The moment they heard the knock, everyone present—and Ding Zhenzong on the video—flinched.
"Ding Zhenzong?" It was Li Bai's voice. "Ding Zhenzong, are you there? Are you okay?"
Even through the screen, everyone could clearly sense how terrified Ding Zhenzong was. His first reaction wasn't to look at the door, but to glance down at his phone—the time displayed on it!
From his reaction, though, it was clear that it wasn't time for the shift change yet. So the answer was simple: the Li Bai outside was a ghost in disguise. It wasn't really her.
The knocking grew louder, and everyone remained on edge. The Fatty had already steeled himself for the horrifying scene to come: the ghost breaking down the door and slaughtering Ding Zhenzong.
But the ending was unexpected. The disguised ghost retreated first, without warning. The shadow it cast by the door slowly faded until it vanished.
The Fatty didn't understand what had happened until Jiang Cheng pointed at the time on the video. "The time's up. I think the next person on shift is coming, so the ghost has no choice but to leave."
Li Bai and Yao Shunyu said nothing, apparently accepting his explanation.
Sure enough, after the ghost retreated, Ding Zhenzong's tense body immediately relaxed. He slowly stood up, and less than two minutes later, footsteps sounded outside the door.
They were light footsteps. The visitor was clearly being cautious on purpose. Whoever it was, they stood outside the door without knocking or making a sound.
Ding Zhenzong crept up behind the door. He didn't dare get too close, and only reached out to tap lightly against it. The person outside responded at once.
Ding Zhenzong excitedly picked up his phone and appeared to send a message. There was no need to ask who