Your Neck

Fang Xian's pupils contracted.

What was going on?

The Paper Figure?

Hadn't he scared it off at Changzhao Reservoir?

It was so dark that Fang Xian had caught only a vague glimpse.

Yao Hui clearly hadn't noticed it. She had just sent the photo casually.

[Huihuizi Here: Fang Xian, I already called the police, but they didn't find anything.]

[Huihuizi Here: The surveillance footage was the same. Nothing at all, waaah.]

For once, Huihuizi hadn't used her battle cry.

Fang Xian understood what Yao Hui meant. He touched a finger to his brow.

Strange.

Very strange.

Why?

It was as though the Ghost Stories had agreed on a time to appear together.

The weather outside the lecture hall was frightening.

Raindrops slammed into the ground with a crackling patter.

[Fang Xian: Where are you now? Garbage Street?]

Garbage Street was right by the school's north gate. Fang Xian could get there quickly.

[Huihuizi Here: Location sent.]

[Huihuizi Here: It's been pouring these past two days, and I happen to have time off (pitiful face).]

Fang Xian checked the location.

Holy shit. She's in some wealthy neighborhood in Binhai.

He was done for. Even by car, he would have to take the elevated road. With Jiangzhou City traffic, it would take at least an hour unless it was midnight.

The campus clinic nurse had so many places to stay. Great Xin really was letting the rich lead the rich to greater wealth.

Fang Xian's main modes of transport were shared bicycles and electric scooters.

In a downpour like this, they would be anything but safe.

[Fang Xian: Hang in there for now.]

[Fang Xian: I have something to deal with today.]

Fang Xian felt restless.

An uneasy feeling kept nagging at him.

It reminded him that certain things from before remained unresolved.

For instance, where was the person who had tried to seal the pipe and kill him when he was deep inside it?

Catch a Ghost Story, help a classmate, or protect himself.

He had to choose.

"Xiao Jiu, should we go after this Ghost Story?"

Fang Xian held Xiao Jiu as he asked.

This Ghost Story couldn't be captured. He could easily come away empty-handed.

"Chirp, chirp."

"Chirp!"

At first, Xiao Jiu's huge eyes held a hint of confusion. Then she seemed to notice something.

Her little hand pointed at the long neck.

"Chirp? Chirp!"

Xiao Jiu couldn't speak. She waved her chubby little hand with all her might.

[Urban Legend Alert]

[Ghost Stories born of Obsession usually have a keen sense of smell. The exceptional variant Ghost Story Wandering Spirit—Little Chirp seems to have detected an item on the Ghost Story outside that resonates with her.]

Huh?

On the Hang-Neck Ghost!

Fang Xian made up his mind.

I'm doing it!

It didn't matter if Xu Wanyi didn't live on campus.

He had four Ghost Stories at his disposal now!

You long-necked freak!

You think I need to steer clear of you?

Accept!

Fang Xian tapped the screen.

[Quest: Hanging Woman.]

[Ghost Story Level: Lingering Fear.]

[Ghost Story Status: Partial, Possession, Interference.]

[Ghost Story Type: Unknown.]

[Ambition is not always a good thing for a young woman. When we see ourselves as hunters, we should sometimes remember to look behind us. Could what you want be a trap laid by your prey?]

[Ghost Story Location: Xu Wanyi, Law Class 151, School of Law and Politics, Jiangzhou Normal University.]

Hmm.

After he accepted the quest, the Ghost Story's type remained unknown, but its level had appeared.

Only Lingering Fear?

Fang Xian had never seen a Ghost Story ranked lower than Lingering Fear. It was quite possible that Lingering Fear sat at the very bottom of the food chain.

"Four against one... no, five against one. I've got this."

With the typhoon and torrential rain looming, Fang Xian made his decision.

While listening to the lecture, Song Yizhou had also been watching Fang Xian.

He really was strange.

When he had stood up and walked over to Xu Wanyi, Song Yizhou had thought he was going to ask for her WeChat.

But he had only glanced at her and walked away?

This guy...

He really is strange.

Song Yizhou shook her head. She didn't understand.

Meanwhile, Yao Hui seemed to be having trouble too. She had asked Song Yizhou to keep her company that night over WeChat.

Song Yizhou hesitated. The freshman welcome party was tomorrow night, and she was just about to mention it.

Then a notice from her school arrived.

Because of Typhoon Shark, the joint freshman welcome party had been postponed until next week. Apparently, a mystery guest would be attending as well.

Oh. Then that's fine.

Song Yizhou pushed up her black-rimmed glasses.

[Silence Is Zhou: Okay, got it. I'll be there.]

The typhoon had yet to arrive in full force.

But the rain had.

It was coming down so hard that an umbrella was no match for the wind and rain.

Trees and shared bicycles across campus had been blown over.

The university's notice suspending classes arrived right on cue.

To the students, it was a license to have a blast.

Chen Kang and the others had stocked up on supplies and planned to spend two full days gaming.

"You're going out again, Fang Xian?"

Wang Dashan was dumbfounded.

It was pouring outside.

What was Fang Xian going out to do?

Surf?

"To get a room."

Fang Xian stuffed his bag until it bulged. At this rate, the Fire Axe he had picked up by the fire hydrant behind his school wouldn't fit much longer. He was already wondering when he could use his metalworking practicum to file himself a custom weapon. "A pretty girl's waiting for me. She has such a long, snow-white neck... damn."

His description nearly fooled even himself.

Never mind the rest. The neck was long, wasn't it?

Chen Kang came over, unusually serious. "It's really dangerous out in this typhoon. And I heard that killer who strikes on rainy nights might be back. Fang Xian, if it's not absolutely urgent, you should stay in."

Fang Xian looked up. "Honestly, it's pretty urgent."

"Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

Fang Xian spoke quietly, patted Chen Kang on the shoulder, and left the dorm room.

The hallway was full of students returning to their rooms, soaked to the skin.

Fang Xian was the only one heading out.

What a brave, magnificent soul, marching against the tide.

Fang Xian put on a transparent raincoat and stepped into the downpour.

The rain roared.

It roared on.

"Within Jiangzhou, the water level of Mirror Lake in Yuexin City continues to rise. Super Typhoon Shark is bearing down on the region."

The radio played on his phone. Fang Xian was keeping an eye not only on Jiangzhou City, the provincial capital, but on the weather in nearby cities too.

The falling rain felt icy.

It was like someone jabbing him all over with their fingers.

I might not be wearing enough.

Fang Xian considered it calmly.

But going back to put on more clothes now would ruin his cool image.

Forget it. I can manage.

He turned off the radio for the moment and opened the Urban Legend Compendium.

He checked the location.

Xu Wanyi herself was about to leave campus.

Good! She hasn't left yet!

It would be best to deal with this Ghost Story on campus.

Fang Xian scooped up Xiao Jiu and settled her on his shoulder.

Xu Wanyi was a woman.

"Don't forget, I'm the man best at Stalking."

Fang Xian gave a cold snort.

Stalking.

Activate! Show me what you can do!