Chapter 17

After finishing the roleplay task, Zhou Fangdong clutched his stomach and lay on the bed for a long while to recover.

Even though the roleplay had ended, that terrifying hunger—the sensation of his internal organs devouring one another—seemed to linger. His limbs were weak and powerless, to the point where he couldn’t even manage to sit up.

Zhou Fangdong sighed and closed his eyes in despair.

After finishing this round, he was in no mood to argue with the system about lamp oil. Right now, he just wanted to lie there like a salted fish, unwilling to move even a single finger.

In the future, if he wanted information on the ghosts in the rooms, he would have to find a way to coax the case files out of Hong Zhong. He couldn’t perform any more roleplay tasks unless it was absolutely necessary; it was nothing short of dual torture for both his mind and body.

“System, what time is it now?”

【6:00 AM the next day】

【Reminder, Dynamic Event: Night Attack of a Hundred Ghosts (Remaining time: 28 days)】

Zhou Fangdong rolled over painfully on the bed.

Just seeing this dynamic event made him incredibly anxious.

It wasn’t that he was worried about the ghosts attacking him during the event. If he were the target, it would actually be simple; he could just hide in his room and wait out the duration. After all, ghosts couldn’t enter the Landlord’s Room.

But if the primary targets were his tenants, he would be ruined.

If a tenant died, all completed side quests would reset, the rewards would be reclaimed, and he would have to find a way to rent out the room all over again… it would be like being sent back to square one.

He had to keep working hard on tasks to save up Ghost Coins and try to prepare enough life-saving items for every tenant.

Zhou Fangdong opened his character attribute interface to check the rewards from the successful roleplay.

This roleplay task had granted him 1,000 Experience Points and 1 Skill Point.

He currently needed 1,500 experience to level up, leaving him 500 short of the next grade. As for that skill point… he decided to gamble one more time.

Zhou Fangdong crawled out of bed, went to the bathroom to splash some water on his face, and meticulously washed his hands before using the skill point to unlock a new skill.

【Skill 3: Eyes of True Essence】

[Skill Description]: Upon activation, you can see the original appearance of ghosts before they died, and you can see the Favorability levels of all humans or ghosts. (Note: This is not limited to the Liwan Apartments; under this skill, the Favorability of all humans and ghosts will be displayed.)

…Another useless skill.

Gambling only leads to misery; the gambler ends up with nothing.

Zhou Fangdong finally understood. This property management system of his must have been trained by those pay-to-win game developers. To force players to spend more money on items, those games would never let a player pull a useful skill in the early stages.

Sigh… he should probably save any future skill points he earned.

Besides unlocking skills, skill points could also be used to upgrade them. He would wait until his character level was high enough to unlock a useful ghost-warding skill, then dump all his points into it.

Closing the system interface, Zhou Fangdong sat at his desk and began studying the rental contract for Room 102.

The entity in Room 102 was a child who had starved to death and merged with her four Ghost Infant sisters.

The danger level was high, seemingly even more terrifying than the Dismemberment Ghost in 109… he had to carefully draft the Tenant Rules for Room 102 to ensure the tenant wouldn’t run into danger.

When Hong Zhong received the cleaning order for “Clean Room 102,” he was just about to escort Zhao Dawei back to Liwan Apartments.

After Zhao Dawei gave his statement at the Paranormal Affairs Department yesterday, he hadn’t returned to Liwan Apartments that night, choosing instead to stay overnight at the department’s dormitory.

Hong Zhong later reviewed the statements from Zhao Dawei and his surviving former colleagues.

The employees of the company where Zhao Dawei used to work hadn’t encountered a standard ghost attack.

This incident had a massive scope, resulting in heavy casualties.

It wasn’t just the employees related to Zhao Dawei who were affected; the entire 32-story office building where the company was located was hit. Everyone who had worked in that building had met with disaster.

This incident was far too strange.

Since the full-scale outbreak of supernatural events, the government had been continuously educating the public on self-rescue methods during ghost attacks, how to identify possessed individuals, and how to stay away from ghosts to protect oneself before the Bureau of Paranormal Oversight arrived.

Furthermore, densely populated workplaces like commercial office buildings were under strict surveillance by the Monitoring Department. Once any fluctuation of supernatural power was detected—no matter how faint—the Paranormal Affairs Department would rush to the scene immediately. It should have been impossible for things to escalate to this level.

According to the survivors, a mysterious power had enveloped the office building on the day of the incident.

People inside couldn’t escape, communication devices couldn’t reach the outside world, and passersby just a door away couldn’t hear their cries for help.

The entire office building seemed to have been isolated from the world by this mysterious force. Then, a group of ghosts abruptly appeared inside, and those trapped were forced into a bloody game of survival.

The ghosts that appeared in the building were different from the usual spirits that harmed people based on their lingering obsessions. These ghosts harbored a deeper malice toward humans. Not only did they kill indiscriminately, but they also seemed to possess an intelligence and rationality that didn’t belong to ghosts, showing a keen interest in torturing humans.

These ghosts divided all the humans into eight groups based on the floor numbers and used their irrational supernatural powers to create one death trap after another, waiting for the humans to trigger them—they toyed with the people inside like cats with mice.

Those caught would be brutally murdered on the spot, and even the winners of the survival games weren’t spared… After the “game” ended, all the victors vanished, leaving no trace of their bodies.

The survivors only made it out because the required number of victors had been met, causing the game to terminate early, allowing them to escape the building.

The Bureau of Paranormal Oversight only received word after the event had concluded. By the time the investigators from the Paranormal Affairs Department arrived, the ghosts and the mysterious power within the building had completely vanished, leaving no trace that they had ever existed.

If the statements from all the survivors hadn’t been largely identical, it would have been impossible to believe such a bizarre event had actually occurred.

After compiling all the survivor testimonies later on, the Paranormal Affairs Department discovered another strange detail—some of the survivors hadn’t even been in the office building when the massacre began.

Some had been laid off, others were on vacation. Yet, no matter where they were, the moment the event triggered, they were all swept into the building by that mysterious power.

The only exception was Zhao Dawei.

Zhao Dawei met every criteria to be pulled into the incident. He had been fired by the company the day before the event. Logically, he should have been transported to the office building by that unknown force, just like the others who weren’t physically present.

There was only one variable in his case: after being fired, he had become a tenant of Liwan Apartments.

After much deliberation, some members of the Paranormal Affairs Department believed Zhao Dawei had been spared because the eerie power of Liwan Apartments was superior, suppressing the unknown mystery and protecting him.

Others suspected that Liwan Apartments was the actual culprit behind the office building massacre.

After all, the timing was too coincidental, occurring right after the anomalies began at Liwan Apartments. Before the changes at the apartments, no such incidents had occurred anywhere in the world.

To confirm the connection between the incident and the apartments, the department specially recruited Zhao Dawei, hoping to use him to gather more intelligence on Liwan Apartments.

Although Miao Zheng also lived there, the two had different experiences and could provide different types of information.

Thus, the middle-aged, down-on-his-luck Zhao Dawei welcomed a second spring in his career. Not only did he receive an offer from the Guijia Furniture Store, but he was also now on the government payroll, drawing a double salary.

However, he couldn’t bring himself to be happy.

Hong Zhong glanced at the dejected Zhao Dawei sitting in the passenger seat and offered some comfort. “Don’t worry, we won’t ask you to do anything too dangerous. You’re just an untrained civilian, after all. For now, we’ll just have you fill out a few forms periodically. Just be honest.”

“Remember, put your own life first. Don’t hide things from that mysterious landlord. If he suspects you, answer whatever he asks. If he doesn’t ask, there’s no need to volunteer information about what you’re doing. The tenant in Room 109, Miao Zheng, is also one of ours. You can go to her if you run into trouble.”

Zhao Dawei nodded gloomily.

He hadn’t really processed a word Hong Zhong said. After seeing those bloody, cruel crime scene photos at the department, a lingering sense of dread had taken root in his heart.

Zhao Dawei knew that with his intellect and physical strength, he would have certainly died in that incident if he hadn’t become a tenant of Liwan Apartments.

The status of [Liwan Apartments Tenant] had saved him twice now.

Once at the Delicious Slaughterhouse, and once during this office building incident.

Zhao Dawei knew the department wanted him to pass on information to save more people, and he knew the intelligence he shared might be nothing more than a trivial annoyance to that mysterious landlord…

But he still felt a pang of guilt, as if he were betraying his savior.

Zhao Dawei was an honest man who had lived a mundane life for half a century without ever doing anything out of line. Consequently, when faced with the weight of acting as a “spy,” he couldn’t hide his thoughts at all; his emotions were written all over his face.

When he returned to Liwan Apartments with Hong Zhong, Zhao Dawei saw a familiar figure standing before the entrance.

The young landlord seemed to have known they were coming back and was standing there specifically waiting for them.

This time, however, he wasn’t carrying the Kerosene Lamp that usually never left his side. He simply stood by the door, expressionless, watching them… He seemed to have completely merged with the darkness of the building.

Without the glow of the warm yellow light, those gentle eyes that once seemed full of compassion now appeared clouded by an inescapable dust—hollow, soulless, and devoid of life. Like a divine statue abandoned in the dark, his former divinity had vanished. He watched the followers who had forsaken him in silence, his gaze holding nothing but cold indifference.

Zhao Dawei lowered his head guiltily, avoiding the landlord’s eyes.

After Zhou Fangdong finished writing the Tenant Contract for Room 102, he had placed a cleaning order for Hong Zhong. Then, he left his room to wait for Hong Zhong at the entrance.

As it turned out, even without the Kerosene Lamp, no ghosts or monsters dared to harass him.

Furthermore, with the newly unlocked Skill 3, Eyes of True Essence, active, a filter was placed over his vision. The ghosts couldn’t even startle him anymore.

In Zhou Fangdong’s current view, the hallways of Liwan Apartments were just a bit “crowded.” It was simply that the ceilings, walls, and floors were overgrown with people.

When Zhou Fangdong saw Hong Zhong and Zhao Dawei appear at the entrance, his Eyes of True Essence triggered automatically again.

The Favorability above Zhao Dawei’s head hadn’t changed much, remaining at 60. But the Favorability above Hong Zhong’s head was strange; it flickered rapidly between 0 and 40 as if it were malfunctioning, making his head spin just looking at it.

Even stranger, Hong Zhong’s malfunctioning Favorability numbers were bright red… If the system didn’t lack a PVP function, Zhou Fangdong would have suspected Hong Zhong was a “red-named” player from a hostile faction.

Though confused, he didn’t dwell on it. Hong Zhong wasn’t his tenant, just a cleaner he had hired. As long as Hong Zhong did his job well, it didn’t matter if his Favorability was negative.

As Hong Zhong and Zhao Dawei entered the apartment, Zhou Fangdong stopped Hong Zhong and asked, “Have you eaten breakfast?”

Hong Zhong blinked, shaking his head blankly. He hadn’t just skipped breakfast; he hadn’t eaten much yesterday either. He had spent the last two days surviving on energy drinks and compressed biscuits.

Zhou Fangdong advised, “Go out and eat something before you start cleaning. If you feel hunger while inside Room 102, the ghosts will attack you.”

Hearing him say this, Hong Zhong didn’t insist further and turned to leave.

Before departing, Hong Zhong glanced at Zhao Dawei. Noticing he was still very nervous, he tried to give him an encouraging look.

Unfortunately, not everyone can read emotions through a glance. In Zhao Dawei’s eyes, that look felt more like a threat.

Consequently, the middle-aged man grew even more panicked, cold sweat seeping out in layers. He was like a student cheating for the first time, frequently glancing at Zhou Fangdong with movements he mistakenly thought were subtle.

Zhou Fangdong noticed Zhao Dawei’s strange behavior. Seeing how pale he looked, he comforted him softly, “Did you not sleep well last night? How about you skip work at the furniture store today and go back to your room to rest? I’ll let the manager know.”

Protecting the tenants and monitoring their health was the landlord’s duty. After all, they were important resources capable of long-term Ghost Coin production.

Hearing this, Zhao Dawei seemed to become even more anxious.

If it had been harsh criticism or a cold interrogation, Zhao Dawei could have gritted his teeth and endured it. But this kind of gentle concern was too much.

Boundless guilt weighed heavily on his heart, and the string that had been pulled taut in his mind suddenly snapped.

With a thud, Zhao Dawei fell to his knees. Choking back sobs, he confessed that he had joined the Paranormal Affairs Department and admitted that he had told them about the Tenant Rules for Room 101.

After consulting the system, Zhou Fangdong leaned down slightly and patted Zhao Dawei on the shoulder. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about such a small thing. You haven’t violated the Tenant Rules. If you want to work for the Paranormal Affairs Department in the future and don’t want to work at the furniture store, that’s fine too. I won’t restrict your freedom. There’s no need to feel guilty about it.”

Zhao Dawei slowly raised his head. Through his tear-blurred vision, it was as if he saw that divine statue standing in the darkness radiating the light of salvation once more. Even when abandoned by a believer, it could still offer unconditional tolerance and forgiveness.

What incredible kindness…

Zhao Dawei suddenly burst into a fit of wailing and tears.

A landlord like this, who clearly possessed the power to suppress all ghosts yet remained so considerate and caring toward humans—how could he possibly be the culprit behind that cruel killing spree?

【Ding! Detected that Room 101 tenant Zhao Dawei’s favorability has surpassed 60… 80… reached 100!】

【Tenant favorability has reached the maximum. You may collect your reward in the favorability interface!】

Looking at the suddenly sobbing Zhao Dawei and the pop-up window from the system, Zhou Fangdong was a bit dazed.

What’s wrong with him? What did I do? How did his favorability suddenly skyrocket to 100?

Translator’s Notes

• red-named: In Chinese gaming culture, a ‘red name’ (红名, hóngmíng) refers to a player who has killed other players (PKed) and is marked as a criminal or hostile target. Zhou Fangdong is interpreting the UI through the lens of a hardcore gamer.

• back to square one: The original text uses the idiom ‘一朝回到解放前’ (literally: ‘returning to before the Liberation in a single day’). This refers to the period before 1949, implying a sudden loss of all progress and a return to a state of extreme poverty or starting from scratch.

• salted fish: The term ‘salted fish’ (咸鱼, xiányú) is a popular Chinese internet slang for someone who has no ambition and just wants to lie around doing nothing, similar to the English ‘couch potato’ but with a more specific connotation of being ‘dead’ to effort or desire.