Chapter 19: Thrilling Abandoned School

"So cruel?" I gently slid my fingers over Xiaofeng's back. She was still tense, instinctively trying to evade my touch.

"The female officer said the needles had been in for so long that they'd rusted into the flesh, making them nearly impossible to remove."

I couldn't imagine the pain Xiaofeng had endured. But sympathy aside, marrying her would be asking too much.

How could I take home a woman of mysterious origins, someone I'd only met once?

Not to mention, there might be a malevolent ghost inside her that could lose control at any moment.

"You've suffered a lot." After tidying her clothes, I added, "About marrying me, I hope you'll think it through. Marriage is a lifelong commitment for a woman; it's something to choose carefully."

Xiaofeng had the kind of understated beauty that grew on you. She embodied the gentle, demure qualities of a southern woman. If someone didn't know her past, they'd find it hard to resist her charm.

I didn't give her a direct answer, but my meaning was clear.

"The Peaceful Inn is my lifelong nightmare. I can't go back there. I've never been to school and I'm not good at socializing. Apart from you, I don't even have a friend." Her expression dimmed.

At that moment, I wanted to say something cruel: "Sorry, I've never considered you a friend. That night, I was just using you to extract useful information."

But after a long silence, I couldn't bring myself to say it. She was already pitiful enough; I didn't want to hurt her further.

"Take your time deciding about marrying me. You're still young, and you have a long road ahead." I pushed my chair aside and moved to sit opposite her.

Xiaofeng's face turned a pallid gray, her eyelids twitching constantly. Her hands clutched at the handcuffs while her bound ankles curled back, her feet pressing hard against the floor as if she wanted to stand.

Seeing her in this terrifying state, I sighed deeply. If no one cared for her, she'd likely end up being forcibly admitted to a mental hospital.

I tapped my fingers on the table. Xiaofeng's expression grew more twisted and frightening, even under the light.

"Beep, beep." The walkie-talkie in the drawer buzzed. Answering it, I heard Tie Ningxiang's urgent command to evacuate immediately.

I stood up, extinguished my cigarette, and looked at Xiaofeng, who was clearly in agony. Guilt gnawed at me.

"Gao Jian, leave now! The suspect is about to lose control again!"

I remained where I was, casually switching off the walkie-talkie. Since becoming a host for the Hell Show, I'd been exposed to a world invisible to ordinary people. The terror and constant dread were feelings only those who'd experienced them could understand.

Acting on impulse, I moved to Xiaofeng's side, gently cradling her head and holding her in my arms. "I know your loneliness. I understand what you're afraid of. Let's do this—if you truly have nowhere else to go, my shop happens to need a sales assistant. The pay is 1,000 a month, with room and board included. What do you think?"

There was no response for a long time. Only when I felt a trace of warmth on my palm did I realize Xiaofeng was crying for some reason, her tears making her look incredibly delicate.

Five minutes later, Tie Ningxiang and Xiao Wang entered the room and began their formal interrogation.

"You've got skills, don't you? Just a few words, and you've got her obediently cooperating." On our way out of the police station, Tie Ningxiang invited me to eat at their cafeteria, chatting non-stop along the way. "By the way, were you serious about letting her work at your shop? That tiny space of yours can fit two people?"

"If it can't fit, I'll make it fit. I gave my word, didn't I? I can't go back on it now."

"Thank you for helping me out. Things turning out this way make me feel pretty bad…"

Whether Tie Ningxiang felt bad or not, I didn't know. What I did know was that early the next morning, two police cars were parked in front of my adult goods store, with several officers pounding on the door.

"Gao Jian, open up! We're here to deliver someone!"

"Deliver someone?" Half-asleep, I threw on some clothes and rushed to the door.

Opening it, I saw Tie Ningxiang grinning in her uniform. "Good morning, Gao Jian!"

"What's this about?"

"Didn't we agree yesterday? We're safely delivering her to you. Just don't bully her!" The officers lined up neatly, and behind them, Xiaofeng walked in wearing a brand-new black dress.

"You could've at least called first!"

"We wanted to surprise you." Tie Ningxiang nudged the shy Xiaofeng forward. "Miss, treat this as your home from now on. If he bullies you, let me know. The people's police don't spare the guilty! Alright, you two chat. We'll take our leave."

"Wait, Tie Team, don't go!"

"Mission accomplished. Let's go!"

The two police cars sped away, leaving behind officers who seemed glad to be rid of a hot potato.

"So much for 'the people's police serve the people,'" I sighed as I invited Xiaofeng inside.

The naive girl curiously touched everything, leaving me too embarrassed to explain the true purpose of my merchandise.

"Xiaofeng, from now on, you're the only sales assistant in this shop. I'll get you a key soon. You'll live downstairs, and I'll work upstairs. Don't come up unless it's necessary."

I wasn't hiding my collection of fashion magazines or the 100GB of "lifestyle documentaries" on my computer. I was just afraid she'd stumble upon the records of the Hell Show.

"Okay, I'll do as you say." Xiaofeng nodded obediently, seemingly taking her role as a new bride quite seriously.

"In the drawer is a product catalog and price list. Memorize them. Also, this is a taser for self-defense. If someone bothers you, press this button."

"This one?"

"Ah!" My scream echoed through the sleeping street. A new day had begun.

…

Today is another task day for Hell Show, so I charged my phone, left Xiaofeng behind, and headed to the overpass to borrow talismans from Liu the Blind.

However, that old sly fox seemed to anticipate my visit. He packed up early and disappeared without a trace.

"Damn it! Lives are at stake, and he chooses to ignore them. Liu, you just wait!" I shouted at his front door for a good quarter of an hour before stomping away angrily. With no other options, I'd have to wing it tonight.

At 8 p.m., I sent Xiaofeng away and sat alone by my phone.

As the clock hands overlapped, the faint glow from my phone's large screen flickered. An unfamiliar number lit up on the screen.

"Who will it be this time?" I placed the phone to my ear and answered.

"Drop the handkerchief, drop the handkerchief, twist off a head and secretly place it behind the little one. Don't let him find out; hurry, hurry, catch him! Hurry, hurry, catch him!"

A seemingly cheerful children's rhyme filled me with chills instead.

Finally, when the eerie song ended, several children's sinister laughter followed from the other end of the line:

"Let's play a game. If you can find me before sunrise, you'll be free to go. If not, you'll stay with me forever…"

As the call ended, my inbox received a new message.

"At midnight, the campus turns surreal. Count the thirteen steps underfoot, listen to the baby's cries in the infirmary, and find the ghost doll waiting in the last bathroom stall. She'll ask you where her missing left hand went. Now, answer me this: do you prefer blue, white, or red?"

"Live Task: Arrive at Xinhu High School at midnight and survive until sunrise."

"Optional Task: Complete seven games on campus. Each game earns one additional point."

Staring at the optional task list that appeared out of nowhere, I scratched my head. "Are you sure this 'play' is the fun kind and not the fatal kind?"

Without talismanic protection, I needed to be even more cautious. "Xinhu High School?"

To my knowledge, there was no such school in Jiangcheng. A quick online search revealed that it had been fully closed down five years ago.

The official explanation remained unclear, while netizens speculated wildly. Some claimed it was due to a fire, with mismanagement during evacuation leading to a deadly stampede, leaving too many casualties to continue operating. Others said it was because the school had too many suicide cases, forcing the Education Department to shut it down.

Still, others said it was a ghost school—students by day, ghosts by night.

From the photos online, it looked bright and grand. A closer look at the details revealed that it was a prestigious private institution co-founded by China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families could attend, with many even transferring in from other cities.

"Logically, this school should have been quite famous, but there's been no mention of it these past years. All information about it seems deliberately suppressed." Checking the address, I saw Xinhu High School was located in a remote area between Jiangcheng and Puhui City.

"That complicates things." During the Peaceful Inn incident, I narrowly escaped unscathed thanks to the timely arrival of the police. However, Xinhu High School was in such a remote location that it would take over an hour for law enforcement to respond.

Without talismans or police assistance, I scratched my chin in frustration.

"What's on your mind? You look worried," Xiaofeng emerged from the back room, holding a bowl of steaming hot noodles. "I made this myself. Try it."

"Xiaofeng, I need to head out tonight. You stay behind to look after the shop. No time to eat—I've got to leave immediately." After checking my streaming equipment, I picked up my black suitcase and prepared to go.

"Another live stream? Can you take me with you?" Holding the hot noodles, she looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I shook my head and firmly refused. "No. Stay here and mind the shop. Don't wander around at night."

"Then… at least have a bite. I made this especially for you." The fragrant noodles were placed before me. Since that incident years ago, no one had cooked for me.

"Fine." I wolfed down a few bites. To my surprise, it tasted excellent. "Not bad—impressive cooking skills."

"Glad you like it. So…"

"I'm off. Don't worry. See you tomorrow."

Clutching my suitcase, I hurried out the door without noticing the faint smile curling at Xiaofeng's lips.