My House of Horrors

Looking at the series of words on the white paper, Wang Xin’s emotions got increasingly amped up. She leaned forward slowly and actively reached out for the ballpoint pen in Chen Ge’s hand.

The cold fingers slid between Chen Ge’s hand and the pen, and her arm kept shaking like she had experienced the body temperature from another human in the first time. She wanted to say something, but she had lost her voice. The three minutes soon ended, and the ballpoint pen started to move between them, but this time, only two words were written. “Good night.”

The pen stopped moving, and Chen Ge started to chant the incantation to send the Pen Spirit away. Opposite him, Wang Xin followed him as if involuntarily. “Pen Spirit, Pen Spirit, you are my spirit from my previous life, and I am your spirit in this life. If you wish to go, then please go ahead.”

When both of them finished the last word, the dam holding in Wang Xin’s emotions broke, and the needle that had been stuck in her heart for so long finally fell out. She gripped Chen Ge’s hands, and she turned her face to the side as if unwilling to let others see the pain that she was in.

“The lights of the world have been extinguished, and everyone has gone silent, what am I to do all alone? Every feeling is wrong, and every road leads to a dead-end. I don’t understand what I have done wrong, but I seemed to have turned into a monster.” Wang Xin finally uttered the words that had been kept in her heart. She looked at the words on the paper before leaning down on the table, and her voice dwindled. “Help me, drag me out from this world. I want release from this pain, help me…”

Her forehead was pressed against the back of Chen Ge’s hands, and her body lay down on the mattress. When her breathing stabilized, it seemed like Wang Xin had finally fallen asleep.

“Good night.”

Chen Ge pulled his hand lightly away and placed a quilt over Wang Xin before leaving the room. Both Doctor Gao and Wang Xin’s adopted mother were waiting outside the door. They wanted to know what had happened inside, but afraid of disturbing Wang Xin, they kept their enquiries in a soft voice.

“How is Wang Xin?”

Chen Ge pointed inside the room. “Already asleep.”

“She’s really asleep?” Doctor Gao breathed in disbelief. He understood how difficult it was for patients with severe trauma to fall asleep—normally, they would have to rely on medication. “How did you do it?”

“It’s a long story.” Chen Ge gave an explanation that was half true. “When I was looking for inspiration for my Haunted House at Mu Yang High School, I accidentally stumbled across some information related to Wang Xin’s past and uncovered the reason for her depression. It appears like a scar was left in her mind after witnessing her friend’s death while playing a game of Pen Spirit. Therefore, I used that as an opening. I simulated the Pen Spirit game she once played with her roommates and used that to tell her that it wasn’t her fault; it was all just an accident.”

“And it worked?” Doctor Gao was impressed.

The eyes of the middle-aged woman behind him were already wet. “Thank you, I shouldn’t have doubted you earlier, I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine. If anything, both you and Doctor Gao have done more than I did. Neither of you gave up on Wang Xin when she needed it the most, and that is the most important thing.” Chen Ge praised both to the moon and back, improving their impression of Chen Ge. Wang Xin’s adopted mother wanted to ask them to stay for lunch, but Chen Ge rejected it. When Wang Xin had fallen asleep earlier, the black phone had vibrated twice. He was in a hurry to look at its message.

After exiting Fang Hwa, Chen Ge bade Doctor Gao farewell before getting on a bus to return to New Century Park. He sat on the back row, and after making sure no one was paying him any attention, he pulled out the black phone.

“Congratulations on completing 2-star scenario Mu Yang High School’s hidden mission—the Pen Spirit’s Wish! Activating the next part of the Hidden Mission! Create mannequins for the twenty-four spirits to possess!

“Successfully completed the Pen Spirit’s Wish. Even though she still cannot see you, she is appreciative of your help. Would you like to employ the Pen Spirit as a member of the Haunted House?”

Chen Ge clicked ‘yes’ without reservation. Hadn’t he been waiting for this moment for a long time?

“Specters’ Favored, congratulations on hiring a Special-Type Baleful Specter—the Pen Spirit!

“Chen Yalin (Pen Spirit): A fortune telling opportunity daily (All questions must be within the Pen Spirit’s power. The rate of a successful reading is fifty percent)!

“Note: The Pen Spirit feeds on the visitor’s frightful screams. The visitor’s fear will improve the Pen Spirit’s power, but if you keep the Pen Spirit’s isolated and depressed, she might decide to leave you.”

Chen Ge read the Pen Spirit’s information again and again. He was quite excited; he had finally hired his first supernatural employee. This meant that his previous dream could be realized; he could create a theme park that he could operate on his own!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I’m sure more ghosts will join my team in the future. Chen Ge was very satisfied with the Pen Spirit. She could handle a small scenario all on her own, and her special talent could be incredibly useful.

Chen Ge saw the next section of Mu Yang High School’s hidden mission, to build mannequins for the lingering spirits of the sealed classroom to possess. Even without the mission from the black phone, Chen Ge would have done that eventually.

The phone call with Inspector Lee had made Chen Ge understand why the twenty-four students had returned to the classroom. They were orphans, and Mu Yang High School was their home. With the unlocking of the new scenario, they had moved into Chen Ge’s Haunted House, not unlike Xiaoxiao’s family.

As I complete more Trial Missions, the underground scenario will only get bigger; I will need the help of these twenty-four lingering spirits to manage the sets. We both need the other. Chen Ge’s plan was nice, but he needed to get the goodwill of the twenty-four spirits first.

The first thing Chen Ge did after returning to his Haunted House was sleep; he was truly exhausted by the events of the day. After being asleep for who knew how long, Chen Ge felt something crawling on his chest, like a kitten asking for attention. He opened his eyes blurrily and discovered he was hugging a small doll.

“Xiaoxiao?” He rubbed his eyes and placed Xiaoxiao beside him, “What’s going on? You have a grown man like myself hugging a doll when he sleeps, just imagine the impression it’ll leave on my future wife if she sees me like this.”

After stretching lazily, Chen Ge glanced at the time; it was 11:59 pm. Chen Ge put on his shoes and exited the staff breakroom to head for the first-floor bathroom.

He merely had to pee, but as he entered the place, he discovered that the atmosphere inside the bathroom was not right. The door of the cubicle was swaying lightly, and a red hue could be seen coming from the mirror underneath the black cloth.

Has the door in the mirror returned?

He walked to the mirror and lifted up a corner of the black cloth.

In the mirror that had cracked, the red door was half open.