"You don't look well. Are you alright, Ethan?"
Chief Stone set down a bowl of meat porridge. I forced a smile and shook my head.
"It's nothing, though I did feel a sudden chill just now."
After breakfast, noon came and went without incident. I started to worry about Rachel Lan. Silently, I kept calling out to John Chou in my mind, hoping he'd respond.
But John Chou seemed determined to ignore me—he never responded at all.
Chief Stone was still fiddling with his phone. Not only was Rachel Lan unreachable, but even the two members of the Ghost Burial Squad who went with her couldn't be contacted.
The rhythmic thumping of helicopter blades echoed overhead. I watched as a transport helicopter flew toward us.
"Water and supplies are running low. Who knows how many days we'll be stuck here."
I sighed and shot a resentful glance at the Ghost Burial Squad members. These past few days have been fraught with danger, but it seemed to have nothing to do with them. When not working, they either played mahjong in groups or drank. Every night, they had barbecue—spending a fortune.
"You guys spend so much, Chief Stone. Is that really okay?"
"Don't use water." Then, all I could feel was searing pain as several members of the Burial Ghost Squad wrapped my entire body in clothing.
I’d experienced this before in Exile Town—my back constantly burned by firewood, even scalded by hot oil. Luckily, Chief Stone shouted just as the flaming oil pot and burning wood came flying, and I reacted instantly. The doctor was already treating the burns on my back.
Hugh Thompson stood on the side, watching thoughtfully, while tears of pain kept streaming from my eyes.
"Looks like we've got trouble now."
Suddenly, I stopped groaning and remembered the choice Rachel Lan drew last night—water and fire. I wasn’t sure if this was fire or misfortune, or if what happened last night was injury or bad luck.
"This is bad, those two are back."
"What? Rachel fell into the underground river?"
I looked at the two, faces covered in dirt, lips cracked, and visibly distressed.
Hugh Thompson watched thoughtfully, then glanced at me again. Worried but enduring the pain, I struggled to my feet.
"Damn it, send people to find her, now!" I shouted. Chief Stone immediately gathered all the members of the Burial Ghost Squad.
"Not yet," Hugh Thompson said, walking over.
"Miss Lan’s fate is still unknown, and you..." Hugh Thompson smiled.
"That troublemaker isn’t so easy to kill! Right now, the most important thing is to keep an eye on you."
Suddenly, I thought of Uncle Mo, who miraculously saved Chief Stone that day. He once said that with the power of the Yellow Springs, those from the Yellow Springs cannot die until their mission is complete.
But I was still worried.
"Looks like one person is out of the game."
It was Lily Qian. She walked over smiling, and I glared at her.
"I’m afraid two people will be out before the day is over. Well, I’m really looking forward to tonight!"
After that, the Burial Ghost Squad got busy, removing the van’s rear door, clearing away rubble, shards of glass, and everything else—leaving only dirt. They had me sit inside, then propped the doors around me.
"Will this really work?"
I asked.
"It’s worth a shot," Hugh Thompson said, sitting by the door.
"After all, none of the magic works now. Everything happening is physical. But what is the force driving these events?"
Hugh Thompson spent the whole day thinking, lost in deep thought.
By evening, just when I thought things might be safe, there was a loud rumble beneath me—the spot where I sat collapsed. I screamed in shock.
At that moment, I felt something catch me—a net. As the dirt fell, I landed on it.
"Good thing we were prepared," Hugh Thompson said, removing the door. The Burial Ghost Squad scrambled to pull up the net, trying to lift me out. Below was pitch black; nothing could be seen.
Just as I was about to be lifted out, there was a tearing sound—the net snapped. I cried out as I fell, landing hard on something solid.
I shouted in surprise. The sound of rushing water overwhelmed me. One arm was useless, and my head plunged underwater. Panicking, I screamed, and just then, I felt someone pulling me up.
Flashlights shone down, and in that instant, both I and the two Burial Ghost Squad members who’d come to pull me up were stunned—as were the people above.
Countless skeletal remains—some tinged with red—lay submerged at the bottom of the water. There had to be at least a hundred.
After I was pulled out, the doctor began treating my wounds again. Now, with new injuries and the old ones soaked in filthy water, the pain was even worse.
Around nine o’clock, I was still shaken, lying face-down on the bed.
[Irrelevant web novel prompt skipped in translation.]
"Hugh, what do you think?"
"There are a lot of suspicious points in this case."
Hugh Thompson spoke, and Chief Stone nodded.
"This place used to be a village called Stone Hollow. Twenty-five years ago, there was a landslide here—many villagers died. Clearly, those skeletons are closely connected to what’s happening now."
"I’ll go myself. Hugh, be careful. I’m heading to the Municipal Public Security Bureau to check what exactly happened here twenty-five years ago."
Chief Stone said, then left by helicopter. We were worried at first, but ten minutes later, we learned he’d arrived in the city. Our nerves finally eased.
By eleven o’clock, Lily Qian came over again and called us.
We returned to that dilapidated house. Lily Qian smiled.
"It’s the third night. I didn’t expect so many people to still be here! You’re the first group to make it to the third night of the game."
I looked at Lily Qian in surprise. The whole Burial Ghost Squad waited anxiously outside. Just then, a commotion broke out—the crowd parted, and Rachel Lan appeared.
I immediately stood up. She walked in with a pale smile, looking utterly exhausted.
"Sorry I’m late. Ran into some trouble."
"Are you alright, Miss Lan?"
"You should worry about yourself, Ethan." Rachel Lan glanced at my bandaged body, smiled, and sat down beside me.
Lily Qian stared at Rachel Lan in surprise, then gave a strange smile.
"The third round is starting now."
Just after midnight, the candles lit up, and two new options appeared on the roulette wheel. Everything else was unchanged from yesterday, except tonight, the new options were 'Voice' and 'Death.'
"Excuse me, young lady, may I ask—are you Lily Qian?"
As the pointer began to spin, Hugh Thompson suddenly asked.
Lily Qian looked up, smiled, and nodded.
"Xiao Ling, don’t you remember me? I’m Ethan Zhang, your father’s student. Back when you were in middle school, I used to visit your house often."
Lily Qian looked at me and shook her head.
Suddenly, I saw Hugh Thompson’s face turn grave.
The change in Lily Qian was far too strange. She wasn’t possessed by a ghost, but she didn’t remember me at all. From what I recalled, Lily had always been a well-behaved child and got along well with me. Every time I visited, she’d always talk to me—almost like a little sister.
I’d told Hugh Thompson all this before.
"Alright, let me ask again, young lady. If you say you’re Lily Qian, why don’t you recognize Ethan Zhang?"
Lily Qian suddenly clutched her head, shook it, then screamed. Her eyes turned cold as she stared at us.
"Enough nonsense. Hurry up and start—the Crimson Deity is getting angry."
Looking at the roulette, the three of us grew solemn. Tonight, the odds were stacked against us. The only safe options were 'Wealth,' 'Health,' 'Life,' and 'Good Luck.' Water and fire were both dangerous choices.
The roulette spaces had become even smaller.
"I’m not playing anymore." Suddenly, Hugh Thompson stood up. I was shocked to see a ghost in white with a green face and fangs standing behind him. Just as I was about to speak...
"Ethan Zhang..." Hugh Thompson suddenly shouted. I froze.
"Isn’t the rule of the game that no matter what you see behind someone, you’re not supposed to mention it?"
I watched as the green-faced, fanged ghost placed its hand on Hugh Thompson’s shoulder.
"Whatever, I’m not playing. What can you do to me?"
Hugh Thompson insisted, but the ghost pressed him down, forcing him to the ground. Suddenly, Hugh pulled out a Taoist talisman and slapped it onto the ghost.
With a shriek, a fierce wind whipped up. The ghost screamed in pain and vanished.
"What can you do to me? I’m not playing."