Feng Ge was terrified. He stared at Chen Ge, standing in the middle of the room, his mind filled with images of silencing witnesses and disposing of bodies.
"Relax, I was just joking." Chen Ge felt a little disappointed. The reason he'd asked that question was that he'd noticed a quality in Feng Ge that most people didn't have.
With Ragdoll's warning, Feng Ge had been able to hold his own against the monster in the mirror through sheer willpower. His resolve was far stronger than an ordinary person's; even when faced with an unknown ghost, he hadn't given in.
That was what Chen Ge admired about him. If possible, Chen Ge hoped they could become friends and deal with supernatural incidents together—like taking on the thing in the mirror.
He'd meant well when he tried to reveal a little of the truth, but unfortunately Feng Ge hadn't caught his meaning.
"I can't count on outsiders. I'll have to handle it myself."
Chen Ge locked the door to the Midnight Escape attraction. As he helped Feng Ge down to the first floor, the Black Phone vibrated again.
Chen Ge jumped, thinking something bad had happened, and hurriedly pulled out his phone to check.
"Monthly visitor count exceeds 100, and the positive review rate has reached at least 60%. Expansion requirements met!"
"Note: Every time the Haunted House is expanded, you will receive a mysterious reward. (After three expansions, the House of Horrors will be upgraded to the Trembling Labyrinth!)"
"I can expand it already?" Expansion was a good thing, but Chen Ge had no plans to do so just yet. His top priority was getting rid of the thing in the mirror.
Stepping out of the Haunted House, he saw sunlight spilling over the steps beyond the safety railing. The students from the Forensic Medical College at Han Jiang Medical University were all sprawled across the entrance.
Some clutched their heads, others hugged their legs. One girl looked utterly distraught, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. Another stared blankly at the sky, her face twitching every now and then.
History had repeated itself, and this time the effect was even more dramatic than yesterday. They'd gone in full of confidence and come out looking half-dead. In just forty minutes, their spirits had changed so drastically. It was almost unbelievable.
The visitors nearby pointed and whispered, but Chen Ge didn't see anything wrong with it. If it wasn't scary, how could you call it a Haunted House?
He dumped Feng Ge beside the others. Perfect. The whole "family" was lying there together in a neat row.
"Xiao Chen! Come over here." The crowd of onlookers had drawn Uncle Xu over. The middle-aged man looked at Chen Ge with a pained expression. "Tell me, what happened this time? Scaring someone unconscious last time was bad enough, but now you've taken down seven at once. Are you trying to get our Paradise Park on the front page?"
Chen Ge avoided his gaze and coughed a few times. "They came to visit, and I was just giving them the best service possible. It was all very ordinary stuff, and I can guarantee I never laid a hand on them. You can check the surveillance footage. Everything was completely in line with the Haunted House's work rules."
"Don't play dumb. How could ordinary attractions scare a lump onto someone's head?" Uncle Xu discreetly pointed at the back of Xiao Hui's head, careful not to upset her. His gesture was small.
"There was nothing I could do. I ran ahead, and she chased after me, clutching my shirt. I even hid in a cabinet, but she followed me inside. I stood there perfectly still, and she insisted on shining her flashlight at me. The light was blinding. Before I could even say anything, she ran into the cabinet herself. What was I supposed to do? I was helpless." Chen Ge explained what had actually happened to Uncle Xu, just in a different way.
"So you're the one who got wronged?"
"A little."
"Don't take this lightly. Be more careful, and make sure this doesn't happen again." Uncle Xu advised him earnestly. "What if someone gets seriously hurt? And if you run into someone unreasonable, you can forget about running this Haunted House properly."
"I understand. Is there anything else, sir?" Chen Ge didn't argue out loud, but inwardly he muttered, If I really run into someone unreasonable, I'll just give them the Love Letter I've got on me and see who gives up first.
Uncle Xu stared at Chen Ge, knowing his words hadn't sunk in. He sighed, then after a few seconds continued, "Xiao Chen, normally this isn't my place to say, but your parents aren't around, so someone has to tell you this."
"Mm, I'm listening."
"Xu Wan said this morning that you were on TV. You're the one who gave the police an important lead in the Massacre Case from five years ago." Uncle Xu didn't look happy at all.
"That's right."
"What were you doing in that haunted house from five years ago in the middle of the night? Do you know how dangerous that was? Those people were murderers!" Uncle Xu didn't give Chen Ge a chance to reply. "If you're short on money and did it for the reward, you didn't have to. You owe the park rent and utility bills, but I can cover them for you for now. You're still young. Don't go down the wrong path."
"Don't worry, Uncle Xu. I know what I'm doing."
"Good. I won't lecture you any longer. I'll get going. Hurry up and take care of these people at the entrance. They're sprawled everywhere. What kind of a sight is that?" Uncle Xu turned to leave, but Chen Ge stopped him. "What is it?"
"Uncle, I actually do have something to ask you." Chen Ge looked a little embarrassed. "Could you lend me five thousand for now? I'm planning to put cameras in every corner of the Haunted House. I'll pay you back as soon as the reward comes through."
After what had happened to He Shan and Feng Ge, Chen Ge was worried too. There were too many blind spots in the Haunted House, and the existing cameras weren't enough.
"You're still planning to put money into the Haunted House?" Uncle Xu stopped. "Xiao Chen, I can lend you the money, but let me be clear: the whole park is in a bad way right now. You could easily be throwing your money away."
He beckoned Chen Ge over, and the two of them moved to a shady spot away from the crowd. "It's been eleven years since this park was built. Our main attractions are long past their prime. New theme parks are springing up, centered around virtual technology, interactive experiences, and fashionable, creative designs. To put it simply, we're on the verge of being left behind. Visitor numbers are falling across the board—not just for the Haunted House, but for all the traditional attractions."
"I know." Chen Ge was determined to get the Haunted House back on its feet. Installing cameras was only the first step.
"What do you know?" Uncle Xu switched off his Walkie-Talkie. "The Virtual Future Theme Park in the East Suburb of Han Jiang is about to be completed. It's a rare fourth-generation theme park, even nationwide, and it's going to become a city landmark. How are we supposed to compete with them? From management down to the frontline staff, everyone's thinking about how to find a way out. And there you are, charging ahead like a fool."
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