"Drip… drip…"
Lilith, descending the stairs with Jiang, suddenly looked up, tilting her head to listen.
Jiang, noticing her sudden stop, paused. "What is it?"
Lilith frowned, gazing upwards. Although she couldn't see anything, she sensed something was happening…
"Miss Jiang, do you hear… dripping?"
Lilith's words startled Jiang; she listened carefully. Following Lilith's lead, she heard a faint dripping sound… very subtle, almost imperceptible without the motel's unusual silence.
"Something's wrong…"
Lilith murmured, looking at Jiang. "Go ahead, Miss Jiang. I need to go back to the sixth floor."
Jiang's face fell; she hadn't expected Lilith to do this, but… she couldn't go alone from the dark staircase to the first floor!
Besides… although unspoken, Lilith provided a sense of security.
This woman… seemed fearless?
So, Jiang didn't hesitate. "I'll go with you!"
Lilith didn't dissuade her; she simply nodded.
"Let's go then."
They turned and began heading back to the sixth floor.
...
Despair filled every corner of Harrison's being.
Before his eyes, the decaying face slowly turned.
The water in the sink had overflowed…
The water spread towards Harrison; he retreated in terror, backing into the hallway.
Harrison's eyes widened; he vaguely saw a woman's form in the water…
Who… was that?
"Who… who are you?" Although Harrison was close to collapse, he instinctively asked.
Unsurprisingly, neither "he" nor "she" answered.
Then, before Harrison's terrified eyes, the figure in the water emerged!
First, a pale arm, then a head with long, tangled hair; her body was grotesquely contorted, collapsing onto the floor, boneless and limp.
Harrison tried to stand, to flee.
But it was too late…
The transformed "man" had silently blocked his escape route.
And before him was the figure in the water.
A desperate situation!
"It's over… I'm dead…"
Harrison trembled; his mind was a chaos.
His eyes were wide open, yet he couldn't see the woman's face clearly.
He only felt the boneless, contorted figure reach out, seizing his throat…
A suffocating sensation overwhelmed him; Harrison frantically kicked, trying to pry the fingers from his neck.
But it was useless; Harrison felt the ice…
The icy cold…
And dampness, as if submerged underwater…
"Damn… damn it…" The color drained from Harrison's face; his veins bulged in his neck; tears and saliva flowed uncontrollably.
Harrison could clearly feel his life ebbing away…
...
The dripping sound grew louder.
Lilith quickened her pace; the distance from the fourth to the sixth floor wasn't great, so she arrived quickly.
Jiang followed closely, bracing herself…
…for a ghostly encounter.
Lilith must have discovered something to return to the sixth floor so urgently.
They quickly reached the sixth floor.
But… the sight before them stunned Jiang.
She had imagined many scenarios, but not this?
Harrison, the thirty-something office worker, was desperately strangling himself at the top of the stairs!
His eyes were bloodshot, yet he continued to tighten his grip!
Veins bulged in his hands; he was trying to suffocate himself!
"Help!"
Lilith's shout cut through Jiang's confused thoughts and rising fear; she instinctively obeyed.
Lilith forcefully pried Harrison's fingers apart while shouting his name.
"Mr. Harrison? What's wrong, Mr. Harrison?"
Jiang quickly arrived and joined Lilith; they pulled at Harrison's fingers from opposite sides, but it was useless!
It was unbelievable how strong Harrison was! Lilith knew her own strength; at Industry City Psychiatric Hospital, she had consistently trained her body. While not as strong as a professional athlete, she possessed significantly more strength and speed than an average person.
Yet… this strength wasn't enough to pry Harrison's fingers apart!
Lilith stared at him; Harrison seemed trapped in a nightmare, unresponsive to calls; his face was turning blue; he was about to strangle himself to death!
For some reason, this bizarre scene felt familiar to Lilith, yet she couldn't recall it.
This was unusual; Lilith rarely forgot things, yet she couldn't place this uncanny familiarity.
"No… no!" Jiang gasped, "We can't pry his fingers apart!"
She was using all her strength, but the sight before her was terrifying and despairing; Harrison's body seemed controlled by another, exhibiting superhuman strength, intent on killing himself!
"Get out of the way!"
Lilith said abruptly.
Jiang moved aside; as she did, she saw a blur, then a solid strike to Harrison's elbow!
"Crack—"
Jiang's eyes widened in disbelief as Lilith, elegant and composed, had swiftly broken Harrison's elbow joint with a kick!
Harrison's right elbow was grotesquely twisted; the sight was excruciating.
Before Jiang could react, Lilith struck again!
"Snap—"
Harrison's left arm also broke!
Although brutal, Harrison's life was saved!
His arms were twisted at unnatural angles, broken by Lilith's powerful kicks; finally, Harrison's grip loosened.
Only then did Jiang understand Lilith's actions.
She looked at Lilith, who remained calm, stroking Harrison's face, trying to wake him.
Jiang herself didn't realize the emotion in her eyes—awe… similar to the feeling of encountering a ghost…
...
Harrison woke up in pain.
Along with the intense pain came a wave of relief.
I'm still alive?!
His arms hung limp, grotesquely twisted at unnatural angles, as if forcibly broken.
The reality was much as he had suspected.
But… he was alive; that was enough.
Harrison struggled to articulate his emotions; thankfully, Lilith didn't give him time to dwell on it.
"Mr. Harrison, what did you find?"
Lilith's tone was calm but unusually urgent.
Her voice reminded Harrison of their shared predicament; he understood who his savior was.
Without hesitation, fueled by his recent terror, he said, enduring the pain, "Let's go. To the roof! There's something hidden in the water tank on the roof!"
Lilith nodded; she and Jiang supported him on either side, heading towards the stairs.
The elevator didn't go to the roof, but the stairs did.
...
"Huff… huff…"
Adrian tried to suppress his breathing, but still made a slight sound.
His throat felt torn and raw.
His body was covered in wounds, but his pale face was far more alarming.
Death… someone had died!
Since separating, Adrian had heard three screams!
Besides Victoria, who had died inexplicably, the others… Flora Bloom, Victor Weston, and Julian Falkner!
Julian was a veteran of the fog gathering!
He had survived countless terrifying tasks, returning safely each time, but this time… he was dead.
Dead in this nameless mansion; they didn't even know the year!
No… something was wrong.
Hiding behind a wardrobe, Adrian desperately tried to think.
"Do not open your eyes when you see a mirror. Do not look back when you hear a call…"
The riddle clearly stated two taboos; following them should have been enough… Could… the riddle contain a hidden trap?
Adrian held his head, analyzing each word.
Mirrors… calls…
Opening eyes… turning around…
Why couldn't they look in mirrors? Was it because the mirrors reflected the… entities?
Possibly…
No!
A sudden insight struck Adrian; the riddle contained a trap, but it wasn't a lie; it simply… omitted information!
Why couldn't they look in mirrors? Because they might see the entities reflected!
So… besides mirrors, what else could reflect images?
Adrian finally recalled a fleeting thought from Victoria's death.
Victoria hadn't looked in a mirror, yet she had died mysteriously.
Why?
Adrian finally understood…
Victoria had an instinctive habit, common to many—when speaking, she liked to look into the other person's eyes!
In a conversation, looking into someone's eyes was polite, but Victoria did it habitually; she always looked into the other person's eyes while speaking!
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
This habit might have been related to her profession, but it was too late now…
It was the eyes!
No… it was anything that could reflect an image!
They couldn't look into anything reflective!
Adrian finally understood the key, but… including himself, only four remained alive!
He had to warn them… otherwise, the others would likely die too!
Adrian's expression shifted rapidly.
He wasn't a saint; the people in the fog gathering weren't all benevolent; for survival, he'd witnessed countless vile acts; human nature was unreliable in such a place.
As Lu Xun once wrote, "Downstairs, a man is dying; next door, a phonograph is playing; opposite, a child is being abused. Upstairs, two people are laughing hysterically; there's the sound of cards being played. On a boat in the river, a woman is weeping for her dead mother. Human joys and sorrows are not interlinked; I only find them noisy."
Human joys and sorrows are not interlinked…
At this thought, Adrian seemed to abandon his plan to leave the wardrobe.
But almost instantly, he emerged from the shadows, searching in the darkness.
Yes… human joys and sorrows are not interlinked; indifference and self-preservation are innate human traits.
But… Adrian preferred to believe human indifference stemmed from "powerless concern," not cold-blooded selfishness.
Adrian felt he now fully understood the riddle's meaning; by paying close attention, he could help others without endangering himself.
Hopefully…
Meanwhile.
Lucas was hiding with a newcomer, Cassandra.
Under extreme fear, people typically react in two ways: psychological collapse and despair, or frantic hysteria.
Cassandra was clearly the latter.
After witnessing various unimaginable horrors, she seemed to have completely lost her mind.
If Lucas hadn't covered her mouth, she would have screamed and acted recklessly.
"Calm down! Listen to me, we can survive!" Lucas's low voice was a final attempt to control Cassandra's emotions; if she continued like this, he would abandon her.
Thankfully, Cassandra seemed to hear the word "survive"; the frantic look in her eyes softened slightly; she looked at Lucas, finally showing some composure.
Lucas pulled her along; they hid in a bedroom on the second floor.
Pitch-black night outside; no stars or moon visible; the wind rustled through the nearby trees, as if something was scraping its teeth in the darkness.
Lucas held his head; despite saying "we can survive," a desperate thought haunted him: only one person might survive—Adrian.
The Cursed One, Adrian!
But… at least he was still alive.
"Listen…" Lucas stood up to speak to Cassandra when she suddenly covered his mouth.
Cassandra's expression was terrified; she pointed towards the door, then her mouth, frantically shaking her head.
Lucas understood; he fell silent.
Then… he heard it.
"Swish—"
"Swish—"
Something… was approaching!
It sounded as if something was being dragged; it slowly passed the bedroom.
Lucas suppressed his fear, peering out through the crack in the door.
His pupils constricted!
Flora Bloom!
It was Flora Bloom's corpse!
Lucas frantically covered his mouth.
At that moment!
Flora's eyes flickered; she seemed to have seen the eyes in the crack.
Intense light filled her eyes; her blood-filled mouth opened and closed; she was begging!
She was begging Lucas to save her!
Flora's will to live was so intense; she wasn't dead yet! She still had a breath left!
But… the truly despairing event occurred…
The eyes in the crack… disappeared.
He abandoned her… he abandoned her…
Unthinkable resentment and despair filled her being; she hadn't been like this.
Vibrant, beautiful, popular… these words described Flora's life.
But… all changed the day she opened that door.
Everything changed.
Lucas cautiously moved away from the crack, shaking his head at Cassandra.
Although Flora's desperate plea had moved him, he didn't believe he could save her.
Everyone knew what dragged her away.
It was a ghost.
An insurmountable ghost!
No priests, monks, temples, gods, or Buddhas could help!
Skeptics had tried: bringing amulets, hiding in temples, but… this world seemed devoid of gods and demons, only terrifying spirits formed from pure malice! Their sole purpose was to drag the living into their hell!
But from the moment they entered the fog gathering, they were already in hell.
Lucas sneered; his heart was filled with bitter despair and resentment.
The fog gathering had existed for an unknown time, silently claiming countless brilliant minds and beautiful faces.
Flora was one more; her absence wouldn't be missed.
In the face of death, all were equal.
Therefore, although Lucas felt something, it was more sorrow than guilt or anxiety.
He looked out at the black night; his eyes were calm.
He knew he was slightly more intelligent than average but not a genius.
He didn't know when the ghost would find him and kill him here…
...
As You Wish Motel.
Harrison's face was pale; sweat plastered his hair to his forehead; he occasionally glanced at Lilith.
He had learned the whole story from Jiang.
Including Lilith hearing the dripping, then returning to pry his fingers apart, ultimately breaking his arms to save his life.
Although Lilith had saved him, Harrison found that Lilith's calm demeanor sent a chill down his spine.
"That's what happened. The two waitresses seemed to have witnessed the murder; according to them, the body is hidden in the water tank."
Harrison recounted what he knew.
The three of them stood on the roof; the door had been opened by Jiang, who seemed adept at opening unfamiliar locks.
Before them were three large blue water tanks, four meters tall, with lids on top.
Lilith's gaze shifted between the three tanks; she said nothing.
She had been silent and pensive since leaving the sixth floor. Jiang was talking to Harrison; Lilith had only listened.
It wasn't disinterest; she'd noticed something peculiar.
The ghost's method of killing.
It was strange. Why would a ghost care about the method of killing?
Mysterious, bizarre, terrifying, inexplicable—this was how ghosts usually killed.
But… the scene with Harrison had given Lilith a bold hypothesis.
Strangling himself, seemingly in a frenzy… combined with Harrison's account.
She saw a woman in the water and a completely transformed man, indicating… at least three dead people, likely one man and two women.
The missing persons were… Magnus Crowe's wife, Lillian Pearl; Magnus Crowe's brother, Ding Peng; and… Ding Peng's wife, Ravenna.
Now… all three seemed to have become ghosts…
"What a wonderful place. Even after death, they become ghosts…"
Lilith's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Harrison felt uneasy; Jiang looked at Lilith in surprise.
Lilith was too unusual… although she acted normally, she was too normal for the fog gathering. Normal… was abnormal.
Would a normal person seek out ghosts? Would a normal person approach a ghost? Would a normal person return to investigate a ghostly sound?
Even… her expression remained unchanged when she broke Harrison's arms.
Jiang found Lilith increasingly strange; she showed no fear, and even when smiling, Jiang sensed no genuine amusement.
Lilith finally sensed the awkward atmosphere caused by her behavior, but she felt helpless.
She considered herself not unkind, but… she found it difficult to experience the four basic human emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, and fear.
As for the nuances of these basic emotions—contentment, joy, delight, exhilaration, elation, anger, irritation, rage, disappointment, regret, sorrow, grief, surprise, fear, terror, horror—she found them even harder to experience and observe.
It seems I need to be more expressive in the future.
Lilith mused. This was necessary to alleviate everyone's unease.
Although disguising herself wasn't difficult, she didn't want to waste time.
But an emotionless face was unnerving; Lilith understood their concern.
"Miss Jiang, step on my shoulders to climb up," Lilith said, examining the three water tanks.
The four-meter-tall tanks were inaccessible without a ladder; Lilith wanted to check them herself but couldn't ask a woman to step on her. Harrison was too injured.
Hearing Lilith, Jiang felt relief, as if a weight had been lifted.
Regardless of Lilith's peculiarities, she knew he had saved her and Harrison; that was enough.
Even if he were insane, a crazy person who saved others in a crisis was far superior to a self-righteous moralist.
Harrison also recovered, his gaze complex, but trusting Lilith implicitly.
"I'll stand by the door and listen for any sounds," Harrison volunteered.
Lilith nodded.
Jiang took a deep breath, approaching Lilith, who was now crouching. "I weigh 43 kilograms. Is that okay?"
Lilith nodded again, patting his shoulder. "No problem."
Jiang removed her shoes and carefully stepped onto Lilith's shoulders, but… she underestimated Lilith's strength.
Although Lilith's physique was unremarkable, her body was exceptionally toned.
"Ah…"
Jiang gasped; the shoulder she was stepping on suddenly rose, Lilith effortlessly straightening up.
She's so strong…
A strange thought flashed through Jiang's mind.
"Almost there, Miss Jiang?"
Lilith's voice brought Jiang back to the present; she grabbed the edge of the water tank's lid, pulling herself up.
Jiang wasn't a newcomer; for survival, those in the fog gathering would train their bodies after their first encounter; sometimes, a little extra speed was the difference between life and death.
Therefore, Jiang was reasonably fit.
She slowly climbed; her right hand grasped the lid, applying pressure.
The lid wasn't locked; with minimal effort, a gap appeared.
Jiang swallowed, cautiously peering into the tank.
It's cold…
And dark…
Besides that, nothing seemed unusual.
But, just as Jiang thought this, the water in the tank began to churn!
Almost instantly, a pale corpse rose from the depths!
Jiang's eyes widened; she suppressed her fear and nausea as she looked.
It was a woman.
An enormous woman!
Or rather, an enormous corpse!
A wave of nausea washed over Jiang; she only glanced at it before her stomach churned violently.
The corpse was highly decomposed; her lips were ashen.
Her chest and stomach were swollen, distended as if filled with water; her limbs were bloated and thick.
Strangely, this repulsive, decaying corpse was odorless.
"Put me down!" Jiang shouted urgently.
Lilith didn't know what she had seen, but hearing the urgency in her voice, quickly lowered her.
Jiang scrambled down, not even bothering to put on her shoes, rushing to the side. Lilith and Harrison looked at her.
She leaned over, retching violently.
Since she hadn't eaten anything, only stomach acid came up.
After finally regaining her composure, she said, her face pale, "It's a female corpse. I don't know who it is; it's completely bloated."
Lilith showed no reaction, but Harrison vomited violently.
He remembered their breakfast.
Did this cursed motel use water from the tank?
"Miss Jiang, was there only one corpse?" Lilith asked seriously.
Jiang nodded in confirmation.
Lilith looked at the other two tanks. "Then… I'll trouble you once more."
Jiang shook her head; Lilith was the one being troubled.
Suppressing her nausea, she again stepped onto Lilith's shoulders and looked into the second tank.
Unlike before, this corpse wasn't suddenly revealed; Jiang saw it floating in the water.
"Mr. Harrison! It's him! The disfigured ghost you described!" Jiang carefully examined the male corpse, her voice rising when she saw his face.
Earlier, Harrison had said he was stopped by two ghosts; one disguised as Lilith, but the other's true form was a disfigured man with a mangled face.
After Lilith helped Jiang down, she felt much better; although still nauseous, she wasn't vomiting.
Only one tank remained; if another female corpse were found, things would become clear.
Jiang smoothly climbed onto Lilith's shoulders and opened the final tank.
Despite being prepared, the sight before her was completely unexpected.
"Huh? There's nothing in here!"
Jiang checked again.
But… there was truly nothing.
The dark tank was filled with water; no corpses or objects were visible.
Something's wrong.
Lilith's mind raced; her deductions must be flawed.
Things… weren't as simple as she thought?
Lilith helped Jiang down; after putting on her shoes, she and Harrison exchanged glances.
They couldn't understand Lilith's sudden change in demeanor; such a shift in expression was unbelievable.
She could remain impassive even when encountering a ghost.
"Ms. Hollow, is there a problem?"
Harrison, after a moment's hesitation, asked.
Lilith, gathering her thoughts, nodded.
Looking at them, she said, "There are three ghosts, but only two bodies. One is missing."
Jiang and Harrison exchanged glances, both confused. One body was missing; what did that mean?
Seeing their confusion, Lilith explained, "Our goal is to find the ghost's weakness: the cause of death, the murder weapon, and its greatest fear. But two bodies were found in the water tanks, suggesting they were killed by the same person, or one was discovered after being dumped, the killer then mimicking the crime and disposing of a second body."
Both understood her meaning.
A third body, a missing female corpse!
Who had killed her?
How had she died?
Even following Lilith's second hypothesis, a killer was still missing!
Seeing Jiang and the weakened Harrison lost in thought, Lilith remained silent.
But she had another, unspoken, suspicion.
Why?
Why had all three deceased become ghosts?
Was it something about this place, or was this a rule of the fog gathering?
If it was this place, then surely more than three people had died on this land!
So… was the As You Wish Motel inherently cursed, or had something changed, turning the deceased into spirits?
Lilith frowned; if her thoughts were known to the others, she would be labeled insane.
Because… she was investigating the origin of the ghosts!
"Regardless, we've found two bodies; things are simpler now. Finding the killer and forcing them to reveal the murder weapon and method will significantly increase our chances of success,"
Harrison sighed; it was only the first day; the task lasted seven days; he hadn't expected such rapid progress, nor such extreme danger!
Encountering a powerful ghost on the first day, almost losing their lives, was incredibly rare.
The fog gathering tasks seemed… to have become significantly more challenging.
This was only the third task; the third was supposed to be the easiest.
Adrian had a survival task…
At this thought, Harrison's expression changed.
Something's wrong!
Adrian's survival task was the second one!
Could it be… that the fog gathering considered Wei Tu's time-limited task more dangerous than a survival task?
"Mr. Harrison, what's wrong?" Jiang noticed Harrison's expression, thinking he'd discovered something.
Harrison shook his head, his face pale, saying nothing.
Why had the fog gathering suddenly changed so inexplicably?
A newcomer as the Cursed One, a survival task as the second one, and… increasingly aggressive ghosts… trying to kill them on the first day…
What was happening…?
At that moment, Lilith spoke.
"Miss Jiang, Mr. Harrison is injured; please look after him. I suddenly remembered something…" Lilith's excuse was flimsy; she’d used it many times before, but her intention was clear.
She was going to act alone.
Jiang wasn't foolish; she understood the implication, feeling a slight pang of disappointment.
She knew Lilith acting alone was the correct decision.
After these events, both Jiang and Harrison understood that Lilith couldn't be considered an ordinary newcomer.
She was perceptive, intelligent, decisive, physically capable, and most importantly… she didn't seem to fear ghosts.
They couldn't imagine a fearful expression on Lilith's beautiful face.
"Yes, I'll take care of Mr. Harrison,"
Jiang said seriously.
Lilith nodded, relieved.
Frankly, Jiang and Harrison were somewhat of a hindrance.
But… Lilith didn't dislike this burden.
Didn't humans live by shouldering burdens?
Before leaving, Lilith glanced at them, saying, "Pay attention to the water."
Jiang and Lilith exchanged glances, then nodded seriously.
Lilith, saying nothing more, turned and left the roof.
She had many questions to answer.
Two bodies had been found; according to Jiang, the female corpse showed no obvious cause of death, only bloating.
The male corpse's face was severely disfigured, making identification impossible.
The cause of the male's death was questionable, but the reason for the disfigurement was clear.
It was likely emotional; the killer knew the victim; they couldn't face the victim's features, or they intensely hated them, wanting to destroy them even in death.
Or, by disfiguring the victim, they gained something…
The first reason was simple. If it was the second, then… the absence of the person responsible was a significant problem.
Although Lilith always felt something was wrong.
After all, the person most deeply involved, the one still missing, was Magnus Crowe.
With this in mind, Lilith pressed the elevator button.
She didn't worry about encountering ghosts; she had a general idea of how they killed.
And… she'd warned Harrison and Jiang.
Water.
It was always present during each encounter.
Perhaps… the ghosts used water as a medium to kill.
Although her hypothesis was logical, Lilith felt something was amiss.
She wasn't omniscient; she noticed this unease but couldn't pinpoint the problem.
For now, she had no better option; in the fog gathering, humans were always at a disadvantage.
Exiting the elevator, Lilith returned to the first floor.
The motel was quite large.
She navigated the corridors, retracing her steps from her encounter with Harrison, finding the staff break room.
This was why Lilith hadn't wanted to work with Harrison and Jiang.
Harrison's expression would be priceless if he knew Lilith was returning to the place where he'd encountered the ghost.
If she recalled correctly, Harrison had said it was at the end of the hallway, near the restroom.
Lilith walked, glancing upwards.
Magnus Crowe, at least, treated his employees well; each had a private room on the first floor.
She soon stopped before a restroom.
This must be it.
Although it was daytime, the lighting was poor; dim yellow lights hung in the hallway; a strange odor permeated the hallway from the moment Lilith entered.
The snow-white walls were scratched with strange marks.
Water, seemingly casually splashed after cleaning, lay on the floor; under the dim light, it appeared almost black, like… blood.
"Knock knock knock—"
Lilith knocked.
The atmosphere was strange and dangerous.
But… even she had to risk her life; this was the fog gathering… a deadly game; where life was hidden, only the heavens knew.
Lilith was simply trying to resolve her suspicions.
Safety? She couldn't guarantee it; in such a place, who could?
The door quickly opened.
"You are…"
Zhang Wen's expression was normal; her eyes scanned Lilith.
"A reporter."
Lilith said, pulling out a pen and paper from her pocket—leftovers from her sketching.
"Didn't a reporter come earlier…? Your newspaper is strange…"
Zhang Wen looked suspicious but seemed to believe Lilith, seeing her calm demeanor.
But Lilith noticed something in Zhang Wen's words.
A reporter…
She had said "a," not "another."
She knew about the shapeshifting ghost.
Without hesitation, Lilith sat at Zhang Wen's desk, crossing her legs, holding the pen and paper. "Tell us, Miss Zhang. What do you want to tell us?"