​​Chapter 77: South Street Apartment​

​"Because two people fell to their deaths—their bodies were right at the first-floor stairwell. So many people came to gawk—it was gruesome. Blood was pouring down the steps..."

The man in the floral shirt shuddered, his expression uneasy. "That same day, tons of people moved out. Especially on the first floor—it was practically emptied. Xiao Bo and Qiangzi lived on the first floor, and they’d gotten into plenty of fights with other tenants. Dying like that... it just gave everyone the creeps. The whole building became haunted overnight. I even heard the landlord cursing up a storm."

Fu Huan asked with a smile, "Then why didn’t you move out, big bro?"

The man gave her a knowing look. "You guys rented this place pretty cheap, right?"

Fu Huan nodded.

"Exactly. These days, finding a place this cheap is impossible. After the incident, we even bargained the rent down. A bunch of us on the third floor stayed. Life’s tough—if we spent all our wages on rent, how would we live? Even Mr. Chu didn’t leave. If ghosts were gonna haunt anyone, they’d start with his place first. Why should I be scared? Xiao Bo and Qiangzi were my bros!"

The players exchanged glances, digesting this.

Thinking they were spooked by the "haunted" label, the man slapped his thigh reassuringly. "Don’t worry! All that haunted talk is nonsense. If this place were really cursed, why would so many people be moving in?"

"Others moved in after the deaths?"

A gentle voice chimed in. The man glanced over—another pretty woman with a soft demeanor. He didn’t mind elaborating. "Yeah, every night for the past few days, I’ve heard moving noises. Clattering around—I could hear it from upstairs."

Li Zhi tilted her head. "To the second floor?"

"Yep! I went down to check once—whoa! The new tenants even hung lanterns and put up couplets. Proper homemakers. So all that ‘South Street Haunted House’ garbage is just rumors. People are flocking here for the cheap rent."

As he spoke, Granny Qiu marched over with a rag, scowling. "You done eating? Stop hogging the seats!"

The man chuckled awkwardly, tossed down money for breakfast, and scurried off.

Under Granny Qiu’s glare, the players quickly finished their meals and stood.

"Let’s go to my room," Fu Huan offered. "I’ve got a prop there—it’s safer."

She didn’t specify what it was, but system-granted props were always useful. No one pressed further as they filed into Room 104. The layout was identical to the others, but with so many people inside, the single room suddenly felt cramped.

"Let’s organize what we know so far," Li Zhi said.

Fu Huan immediately raised her hand. "Last night, we heard something weird in the hallway! It was like... sniffing around. Xiang Ling and I held our breaths, and it left!"

Yuan Cheng looked stunned. "That’s all it took?"

Meng Hanhan nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Same with me and Zhi-jie. It went away when we stopped breathing."

Yuan Cheng smacked his forehead. "I wasted a prop dodging it!"

The other first-floor players looked equally torn between regret and relief.

Li Feng, who’d been standing quietly by the door, finally spoke. "I didn’t hear anything last night."

Qiao Junyuan nodded. "Me neither."

Surprised, the group turned to Li Zhi, who said, "Seems it only targets the first and second floors. Third floor and above are safe—for now. The countermeasure is holding your breath. Stay alert when sleeping."

Everyone nodded.

Even if they didn’t know what it was, knowing how to avoid it made it less terrifying.

Xiang Ling added, "I also heard the altar table being knocked over." She frowned, recalling. "Like someone panicked and crashed into it. Then the sniffing started."

Others chimed in. "Right! But at that hour... no one should’ve been out there!"

Li Zhi smiled. "No people, but there were ghosts."

Wasn’t that around the time Xiao Bo and Qiangzi’s spirits were said to return?

Fu Huan shivered. "So the ghosts ran into that thing and got scared off? What kind of monster terrifies even ghosts?!"

Though they now knew how to hide from it, the thought of a ghost-frightening creature prowling the halls at night was chilling. Holding their breath might work—but what if it came when they were asleep? Or lingered too long for them to endure? Sleep would be impossible these next few nights.

"And the mission!" A player groaned. "It’s so vague! What are we even supposed to do?"

The others shared his frustration.

Usually, the system gave clear tasks—even if they were traps. But this time, the objective was maddeningly broad.

"Uncover the truth beneath the glamorous façade."

Li Zhi mused, "Whose ‘glamorous façade’? Surely not the apartment itself."

The rundown building was anything but glamorous.

Her voice steadied. "Then it must refer to the people living here. The secret isn’t in the apartment—it’s in someone, or someones, inside. Our targets are among the tenants. We need to investigate them."

Her analysis brought instant clarity.

Fu Huan considered. "If we’re talking ‘glamorous,’ that Mr. Chu from breakfast fits. Dressed like a white-collar elite—totally out of place here."

"Agreed! Floral Shirt said he’s in 603. We should check it out later," someone suggested. "His wife’s home, right?"

Li Zhi recalled Qu Rong from the second-floor washroom. She also fit the "glamorous" description.

Yuan Cheng clapped. "So today’s mission: census the South Street Apartment! Split up, cover all six floors."

With five pairs of players, they could sweep the building in a day. Eager to start, they moved toward the door—only for Li Feng to block the exit.

"Don’t forget the landlord’s warning. The tenants don’t like visitors. No door-knocking."

But how else could they investigate?

Li Zhi offered a compromise. "For today, just observe. Tenants will leave eventually. Chat them up outside—that’s not ‘visiting.’"

She added, "Also, Room 203 seems suspicious. Be careful."

Who washes their hands that long at midnight? And survived an encounter with the sniffing monster?

The group dispersed, pairing off.

Fu Huan and Xiang Ling headed back to Granny Qiu’s stall—a long-time resident surely knew secrets. Others ventured outside, scouting the neighborhood.

Li Feng had planned to explore the third floor with Qiao Junyuan. Since only first and second-floor players had heard the monster, the third floor might hold clues.

But spotting Li Zhi and Meng Hanhan approaching the guard booth, he abruptly changed course, striding over with a scowl.

As he neared, he heard Li Zhi ask casually, "Do you keep a tenant registry here?"

A calm voice replied, "No. I just monitor security. It’s my first day—I don’t know the residents."

Li Jianxi finished speaking, then froze as a sharp, hostile gaze locked onto him.

A tall, broad-shouldered man stood behind Li Zhi, his expression thunderous.

Li Jianxi: "......"

Li Zhi turned, spotting her brother. She subtly shifted, shielding Li Jianxi from that death glare. "No leads here. Let’s go."

Her eyes held a silent plea. Li Feng suppressed a snort.

Did she think he hadn’t heard the rumors about her and this NPC? He wasn’t some overbearing parent forbidding romance. But real-world boys were one thing—instance NPCs were absolutely off-limits!

This guy was shady. Popping up in every instance Li Zhi entered? Clearly up to no good.

Li Feng glared one last time before turning to his sister. "Come with me to the third floor. I think something there repels—or attracts—that monster."

Li Zhi beamed. "Sure."

She’d wanted to team up with him anyway.

Waving at Li Jianxi, she chirped, "Bye~"

Li Jianxi’s lips quirked. "Bye."

Li Feng shot him another icy look over his shoulder.

Li Jianxi: "............"