Frightening Joke: Above the Mist
Chapter 174: Drawing Lots

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Drawing Lots

Unsure if it’s an illusion caused by psychological pressure, everyone feels like the sky here darkens a bit faster.

Just after ten o’clock, the entire street quieted down, and the staff in the department store gradually left one after another.

Looking around, only lonely streetlights could be seen, along with unfinished buildings hidden in the night.

Due to the area’s lack of foot traffic, many weeds had grown in places without pavement, making the surroundings seem more tranquil and desolate.

Moreover... there wasn’t a single sound around, not even human voices or the sound of cars.

Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, seemingly not wanting to stay outside any longer.

"This oppressive place is hardly livable in the long term..." Li Mu watched the swiftly departing pedestrians and sighed softly.

Qi Nian lit up her phone and glanced at the time; it was the first time she had spoken since they gathered.

"Who goes first as the ghost?"

The group fell into a bit of a silence; this was a question they couldn’t avoid.

Song Que’s coin flicked rapidly between his fingers. He glanced at the New Moon Department Store, now dark and emptied, and said, "How exactly do we play this game? Do we genuinely seek or pretend to seek? How long does each person play as the ghost, and how do we determine a round of the game is complete? Don’t you think these questions need discussing too?"

Indeed...

After all, this was everyone’s first time undertaking such an abnormal task. In the past, Fog Gathering only ever sent everyone back to the past, with the simple requirement to survive. But this time, the task location was in reality, and they were also required to play a game of hide and seek.

A moment later, Zhou Li suggested, "Let’s draw lots."

He spread his palm, revealing six slips of paper numbered one through six, and whoever drew a number would become the corresponding ghost.

Though simple, everyone unanimously agreed to this method.

After all, the simpler the method, the less chance there was for cheating.

The seed of suspicion had already been planted, and this task had a fundamental difference from the past ones.

That was... opposition.

Everyone would serve as the "ghost" once, and in the game of hide and seek, the hider and the seeker are naturally opposed to each other. This also meant... this time, there was no real basis for cooperation among everyone.

Unless the trust among them had reached a level beyond life and death.

But judging by everyone’s vigilant stance, that clearly wasn’t the case.

One by one, they took a slip from Zhou Li’s palm. Bai Yanliang also drew one.

Upon unfolding it, it was the number four.

A fairly decent middle number, though the homophone was a bit concerning.

"I’m the first one..." Zhou Li sighed as he saw the slip left in his palm, with the number one written on it.

This wasn’t good; in such a situation, the later one’s turn, the more experienced one could become.

After all, experience is nothing but the repeated accumulation of mistakes, and the first person to become the "ghost" had no experiences to follow. On the contrary, he would likely become everyone else’s experience.

"It’s me after all..."

A thread of unease surfaced in Zhou Li’s heart. Ever since arriving in Ye City, he had felt restless and unsettled.

He remembered when he was very young, his mother took him to have his fortune told.

The fortune teller back then said he was "withered fruit on the branch, a doomed life," a talk Zhou Li never believed. But looking at it now, maybe there wasn’t much wrong with it.

"I’m second." Yang Mowan’s expression also wasn’t good; she obviously understood that being one of the first ghosts wasn’t a good prospect.

"I’m the third." Qi Nian unfolded her slip, revealing the number three.

"Four," Bai Yanliang said succinctly.

"Haha, I’m the fifth!" Yuan Jie said delightedly. To him, being the first or last ghost was the most dangerous, but being the fifth should be the safest. He had secretly hoped to draw a five, and to his surprise, he did!

Lastly, Song Que tossed away his slip. It was obvious he was the last in line, yet judging by his expression, he didn’t seem to care.

Next, the group discussed how to carry out the game.

"How about this — since the task requires each of us to play the ghost and it goes until six in the morning, and there are exactly six of us, we each play for one hour, then switch identities at the first floor at the end of each hour. How does that sound?"

Zhou Li’s suggestion was logical, and everyone quickly agreed.

"So... should the ghost earnestly seek out everyone?" Yang Mowan’s face was beginning to pale. Her disposition was already delicate, now looking even more languid.

Song Que scoffed and glanced at Yang Mowan: "Of course, you have to look seriously. Since it’s a game, the loser must have a punishment. Those found will be punished, and the ghost failing to find the hiders will also be punished. What do you think the punishment could be?"

Though Song Que’s words were always harsh, they were often truthful.

Now viewed as an outsider, Li Mu spoke: "Song Que is right. Once time’s up and the game begins, everyone should mind their own business. We can’t afford to gamble with our singular lives."

Very realistic, yet contradictory.

Those observing the situation of the six also seemed to have their own thoughts.

In previous Fog Gatherings, while there were few who’d extend a hand to help, at least everyone was on the same boat.

But this time... the positions of the mission executors differed completely.

Never mind offering help — under these damned game rules, if you don’t want to "be punished," you’d better hide yourself well.

And if everyone hides too well, the ghost will "be punished."

"You’re right, Fog Gathering is starting to clean us out."

Gu Pingsheng, having arrived from out of town, stood quietly on the side watching, never speaking until now when he quietly spoke.

Yu Wenxuan, beside him, squinted and smiled in response: "Fortune and misfortune are closely intertwined. Perhaps, this might be a blessing in disguise..."

The sky was growing ever darker, with the time nearing midnight.

"This time it’s in reality. We’ll provide as much help as possible from outside the building, but we won’t proactively call you. If you need help, you should make the call yourself," Li Mu said seriously, "Also, remember to turn off your phone ringtones. There’s something else in that building; Yuan Jie has already seen it with his own eyes, so I hope none of you... are found by it besides your companions."

The six nodded in agreement.

Zhou Li, the first designated as the "ghost," took several deep breaths consecutively to calm the palpitations that lingered within.

This wasn’t Fog Gathering. This was reality...

"Hoo..."

Zhou Li checked the time; there was only a minute left until midnight.

"Let’s go,"

He glanced at the others, then took the lead, stepping into the New Moon Department Store.

Bai Yanliang looked up to the sky. The West Suburb didn’t have many lights, yet no stars were visible — only a pale moon hung behind the building.

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