Inside Linen's apartment.
"Huh? Did they already find the little Easter egg?"
Looking at the system prompt, Natasha had discovered the scene where her present self and her future self appeared — a special detail that Linen had intentionally hidden in the video.
Linen nodded in satisfaction.
Yes, he had used this trick to let them realize that Steve, who said 'Long live Hydra', was actually a version of Captain America who had traveled back from the future.
However, Natasha — worthy of being a top-level agent — had managed to notice that clue even in such a shocking moment.
Not bad at all!
[Prompt: The trust level of the spoiler video among the Avengers exceeds 90%.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new skill: Thermal Vision (Primary)!]
[Host: Linen]
[Age: 19]
[Identity: Judge, Sophomore at the State University of New York]
[Abilities: Magic Shield (Primary), Teleportation Magic (Intermediate), Exorcism Magic (Advanced), Self-Healing (Intermediate; Regeneration of Limbs), Peak Physical Fitness (Twice that of a Normal Human), Demon Eye (Primary), Summon the Dead (Intermediate), Chains of the Dead (Intermediate), Magic Slash (Intermediate), Hotline (Primary)]
[Current Side Mission: Blood Parrot Gang (Completion: 60%)]
[Creation Points: 10 | Videos Available: 1]
Looking at his character panel, Linen turned his attention to the side mission.
The Blood Parrot Gang had already been wiped out by Frank and himself, including Collins Miles, the man behind the entire operation.
However, the people who had traded with the gang or profited from them were still at large.
That's why the mission completion rate was still only at 60%.
"By the way, System," Linen asked, "once the mission is completed, will the new ability — Thermal Vision — also be included in the overall upgrade reward?"
The system replied mechanically:
"After the side mission is completed, all skill levels will be upgraded, including those obtained as video rewards."
Satisfied with the answer, Linen closed the system interface.
Opening his laptop, he saw that news of Steve Rogers being alive had become a nationwide sensation.
Even though certain individuals connected to the Blood Parrot Gang were trying to control the narrative, the headlines were everywhere.
Linen smirked. He couldn't wait to see how Steve would respond once he faced the media with all the evidence in hand.
He wondered what kind of expressions those guilty parties would wear when their own schemes came back to bite them.
Late at night — Upper East Side, New York.
At a senator's home.
Lying in bed, Kelly hid under the blanket, trembling. It felt as though only the thick quilt could give her any sense of security now.
If she could redo tonight, Kelly swore she would never have joined that so-called "spirit-summoning game" just for thrills.
She never imagined that the Ouija board would actually summon something real.
"It's all Jessica's fault," she muttered. "If it weren't for her, I would've never tried this stupid game."
And she definitely shouldn't have asked the spirit how it died.
As Kelly shivered with regret, she suddenly heard the faint click of the air conditioner shutting off by itself.
Her heart nearly stopped. The room grew silent — too silent. Then she felt it. The temperature dropped sharply, as though she had been transported straight into the Arctic.
"Huu…"
Her breath came out in visible white mist.
Unable to bear the cold any longer, Kelly jumped out of bed, preparing to run for the door.
But before she could take a step — a woman's face appeared right in front of her.
Bloodshot eyes. Deathly pale skin.
"Ahhhh!"
Kelly screamed as the ghostly figure hovered inches from her face.
Before she could flee, an invisible force slammed her off the bed.
She tried crawling toward the door, but her hair was suddenly yanked backward by that unseen power.
She hit the floor hard and screamed again.
The noise jolted her parents awake in the master bedroom.
"Kelly!"
Hearing their daughter's screams, Kenny and Laura raced upstairs in their pajamas.
Kenny grabbed the doorknob — but it wouldn't budge.
"Kelly! Open the door!"
Her terrified cries only grew louder from the other side.
In a panic, Kenny took a few steps back and rammed the door with his shoulder.
Bang!
The wooden door burst open. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he rushed in and found his daughter lying on the floor, trembling and crying.
Kenny scooped Kelly into his arms while Laura gasped — the air in the bedroom was freezing cold.
Without hesitation, they carried her to the living room.
Laura quickly made a cup of hot cocoa as Kelly sat shivering in her father's embrace.
After a few minutes, when Kelly finally calmed down, her parents began asking what had happened.
Between sobs, Kelly told them everything — about the séance game, the Ouija board, and the ghost she had seen.
Kenny and Laura exchanged a grim look.
"Now's not the time to blame her," Laura said firmly, seeing her husband's expression.
Then she turned to her daughter. "Kelly, you said you saw a woman's ghost? Are you absolutely sure you weren't imagining it?"
"Absolutely sure, Mom," Kelly cried. "Her face was right in front of mine!"
Seeing the terror in her daughter's eyes, Laura frowned. "Who were the girls you played that game with? Tell me — I need to know if anything strange has happened to them too."
"T-There was Debbie, Sophia, Blanche…"
Kelly listed them all, still trembling.
Laura nodded, then told Kenny to stay with their daughter while she went to make a few phone calls.
A few minutes later, she returned.
"How are they?" Kenny asked quickly.
"They didn't experience anything unusual," Laura replied, shaking her head.
Then, staring into Kelly's eyes, she asked in a low voice,
"Think carefully, Kelly — during that séance… did you say anything you shouldn't have?"
Kelly hesitated for a long moment. Then, slowly, she nodded.
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