My House of Horrors

Chapter 26: Boss, You’re on TV

Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97

Finishing the mission with a completion rate more than ninety percent will get me an additional reward? When Chen Ge realized he had managed to unlock the hidden item, he was admittedly quite excited, but that excitement soon dissipated when he read the item description. Wang Qi’s Missing Person Notice? Is the black phone mistaken or something? This feels more like a curse than a reward!

After he finished reading the description, a new question popped up in his mind. Although... what are these Malice Points?

Based on the wording, it seemed to refer to the quantification of Wang Qi’s malice.

A living human being has no use for something like this, so does it mean that it’s not meant to be used by a living individual?

Chen Ge turned to look at the shadow trailing behind him and shook his head to loosen the thought from his mind.

The police car arrived at New Century Park at around 7 am. Chen Ge asked the guard for the spare key to the Haunted House. He was so exhausted after such an eventful night. When he reached the staff breakroom, he felt like his whole skeleton was about to shatter.

He pulled out his phone and realized it had already died. The livestream, naturally, had already ended. He connected it to the charger and switched it on.

The pedometer that came with his phone stated that he had ran for upwards of ten thousand steps that night. He was currently at the top of his friend list, and Xiao Wan even liked this particular achievement of his.

Looks like I need to find some time to go training. As long as I can run faster than others, everything should be fine.

Chen Ge tapped through his phone to look for He San’s number. He sent a message in case his call woke up He San, who might have been sleeping. However, the young man called less than three seconds after the message was sent.

“My word! Boss, you’re still alive‽” He San’s voice was so loud that Chen Ge felt a headache coming.

“Did you wish for me to die so badly? Also, be a little bit quieter or you’re going to wake your roommates.”

“Who’s sleeping‽ We were all watching your livestream, and we’ve been waiting to hear from you!”

Honestly, Chen Ge was quite touched when he heard this. He was about to ask He San to thank his friends for the support when he heard He San say, “After the livestream cut off, they all said you’re definitely dead and insisted on betting on it. Thank you, Boss, you’ve helped pay for my meals for the rest of the week.”

“So ,my life is just worth several meals. Actually, you don’t need to share this joy with me, really...” Chen Ge was speechless facing this overly honest young man.

“In any case, Boss, thank God you’re still alive! I was so afraid to see you end up in our labs. Did you know on our course the lecturer will snap the picture of the victim at his time of death so that we’ll have a better idea of what a fresh corpse looks like...”

“That’s more than enough information.” Chen Ge rubbed his temple and could feel his brain throbbing. “One of major reasons I managed to survive is thanks to you, so if there’s a chance, I’ll also treat you to a meal.”

After hanging up, Chen Ge clicked open his personal page on the video-sharing app and was surprised to discover his follower number had increased by more than 3,000 people.

Damn! Even a black screen can get me followers? He turned to look at his private message inbox. It was bursting with messages, but the majority of them were asking, “Host, are you still alive?”

These people, it seems like they couldn’t wait for me to die!

When Chen Ge realized the advertisement for his Haunted House was still there, and his livestream room and personal account page had not been blocked, he sighed in relief. He tossed the phone to the side, buried his face in the pillow, and stretched lazily in bed.

It’s time to power down. I believe I deserve a day off, time for bed.

After removing his clothes and closing his eyes, Chen Ge soon fell asleep.

The sun rose, announcing the arrival of a new day. Sunlight filtered into the room, gilding the edge of the bed in gold.

Bang!

The gate of the Haunted House was thrown open, and rushed footsteps came up the stairs. A key was pushed into the lock, and the staff breakroom was rudely pushed open.

The bed shook violently like there was an earthquake!

Chen Ge was so spooked that he sprung up in bed. Before he could say anything, he saw something wave before his eyes, and then a shrill and excited voice entered his ears.

“Boss, you’re on television!”

Two seconds later, Chen Ge finally returned to reality. Looking at Xiao Wan, who sat beside his pillow, and smelling the fresh scent that drifted from her hair, Chen Ge silently picked up the comforter to cover his exposed upper body before saying, “Slow down, what about me?”

“This is the first time someone I know in real life has been on television! Even though your face has been mosaicked, I could still recognize that it was you easily!”

“Mosaic?” Chen Ge still had not caught up to what Xu Wan was saying.

“Look.” Xu Wan passed her phone to Chen Ge. “This is a snippet of the video I took from the internet. During the Jiujiang Morning News segment, there was a last-minute story.”

Chen Ge clicked play, and the image on the screen showed Ping An Apartments.

“Justice always prevails! There has been a recent development to the arson that killed a family of four at Fu An Apartments four years ago. Thanks to the aid of a kind citizen, law enforcement has managed to detain the real culprit to answer for his crimes!”

Following that was a simple interview attached with a picture of Chen Ge leaving the scene with a police officer. However, Chen Ge’s face was heavily pixelated. There was a caption explaining that because one of the fugitives was still on the run, the identity of the kind citizen temporarily would not be revealed to protect said citizen’s safety.

“Boss, that person is you, right? The clothes are the same as the ones you were wearing yesterday!”

“Do you mind letting me put on some clothes first?” Chen Ge shook his head slightly. After getting into his clothes, Chen Ge quickly explained everything that had happened at Ping An Apartments last night to Xu Wan. However, he did not reveal the real reason he was there; instead, he said that he was there to seek new inspiration to add to the Haunted House.

After listening to his story, Xu Wan’s expression had a huge change. “Boss, I’m sure you’re tired then. Please take your much-needed rest, leave the visitors to me.”

She said that out of kindness, but the moment Chen Ge heard that there were visitors, he felt instantly energized. “How many are there?”

“More than yesterday.”

“Then, what are we waiting for? Help me get up!”

Chen Ge had Xu Wan go wait at the entrance, and he rushed to the toilet to wash his face. Then, he pulled out the black phone to click open the Murder by Midnight scenario.

“Murder by Midnight (Scream Factor 1 Star): This scenario has been completed. Feel free to go up to the third floor to take a look.

“Warning: The Haunted House is running out of internal space. New scenarios shall not be unlockable until further expansion!”

Chen Ge initially thought he had to prepare many things, but he realized he had underestimated the black phone. When was the scenario set up?

After putting on his shoes, Chen Ge raced up to the third floor and pushed the door open. The world beyond the door had completely changed.

The space stuffed with unwanted props had disappeared, and what awaited him was a long corridor that was dripping with an eerie air. The newly unlocked scenario was huge; it took up more than half of the third floor as well as parts of space from the second floor’s Minghun and the first floor’s Night of the Living Dead.

So, there are now three floors in total. First and second being the appetizer, and the scariest on the third. How come it became so similar to Ping An Apartments?