When Route 104 crashed into the blood mist, Chen Ge had felt the black phone vibrating, but given the urgency of the situation, he hadn't chosen to pull it out and check right away.
Now, standing alone on the second floor of the kennel with no other passengers around, he could finally examine the messages on the black phone in peace.
He tapped the screen lightly and skimmed through the incoming messages, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Favored one of vengeful spirits! Congratulations on obtaining a special-type vengeful spirit — the Black Dog, which possesses ninety percent of a dog's soul and ten percent of a human soul, a special vengeful spirit formed under the influence of some external force."
"Special Ability: Mad Dog (can enter the body of a living person, causing them to lose their sanity and become extremely aggressive. This ability can only be used once every seven days, and each use causes irreversible damage to the Black Dog's soul)."
The first two messages both concerned the Black Dog. Chen Ge hadn't expected this rather unremarkable-looking "pet dog" to be so highly valued by the black phone.
"Wait — why is the Black Dog's name already on the Horror House employee roster? I didn't tame it. I only met it once."
"Is the black phone malfunctioning, or did the Black Dog voluntarily show signs of recognizing me as its master when we crossed paths?"
Chen Ge didn't know what the relationship between the Black Dog and the Shadow was, but seeing the Black Dog's current behavior, he had a rough idea.
"Maybe this dog is one of the Shadow's few 'friends.'"
The word "friend" went both ways — true friends were always mutual.
"If the Shadow transformed into someone else to get close to me, I could release the Black Dog when I'm unsure. It might yield some unexpected results."
The Black Dog appearing directly on the employee roster was good news for Chen Ge, but given the brutality of its ability, he wasn't planning to bring it out anytime soon.
Swiping through the screen, Chen Ge opened the remaining messages — ones the black phone had sent right when he entered the blood mist.
"Favored one of vengeful spirits! You have entered the Liwan Town scenario. Three-and-a-half-star difficulty trial mission — Liwan Town — forcibly triggered!"
"This scenario is extremely dangerous with unknown variables. Do you wish to exit midway?"
"Warning! If you exit midway, this scenario can never be unlocked again!"
After reading the last three messages, Chen Ge heard footsteps echoing from the stairwell. Several other passengers were heading upstairs — they'd apparently noticed he hadn't come down for a while and were worried something had happened to him.
"Either way, I've already entered Liwan Town. Even if it's dangerous now, I have no choice but to press forward." Chen Ge decisively chose not to abandon the mission.
"Favored one of vengeful spirits! You have accepted the three-and-a-half-star difficulty trial mission — Liwan Town."
"Liwan Town: The door has lost control. Murderers and vengeful spirits revel in the shadows of the city. When night falls, all aberrations become reality. Hotels that trade in souls, children playing hide-and-seek in hospitals, a head knocking against the wall in a neighbor's house, Death beckoning at the crossroads, a ghost in the elevator that never turns to face you, the smiling dog beneath the bed, the red eyes inside the wardrobe…"
"Mission Objective: Escape Liwan Town. For every innocent person you save, an additional hidden reward will be granted!"
"Mission Hint: I watch you cry, I watch you laugh, I watch your sorrow, I watch your play. I've been watching you all along. I want to become you. I'd gladly be your best friend — but why do you leave me nothing but grief while keeping all the joy for yourself?"
After reading every message, Chen Ge committed the contents to memory and put the phone away.
"You're alive! You nearly gave us a heart attack!" The drunkard had a booming voice. The moment he reached the second floor, he spotted Chen Ge standing in the middle of the corridor.
"Don't worry — I've already taken care of this human-faced dog." Chen Ge pointed at the man sprawled on the floor. Having read the messages from the black phone, his attitude toward the other passengers had improved considerably. After all, every additional innocent person saved meant an extra reward.
Whether out of moral duty or self-interest, Chen Ge would protect them all.