The red filter that had coated the corridor was gone. The stench of rot and burning in the air had also vanished. All that remained was the strong smell of disinfectant, a scent that seemed to have seeped into the walls, making it hard to dissipate.
The fifth-floor corridor had sound-activated lights, but they were very dim. Perhaps due to aging wiring, they would often flicker unexpectedly, making the already eerie corridor even more terrifying and preventing the lights from providing the slightest sense of safety.
And yet, in this environment, Zhao Mingyue was grinning foolishly at Bai Yu, completely ignoring the horrifying surroundings.
Compared to the corridor they’d first climbed, this one was child’s play. Zhao Mingyue wasn’t scared at all.
She put her magic staff away, rubbing her little hands together. “Bai Yu, Sister Bai, don’t you agree? Even if you’re no longer alive, you can still choose to enjoy life and live a little more happily. My mother once told me that a person’s life is so short, and no matter how you live it, it’s still a life. The key is to learn to live happily, to find joy amidst hardship.”
“It’s not just some mindless positive-thinking poison. I’ve firmly believed in these words over the years because I think passive acceptance solves nothing. If I keep an optimistic spirit in my heart, then at least my soul is strong and won’t be easily crushed.”
“I don’t know what it’s like to become a ghost, but I imagine it must not feel good. If nothing else, it must be very lonely in the heart.”
“But from today—no, from yesterday—we are friends. If you’re willing to listen to me and give it a try, I will definitely make you happy!”
That was Zhao Mingyue’s personality: a bit scatterbrained. Even though her life was tough, with no family or friends, she still lived joyfully. In Bai Yu’s eyes, this happiness was just foolish joy, but she had to admit, the girl had a great mindset.
Just as she said, this foolish joy made her inner self strong.
Walking around with a bitter face every day truly changed nothing. Due to one’s mindset, life only got worse, and a worse life made one’s mood even worse—a vicious cycle.
After joining the Scumbag Game, she no longer trusted anyone. She felt anyone approaching her had ulterior motives. And that was indeed the reality: out of ten people who approached her, nine wanted to kill her, and the other one wanted to use her.
Over this long period, the most important skill she learned was to be cautious at all times and trust no one.
However, in this moment, Bai Yu truly couldn’t see any ulterior motives in Zhao Mingyue. Her eyes were clean, holding a purity that Bai Yu found somewhat incomprehensible.
It was a contradiction. Bai Yu subconsciously maintained a basic wariness toward Zhao Mingyue, yet her intuition told her that this girl was sincere.
Bai Yu had always trusted her intuition; it had saved her many times.
She also wondered if Zhao Mingyue, seeing her formidable power, was deliberately sucking up to her. But then she thought, if Mingyue truly had such scheming thoughts, her acting skills would be terrifyingly good, reaching a level where even her eyes could “deceive.”
Having said her piece, Zhao Mingyue looked at Bai Yu’s eyes with a touch of nervous anticipation. She knew Bai Yu’s personality was on the cold side. Suddenly saying all this might provoke her disgust.
But she couldn’t stay silent. It was precisely because Bai Yu’s heart was cold that she had to speak. She had to try entering her heart, only then could she slowly change her and make her happier.
Bai Yu’s life had already been pitiful enough. Her dependent sister had been brutally murdered. And now, being a ghostly monster, wasn’t it a form of torment?
“I…” Bai Yu started. Zhao Mingyue’s eyes instantly lit up. This little expression fell into Bai Yu’s eyes, and she felt a sense of resignation toward the girl. “I’ll try.”
“Oh, yes!” Zhao Mingyue wanted to grab Bai Yu’s hand. Her hand didn’t pass through Bai Yu’s body; she actually touched it. It was a very strange tactile sensation, like “solidified” smoke, smooth and soft, yet fragile, as if it would crumble into pieces with the slightest force.
At the same time, the icy cold emanating from Bai Yu made Zhao Mingyue shiver—colder than touching a block of ice.
“It’s very cold, right? That’s just how a ghost’s body is. So, I suggest you let go. Bathing is also something better done separately.”
Bai Yu felt a bit helpless in her heart. It wasn’t that she was careless and let her guard down, but she’d bet on her years of experience in killing that this girl wasn’t deeply scheming, just genuinely naive—naive and straightforward, with a bit of cleverness mixed into that straightforwardness.
As expected, upon hearing this, Zhao Mingyue gripped even tighter. “No way! It’s summer, this is quite comfortable.”
“Ah, suit yourself.”
When they reached the fourth floor, the Raincoat Man was nowhere to be seen. Only the female ghost remained. The female ghost had died in this building; otherwise, she would never have let the Raincoat Man bring her back. She died here, and she could only find release here, by finding a living person to take her place.
Sensing Zhao Mingyue’s presence, the female ghost stood up. As she turned her head, she saw Bai Yu beside Zhao Mingyue. Startled, the female ghost instantly vanished.
Zhao Mingyue didn’t notice her. After looking around to confirm the corridor was empty, she returned to her room. Using her flashlight, she checked that the strand of hair in the keyhole was still there, indicating no one had entered the room.
She opened the door, went inside, and casually turned on the light. She checked the time; it was 1:30 AM.
So much time had passed without her realizing. The quest wasn’t over yet. Zhao Mingyue tossed her backpack onto the sofa and yawned. “So sleepy. Can I sleep after my bath? It won’t affect the quest, will it?”
“It won’t.”
“Good then. Come on, let’s bathe together, Miss Bai Yu.” Zhao Mingyue drew closer.
She suddenly reached out and tucked a stray strand of black hair falling beside Bai Yu’s cheek behind her ear, softly saying, “Soaking in a hot bath might ease some of the cold.”
Just touching Bai Yu briefly had felt so cold to her. The sensation Bai Yu herself felt must be far worse.
“There’s no harm in trying. Oh, do you need a change of clothes? I think you could wear mine.”
“No, I can handle my own clothes.” Bai Yu shook her head.
“Alright then, wait for me here. I’ll run the hot water. The bathtub happens to be big enough.”
In the bathroom, seeing the large bathtub, Zhao Mingyue couldn’t help but think of the female ghost’s corpse on the fifth floor.
“If I get the chance, I’ll have Bai Yu help her find release. This is too much torment.”
As the hot water ran, Zhao Mingyue went to her bedroom and grabbed her change of clothes. Coming back to the living room, she waved at Bai Yu, who was standing by the window. “Come on, the water’s ready.”
·
