Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Yibing finally recruits Lu Manning to play Maeda Suzuna after a month of searching.
• Rumors spread about the curse of Maeda Suzuna, with previous actresses dying within two years of playing the role.
• Lu Manning is involved in a car accident after playing the role.
• The group learns about the curse of the senior student, the kimono, and the true story behind Maeda Suzuna.
• They decide to visit Lu Manning in the hospital and Chen Xiaoxiu in the ward.
• I notice a cherry blossom petal on Chen Xiaoxiu's shoulder, similar to the petals on the cursed kimono.

Character Developments

• Ma Yibing becomes more attentive and caring towards his team members due to his fear of them backing out.
• Lanlan becomes more protective of her cousin and determined to uncover the truth behind the curse.
• I become more involved in the mystery surrounding the curse and Chen Xiaoxiu's condition.

Significant Themes

• The curse of Maeda Suzuna and its impact on the actresses who play the role.
• The power of belief and superstition in affecting people's lives.
• The consequences of keeping secrets and not sharing information.

Character Interactions

• Ma Yibing and Lanlan argue over the curse and Lu Manning's accident.
• I, the skinny guy, and Ma Yibing visit Lu Manning in the hospital.
• The group visits Chen Xiaoxiu in the ward, and I notice the cherry blossom petal on her shoulder.
• The old leader confronts me about my involvement in the matter.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Lin Qi sees cherry blossoms on Chen Xiaoqiu's shoulders, which he realizes are connected to the kimono Lu Manning is wearing.
• They rush to City South Hospital, where they find Lu Manning missing, having changed into a black kimono with cherry blossom patterns.
• Lin Qi, Guo Yujie, and the lean guy search for Lu Manning and find her on the hospital rooftop, wearing the kimono and surrounded by five ghostly figures.
• Lin Qi shouts, causing Lu Manning to faint and the kimono to disappear. They bring her back to the ward.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi discovers he can see ghostly figures, which he hadn't experienced before.
• Lu Manning's condition worsens, leading to her fainting spell.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural and its connection to the kimono.
• The urgency of the situation, with time running out.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi, Guo Yujie, and the lean guy work together to find Lu Manning.
• Lin Qi's shout causes Lu Manning to faint, potentially saving her from the kimono's influence.
• The group reunites at the hospital ward, relieved to have found Lu Manning.

Key Plot Points

• Lu Manning, who had surgery, suddenly walks out of the ward in a kimono and collapses.
• The kimono disappears, and Lu Manning's condition worsens.
• The group splits up to search for the kimono: A Rui and Ma Yibing go to the school, Guo Yujie and Lanlan check on Chen Xiaoqiu, and Da Guang stays with Lu Manning. Qi Ge goes to Qingye Agency.

Character Developments

• Qi Ge: Shows leadership and determination in facing the supernatural threat.
• Lu Manning: Her condition deteriorates after wearing the kimono.
• Lanlan: Becomes more involved and proactive in the situation.
• Ma Yibing: Shows fear and anxiety, but follows Qi Ge's lead.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural threat and its consequences.
• Friendship and unity in the face of adversity.
• The search for solutions and answers.

Character Interactions

• Qi Ge and the group: They work together to find the kimono and save their friends.
• Qi Ge and Lanlan: They have a cousin relationship, with Lanlan looking up to Qi Ge.
• Qi Ge and Ma Yibing: Ma Yibing is the most panicked and relies on Qi Ge's decisions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, along with Shouzi and Ma Yibing, retrieves a kimono from the drama academy's storage room, which they believe is haunted.
• They bring the kimono to the protagonist's office to burn it, using a lighter and a bucket of cooking oil.
• Despite burning completely, the kimono reappears, this time in the protagonist's grasp, standing upright as if worn by an invisible entity.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows determination and fearlessness in his quest to destroy the kimono.
• Shouzi is terrified of the kimono and the situation, displaying cowardice and caution.
• Ma Yibing is cooperative but also frightened, showing a mix of bravery and fear.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural: The kimono's ability to reappear after burning suggests a supernatural force at play.
• Fear and Courage: Characters face their fears, with varying levels of bravery and caution.
• Determination: The protagonist is determined to stop the kimono's mischief, even in the face of fear.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist, Shouzi, and Ma Yibing work together to burn the kimono, despite their fears.
• Shouzi and Ma Yibing rely on the protagonist for guidance and protection.
• The protagonist's actions and decisions are met with surprise and fear from Shouzi and Ma Yibing.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi discovers a human head growing from his clothes, which turns out to be an old woman in a kimono.
• The kimono reveals four women standing together, one of which transforms into a young beauty and then back into an old woman.
• Qi burns the kimono, hearing a young girl's wail and witnessing a bizarre, petal-like fire.
• The old woman's face appears in the fire, begging for help before lunging at Qi.
• The kimono turns to ashes, and Qi's hand returns to normal.

Character Developments

• Qi: Shows bravery and determination in facing the supernatural entity, and possibly opens his Heavenly Eye.
• Fatty: Concerned for Qi's well-being, and aware of the strange nature of Qingye Spiritualist Agency.
• Ma Yibing: Impressed by Qi's actions, views him as a master, and is warned by Fatty to keep silent about the incident.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural entities and their behavior.
• The power of fire in combating supernatural forces.
• The potential opening of Qi's Heavenly Eye, hinting at future changes in his life.

Character Interactions

• Qi and Fatty: Show concern and understanding towards each other, with Fatty aware of Qi's unusual experiences and Qi sharing his premonitions with Fatty.
• Qi and Ma Yibing: Ma Yibing is impressed by Qi's actions and views him as a master, while Qi is cautious around Ma Yibing due to his loose tongue.
• Fatty and Ma Yibing: Fatty warns Ma Yibing to keep silent about the incident, showing a protective stance towards Qi.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist has a dream about a woman who was abandoned by her husband, suffered greatly, and died alone and resentful.
• The protagonist's sister asks him to attend her parent-teacher conference.
• The protagonist finds Qingye's file, which details a man named Zhang Zhi who won the lottery and then experienced a series of misfortunes.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows empathy for the woman in his dream but also understands the plight of the girls she killed.
• The protagonist's sister shows dependence on him and tries to manipulate him into attending her conference.
• Zhang Zhi, from Qingye's file, shows responsibility towards his family but also superstition about his luck.

Significant Themes

• Karma and retribution: The woman in the dream suffers greatly due to her resentment, and Zhang Zhi experiences misfortunes after winning the lottery.
• Family responsibility: Both the protagonist and Zhang Zhi prioritize their family's needs.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and his sister have a brief interaction where she tries to convince him to attend her conference.
• The protagonist and Slimy have a silent understanding about the latter's concern for the protagonist's well-being.
• Guo Yujie and the protagonist exchange a few words before she leaves to visit patients.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Mr. Zhang, wins a large lottery five years ago, triggering a series of unexpected events.
• His wife, uncle, business partner, and daughter all die under different circumstances within these five years.
• Mr. Zhang seeks help from various sources, including feng shui masters and monks, but to no avail.
• He consults a professional team to investigate his unusual situation.

Character Developments

• Mr. Zhang: Initially happy about his lottery win, he becomes increasingly distressed and desperate as those around him die.
• The Investigator: Remains skeptical but professional, trying to find logical explanations for the events.

Significant Themes

• Coincidence vs. Supernatural: The investigator tries to determine if the deaths are mere coincidences or something more sinister.
• Luck and Misfortune: The chapter explores the idea of good luck turning into bad, as Mr. Zhang's fortune seems to bring misfortune to those around him.

Character Interactions

• Mr. Zhang interacts with various professionals, including feng shui masters and monks, seeking help for his situation.
• The Investigator and his team discuss the case, trying to find logical explanations for the events.
• Mr. Zhang's interactions with his wife, uncle, business partner, and daughter are mentioned, highlighting the loss he feels with each death.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang, a businessman, won a lottery five years ago and is now wealthy. He seeks help from an investigator due to an eerie pattern of deaths around him.
• The investigator finds a similar case from 1996: Lin Yifan, who also became wealthy overnight and experienced a series of deaths around him before committing suicide in 2003.
• Zhang is advised to minimize contact with others to prevent being the next target.

Character Developments

• Zhang: Initially confident, he becomes increasingly anxious and isolated as the investigation progresses.
• Investigator: Persistent and thorough, they remain calm despite the supernatural nature of the case.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural wealth and its consequences.
• The randomness and unpredictability of supernatural events.
• The isolation and desperation that wealth can bring.

Character Interactions

• Zhang and the Investigator: Zhang is cooperative but increasingly distressed, while the Investigator is professional and reassuring.
• Zhang and Lin Yifan (through news articles and interviews): Zhang becomes obsessed with Lin Yifan's story, seeing parallels with his own situation.
• The Investigator and Sun Xiangbao (Lin Yifan's former colleague): The Investigator gathers crucial information about Lin Yifan's past, revealing his motivation for entering business.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Yifan, a former colleague of Sun Ping, becomes wealthy but is plagued by rumors about his factory causing deaths and using Feng Shui formations to absorb spirits for wealth.
• Sun Ping reveals that a former employee, Wu Ze, was the first to spread these rumors.
• Lin Yifan's wife and son die, and he wants to close the factory but can't due to its scale and the livelihoods it supports.
• Wu Ze, contacted later, confirms the strange deaths and believes Lin Yifan wanted everyone to leave the factory.
• Lin Yifan eventually commits suicide, and after his death, people realize the extent of the deaths among his friends and relatives.

Character Developments

• Lin Yifan: Becomes wealthy but is haunted by rumors and personal tragedies. He seems to want to close his factory but is unable to, leading to his suicide.
• Sun Ping: Initially doesn't seem to think much of the rumors but later acknowledges their strangeness.
• Wu Ze: Notices the abnormal frequency of deaths around Lin Yifan and believes Lin Yifan wants people to leave the factory. He has a past ability to see spirits.

Significant Themes

• Wealth and its consequences: Lin Yifan's wealth brings him both material success and personal tragedy.
• Ignorance and denial: People around Lin Yifan initially ignore or deny the strange events happening.
• Supernatural influence: The presence of spirits and the potential influence of Feng Shui on the factory's events.

Character Interactions

• Sun Ping and Lin Yifan: They maintain a distant relationship, with Sun Ping attending Lin Yifan's wife's funeral but not being very involved in his life.
• Wu Ze and Lin Yifan: Wu Ze is the only one who notices the strange deaths with Lin Yifan, and they discuss the phenomenon. Lin Yifan seems to want Wu Ze to leave the factory.
• Wu Ze and Sun Ping: Sun Ping reveals Wu Ze's role in spreading the rumors to the investigators.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang, a wealthy businessman, discovers a photo of Lin Yifan, a man who committed suicide, wearing a unique Guanyin jade pendant, which he claims to have found in the river before winning the lottery.
• Zhang reveals he found the pendant on Binjiang Avenue, where Lin Yifan jumped into the river, and he believes he lost it in the river.
• Zhang's company receives a big order, and his vice president dies in a home invasion the same day.
• The investigators suggest Zhang "welcome the God of Poverty" to lure out the aggressive jade pendant, as they can't find it in the river or determine its origin.
• Zhang moves to a shantytown in South Town to live in poverty, cut off from the outside world, to attract the jade pendant and potentially capture it.

Character Developments

• Zhang: Becomes increasingly scared and paranoid as more people around him die. He agrees to live in poverty to lure out the jade pendant.
• Lin Yifan (deceased): His past actions and the jade pendant's significance are revealed. His suicide and the jade pendant's role in Zhang's fortune are connected.

Significant Themes

• Greed and its consequences: Zhang's desire for wealth leads to a series of unfortunate events, mirroring Lin Yifan's fate.
• Superstition and belief in the supernatural: The jade pendant is believed to bring wealth and misfortune, and the God of Poverty is invoked to counteract its influence.

Character Interactions

• Zhang interacts with the investigators, providing information about the jade pendant and agreeing to their plan to lure it out.
• Zhang's past interaction with a client is mentioned, hinting at a possible connection between the client and the jade pendant.
• Zhang's vice president's death is mentioned, showing the jade pendant's influence on those around Zhang.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The client, Mr. Zhang, encounters the God of Poverty, who moves into his house.
• Mr. Zhang has a dream about a cracked Guanyin statue and the God of Poverty watching him.
• The God of Poverty leaves, and talismans protecting Mr. Zhang's house are destroyed.
• Mr. Zhang's investments fail, and he believes the God of Poverty's influence is gone.
• Several months later, Mr. Zhang calls in panic, seeing a scarred and bleeding Guanyin statue outside his window.
• Qingye's people arrive and find fragments of a jade pendant with red traces, which they destroy.

Character Developments

• Mr. Zhang: Initially scared of the God of Poverty, he becomes more accepting and even finds the situation amusing when he starts losing money. However, he becomes terrified again when he sees the Guanyin statue.
• The God of Poverty: He is described as an old beggar who causes financial loss but doesn't directly harm people.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural Entities: The God of Poverty and the malevolent Guanyin statue are supernatural entities that affect Mr. Zhang's life.
• Financial Loss and Gain: The God of Poverty causes financial loss, while Mr. Zhang experiences both loss and gain throughout the chapter.

Character Interactions

• Mr. Zhang interacts with Qingye's people, who provide protection and advice throughout the incident.
• The God of Poverty interacts with Mr. Zhang in his dream, watching him and then disappearing.
• The malevolent Guanyin statue interacts with Mr. Zhang by appearing outside his window and causing him fear.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Qi Ge, and his colleagues try to communicate with the spirits of Qingye using incense and paper money, hoping to understand why the spirits helped them and what they want.
• They spend the night in the office, with Qi Ge exploring the long corridor and touching the painting at the end, finding it nailed to the wall.
• That night, none of them dream of the Qingye spirits.
• The next day, they learn that Chen Xiaqiu and Lu Manning are recovering and will be discharged soon.
• Two psychologists, He Juan and Zheng Xinxin, arrive to help Wang Hui, Old Mr. Wang's daughter, deal with her father's mental state.

Character Developments

• Qi Ge shows leadership and calmness in the face of the supernatural events.
• The skinny guy and the fat guy are scared and superstitious, affecting their sleep.
• Wang Hui is distressed and desperate due to her mother's disappearance and her father's mental state.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural elements and their interaction with humans.
• The impact of loss and uncertainty on mental health.
• The struggle between acceptance and denial in the face of tragedy.

Character Interactions

• Qi Ge, the skinny guy, and the fat guy work together to communicate with the Qingye spirits.
• Guo Yujie shares good news about Chen Xiaqiu and Lu Manning's recovery.
• He Juan and Zheng Xinxin interact with Wang Hui, trying to understand her father's situation.
• Wang Hui expresses her gratitude to the demolition office and her distress about her parents.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Hui begs her father, Old Man Wang, to accept her mother's death, but he remains stubborn.
• The group visits Old Man Wang's house for psychological counseling. He seems cheerful but transforms when discussing his wife.
• The counselors, He Juan and Zheng Xinxin, assess Old Man Wang's condition and plan for long-term counseling.

Character Developments

• Wang Hui: Shows distress and determination to help her father.
• Old Man Wang: Struggles with accepting his wife's death, displaying emotional instability.
• The Narrator (You): Feels an uneasy sensation in Old Man Wang's house.

Significant Themes

• Grief and denial: Old Man Wang's inability to accept his wife's death.
• The passage of time: The alley remains unchanged after two years.

Character Interactions

• Wang Hui and Old Man Wang: Their interaction highlights Old Man Wang's stubbornness and Wang Hui's distress.
• The counselors and Old Man Wang: They try to understand and help Old Man Wang cope with his grief.
• The Narrator and Guo Yujie: They decide to revisit the alley where the crime might have occurred, showing their determination to solve the case.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guo Yujie and Lin Qi investigate Grandma Wang's disappearance.
• Lin Qi feels an intense gaze and sees a pair of eyes through posters in an empty storefront.
• They encounter workers unloading semi-finished products from an electric tricycle.
• Lin Qi pretends to be fine but later admits to Guo Yujie that he saw a ghost.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Shows bravery and quick thinking in the face of the supernatural. He keeps his experience with the ghostly kimono a secret from Guo Yujie.
• Guo Yujie: Demonstrates concern for Lin Qi's well-being. She's straightforward and not easily frightened, but she's also naive and inexperienced in investigation work.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural Elements: The chapter introduces a ghostly presence, adding a layer of mystery and fear to the investigation.
• Appearance vs. Reality: Lin Qi and Guo Yujie judge people based on their appearances (e.g., the milk station owner), but Lin Qi later realizes the importance of not doing so.
• Investigation and Perception: Lin Qi and Guo Yujie's investigation is hindered by their different perceptions and interpretations of events.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Guo Yujie: They work together to investigate Grandma Wang's disappearance, with Lin Qi guiding Guo Yujie and protecting her from potential dangers.
• Lin Qi and the Ghost: Lin Qi experiences a chilling encounter with a ghostly presence, which he keeps secret from Guo Yujie.
• Lin Qi and Xiao Gu: Lin Qi secretly asks Xiao Gu to look into the police files about Old Man Wang's wife's disappearance, hinting at his growing concern about the case.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The client, Zhang Deyi, moved into a renovated old house and started hearing strange noises at night, resembling fingernails scratching from inside the cabinets.
• His wife eventually traced the sound to their bedroom wardrobe, where they found faint blood-like fingernail marks.
• The case file of Grandma Wang's disappearance is reviewed, with the most suspicious shop being the processing point of Old Man Li's cooked food stall, where Sun Juxiang, Old Man Li's wife, was accidentally killed.

Character Developments

• Qi (the protagonist) initially suspects the ghost he saw at the cooked food stall was Grandma Wang, but later considers it might be Sun Juxiang due to the circumstances of her death.
• Xiao Gu, the beat cop, is revealed to have a military background and is helpful in providing information about Grandma Wang's case.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural occurrences in the home (focusing on the wardrobe)
• Investigation and suspicion in a missing person case
• Ghostly presence and potential malevolence

Character Interactions

• Qi interacts with Xiao Gu, seeking his help to access Grandma Wang's case file and discuss the suspicious shop.
• Zhang Deyi interacts with his wife, who is more affected by the strange noises and discovers their origin.
• Qi and Zhang Deyi (through the audio file) discuss the strange occurrences in Zhang Deyi's home.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The couple experiences strange scratch marks and blood on their furniture cabinets at night, disappearing by morning.
• The phenomenon follows them to their parents' house and to their wife's mother's house.
• The couple seeks help from a paranormal investigation agency.
• The investigators confirm the presence of a ghost in the cabinets but find no main body.
• The couple stays overnight with the investigators, with no activity recorded.
• The investigators contact the previous owner of the house, who reports no issues during her tenure.

Character Developments

• The couple (Mr. and Mrs. Zhang) becomes increasingly terrified and desperate, seeking help from the paranormal investigation agency.
• The investigators (led by the "boss") remain calm and professional throughout the case.

Significant Themes

• Fear of the unknown and the supernatural.
• The struggle between rational thought and belief in the paranormal.
• The importance of communication and seeking help when faced with unusual circumstances.

Character Interactions

• The couple interacts with the investigators, seeking their help and guidance.
• The investigators interact with the couple, providing reassurance and conducting their investigation.
• The couple interacts with their parents and in-laws, hiding the true reason for their move.
• The investigators interact with the previous owner of the house, gathering information about its history.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Investigation into the first homeowners, Qin Weiguo and Li Yu, reveals their son Qin Jie went missing on March 7, 2002, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
• The client experiences paranormal activity in the office, hearing a child's voice.
• The team confirms the ghost's identity as Qin Jie, who has grown up as a spirit without knowing he's dead.
• The team interviews Li Yu and Qin Weiguo, Qin Jie's parents, about the events surrounding his disappearance.

Character Developments

• Qin Jie: The ghost of the missing child, now grown up as a spirit, unaware of his death.
• Li Yu: Qin Jie's mother, grief-stricken and still hoping for her son's well-being, despite the likelihood of his death.
• Qin Weiguo: Qin Jie's father, also devastated by his son's disappearance, and has been searching for him relentlessly.

Significant Themes

• Loss and Grief: The enduring grief of Qin Jie's parents and the emotional toll of losing a child.
• The Afterlife: Qin Jie's spirit growing up in the afterlife, unaware of his death, raising questions about the nature of the afterlife.
• Responsibility and Guilt: Li Yu's guilt over not picking up Qin Jie from school, and Qin Weiguo's guilt for not finding him.

Character Interactions

• The client and the ghost of Qin Jie: The client interacts with Qin Jie's spirit, confirming his identity and learning about his state.
• The team and Qin Jie's parents: The team interviews Qin Jie's parents, Li Yu and Qin Weiguo, to gather information about Qin Jie's disappearance.
• Qin Jie's parents: Their interactions reveal their shared grief, guilt, and determination to find their son.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. Cao, Qin Jie's former classmate, contacts the investigators, revealing that Qin Jie had asked about running away if his parents divorced, and he suggested hiding nearby.
• The investigators identify seven potential hiding spots near Qin Jie's home, including "cabinets."
• They investigate a warehouse and a scrap yard, with the scrap yard arousing suspicion due to the owner's strange attitude.

Character Developments

• Mr. Cao: Initially nervous, he provides crucial information about Qin Jie's possible whereabouts.
• Dong Guoqing (scrap yard owner): Becomes suspicious due to his evasive behavior and refusal to cooperate with the investigators.

Significant Themes

• The search for Qin Jie continues, with the investigators following up on potential leads and locations.
• The theme of hiding and concealment is prevalent, both in Qin Jie's possible actions and the investigators' methods (e.g., forging a supernatural photo to gain information).

Character Interactions

• The investigators interact with Mr. Cao, who provides valuable information about Qin Jie's state of mind before his disappearance.
• The investigators encounter resistance from Dong Guoqing, the scrap yard owner, who is reluctant to cooperate with their inquiries.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The team from Strange Tales and Anecdotes magazine investigates a case involving a child's ghost and a cabinet.
• They meet Mr. Yan, who reveals that a child, Qin Jie, went missing in 2002 after being trapped in a wardrobe at his scrap metal recycling plant.
• Qin Jie's body is later found in the river, and his ghost dissipates after his parents identify him.
• The team suspects Aunt Wang, Chen Xiaoqiu's aunt, met a similar fate, and they continue investigating He Juan and Zheng Xinxin's cases.

Character Developments

• Mr. Yan: Initially dismissive and defensive, he eventually confesses to his role in Qin Jie's death.
• Qin Jie: A victim of a tragic accident, his ghost is released and seeks vengeance.
• Chen Xiaoqiu: Despite her personal loss, she remains dedicated to her work, inspiring her team.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of inaction and fear, leading to tragic outcomes.
• The search for truth and justice, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Character Interactions

• The team from Strange Tales and Anecdotes magazine interacts with Mr. Yan, coaxing him to reveal the truth about Qin Jie's death.
• Chen Xiaoqiu's dedication to her work motivates her team to continue their investigations despite the challenges.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The narrative revisits a 2000 serial murder case in Minqing City, where couples or lovers were gruesomely killed, with some internal organs missing.
• The protagonist suspects that Liu Miao, the person they're trying to match with Ye Qing, might be involved in this unsolved case.
• The protagonist dreams of being trapped in a narrow, dark place, experiencing a sudden drop in temperature, and hearing a chilling voice saying, "I want to go home."

Character Developments

• The protagonist becomes more determined to solve the case, even visiting the scene alone.
• Guo Yujie and Chen Xiaoqiu show professional dedication but also express concern for the protagonist's well-being.
• The protagonist's dreams suggest they are empathizing with Qin Jie, a victim from a past case.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural: The protagonist's dreams and the chilling voice in the dream hint at the presence of a ghost or supernatural entity.
• The unsolved case: The Minqing serial murder case from 2000 remains unsolved, reflecting the theme of unresolved mysteries and the passage of time.
• The search for home: The phrase "I want to go home" suggests a longing for a safe and familiar place, contrasting with the eerie and unsettling experiences in the dreams.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with Guo Yujie and Chen Xiaoqiu, sharing their thoughts on the case and Liu Miao's potential involvement.
• The protagonist encounters a burly man at a milk station, who provides information about the delicatessen and sells him milk, unknowingly making the protagonist uncomfortable.
• In the dream, the protagonist empathizes with Qin Jie, experiencing his fear and desperation, and hears a chilling voice that could belong to a ghost or supernatural entity.