Frightening Joke: Above the Mist
Chapter 196: Mobile Phone

Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Mobile Phone

"Hello."

Yang Mowan’s tone had a slight upward inflection as it reached Qi Nian’s ears. Just as she was about to respond, suddenly... a pair of hands reached out from behind her.

Qi Nian’s eyes widened in horror as she struggled desperately, yet she was powerless as she was dragged into the darkness...

...

Where exactly?

Song Que’s forehead was drenched in sweat, half from exhaustion and half from anxiety.

Half an hour had passed, and he hadn’t found any clues about the ghost.

Where is it hiding?

What worried him the most was that chilling gaze fixed on him. It persisted longer and more frequently...

Song Que stepped into a café on the fourth floor. It wasn’t spacious, with bookshelves sparsely lined with books alongside the tables and chairs.

Song Que originally just glanced over the café, but as he saw the books on the shelf, he suddenly stopped.

That’s not right, why are there so few books?

Song Que quickly stepped forward and pulled down the few books from the shelf.

Placing them on a table, the titles were "In the World," "My Youth," "Old Times," "Border City," and "Uncontrollable."

Such a large bookshelf held only these five books.

Even for café decoration, it’s too sparse.

As Song Que frowned in thought, suddenly!

His phone lit up and turned on by itself!

Song Que jumped in shock, hurriedly tossing the phone aside.

Wasn’t it dead and shut down by itself?

Staring intensely at the phone for nearly a minute, he finally confirmed it was fine.

With a sigh of relief, he thought it must have been some unknown reason causing the shutdown, as similar incidents happened before.

He wondered why the battery drained so quickly this time when he remembered it was full upon entering the building.

But as he picked up the phone again, a slight vibration startled him so much he almost dropped it again.

Thankfully he remained calm this time. A quick glance at the screen revealed it was Qi Nian calling?!

Weren’t we in different spaces?

How could she get through the call?

Song Que’s mind was filled with suspicion.

No, I can’t answer!

...

Meanwhile, Qi Nian struggled desperately, when suddenly, she caught the scent of blood.

The bloody smell came from the hand covering her nose and mouth.

There was a wound on this hand!

Qi Nian’s eyes widened.

She stopped struggling, obediently letting the thing behind her drag her along.

Not until they went down to the third floor and hid in a sports brand shop did the grip release her.

She turned around immediately, as expected, it was Bai Yanliang!

However, she didn’t have time to exclaim before Bai Yanliang signaled her to remain silent.

Qi Nian quickly closed her mouth without a sound.

At this moment, Bai Yanliang took her phone and turned on the screen, hanging up the call instantly.

"Don’t answer, it’s the ghost calling."

Saying this, Bai Yanliang handed the phone back to Qi Nian.

Qi Nian felt a shudder in her heart, was it... a ghost?

Does it mean Yang Mowan is already...

A strong sense of guilt rose within Qi Nian. The person who was alive next to her moments ago was gone in an instant?

No... perhaps Bai Yanliang misunderstood...

Qi Nian looked up into the darkness at Bai Yanliang, "Can you tell me the reason?"

Leaning against the wall with his breathing somewhat erratic, it seemed Bai Yanliang had engaged in intense activity moments ago.

Upon hearing Qi Nian’s question, Bai Yanliang replied, "The tone is off."

Qi Nian paused, then lowered her head, feeling even more saddened.

She understood Bai Yanliang’s implication.

Bai Yanliang wasn’t wrong... something must have happened to Yang Mowan.

While they had stayed in contact without speaking, there was no way Yang Mowan would utter "hello" in a doubtful tone.

Bai Yanliang sensed her emotional distress but wasn’t one to offer comfort, so he awkwardly said, "It’s not your fault."

Qi Nian knew it wasn’t her fault, for she had been reluctant to use the restroom earlier.

But Yang Mowan’s urgent need forced her; it was herself she couldn’t get past.

Thinking so eased her guilt and brought a bittersweet sadness instead.

In front of a fierce ghost, humans are so fragile and powerless...

How much longer can I survive, can I truly escape Fog Gathering’s curse?

Qi Nian felt utterly lost.

Unintentionally, she glanced at Bai Yanliang.

The light was dim, she could barely make out Bai Yanliang’s outline, yet discern his familiar posture leaning against the wall.

Seemingly aware of Qi Nian’s gaze, Bai Yanliang turned slightly, saying, "I won’t let you die."

After a pause, feeling his words too absolute, Bai Yanliang added, "Unless I die first."

Qi Nian was taken aback, an unfamiliar emotion arose amidst her confusion and fear—something she had never felt before.

She only knew her heart raced, her face burning fiercely.

"You... you don’t need to protect me, I can..."

"You saved me." Bai Yanliang interrupted Qi Nian swiftly.

Qi Nian paused slightly, crouched beside Bai Yanliang with her chin on her knees, murmuring softly, "You saved me first..."

Seemingly unclear on what she said, Bai Yanliang stretched out his hand, "Can I borrow your phone?"

Without thinking where Bai Yanliang put her phone, Qi Nian instantly handed hers over.

Taking it, Bai Yanliang immediately searched the contacts and dialed Song Que’s number.

"Beep—beep—"

"Beep beep beep—"

The call connected, but no one answered, and it was quickly rejected.

Qi Nian looked at Bai Yanliang puzzled, why call Song Que when he’s being the ghost?

Although Song Que didn’t answer, Bai Yanliang displayed no regret; instead, a slight smile curled his lips.

"Qi Nian, I found a way out."

Bai Yanliang’s calm voice resonated in the dark, bringing forth joy in Qi Nian’s heart that was filled with clarity upon his words.

A way out?

Various complex emotions surged, but the most prominent for Qi Nian was safety.

Bai Yanliang’s voice was calm, yet carried a confidence that Qi Nian could feel.

His words were few, but his reassuring aura made people instinctively want to lean on and trust him.

Bai Yanliang wasn’t aware of how each person who worked with him had remarkably high evaluations for him.

However, whether others’ feedback was good or bad didn’t concern Bai Yanliang.

Just as when everyone in Man City believed he murdered his brother, he neither felt anger nor injustice—partly because his emotions were generally indifferent, and partly because he remembered a terrifying thought vividly.

That thought, even now Bai Yanliang dared not believe it emerged from his own mind...

At times, he wondered if perhaps back then he was split in personality and truly killed Yanren?

After all, those thoughts were too horrifying, too terrifying...