"Can you tell me about the fourth ending?" Chen Ge grew increasingly curious about that game.
Standing under the sunlight, Fan Cong was uncharacteristically silent. His mind was in turmoil. "The fourth ending is pretty complicated. After dying three times, I'd more or less figured out the game's mechanics and lore. I explored the town for half an hour before getting killed. This fourth ending — it's a lot to explain. Why don't you come to my place tonight? I'll let you see the game for yourself."
"That works." Chen Ge nodded. "You two rest here for now. If you need anything, just reach out."
After saying that, Chen Ge walked back into the haunted house. Completing the nightmare-level tunnel mission in the Eastern Suburbs had earned him a brand-new talent skill from the Black Phone — Ghost Ear. So even from a good distance away, he could still hear the conversation between Fan Dade and Fan Cong behind him.
"Xiao Cong, do we really not need to tell him about that strange thing that happened at our place after midnight last night?" Fan Dade fretted. "The ghost from the game seems to have gotten out. Even if we reported it to the police, they probably wouldn't believe us."
"Let's wait until Boss Chen comes tonight. I'm not daring to play that game anymore — maybe we can find it a new owner." Fan Cong bit his finger, his brows knotted together.
The two brothers had no idea their conversation had been overheard by Chen Ge. They sat in a quiet corner of the break room, talking in low voices.
The lunch break was over, and Chen Ge went back into the haunted house to get busy.
At a little past six in the evening, the haunted house closed for the day. Chen Ge sent Xiao Gu to find a rental place nearby, while he and
By the time everything was done, it was already seven o'clock.
"Boss, a new restaurant just opened up next to our amusement park. Interested?" Xu Wan, having removed her makeup, slung her bag over her shoulder and strolled past Chen Ge with feigned nonchalance.
"Not tonight — I've got to head to the police station later." Seeing that Xu Wan's expression hadn't changed much, Chen Ge didn't think too much of it. "Next time, I'll treat you."
"Mm. Deal."
"Absolutely."
He watched Xu Wan leave, then returned to the employee break room and packed the voice recorder and comic book into his backpack. "Bringing the Skull Crusher to the police station doesn't feel quite right. I'm just going to ask some questions."
Carrying the bag in one hand, Chen Ge locked up the haunted house and hurried out of the amusement park.
While waiting for a cab by the road, Chen Ge pulled out his phone and called Captain Yan. The ringtone had barely sounded three times before someone picked up — a clear sign of how much Captain Yan valued Chen Ge.
"Captain Yan? It's Chen Ge. Have they caught the killer from that case?"
"The eye-gouging case has been solved, and the main suspect in the medical school sculpture body-hiding case has also been taken down. But the key suspect, Dr. Gao, is still on the run. Catching him should only be a matter of time — surveillance cameras are everywhere now. He'll slip up sooner or later." Captain Yan had been swamped recently and had only just freed up a day or two ago.
"So the previous string of violent cases can all be wrapped up?" Chen Ge spotted a taxi approaching in the distance and quickly raised his hand.
"What's this? From the sound of it, you're planning to find us some more work?" Captain Yan grew wary. That Chen Ge — he was too uncanny. Wherever he went, trouble followed.