Chapter 40
Jiang Lechuan was heartbroken.
Really.
The terrifying task was completed, but his height didn't grow at all.
With a height of 1.79.3 meters, why did he do a task for over 1.8 meters tall? He took on a responsibility that didn't belong to him.
Jiang Lechuan felt very aggrieved.
Since the task was done, even if the sky fell today, he had to be 1.808 meters tall!
Except for Jiang Lechuan himself, the others had no interest in whether he was a little taller or shorter than 1.8 meters. So they all cooperated and perfunctorily responded.
For Jiang Lechuan, this ‘perfunctory’ was seen as ‘compliance’ and his shattered self-esteem finally managed to piece together a little.
At this moment.
Gu Qi finally remembered that Wen Renjing had something to say now, so she looked over and asked, "What clues do you say?"
Wen Renjing's eyes fell on the podium, walked over, inserted the USB flash drive in his hand into the nearby computer, bent down, and opened it.
Everyone gathered around.
There were a fewl videos in the USB flash drive. They clicked them one by one to watch.
The first video was the female lead, that is, the girl who had committed suicide, walking out of the hospital. Countless people surrounded her, holding various gifts in their arms.
Even outside the crowd, there were media reporters holding cameras. Afterward, it ended with a few news headlines.
The news that the girl was forced to commit suicide by bullying had become a hot topic beyond everyone's expectations. It had even become a hot search. Countless students from the same school felt sorry for the girl's experience, stood on her side, and blame the bullies together.
The second video.
The former bullies were now like rats crossing the street. When they appear in school, they would be stared at with disgust by other students. Some people cursed in front of them, "Bullys should die". Some other students threw food on them in the cafeteria, which attracted a lot of applause.
The girl's pain was known to everyone and others spontaneously resisted these bullies.
The girl, who was originally introverted and lonely, changed to a new class with the help of the school. She was actively shown kindness by countless classmates who pitied her. She was originally withdrawn and gloomy, but she smiled again under countless kindness.
She had new friends and was fought over by countless classmates in group cooperation. The kind classmates all wanted to give her warmth.
Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction.
But in the third video, everything changed again.
Classmates gathered together to discuss.
One of the remaining sleeping pills that the girl took at the scene of suicide was picked up by a passing classmate, but it was found to be an ordinary vitamin, not a sleeping pill.
Someone took a photo of her arm back, saying that they had asked a relative who was a doctor at home. The depth wasn't enough and there would be no danger if they sought medical treatment in time.
What truly broke the straw for the girl was that the person who originally helped her suddenly posted anonymously on the school forum, saying that he didn't expect that this matter would be paid attention to by so many people and he could not bear the inner torment, so he decided to stand up and apologize, admitting all their initial premeditation.
From buying vitamins to replace sleeping pills, to choosing the bluntest knife. All evidence pointed to the ending that everyone guessed -
The girl never thought about really dying. The so-called suicide was a fake play, but it deceived everyone so successfully.
The fourth video.
All the students who involved in this incident thought that they were deceived and their kindness became a tool for the girl to ‘hype’. Therefore, she was unforgivable.
They were all very furious, so they turned their anger from the bullies toward the girl.
Or, in fact, they had already become bullies.
The last video.
The camera was pointed at the girl's face. It was unknown who she was talking to. She asked the other person with tears on her face: "You were the one who said you would help me at the beginning and now you are the one who betrayed me."
The person asked her contemptuously: "Do you think I told everyone the truth put you in such a situation?"
The girl asked back: "Isn’t it the case?"
The person's voice still carried mirth, replying: "Didn't you notice? Even if I didn't tell the truth about this matter, the attitude of your classmates around you had changed in the past period of time?"
The girl looked stunned, very clear that bullseye was hit: "Yes, they were very nice to me at the beginning, but as time went on, they became more and more... cold to me."
More than once, she heard someone complaining behind her back; not understand why the school put such a topic figure like her in their class. Now their entire class was known as ‘the current class of the girl who was bullied to suicide’.
"Do you know why?" The person took a step closer, while the girl took a step back in fear. He continued, "Because you committed suicide, but you didn't die.
In this world, only when a person dies will there be the most love. Everyone will sigh, how can such a person die, especially by suicide. The audience will imagine many fictitious tragic experiences that led that person to make such a choice. Only at this moment, people are closest to ‘perfection’. The right and wrong of the past could be thrown away. But under the premise that this suicide must be successful. Since this person had let everyone know that they have ‘committed suicide’, the more love and care they receives from outsiders, the less qualified they are to live in this world.
After all, this is a ‘favor’ that only the dead can enjoy. Once they are still alive, these will naturally be taken back.
They have long begun to doubt, of course not you. Any attempted suicide, if known to outsiders on a large scale, will eventually be suspected of hype and ulterior motives. That's why their attitude will change. When there was no evidence, many people already think that you were faking suicide. Rumors and gossip are something that no one needs to payment to tell. Everyone loves to hear them. "
Saying this, he put his hand on the girl's shoulder.
Under the girl's horrified eyes, he continued: "So, I gave them a chance to vent, proved their guess, and made them think that they represent eternal justice."
The footsteps faded away.
Obviously, the boy who spoke had left.
The girl sat on the ground in a daze. Soon many classmates came up. They didn't physically bully the girl, but their cold eyes and mocking attitude made the girl feel helpless.
She murmured, "I'm sorry, it's my fault for not dying. I wasted your sympathy and kindness. I deserve to die... deserve to die..."
Finally, this time she slashed her wrists hard, the knife went deep into her, one cut after another, until there was no intact skin on both arms. Blood spurted and soaked her school uniform.
The girl laid in the corner. The next scene was the funeral.
This time, she was dead.
……
Together with the letter found by Gu Qi, the background of the whole story was reproduced in detail.
"She committed suicide willingly and even with guilt?" Shen Anran pointed out the point that everyone was confused about and continued to ask: "Why did she turn into a ghost to avenge others after her death?"
Zhizi guessed: "Maybe she forgot why she committed suicide? Like the director team said at the beginning, now she forgot that she had avenged the bully so she didn't leave."
Gu Qi's expression suddenly became serious.
Everyone turned to her.
Ning Xiwei even showed starry eyes and asked expectantly: "Gu Qi, have you guessed anything?"
"...No." Gu Qi rubbed her chin and said: "It suddenly occur to me, the director team didn't tell us decrypt it. Isn't our task to collect as many ghost name tags as possible to hold the summoning ceremony?"
So why should they put aside the ghost name tags, not continue to search, and study the background story together? No one said they were to do this.
Although Gu Qi was the first to lead it at the beginning, she chose to forget.
Everyone: "..."
[Hahaha, Gu Qi was so serious, I thought she was going to say something important! But that's it?]
[The background story was revealed from the various clues found during the task. Other escape rooms were like this!]
[But Gu Qi is right. The director team didn't mention this task]
[Gu Qi: Curiosity only defeated reason for a short time. Now reason is back, let's do the task first]
[Gu Qi, a strange woman who sometimes plays badly and sometimes have a desire to win]
[Hahaha, because she is a bit stubborn. Do what should be done and win. She ignores what she shouldn't do and had nothing to do with her]
Gu Qi's theory successfully convinced the others.
Everyone was silent at the same time.
Yes, it seemed that there was no such task. They need to find the ‘ghost name tag’.
Director team: "..."
Do they need to arrange such a task? Normal people should be curious and dig!
Since they have come to a place like a escape room, of course they have to reveal the truth behind it, otherwise what was the point of this background? Did they write the script in vain?
But the guests couldn’t hear the director's silent rage. They could only hear Gu Qi's soul-searching questioning and thought it made sense.
Wen Renjing simply pulled out the USB drive, "Let's go."
Gu Qi said, "Wait."
She walked to the podium again, found the last ghost name tag that had escaped the net in this classroom, and then waved to Wen Renjing.
Then they came to the corridor.
There were many different classrooms here, which meant the search time had officially begun.
Ning Xiwei’s group and came here by a different route. It was their first time to step into the teaching building.
Theoretically, they should all separate and race against time to find the ghost name tag in classrooms that have not been searched.
But——
After Gu Qi found the ghost name tag in a student's backpack, she looked behind her in confusion and asked, "Are you all going to look for it in this classroom?"
[Hahaha, not just Gu Qi, I also wanted to ask this question. There are so many classrooms, why are they all gathered here! ]
[Isn't this obvious? How is it searching in this classroom? These people obviously want to stay with Gu Qi! ]
[Why are you not completing tasks and following our elder sister? ! ! ]
[Angry Mu Yuan: Don't you have your own elder sister? ]
[…But Younger Brother Mu Yuan, Gu Qi’s teammate is Wen Renjing. Be good and go play with Jiang Lechuan too]
…
Facing Gu Qi’s question, Wen Renjing was the first to answer: “I am your teammate. If anything happens, it is safer to act together.”
The implication was that –
Others were not teammates, so they should leave.
Ning Xiwei showed a weak expression at this moment, saying: “We met a few scary NPCs outside. Elder Sister and I dare not act alone for the time being. Let’s stay with everyone first.”
Ning Xiwei’s words inspired Jiang Lechuan. He pointed at Wen Renjing and said confidently: “Yes, the thing we followed during the mission was too scary. I need to rest here to calm down!”
Ning Xiwei rolled her eyes at Jiang Lechuan.
He couldn't even make up an excuse and want to copy her? Useless thing.
Mu Yuan didn’t answer, but it was normal. He was a man of few words. There was no need for him to say anything when everyone else was chatting.
Only Shen Anran: "..."
She didn't know why she was here, but she didn't dare to act rashly because she saw that no one else had left.
Shen Jinyi felt that what Ning Xiwei and Jiang Lechuan said made sense.
He couldn't help but recall the terrifying scene now and felt that it was safer to be in a crowded place.
Gu Qi: "..."
But the number of ghost name tags in a classroom was limited. If everyone was here, she won't be able to find many.
When Gu Qi fell into thinking, for some inexplicable reason, Jiang Lechuan and Ning Xiwei suddenly started to blame each other.
Perhaps because she was dissatisfied with Jiang Lechuan ‘plagiarizing’ herself, Ning Xiwei directly complained: "Can you, a grown man, not be so timid?"
Jiang Lechuan sneered at her: "That's because you didn't see the NPC. Even Elder Sister, a woman who didn't change her color when facing a mountain collapse, feels scared! How can I not be afraid?"
Jiang Lechuan's words attracted Ning Xiwei's curiosity. She turned to Gu Qi and asked: "Is it that scary?"
Although they encountered some NPCs, they were basically not much different from the escape rooms she had been to before. After screaming and running away, she almost forgot about it.
"It's not scary either. It's mainly because the physiological structure doesn't conform to normal cognition, so it looks particularly weird." Gu Qi answered like this and then figured it out.
She said: "Then you rest here for a while, I'll go to another classroom first."
Otherwise, if she finds all the ghost name tags, it seemed that others couldn't play.
Gu Qi wasn't too scared, so she walked out.
Others: "?"
Smiling at them, Wen Renjing waved his hand provocatively,, "You should have a good rest."
He emphasized the word ‘good’.
He then caught up with Gu Qi and called, "Elder Sister, wait for me."
Everyone: "..."
[Hahaha bad news: Gu Qi didn't realize that at least half of the people here wanted to be with her, and worse news: Wen Renjing could tell]
[Wen Renjing, can’t you be any more vexing? You have to say such provocative words at the end! ]
[Ning Xiwei! Pay attention to your expression! Don't glare at Jiang Lechuan! Mommy beg you!!! ]
[Can I say it? I didn't like Ning Xiwei before. I thought she was a bit of a green tea... But now it's funny no matter how I look at her. No, she's pretty.]
[Ning Xiwei: From one extreme to another]
[Who said that? Ning Xiwei was still a green tea just now, but she only teas Gu Qi instead of teaing everyone.]
[What's green tea? That's our Elder Sister Gu Qi's good younger sister!]
...
Gu Qi was in another classroom, constantly looking for ghost name tags.
Wen Renjing followed her lazily, saying slowly: "We should have the most."
Gu Qi turned to him: "Ning Xiwei's group have more than us."
Wen Renjing: "......?"
Wen Renjing found it unbelievable: "How is it possible?"
They have collected a lot along the way, and he had extra ghost name tags for doing tasks. Why was Ning Xiwei's group more? If it was Jiang Lechuan or Shen Jinyi's group, it would be more reasonable, right?
Gu Qi calmly analyzed: "Because our groups met at the beginning, wasted a lot of time looking for people, and then stayed together."
But Ning Xiwei's group was different. They almost never met other people throughout the whole process and were all alone in the ghost name tag wherever they went.
"That makes sense." Wen Renjing nodded and started looking.
[Ning Xiwei: Where is Gu Qi? Where is Gu Qi? Where is Gu Qi?]
[Gu Qi: Ning Xiwei's group has more ghost brands. We are going to lose. That can’t do]
[Hahaha when love brain meets career brain (not)]
Seeing Gu Qi buried her head in the search, Wen Renjing involuntarily followed along to put in the ‘hard work’.
But after searching for a while, he turned to Gu Qi incomprehensibly and asked: "Aren't you an undercover? Why are you working so hard?"
Gu Qi's hands froze while searching.
She raised her head and stared into Wen Renjing's eyes for a few seconds. Her intuition told her that there was no trace of acting.
Wen Renjing was confused by this.
So Gu Qi asked directly: "How do you know?"
Netizens: "?"
[Wait a minute, is the undercover Gu Qi? ]
[Ah? Ah? ? ? It seems that the undercover has never been announced.]
[But how did Wen Renjing know? ? ? ]
Wen Renjing said honestly: "I am God, and my skills include verifyig identities."
Gu Qi: "...Who is the other undercover?"
Wen Renjing replied: "I can only verify one person."
Gu Qi: "..."
Okay.
[Feck, Gu Qi is an undercover? I suspected everyone but not her]
[Sister above, I’m shocked too. I saw that the one who tried the hardest to find a ghost brand today is Gu Qi. I thought she must be a good person]
[So why did Gu Qi, an undercover, try so hard to win? ]
Wen Renjing asked the same question again.
Gu Qi frowned slightly before choosing to tell the truth: "My thinking is very simple. Even if we don't work hard to find the ghost name tags, we may still win if others do worse. So it's better to find more. Anyway, going by the rules of the game, when the final verification is done, give it to the lowest group before the verification. This is the safest."
[Damn, I'm stunned. What a strange logic]
[Gu Qi, you made me cry. When you become an undercover, you aren’t worried about how your group will lose, but how other groups will win]
[Gu Qi: Can’t be helped. Although I can drag feet, I can't guarantee that others dragging feet more.]
[Indeed, seeing the Shen Family siblings being scared like that, or Jiang Lechuan Mu Yuan not doing anything proper all day, I feel that Gu Qi's consideration is right]
[Hahaha, no one knows a younger brother better than an elder sister]