Chapter 10: The Ghostly Boy

“Old man, how about this? I’ll leave the endgame here for you. Take your time to study it, and when you’ve figured it out, come find me.” Ji Linmo smiled as he set down the chess puzzle, casually pocketing the spirit money.

“Damn it, using an endgame puzzle… I could have thought of that too, but such a great opportunity has been snatched up by Ji Linmo.” Watching Ji Linmo’s departing figure, Zhu Jun’s eyes burned red with envy, and his resentment towards Ji Linmo deepened.

“Wait, young man, you’re from Room 403!” Just as Ji Linmo stood up and reached into his pocket for his room key, Old Ma’s face suddenly contorted in fear.

“No new bride by the side of the one in Room 403 has ever survived the next day. How did you…” Old Ma abruptly covered his own mouth, swallowing the word “bride” as if terrified something might overhear, casting nervous glances around.

“Old Ma, what do you mean by that?” Ji Linmo frowned.

“You know about the one in Room 403…” But Old Ma suddenly cried out, waving his hands frantically and covering his ears in terror. “I didn’t say anything, I didn’t say anything! There’s no one getting married in our complex! I know nothing!”

Seeing Old Ma’s panicked reaction, Ji Linmo could only shake his head helplessly. Deep down, he realized one thing: the ghost bride of Room 403 was a taboo subject in this community, something never to be spoken of.

Yet Ji Linmo was in no rush to uncover the secret—for since he was still alive, that ghost bride was bound to come for him again. Next time they met, he would simply need to investigate thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned.

“All right, then. Let’s meet again when we have the chance, old man.” Ji Linmo had no idea that the moment he turned to leave, a look of pity and regret filled Old Ma’s eyes.

“Alas, what a shame. Rare to find a fellow chess player, yet he’s doomed to die so soon… The one in 403, having spared him once, won’t do so a second time.” With a long sigh, Old Ma put on his kindly smile once more.

“Come now, who else would like a game of chess?”

Meanwhile, Ji Linmo was making his way cautiously to the vending machine, carefully considering what to purchase. Now that his hands were full of spirit money, he had every right to choose as he pleased. Gazing at the dazzling array of goods, Ji Linmo raised his hand and spotted the most suitable item.

[Chilled Fresh Human Brain (Best consumed within one day)]

[Item Quality: Medium]

[Price: 200 spirit coins]

[Description: Freshly unearthed human brain, with a texture most pleasing to children—icy, soft, and silky smooth. Hurry and buy some for your kids at home!]

After making his purchase, Ji Linmo returned to the building without hesitation.

The moment he stepped into the elevator, the little boy hanging upside down from the ceiling poked his head out, gazing at him with greedy anticipation.

“Hey kid, do you want some organs to eat? These are all for you.” Ji Linmo took out two cold, fresh brains and handed them to the boy.

Delighted, the boy devoured them instantly.

[Prompt: “Ghost Boy – Nie Haohao” Favorability +30. His favorability toward you has reached ‘Friendly’.]

[Ghost Boy – Nie Haohao]

[Level: Intermediate Evil Spirit]

[Profile: Son of resident Nie Xiaolan in 201. Loves eating brains. An otherwise unremarkable troublemaker.]

Seeing the prompt, Ji Linmo raised an eyebrow. He had only intended to ride the elevator a few more times, but by accident had discovered that the instance’s NPCs actually had a favorability system.

So, if that’s the case, building good relationships with the residents might make it much more efficient to find hidden clues?

With this in mind, Ji Linmo gave the ghost boy Nie Haohao a gentle smile and asked, “Haohao, your name is Haohao, right? Are human brains tasty?”

Nie Haohao nodded enthusiastically. After wolfing down the brains, he kept licking the bowl with his long, rough tongue, savoring every last bit.

“Would you like more brains? Want Uncle to give you another one?” Ji Linmo tempted the ghost boy with another brain. “All you have to do is answer a few questions.”

“Haohao, do you know what the previous resident of Room 403 did before I moved in?”

Nie Haohao shook his head, indicating he’d never seen the person go out and knew nothing about them.

Ji Linmo thought for a moment, then gestured for Haohao to come closer.

“Haohao, do you know about the double happiness wedding stickers sold in the vending machine?”

“I do! I do!” Nie Haohao shot up his hand as if answering in class. “My mom said those stickers are dangerous. If you ever see them in the vending machine on a regular day, just pretend you didn’t.”

“But she definitely asked some previous players to buy those wedding stickers!” Ji Linmo nodded, continuing to coax him with the brain still in hand.

“So, Haohao, why did your mom buy the stickers?”

“For sleeping!” Haohao exclaimed, raising his hand excitedly. “Mom said, when we go to bed at night, we have to stick a wedding sticker on the headboard. Otherwise, it’ll make him angry!”

Him?

Was he referring to the original resident of 403, the cross-dressing ghost bride?

“Haohao, by ‘him,’ do you mean the resident of Room 403? Why would sticking a wedding sticker make him upset?”

“I—I don’t know. Mom never told me,” Nie Haohao stammered, unable to answer no matter how Ji Linmo pressed him. He simply kept repeating pitifully that his mother never mentioned it.

Suddenly, the elevator shook violently, shooting upwards with the force of an earthquake. Before Ji Linmo or the ghost boy could react, the doors slid open.

Standing at the entrance was a beautiful woman in a revealing dress, her almond-shaped eyes narrowed in anger.

[Prompt: “Ghost Teacher – Nie Xiaolan” Favorability -30. Her favorability toward you has reached ‘Disgust’.]

[Ghost Teacher – Nie Xiaolan]

[Level: Advanced Evil Spirit]

[Profile: Mother of Nie Haohao, resident of 201. Fiercely protective of her son.]

“Haohao, haven’t I told you not to talk to strangers?” Ji Linmo kept silent, while Haohao’s face filled with terror.

“Mama, I wasn’t—” But the beautiful woman would not listen. She grabbed Haohao and shot Ji Linmo a vicious glare.

“I’ve told you before, don’t talk to just anyone! Especially those from the fourth floor…”