Chapter 18

The female ghost rolled its eyes and retreated disappointed.

Zhai Yi looked down at Yu Lanting shivering in her arms and said softly, “It’s gone. Don’t be afraid.”

At first, Yu Lanting had indeed been startled by the female ghost. It had appeared so suddenly. Yu Lanting had just started to recover from the stiffness in her body, but her mind was still fragile. Then, when she looked up, she saw a red-glowing female ghost charging straight at her from the end of the hallway.

In that moment, her body’s reflexes outpaced her mental endurance.

Yu Lanting let out an “Ah!” and twisted around to hide in Zhai Yi’s arms, her body trembling uncontrollably, as if someone had drilled a hole in her and her strength was leaking out bit by bit.

She charged into Zhai Yi’s arms like a mad cow, even slamming her against the wall.

Yu Lanting suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. She was just about to look up and ask how Zhai Yi was doing when Zhai Yi pressed her back into her embrace. Then she heard Zhai Yi threaten the female ghost.

“Come at me again, and I’ll fight back.”

Yu Lanting nestled in Zhai Yi’s arms. The warm body heat, the strong and steady heartbeat, the clean and fresh scent—everything was perfectly comforting.

Zhai Yi was half a head taller than her, with broader shoulders. Yu Lanting curled up, as if melting into Zhai Yi’s body.

At this moment, her chest pounded fiercely, but it had taken on a different meaning.

It wasn’t from the shock of the female ghost’s ambush. Instead, it had become a strange sense of delight and excitement.

Yu Lanting blinked, feeling heat burning on her cheeks. Even her breathing grew feverish.

The female ghost slunk off grudgingly. It must have been truly afraid of Zhai Yi fighting back. Moments ago, someone in the earpiece had been whining about getting beaten up badly by Li Zhi, nearly skinned alive.

Seeing the female ghost smartly leave, Zhai Yi heard the broadcast announcing one after another that gold coins had been found.

So far, nine gold coins had been found. They were just three short of the clue to the door key that the gold coins would reveal.

Zhai Yi lightly patted Yu Lanting’s shoulder. “Let’s go find some gold coins.”

Yu Lanting straightened up and pulled out of Zhai Yi’s embrace. She didn’t dare meet Zhai Yi’s eyes, even though the darkness hid her flushed cheeks.

“Okay.”

Visibility in the hallway was very low. Zhai Yi told Yu Lanting to stick close. If needed, she could grab her clothes.

Yu Lanting clutched the corner of Zhai Yi’s shirt, but her gaze fell on Zhai Yi’s hand hanging at her side.

: Don’t you guys think tugging on a shirt corner feels more charged than holding hands?

: You’re right, you know.

: That iffy, distant vibe is so ambiguous.

: I’m starting to ship Zhai Yi and Yu Lanting.

: Got any fics? Any fanfic?

….

They reached the stairwell. Zhai Yi felt for the handrail. “Come over and grab the handrail. Go down one step at a time, testing with your foot first.”

Yu Lanting nodded. “Okay.”

She gripped the railing tightly and saw Zhai Yi wasn’t moving. “Aren’t you grabbing the railing?”

Zhai Yi said, “You go first. I’ll hold on behind you.”

Yu Lanting nodded. “Got it.”

She inched downward step by step, probing before each one to make sure her foot landed solidly.

Zhai Yi watched Yu Lanting closely to prevent any accidents.

: Oh man, she’s so gentle and gives such a sense of security!

: That right hand hovering carefully behind you is your safe harbor, ahhh! Novel tropes coming to life!

: Zhai Yi is just too good. I’m crying.

: She’s watching Yu Lanting the whole time. Every time Yu Lanting steps steady, Zhai Yi looks like she exhales in relief.

: Director Luo knows how to run a show at least. No way he’d send an NPC to scare guests on the stairs.

: Safety first. If a scare causes injury, the show can’t continue.

: Director Luo has a full medical team. Trust his control.

….

The two reached the third floor. Someone came rushing at them amid a dazzling red light. Yu Lanting felt herself yanked, and in a blink, Zhai Yi had shielded her behind her back.

Zhai Yi blocked the oncoming Fu Liang. “Calm down!”

Fu Liang saw it was Zhai Yi and let out a long breath. He immediately started complaining. “Godfather, I’m gonna die of fright. Do you know where that inhuman Luo Xi stuck me? In the bathroom! He locked me in a stall, then the toilet flushed on its own, and a female ghost touched my foot. I’m gonna die, wuwuwu…”

Yu Lanting listened to Fu Liang’s rant and sighed inwardly that Luo Xi had gone easy on her—at least he hadn’t locked her in the bathroom.

After hearing his babbling, Zhai Yi asked the key question. “Any gold coins on the third floor?”

Fu Liang’s face was covered in sweat. He shook his head. “I searched everywhere and only found one. There shouldn’t be any others on the third floor.”

Tuantuan: 【One gold coin is in the toilet tank of the second stall in the women’s restroom.】

Zhai Yi nodded knowingly. “I don’t believe you could judge accurately in that state of panic.”

Fu Liang: “…”

Zhai Yi glanced at the third-floor layout. “So many classrooms on the third floor, and you’re the only one here?”

Fu Liang pouted. “I was with Zeng Ranran and Qi Yaoyao. Those two huddled together and bolted downstairs to find teammates.”

“Then why didn’t you go with them?” Yu Lanting asked curiously.

Fu Liang got mad just thinking about it. “Those two are more cowardly than each other. They heard I was locked in the bathroom and just ran, saying they’d get someone to save me. I had to get out myself.”

“Then I found a gold coin in Classroom 308,” Fu Liang said, holding up his light stick. “And light sticks in a drawer in Classroom 312. I grabbed one in my support color. There were others too, Godfather. Want one?”

Zhai Yi couldn’t even look at him. “I don’t need one.”

She pointed at Yu Lanting behind her. “Get one for her.”

Fu Liang asked, “Do you have a support color? I’ll grab it for you.”

Yu Lanting said, “Yellow.”

Fu Liang thought for a moment. “There is one. I’ll go check.”

Zhai Yi said, “Alright. You go ahead. I need to use the bathroom.”

“Huh?” Fu Liang looked panicked. “Godfather, why the bathroom?”

Zhai Yi said, “I ate.”

Fu Liang: “….”

He looked troubled. “The bathroom still has an NPC. You’ll get scared if you go now. Can’t you hold it, Godfather?”

Zhai Yi raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

Yu Lanting tugged Zhai Yi’s shirt corner. “I’ll go with you.”

Zhai Yi shook her head. “Forget it. You and Fu Liang get the light stick. I can go alone.”

Seeing Yu Lanting about to protest, she cut her off. “I’m not afraid of the horror atmosphere or the NPCs.”

Fu Liang gave a thumbs up. “Godfather is fearless!”

He turned to Yu Lanting. “We’ll huddle up. Let Godfather handle her business first. I notice you girls love sticking together.”

Yu Lanting flinched like she’d been burned and waved her hands frantically. “I-I don’t.”

She glanced embarrassed at Zhai Yi. “I was afraid she’d get scared. More people means more courage.”

Zhai Yi said nothing.

Fu Liang complained, “Why aren’t you worried about me getting scared? Give me some courage!”

Yu Lanting said, “You’re a guy at least, right?”

Fu Liang flipped his hair and shot a flirtatious glance. “You don’t have to see me as one.”

Yu Lanting: “….”

“Cut it out. You two get the light sticks. I’ll hit the bathroom first, then meet back here to go downstairs.”

“Okay.”

Zhai Yi headed to the bathroom. An NPC suddenly popped out from the door to scare her, but Zhai Yi acted like she hadn’t seen it and turned into the women’s restroom.

No guests were in the women’s restroom, so no NPC was assigned to scare there.

Zhai Yi looked around. No cameras either. She went straight into the second stall and fished out the gold coin.

It had Fu Liang’s name on it.

Gold coin in hand, the broadcast chimed.

“Ding dong—”

“The tenth gold coin has been found.”

“Ding dong—”

“The eleventh gold coin has been found.”

Just one left.

Zhai Yi rinsed the gold coin and left the bathroom. The NPC, unrepentant, tried scaring her again, only to receive a glance laced with mockery and exasperation.

NPC: “….”

Is it mocking me?!

Red, yellow, and green lights flashed at the stairwell. A sudden glance made it look like a concert venue.

Fu Liang saw Zhai Yi return unscathed, without a trace of being startled. He asked puzzled, “Godfather, didn’t the NPC in the bathroom scare you?”

Zhai Yi lied with a straight face. “They were pretty kind, so they didn’t scare me.”

Fu Liang: “….”

: Hahaha, silly boy, your Godfather’s messing with you hahaha.

: The NPC scared her twice, and she wasn’t fazed either time. If I were the NPC, I’d be depressed.

: Zhai Yi’s guts are real. Facing down the NPC head-on.

: Zhai Yi even looked down on the NPC’s acting. I’m dying. Did you see the NPC’s face?

: My wife is the best!

: Ramming my wife.

: Because of that line, Zhai Yi spent an hour comforting me nearby.

…..

Yu Lanting could tell Zhai Yi was teasing Fu Liang. She knew Zhai Yi’s courage—a terrifying place like the bathroom was somewhere she wouldn’t dare step foot in.

“Right, the broadcast went off earlier. We’ve got eleven gold coins now.”

Zhai Yi pulled out the gold coin she’d just found. “Yeah, this one’s mine.”

Fu Liang was shocked. “Where’d you find it?”

Zhai Yi said, “In the toilet tank in the women’s restroom.”

Fu Liang grumbled inwardly, No wonder. I’m too much of a gentleman to go in the women’s restroom. This one was probably for Zeng Ranran and Qi Yaoyao, but those two bolted too fast.

Yu Lanting suddenly said, “Could there be one on the fourth floor?”

She’d been locked in a classroom from the start. After Zhai Yi rescued her, they’d come straight to the third floor. She hadn’t searched the fourth at all.

Zhai Yi said, “I checked the fourth floor. Nothing there.”

Yu Lanting breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”

“Then let’s head down and regroup. The twelfth gold coin might be below.”

With more people around and Zhai Yi nearby, Yu Lanting wasn’t as afraid of the dark anymore.

Fu Liang agreed. “Yeah, let’s go.”

He handed Zhai Yi the green light stick. “Godfather, this one’s for you.”

Zhai Yi took it and used it to light the way ahead.

The three headed downstairs. No one on the second floor—they must all be gathered on the first.

Tuantuan confirmed no gold coins on the second floor, so Zhai Yi led Fu Liang and Yu Lanting to the first floor.

Sure enough, the others had gathered in the first-floor lobby. They heard footsteps and looked up.

This color setup—traffic light?

Weixing Yan asked curiously, “Where’d those light tubes come from?”

Fu Liang shook his. “These are support lights. Found them on the third floor.”

Zeng Ranran’s makeup was a mess from crying. “How come I didn’t find any?”

Fu Liang sneered. “You and Qi Yaoyao ran so fast, what did you expect to see?”

Zeng Ranran & Qi Yaoyao: “….”

Mu Li spotted Yu Lanting and hurried over. Her clothes were dirty, her hair messy—clearly frightened by the pitch-black environment and terrifying NPCs.

“You okay?” Mu Li asked gently. “Hurt anywhere?”

Jiang Qingyan had run too fast earlier and taken a nasty fall, bruising his knee.

Bian Tang too—his leg was scraped up.

Yu Lanting shook her head. “I’m fine. No injuries.”

“How’d you end up with Zhai Yi and Fu Liang?” Mu Li asked.

“I ran into Fu Liang on the third floor. Zhai Yi was with me…” Yu Lanting turned her head and realized Zhai Yi had stepped back.

She didn’t know when Zhai Yi had moved away, but the sudden distance made Yu Lanting feel uncomfortable, heavy in her chest.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Li saw her looking at Zhai Yi. “What’d she do to you?”

Yu Lanting said hoarsely, “…Zhai Yi was locked up with me on the fourth floor. She saved me.”

Mu Li relaxed. “Good. I’ll thank her later.”

Since the last conference room chat, the ING members all wanted to talk to Zhai Yi, apologize and thank her. But they hadn’t found the chance.

Yu Lanting shook her head. “No need for you. I’ll handle my own matters myself.”

Mu Li said, “Does our relationship really need to be so distant? She’s my teammate, and you’re my… friend. What’s wrong with me thanking her on your behalf?”

Yu Lanting said firmly, “No need. I can handle it myself.”

Seeing her insistence and afraid she’d get angry, Mu Li stopped pressing. “Alright, you handle it.”

Everyone placed the collected eleven gold coins on Mu Li. They suggested pairing up to search the teaching building. There was still half an hour until the game ended—they needed to hurry.

Yu Lanting looked toward Zhai Yi, about to call out to pair up with her, when she heard, “Fu Liang, come here. Let’s go together.”

Fu Liang ran over happily. “Coming, Godfather.”

Yu Lanting lowered her head in disappointment.

Mu Li walked over. “Lan Ting, let’s go together.”

Yu Lanting rubbed her aching chest and murmured, “Mm.”

The twelve people split into six groups. The first floor was large, so Mu Li and Yu Lanting paired with Jiang Qingyan and Bian Tang—four people searching together.

The other three groups each took a floor.

Zhai Yi ignored Yu Lanting’s gaze and turned to climb the stairs.

Tuantuan sighed. 【First Sister, the Female Lead wanted to pair up with you just now. Didn’t you see?】

“No.”