Dangerous Building

By comparing the paintings hanging in the room with everything that had just happened, Yang Jian discovered some secrets about these paintings.

Each painting actually corresponds to a ghost, and also to a scene in the Ghost Painting world. Once you come to the scene depicted in the painting, you will most likely encounter the vengeful ghost lingering in that place. And most importantly, the scene in the painting is not always the same.

The content of the paintings changes constantly based on actual events.

For example, the painting behind Yang Jian depicts a ghost sitting on a sofa in a room, but now that ghost is controlled by Li Yang, the ghost in the painting has disappeared.

But Yang Jian's gaze was now fixed on the painting in front of him.

The painting depicts a seven-story building.

A strange woman stood at the entrance of the building on the first floor. Her features were indistinct, and she stood motionless at the entrance, as if she had become part of the background of a painting.

But this scene appeared particularly horrifying to Yang Jian.

If the content of the painting is, as he guessed, a real scene depicted in a ghost painting, then the ghost is currently standing downstairs in the building he is in.

"When did this ghost appear? I checked the surroundings when I went upstairs, and no ghost came near. Or did the environment change when I got to the third floor, and the ghost in the painting arrived? Was that change in environment just a sign of impending danger?"

"Wait, something's not right. The ghost downstairs is part of the ghost painting itself, so it can't be considered a ghost in this painting. According to the previous situation, there should be another ghost in each painting."

Yang Jian's expression hardened; he felt that this exceptionally large painting was quite special.

Because he now suspects that, aside from the ghost at the downstairs entrance, there is another ghost in this building.

A ghost that was never recorded.

To prove his conjecture, Yang Jian looked down again, scrutinizing every corner, trying to find the unknown ghost, because the unknown ghost represented unknown danger, which he was very likely to encounter next.

The place I am in is a building.

However, what is presented in the painting is only a two-dimensional view. This is the front of the building, and the black marks roughly outline the shape of the building. The painting style is very casual, like a beginner's random scribbles on a canvas, so the painting is not detailed and there is not much content to be seen.

Several twisted building curves, more than twenty empty, dark windows, dim walls, and a gray sky.

The surrounding streets and other buildings are not depicted in this painting.

Time seemed to be running out for Yang Jian to search carefully for the unknown ghost hidden in the building, because he suddenly noticed a change in the painting.

The ghost that was standing at the door downstairs suddenly turned around.

Yes.

Yang Jian wasn't mistaken. The ghost that was facing forward just now was now facing away. The ghost's position also changed immediately. Before, it was at the doorway, but now it was inside the doorway on the first floor of this building.

The message conveyed by this change is already quite clear.

The ghost is moving.

And they have already entered the building, and it is very likely that they will be going up the stairs.

"I can't stay here any longer. I have to leave this building as soon as possible. The ghost has already come to this building. It has discovered me. Moreover, there is a terrifying ghost on the stairs of this building, and there is an unknown ghost hiding in the building itself. Once the ghost painting completely changes the appearance of this building, I will be trapped here to die."

Yang Jian's expression changed drastically; he realized the danger.

What he feared was not a direct confrontation with the Ghost Painting, but being trapped inside it after losing the Ghost Domain, and then dying from the curse of the music box.

However, the ghost painting hidden on the third or fourth floor has not yet been found, and Yang Jian doesn't know if he has completed the task of finding the ghost cabinet.

Perhaps finding the source of the ghost would complete the task, but this requirement is easy to fulfill. The ghost is on the first floor, and you will definitely encounter it when you retreat, just as you are about to go upstairs.

But what if we're looking for a ghost painting? Or perhaps we need to find both together?

"We can't gamble on this. I came here unprepared to confront the Ghost Painting. Staying any longer would be riskier than any other option. To achieve perfection, I'd have to resolve the Ghost Painting Incident single-handedly, which is impossible given my current circumstances."

Yang Jian is assessing the situation.

Even though he was very close to the source, and even with a few helpers to suppress the ghost downstairs and restart the ghost painting, he could successfully resolve this S-class paranormal event.

But that step requires risking your life, and it can't be done alone.

I looked at the other paintings in the room.

Yang Jian noticed that the paintings were gradually disappearing, starting with the innermost ones, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion, and that there had never been so many paintings hanging here at all.

I believe that before long, everything in this room will completely disappear, and the room itself may even cease to exist.

"The changes have started again, which means the ghost is getting closer, altering the scenery, and trying to stop me from digging any further."

He knew that the Ghost Domain within the ghost painting was changing, a change he couldn't stop, just as he had used the Ghost Domain to trap others before—you could only be forced to accept it.

"The more this is the case, the closer I am to finding the source of that ghost painting. It might be less than ten meters away, perhaps somewhere in this room, perhaps in the next room, or even in some inconspicuous place."

Yang Jian was somewhat unwilling, but reality told him that he had to leave.

Reaching this point already involves a great deal of luck. For other Ghost Tamer entering this vast Ghost Domain, finding the ghost painting would be virtually impossible, let alone getting close.

There was no hesitation, no regret.

Yang Jian turned and left, but he didn't touch any of the paintings around him, nor did he attempt to take away a painting or a ghost from it.

Any action could result in your death here.

As he left the room, things went exactly as he had expected.

The moment he stepped out, the door to the room vanished, leaving only an old, dimly lit wall. The changes within the Ghost Domain were becoming increasingly drastic, attempting to alter everything on this floor, erasing all suspicious traces, and preventing Yang Jian from getting any closer to the Ghost Painting.

This phenomenon is exactly the same as what happened in the school dormitory.

"Li Yang, are you still downstairs?"

Yang Jian had already reached the top of the stairs. He looked down but didn't see Li Yang, so he asked a question.

"Mr. Yang, I'm still downstairs. Something's very wrong. I think I vaguely saw something happening downstairs; it seems like someone is going upstairs." Li Yang's voice revealed a hint of panic.

He was indeed very alert; he hadn't expected to discover so quickly that the ghost in the painting was going upstairs.

"Now we should leave here. I'll rush downstairs as fast as I can. You guys follow. Don't stop no matter what you see or encounter along the way. This building isn't very tall; we should be able to get out of here in one go," Yang Jian said directly.

"I understand," Li Yang replied.

Yang Jian then looked at the wooden staircase in front of him.

This staircase is unaffected by the Ghost Domain within the ghost painting, so it's currently the only way out. However, this path is not safe, as another ghost lingers on these stairs.

Once the action begins, the ghost will follow your footsteps.

Anyone could be killed at that time.

Even Yang Jian himself might lose the best opportunity to leave due to a brief loss of consciousness, and then be trapped and die in this building by the ghost painting.

However, the next moment...

Yang Jian acted without hesitation, rushing down the wooden stairs.

He leaped over four steps in one stride, and in two steps he was almost halfway up. He needed to leave the building before the ghost caught up with him, or before the ghost could react. He believed he would be safe once he was outside.

After a few steps, Yang Jian returned to the third floor.

He saw Li Yang, Li Yang face was tense as he kept looking downstairs, seemingly observing the situation. Jimmy, on the other hand, was paying attention to the unusual activity on the floor behind him.

"What are you still standing here for? Get out of here!" Yang Jian shouted.

Li Yang was also taken aback. Although he had made preparations, he didn't expect Yang Jian to rush down so quickly.

But before he could think further...

The wooden staircase leading from the fourth floor to the third floor behind them creaked and groaned rapidly, as if someone was hurrying down the stairs, but the stairs were empty.

"Run, Jimmy!" Li Yang shouted in terror.

Yang Jian didn't rush to leave. He paused for a moment because he knew that the faster he walked, the faster the ghost would move. If they wanted to leave, the three of them had to act almost simultaneously. Otherwise, the ghost would catch up with them quickly, and it would be impossible to leave the building then.

The sound of someone descending the stairs continued to echo; soon the ghost would reach the third floor after climbing all the steps.

At this moment Yang Jian took action again.

He moved very fast, rushing towards the second floor, while Li Yang and Jimmy followed closely behind in fear, both of them using all their strength to desperately descend the stairs.

The three people's quick movements did not shake off the footsteps behind them; the footsteps became even more hurried, as if they were running, constantly closing the distance between them.

Based on the previous situation.

Anyone caught by that footstep will die instantly; no ghost will appear to attack you—it's like a death curse.

Even Yang Jian couldn't withstand it.