Ji Li Is Dead

"Rumble!"

Another thunderclap outside the window shattered a large patch of rain clouds, causing the heavy rain that had already stopped to descend upon the mortal world once more.

On the top floor of the eighteenth story, there was only one living person, walking with determined steps towards the final destination.

Ji Li's expression had shifted from initial gloom to resolute determination. With things having progressed to this point, he no longer had any choice.

The ghost, having shown signs of possessing him, meant that they could die at any moment from now on.

Time was running out.

When Ji Li arrived at the storeroom at the innermost end of the eighteenth floor, it was already 3:55 AM!

Even the deadline for the fake mission had reached its final five minutes.

A single line, a single door.

A voice, accompanied by the sudden downpour, shamelessly assailed Ji Li's ears.

"Push it open! Push it open! Push it open!"

"Boom!"

Ji Li kicked the door, a cold, gray glint flashing in his eyes, and sent the old wooden storeroom door flying open.

There was no light within, but the cold light behind Ji Li pierced through flesh and blood, drilling into the dark corners.

His brows furrowed as the wide view unfolded before him, revealing three corpses...

Their bodies were facing away from Ji Li, but their heads were turned 180 degrees, as if in a silent, fateful gaze with Ji Li, the sole survivor.

A creeping sense of dread intensified within Ji Li, and something within him was acting as a catalyst.

It was pushing him to go inside and uncover the truth!

"Since you've made up your mind, there's no need to hesitate!"

Ji Li strode forward with purpose, charging directly into the small storeroom.

The three corpses, from left to right: Lao Xue, Xiao Li, and an unfamiliar middle-aged man, who Ji Li presumed was Brother Xu.

Ji Li's first reaction was to rush in and drag the corpse of Xiao Li, who was in the center, out of the storeroom.

Although his actions were decisive and seemingly thoughtless, he knew very well that everything before him was likely a trap.

He didn't know where the danger was coming from, but if he could avoid entering the storeroom, he would!

The corpses were as stiff as bizarre statues. Ji Li forcibly dragged Xiao Li's body into the corridor. He didn't even look at the face, and directly reached into his pocket.

"The photo on the phone!"

Ji Li had not forgotten what the crux of the matter was.

The corpses were not important, nor was whatever had hidden these three people here. What was important was what that photo on Xiao Li's phone was!

As his palm touched a smooth, hard object, Ji Li's heart tightened; things were going smoother than he had anticipated.

He withdrew his hand, revealing an ordinary Android phone. Seeing the fingerprint unlock button, he pulled Xiao Li's hand from behind him.

He had already planned this before arriving on the eighteenth floor.

With fingerprint unlocking, all he needed was Xiao Li's phone and his corpse.

Xiao Li had mentioned in their chat records that the original photo was still saved in his album!

In just a few seconds, sweat had broken out on Ji Li's forehead. He desperately tried to pry open the stiff fingers of the dead man.

He tried one finger after another, but this task would take a lot of time.

This was because Xiao Li had died with his hands bent towards his head, and after death, his blood had cooled and solidified completely.

It felt like for every finger Ji Li tried, he had to exert all his strength to break its knuckle!

Time ticked by, and Ji Li's hair stood on end.

He felt a sense of unease, not because the current situation was too tense, nor because he was worried about the prolonged lack of incident, but because he felt that something around him was subtly changing...

This feeling wasn't exclusive to Ji Li; even the Third Personality was reacting.

"Ji Li, I feel like we're not quite the same anymore."

"Yes, I feel like there's some unknown entity around me, observing my every move..."

"No! I'm different from you. I've discovered that within our bodies, a soul is slowly awakening. With every action you take, its awakening aura grows faster!"

Ji Li froze instantly, then abruptly turned his head to look at the open storeroom door.

The remaining two corpses inside were motionless. He then glanced at Xiao Li's corpse lying beneath him.

There was no abnormality.

But the Third Personality's words made him feel even more pressed. He wasn't worried about ghosts, but rather about the gray soul within him!

"Why...

Why does the person in my heart surge with my actions..."

"Ding dong..."

A voice interrupted Ji Li's thoughts, pulling him out of that heart-pounding sensation!

The phone unlocked!

"Let's go, let's go! We need to get out of here. I feel an bone-chilling coldness! The ghost must be right here!"

The Third Personality's frantic screaming urged Ji Li to leave the place immediately.

He didn't need to be told. The moment the phone unlocked, Ji Li had already bent down and shot out from his spot, heading straight for the stairwell!

He tightly gripped the phone in his palm, running quickly while swiping through the screen, trying to find that photo!

"The elevator entrance is ahead. There's no door, be careful you don't fall in. Turn left!"

Ji Li was completely focused on searching the photos on his phone, while the Third Personality acted as a guide, directing his escape route in his mind.

"The six-hour limit is almost up... I can still feel the ghost near us. It never left. Why hasn't it made its move yet?"

Everything was being said by the Third Personality; Ji Li had no room to be distracted.

Photo after photo slid past his fingertips. The urgency of the situation was about to crush the nerves of any living person.

The sweat Ji Li was exuding had already soaked through his clothes, and his hair was blowing wildly without any wind.

"Where is it... where is it..."

Until, he suddenly scrolled to a photo filled with mosaics, and his fingertip stopped.

At the same time, his body halted before the elevator shaft, which lacked a door, just one step away from the cliff-like empty shaft.

The picture was loading due to Ji Li's frequent swiping.

But through the outlines, Ji Li could discern a red handprint within the chaotic scene.

"Faster! Faster!"

Once the loading was complete, the picture was fully revealed to Ji Li.

And this sight instantly made Ji Li's scalp tingle. A truth emerged from the scene in the photo!

"So... it was like this!"

Ji Li put Xiao Li's phone into his embrace, then took out his own hotel phone from his pocket!

"The real mission, I know it now. It's inside the hotel phone!"

The email from the hotel account was quickly opened, appearing before Ji Li's eyes.

A true mission, which had been dormant and tormenting for a long time, quietly appeared.

The false mission details Ji Li had seen earlier were replaced once he saw the photo Xiao Li had secretly taken...

The opportunity arose, and the true mission details were finally revealed!

"Recipient: Tianhai Hotel, Shop No. 7 Acting Manager Ji Li.

Starting from 10:00 PM on October 26, 2015, for a duration of 12 hours.

Upon discovering these true mission details, you are to identify the ghost's location by any means necessary to be considered successful in guiding the ghost.

Note 1: For the first six hours of this mission, the ghost cannot cause substantial harm to the staff;

Note 2: To complete the mission, you must pinpoint the ghost's current specific location, otherwise it will not be considered valid;

Note 3: This mission is special. The ghost does not exist in a conventional form, but all six staff members must complete their individual identifications, otherwise they cannot return."

"The ghost... is actually..."

The moment Ji Li saw the true mission, all his previous doubts were cleared up.

"So, the ghost has been with us all along..."

But before he could even finish this sentence, Ji Li suddenly felt his mind and thoughts come to an instantaneous halt!

Even his thoughts had become stagnant!

In his peripheral vision, he saw Xiao Li's phone emit a glaring red light, which quickly spread to him!

Ji Li's hands moved uncontrollably towards his own head. He had no power to resist this process.

Because once possessed by a ghost, there was only inescapable death!

Ji Li's head snapped instantly. He had discovered the true mission, knew the way to survive, and knew the ghost's location.

But it was all too late. The disaster had revealed itself the moment he reached the fifth floor, and the ghost had been brewing within him for too long.

Ji Li had no chance to fight back.

His body fell into the empty shaft, while the hotel phone was left behind on the eighteenth floor, shattering into pieces!

"Ji Li!!!!"

In the moment before his death, only the Third Personality let out a silent, furious roar in his mind, but no one could hear it.