After flipping through a few pages, Chen Ge didn't find anything related to rent: "
"Never seen a free lease agreement before? I've already stamped it. Once you sign, it takes effect. The agreement terminates only when the park goes under — treasure it, and don't let me down." Director Luo seemed to be in a much better mood. He brewed himself another pot of tea. "You're a busy man, so I won't keep you."
When Chen Ge walked out of the office holding the agreement, he still couldn't quite believe it. He'd not only secured the rights to the amusement park's underground parking lot — he wouldn't have to pay a single cent!
According to the terms, as long as New Century Amusement Park didn't go bankrupt, he could keep leasing it for free indefinitely. Director Luo probably wasn't optimistic about him either — he likely figured that once the Future Virtual Amusement Park on the east outskirts of Jiujiang opened in two or three months, New Century Amusement Park would be finished. That had to be why he'd been so generous.
"The underground parking lot is about a third the size of the entire park. It's been sitting unused and abandoned this whole time, but getting it for free is still an absolute steal!"
Chen Ge felt like ever since he'd dealt with the monster in the mirror, his luck had taken a sudden turn for the better. He'd received an honorary medal, the reward money from the massacre case was ready for collection, and now the venue problem had been smoothly solved. Everything was slowly falling into place.
"Could getting rid of nasty things actually boost your luck?" Chen Ge tossed the thought around idly but didn't take it too seriously.
He carried the agreement back to the Horror House and got started on the day's operations. He had Xiao Wan put on the park uniform to sell tickets outside, while he donned the Skull-Splitting Doctor's coat and chased visitors around the Midnight Escape scenario wielding an iron hammer.
At five in the afternoon, Chen Ge stepped out of the haunted house. After notifying Xiao Wan that she was off the clock, he gathered all his documents and headed out to collect the reward money.
"The number in my bank account is about to break four digits for the first time. I ought to treat myself tonight." Chen Ge changed into clean clothes in the staff break room. As he was about to walk out the door, he turned his head and spotted a cloth doll lying beside the bed — the little one had half her body tucked under the bedframe, playing at something by herself, presumably.
"It's not even dark yet, and you've already popped out." Chen Ge picked up Xiaoxiao, and suddenly remembered something Captain Yan had said earlier: "The old man's condition doesn't sound good. He doesn't have a single relative by his side right now. I should go visit him."
He poked Xiaoxiao's belly, tucked her into his pocket, and walked out of the Horror House.
At 6:15, Chen Ge emerged from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. The reward money came to thirty-six thousand — a little less than he'd expected.
He bought a fruit basket and fresh milk, then took a cab to Jiujiang People's Hospital. Guided by the nurse on duty, he entered a ward on the third floor.
He'd originally planned to just check on the old man and leave, but the moment he stepped through the door, he ran into someone familiar.
"Captain Li? What are you doing here?" Captain Li was sitting beside the hospital bed, feeding the old man his meal. For such a rough, gruff guy, he was handling the elder with a gentleness that put most young women to shame.
"What are the odds — how is it that every time I turn around, you're there?" Captain Li placed a towel across the old man's chest. "He slept all morning. The precinct figured I was working pretty hard, so they gave me an easy assignment."
"You police handle stuff like this too?"
"The old man was hurt on our watch. Until we find a dedicated caretaker, it's only right that we look after him."
Captain Li tried feeding him a couple more times, but the old man didn't seem to have any appetite. He didn't push it, set down the bowl and spoon, and pointed toward Chen Ge at the doorway: "Old sir, this is the one who provided the critical lead for our case — the one who called that night and got you out."
When the old man saw Chen Ge, his only mobile arm lifted slightly, though whether he was trying to express something, no one could tell.
"Come to think of it, I should be thanking the old man too. The moment I arrived at the Peace Apartment, he smashed his rice bowl to warn me. That's what tipped me off that something was wrong." Chen Ge set the fruit basket and fresh milk on the bedside table. Looking at the elder in such terrible condition, he felt a pang of unease. "Captain Li, could you step out for a minute? I have something I'd like to say to him."
Captain Li didn't know what Chen Ge was planning, but trusting him, he didn't ask questions and simply walked out.
Chen Ge closed the door and pulled the cloth doll from his pocket: "Old sir, I brought Xiaoxiao to see you."
When Chen Ge first took Xiaoxiao out, the man on the bed showed no reaction. But the moment his murky eyes landed on the doll, it was as if time had frozen. His pupils trembled more and more violently, a choking sound escaped his throat, and his only mobile arm shot forward with desperate urgency, as though trying to grasp at something.
"You can see her?"
Chen Ge hadn't expected things to develop this way. He'd only brought Xiaoxiao so she could see her family one more time. He never imagined that the old man could actually perceive the spirit possessing the cloth doll!
He hurried to the bedside and gently placed the doll in the old man's arms. The elder clutched it with his only working arm, and it took several minutes before he finally settled down.
"They say that only when a person's life is nearly over can they see things they're not supposed to see." The black phone in Chen Ge's pocket vibrated for no apparent reason. Not wanting to disturb the old man, he took the phone and silently stepped out of the ward.
"I just heard the old man getting really agitated. What did you tell him? I'm warning you — he can't handle any big shocks right now." Captain Li had been standing guard at the door, ready to rush in the instant anything went wrong.
"I just delivered the person the old man wanted to see most to his side." Chen Ge sat down on the bench in the corridor, pulled out the black phone, and searched for the source of the vibration. Before long, he discovered that on the affection rating page, Yin Xiaoxiao's favorability toward him had upgraded from "Slight Favor" to "Trustworthy."
"This little one is the strangest vengeful spirit I've ever encountered. What would happen if I maxed out her affection?" Chen Ge put the phone away and leaned back against the bench. "Uncle Sanbao, relax. The old man is going to pull through."
"You sure are an optimist."
Chen Ge and Captain Li talked for a long time in the hallway. When they re-entered the ward, the old man's condition had stabilized. He made some gestures toward Chen Ge, but no one could understand what he meant.
After saying goodbye to the nurse on duty, Chen Ge left with Xiaoxiao. The little one seemed down in spirits, tucked herself away inside the doll, and appeared to have fallen asleep.
He grabbed a quick bite at a roadside stall, then hurried back to the Horror House: "I haven't done today's daily missions yet. I don't know if there's still time."
Among the three refreshed daily tasks, the expansion mission suited Chen Ge best. All he had to do was choose a direction and a rough location for the expansion.