The World Below Surface

Chapter 51: Ghostly Staircase Game

Shi Yan was befuddled by their insistence on going to the crossroads, but the unyielding determination in Chu Xiu's eyes spurred her to follow him, her feet pounding the pavement as she ran to catch up. Wen Qing, oblivious to what was happening, trailed behind them. Shi Yan had planned to ask her to stay behind, but Lu Yan spun around and barked, "Everyone follows!"

The crossroads were a considerable distance away, and despite their rapid pace, they still had several minutes to go. As they sprinted down the ink-black road, the eerie singing from the woods abruptly ceased. A frigid gust swept over the entire forest in a flash, sending shivers down their spines.

The end of the game had arrived, and the rules that had once restrained the ghosts were now non-existent. They hastened their pace, running for their lives. A split-second hesitation could be fatal. Finally, the crossroads emerged before their eyes, blurry and indistinct. Three cars had collided, their mangled fronts caving in heavily, while four sets of bones still lay inside.

Hindsight revealed that the game of hide-and-seek had provided them with a clue. The screams had not only indicated the location of the "ghost" but also had a subtler implication: if caught, they would become "ghosts" themselves. Thus, as long as Wen Qing remained uncaught, she wouldn't pose much of a danger.

Shi Yan ran in the middle of the group, sending an urgent message to Nie Yun Zhen to hurry over. After sending the message, she felt she had done everything in her power and scurried to catch up.

Twenty-four bodies had inexplicably vanished from the police station, taken away for the game of hide-and-seek, right? It made sense. The four sets of bones in the three cars, along with the twelve sets of bones belonging to the students, added up to twenty-four! No, wait, something still wasn't right...

Lu Yan abruptly turned around. At the end of each of the four roads, figures in school uniforms were approaching them. Which car was the real one? Or perhaps all of them?

"Quickly! Move those bones!"

Without hesitation, Shi Yan and Chu Xiu charged forward, their small metal knives shattering the car's windows and doors easily. Glass fragments sprayed everywhere as they pried out the white bones concealed inside.

Though unarmed, Lu Yan spotted a brick on the roadside and used it to smash the car window with all his might. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as sharp fragments sliced through his hand and forehead, even as he tried to shield himself with his elbow. He ignored the pain and threw stones, shattering the remaining glass and retrieving the two corpses from the front seat.

The four sets of white bones they had found were identical to them. Lu Yan remembered something and reached into one of the corpses, pulling out a deck of cards. It was the key to their escape!

Suddenly, something caught Lu Yan's eye. He spun around and hurled a stone with all his might, striking a pale-faced student. The creature transformed into blue smoke and dissipated, only to reform into a more terrifying and hideous form than before. Earlier, it had lunged at Wen Qing but was interrupted.

When the creature shattered, Wen Qing took advantage of the situation and ran towards Lu Yan, who handed her a white bone to hold. It was light and cold to the touch. She didn't understand its significance, but when she saw the others clutching their bones, she gripped hers tightly, forcing herself to calm down.

But something was amiss.

Wen Qing gazed down at the white bones in her arms, trying to identify the clothing draped over them. The darkness obscured her vision, but as her eyes adjusted, she recognised the clothes as the same worn by the man who had smashed the window. A chill raced down her spine, and she wondered what could happen here.

Her heart pounded with trepidation as she considered the possibility that the man might be a ghost. Could the bones she held be the remains of a ghost, too? The mere thought sent shivers down her spine. She tried to flee. But it was too late. She saw a school uniform-clad figure heading her way in the distance. As the person drew closer, she could make out the form of Yun Qian.

Even in the dark, Wen Qing could recognise her best friend's gait. The sapphire tinge of Yun Qian's complexion, paired with the onyx depths of her eyes, was unmistakable. Wen Qing's feet refused to budge as Yun Qian closed in, one footfall at a time.

Lu Yan trailed behind Wen Qing, holding three corpses as he followed. Despite the macabre spectacle, the nearness of a living, breathing person warmed Wen Qing's heart.

With a grisly sneer, Yun Qian neared Wen Qing, extending her ghastly, bloodless hand toward Wen Qing's face. "Found another one," she spat.

Just as Yun Qian's withered fingers were about to brush Wen Qing's cheek, a sudden revelation dawned on Wen Qing regarding the purpose of the ivory bones. She dipped into her pocket, withdrew the card displaying her identity, and lifted the skull from the pile of white bones, placing it under Yun Qian's hand.

Yun Qian paused.

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Wen Qing could smell the putrid odour emanating from the other person's body. It was like the stench of death was oozing from the depths of the earth. She was paralysed with fear, unable to move or even make a sound.

After what felt like an aeon, Yun Qian's hand inched forward. The twisted grin on her face expanded as she slowly extended her hand. Wen Qing's heart was racing as she watched it creep closer...inch by inch... until it landed on the white bone.

A sharp click was heard, and the skull of the white bone disintegrated into fragments. Yun Qian transformed into a puff of green smoke and disappeared, leaving Wen Qing gasping for air, still clutching the playing card.

One by one, the other ghosts present grabbed white bones and disappeared. Who would have thought that yesterday's death would be today's way of life? But when the last student vanished, two sets of white bones remained.

"Damn it! They must have gone after Nie Yun Zhen!" Shi Yan exclaimed, her face turning pale.

The others had already come to the same conclusion. Even Chu Xiu, who never cared much about his teammates, had a headache. This mission was different, with an endless cycle of life and death. One wrong move could spell disaster. They all hoped that Nie Yun Zhen was safe.

On the other hand, Lu Yan was relieved that he wouldn't be in immediate danger. "What do we do now?" he asked, unsure of their next move. If the crisis on the YinYang Road was resolved, he didn't mind staying longer, but only if Nie Yun Zhen was not turned into a ghost.

Chu Xiu considered their options and proposed, "Let's wait inside the car for now." They still had bones to use against him if he failed to show. He was just glad that Wen Qing had survived. Otherwise, they wouldn't have enough bones. A sudden epiphany struck him. Could this be Lu Yan's plan? He couldn't take any chances, so he kept Wen Qing with them.

Meanwhile, Lu Yan and Wen Qing chatted while Chu Xiu closely watched him. Lu Yan didn't seem to care about explaining himself.

Chu Xiu and Lu Yan later carried the corpses back to the car. As they approached, the car's headlights illuminated the area around them. Just as they were about to get in, they heard footsteps and laboured breathing in the distance. As the figure drew closer, they recognised him.

It was Nie Yun Zhen! He had survived after all. They were all surprised but tried to keep their emotions in check.

"I've finally found you! Thank goodness. Did you find a way out?" After pondering the message for a lengthy period, Nie Yun Zhen believed it legitimate and hurried to their location. Thankfully, he hadn't been pursued by any spirits along the way.

Chu Xiu nodded and told Nie Yun Zhen about Lu Yan's theory. He also watched him closely, hoping to find clues about his true identity.

"What's the matter? Why are you staring at me like that?" Nie Yun Zhen looked bewildered as Chu Xiu stared at him intensely. However, nothing seemed suspicious about him, and he appeared to be his usual self.

Chu Xiu finally stepped back and told him to get into the car, saying, "Let's go."

But just as the words left his mouth, a hand jutted out from under the car and grabbed Wen Qing's ankle with a vice-like grip. The attacker pulled her under the car with such force that she vanished into thin air before anyone could react.

The sudden attack left everyone stunned, their heads swivelling around in search of the culprit. Chu Xiu's heart pounded in his chest as he cautiously crouched and turned on his phone's flashlight, sweeping it across the car's underbelly. But nothing could be found. Wen Qing had vanished without a trace.

In the end, they failed to rescue her.

After ensuring that the area was safe and thoroughly searched, the four of them quickly climbed into the car, stowed the skeletons, and prepared to leave. Chu Xiu typed a message on his phone and passed it to Lu Yan, asking, [Now, will you tell me why you came to YinYang Road?]

There had to be a reason for him to risk his life in this treacherous place. What could have driven him to venture into the dangerous and ominous YinYang Road?

Lu Yan stared out the window at the inky blackness, a darkness that felt like an old friend compared to the grotesque swarm of corpse beetles he had seen earlier.

"Corpse beetles," he murmured, foregoing his phone and speaking aloud.

Chu Xiu's face contorted in disbelief. "Corpse beetles?" he repeated, incredulous.

"Yes, I encountered them during my stay at the hotel. I almost drowned in them, so I fled in this direction," he explained calmly.

The mere thought of such a scene caused Chu Xiu's lips to twitch with horror. So, Lu Yan had come with the mindset of "hunting the tiger and driving away the wolves"?

"Weren't you afraid the two evils might unite against us?" Chu Xiu asked with concern. If that happened, they would be doomed.

Although Lu Yan exuded confidence, he couldn't reveal his cards yet. He leaned back in his seat and replied nonchalantly, "No, I wasn't." Then he changed the topic. "Do you still wish to play games?"

"Our last game." Chu Xiu recited the instructions word for word as if it was etched in his memory. "After midnight, arrive at the teaching building of XX Fourth Middle School, holding a mirror. The mirror must face your own face, and as you climb each step, you must say your name in front of the mirror. After reaching the fourth floor, the game can end at any time. If you need to end the game, you must bite your finger, write your name on the mirror with your fingertip blood, and immediately run downstairs without looking back or at the mirror. Otherwise, the consequences will be yours to bear. Also, no matter what you see or hear during the game, do not agree or turn back."

Seated at the back, Shi Yan wheezed, "The students who were hunting us earlier, they attend this school."

Lu Yan paid no heed, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest as he pondered whether to partake in the final day's adventure. Chu Xiu had become one of his pawns tasked with gathering information on the Omniscient Sect. This game seemed to offer some insights into this religious group. What secrets could this school hold?

Or perhaps the secret lay with Wen Qing alone? Otherwise, it was difficult to comprehend the time-space turbulence that occurred a few days ago. Even now, Lu Yan couldn't ascertain if these people were still enduring death after death in the hotel across another time and space.

As Chu Xiu drove, he suddenly slammed on the brakes, causing Lu Yan to jerk forward in surprise. "What happened?" he demanded.

"I think I hit something," Chu Xiu replied, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Given the time of night, YinYang Road was deserted. Therefore, the object they collided with had to be...

No questions were required, as the car's luminous beams revealed a pair of ashen and lifeless feet dangling languidly outside the window, suspended from above.

The four occupants inside the vehicle grimaced in terror.

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