The room became silent again. No one wanted to know the truth surrounding Liang Kaifeng or his supposed death. Shi Yitong and I remained calm since we had experienced many horrible things together. However, my roommates who were usually extroverts became silent. The look on their faces told me that they were terrified.

Terrified.. That’s right.

Someone died, we saw his body hanging from the ceiling, swaying back and forth. A few days ago.. No, maybe a few hours ago, he was alive just like us, taking classes, eating and talking. Although he was a little annoying, he was alive.

Now he was a corpse that could breathe, no one knew for sure if he was dead.

“I’m out!”

Zhou Lang broke the silence, standing abruptly. He started shouting, “I’m out, I quit!”

“Zhou Lang!” Di Zizhen roared. He didn’t expect Zhou Lang’s intense reaction.

“I don’t care! This is none of my business!” Zhou Lang became irrational, yelling, “When I agreed to help you, I didn’t expect things would turn this way! Fuck the ghosts and the midnight knocking! If you guys want to find that that master ‘Yin and Yang’ (Japanese wizard) or whoever the fuck he is, you go ahead but count me out! I’m done!”

“Zhou Lang! Calm down!” Di Zizhen got up, moving to placate Zhou Lang.

“You ask me to calm down? How can I calm down?!” Zhou Lang shouted, “Someone is dead, on our campus, in our department, and he was someone we all knew! I swear, I saw him walk by this morning. How could he be dead in the afternoon?! What’ll happen next? Will the police investigate this murder? Will I be a suspect? Will..Will we all be suspected?”

“Chill out!” Di Zizhen yelled, trying to shock some sense back into his friend. He grabbed Zhou Lang’s shoulder and said, “We don’t know what’s going on here! He may still be alive!”

“Are you an idiot? Didn’t you see Liang Kaifeng?” Zhou Lang became more irrational, “He’s not alive! He’s a corpse! A corpse that can breathe!”

“I’m out too.” At this point, Qi Bojian suddenly stood up. Although he looked calm, there was excessive sweat on his forehead. “I admit, at first, we were simply curious how Gu Yu works, we never expected such a serious event to happen. Honestly, I wish I wasn’t involved in the first place; now I’m paranoid. Besides, I..I’m preparing for the national entrance examination for postgraduates, and I have social practice and a final assignment to do.. I can’t waste my time on these absurd things!”

“He’s right!” Zhou Lang took a quick step out of the door. Before he closed it behind him, he looked back at us. “Good luck!”

Qi Bojian followed Zhou Lang and left.

“Ay! You two!” Di Zizhen got angry. He wanted to go after them, but I halted him.

“Stop. This event has already spiraled out of control. Let them go,” I sighed. “It’s their choice. They did nothing wrong.”

“Damn it! They’re cowards!” Di Zizhen scolded.

“Don’t say that. Humans are selfish. I would’ve acted like them if it were a few years ago.” I said.

“A few years ago?” Di Zizhen looked at me. “Gu Yu, what happened to you after you met the exorcist?”

I felt bitterness beyond words. However, I shook my head and said nothing.

“The exorcist,” Shi Yitong banged his fist on the table and stood up. “Do you still believe we can solve this problem on our own?”

I shook my head, depressed. “No, you’re right. Let’s go and find Wen Jiubo.”

“So I’m..” Di Zizhen still wanted to help, but I stopped him.

“No, no, no, Dorm Head. Not you,” I said seriously. “What happened is extremely bizarre. Any reckless actions will deteriorate the situation. Besides, you’re unrelated to this incident in the first place. It’s my fault for getting you involved.”

“Little Gu Yu, Why are you like this?” Di Zizhen sighed.

I confused, “In what way?”

“This is why I like you.” Di Zizhen suddenly stood up and rubbed my head, messing up my short hair.

“Ay!”

“Fine, you guys go ahead and look for the exorcist, but please be careful.” It seemed Di Zizhen suddenly didn’t know where to put his hands, so he shook my hand before patting my shoulder. “Call me if there’s anything you need.”

I nodded appreciatively and left the dorm with Shi Yitong.

——————————————————————————

“The university could handle this case if it were normal,” said Shi Yitong, who was clearly depressed, while we began to leave for Wen Jiubo’s house.

“Are you afraid that there may be more victims..”

Shi Yitong nodded. “I’m afraid Liang Kaifeng won’t be the last one. Aren’t there many people who heard the midnight knocking? If they all disappeared, the others..”

I nodded and subconsciously interrupted him. I knew what he was going to say.

If Liang Kaifeng was the first dead person, those missing people..were possibly the next ones.

“My God, if something happens to Su Xiaoyun..” Shi Yitong was so frustrated that he almost curled into a ball. “I will not forgive myself for the rest of my life,” he murmured regretfully.

When I helped Shi Yitong up, I saw tears in his eyes.

I felt stunned for a second and then my nose twitched.

“Are you..”

“Of course.” Shi Yitong hurriedly wiped his eyes with his sleeve, muttering, “I want to marry her, I can’t let her die. Let’s move, let’s find Wen Jiubo!”

I nodded and turned around. However, as we walked towards the campus entrance, I stopped.

“What?” Shi Yitong looked at me, confused.

“Er..I think we’ve already found him,” I said dryly, pointing at the campus entrance.

There was an eye-catching red Ferrari parking at the entrance. Besides us, many students were looking at it. As I finished talking, the door opened. Wen Jiubo, dressed in a tailored suit, stepped out of the car. His long hair was gathered and secured at the top of his head, hanging in a ponytail. The top three shirt buttons were undone, adding some casual to the overall neat look.

He had already seen me from that distance. Then, he smiled at me like a fox.