7: Weird Talk on the Way Home from School!

"136? That's too much of a coincidence, it's the same as our team number!" Zhao Kongcheng said.

The expressions on the faces of the other team members varied, clearly indicating their surprise at this coincidence.

Wu Xiangnan said, "Let's just consider it a small interlude. But Captain, now that two Mysterious incidents have suddenly popped up, should we change our plan?"

Chen Muye shook his head, "The plan remains unchanged. We'll take things one step at a time. We've finally got a lead on the Ghost Face, and this time we must catch them all!"

Wu Xiangnan nodded, "Alright, after we eliminate the Ghost Face, we'll focus our efforts on these two matters!"

"Speaking of which, 136 indirectly helped us. All the Ghost Face have hidden in the Old City, which makes them easier to deal with!" Hong Ying said.

Chen Muye looked at everyone, "Then, according to the previously assigned tasks, the operation time will be set for 10 PM tonight. Everyone, go back and rest now!"

Zhao Kongcheng tucked his cigarette behind his ear, "Understood!"

The other team members also packed up their belongings, preparing for the night's operation.

Cangnan Second Middle School.

The afternoon classes were numerous, but Lin Qi Ye's mind was now filled with thoughts of "Survival Day" and "Mist"!

Due to his own circumstances, he had realized a long time ago that this world was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Science could not explain the reason for the formation of the "Grey Mist."

Nor could it explain why it had not continued to invade Great Xia.

It could not explain the Mysterious existence on the moon.

And it certainly could not explain the Mental Hospital of Gods that appeared in his dreams.

Feeling the laughter and chatter of his classmates around him, Lin Qi Ye felt a bit lonely.

Originally, he had planned to study hard, get into a good university, find a good job, and alleviate the hardships of his Aunt and younger brother.

However, for some unknown reason, he always had a premonition that such a life was becoming increasingly distant and unattainable for him.

The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.

A familiar saxophone melody drifted from the broadcast.

Evening self-study was over; school was dismissed.

This was the happiest moment of the day for the students.

Li Yifei once said that he only came to school for this very moment of dismissal.

On the road outside the campus, students gathered in twos and threes, walking home together.

And amidst this scattered crowd, a large group of over a dozen people suddenly emerged, standing out conspicuously in the night.

One might have mistaken them for some Jianghu Gang; a dozen or so people, grand and imposing, truly looked the part at night.

And at the very center of this "Gang" was Lin Qi Ye, his eyes covered with black forged cloth.

"Actually... I can walk back by myself, really!" Lin Qi Ye explained very earnestly, "I can see; it's just that my eyes can't handle light very well!"

"No need to say more, Lin Qi Ye!" Jiang Qian was the first to speak, "We promised your Aunt we would take good care of you, and we will definitely do it!"

"Yes, actually, I'm just going the same way!"

"Hey, what a coincidence, I'm also going the same way!"

The other classmates spoke up one after another.

Lin Qi Ye felt helpless; though it felt a bit awkward, he had no way to deal with these people!

As they got further and further from the school, the group gradually dwindled.

"I'm going home, see you tomorrow!"

"I'm turning at the next intersection, goodbye!"

A few minutes later, only five people remained by Lin Qi Ye's side.

However, none of them noticed that another figure had been following them from a distance, trailing behind.

As the number of people decreased, the previously lively atmosphere gradually quieted down.

The night wind was cool.

But as it blew over Li Yifei, he only felt a bit cold.

Thinking of Song Zhong at the snack stall, Li Yifei felt even colder.

"Um, you guys, do you think the Mist that the teacher talked about today will continue to engulf Great Xia?" Li Yifei asked.

At this moment, class monitor Jiang Qian righteously said, "Don't let those online novels influence you, okay? You have to believe the experts!"

To strengthen her persuasiveness, Jiang Qian continued:

"Experts have said on TV that the probability of the Mist's revival is very small!"

Li Yifei was somewhat dismissive, "Tsk, experts are the most unreliable. My mom listened to an expert, and all the money she invested was lost. If one day the Mist suddenly swallowed Great Xia, wouldn't all our hard work studying now be in vain?"

Jiang Qian was a bit speechless, "Li Yifei, I seriously suspect you're making excuses for not studying hard!"

Li Yifei chuckled awkwardly.

Suddenly, Wang Shao, who was walking at the very front, spoke up, "I think the Mist is just a natural disaster, like the Ice Age before, and it will eventually disappear slowly!"

This was a mainstream view at the moment: the natural disaster theory.

"But what if... the Mist isn't a natural phenomenon?" Lin Qi Ye suddenly spoke.

"Haha, Lin Qi Ye, it's the 21st century now, we have to believe in science!" Liu Yuan said with a smile from beside him.

"Haha, let's leave such questions for adults to consider. I'm going home!" Wang Shao stopped and turned back to say.

Just then, Li Yifei suddenly spoke, "Wang Shao, be careful on your way back!"

Wang Shao's mouth twitched slightly, and he gave Li Yifei a big eye-roll.

"Are you deliberately trying to annoy me by stopping halfway through your sentence?"

Li Yifei hesitated, "I heard things aren't peaceful lately; there's a perverted killer!"

"Really?"

Jiang Qian and Liu Yuan instinctively took half a step back, bumping into Lin Qi Ye.

"Oh, Lin Qi Ye, I'm sorry!" Jiang Qian said apologetically.

Lin Qi Ye smiled and said, "It's okay!"

"It's all your fault, Li Yifei, telling ghost stories to scare people late at night!"

Liu Yuan seemed to feel that his earlier lapse was embarrassing, so he vented his anger on Li Yifei.

Li Yifei's emotions also became agitated, "I didn't! You don't know, a dozen people have died in the Old City recently, but this matter has been suppressed by the higher-ups for now. If my dad didn't work at the police station, I wouldn't know!"

Li Yifei brought up his dad's identity, and everyone immediately believed him.

"Ah? That's too horrible!"

"Not just that!" Li Yifei lowered his voice and continued, "It's said that the faces of those who died were completely peeled off, leaving only a bloody mass of flesh and eyeballs. The method is extremely brutal!"

The few of them felt chills run down their spines.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Jiang Qian covered her ears, her voice echoing far in the dim alley.

Jiang Qian's sudden shout startled Lin Qi Ye and the others, and even Li Yifei himself got goosebumps.

Wang Shao was also a bit flustered, "Um, my mom is waiting for me to come home for dinner, so I'll go ahead!"

With that, he jogged away, disappearing into the depths of the alley.