My House of Horrors

“Looking for heaven inside the well?” Chen Ge looked at the boy and was suddenly reminded of something. His emotions were running wild. He turned around to take a deep breath to calm himself down. Thankfully, the woman did not notice his weird reaction.

However, as he turned back around, he lowered his head and saw the boy has been staring at her, the glow in his eyes similar to earlier when he saw Xu Wan in Mortician’s Make-up.

“Fan Yu, it’s time to go home,” the woman repeated. Finally, the boy moved away from the well. Even though he still had his head lowered, his mood seemed to have improved.

However, after they exited the Haunted House and the sunlight fell on the party, the boy returned to how he had been before, silent with an unbridled fear circulating in his eyes. It was hard to tell whether he was afraid of light or living humans.

The woman thanked Chen Ge before leading the boy away. After the pair left New Century Park, Chen Ge sighed in relief. The black phone in his pocket vibrated. He sat on the steps as he thought back on what had happened earlier.

Looking for heaven inside the well… perhaps for the boy, this was not meant in a metaphorical manner. After conversing with the woman, Chen Ge knew she had lied to the boy by saying that his parents had gone to somewhere called heaven so that he would not be too sad.

She had probably hoped that the boy would come to the realization as he grew up, but things did not go as planned. The boy’s psychological health was stunted—he could no longer be considered a normal young boy. However, the thing that surprised Chen Ge the most was the boy’s answer when he asked what he was doing beside the well.

His parents had gone to heaven and the boy kept on searching for heaven inside the well. Did this not prove indirectly that the boy had seen his parents shoved into the well with his own eyes ‽

Their bodies are inside the well! Chen Ge lit a cigarette unknowingly. He did not hurry to call the police but continued his line of speculation.

The boy’s parents were both teachers at Mu Yang High School, and one of the side quests activated on the black phone is related to both Mu Yang High School and a well. If this is not a coincidence, then the disappearance of the boy’s parents should be related to Mu Yang High School.

Chen Ge took out the black phone, and there was an unread message. He opened it.

“Different choices lead to different result. The first special visitor has left. You made the correct choice during the visitation period. Congratulations for obtaining the reward! Unlocked Hidden Trial Mission—Mu Yang High School! This mission is part of the four-star scenario, School of the Afterlife’s side mission. Completing it will unlock a two-star scenario, Mu Yang High School, and lower the Trial Mission difficulty for School of the Afterlife.

“Mu Yang High School Trial Mission (Scream Factor 2 Stars): This scenario has four side missions. Survive after experiencing all of them, and the scenario will be unlocked.

“Mission Venue: Mu Yang High School.

“Mission Request: Arrive at the mission venue before 11 pm tonight and survive until dawn.

“Mission Hint: Everyone has a deep well inside their heart where shameful and unknowable secrets stay buried.

“Do you wish to accept the mission?

“Warning: Trial Mission is only active for 24 hours. If you do not accept it within 24 hours, you will forfeit the mission, and the scenario will forever be locked.”

The message on the black phone flustered Chen Ge. He did not expect the reward for accepting a special visitor would be the unlocking of a two-star scenario’s Trial Mission. He had already experienced the terror of a Trial Mission at Ping An Apartments. It was much more dangerous than a Nightmare Mission, and Ping An Apartments was merely a one star Trial Mission.

Chen Ge memorized all the information on the screen as he looked through the black phone again and again.

The previous mission required me to find the murderer while this mission only requires me to stay alive until dawn. It looks simpler in comparison, but the black phone must have its reasons to label this a two-star mission; its level of danger has to be higher than Murder by Midnight’s Trial Mission!

To survive, it sounded like a simple demand, but it greatly unsettled Chen Ge. The offer of the Trial Mission would be open only for 24 hours, and this was a great point of contention for Chen Ge. He did not know if surrendering this mission would affect the development of the four-star scenario, School of the Afterlife.

Even though based on his current situation, unlocking a four-star scenario was practically impossible, he would still feel pain if he had to surrender it.

Forfeiting this mission might mean forfeiting School of the Afterlife. Two losses at once is indeed too big a loss. Chen Ge measured the pros and cons in his heart.Not accepting it means losing two scenarios, but if I manage to complete the mission, it means unlocking a two-star scenario, and it will also complete the side missions for School of the Afterlife. The Haunted House requires constant updates to retain the repeat visitors. This two-star scenario comes at the right time, so I should give it a try.

New Century Park was facing closure, and he needed to create results within three months, something that was impossible with the current Haunted House. After some thought, Chen Ge decided to accept the mission.

After the message disappeared, Chen Ge decided not to waste any more time. He called Xu Wan to inform her to look after the Haunted House for the rest of the day because he had to go somewhere else.

The boy was the key that activated the Trial Mission for Mu Yang High School, and Chen Ge believed he would be able to get more information from him. Chen Ge ran out the park entrance and saw the boy and the woman get on a bus.

Route 14.

Chen Ge hailed a cab and told the driver, “Go to the next stop for Route 14.”

The taxi reached the station arrived earlier than the bus, which arrived one minute later. The bus was crowded, and the woman was holding the boy in her arms as they were squeezed to the back of the bus. They did not discover Chen Ge.

Following them home might nab me some surprise discoveries.

Chen Ge did not hurry to expose himself but stood at the front of the bus. The bus continued to pass seven stations, and many passengers descended as the surroundings outside the bus became more and more deserted.

When they almost reached the final station, the woman and the boy finally got off. They did not walk down the street but turned down a small, secluded path.

They live at such a secluded place? Then again, the woman did mention finding many doctors for the boy—that would burn a hole in the family finances.

Chen Ge trailed behind them. A short distance later, the woman and the boy suddenly increased in pace.

Have I been discovered? Or are they hiding from something else?