Zong Qi thought that since they were there to exorcise ghosts, why not livestream it? After all, this haunted apartment was infamous, and streaming the exorcism could be quite profitable.
He crouched in the hallway, setting up the tripod and adjusting the phone camera. While the exorcist was drawing talismans, Zong Qi also took the time to observe the surroundings.
This high-end apartment had only one unit per floor, accessible by a private elevator. The only way to move between floors was via the emergency staircase, making it extremely private and ensuring no outsiders could enter, providing a high level of seclusion.
“Livestream?” Qi Ningzhou clearly didn’t understand this modern term. “What is that?”
Zong Qi patiently explained, “It means I’ll record the exorcism process and let others watch it. Do you Taoist priests have any taboos about this?”
Qi Ningzhou shook his head. “No, ordinary people who haven’t opened their spiritual eyes wouldn’t understand the exorcism anyway.”
Indeed.
Even though Zong Qi witnessed Qi Ningzhou defeating a vengeful ghost, he still felt like the exorcist was keeping him in the dark.
Since there were no objections, Zong Qi picked up his phone and sent out a livestream notification.
Since posting the video from last night, his Weibo had gained a fresh wave of traffic, accumulating more followers than his livestreaming platform.
Most of the comments were from haters. Some accused him of scripting the videos, others claimed he hired actors for the footage, and some tagged the Jiangzhou Police Department, while curious onlookers speculated about a grand production. No one believed his stream had been interrupted because he encountered a serial killer.
Especially a user named “Master Wang from the Village,” who publicly reposted Zong Qi’s video with his ten thousand followers, mocking him heavily.
Zong Qi checked Master Wang’s profile and found that he was a livestreamer who specialized in debunking other streams to attract attention. Many famous eating show hosts had been exposed by him.
Master Wang’s post read: “Ridiculous! In this day and age, someone dares to script lies about the police? Dude, your ghost-hunting persona is over the top. Fighting a serial killer for three hundred rounds—truly the director of the ghost-hunting community. (Thumbs up.jpg) By the way, @JiangzhouPoliceDepartment, just doing a good deed here, don’t need to thank me, hehe.”
His reposted comments attracted a swarm of supporters, to an absurd degree.
Zong Qi didn’t bother with these mindless comments. Instead, he was pleased with the traffic his video had attracted, and he promptly posted a live stream notification with the address for a stream starting in ten minutes.
To add more intrigue, he searched online for news reports about this haunted apartment and posted them as well.
“@ZongQiQi: In ten minutes, livestreaming the ghost-hunting at Room 404, Luohou International Apartment, East District, Jiangzhou. Everyone is welcome to watch [image][image].”
It was midday, and a weekend, so the number of online viewers quickly rose, gathering quite an audience.
“@DoraemonXiaoQing: Whoa, did I see it right? A ghost-hunting streamer is going to livestream from the haunted Luohou International Apartment in the East District???”
“@vbbbbb: The pictures he posted stunned me. Isn’t this the place where the first tenant committed suicide, and the next three tenants mysteriously died the day after moving in? I dropped my snack in shock.”
“@LadyHaha: Yes, that’s the one. It was a major news story in Jiangzhou for a whole week, with tens of thousands of comments on Weibo. People were scared and discussing the haunted apartment, listing terrifying haunted places from Xiangjiang. It really freaked me out.”
As comments and views increased, the post quickly became a trending topic. Given the East District’s notorious reputation, many bored netizens flocked to join the excitement.
“@SocratesBottomless: This streamer’s got something. I remember several other streamers talking big about investigating this haunted apartment but failing to get the keys.”
“@Anonymous: True, this apartment is only for rent and not for sale, and you need connections to get in. That’s why the deaths of three tenants caused such a stir.”
“@GaGaGa: Am I the only one curious if the streamer is really going to do a livestream here?”
Zong Qi kept his promise and started the livestream on time ten minutes later.
As soon as he went live, the number of viewers soared to five hundred.
Whether they were there to mock or out of curiosity, they all contributed to the traffic.
The black-haired young man whistled, fully agreeing with the entertainment industry adage that any publicity is good publicity.
“Good morning, everyone. Missed me after a day of no streaming?”
He pointed the phone’s front camera at his face, flashing a professional smile.
The screen was quickly filled with a barrage of comments, many of which were outright insults, accusing the streamer of staging everything and telling him to leave the ghost-hunting community.
Zong Qi smiled good-naturedly, refusing to engage with the provocations. “Today, I’ve brought along some outside help, my friend, Master Qi. I’ve posted his contact information on my profile. Feel free to reach out to him if you need his services.”
Facing the camera, Qi Ningzhou nervously pressed his lips together, trying to adopt the demeanor of a worldly master he had learned from his teacher, though he was obviously stiff.
Since learning about Qi Ningzhou’s difficulties in getting clients, Zong Qi had been trying to advertise for him. Although his own popularity wasn’t very high, his viewers were interested in supernatural things, making them a targeted audience.
Noticing Qi Ningzhou’s discomfort in front of the camera, Zong Qi considerately moved the focus away and pointed it at the only door on this floor.
The door stood in the middle of an empty hallway, covered in yellow talismans with red characters. Strange markings made with a brush surrounded it, and a gust of wind lifted the edges of the talismans slightly, creating a chilling effect.
【OMG, switching from the cute guy to this really gave me a scare】
【Wow, the number of talismans on this door means the place must be really haunted】
【Absolutely. I studied a bit with an old master from Xiangjiang, and the more talismans there are, the more dangerous the entity being suppressed. This door has so many layers of exorcism and sealing talismans, it’s like a book of death】
【Are you guys serious? This must be the streamer’s paid actors. You can’t be this gullible】
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Cr sbe mjc rff, abvjs’r utbra-tecalcu ibmjalbc lr atf lcojwber Ebbw 404 ja Oebtbe Pcafgcjalbcji Cqjgawfca lc Aljcuhtbe! Po fnfgsbcf lr gfjvs, P’ii ub lc cbk.”
【You’re bluffing. The longest anyone has survived here is two days】
【Streamer, I don’t approve of your ghost-hunting scripts, but I don’t want to see you die. Think twice before going in】
【The suicide case here was a big deal, not to mention the subsequent mysterious deaths. Going ghost-hunting here is courting death】
【Why try to stop him? People like him deserve it. Willing to risk everything for views and likes. Hilarious, let’s send him a rocket to speed him on his way, haha!】
Ignoring the heated debate in the comments, Zong Qi exchanged a glance with Qi Ningzhou and inserted the key into the lock.
They had just over an hour for filming. He had already agreed with the exorcist to wrap up in an hour, whether or not the vengeful spirit was dealt with.
A black screen on the wall, covered in dust and long since unused, suddenly flickered to life, displaying gray and white static like an old TV searching for a signal. At the same time, the key in Zong Qi’s hand became ice-cold, as if it had been plunged into a freezer.
The scream meter on his retinas began to rise again.
【Script “Haunted Apartment,” activation conditions met】
“Creak—”
The apartment door slowly opened, revealing pitch-black darkness inside, like a beast opening its jaws.
Feeling a chill breeze that lifted the hair on his head, Zong Qi noticed Qi Ningzhou immediately straightened, gripping his sword with a serious expression.
“Be careful, I’ll wait outside,” Qi Ningzhou said. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to accompany Zong Qi inside, but he knew how troublesome the vengeful spirit in red was. His skills were still shallow, and entering would be a suicide mission.
On the other hand, Zong Qi had a pure yang body and was protected by virtue (Qi Ningzhou had already imagined this virtue as a protective force). With such exceptional conditions, even without talismans, Zong Qi wouldn’t come to harm.
Coincidentally, Zong Qi’s system provided similar protection, aligning his thoughts with the exorcist’s.
“Okay.”
Nodding, Zong Qi turned on his flashlight and crossed the threshold.
He easily found the light switch on the wall.
Click.
As expected, nothing happened. The apartment remained as dark as midnight.
Frowning, Zong Qi used the flashlight to examine the interior.
The floor wasn’t just dusty but also covered in numerous scattered footprints.
“Strange, I thought the last tenant moved in earlier this year. Why is there so much dust?”
【So weird, why are there so many footprints of different sizes? Judging by the dust patterns, they aren’t from the same group of people and seem to be from different times】
【Indeed, look at the footprints—they abruptly stop in the middle, as if the people vanished into thin air. This is terrifying】
Zong Qi furrowed his brow, comparing the odd footprints on the ground with his thumb and index finger.
The footprints all had one thing in common: they were all from inside the room, with the toes pointing towards the door, indicating they were made in a hurry, as if something was chasing them.
The most suspicious part was that they all vanished just three steps from the door, without leaving any trace.
“People can’t just vanish into thin air, and there are no other signs of contact with the ground,” Zong Qi murmured, his brow furrowed. “If they didn’t walk on the ground, then maybe…”
He spun the flashlight in his hand and directed it upwards.
Just as the flashlight’s beam was about to hit the ceiling, a loud “bang” echoed behind him.
The door suddenly closed with a heavy thud.
The light from the hallway was completely extinguished, plunging the surroundings into pitch darkness.
The viewers in the livestream were startled by the sudden change. The flashlight’s beam wavered, casting eerie shadows.
[Ahhh! Host, behind you!!!]
A flood of panic-stricken comments filled the screen.
Zong Qi glanced at the screen and turned around, puzzled. “What?”
The viewers held their breath, fearing the dreaded “turn around and get killed” trope common in horror movies.
Zong Qi felt something cold brushing the back of his neck, a sensation like threads dragging over his skin.
He reached up, grabbed the thing behind him, and pulled hard.
What was it?
Everyone was on edge, wondering what he had grabbed.
The texture was rough. As the flashlight beam shone on it, a deep brown hemp rope came into view.
The comment that initially warned Zong Qi seemed puzzled by the rope, as it wasn’t what they had seen. Unfortunately, their message was quickly lost in the sea of comments.
Ignoring the increasing chill in the air, Zong Qi pulled out a pair of scissors from his backpack and cut the rope with a few quick snips. He turned back to the livestream chat, where many were speculating that it was the rope used by the first tenant to commit suicide.
“What are you all guessing? How could it be the original rope?”
Zong Qi explained confidently, “The original tenant wore a red dress and hanged herself. Her body was discovered by a housekeeper a month later. By then, it had decomposed significantly in the heat.”
He had discussed this with Qi Ningzhou.
People who commit suicide generally do not leave behind strong grievances unless they had extreme resentment in life, making it unlikely they would become malevolent spirits.
The exorcist suspected there were other factors at play, such as foul play.
“A corpse hanging for so long would leave blood or skin residue on the rope, but this one is clean, so it’s not from the suicide.”
The viewers: “”
Something felt off, but Zong Qi’s explanation was convincing.
“Perhaps a previous tenant had some strange fetish, like getting pleasure from asphyxiation. Human sexual preferences can be quite varied, but some people should really see a doctor.”
He shrugged, continuing to explore the apartment with his flashlight.
The walls had four more ropes with loops hanging from them, swaying slightly in the darkness, creating a spooky atmosphere.
[It makes sense, but why did the rope suddenly drop down!!!]
[This is creepy. You should leave while you still can. Considering the house’s history, that last rope might be for you.]
[Shut up! Everyone, recite: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony…]
“The place is decent, but the hygiene is awful.”
Ignoring the eerie ropes, Zong Qi moved deeper into the apartment, checking room after room. “The power’s out, there’s no water. I’d call someone to fix it, but this is a haunted house. Who would dare come? So frustrating.”
The apartment was well-furnished, with appliances covered in a thick layer of dust but otherwise intact. The lack of water and electricity made things difficult.
[Host, behind you again! I definitely saw it this time. It was a red dress!!!]
As Zong Qi approached the balcony door, he felt something brush his neck again. Without waiting for more comments, he grabbed the curtain and yanked it open.
Qi Ningzhou had advised him to open the curtains to let in sunlight, which could disperse some of the yin energy.
Instantly, warm golden sunlight flooded in through the large window, pushing back the darkness and illuminating the entire apartment.
“Wow, the weather is great today.”
He pointed the camera at the beautiful view outside, his gaze barely flickering over the pale ghostly face dangling from above.
The ignored red-dressed ghost: “…”
How infuriating!
It screeched, its black hair extending and writhing towards the young man by the window.
Sensing the delicious smell of fresh blood, the hair quivered with excitement, the thick resentment starting to dim the sunlight.
The ghost’s face split open to reveal a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Malevolent energy surged, followed by bloody claws reaching out.
Startled by the sudden noise, Zong Qi pressed his back against the window.
People are instinctively afraid of ghosts.
He couldn’t see the other’s beautiful face, only the lingering chill in the air.
The eerie “ho ho ho” sound from the vengeful spirit echoed through the empty room. Zong Qi wasn’t deaf; how could he not hear it?
[Holy crap, why did the streamer suddenly cut the camera?]
[Huh? Did anyone else hear a strange sound from the streamer’s side?]
[I thought I was the only one who heard it. Turns out it’s not my imagination. Wait, why is the screen black?]
[What’s going on? I can’t see anything. Am I the only one?]
The livestream camera suddenly spun wildly. After a while, a loud crash came from the other side, followed by a message indicating the streamer had ended the broadcast.
The twisted, hoarse voice of the red-clad female ghost filled the empty room.
Seeing her victim cornered, the ghost’s roar grew more ferocious. Bones bared, she lunged directly at the young man with black hair.
Unexpectedly, as the ghost’s hair swarmed toward him, it was instantly incinerated by invisible flames, turning into black smoke and giving off a foul burnt smell. Half her hair was burned off, and part of her face was revealed, showing the white bones beneath.
Red-clad Female Ghost: “Aaaahhhhhhh——”
Zong Qi, coming to his senses: “Wait, this isn’t right. Why should I be afraid?”
He couldn’t see her, and with the horror film director system protecting him, the ghost couldn’t harm him. He couldn’t even see the ghost. What was there to fear?!
Hearing the ghost’s screams, Zong Qi adjusted his mindset and laughed. Looking down, he noticed he had accidentally pressed the button to end the livestream, now showing the end broadcast screen.
“Forget it, I won’t stream today. I’ll resume in a few days.”
Today’s stream had pushed Zong Qi to the homepage, and the choice of location had piqued the audience’s interest. The apartment had a history of mysterious deaths. As long as there was suspense, viewers would always come back.
But right now, exorcising the ghost was the top priority.
Qi Ningzhou said that as long as he was present, the vengeful spirit would actively attack him.
Once it got hurt by the director’s authority, he could use a talisman to finish it off.
Understanding this, Zong Qi rolled up his sleeves and walked toward the sound.
Unfortunately, the previous retaliation had seriously injured the previously invincible red-clad ghost, filling her rage meter to the brim.
The ghost was silent for a moment, then her hair began to grow wildly again, and the corners of her red dress dripped thick, crimson blood, launching indiscriminate attacks around her.
As Zong Qi moved, the hair in the air kept trying to entangle him, burning off upon contact and falling to the ground, only to try again, like a mechanical loom.
Thus, the human and ghost repeated this cycle: Zong Qi seeking the ghost, the ghost attacking and being repeatedly burned, screaming and retreating.
The only change was Zong Qi’s scream value, which broke through the thousand mark in under ten minutes.
After circling the apartment, Zong Qi turned back to find the floor behind him littered with burnt hair, mixed with dust, looking quite unsightly.
Zong Qi was speechless, “It’s still a ghost. How can it live alone and be so unhygienic?”
This apartment could be his home for the next six months. Its cleanliness directly affected him. Cleaning up all this hair would be a hassle! He couldn’t expect the ghost to help with the cleaning, could he?
Unfortunately, the vengeful ghost seemed beyond communication and reason, continuing to scream mindlessly even after her power was diminished.
After a few more circles, Zong Qi felt the time was right and released Qi Ningzhou’s talisman.
In the next second, the blood-drawn talisman ignited in mid-air, startling him into letting go.
Surprisingly, after the talisman burned out, the rate at which the hair in mid-air burned and broke noticeably slowed.
“Is it over?”
Zong Qi scratched his head, unsure if the ghost had been vanquished or if it was still around.
What he couldn’t see was that as he stepped forward, the red skirt’s hem quietly retreated three steps, as if seeing a terrifying monster.
Perhaps the talisman had restored some of the ghost’s sanity, making it realize that approaching this human would result in burning pain.
It hurts, it’s inedible, it can’t be provoked or driven away.
The ghost bit her sharp nails, a confused look in her pale eyes.
At that moment, Zong Qi’s phone suddenly chimed with a message.
[Discovered D-level potential employee “Red-clad Female Ghost”]
The notification appeared in the horror film system’s [Employees] section, with a warm note when clicked.
[Employee Information]: Unnamed vengeful ghost haunting Luohao International Apartment in Jiangzhou East District
[Script Appearance]: Minor Script “Haunted Apartment”
[Note]: This employee is prone to unpredictable insanity
[Do you want to contract the Red-clad Female Ghost? Yes/No]
Good heavens. Zong Qi was stunned.
He had always thought this employee section was for hiring people, but it turned out it was for contracting ghosts?!
Hehe, new employee ~