Chapter 3 The Collapsed Building

Chapter 3: The Collapsed Building

Inside the abandoned building, it was dim, with light only peeking through when passing by windows.

The air was filled with a scent of decay and mold.

From the depths of the silent corridor, a faint, dripping sound echoed.

As soon as they entered, everyone inexplicably felt a chill, as if the surrounding temperature had suddenly dropped several degrees. The silence was eerie, with only the faint echoes of their footsteps.

“Crow’s intelligence states that the item we are looking for is on the second basement level of this building, which was originally the building’s parking lot. However, due to the building’s damage, there are only two confirmed entrances and exits to the underground parking lot: one is the emergency staircase on the east side, and the other is the No. 1 elevator shaft in Zone B1.”

“For us, there is effectively only one entrance and exit, which is the emergency staircase on the east side. The elevator shaft is not realistic; we are all ordinary people, and climbing the elevator shaft is too dangerous and slow. So, I hope everyone remembers the escape route clearly, otherwise, if something unexpected happens and you get lost on the second basement level, it means you are not far from death.”

“Crow’s new intelligence says that danger will appear on the first basement level, but because we are ordinary people, the danger on the first level can most likely be avoided. Therefore, the real fatal danger is on the second level, and the closer we get to a certain source, the greater the danger.”

Wei Li, the doctor, spoke to himself as he walked.

His tone was calm, his words clear, and his expression was very serious and earnest.

“In my opinion, we should just wander around the first basement floor and then go back. Wouldn’t it be great to just pick up fifty thousand yuan for free?” Zhang Kaiwen’s eyes flickered as he thought of a perfunctory idea.

Li Yi immediately said, “The other party has already anticipated this. The mysterious woman who activated the Spiritual Medium earlier is probably already secretly watching us. If we act so perfunctorily, we will likely be silenced as soon as we leave this building.”

“I heard that people who have activated a Spiritual Medium can see things that normal people cannot. I don’t know if it’s true or false, but assuming it’s true, then we are definitely under constant surveillance, so your suggestion is not very realistic,” Liu Yan whispered.

“A bunch of cowards, I’m truly ashamed to work with you. The fact that we can enter the second basement level is a God-given opportunity for us to contend for qi objects! After obtaining a qi object, what’s a mere two million yuan? I’ll make that woman outside kneel and kowtow three times, then lick my shoe clean.”

Wang Hu spoke, not shying away or hiding his inner thoughts.

However, no one refuted his words.

Deep down, who doesn’t want to change their fate?

“Heh, you’re right. I have a worthless life. Since I’m gambling, I might as well go all in. Even if I get fifty thousand yuan, it won’t change anything. But if I really get a qi object, from now on, I’ll be one of the influential figures in the world. One life is worth ten thousand lives.” Zhang Kaiwen was infected by Wang Hu’s idea and immediately changed his mind.

“If I get a qi object, even if I choose to hand it over directly, I can still enter the Golden Academy and completely change my fate,” Liu Yan whispered.

Li Yi’s heart couldn’t help but pound when he heard them speak.

Because they were right.

Getting this money would only solve the immediate problem. His parents, as silent ones, needed better medical pods and nutrient solutions to sustain their lives. Future expenses would be enormous, and fifty thousand yuan was a drop in the bucket. Moreover, he had no ability, no background, and no cultivation talent.

If he could really get a qi object, everything could change.

But while he was tempted, reason told him that there might not be any qi objects here, only dangers lurking in the darkness. Greed would only lead to his innocent death here.

After a brief chat, the group had already ventured deep into the collapsed building and soon saw the staircase leading to the underground parking lot.

Down the stairs, the darkness grew thicker, like an abyss, making people feel uneasy.

Everyone immediately turned on the flashlights Crow had prepared for them in advance.

As the flashlights illuminated, much of the surrounding darkness was dispelled.

After surveying their surroundings and seeing no abnormalities, the five people walked down the stairs towards the second basement level parking lot.

Along the way, everyone was very vigilant, even deliberately muffling their footsteps down the stairs, fearing they might disturb something in the darkness.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, without any danger.

The five arrived at the first basement level.

However, they did not stop, because the first basement level had already been explored by Crow. Although there was danger, there was nothing valuable. They had encountered danger and misfortune when they entered the second basement level, and both times they returned empty-handed with heavy losses.

Therefore, Li Yi and the others’ mission was to explore from the second basement level.

However, as they continued down the stairs, Wang Hu, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped.

The light shone.

The darkness ahead receded, revealing a corpse lying on the steps. The corpse had pale, lifeless skin, a stiff neck, and its head was tilted back at an odd angle. Its arms were rigidly raised in mid-air, as if it had struggled to escape the underground parking lot behind it, but had been targeted by something and died tragically there.

Wang Hu spoke, “How unlucky, it’s a corpse.”

Saying that, he ignored it and calmly stepped over the corpse to continue forward.

The others briefly glanced at it, carefully avoided the corpse, and then followed behind Wang Hu.

But then, Wei Li suddenly whispered, “That corpse doesn’t look right.”

“It’s just a corpse, are you scared?” Zhang Kaiwen replied.

“Don’t forget, I’m a doctor. I’ve dealt with more corpses than you. I noticed something about that corpse just now; there were no lividity marks and no signs of decomposition, which is very unusual. And the position where the corpse appeared just now was also abnormal. It doesn’t look like it died on the stairs initially, but rather like it was moved to the stairs from somewhere else,” Wei Li said seriously.

“Wei Li, you should have said that sooner.” Zhang Kaiwen immediately shone his flashlight on the corpse behind him after speaking.

He wanted to see if the corpse was indeed problematic, as Wei Li had said.

But his expression quickly froze.

The corpse was gone.

“The corpse, it’s gone.” Zhang Kaiwen’s eyes widened, “What a joke, it was just there a moment ago. Did that thing run off on its own in the blink of an eye?”

Seeing the empty steps, everyone suddenly felt a chill of horror.

“Perhaps that wasn’t a corpse, but a ghost. Don’t forget, Crow said before that this building is haunted, and that’s why they didn’t dare to go deeper into the second basement level.”

Li Yi’s face was very grim as he stated a frightening reality.

They had most likely encountered a ghost just now.

“Do you know, our world originally didn’t have ghosts? It was only after the Tian Qing Event that legends of ghosts were confirmed to be true. But ghosts can only stay in certain special areas, because ghosts also need some kind of power to sustain themselves, otherwise they will dissipate. The existence of ghosts here means there is something here providing power to them.”

After a brief moment of terror, Liu Yan’s expression turned somewhat excited: “That source is very likely a qi object.”

“Then what are we waiting for? A mere dirty thing, how could it scare me off?” Wang Hu now strode towards the second basement level.

“Changing my fate against the heavens depends on today. I, Zhang Kaiwen, just need this one chance to turn things around. What’s so scary about ghosts? Poverty is even scarier.”

Zhang Kaiwen grinned, ignoring the hidden dangers, and quickly followed.

Li Yi took a deep breath and followed without hesitation.

Liu Yan and Wei Li also did not hesitate.

At this point, there was no possibility of backing down.

Soon.

They entered the second basement level.

However, the situation here was completely different from what they had imagined.

The ground was covered by a thick layer of mud, and many unknown withered yellow weeds grew on the soil. These weeds emitted a faint light in the darkness, looking like phosphorescent lights in a graveyard from afar, scattered in dots. In the distance, there were even several largely collapsed wooden houses. These houses were ancient in style, completely unlike modern structures, more like an abandoned ancient village.

If it weren’t for the many abandoned cars half-buried in the mud nearby, they would have thought they had arrived in a strange world.

“Let’s split up. Whether we survive or find a qi object depends on each person’s ability.”

After Zhang Kaiwen said this, he headed in one direction without looking back.

“That makes sense.” Wang Hu looked around and also chose a direction.

“The danger here is great. Perhaps it would be better to stay together,” Li Yi thought for a moment and still spoke.

Wei Li, who was beside him, smiled slightly: “Young man, you should understand that if we don’t find a qi object, it’s fine. But if we do find a qi object, then staying together will lead to infighting. No one wants to be stabbed in the back. Splitting up is good for everyone; at least it allows us to save face.”

After saying that, he also left.

Liu Yan also said nothing, and after a moment of hesitation, she also acted alone.

Soon.

The small team of five immediately disintegrated, each going their separate way.