The competitors

The night wind stirred the candle flame.

As the flame flickered, light and shadow danced across the face before Qin Ran.

The face was covered in crisscrossing scars, as though it had been pieced together. Its original features were completely unrecognizable.

Only one scar stood out distinctly, running from the right side of the forehead, between the brows, and down to the left corner of the mouth.

The face hung motionless in the open doorway, its dull, lifeless eyes staring straight at Qin Ran. It was deeply unsettling.

The scars only made it more hideous, enough to send a chill through anyone.

Qin Ran studied the face from top to bottom, then pushed the door open and walked straight inside.

As he pushed the door, the face retreated swiftly into the darkness, vanishing in an instant.

Clack!

The candle fell to the floor and went out.

The hallway inside the entrance was swallowed by darkness.

But whispers drifted from the living room.

The voices were indistinct. Even with his C- Perception, Qin Ran could not make out what they were saying.

Yet as soon as Qin Ran lit the candle in his hand, the whispers vanished, as though afraid of the light.

Huff! Huff!

A succession of breathing sounds immediately filled the entire house.

Then, before Qin Ran could do anything else, several yellow-green ghost lights appeared before him, bobbing erratically as they swept past.

Qin Ran acted as though he saw nothing, carrying his candle toward the living room.

The living room was small, furnished with only a few sofas and a heater made to look like a fireplace. Qin Ran chose a sofa, sat down, and set his candle beside his feet.

Silence followed.

Apart from the crackle of the candle, there was not a sound.

More than