Chapter 38 Wolf Ears
Being in the darkness, my heart was still racing with fear, and my legs were a little weak after the explosive sprint.
Hearing the voice from above, Mu Jiu was taken aback: "Ling Zhao?"
Her voice seemed to flip a switch, and the comments section, which had just been trembling with fear at the "monster's" close proximity, sprang to life, like weasels leaping about in a melon patch:
[Really? Really? Really?? If it's that guy, I'm seriously going to ship him!!!]
[Ling Zhao actually came? Wasn't he just exposed as a disgraced celebrity?]
[They just announced the suspension of recording yesterday, and it's already happening today. Are they treating the audience like dogs?]
[To the person in the previous post: I have no problem with you wanting to be a dog, but it's your problem that you missed out on the gossip.]
[Oh my god, I feel like crying so much when I hear Jiu Jiu call Ling Zhao's name now.]
[Cameraman, turn on the light! What am I supposed to see with such a blurry background?!]
In the darkness, only a very soft "hmm" could be heard.
This time the voice was clearer, and after confirming that she hadn't mistaken the person, Mu Jiu unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Although puzzled by Ling Zhao's sudden appearance in the haunted house, he finally felt a little relieved now that he was no longer surrounded by a strange and terrifying environment and people he had to be extremely careful with.
Completely regaining his senses, Mu Jiu realized he was gripping the other person's arm tightly. Just as he was about to let go, a ray of light shone between them from afar.
It's as if the boundary between reality and ambiguity has been suddenly severed, revealing everything that could still be hidden in the darkness to the camera.
Even though it seemed like Ling Zhao had simply lowered his head and caught Mu Jiu, who was about to fall.
But in this dim and unclear environment, the interlaced eye contact, and... the messy, tangled strands of hair of different colors, made the atmosphere between the two seem even more ambiguous.
[Ahhh, that pose! She practically threw herself into his arms! Right, right!]
[I'm totally smitten! Leopard Cat's return on its first day is absolutely divine!!]
[This is such a poor physique, the Asagami/Murashita CP fans are really well-fed!]
[The atmosphere's reached this point, and they still haven't kissed?!]
Although I don't ship them as a couple, their looks are still undeniably stunning; even under the live stream camera, they exude an idol drama vibe.
For the two people who had adapted to the darkness, there was no sense of the live stream chat.
As the flashlight beam shone, I heard footsteps approaching from afar.
After finally focusing his gaze, Ling Zhao was about to release Mu Jiu when he saw the other's expression and stopped.
She had probably just witnessed a scene that was beyond her psychological capacity; unease still lingered in her eyes... and you could even clearly see the tears welling up in her eyes.
Even during their sudden argument last time, she never showed such a wronged expression.
He raised his eyes and met Fang Yucheng's gaze from afar.
The moment he saw that hideous face, he almost instinctively shielded Mu Jiu behind him, his expression turning cold instantly.
"I didn't know that top male idols had a penchant for deliberately scaring people."
[Is he crazy? Ling Zhao actually dares to say such a truth? Love really does make people blind /laughable /laughable /laughable]
Yes, yes, I love watching this! Let's fight! Let's fight!!
[It's an authoritative, semi-encircling statement! No wonder they've discussed it before, it's really appealing.]
In a secluded corner, a newly introduced NPC attempted to begin his performance, only to have his skill abruptly interrupted.
Am I the only one who thinks Mu Jiu is putting on an act? He seems to be enjoying this self-centered feeling.
Yes, it's just you.
Please, all you top-tier fans, stop dragging Chaomu into everything! If you absolutely have to, Chaomu's CP fans can only cry and beg you to stop QAQ
Fang Yucheng: "Ling Zhao?"
He wasn't angered by Ling Zhao's aggressive words. After glancing at Mu Jiu behind him, he slowly continued, "It wasn't me who scared her, but... I didn't expect you to be the one to 'save the damsel in distress' so conveniently."
The two men stared at each other silently in the air. Even the staff member playing the NPC behind Fang Yucheng hesitated, raising his hand and then lowering it again, the beam of his flashlight swaying subtly on the ground.
The empty corridor remained deathly silent.
"I was just scared by the authorities, it has nothing to do with Teacher Fang."
Upon hearing Mu Jiu's voice, Fang Yucheng's expression shifted. Just as his gaze softened, he noticed that Mu Jiu's eyes were not on him.
On the other side, feeling her sleeve being gently tugged downwards, Ling Zhao turned around and met Mu Jiu's gaze.
She no longer seemed flustered or shaken; she just blinked at him quickly, as if trying to convey some message.
Ling Zhao looked at her for a while, seemingly thinking about something, then suddenly bent down slightly and turned his head to the side.
Startled by his action, Mu Jiu realized a beat later that the other person thought she was going to whisper something, so she quickly waved her hand: "I didn't mean to say anything... I just wanted to ask why you're here today?"
Although she had asked Ling Zhao to come back today to record the show, she never expected him to show up here.
"On the way to the cabin, the director said..."
Ling Zhao glanced at Fang Yucheng and calmly explained, "Those who don't have a date scheduled can choose whether or not to go to their ex's date location."
Hearing this, Mu Jiu also remembered it.
This scene does indeed appear in the original novel's plot.
It was only because the original owner's "ex-boyfriend" was chasing after Meng Shuning the whole time, while the original owner herself was chasing after Fang Yucheng the whole time, that neither of them chose to go to the ex's date scene in this part, and they just skipped over it with a few words.
However, now, although this step still exists, the situation is completely different.
Despite his exaggerated and terrifying makeup, Fang Yucheng managed a polite smile, which only made him more chilling: "Normally, a person who respects women would not deliberately disturb his ex-girlfriend's date."
He subtly emphasized the words "already broken up" and "ex-girlfriend".
Ling Zhao looked at him expressionlessly: "No one would deliberately dress up like this for a date."
[The director really knows what we want to see! The rule of 'choosing whether to go to your ex's date' is so exciting!!]
[A chaotic scene indeed!]
[Let's fight! I love watching these straightforward matchups!]
Honestly, if someone normally said Fang Yucheng looked like a monster, I'd think they were just jealous. But looking at his 'Ripper' face now... Ling Zhao's assessment is actually quite accurate.
Although I am a fan of Yu Cheng, to be honest, his makeup doesn't really fit the 'date' look.
While casual observers were getting excited, the comments section was quickly flooded with messages from fans:
Stop pretending to be a fan. Real fans will only think the production team is inhumane and feel sorry for Cheng Bao being used as a stepping stone to gain attention by exploiting his popularity.
[Some people shouldn't flatter themselves. Who would want to get into a mess with a low-class person who can only imitate? Who do you think you are?]
"Hello everyone?"
Just as the atmosphere became awkward again, the NPC, dressed in mud-caked adventure clothes and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, finally seized the opportunity to peek out from the shadows and cautiously asked, "Are the three explorers Professor Christie's students?"
Having successfully attracted the attention of the three, he quickly took off his hat and nervously began to introduce himself: "I am Will, who was entrusted by the professor to guide you. You just landed in a rift in this space-time. Staying here for too long will be dangerous. Please follow me."
Immediately following, as if in response to his statement, terrifying howls and the sound of some creature banging its head against the wall echoed from the house he had just left.
The immersive performance of NPC Werner, coupled with the chilling sound effects, instantly transported the three back to the world of the haunted house, dispelling much of the tense atmosphere from before.
"In the cracks of time and space, we will see a microcosm of another world, but be careful, once you are caught up in it, you must find the key to the story of this world in order to escape."
As Will carefully confirmed their location, he cautioned them, "If we can't find it, we'll all become characters in the story, forever trapped inside. But this path often changes, so everyone must stay close to me."
After the background was explained, led by Will, Mu Jiu and the others finally walked from the dark corridor into a passageway with a dim yellow light.
Although the area in front of him was much brighter than the place he had just passed, the smell, the ambient lighting, and the marks on the walls all made Mu Jiu feel uncomfortable.
She knew that haunted houses would use environmental arrangements to create a sense of oppression in order to make people feel oppressed.
Even knowing that everything in front of her was fake, Mu Jiu still couldn't help but feel physically uncomfortable. Unconsciously, her pace slowed down, and she gradually moved to the back of the line.
Just as she was about to retreat further behind Ling Zhao, Ling Zhao suddenly spoke up: "You'd better go first."
Mu Jiu glanced at him in surprise, feeling a bit disappointed that his teammate had suddenly exposed him.
But under the camera's gaze, she still tactfully said, "No need, I think being at the back of the line suits me quite well..."
"I've worked part-time at haunted houses."
Ling Zhao said calmly, "Standing at the back makes it easier for employees who love their work to strike up a conversation."
[Hahaha, I was drinking water and I laughed so hard I threw up!]
[Are you sure you're a dedicated employee? Do the NPCs at the haunted house know you're describing them like this?]
[The back of the line is totally a scary spot! Last time I went to a haunted house, because I was at the very back, the NPC chased me around three times!]
If I had seen this earlier, I wouldn't have gone to the back of the haunted house last time. /crack
"Or perhaps, you actually prefer..."
Before Ling Zhao could finish speaking, Mu Jiu interrupted him, her scalp tingling as she recalled the scene just now: "Okay, I understand, no need to say more."
She obediently quickened her pace and cut in front of Ling Zhao.
This interruption eased the tension considerably. But as we got further and further away from the starting point, the ground felt soft and strange underfoot.
Will, the NPC leading the way, also issued a timely warning: "Oh no! We've been caught up in a new world. We have to find the key to the story within half an hour! Otherwise, the monsters in the time-space rift will find us!"
"Be careful not to be discovered by the other 'beings' in this world; we do not belong here..."
Just as Will was putting on a great show, Ling Zhao glanced at Mu Jiu, who was listening intently, and his steps faltered almost imperceptibly as his gaze swept around the corner.
Ling Zhao: "There will be sound effects around the corner ahead."
[I just thought Ling Zhao was reliable, but now he's putting on airs?]
[Does working part-time at haunted houses make you Sherlock Holmes? You think you can predict the future?]
Is it true or false? It's all so mysterious.
He's here! He's here! He's coming with his million-dollar part-time job offer!
While the comments section was still filled with sarcastic remarks, Mu Jiu had already subconsciously raised his hand to cover his ears.
The next second, the sickening sound of a monster chewing almost exploded down my spine right next to my ears.
Accompanied by a mournful wail, a solitary apartment room, its door half-open, reveals a mottled reddish-brown stain that meanders from the doorway into the room.
Ling Zhao glanced at the doorway and said to Mu Jiu beside him, "Don't go in yet."
Having just avoided the terrifying sound effects under Ling Zhao's instructions, Mu Jiu nodded vigorously in agreement.
Fang Yucheng took in the whole scene. He chuckled and said in a somewhat enigmatic tone, "It's not necessarily safe outside either."
His words sounded like a statement of fact, but his gaze seemed to casually sweep over Ling Zhao's arm that was blocking Mu Jiu's way: "Didn't you just tell her not to stand at the back?"
[It's here! It's back with that familiar atmosphere!]
[Am I just imagining things? Fang Yucheng's words sound a bit sarcastic?]
[This is clearly just normal concern for a colleague; can we please not overinterpret it?]
[Our Yucheng is completely devoted to his studies, please don't mention it.]
Actually, I think Ling Zhao and Fang Yucheng are kind of a good couple. To some extent, I only have eyes for you. /chewcheche
Just as the barrage of comments was about to erupt into chaos again, the NPC Will, who was pretending to be frightened, finally came to his senses: "I'll keep watch outside. Everyone, please explore the room quickly and find the real key to the story."
Upon hearing this, Mu Jiu raised an eyebrow: "What does the Key to the Story look like?"
"The key to stories takes different forms in different worlds."
Will slowly turned around and mechanically glanced at her: "The only thing that can be confirmed is that the moment someone touches it, the passage to escape this world will be opened."
Mu Jiu glanced thoughtfully inside from the doorway.
This is a very ordinary single apartment in terms of decoration. The living room, kitchen, and bedroom are connected, and only the bathroom has a separate stall.
Judging from what the NPC just said, it seems that we need to explore the entire room to find the real quest item.
After walking around the room, Ling Zhao casually opened the bathroom door, stayed inside for less than twenty seconds, and then closed the door again with wet hands: "There's no need to look inside."
Seeing Mu Jiu's hands resting on the door frame, she looked at him curiously, then at the bathroom door.
He added, "There's just a pool of water, nothing else."
[I believed Ling Zhao when he said he was working part-time at a haunted house, and he didn't even flinch when he saw a pool of blood and his colleague hanging on the curtain.]
[Amazing! Even if that pool of water had no smell, I still wouldn't touch it; it looks disgusting.]
[Isn't the bathroom a hotspot for terrorist incidents? How come Ling Zhao seems to be living a very simple life?]
[You can go by yourself. Once you're there, you won't say a word. Anyway, I have a friend who cleared this dungeon last time and got all the kills right in the bathroom.]
...
Is he deliberately trying to create a persona that is the opposite of his own?
Fang Yucheng's eyes darkened slightly, and he scoffed inwardly.
In an attempt to impress someone, the other person put on an overly enthusiastic performance, which was laughable.
He stood up from the TV cabinet and reached out towards the wardrobe next to him.
Before he could even touch the handle, a voice similar to his came faintly from another direction: "I suggest you don't open that cabinet door."
Fang Yucheng paused, then asked, "What do you mean?"
"The sound effect just now suggested that the monster was hunting for food."
Ling Zhao didn't speak, but Mu Jiu, who had been observing the room, thoughtfully analyzed: "There's blood everywhere here, but the bathroom is normal. Does that mean the monster is still hiding inside?"
"……almost."
Ling Zhao glanced at the edge of the cabinet door: "The hinges of the door have obvious signs of deformation. This usually happens when a player opens the door, regrets it, and tries to force it closed, causing the staff inside to have to push the door open with difficulty."
[Hahaha, that's such a vivid image!]
[What I thought was pretty scary until now has suddenly turned into a funny story after this description.]
[After hearing this, I just feel sorry for the staff. Imagine being a worker who just wanted to get some fresh air during work hours, only to be locked up by a player who was scared out of their wits :)]
[lol, don't apply everything to yourself!]
Fang Yucheng didn't act immediately, but he didn't let go of the handle either. He simply calmly questioned, "Can you guarantee there aren't any clues inside?"
After he said that, no one responded.
Ling Zhao didn't say a word, calmly retreated to the door... and then gestured for him to "do as you please".
"Now you can begin."
Fang Yucheng frowned slightly and looked away. Just as he was hesitating whether to take action, a faint scraping sound came from inside the cabinet door in the now quiet room.
Fang Yucheng: "..."
So the three of them tacitly stopped mentioning whether or not to check the wardrobe.
Once the source of danger is identified, the indoor search becomes more targeted.
Fang Yucheng inspected the kitchen and refrigerator, Ling Zhao inspected the bed and cabinets in the bedroom, and Mu Jiu was responsible for inspecting the bookshelves and desk.
When she pulled a leather-covered notebook from the depths of the dusty bookshelf, the handwritten words that caught her eye made her brow twitch slightly as she opened it.
journal.
She straightened her bearings and turned back to the first page:
November 1st
A noise came from the next room.
The landlord's rumor that "there's something in that room" is just a tired urban legend.
November 2nd
Bloody handprints were found in the hallway. When contacted, the management company said, "No other residents have reported it."
This is a lie; it's definitely someone playing a prank.
November 3
I heard heavy breathing outside the door late at night. Looking through the peephole, I saw a woman standing there with a broken neck.
This can't be real, it must be Miyoko from next door!
She's disliked me for a long time, and she must have been pretending to scare me on purpose. I heard her laughing as she left!
I'm going to teach her a lesson tomorrow!!!
November 4th
Miyoko is dead. ]
November 5th
She wanders the corridor every night, and her footsteps echo in my ears as soon as I close my eyes.
Why am I experiencing all this? This must be a dream; I'll return to reality as soon as I fall asleep.
Upon seeing this, Mu Jiu could clearly see the messy marks on the back of the page. She paused slightly before taking a deep breath and turning the page.
November 6th
She started mimicking my voice, hiding in the bathroom and stuffing a towel under the door. [She didn't come in. She didn't come in. She didn't come in.]
[奠Oo
Seven locks
Why were they still allowed in?
who I am? ]
The next page is empty.
As you flip through the pages further, you'll see traces of it being torn at some point.
On the very last piece of paper, a bloody eye suddenly appeared.
Mu Jiu subconsciously took a step back and let go of her hand.
The entire page was soaked in some kind of dried, dark red liquid, and it was covered with two words written in even more frantic, heavy strokes, densely packed and repeated over and over again—
So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry! So hungry!
Just as Mu Jiu's fingertips grew cold as she closed the diary,
A loud crash suddenly came from inside the wardrobe, as if something was banging its head against the wardrobe door.
Then came an inhuman roar, a mixture of howls and chewing sounds, clearer and closer than ever before!
[Wow, has anyone seen the contents of that diary? I read it so fast I was covered in cold sweat QAQ]
[I captured it, sharing it in the comments section]
[The people in front are really nice, it's not scary at all, it's super funny, everyone should watch!]
[Look back, don't look anymore, my damn curiosity is killing me.]
The smell of the book is quite strong, it's just okay, nothing particularly scary.
What kind of notebook is this?
Although Mu Jiu was startled by the voice, his thoughts remained clear, and he spoke much faster: "The time to trigger the final chase hasn't arrived yet. Is it because we found the key to the story, or because we triggered some taboo?"
"A diary is the key to a story..."
Will's face turned deathly pale, filled with unprecedented panic. He rushed into the half-person-high passageway that had been opened behind the mirror and shouted to the three of them, "Quick! Every monster trapped here wants to escape. We have to get out before they catch up with us!"
All the way, terrifying roars followed, accompanied by heavy, ever-closer dragging sounds, tearing sounds, and breathing sounds that didn't sound human.
Because Ling Zhao was always blocking the way at the back, Mu Jiu wasn't sure how close the monster staff member in charge of the chase was, so he could only try to walk out in the direction Will was leading.
However, just after crossing another intersection, a small patch of indistinct blue light shone down on her head.
Will slowed down and glanced back.
Before Mu Jiu could make a move, she heard a confident voice behind her: "There's something above your head. Don't look up."
【Ahhh!! I saw it!! My eyes!!!】
Holy crap, I was so scared I threw my phone away.
Is it really possible for anyone to resist looking at this? That's how I got tricked into looking at the top of my head, and then I was so scared I almost had a hypoglycemic attack.
Are all people who have worked part-time at haunted houses this invincible? Or is it just Ling Zhao who is like this?
[The staff crawled around in the shadows, grabbing my ankles and shoulders, and blowing on me, but I didn't react at all. That's amazing!]
[Is no one here to enjoy a bite of Morning Dusk? I'll sneak a bite first.]
...
Once everyone stepped out of the passageway and saw the familiar mall decor and bright sunlight, the feeling of returning to reality made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
However, even though the haunted house tour was over, the "NPC Will" who led them through the entire experience did not leave like a regular staff member.
"Congratulations to everyone on successfully completing the adventure, and thank you to the 'Our Past' program team for choosing our Endless Haunted House as our date location."
He reached up and removed the adventure hat, which was covered in mud from the props, and casually tidied his disheveled hair. His previously deliberately hunched back straightened, and a composed and polite smile appeared on his face: "Allow me to reintroduce myself, I am the manager of 'Endless Haunted House'."
Faced with the three people's different gazes, he added, "Actually, when Mr. Yu Cheng contacted us in advance today, he made a special request—he hoped not only to experience it as a player, but also to gain a deeper understanding of our behind-the-scenes operations."
"After internal discussion, we thought it was a great suggestion, so we specially invited him to choose the role of 'The Ripper' in advance for an in-depth experience... Mr. Fang prepared very carefully, and we did not expect that he had made sufficient preparations before entering the haunted house."
At this point, the store manager turned to Mu Jiu and Ling Zhao and extended a sincere invitation: "I wonder if the other two teachers would also be interested in experiencing the unique charm of the haunted house from a different perspective?"
[As expected, Chengbao had prepared in advance! Where are the people who were just criticizing him? They labeled people without even knowing anything about them.]
[As expected of my brother! I knew he would be the most dedicated person to his work; true fans would never doubt him!]
This date was planned with such care; they even went to the trouble of finding out what happened behind the scenes.
[Some people were just being sarcastic and sarcastic, now they've been proven wrong, haven't they?]
The segments that receive explicit invitations are usually those that have been pre-arranged between the production team and the store manager.
Sure enough, right after the store manager finished speaking, the director's explanation came through the earpiece.
After the two agreed, the shop manager's smile widened: "Great! Then please come with me to choose the roles and costumes you want to play."
After greeting Ling Zhao and Mu Jiu, he smiled and said to Fang Yucheng, "Teacher Yucheng, you may need to wait in the rest area for a moment. Also, it's almost time for our staff to rest."
"As the store manager, I'd like to take this opportunity to offer some benefits to the employees. Would you mind signing some autographs for them? Many of the employees are your fans..."
As the staff led them in another direction, the noise gradually faded away.
"This is our dressing room."
Compared to a haunted house, the backstage dressing room and the theater's backstage changing area are not much different.
A dazzling array of bizarre costumes hang on metal racks.
The staff enthusiastically introduced the costumes: "This is our 'Slit-Mouthed Woman' outfit, with the blood pack hidden in the collar; that's the 'Faceless Nurse's' uniform, and the special makeup creates a stunning effect..."
However, after saying that, the staff member glanced at the two of them and blushed slightly: "But for two teachers as good-looking as you, you can choose roles like vampires or Medusa."
Hearing this, Mu Jiu smiled and said, "Thank you, we'll take a look first."
Most actors, like her, probably enjoy choosing roles they've never played before. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment they get from understanding a character's personality and actions and selecting the most perfect way to portray them is addictive.
Her gaze slowly swept over the nurse's uniform stained with "blood" and the white coat covered with cobwebs. As she pondered, she suddenly noticed an unusual set of clothes.
The fur coat looked quite high-quality and had a glossy sheen. It also featured mandibles that could tightly restrain even the fiercest wild beasts, and... a pair of upright, silver-gray wolf ear headdresses with fine down.
On the other side.
Ling Zhao casually pulled open the hem of a black cloak, but his eyes didn't fall on the clothes.
No one is interested in choosing work uniforms, and he is no exception.
If there are any requirements for clothing, it would be that it shouldn't be too difficult for him to wear, just enough so he can breathe normally...
He heard footsteps behind him and felt a slight sinking sensation on the top of his head.
Before I could turn around, I heard a light, encouraging voice behind me: "Don't move! Let me see."
Ling Zhao paused, not turning around again, but her gaze fell on the dressing mirror not far from them.
Mu Jiu: "It feels like it matches your hair color very well."
A pair of fluffy, silver-gray animal ears were placed on top of his head.
Even as time goes by, his "ears" will sometimes twitch slightly or turn in the direction of movement, just like those cats that are always leisurely sunbathing.
Just as Mu Jiu was drawn to the sound of the "beast ears" and was about to rub them, she heard Ling Zhao's voice coming over softly.
"You like this type?"
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Author's Note: Thank you, little angels, for stealing other people's nutrient solution to nourish me!
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