Dorm 404

Everyone was startled by the sudden turn of events. Fatty took a step back instantly, not forgetting to pull Jiang Cheng with him. The girl in the dinosaur pajamas stumbled, her legs weakening, nearly falling to the ground.

Only the man in the suit pushed aside the stunned young man in the baseball cap and walked up to the woman. With a smile as warm as a spring breeze, he said, "We're just asking. After all, the equipment is quite delicate. If there are any issues with storage or handling, it will cause unnecessary trouble for our upcoming filming."

It had to be said, the man had good looks and was eloquent. The woman, whose face had been ashen as if dead, seemed to be infected by him. Her complexion gradually returned to normal, even showing a hint of embarrassment. "Please don't misunderstand. I meant it's too late today, and the teacher in charge of the equipment room should have already left."

The man in the suit nodded understandingly and continued, "So that's how it is. Then we'll wait until it's convenient."

Jiang Cheng watched the man's performance from afar, his face expressionless. The man in the suit, however, maintained his smile, as if completely unaware of the dangers in this world.

Fatty leaned in and whispered, "Don't you think this guy isn't a good person?"

Jiang Cheng glanced at him. "Whether he's a good person or not, I don't know. But he's definitely not simple."

"So, do we need to be wary of him?"

Since the last instance, Fatty had realized that the dangers in the mission didn't just come from ferocious ghosts; sometimes, teammates in the mission couldn't be trusted either.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Cheng seemed indifferent, shaking his hand and saying, "Treat him normally. People who reveal their unusual nature at the start of a mission are only 'not simple,' not 'terrifying.' True danger often hides where you least expect it, like a venomous snake, striking with fatal precision."

Fatty blinked his small eyes and scanned the crowd one by one. Suddenly, he felt that no one was trustworthy. He took a step closer to the doctor, their bodies almost touching.

The campus was larger than they had imagined, and the scenery was pleasant. The trees along the road were sparse and orderly. When they passed a small garden, flowers were still blooming inside.

If they weren't on a mission, it would have been a rather pleasant stroll.

The woman leading them spoke very little, but thankfully, she answered their questions, so they learned some general information about the school from her.

The school was called Yuying Music Academy. As the name suggested, it followed an elite path.

Despite the considerable size of the campus, there weren't many students; each class had fewer than 20 people.

When they passed the main teaching building, the woman specifically paused for a moment. However, upon noticing that Jiang Cheng and the others had no intention of taking commemorative photos, she led them away.

It wasn't yet time for dismissal, and the entire campus was deserted, with not a single student in sight.

This time, the woman led them to an old dormitory building.

It was a very old-fashioned dormitory, still built with the structure from decades ago, which felt out of place in the modern campus.

The old door hinges let out a piercing creak, making everyone's hearts tighten.

"You will be staying here," the middle-aged woman said expressionlessly, pointing towards the dark depths of the corridor. "If you need to eat, go to the cafeteria. You have staff cards, so you can eat at either the student or staff cafeteria, but it's best to avoid peak meal times."

The woman in the qipao crossed her arms and interjected, "This place is uninhabitable, isn't it? It's too run-down." She glanced disdainfully at the wall in front of her, which was covered in unknown mold. Fanning the air in front of her nose, she added, "And it's so dirty."

"Be grateful you have a place to stay. Don't be so picky," the man in the baseball cap, who had been previously rebuffed by the woman, scoffed.

Unexpectedly, the guide woman stepped in to help the qipao woman. "Don't worry. Although it looks dilapidated from the outside, we've already tidied up the rooms you'll be staying in. They are suitable for living."

Since the woman had said so, there was no other option. It was clear that most people were unhappy about staying here. Of course, their concerns weren't just about hygiene, but also the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the building itself.

Standing before the building, everyone felt that strange sensation.

It was an indescribable feeling, as if the building were alive, silently watching the living beings approaching it.

The woman handed the man in the suit four keys. Jiang Cheng saw that they were brass keys matching old-fashioned locks that had long been phased out, rarely seen nowadays.

Each key had a piece of white tape attached to its end, with a number written in blue ballpoint pen.

404, 405, 406, 407.

Four rooms.

Putting away the keys, the man directly slipped his hand into his pocket containing them, casually striking up a conversation to distract everyone.

Still in the first-floor lobby, Jiang Cheng approached the closest room and pushed the door open. As the door opened, a gust of stale air rushed out. He quickly stepped back. After the stale air dissipated, the scene inside gradually became clear.

The dormitory had two beds, one on the left and one on the right, both placed against the wall. The walls were also covered with celebrity posters, though they were now unrecognizable.

There were also two small desks. The dormitory seemed to have been vacant for a long time, with the two desks stacked together and piled in a corner.

The room was filled with trash, along with empty mineral water bottles covered in a layer of dust.

The only window was half intact; the other half had been shattered by something, leaving a large hole.

The layout of the rooms on each floor should be similar, meaning rooms 404, 405, and so on, where they would be staying, were also double-occupancy dorms.

Jiang Cheng did not rashly enter the unfamiliar room. He retreated and looked at the woman, asking, "Four rooms only have eight beds, and there are nine of us."

"Yeah," Fatty chimed in. "If there aren't enough beds, how are we supposed to sleep?"

His intention was for the woman to find them another place to sleep, even if it was just a classroom to sleep on the floor. This place was too eerie, making him feel uncomfortable all over.

Unexpectedly, the woman revealed an inscrutable smile. "You'll have to make do tonight. Perhaps tomorrow, there will be enough."

Fatty's expression froze.

"Okay," Jiang Cheng said. "Then we'll stay here tonight." He changed the subject. "When does the ceremony start? We need to prepare in advance."

"In seven days."

Jiang Cheng nodded, indicating he understood.

"Can we explore the campus in the meantime?" the man in the suit added. "The scenery here is truly beautiful. We'd like to walk around and see more, as opportunities like this are rare."

The woman thought for a few seconds and reluctantly replied, "You can, but pay attention to the time. As soon as it gets dark, you must return to your rooms immediately."