Chapter 299: Haunted Building (35)

***

Bonus chapter! Thank you to Winter for the donation! ^^

***

Ruan Qing’s phone was on speaker mode, not held to his ear, so he could clearly see the phone’s interface.

That was why, after only speaking for a few minutes, his gaze froze.

Ruan Qing distinctly remembered that his phone’s battery was at 65% earlier, but now it had dropped to 63%.

…It seemed that contacting the outside world would cause his phone’s battery to drain, as if his time started slipping away the moment he connected to the outside.

There was no power source in the basement. If his phone ran out of battery, he would have no way to contact the 'self' outside.

Ruan Qing immediately sped up his speech, saying everything he could to warn them and sharing all the clues he knew.

“There are at least five ghosts in this building, and everything is related to a kidnapping case from the past. The motive and purpose of that case remain unclear.”

“But it definitely wasn’t just for money. You should focus on someone with the last name Ren.”

Although those five people appeared to be after money on the surface, their mannerisms and appearances didn’t match that of real construction workers, nor did they seem like people in financial distress.

After all, setting up a basement like this would have cost a fortune, but these people spent the money without hesitation, and they even used the best materials. Clearly, they weren’t people short on cash.

If they weren’t lacking money, then their motive definitely wasn’t money.

Furthermore, the instance wouldn’t randomly include a kidnapping case for no reason. Ren Qing’s kidnapping wasn’t a coincidence either. The target of those five people was either the original owner or the original owner’s father, Ren Yanqing.

And Ren Yanqing was the most likely target.

Unfortunately, Ruan Qing hadn’t been able to meet Ren Yanqing or get in contact with him. Aside from knowing that the original owner had been kidnapped, there were no other clues.

As for the clues about "It," there was absolutely nothing.

Just as Ruan Qing was about to continue speaking, a weak voice came from the other end of the phone. “…Um, I think my last name might be Ren.”

“My name is Ren Qing.”

Ruan Qing: “?”

The person on the other end of the phone continued speaking, their tone full of uncertainty. “I’m not even sure if my name is Ren Qing. My mind is completely blank right now, and I can’t remember many things. I just vaguely recall that my name might be Ren Qing.”

Ruan Qing was silent for a few seconds before speaking softly, “Ren Yanqing is your…?”  

The voice on the other end of the line was still filled with hesitation. “It seems to be my dad.”

Ruan Qing was stunned upon hearing this answer. He and the version of himself who entered the instance later had the same identity?

Whenever he entered an instance, he always appeared as an NPC, which he could understand. But the problem was, he had already "died" as Ren Qing in this identity.

Could it be that the version of himself that came later not only existed on a different timeline but was also from a completely separate dimension?

Was the "himself" on the other end of the phone also caught up in the kidnapping case?

Ruan Qing couldn’t figure out what was going on. He even struggled to determine at which point in time the other party existed.

Frowning slightly, his refined features revealed his puzzlement. “Are you in an under-construction building site?”

“No, it’s a beautiful residential area.”

The two voices were nearly identical, and even their tones were indistinguishable, making it feel as if he were talking to himself.

Ruan Qing lowered his gaze thoughtfully. The timeline of the person on the other end didn’t seem to align with the kidnapping incident. It seemed to be in the present.

Still, he couldn’t understand why they shared the same identity.

But regardless of the identity, avoiding those ghosts was undoubtedly the right thing to do.

After reminding the person on the other end again, Ruan Qing hung up the phone without even saying “goodbye.”

Ruan Qing wasn’t worried that "himself" wouldn’t heed his warning. If it were about something else, he might not believe it, but if it involved ghosts, even if "he" doubted it, he would absolutely avoid them.

Now, the most urgent task was to find a way out of this basement.

Ruan Qing carefully observed his surroundings, unaware that someone was standing at the door of the basement.

And the person standing there was none other than the one he had just spoken to on the phone.

This person looked exactly like him, down to the mole at the corner of his eye. If the two of them stood side by side, it would be nearly impossible to tell them apart.

However, the basement seemed to be completely isolated from the outside world. Even with just a door separating them, no sound could pass through.

The person inside couldn’t hear the sounds from outside, and the person outside couldn’t hear the sounds from inside. The only connection between them was the cellphone.

Outside the basement, the 'Ruan Qing' standing in front of the door reluctantly lowered the phone after hearing the beeping tone on the line. 

The delicate face of 'Ruan Qing' had unknowingly flushed red, with the tips of his ears turning completely crimson.

Especially the ear that had been holding the phone—it was so red it seemed like it might start dripping blood.

What a beautiful voice...

So beautiful that he found it difficult to control himself.

Maintaining an impassive expression, 'Ruan Qing' rubbed his ear. The itch from his ear seemed to creep into the very depths of his heart.

And indeed, it had reached his heart.

On the other end of the line, the voice was cold and melodious, as pleasant as jade beads falling onto a jade plate. Even though it was only transmitted through the phone, it was almost entirely unaltered, carrying an added huskiness, as if murmuring right by his ear.

It made it all the harder to resist.

Especially when the other person spoke in a low, elegant, and composed tone, analyzing the situation—it was as if he was whispering the most captivating love words to him, making it impossible not to fall for the other.

And it was a willing surrender.

This was only the person's voice. Touching his chest, 'Ruan Qing' felt his heartbeat quicken, and the corners of his lips uncontrollably curved upward.

He couldn’t wait to see the other.

His... beloved.

Suppressing his emotions, 'Ruan Qing' stretched out his hand and pressed lightly against the door. Beneath his hand, the black barrier reappeared.

The black barrier shimmered with a layer of dark mist, as if eager to devour anything that came near. Just looking at it sent shivers down one’s spine, exuding a palpable sense of danger.

The barrier wasn’t hard to break, but the moment it was destroyed, the entire basement would be consumed by the dark mist, reduced to nothingness.

That included anyone in the basement.

So violently destroying the barrier was absolutely out of the question. A living person had to be found to safely open the door to the basement.

Once again, 'Ruan Qing' turned and left the basement.

<Prev> <ToC> <Next>