Thick fog blanketed the road as a bus slowly made its way forward. The mist swirled in the glow of its headlights, and the road ahead seemed endless.
Inside, three men and four women sat scattered across the seats, staring out the windows at the murky haze in silence.
Their expressions varied—some confused, some fearful—but the one thing they shared was a pallor that drained their faces.
After what felt like an eternity, the bus finally came to a stop in front of an old, white mansion.
As the doors opened, everyone instinctively exchanged glances; no one wanted to step out first.
Ten minutes passed, and seeing that no one moved, a muscular man seated at the front finally stood and made his way to the door. His body was covered in tattoos, and his face carried a menacing expression.
Once he stepped out, the others watched carefully. When they confirmed there was no immediate danger, they reluctantly followed.
Standing before the mansion, the group fell silent again, sneaking glances at one another. The three-story building looked grand, but shrouded in fog, it appeared eerie.
"Fine, fine, I'll go first."
It was the same man again.
"Are we really going in? This place doesn't feel right… and that bus behind us doesn't even have a driver!"
A schoolgirl in uniform spoke up, her skin crawling with goosebumps—whether from the thinness of her uniform or pure fear, she couldn't tell.
"Do you want to get lost in the fog?"
A woman in a police uniform sneered, then followed the tattooed man toward the mansion's front door.
The building was strange; though imposing, there was not even a fence surrounding it. The two approached the door and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock—
Footsteps sounded from inside, making them both step back, hairs standing on end.
Creeeak—
The door opened.
Seeing the interior, the group breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward.
Inside was a woman, around forty, wearing a soft robe. She exuded elegance and charm.
"Come in."
Her words were slurred, as if she had something in her mouth.
The group followed her into the hall. It was spacious, with wooden stairs to the left leading upstairs, an old-fashioned kitchen and dining area to the right, and three large sofas arranged around a fire pit in the center.
She pointed to a boy sitting on one of the sofas.
"Xiao Hao, it's your turn."
Then she returned to the dining table, resuming her breakfast.
"Come on, newbies."
The group approached the sofa but did not sit.
The boy, about fifteen or sixteen, had delicate features and held a game controller, fully absorbed in the game.
"Enough talk. In about ten minutes, you'll go up to the third floor and step through a door. Beyond that door… there are ghosts. You'll die. Good luck."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"What is this place?"
"Why are we here?"
"Why do we have to go through the door on the third floor?"
A young man in glasses, wearing a suit and appearing refined, asked.
"…."
No one answered.
Suddenly, the muscular man lunged at the boy, kicking his controller away and grabbing his wrist.
"He's asking you a question… I don't know if we'll be dead in ten minutes, but I do know—if you act up, you'll die."
He tightened his grip, causing the boy to wince and tears to form.
The policewoman tensed, as if she wanted to intervene, but after a moment's thought, she stayed put.
"Ahhh! I said! I said! Let go! You're going to break it!"
The muscular man released him.
"This is another world. The specifics don't matter right now—survive first, explanations later."
"You're here because… you're all dead."
"Huh?"
The group exclaimed in disbelief.
"No way!"
A girl with short "boyish" hair, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, shouted, holding hands with a girl in a white blouse and khaki skirt.
"I was fine at home—how did I suddenly die?"
"Are you sure?" the boy smirked.
"I… I…"
"Ah…"
The girl doubled over, clutching her head in pain. A sharp, dull ache made her squint, and memories flooded back.
"Ke'er… we were burned alive."
The girl beside her, seemingly her best friend, gently rubbed her head.
"How…?"
She recalled the last moment on the bus, holding her lover's hand as they sank together into the flames.
"That's how it is. There's no time—you have to open the third floor door now."
"Why exactly do we have to go in?"
The muscular man looked ready to explode again.
"Eh—eh—"
"Wait, big brother, calm down."
"You must go in, or the Gate will immediately judge you as dead."
"The Gate? What does it mean to judge us dead?" The muscular man frowned.
"The Gate… is that door on the third floor. If someone is judged dead, once the Gate's task ends, whatever is behind the door can come out…"
"Whatever's behind the door?"
"Ghosts! The Gate sends them to deal with anomalies, and it doesn't care what caused them."
"If any of you refuse to go, we'll all be wiped out!!"
"And we have to kill the one who doesn't follow the rules."
The boy who had remained silent since the bus muttered something under his breath.
"So you're not mute after all."
The girl who had been clutching her head sneered.
The man looked gentle and handsome, his features soft. He wore a pure white robe, his figure naturally flowing, elegant in appearance.
"Clever."
The boy snorted.
"Remember, cooperation is the only way to survive in that world. Don't even think about going solo."
"Then let's get to know each other."
The muscular man shouted to the group.
"I'll start. My name's Fang Tianba. I run in the underworld, but I follow the rules."
"I'm He Tianbo, an office worker. Before I woke up, I was working overtime… probably died of overwork."
The suited man spoke, trembling.
"Tang Yuwei, criminal investigation. Before waking up, I intercepted a suspicious vehicle near a crime scene—before the window even opened, I lost consciousness."
"Lin Kexin," said the girl with short "boyish" hair, shaking the hand of her companion.
"My girlfriend, Zhou Zixuan."
"Su… Su Zhiyao," stammered the girl in school uniform, voice barely audible, rubbing her hands nervously.
"Fang Weixue," said the man in the robe.
"When…?"
Before Tang Yuwei could finish, a burning sensation spread across her chest. She clutched her chest as everyone else did, faces contorted.
"Now. Go to the third floor."
The boy shouted.
Without hesitation, the group ran up, confronting a rusted iron door on the third floor. It emitted sharp, grating noises, like fingernails scraping against it.
The rest of the floor was empty.
The sound made their ears ache, and they covered them instinctively.
Blood-red letters appeared on the door:
[Task: Fulfill the girl's wish.]
"Fulfill the girl's wish… That's way too vague."
Lin Kexin furrowed her brow.
Suddenly, the burning sensation in their chests vanished. They all turned toward the iron door.
Creak—
The door seemed to be pushed open by the wind.
Everything went black, and they lost consciousness.