Chapter Thirty-Seven: When Paths Cross, the Brave Prevail

The effect achieved by combining the Ghost Hand skill with the two new props was even more exaggerated than what one saw in the movies. From head to toe, from clothing to hairstyle, the target person could be completely replicated in an instant. With the Ghost Tongue skill already mastered, Shang Yi now had the ability to instantly transform into any person he had ever seen. This abnormal level of disguise granted him immense advantages, whether running his haunted house or exploring forbidden grounds.

Since acquiring the system, Shang Yi had constantly sought life amid death, struggling bitterly. Now, for the first time, he truly felt the power of the system and was filled with confidence in his future in this world.

He packed away the uniform and mask into his portable space, suppressing his excitement, and took a “Rune Apartment Guest Registration Form” to the entrance of the haunted house. There, he saw the afternoon queue of tourists had grown noticeably larger than in the morning.

It was just two o’clock when Uncle Li walked over from the Ferris wheel: “Xiao Yi, business is going well.”

Shang Yi beamed a radiant smile at Uncle Li. “Without your help, none of this would be possible.”

“You rascal, just two days as a boss and your way with words has improved,” Uncle Li chuckled.

“I came to let you know that Director Ni’s construction team has been contacted. They’ll start work tomorrow. Make sure you and your staff cooperate.”

“Absolutely, no problem.”

Uncle Li nodded, “Six people fainted yesterday all at once—I’m still shaken. Today I’ll watch out for you, in case anyone comes to cause trouble.”

Before Shang Yi could reply, he saw five fashionably dressed young people gathering and approaching the haunted house. They didn’t interact much, as if carrying out some mission. Silently, they joined the end of the line.

Most visitors to the haunted house were either referred by previous guests or drawn by curiosity after seeing the constant queue while exploring other attractions. Either way, most were couples or trios—five of similar age arriving together was rare.

Recalling Tian Yuan’s earlier warning, Shang Yi deduced these were students from Donghai Police Academy.

Originally, as soon as the clock struck two, the guests at the front of the queue could have experienced the newly opened Rune Apartment. But upon seeing the police academy students, Shang Yi immediately changed his plan.

“The actors are still unfamiliar with the Rune Apartment scene, just like when the prison scenario first opened. They need a chance to fully unleash their abilities, to gauge the upper limits of fright through guest reactions and hone their skills.”

“After the first batch of police academy students left the prison scene, guest reviews soared, because the actors learned exactly how far they could go without exceeding what ordinary people could bear. Thus, their performances became finely tuned.”

“These students are juniors, same year as Yuan Rushuang, with more police training and internships under their belts. Their psychological endurance is certainly higher than the first six.”

“Only by subjecting them to a three-star level horror bombardment can we truly test if the training for these new employees in the Rune Apartment scene is up to standard.”

“It will also reveal whether Xu Yin, Tang Chi, and Baobao, our regular staff, can handle their roles as trainers for the new scenario.”

Shang Yi watched the young group for a while, then decided to follow yesterday’s precedent and start with the police academy students, whose endurance was surely strong. He didn’t want Uncle Li to worry, so he simply nodded in acknowledgment and returned to the Rune Apartment scene.

He informed the team leaders about the identity and characteristics of the first group of guests, instructing them to notify all staff to go all out, unleash their horror talents without reservation. The Rune Apartment scene didn’t have walkie-talkies yet, so he relied on Xu Yin, Tang Chi, and Baobao to act as his invisible messengers, running between the monitoring room and the apartment to relay his instructions and intentions.

Once everything was ready, he returned to the entrance and saw the five students at the front of the line.

The boy at the head was tall and muscular, his skin rough, face speckled with freckles and pockmarks. He seemed to be the leader, taking charge of buying the tickets.

“Boss, five tickets, please.” He took out his phone to scan and pay.

“You’re all from Donghai Police Academy, right? Welcome, welcome. Please come often,” Shang Yi greeted them warmly.

The muscular boy turned to the others, “See? I told you Tian Yuan would sell us out, but you didn’t believe me.”

Hearing the name “Tian Yuan,” the group’s identity as police academy students was confirmed.

Shang Yi’s smile grew even brighter. “Yesterday, six students from your academy came, and I failed to take good care of them. Today, you’re here, so I must compensate. I’ll give you a fifty percent discount—just fifty yuan total.”

The muscular boy, Qin Wei, was in the same class as Yuan Rushuang in the Criminal Investigation department. He was an outstanding student—clever, brave, steady, and respected by teachers and classmates alike.

Qin Wei was friends with the sophomore Monk, who had described his own and Yuan Rushuang’s harrowing experience in the haunted house, stirring Qin Wei’s instinct to protect. He immediately posted a call to arms against the haunted house on the school forum.

There were only three girls in their class: besides Yuan Rushuang, a tall, thin girl named Qi Lu, who was dating Pan Feng from the second class of the Law department. The other girl, Ji Keke, had a round face, was short and plump, and had a masculine personality.

With Yuan Rushuang’s good figure and striking looks, she naturally became the department’s beloved flower, whom all the boys wanted to protect.

Qin Wei’s post focused on Yuan Rushuang’s embarrassing moments in the haunted house and quickly received enthusiastic responses. Her two close friends, Qi Lu and Ji Keke, immediately signed up to join the cause. Pan Feng, though not from Criminal Investigation, as Qi Lu’s boyfriend, naturally came along.

The only rich kid in the class, a chubby boy named Chai Shan who had pursued Yuan Rushuang to no avail, saw this as a perfect chance to shine and quickly joined up.

A few other boys from the department wanted to come but were held back by exams and tests.

So Qin Wei, in about a day, assembled five junior police academy students, marching toward Shang Yi’s haunted house to restore Donghai Police Academy’s reputation.

Unexpectedly, before even entering the battlefield, they were met with the enemy’s sugar-coated artillery.

As the haunted house owner, Shang Yi not only personally greeted them at the door but also offered a generous discount, his smile and service so impeccable that the students felt a bit embarrassed.

Accepting the tickets directly from Shang Yi, the five students gathered at the entrance before going in.

“Once inside, try not to split up. If anything happens, at least break into two groups. Chai Shan and I will be together; Ji Keke, Qi Lu, and Pan Feng form the other group. Everyone must stick with their group. Understood?”

“Understood!”

“Have you all read Monk and Curly’s anti-ghost ambush strategy guide?”

“Yes, we’ve all read it.”

“There are detailed explanations of all the scare points in the guide. Be mentally prepared. Don’t back down, charge forward bravely, and show the spirit of Donghai Police Academy!”

“Got it!”

“Right!”

“From this moment, imagine we’ve graduated and become police officers, about to embark on a dangerous arrest operation.”

“Focus your attention, adjust your breathing, awaken every nerve!”

“That’s right! We are fearless police, ready to face danger head-on!”

“Remember the academy’s oath!”

“Uphold justice, pioneers of law!”

“On a narrow path, the brave will prevail!”

“Never abandon, life and death as one!”

“Donghai Police Academy—dreams take flight, glory forged, let’s go!”

The students’ spirits soared, and the crowd behind them applauded and cheered. Shang Yi couldn’t help but give them a thumbs-up.

Inside the haunted house, Su Xiaoxue handed them the liability waiver, which the students signed sincerely.

Watching the vibrant police academy students, Shang Yi imagined them huddled together, trembling in the Rune Apartment, and a mischievous smile crept onto his lips.

He led the five students by elevator to the basement level, pushed open the iron door to Rune Apartment, and began to explain the scene’s background story.

“This scene is called Rune Apartment. Don’t be fooled by its size—countless murders have occurred here. It’s the most haunted place in the western suburbs of Donghai.”

“Two years ago, on a certain night, several mysterious killers broke in and murdered the owner’s son, daughter-in-law, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, nanny, and security guard—a total of seven people.”

“Since then, the apartment became a zone of terror. Many vanished without a trace nearby, and almost no guests who entered ever lived to leave.”

“It is said the apartment was cursed by an evil god with the Rune Curse—every guest who enters becomes a restless ghost doomed never to reincarnate.”

“That’s the gist of the Rune Apartment’s backstory. The rest you’ll experience inside.”

“If anyone is too frightened to continue, just make a stop gesture to the camera and wait in place. Our staff will escort you out.”

Shang Yi waved the “Rune Apartment Guest Registration Form” in front of them. “Every guest who met a tragic end here filled out one of these. There are dozens hidden inside.”

“Anyone who finds ten forms within thirty minutes will earn a reward of two thousand yuan.”