The Collapsed Building

The abandoned building was shrouded in gloom, with only occasional light streaming in whenever they passed a window.

The air was thick with the stench of rot and mold.

From deep within the deathly silent corridor came the faint, steady sound of dripping water. Drip, drip.

The moment they entered, everyone felt an inexplicable chill, as if the temperature around them had suddenly dropped several degrees. The silence was terrifying; only their footsteps echoed faintly through the darkness.

"Old Crow's intelligence says the thing we're looking for is on the second basement level of this building. That used to be the parking garage, but because the building was damaged, there are currently only two confirmed ways in and out of the underground parking garage. One is the emergency stairwell on the east side, and the other is Elevator Shaft No. 1 in Zone B1."

"For us, there's really only one entrance and exit: the eastern emergency stairwell. The elevator shaft isn't realistic. We're all ordinary people, and climbing an elevator shaft is far too dangerous and too slow. So I hope everyone remembers the escape route. If anything happens and you get lost on the second basement level, you'll be knocking on death's door."

"Old Crow's latest intelligence says danger will appear as early as the first basement level. But since we're ordinary people, the dangers on the first level can most likely be avoided. The truly lethal danger is on the second level, and the closer we get to a certain source, the greater the danger."

Wei Li, the doctor, spoke to himself as he walked.

His tone was calm, his words clear, and his expression grave and earnest.

"In my opinion, we should just wander around the first basement level and head back. Wouldn't it be nice to pick up fifty thousand for free?" Zhang Kaiwen's eyes shifted as he came up with a half-hearted plan.

Li Yi immediately said, "They've already anticipated that. That mysterious woman who activated the Spirit Medium earlier is probably watching us in secret. If we try to muddle through this, we'll probably be silenced the moment we leave this building."

"I heard that people who activate the Spirit Medium can see things ordinary people can't. I don't know whether that's true, but if it is, then we've definitely been under surveillance this whole time. So your suggestion isn't very realistic," Liu Yan said softly.

"What a bunch of weak-kneed cowards. I'm ashamed to work with you. The fact that we've made it to the second basement level means Heaven has given us a chance to fight for a strange artifact. Once I get one, what's two million? I'll make that woman outside kneel before me and kowtow three times, then lick the soles of my shoes clean."

Wang Hu spoke without the slightest restraint, making no attempt to hide what was in his heart.

Yet no one refuted him.

Deep down, who didn't want to change their fate?

"Heh, that's right. My life's rotten anyway. If I'm going to risk it, I might as well risk it to the bitter end. Even getting fifty thousand won't change much. But if I really get my hands on a strange artifact, then from now on, I'll be one of the movers and shakers of this world. One life's fate will become the fate of ten thousand lives." Zhang Kaiwen was swept up by Wang Hu's thoughts and immediately changed his mind.

"If I get a strange artifact, even if I choose to hand it over directly, I'll still be able to enter Golden Academy and completely change my fate," Liu Yan said softly.

After hearing them, Li Yi's heart could not help but pound.

Because they were right.

Getting that money would only put out the fire at his feet. His parents were Silent Ones; they needed better Medical Pods and Nutrient Solution to sustain their lives. The future expenses would be astronomical. Fifty thousand was a drop in the bucket. Besides, he had no ability, no background, and no talent for cultivation.

If he could truly obtain a strange artifact, everything could change.

But excitement was one thing. Reason told him that perhaps there were no strange artifacts here at all—only danger lurking in the darkness. Greed would only make him die here for nothing.

During that brief conversation, they had already ventured deep into the collapsed building and soon spotted the stairway leading to the underground parking garage.

The stairs descended into ever-thickening darkness, like an abyss that filled them with unease.

Everyone immediately switched on the flashlights Old Crow had prepared for them beforehand.

As the beams lit up, much of the surrounding darkness was driven back.

After looking around and confirming there was nothing unusual, the five of them finally followed the stairs down toward the second basement parking garage.

Along the way, everyone remained on high alert. Even their footsteps on the stairs were deliberately softened, afraid of disturbing something in the darkness.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. There was no danger.

The five of them reached the first basement level.

But they did not stop, because Old Crow had already explored the first basement level. Though it was dangerous, there was nothing valuable there. It was only after entering the second basement level that they had encountered danger and mishaps. Both times, they had returned empty-handed and suffered heavy losses.

Therefore, Li Yi and the others' task was to begin their search from the second basement level.

However, as they continued down the stairs, Wang Hu, who was in front, suddenly stopped.

Their flashlight beams shone ahead.

The darkness before them receded, revealing a corpse sprawled across the steps. Its skin was ghastly pale, its body steeped in deathly stillness. Its neck was stiff, its head thrown back at an unnatural angle, and one arm was held rigidly in the air. It looked as though it had struggled desperately to flee the underground parking garage behind it, only to be targeted by something and die miserably here.

"What rotten luck. It's a corpse," Wang Hu said.

He did not pay it any mind. Instead, he calmly stepped over the body and continued onward.

The others gave it a brief look, carefully skirted around it, and followed behind Wang Hu.

But then Wei Li suddenly said in a low voice, "There's something wrong with that corpse."

"It's just a corpse. What, scared?" Zhang Kaiwen replied.

"Don't forget, I'm a doctor. I've handled more corpses than you have. I took a close look at that body just now. There were no livor mortis marks and no signs of decay. That's very abnormal. And the place where it appeared was strange too. It didn't look like it died on the stairs from the beginning. It looked more like someone moved it there from somewhere else," Wei Li said seriously.

"Wei Li, you should've said that earlier." As soon as Zhang Kaiwen spoke, he turned his flashlight toward the corpse behind them.

He wanted to see whether the body really had a problem, just as Wei Li had said.

But his expression soon froze.

The corpse from before had vanished.

"The corpse... it's gone." Zhang Kaiwen's eyes widened. "What kind of joke is this? It was just there. Did that thing run off by itself in the blink of an eye?"

At the sight of the empty steps, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

"Maybe that wasn't a corpse. Maybe it was a Ghost. Don't forget what Old Crow said before: this building is haunted. That's why they didn't dare go deep into the second basement level."

Li Yi's face was extremely grim as he voiced a terrifying reality.

They had most likely run into a ghost.

"You know, ghosts didn't originally exist in the world we lived in. It was only after the Skyfall Event that the legends of Ghosts and Monsters were proven true. But ghosts can only remain in certain special areas, because they need some kind of power to sustain themselves. Otherwise, they'll dissipate. If there are ghosts here, it means something is providing them with power."

After her brief panic, excitement rose in Liu Yan's eyes. "Then the object at the source is very likely a strange artifact."

"Then what are we waiting for? How could a bit of filthy stuff scare me off?" Wang Hu strode toward the second basement level.

"Today's the day I defy Heaven and change my fate. I, Zhang Kaiwen, am only missing this one chance to turn my life around. What's so scary about ghosts? Poverty is scarier."

Zhang Kaiwen grinned, ignored the hidden dangers, and quickly followed.

Li Yi took a deep breath and followed without hesitation.

Liu Yan and Wei Li did not hesitate either.

Having come this far, there was no possibility of backing down.

Very soon, they entered the second basement level.

Yet the situation here was completely different from what they had imagined.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of silt. Many unknown withered yellow weeds grew from the mud, giving off a faint glow in the darkness. From afar, they looked like ghostly graveyard flames, scattered in twinkling points. In the distance stood several wooden houses that had already half-collapsed. Their style was ancient, nothing like anything modern, more like an abandoned village from antiquity.

If not for the many abandoned cars half-buried in the mud around them, they would have thought they had entered an unfamiliar world.

"Let's split up. Whether we survive or find a strange artifact will depend on our own abilities."

After saying that, Zhang Kaiwen headed off in one direction without looking back.

"Sounds reasonable." Wang Hu looked around and chose a direction as well.

"This place is very dangerous. Maybe it would be better if we stayed together," Li Yi said after thinking it over.

Wei Li smiled faintly beside him. "Young man, you should understand. It's fine if none of us finds a strange artifact. But if someone does, then staying together will lead to infighting. No one wants a knife in the back. Splitting up is better for everyone. At least it lets us preserve a little dignity."

After saying that, he left as well.

Liu Yan remained silent. After hesitating for a moment, she too began to move on her own.

Very soon, the five-person team fell apart at once, each going their separate way.