"Yes… something like that." Lilith accepted the designation of informant.
Yin's eyes shone with excitement; in her mind, Lilith was like a hero in a novel or movie, fighting injustice from the shadows.
"Are you on a mission?"
"You could say that…"
"Wow!"
"How old are you? Are you married?"
“…”
"Do you think I have the talent to be a detective?"
“…”
The excited student's misunderstanding deepened; Lilith, uninterested in conversation, was relentlessly questioned by Yin.
"Can you help me with something?"
Lilith suddenly spoke.
Yin's eyes lit up; she patted her chest. "Tell me!"
"Go hide in your room. Your father and I need to talk," Lilith said seriously.
"No problem!" Yin, thrilled to be involved in something significant, grabbed her bag and quickly hid in her room.
She then pressed her ear to the door, listening intently.
Lilith shook her head, sighing.
This girl had been overprotected; she wasn't mature.
Just then, Daniel returned.
"I went to the restaurant, but they told me I could order delivery using my phone, with a discount! So…" Daniel held two plastic bags, slightly speechless, then looked at Lilith. "You should get a phone too. It's useless there, but you need one now."
Yin, listening at the door, imagined Lilith ambushing enemies, her phone monitored, forced to use special codes to transmit information, and she stamped her feet in excitement.
This didn't escape Lilith and Daniel. Daniel called out, "Yin?"
Yin opened the door slightly, her face peeking out. "I didn't hear anything… I didn't hear anything at all!"
"Nonsense, come eat. Why did you come home so early? No evening self-study?"
Daniel asked, arranging the food.
"Something happened at the dorm! Everyone had to come back!" Yin emerged from her room, excited.
"Something happened?" Daniel looked at her questioningly; Lilith looked at Yin curiously.
"Yes! One of our dorm assistants was attacked by a crazy student with a compass! They took her to the hospital."
Crazy?
The word struck a nerve with Daniel and Lilith. Daniel sat on the sofa, looking at his daughter. "What exactly happened? Do you know?"
Yin glanced at Daniel, then at Lilith; seeing them both watching her, she felt a thrill.
But she shook her head. "I don't know the details. We'd just started evening self-study when we heard fighting outside, things breaking, screams for help, security guards shouting… it was chaos. Then, we heard that a student went crazy, grabbed a compass, and stabbed a dorm assistant in the neck! Blood everywhere!"
"No one stopped him?" Daniel frowned.
"They tried! Apparently, several security guards tried to restrain him, but their clothes were torn, and they couldn't hold him! The student was incredibly strong!"
Lilith's heart stirred; she turned to Daniel. "Uncle Daniel, I think…"
Daniel pondered; his detective work was demanding; he was currently investigating a case and nearing a crucial point; this school violence was unlikely to fall under his jurisdiction.
"Yi," Daniel said suddenly. "It's the weekend tomorrow; something happened at your dorm; you and your assistant should buy a phone."
Lilith was about to refuse, but Daniel continued, "Let Yin come with you; we can stay in touch."
"Got it!" Yin, initially reluctant, grinned at the prospect of investigating the violent incident.
Lilith paused, sensing Daniel's intentions.
"Thank you, Uncle Daniel."
Finally, Lilith smiled; no one could detect any strain.
"Let's eat," Daniel said.
The three sat around a table, appearing harmonious, but Lilith sat rigidly, showing no relaxation.
Yin incessantly bombarded Lilith with curious questions, fascinated by this pretty young "informant."
But Lilith only smiled, offering no answers.
Daniel remained silent in agreement.
After a simple meal and washing up, Lilith lay down on the sofa.
She couldn't sleep in a strange woman's room; seeing her resolve, Daniel didn't insist.
Sleeping on the sofa wasn't a problem; exhausted, she quickly fell asleep.
Lilith's dream was strange.
She dreamt of Ravenna under the bed, the bloated Lillian Pearl, the disfigured Magnus Crowe, and the vanished Phineas.
Lilith didn't even see Phineas's body.
Life was so fragile; perhaps one day, she, too, would die silently in another world.
Perhaps then, she would understand what ghosts were.
Were ghosts the souls of the dead?
Perhaps, the rich consciousness of humanity was a sad mistake in evolution; humanity shouldn't exist.
Because we understand ourselves too well.
"Hey! Wake up!"
One bizarre dream followed another; Lilith was dreaming of Lucien standing before her, saying something, when a vibrant young woman's voice whispered in her ear.
Lilith slowly opened her eyes, seeing a youthful, pretty face.
She turned slightly; lazy sunlight streamed through the window; the air was fresh. The city hummed with life; amidst the concrete jungle, the occasional bird sang; vibrant wildflowers hinted at life.
"What are you looking at?" Seeing Lilith staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought, Yin looked too, finding nothing unusual.
Lilith smiled and shook her head, getting up from the sofa.
"Nothing. I was just thinking… it's good to be alive."
Urged by Yin, Lilith quickly packed her things.
She was even more eager than Lilith, excited to return to the dorm.
But Lilith, taking Lucien's notebook, went to the bank first; Yin followed reluctantly.
Fortunately, ATM operation hadn't changed much in ten years; using her and her brother's birthdays as the PIN—506603—the system confirmed it.
Her birthday was first.
Seeing the balance, Lilith was curious; there was $4,100.
$4,100 ten years ago wasn't a fortune, but it wasn't insignificant.
Yet, she and her brother hadn't been wealthy.
Lilith pondered, withdrawing $1,000.
The money felt foreign, but Yin didn't notice; neither did Lilith.
"Hurry, hurry! There's a phone store over there!"
Seeing her withdraw the money, Yin pulled Lilith towards a phone store; Lilith smiled and followed.
Although she had kept abreast of societal changes, she still noticed discrepancies.
Like… the life-sized billboard outside the phone store.
Lilith stopped, staring at it.
Seeing Lilith staring, Yin followed her gaze, understanding. "You're an Ophelia Noir fan too?"
"Ophelia Noir?"
Lilith frowned, carefully recalling the names from the fog gathering; there was no Ophelia Noir. She was certain her memory was accurate; she could even recite all forty-nine names, but… there was a woman in the fog gathering who looked exactly like Ophelia Noir.
"Hee hee… speaking of which, Ophelia Noir is coming to Industry City tomorrow! I have to go see her!" Yin, clearly a fan, said, her eyes shining.
Her words made Lilith thoughtful; Maximus had mentioned this; Ophelia Noir was likely her stage name.
Lilith observed her carefully. Ophelia Noir was probably in her twenties, with long hair tied in a ponytail; she looked vibrant, with delicate features, minimal makeup, soft eyelashes, captivating eyes, a gentle smile, and soft brows.
Someone who instantly makes a good impression.
Lilith quickly assessed.
While Yin gushed about Ophelia Noir, Lilith entered the store.
"I need a phone—the most durable, longest-lasting one."
Lilith's request surprised the salesperson; she glanced at Lilith.
Lilith smiled at her.
Lilith's appearance was appealing to many women, but to men, she was too soft, lacking typical feminine characteristics.
But she showed no mercy when she acted.
"Okay… okay, sir! Please wait a moment…"
The saleswoman was flustered by her smile; her cheeks flushed.
Yin glared at Lilith. "Hey! You can't smile at everyone like that!"
"Why?" Lilith was genuinely puzzled; it seemed like basic politeness.
"First, it looks stupid! Second, people will think you're interested in them, you know?"
"Why are you so warm? You're not a heater."
“…”
Lilith was speechless; she realized she wasn't in a psychiatric hospital anymore… being aloof and maintaining distance was normal.
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"I understand."
Lilith nodded seriously.
Yin proudly raised her chin, feeling she'd saved a man from becoming a human air conditioner.
This was ironic; Lilith hadn't even dated; she had no reason to worry about those things.
The saleswoman quickly produced a black phone, meeting Lilith's requirements.
Lilith paid in cash, completing the purchase and adding a protective case.
Yin quickly entered her and Daniel's phone numbers.
After handing the phone to Lilith, Yin watched with a strange expression as Lilith entered a series of numbers into the phone's settings.
A thirty-six-person chat group instantly appeared.
Lilith clicked to join; her name was listed as the verification information.
She was instantly accepted; the group's size increased to thirty-seven.
Lilith thought for a moment; twelve people had died in the last fog gathering.
The dead had clearly been removed; otherwise… hundreds of gray, permanently offline profiles would have remained.
A conversation was already in progress.
"So that's it. No wonder your casualties were so heavy…"
"Elena, don't blame yourself. Who would have thought the curse would begin before we even entered the past?"
"This is a warning. Be cautious in your words and actions after your name turns red; the task begins then…"
Lilith read the messages, understanding their discussion.
They were discussing Adrian's group's situation.
The curse began the moment their names turned red; Lilith remembered a student calling Adrian's name; he didn't turn around, but the others did.
"Terrifying… I wonder… if it were me… I probably would have turned too."
Silence followed the message, broken only by another message.
"Cassandra, you were amazing." The message, a concise five words, came from a seemingly ordinary male profile picture; the name was Liam.
"Yes! Cassandra was incredible! This is the first time we've defeated a ghost in a survival task!"
"Amazing. I never thought an invincible ghost could be defeated."
"I think… it's a rule, a rule of the fog gathering; both we and the ghosts must obey it."
"It wasn't us who defeated it, but the rules. We're still ordinary people, without superpowers."
“…”
Messages flooded the chat; Lilith quickly scanned them, saying nothing.
Until, a friend request appeared.
Sylas Winterwind.
Lilith paused, then clicked to accept.
Instantly, Sylas Winterwind sent a message.
"Let's meet tomorrow."
She was decisive.
"Time, place."
Lilith replied.
Sylas Winterwind frowned; Lilith had taken almost half a minute to reply; she seemed hesitant.
This was unfair; Lilith was simply unfamiliar with using a phone; typing was slow.
"2:00 PM, Rongqiu Tianhai, Mucuo Coffee Shop."
Lilith looked at the message, turning to Yin. "Where's Rongqiu Tianhai?"
Yin glared at her; she'd just bought a phone, and she was already chatting, forgetting the main purpose?
"Do you even know what our apartment complex is called?" she said irritably.
"Rongyuan Residential Complex."
Lilith remembered clearly.
"Rongqiu Tianhai is across the street from the pedestrian mall."
Lilith nodded, slowly typing.
"Received."
Sylas Winterwind's eyelids twitched seeing the reply after almost a minute.
Meanwhile, Lilith, flexing her stiff fingers, turned to the disgruntled Yin. "Let's go to the dorm."
...
Adrian's group's situation was now clear.
Only Wei Tu's and Lilith's groups remained unknown.
But… Wei Tu's group had been completely annihilated; they couldn't provide any useful information, leaving a terrifying challenge for the fog gathering.
"Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water"—this scenario would befall everyone in six months.
"Mr. Harrison, please describe your group's experience."
Harrison looked at the message, feeling uneasy.
His arms were healed, but he didn't know much about the task.
Even now, he didn't know how Lilith had dealt with the ghosts.
There had been three ghosts!
Seraphina knew little; only Jiang had some clues, but she hadn't been able to share much, focusing on Harrison's injuries.
The three pieced together their account, leaving the group confused.
"So… Ms. Hollow helped you repeatedly, then resolved everything herself?"
Maximus summarized.
"…More or less."
Jiang replied.
"Yes… that's right…"
Seraphina agreed.
"Yes, Ms. Hollow… was incredibly brave. She showed no fear throughout; she even… sought out the ghosts."
Harrison's reply silenced the group again.
A question arose in everyone's mind: was Lilith a genius? Or… insane?
Liam read the messages calmly and left the group.
Genius?
The fog gathering had never lacked geniuses.
...
Jiangbei Training Academy in Industry City was a prestigious institution, sending numerous students to top universities each year.
Following yesterday's incident, a group of reporters suddenly appeared at the academy gates.
Security personnel prevented them from entering, adhering to the agreed-upon strategy of claiming ignorance.
However, the news had already spread among the students.
"A student suddenly went crazy and stabbed a dorm assistant in the neck with a compass."
The academy didn't intend to suppress the news permanently, but… they wanted to delay its release, at least until they understood what happened.
Was it a sudden illness, or a pre-existing conflict?
The academy still didn't know.
The police investigation had yielded nothing.
It wasn't a lack of ability; one party was hospitalized, the other, arrested the previous night, remained silent and unresponsive, appearing almost soulless.
When Lilith and Yin arrived at the academy gates, they saw numerous reporters, seemingly vying for exclusive coverage.
The entrance was crowded; security personnel were trying to control the situation.
Yin, anticipating this, led Lilith through a secluded side path.
"Don't tell anyone about this; it's a student secret!" Yin warned.
Lilith glanced at the hidden passage; apparently, every academy had such a secret route.
The academy was large; Lilith followed Yin to the scene of the previous night's incident.
"I heard it happened in the dorm assistant's office. Follow me!"
When they arrived, the area was cordoned off; a serious-looking officer was speaking to someone in a supervisory position.
"Uncle Wang!"
Yin greeted sweetly.
The officer turned; a smile appeared on his stern face. "Yi? What are you doing here?"
"I study here!"
Officer Wang clearly knew Yin, or perhaps Daniel; they seemed close.
Immediately, Officer Wang noticed Lilith observing the scene thoughtfully. He frowned. "Who are you? Unauthorized personnel are not allowed in the crime scene. Leave now!"
Officer Wang's tone hardened; he was about to dismiss them.
Then, Yin held up her phone. "Uncle Wang, my father wants you to take this call!"
Officer Wang took the phone and put it to his ear.
Whatever Daniel said, Officer Wang's gaze kept returning to Lilith; finally, he allowed her to stay.
"Strange, isn't it?"
Officer Wang's voice suddenly sounded beside Lilith.
Lilith was crouching, examining something. She nodded absently. "Yes, there are no signs of a struggle; no signs of the assistant struggling after being injured. It's as if… she was already dead."
Lilith's unusual observation startled Officer Wang; he exchanged glances with other officers, then approached the academy's representative.
"You're right. We received a strange call last night."
"A call?" Lilith turned to Officer Wang.
"Yes. The caller said someone would stab them in the neck with a compass," Officer Wang said calmly, but his expression betrayed his unease.
Because… it was incredibly strange.
The caller was the dorm assistant; she had… predicted her own attack?
Lilith hadn't expected to hear this from Officer Wang.
"The incident occurred at 7:05 PM, but we received the call from the assistant, Ms. Li, at 6:30 PM," Officer Wang frowned; the case was full of oddities.
The assistant seemed to have known about the attack beforehand—the time, location, and method.
But… why hadn't she avoided it?
And although she called the police, she remained in her office until 7:00 PM, speaking to no one except the officers.
What was she worried about?
Was someone monitoring her every move? Making her distrust everyone?
Lilith stood, walking to the office window, looking out.
It was the first floor; only the empty field was visible.
Officer Wang watched Lilith closely; Daniel had mentioned on the phone that Lilith had helped him solve several cases; she was intelligent, but… he needed to be cautious.
Then, Officer Wang's phone rang.
Everyone looked at him.
"Yes, I understand."
After a brief response, he hung up, his expression more serious.
"Li De is dead."
"His throat was pierced; blood entered his lungs; he suffocated."
The academy representatives turned pale upon hearing Officer Wang.
What kind of deep-seated hatred could drive a student to such brutality?
Yin, fascinated by detective work, also paled upon hearing the confirmation of death.
Observing from afar is easy, but participation changes everything.
Especially… after witnessing such a bizarre murder in this office.
Even after leaving the scene, Yin remained shaken.
Lilith walked ahead, unconcerned; she was pondering the strange case.
Many points were suspicious.
The victim's premonition, the strange emotions, the perpetrator's incredible strength.
Although adrenaline could temporarily enhance human capabilities, this didn't explain why several security guards were unable to subdue him.
This was why Lilith was interested, requesting to see the scene.
This case resembled the one from Daniel's childhood, but… it also seemed connected to Lucien's death.
"Yin."
Lilith stopped, looking at Yin, who had remained silent.
"Go back."
Yin looked up, feeling she was being dismissed.
Strangely, she saw no emotion in her eyes; Lilith's demeanor was gentle, but… she felt an underlying stillness emanating from her.
This made her avoid her gaze; she felt… her eyes weren't those of a living person.
"Where… are you going?"
She asked nervously.
"To the killer's home."
Yin's eyes lit up; she was about to say she wanted to go too, but fear welled up.
She didn't dare… go to the killer's home.
Biting her lip, Yin looked down at her feet. "Hey, am… am I useless?"
Lilith paused, then reached out.
Stroking the student's hair, she smiled. "Instant miracles are rare. Study, work, love, even life itself—they require persistence. You might not succeed now, but with each attempt, as long as we live, we can face adversity again and again. You'll find that your persistence will change your life."
Yin shook off her hand, irritated. She looked at her again; she still saw no smile, but a seriousness that made her uneasy.
"So, focus on your studies and make progress; that's enough," Lilith said, retracting her hand. The student, feeling slightly better, angrily fixed her hair, occasionally glaring at Lilith.
She wasn't wrong, but she hadn't told the whole truth.
Some people are inherently incapable of certain things; humans are… unequal.
...
Lilith accompanied Officer Wang to He Baowen's home.
He Baowen was the student who had committed the assault.
His family seemed well-off, judging by their apartment complex.
A grim-faced middle-aged man opened the door, allowing them inside. The father remained silent, continuously smoking.
He Baowen's mother stood beside them, weeping, insisting her son was a good, obedient boy; there must be a misunderstanding.
Officer Wang tried to comfort her; Lilith took the opportunity to enter He Baowen's bedroom.
She immediately noticed something strange.
It was too tidy.
Neatly arranged books, spotless walls, a neatly folded duvet, dust-free floors.
Lilith knocked on a wall, attracting attention.
"Excuse me, has anyone cleaned He Baowen's room?"
He Baowen's mother wept again, shaking her head. "No… he cleaned it himself. He's a very tidy boy…"
Lilith nodded, asking nothing further.
The room wasn't just tidy; it demonstrated an almost obsessive cleanliness.
Everything was meticulously arranged.
He Baowen seemed to be a highly self-disciplined individual.
His room lacked a computer, a phone; even his desk lamp was old-fashioned.
Lilith examined his books; besides textbooks, they were ordinary publications.
He seemed interested in art; there were several art instruction books, showing considerable wear.
But… Lilith searched the entire room and couldn't find a single artwork.
Where were his drawings?
Officer Wang entered, also surprised by the cleanliness.
"Wow, this is cleaner than a typical teenager's room; not even a poster," Officer Wang's casual remark made Lilith pause.
She approached the wall and touched it.
"Officer Wang, we need a UV light," Lilith said seriously.
Officer Wang looked at the wall, then at Lilith; although he didn't understand, he trusted her.
"Get a UV light!"
While waiting for the UV light, Officer Wang noticed He Baowen's desk, the art books; he finally understood Lilith's meaning and admired her insight.
This young woman's thinking wasn't clouded by external factors or emotions; she remained calm—a rare quality in humans.
The UV light arrived; Lilith pulled back the curtains; Officer Wang shone the light on the wall.
Although they'd anticipated something, the sight before them caused them to gasp; a chilling sensation washed over them.
"Thump—"
"Catch her!"
He Baowen's mother fainted upon seeing the drawings.
No one could blame her; even the stern father paled.
Because… the drawings were horrifying.
Under the UV light, several grotesque drawings, made with fluorescent paint, appeared on the wall; the eerie blue glow seemed to bring the images to life.
No one understood why the boy's mind had become so twisted.
The wall was covered with bizarre, monstrous drawings!
...
Silence filled the room; everyone's gaze followed the UV light, confirming He Baowen's twisted mind.
He wasn't the clean, self-controlled individual he appeared to be.
He was the opposite—repressed, tormented, twisted, disturbed, and cruel!
His art showed no hope, no compassion!
"Huff…"
Officer Wang exhaled, pulling back the curtains.
Sunlight streamed in, somewhat dispelling the chilling eerieness.
The repression was intense; despite his years of experience with bizarre cases, he'd never seen such a twisted young mind.
What had he experienced?
"Wait."
Lilith spoke.
She took the UV light from Officer Wang and shone it on the ceiling.
Everyone gasped; an eerie blue glow appeared!
There were drawings on the ceiling!
But… what were these?
Everyone looked at He Baowen's parents; they stared, disbelieving, at the ceiling.
They seemed to be depicting a building; He Baowen had only sketched the outline, providing no details.
But Officer Wang knew the drawing reflected the boy's twisted emotions.
What building was depicted behind the parents?
"Mr. He, Ms. Gong, please explain the meaning of this drawing," Officer Wang asked seriously.
"Explain? Explain what?! How would I know what he drew?! That ungrateful brat! I worked so hard to raise him!" He Baowen's father, his face flushed, shouted, his voice coarse, veins bulging in his neck, complaining about his difficult work and He Baowen's unwillingness to improve, his obsession with the internet.
His uncontrolled outburst forced Officer Wang to act; officers restrained him. Wang then turned to Gong Lan.
The nearly forty-year-old woman was dazed, staring at the ceiling.
Even after Lilith turned off the UV light, she remained transfixed.
After a long pause, Gong Lan spoke.
"That's… the Yehua Education Center… a rehabilitation center for internet addiction."
Officer Wang's face changed; he was about to speak, then fell silent.
Everyone heard the woman's hoarse voice.
"Baowen was very disobedient… He did everything except study. His father was busy with work; I tried to discipline him, but he wouldn't listen. We watched him get worse… something had to be done!"
Despair and confusion clouded Gong Lan's face. "Someone recommended an education center; it was very effective! Children who went there became obedient and well-behaved; everyone loved them. So… we tricked Baowen into going."
"Who recommended the center?" Officer Wang asked.
"Li Degang. Many students went there because of him. He… was a good man," Gong Lan said, her face pale. She couldn't understand why her son would attack his benefactor; in her view, hadn't Baowen improved? After a year at the center, he'd become disciplined, well-behaved, polite—a good boy. Why…
Lilith watched her and the still-furious father; she'd never known her parents; her brother had raised her.
But she understood parental feelings.
The situation was clear: He Baowen had grown up in a dysfunctional family.
His parents held traditional views, exerting excessive control over their son, treating him as a possession.
They were failures in their own lives, yet blamed others. To ensure their son's "bright" future, they had sent him to hell.
Although Lilith didn't know the inner workings of the education center, the numerous drawings on the walls revealed He Baowen's helplessness, fear, and despair.
He was the good boy his parents wanted, but his heart was screaming unheard, twisted cries.
"Officer Wang, I'm leaving."
Lilith said goodbye; Officer Wang nodded, looking at the couple.
His position prevented him from taking action or speaking.
He knew changing ingrained beliefs was difficult; for this family, it was a deeply personal matter.
He Baowen had only targeted Li Degang; this was, perhaps, a remnant of kindness in his twisted mind.