My House of Horrors

Most plot-heavy Haunted Houses would arrange roles for the visitors to play. That way, they could immerse themselves into the plot more easily, like at Nightmare Academy. In this Haunted House, all the visitors were treated as new students enrolling at the school, and they would adopt the new student identity to slowly unravel the ghost stories at the school.

Theoretically speaking, Chen Ge’s identity was also a new student, but he did not have the understanding or preparation to be a new student. Other visitors focused on solving the puzzles and clearing the scenario, but he was focusing on how to become a new nightmare.

Actually, Chen Ge did not wish to go so far to Xin Hai to do something like that, but Nightmare Academy had forced his hand. Walking down the dark and eerie corridor, Chen Ge was very satisfied with the building. Situated on Xin Hai’s busiest merchant street, and due to its special geographical situation, it ensured that the place would not be hit by sunlight no matter the time of day, which meant that it would have little to no influence on his employees. The interior was very spacious as well. There were six floors in total, and that was more than enough to fit in many Haunted House scenarios.

“If I’m going to open a branch in Xin Hai, this place is the most suitable.” Of course, Nightmare Academy would not hand the location to Chen Ge freely, so he was merely daydreaming and planning ahead.

“Hey, you at the back! Try not to get left behind!” The visitors had walked quite a distance away when they realized that Chen Ge was lagging behind, and one of them called to urge him along. With the doctor leading the way, the group arrived at a large classroom.

“Go in now. The new student welcoming ceremony will be held inside this classroom. If you’re lucky, you might even get to meet the headmaster.” The doctor left. The visitors stood outside the door, watching him walk away.

“He’s leaving just like that?” Xue Li hugged Lee Yuan and grumbled under her breath. “Isn’t he going to give us some hints?”

The few visitors stood in the corridor, and no one dared to be the first to enter. Without planning it, their eyes gradually moved to fall on Chen Ge.

Other than Lee Yuan, Chen Ge was the only adult male there.

“The way I visit a Haunted House is different from what you’d imagine. If you wish to rely me, then you’d better be prepared to run,” Chen Ge warned them kindly. He had a natural affection toward those who dared to attempt Haunted Houses. Perhaps it was a kind of an occupational habit.

Pushing the door open, a thick stench of blood hit them. The welcoming ceremony for the new students was also the start of nightmare!

Old tables were arranged in the classroom, and many mannequins were positioned in the seats. There was a working projector placed on the podium, and a dead person’s model hung from the blackboard.

The closed windows, strange lights, and the eerie background music created a perfect atmosphere of terror.

“The scent coming from this model is ninety percent similar to a real body. How did they manage to do this? Did they splash animal blood on the model?” It was two different worlds inside and outside the door. After Chen Ge entered the classroom, his tone changed. “No wonder this place managed to become the biggest Haunted House at Xin Hai.”

After Chen Ge got into the classroom, Xue Li planned to follow, but she only took the first step when she was suddenly pulled back by Lee Yuan.

“What are you doing? You gave me such a fright!” Xue Li placed her palm over her chest and glared at Lee Yuan. Lee Yuan winked multiple times, and after pulling Xue Li aside, he whispered into her ear. “Didn’t you hear what he said earlier? The man said that the smell coming from this model is ninety percent similar to the real one.”

“And? What does that have to do with anything?” Xue Li still had not caught onto what her boyfriend was trying to express.

“My dear, that can only mean that he has interacted with a real dead body before!” Lee Yuan was shaking in his boots. Taking on the largest Haunted House at Xin Hai was already a big challenge, and now he realized there were a few strange people in his group. What was he to do?

“You have a point.” Xue Li was a more innocent person and did not jump to the worst possible scenario immediately. “Perhaps he’s a doctor. I hear some surgeons come to Haunted Houses to relax after completing difficult surgeries. We’re lucky this time to have grouped up with a professional.”

“I hope you’re right.” Lee Yuan and Xue Li found themselves lagging behind since the rest had moved on without them; they were the only ones left in the corridor. The lamps down the corridor suddenly turned on. Lee Yuan did not mind it that much. He was still deliberating over whether to follow Chen Ge or not. At that moment, the lamps nearer to them switched on, and a shadow flashed across their eyes.

A cold draft moved through their hair, and Lee Yuan suddenly sneezed. He lifted his head subconsciously and saw strands of hair dangling from the ceiling. In a corner where the ceiling was poked through, there was the face of a child. With pale skin and half-open lips, the girl seemed to have something to say to Lee Yuan. Through the hole in the ceiling, she tossed a ball of paper toward Lee Yuan.

“Help! There’s someone there!” Lee Yuan screamed, and his legs started to carry him away. He was about to pull Xue Li into the classroom when the lamp closest to them came on. Just three meters away from them stood a monster about two meters tall!

The skull was pierced through by nails, and the clothes were wet with blood. The exposed skin was covered in scary-looking wounds. His fingers were decaying, and he was holding a black and red rope in his palm.

“What the f*ck! When did such a large monster appear?” Lee Yuan and Xue Li charged into the classroom without hesitating. Then they slammed the classroom door shut. “Come and help! There’s a monster outside the door! Help block the door!”

The visitors inside the classroom were already nervous. They were carefully investigating the room. The sudden loud commotion coming from outside spooked them. They were not scared by the props inside the Haunted House but by their own allies.

Bang!

Something outside the classroom rammed heavily into the door. Lee Yuan used all his might to hold the door back, and veins pulsed on his forehead. “Come and help me!”

Chen Ge reacted the fastest. He ran over to push the door shut. “Did you guys trigger some kind of trap?”

“No, I swear, nothing like that happened! We were just standing outside the door! We have no idea when this thing appeared!” Lee Yuan’s face was red.

“I understand it now. The appearance of this monster is to ensure that the visitors will follow the designated plot. If you stay in one place too long, the monster will appear.” Chen Ge helped to close the door, and he grabbed the broom to lock the door in place.

“Now that the monster has blocked the door, how are we supposed to leave?” Even though the door was temporarily closed, the monster did not leave, and he kept knocking against the door like a crazy.

“The clues should be inside this room. It could be a talisman to chase the monster away, or it could be a secret path or even a weapon.” Chen Ge looked at the door that might break down at any moment. He was so calm that even his teammates felt afraid. “The terror level is rising now. This is more like it.”

“Hey! Come take a look at this!” When Chen Ge and Lee Yuan were closing the door, Chui Ming discovered something. He pointed at the projector; the screen next to the blackboard was showing a short video.

Four male students entered a dark classroom. Each of them occupied a corner of the room, and as they counted down the numbers, they moved along the walls. They walked around and around when suddenly a fifth person appeared on screen.

Since all five of them were wearing the same uniform, Chui Ming had a hard time telling who the extra person was.