Luo Yingbai continued, “So you encouraged He Cheng to study in the literature department’s teaching building and deliberately slowed down the clock in front of the classroom to make him believe it wasn’t late and keep him there.”
He had indeed figured everything out. Gong Kang nodded shamefully, “But I swear to heaven, this wasn’t my subconscious desire to harm He Cheng or that I thought he was less important than a woman. That feeling was like I was possessed, unable to control my own compliant thoughts.”
Luo Yingbai looked thoughtful. Gong Kang continued, “But since you saved us that time, I’ve never had those nightmares again. I know you must have helped, and I’m truly grateful.”
Luo Yingbai smiled without saying anything. He had indeed been suspicious about how conveniently things had turned out, and found it strange that He Cheng, who seemed timid, would dare to study in the teaching building right after someone had died.
So even without evidence, he had placed a tranquility spell on both Gong Kang and He Cheng, just in case.
Until this time when the two students came, He Cheng remained the same, but Gong Kang looked clear-minded and his demeanor had shed its previous gloomy atmosphere. Only then did Luo Yingbai completely understand the approximate process of the entire incident.
This was between the two of them. Since Gong Kang was no longer dangerous, he naturally wouldn’t go out of his way to tell He Cheng about it afterward.
He asked again, “Did the woman in your dream have any distinctive features?”
Gong Kang thought for a moment, “She was very beautiful, wore our school’s badge, but was covered in blood… Oh, and there was always a swallow flying beside her.”
Luo Yingbai’s expression changed: “A swallow?”
He suddenly recalled the incantation he had recited in the teaching building, and several thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
The Enraged Tereus Pursued Relentlessly, Finally Resolved by the Gods Transforming Them into Birds
Luo Yingbai remembered that the Athenian princess Procne became a nightingale, the scoundrel Tereus transformed into a hoopoe, and the little princess Philomela became a swallow!
Therefore, the meaning of that ancient ballad became clear!
“Wearing a mourning cap made of clothes. The victor opens the grave. No corpse within. The swallow sings a joyful song.
The spring funeral bell rings again. Come, detestable love.
Six sentences, and when the first letters are connected, they spell out “Hoopoe dies, swallow comes in spring.” Broadly speaking, the ballad means that the murdered female ghost has regained her freedom and is coming back for revenge!
Luo Yingbai was almost 80% certain that the scoundrel coded as “hoopoe” was Yin Ming, based on his various reactions. He had previously checked Yin Ming’s teacher records in the archives, knowing he had divorced years ago without children. However, the details of why Yin Ming left the school were obscure.
So Luo Yingbai wanted to try finding information about staff family members on other registration cards, possibly finding a breakthrough through Yin Ming’s wife. He left when it was already dark, hurrying to the archives before they closed. Halfway there, someone stopped him.
Turning back, he saw his neighbor from the adjacent dormitory. He quickly greeted, “Hey, Wang Ge, I have something urgent to do.”
Wang Ge grabbed Luo Yingbai, looking surprised: “Yingbai, what’s going on with your dormitory? Why are you rushing there so late?”
Luo Yingbai, about to rush out, paused: “Oh? Who else besides me?”
Wang Ge said: “That effeminate, weepy guy, what’s his name? Luo something? I saw him carrying a bag towards the humanities building over an hour ago. Isn’t he from the Arts Academy? I found it strange and asked him, but he ignored me… Now you’re rushing too. What’s happening?”
Luo Yingbai sighed, trying to sound calm: “Nothing, just exercising. That area isn’t safe. I’ll call Luo Yuanfan later and tell him to come back.”
Meanwhile, on Xia Jianning’s side, another discovery was made.
“I basically know the name of the spirit haunting the teaching building,” he said directly when he called Luo Yingbai.
Due to unexpected events, Luo Yingbai hadn’t gone to the archives and was about to check on Luo Yuanfan at the teaching building. Hearing Xia Jianning’s statement, he was stunned and said, “Tell me.”
Xia Jianning, still unaware of the ballad’s secret, was thinking along the same lines as Luo Yingbai.
He walked out the door, and Gou Songze was just rushing towards him. Seeing that his boss was about to run away, he quickly blocked him and reported: “Director Xia, there’s news from the hospital – Yin Ming has escaped!”
Xia Jianning was stunned: “When?”
“I don’t know the specific details,” Gou Songze said. “The hospital just called, and they’re already checking surveillance and searching for him.”
I don’t know where Yin Ming, who has no home or job, could possibly go. Why is he so panicked after being brought back by us when he hasn’t even killed anyone… Director Xia?”
Xia Xianning made a decisive decision: “Tell them to stop searching. I’ll go directly to T University!”
At this time, Luo Yuanfan had already set up all the equipment he brought, writing his name on the mirror with lipstick. The candles on both sides flickered dimly in an inexplicable cold wind, causing people’s hearts to waver.
Luo Yuanfan’s back was covered in cold sweat. He was afraid several times and wanted to run away, but ultimately, the desire to make a wish prevailed and stopped him from fleeing.
This game was terrifying, but effective! As long as he could hold on and make his wish, he could get everything he wanted – fame, love, wealth, and the admiring gazes of others. The thought of obtaining these things made his gaze become passionate, and his fear slightly diminished.
Luo Yuanfan touched the amulet on his chest, given to him by Uncle Yin, a master. This amulet would surely protect him.
Moreover, his intention was not to harm anyone, just to succeed, with no evil thoughts. Even if he made a wish, he couldn’t possibly end up like Huang Weihua.
Luo Yuanfan gritted his teeth and tremblingly recited the incantation: “Wear the hat made of funeral clothes…”
He had just spoken two sentences when a tooth-aching cracking sound came from behind. Luo Yuanfan instinctively wanted to turn around, but in that instant, he suddenly remembered the taboos he had searched online – something about fire on shoulders, and that in such a game, one must never look back, as these are illusions created by demons to extinguish the shoulder fire and then attack.
So Luo Yuanfan held on, stutteringly reciting the last five characters of the incantation: “By my life, I summon!”
The cracking sound behind continued, but the candles on both sides were still lit. He could make a wish!
Luo Yuanfan’s heart leaped with joy. He looked up at the mirror, about to speak, when his expression suddenly froze.
In that moment, he felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat, and his flowing blood instantly turned cold.
The mirror did not show the summoned spirit but clearly reflected the scene behind Luo Yuanfan. In the flickering candlelight, a long-haired, veiled woman slowly squeezed out from the wall, moving extremely stiffly, then slowly approaching him.
As the woman drew closer, her head gradually lifted, her long hair floating back, revealing a distorted, broken face and a grotesque smile slowly spreading across it!
Luo Yuanfan could no longer bear it, letting out a miserable scream. In his panic, he instinctively raised the amulet from Master Yin in front of himself, hoping to scare away the female ghost.
