chapter 3

Ghost Wall.

If before, although I had subconsciously followed Xiaoran’s train of thought, I still held onto a sliver of hope that “she’s just making things up.”

But at this moment, I truly realized-it wasn’t just me scaring myself.

I really had encountered something science couldn’t explain.

On my Mobile Phone screen, the Danmaku from netizens was already flooding in.

They were mainly split into two camps.

One camp, like me, was terrified.

[Everyone saw it live just now, Ruanruan really ran down two floors.]

[This is Ghost Wall, she can’t leave this floor! What Xiaoran said is true!]

The other camp still couldn’t accept talk of ghosts and spirits, so they started to suspect me instead.

[Ruanruan, is this you and your accomplice faking it for views?]

[Yeah, I also think this is the streamer staging it. The so-called Ghost Wall is just putting a “3” on both floors, a clumsy trick.]

[But the streamer’s acting is really something, look at that pale little face, looks just like a ghost, hahaha.]

Most of the later comments were from new viewers flooding into the Live Stream Room. They didn’t know me, so they joked without restraint, and some even started cursing me, saying I’d do anything for traffic.

But I couldn’t care about any of that. Staring at my Mobile Phone screen, my voice trembled: “Xiaoran, Xiaoran, are you still there?”

No response.

Xiaoran didn’t send another Danmaku.

Despair grew heavier in my heart. I stood in the empty, deathly silent Stairs, calling to heaven with no answer, calling to earth with no reply.

I couldn’t run out of this Dormitory Building, nor did I want to return to that eerie Dormitory, facing Roommates who might not even be human.

Just then, another set of Footsteps suddenly echoed from downstairs.

Step by step, the heels slowly tapped against the floor, the rhythm steady.

In the midst of dead silence, the Footsteps sounded almost beautiful, like drumbeats.

They came from below, getting closer and closer to me.

I froze in place, my legs like ice, unable to run.

In the darkness, a figure gradually appeared.

Long black hair, white dress.

I watched as she walked right up to me.

“Ruanruan.” She spoke softly, “Why are you standing here?”

I snapped back to my senses, finally able to see her clearly in the dim light.

It was Wu Lan.

“Sister Lan…” My throat tightened.

Of all my Roommates, I was closest to Wu Lan. Though we hadn’t known each other long, we were already very good friends.

When I first started college, I was tricked out of a large sum of money by a scummy senior. Sister Lan helped me get the money back, and when I had acute appendicitis and needed surgery, she stayed with me in the hospital the whole time.

“Sister Lan, I messaged and called you, why didn’t you answer?”

I grabbed Wu Lan’s hand.

She looked at me in surprise, seeing how agitated I was, then pulled out her Mobile Phone and checked: “I was on the way, the rain outside was so heavy I didn’t hear my phone ring-what’s going on with you?”

I couldn’t speak, feeling both desperate and relieved.

Desperate because the last Sacrifice had returned.

Relieved because, in this hopeless situation, I finally had someone to rely on.

My mind was paralyzed by fear, and I couldn’t reach Xiaoran, but Wu Lan was always smart and calm. She’d definitely be more rational and composed than me in facing all this.

Sure enough, after hearing my whole story, Wu Lan’s face was also deeply shocked, but she quickly regained her composure.

“When I came in through the Dormitory Building entrance just now, everything was normal.” She thought for a moment. “Don’t panic, let’s try again.”

So Wu Lan and I walked up and down the Stairs a few more times.

Soon, Wu Lan’s face turned pale too.

She’d kept asking if I was having a nightmare, but now, seeing that no matter how many floors we went up or down, we always ended up back on the third floor, she finally started to believe everything I’d said was true.

Wu Lan frowned, deep in thought.

Just then, WeChat chimed, and both our Mobile Phones rang at the same time.

It was the Dormitory Group.

Qin Xiao had sent a message, @-ing Wu Lan and me, asking: [Why aren’t you two back yet?]

Just an ordinary question.

But it sent chills all over me.

“What should we do, Sister Lan?” I whispered. “Should we try jumping out the window?”
Wu Lan shook her head. “It’s no use, the Window is sealed shut.”

A chill ran down my spine as I remembered.

It seemed that a student had jumped to their death last month. By the time we woke up and went to class, the body had already been taken away, as if nothing had ever happened.

But soon after, School Workers came and welded all the Windows above the second floor shut.

“If this setup is real, then the Tomb Owner must have sealed off all escape routes over the past few months. Looking for loopholes is pointless-we can only break the game head-on.”

Wu Lan took my hand. “Didn’t that Xiaoran say that if we find the Tomb Owner tonight, we still have hope?

“Don’t be afraid. With Sister Lan here, I’ll protect you.”

Wu Lan held my hand and walked toward the Dormitory.

With her by my side, the empty Corridor didn’t seem so frightening anymore.

We pushed open the door; the Dorm Room was already dark.

The only source of light was the small night lamp on Qin Xiao’s desk. Seeing us return, she turned her head, her glasses eerily reflecting the lamp’s glow.

“You’re back,” she said in a soft whisper.

That voice was especially unsettling in the darkness.

My hands and feet grew colder. I heard Wu Lan beside me ask, “Where’s Lier?”

“Lier is already asleep. Let’s keep our voices down.”

Qin Xiao raised her index finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture.

I looked up and saw that Meng Lier’s Bed Curtain was tightly drawn.

“Sister Lan, you came back so late. The rain was pouring so hard. If you two hadn’t come back soon, I would’ve died from worry.”

Qin Xiao whispered.

“Why are you both standing at the door? My new Ginger Tea just arrived. Come and try it.”

Qin Xiao often bought snacks online and shared them with the rest of us in the Dorm Room. I usually enjoyed them, but looking at that steaming, murky drink now, I suddenly felt nauseous for no reason.

Wu Lan glanced at me and gently shook her head.

I understood her meaning-she wanted me not to alert Qin Xiao.

“You know Ruanruan is on a diet,” Wu Lan said in her usual tone, walking over to Qin Xiao. “I’ll try it.”

Taking advantage of this moment, I lowered my head to look at my Mobile Phone screen, trying to find Xiaoran among the flood of Danmaku.

Damn Xiaoran, show yourself! You were so talkative before, and now you’ve disappeared.

As if the heavens heard my prayer, a few seconds later, Xiaoran finally appeared again.

[I just went out-so, you can’t get out, right?]

She posted.

I was so angry I could spit blood. I typed on my other Mobile Phone’s memo app, then held it up to the camera.

[You said we need to find the Tomb Owner. Then what?]

Xiaoran: [Don’t let the Tomb Owner touch you. Don’t eat anything the Tomb Owner gives you.]

A chill gripped my heart. I looked up sharply.

“Sister Lan…”

Wu Lan had already picked up the hot Ginger Tea.

The moment our eyes met, it was like a telepathic connection-she deliberately loosened her grip, and the paper cup fell to the floor.

Wu Lan probably never intended to drink it. Now, playing along with my call, she took the chance to spill all the Ginger Tea.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll get the mop.”

Wu Lan immediately grabbed the mop from the corner.

Qin Xiao had her back to me, so I couldn’t see her expression.

On my Mobile Phone, Xiaoran was still sending Danmaku.

[But these measures only work temporarily. At midnight, the Tomb Owner’s power will grow stronger. You’d better hide and not let the Tomb Owner find you.]

I was about to faint.

A female college student’s Dorm Room is only so big. Where could someone as big as me possibly hide?

I was about to keep typing in the memo, when Xiaoran’s Danmaku appeared again on the screen.

A blood-red line of text stood out.

[Wait, look at the shoes of your new Roommate who just came back.]

The new Roommate who just came back? Did she mean Sister Lan?

I turned my head, my gaze dropping.

Sister Lan was holding the mop, bending over to clean the floor. Sensing my gaze, she looked at me silently-a familiar, reassuring look, telling me not to panic.

But I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me, chilling me from head to toe.

Wu Lan was wearing a pair of Canvas Shoes, the uppers and laces pure white.

Most importantly, those shoes were dry.

It was pouring rain outside, and she had supposedly come all the way back from the Study Room, yet her shoes were dry.

She lied to me.

She hadn’t come back from outside at all!