The spinning wheel slowed, the segments clicking loudly as it lost momentum.
Finally, the arrow landed on a dark, ominous figure marked with a question mark.
Immediately, a system notification appeared, glowing sharply in Ah Xu's vision:
[Congratulations, Host!]
Haha… how unlucky you are!
You have obtained: 1 x Hated Spirit — Name: Mary
Ah Xu blinked, leaning back in his chair. "Uh… lucky? Or unlucky?" he muttered, rubbing his temples.
A description appeared underneath, scrolling slowly:
Description:
Every thrill-seeker knows the Mirror Game. Stand before a mirror with a red candle in hand.
Speak clearly: "Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, are you here?"
Summon this spirit at your own risk.
Hated Spirits are unpredictable and dangerous — thrill, fear, and consequences are guaranteed.
Ah Xu let out a low whistle, leaning back against the bed.
"Of course… it's a mirror game spirit. Why does the system have to give me something straight out of a horror movie?"
The voice of the system echoed faintly in his mind, almost amused:
[Hated Spirits are high-risk, high-reward entities. Tread carefully, Host.]
Ah Xu's fingers hovered over the "Summon" button.
He felt a mixture of curiosity and dread. Do I even want to try this right now…?
The candle in the description flickered in the hologram, casting ghostly shadows across the room, as if daring him to test his luck.
One wrong move… and I could end up like the fools who went to Feng Mansion.
Ah Xu shook his head.
"Not now… maybe later. I need to figure out this system first."
Even so, a shiver ran down his spine. Somewhere deep in the system, the spirit Mary was now technically linked to him, waiting for the moment to manifest.
Ah Xu leaned back on the bed, rubbing his eyes as he opened the system interface to check his Daily Quests.
[Daily Quest: Acquire Feng Mansion from the Mayor!]
Description: Nothing beats a better base than the place where you started!
Reward: 1 Spin of Horror
Ah Xu froze. "Wait… what? How the hell do they want me to go back to that place?!"
He ran a hand down his face, feeling the weight of exhaustion and disbelief.
The screams, the ghostly figures, the cold, suffocating darkness — the thought of returning made his stomach churn.
He scrolled down to the main quest:
[Main Quest: Devour 10 Weakened Ghostly Figures at Feng Mansion]
Description: Time to clean the house by getting rid of the hindrance!
Reward: Full control of the Feng Mansion
Ah Xu stared at the screen, mouth agape.
"You've got to be kidding me… Devour ten weaker ghosts at that mansion? And get full control of the place?!"
He flopped back onto the bed, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.
For a moment, he didn't know whether to cry, laugh, or scream.
"Great… my nightmare isn't over.
And apparently, it's just getting started."
Even so, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
If the system wanted him to go back, at least now he knew he could handle it.
Deep down, a spark of excitement flickered.
The Feng Mansion had been a place of terror… but soon, it could be his base of operations, his own domain, and with that power, maybe he could finally turn the tables on any ghostly threat that dared to challenge him.
Ah Xu furrowed his brows, eyes scanning the Daily Quests and the rewards.
A question popped into his mind immediately.
"Wait… is there a timeframe for the quest to be completed?"
Almost instantly, a system notification appeared in his vision, calm and mechanical:
[System Response:]
For Daily Quests, there is no penalty for failure. However, note that the rewards are substantial, so completion is strongly advised.
For Main Quests, there is a time limit.
Failure to complete the Main Quest within the timeframe will cause the Host to suffer one day worth of nightmares, far worse than facing the threats in the real world.
Ah Xu's stomach dropped. "One day of nightmares… worse than Feng Mansion?"
He swallowed hard, suddenly realizing the stakes were higher than he thought.
The system's voice continued, mechanical but patient:
"Host, do you have any questions regarding the Daily Quests or Main Quests?"
Ah Xu hesitated, glancing down at the holographic interface. His mind was racing — the time limit, the ghosts, the system, the rewards… all of it felt overwhelming.
Finally, he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to the system:
"Yeah… a lot of questions."
But he knew one thing for certain:
he couldn't ignore these quests, not if he wanted to survive — and gain the power the system was offering.
Ah Xu frowned, thinking over his options and the tasks ahead.
"System… can I ask what skills I currently have?" he muttered, his voice a mix of curiosity and anxiety.
Almost instantly, a holographic interface appeared in front of him, floating in midair.
The system automatically displayed a list of his current skills, complete with descriptions:
Devour
Description: Ghostly figures weaker than the Host will be automatically sucked in. Their skills and souls are added to the Host's skill pool.
Necromancer
Description: Grants the ability to summon the Host's specters or demons at will.
The Scream
Description: Unleashes a paralyzing scream.
Against weaker beings: Paralysis lasts 1 hour.
Against stronger beings: Paralysis lasts 10 seconds.
Ah Xu leaned back, eyes scanning the list carefully.
A part of him was thrilled — these abilities were powerful, game-changing.
At the same time, a shiver ran down his spine.
If these are my only skills now… what happens when I face something stronger than the ghost I already absorbed?
Even so, a spark of determination lit his eyes.
"Alright… looks like it's time to put these powers to the test," he whispered, his fingers brushing over the holographic interface.
The Feng Mansion awaited, and now he had the tools to confront it — and maybe even claim it as his own.
Ah Xu yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Alright… it's been a long day.
I'll deal with all this once I'm fully awake," he murmured, settling into the guest room bed.
Xiao Ling, still a bit dizzy but safe, adjusted her blanket and nodded, too exhausted to think about that night .
Jia Le sat nearby, checking his phone quietly.
Unbeknownst to them, the livestream app was still buzzing.
Thousands of viewers had been glued to the feed, and now the comments were a chaotic storm of arguments, speculations, and fear:
"That was real, right? Those kids were really in Feng Mansion!"
"No way, this has to be staged!"
"Someone call the police, that place is haunted!"
"How are they even alive? Did you see the ghost?"
"I'm never going to that place, not even for money!"
Even as the room settled into silence, the virtual world outside the mansion continued to argue and speculate.
Ah Xu closed his eyes, exhaustion finally overtaking him.
The system's faint hum echoed in his mind, a constant reminder that his journey had only just begun.
Outside, the shadows of Feng Mansion seemed to shiver under the moonlight, as if aware that their story was far from over.