughter of the old couple.
Apparently, the adoption wasn't as simple as it seemed. When the inn was first being built, a half-priest-half-fengshui-master told the landlords the place was cursed. Major bad vibes. If they wanted peace, they'd need to balance yin and yang.
They had only one son. So to restore that balance, they adopted a daughter.
But there was something weird. When the subject of a missing toddler came up—a girl maybe two or three years old—Xiaofeng clammed up completely. It was like her name was a taboo in this building.
The deeper the conversation went, the more questions I had.
I was watching her carefully—she clearly wanted to tell me something, but held back, like she was afraid someone might overhear. I'd already checked her thoroughly for bugs. The room too—nothing but the ceiling lightbulb. No hidden tech.
What was she afraid of? Was there someone else in this room besides us? Or was it... something else?
Creepy place. Weird people.
The night was growing darker. Outside, the moon was gone, buried behind thick clouds. I gave Xiaofeng a gentle tap on the shoulder. "It's late. You should go, or your adoptive parents might get the wrong idea."
I pulled out my phone. "What's your WeChat? I ruined your dress—let me send you a red envelope to make up for it. My ID's 'Happy Pinnacle.'"
"You call yourself Happy Pinnacle? That name screams mid-life crisis."
"It's the name of my online store, thank you very much. You should follow me—I'll give you a discount."
Didn't get much out of her. I rubbed my temple, frustrated. Still no clues. Was I really just going to sit here and wait for something to happen?
Xiaofeng sat up. The sheet slipped off her shoulders. "I don't have a phone. My parents don't let me contact the outside world."
"Oh." She really was like some kind of captive pet—beautiful and young, but clearly hiding some terrible secrets inside.
"Can I stay here tonight?"
"Wait—what?" That caught me completely off guard.
"If I stay, they'll be happy."
"What does that mean? What kind of relationship do you even have with them?" I glanced at the dark window. "Whatever. If you want to stay, fine. It's better to have company."
I shifted over, giving her most of the bed. Then I started rolling up my pant leg to check the burn.
"Don't move—you'll get infected." Xiaofeng, still in her minimal clothes, sat beside me and gently lifted my leg onto her lap. "The skin's stuck to the fabric. If you pull it, you'll break the blister."
She clearly knew the room well. Reaching over to the nightstand, she pulled out a small pair of scissors and cut the pant leg open, then fetched a towel and cold water to clean the burn, gently patting it dry.
She was skilled and gentle—clearly used to housework. "What a waste," she muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just rest."
By the time she finished, it was already 1:30 a.m. Xiaofeng lay with her back to me, but I could tell from her breathing she wasn't asleep.
Better not mention the talismans under the bed.
I pulled out my phone. Maybe because no ghosts had shown up yet, viewership growth had slowed a bit.
"Shoutout to the streamer—resisting temptation like a true gentleman."
"Hey, 911? Someone's livestreaming inappropriate content over here!"
"Oops, wrong number—this is KFC."
"LOL, Ronald McDonald silently nods."
I lit a cigarette, reading the comments with amusement.
By 2 a.m., drowsiness finally hit. The chat was quieting down too. I covered Xiaofeng with a light blanket and lay back on my side of the bed, eyelids heavy.
"Streamer's totally planning to hog the girl once we're asleep—I'm staying up to expose him!"
"I got ethics class tomorrow, I'm out. Night everyone."
"Guess I was just being paranoid after all."
"Paranoid? Water weakens yin and yang. Smoke clouds the spirit. You're stirring the ghost's root, boy." —Liu Banxian from Qingcheng Mountain
I never saw Liu Banxian's message.
A wave of fatigue crashed over me, dragging me into sleep.
The dream felt strangely familiar. The abandoned inn. I was being held captive by a woman with a blurred face.
Wait—I dreamed this this morning. Same building. Same floors. Same walls.
Outside the window, the sign "Nu Xin Inn" glowed with a faint red light.
So this place in my dream… it's Peace Inn?
My awareness flickered in and out. I was running, but didn't know what from. I wanted to look back, but couldn't move. I wanted to scream, but had no voice.
Who's behind me? Who's behind me?!
I bit my tongue, veins bulging in my face, trying to wake up. But all I could do was twitch my neck.
Then the red bled in. From every corner of the inn, crimson seeped in like dye. My eyes caught a glimpse—a woman, just before everything faded to black.
She's…
"Hot!" I gasped, jerking awake. My shirt was drenched in sweat.
"What kind of dream was that?" I looked down. Right on my chest, exactly where I felt the heat, was the talisman I'd tucked away earlier.
Damn... that thing's definitely not normal.
I carefully put it away and looked up at the girl sleeping peacefully beside me.
Phew. She didn't notice anything. Girl sleeps like a rock.
Still... staring at someone while they're asleep like this felt weird. I turned over, arm under my head.
In front of me, another girl lay under the thin blanket. Peaceful breathing. Deep asleep.
"…Huh. Girl really does sleep like a rock—WAIT. WAIT. WAIT."
If the girl in front of me is Xiaofeng… then who the hell is the woman behind me?!