Satisfying the Expansion Requirements

Feng Ge was terrified. He stared at Chen Ge standing in the center of the room, his mind filled with images of murder, body disposal, and cover-ups.

"Don't be nervous, I was just joking." Chen Ge felt a slight tinge of disappointment. The reason he had asked that question earlier was because he had discovered a spark in Feng Ge that most people lacked.

Prompted by the Ragdoll, Feng Ge had been able to hold his ground against the monster in the mirror using his own willpower. His resolve was far firmer than that of an average person, and he hadn't caved in even when facing an unknown ghost.

This was what Chen Ge admired about him. If possible, Chen Ge hoped to make friends with him and work together to handle supernatural incidents, such as dealing with the filthy thing in the mirror.

He had intended to reveal some real information out of kindness, but unfortunately, Feng Ge hadn't caught the meaning behind his words.

I can't rely on outsiders; I have to depend on myself.

Chen Ge locked the door to the Midnight Escape scenario. As he helped Feng Ge to the first floor, the Black Phone vibrated once again.

Chen Ge was startled, fearing something bad had happened, and quickly pulled out the phone to check.

Monthly visitor count exceeded one hundred, positive rating reached over sixty percent, expansion criteria met!

Note: Each expansion of the Haunted House will grant a mysterious reward (after three expansions, the House of Horrors will be upgraded to the Trembling Labyrinth)!

I can expand already? Expansion was a good thing, but Chen Ge didn't have any plans for it at the moment. His top priority was to get rid of the thing in the mirror.

Stepping out of the Haunted House, sunlight spilled onto the steps outside the safety railing, where the students from the Forensic Medical College of Han Jiang Medical University were all sprawled out in a heap.

Some were clutching their heads, some were hugging their legs, some had pale faces with tear tracks on their cheeks, and others stared blankly at the sky, their facial muscles twitching from time to time.

History was repeating itself, and it was even more shocking than yesterday. They had gone in full of spirit and come out half-dead. In just forty minutes, the mental state of a group of people had undergone such a drastic change; it was truly incredible.

Surrounding tourists pointed and whispered, but Chen Ge didn't see anything wrong with it. If it wasn't thrilling, how could it be called a Haunted House?

He dumped Feng Ge next to the others. Now it was perfect—a whole "family" lying neatly together.

"Xiao Chen! Come here for a second." There were too many onlookers, which had drawn Uncle Xu over. The middle-aged man looked at Chen Ge with a headache. "Tell me, what's going on this time? It was one thing to scare someone unconscious last time, but this time you've knocked out seven at once. Are you trying to get our park on the headlines?"

Chen Ge avoided his gaze and coughed a few times. "They came to visit, and I was just providing them with the best service. These are all standard attractions, and I can guarantee that I had no physical contact with them. You can check the surveillance footage; it's fully compliant with the Haunted House work regulations."

"Stop playing dumb. Can a standard attraction give someone a bump on the head?" Uncle Xu pointed secretly at the back of Xiao Hui's head, his movements small for fear of agitating her.

"I can't help that. I was running in front, and she was chasing me while grabbing my clothes. I hid in a cabinet, and she followed me in. I was standing there perfectly still, not moving a muscle, but she insisted on shining her flashlight at me. It made my eyes hurt, and before I could even say a word, she bumped into the cabinet herself. What could I do? I'm just as helpless as you are." Chen Ge recounted the situation to Uncle Xu in a different way.

"So you're the one who's been wronged?"

"A little bit, yes."

"Don't act like it doesn't matter. Be more careful; this kind of situation must not happen again." Uncle Xu advised him earnestly. "What if you scare someone into a serious condition? If you run into someone unreasonable, you won't be able to keep this Haunted House running properly in the future."

"I know. Is there anything else you want to say?" Chen Ge didn't argue back, but he muttered to himself that if he really did run into someone unreasonable, he would just give them that love letter he carried and see who couldn't take it first.

Uncle Xu stared at Chen Ge, knowing he hadn't taken his words to heart. He sighed softly, and after a few seconds, he continued, "Xiao Chen, normally it wouldn't be my place to say anything, but since your parents aren't here, someone has to say it."

"Yes, I'm listening."

"Xu Wan said this morning that you were on TV. You were the one who provided the police with important clues about the mass murder case from five years ago." Uncle Xu didn't look happy at all.

"Yes."

"What were you doing running into a murder house from five years ago in the middle of the night? Do you know how dangerous that is? Those people are murderers!" Uncle Xu didn't give Chen Ge a chance to speak. "If you're short on money and doing it for the bounty, there's no need. I can cover the rent and utility bills you owe the park for you. You're still young; you must not walk down a crooked path."

"Don't worry, Uncle Xu, I know what I'm doing."

"As long as you know. I won't nag you anymore. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. Hurry up and deal with these people at the entrance; what does it look like, having them sprawled all over the ground?" Uncle Xu turned to leave, but Chen Ge stopped him. "What is it?"

"Uncle, I actually do have something I need your help with." Chen Ge felt a bit embarrassed. "Could you lend me five thousand first? I'm planning to install cameras in every corner of the Haunted House, and I'll pay you back as soon as the bounty comes in."

With the accidents involving He Shan and Feng Ge, Chen Ge was a bit worried. There were too many blind spots in the Haunted House, and the original surveillance was simply not enough.

"You want to invest more money into the Haunted House?" Uncle Xu stopped in his tracks. "Xiao Chen, I can lend you the money, but let's be clear: the situation of our entire park isn't great right now. Investing more money is likely to be a waste."

He gestured for Chen Ge to follow him, and the two stood in a quiet, shaded area. "Our park has been open for eleven years now. Our main attractions are already outdated. Now, new theme parks characterized by virtual technology, interactive participation, and trendy creativity are on the rise. Simply put, we are on the verge of being phased out. It's not just the Haunted House; the visitor numbers for all traditional attractions are declining."

"I know that." Chen Ge was determined to make the Haunted House a success, and installing surveillance was just the first step.

"What do you know?" Uncle Xu turned off his walkie-talkie. "The Virtual Future Theme Park in the eastern suburbs of Han Jiang is about to be completed. It's a fourth-generation theme park, a rarity in the whole country, and it's about to become a city landmark. What will we have to compete with them then? Everyone from management down to the grassroots staff is thinking about how to find a way out, and here you are, blindly charging forward."