Chapter 25

After the two kidnappers of Sudi were apprehended, they barely needed any interrogation before spilling the entire story. The plan to kidnap Sudi involved four people, one of whom was Sudi’s assistant, known as Trip among the group. Trip had been with Sudi for several months, knew his schedule well, and was the most likely to have tampered with Sudi’s drinks.

Once Trip realized the plan had failed, he tried to flee by car overnight but was caught by the police at the highway entrance. Another accomplice was Deuce, who had helped carry Sudi up the mountain. However, Deuce’s whereabouts were unknown, as the group claimed they encountered ghosts on the mountain and got separated. They had no idea where Deuce was now.

The police immediately sent a search team up the mountain and eventually found Deuce buried under the snow. He was dead, his body and blood frozen solid. The way he died was gruesome, covered in blood, his face frozen in a twisted expression, eyes wide open, reflecting the terror he faced before dying.

Though the exact circumstances of his death were unclear, it was evident he had been severely frightened. The police sealed off the scene and, after gathering evidence, ruled out homicide, as there were no signs of anyone else having been there. Deuce’s death seemed more like a result of blood loss-induced shock, followed by freezing due to lack of help.

This nationwide kidnapping case, which had shocked the country, concluded within twenty-four hours with the kidnappers either caught or dead. Despite the resolution, the police involved in the case found little reason to celebrate.

Bear and Fourth, in an attempt to evade responsibility, pretended to be insane, claiming they saw ghosts. They insisted they saw a female ghost gouge out her own eyes and place them on a broom to see the way, her face still bleeding from the sockets. They also claimed the ghost was powerful, carrying another ghost on her back, who in turn carried Sudi, floating along the path. They were convinced the ghost would seek revenge on them and blamed Deuce’s mysterious death on these ghosts.

Did they really think they could escape criminal responsibility by feigning madness? Jiang Tian and Zhao Haicheng, however, had a different feeling. Having personally witnessed strange events, they couldn’t help but break out in cold sweat recalling that night.

But that’s a story for another time.

Meanwhile, Sudi, who had been unconscious, finally woke up the next day. He couldn’t believe he was in a hospital, looking at his parents crying tears of joy by his bedside, along with his agent and a few friends. The sunlight was too bright, the scene too beautiful, making it hard for him to believe it was real.

“I’m not dead?”

“Dead? What are you talking about?” Gu’s Mother scolded her silly son, “You’re back safe and sound, thanks to the kind-hearted Miss Gu. She caught the kidnappers and brought you to the hospital. You have no idea, the doctor said if you had been brought in any later, you might have ended up brain-damaged even if you survived. Thank heavens, the gods must have been watching over you!”

Gu’s Father added, “Sudi, you’re safe now. The people who kidnapped you have been caught, don’t worry.”

His agent chimed in, “He’s just scared, thinking he’s dreaming.”

A friend joked, “I think so too. Look at how dazed Sudi is, I should take a picture.”

These familiar and comforting voices finally convinced Sudi that he had been rescued and was back home. He was so overwhelmed that his eyes turned red with emotion. He had thought he was doomed, yet here he was, alive. He definitely needed to thank Miss Gu properly, especially after the terrifying ordeal he had gone through last night, not only being kidnapped but also encountering ghosts…

Even now, recalling the events of last night sent shivers down his spine. Doctors and nurses came in to give Sudi a quick check-up, ultimately stating that while he was temporarily out of danger, he needed rest. Pneumonia and frostbite were not to be taken lightly, and he would need time to recover.

Sudi’s parents wholeheartedly agreed, and his agent certainly wouldn’t drag him back to work immediately, given the uproar over his kidnapping. Fans would be up in arms if he were to work right away.

The nurse standing behind the doctor couldn’t help but steal a few glances at Sudi. It was her first time seeing him in person. On TV, with makeup, Sudi looked sunny and handsome, but she hadn’t expected him to look so good even while sick. Despite his pale face and chapped lips, he had transformed from a sunny boy to a sickly beauty, making her take a few extra looks.

The doctors and nurses didn’t stay long, leaving the room after checking on Sudi.

Sudi, still feeling weak, asked his father, “Dad, who is Miss Gu? Did she save me?”

Gu’s Father replied, “I haven’t met Miss Gu myself. I wanted to thank her, but she left without a word. But it’s okay, the police have her address. I’ll visit her in the next few days to thank her personally.”

Sudi said, “Once I’m better and can leave the hospital, we should go together. She saved me, and I should be the one to thank her.”

Gu’s Mother insisted she wanted to go too, praising Miss Gu as a truly good person. However, she first wanted to consult the Taoist who had warned her about her son’s impending doom, which had indeed come true. She hoped he could help avert future disasters.

Sudi was somewhat distracted, his mind replaying the events of last night. Initially, when the three kidnappers fled, he thought he was saved, only to realize later that his savior wasn’t human but a ghost. He still remembered the kidnappers begging for mercy… When he passed out, he thought he was done for, and even when he woke up, he thought he was dreaming.

But now he was safe, and the kidnappers were in custody. Why hadn’t they died? Why hadn’t the ghosts killed them?

Something seemed off. It wasn’t what he had expected…

He thought about it seriously several times and concluded that he might have misunderstood something. If those ghosts wanted to kill him, why had they untied him? Why had they carried him down the mountain? Aside from being scary-looking, those ghosts hadn’t harmed anyone. Even the kidnappers were unharmed, weren’t they?

Thinking this way, Sudi felt his fear lessen considerably. Humans could be bad, but ghosts could be good, and bad humans were scarier than ghosts.

…

Recently, the haunted house at the amusement park was almost bursting with visitors, most of whom had watched Ma Ao’s livestream and were curious. Word spread quickly, and the haunted house’s reputation grew, attracting more and more people wanting to experience its rumored spookiness.

With the increase in visitors, the Special Unit leader couldn’t stop smiling. The haunted house’s popularity boosted the entire amusement park’s traffic, earning him rare praise from his superiors and allowing him to stand tall with pride.

He even considered skipping Gu Feiyin’s probation period and promoting her to a permanent employee, wanting to keep such a valuable worker. With this in mind, he prepared the employment contract, planning to discuss it with Gu Feiyin after work.

Gu Feiyin was unaware of her outstanding performance and the leader’s intention to promote her early. If she knew, she’d probably treat herself to a cup of Milk Tea!

She continued to diligently lie in the coffin, attending to each visitor who entered.

This job was truly great, especially for her newly injured leg. She could lie down while listening to the Red-Dressed Ghost gossip. Whenever someone lifted the coffin lid, she’d open her eyes for a peek, not needing any expression. The guests’ reactions were always intense, proving her work efficiency was excellent, and life was quite easy.

Indeed, working steadily was the way to make a living.

The Red-Dressed Ghost sat at her feet, fuming, “That Trip is truly despicable, colluding with outsiders to kidnap Sudi as his assistant. Now he’s caught, serves him right to be locked up for a few years. There are plenty of ghosts in prison, I’ll make sure he has a good time there, teaching him the consequences of betrayal!”

The Red-Dressed Ghost wasn’t exactly a fan of Sudi; she simply despised betrayal, especially for money, which nearly cost someone their life. Anyone with a conscience wouldn’t do such a thing.

Trip reminded her of Zhao Xing, to whom she had given her complete trust and love, only to discover that what she thought was love and family was just a scheme. Her husband only cared about her money and power, resulting in her nine-month-old unborn child dying. Already suffering from prenatal depression, this pushed her further into despair, leading to her suicide.

The Red-Dressed Ghost hated betrayal the most.

“Luckily, Sudi was saved by a kind soul; otherwise, those kidnappers would have gotten away with it.”

Gu Feiyin thought for a moment and regretted, “I also saved someone in the mountains earlier. He was tied up in a room, and I found him when I went in. He was so sick he was almost dead.”

The Red-Dressed Ghost paused, “Really? When was this?”

“The night I went to the mountains to chop wood for the coffin. I ran into three men who had tied someone up and hidden him in a house, so I saved him.”

“Do you know what those three men were called?”

“Something like Bear and Fourth. Strange names.”

“What the heck?!” The Red-Dressed Ghost lunged forward, glaring at Long Black Straight Hair with her bleeding eyes, “Really? You have such doggone luck!”

With the blood almost dripping on her, Gu Feiyin slapped the Red-Dressed Ghost away, “Of course it’s true, I remember.”

The Red-Dressed Ghost clutched her head, frustrated. Those names were the kidnappers of Sudi! She suddenly regretted not going to the mountains to help Long Black Straight Hair make the coffin!

Gu Feiyin was equally surprised by the Red-Dressed Ghost’s reaction, “What’s wrong? Did they escape?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost weakly replied, “No, even if they did, Sudi’s fans would beat them up and tie them back up. I… I’m just shocked at your luck, making a coffin and running into Sudi… If I had been there, I would’ve beaten those kidnappers so badly their mothers wouldn’t recognize them!”

Gu Feiyin: “Sudi?”

“Yeah, didn’t you know? You probably saved Sudi. The people who planned his kidnapping were nicknamed Fourth, Bear, Deuce, and Trip, Sudi’s assistant.”

“Five million?!”

Visitors felt the haunted house suddenly drop ten degrees in temperature, huddling together for warmth. Was the heating broken? The timid ones were already crying and leaving, thinking the haunted house’s atmosphere was too realistic!

In the following days, those who visited the haunted house felt the chilling presence, causing nightmares for days afterward, leaving them quite miserable.

…

“Little Coward Ma’s” livestream remained lively, but in a different way than before.

“Guys, I went to that haunted house ages ago! Oh my god, that coffin was terrifying. I didn’t dare lift the lid; my boyfriend did, and now he’s been having nightmares for days. We’re planning to visit a temple tomorrow!”

“I’ve been having nightmares too! Ever since I came back, I’ve been having nightmares, crying from fear, and haven’t dared to sleep at night! Mommy, save me!”

“Is it really that spooky? It’s just a haunted house; you’re exaggerating!”

“No, it’s definitely not just any haunted house. The Yin Energy inside is intense! To be honest, I didn’t dare approach the coffin; it felt like there was a real ghost inside, very scary.”

“I felt the same way; the Yin Energy was heavy. If I had the money, I’d hire a Taoist to exorcise the place!”

“…”

“…”

The chat was filled with people sharing their haunted house experiences, all sounding terrified.

Then, a comment suddenly suggested, “Since the haunted house is so scary, why don’t we challenge Little Coward Ma to go for a third time?”

Little Coward Ma, who was secretly watching the comments: “…”

Going back was impossible, not in this lifetime.

…

Ma Ao pretended not to see those comments, ruthlessly shutting down the livestream. To be honest, thinking about those two haunted house experiences still scared him. He felt like there were six eyes watching him at night, so he still didn’t dare turn off the lights to sleep or walk alone at night…

But could he admit this? Of course not.

He was about to wash up and sleep when his agent called, saying there was a variety show invitation.

Ma Ao knew his own worth. Even though “Little Coward Ma” had gained some fans after flipping two cars, he was far from being invited to a variety show, especially one as popular as this, with top hosts and guests. It didn’t make sense for them to invite him.

So he asked, “Why would they invite me?”

“Because this episode’s theme is amusement parks, and the haunted house has been particularly popular lately. You went to the haunted house at the Amusement Park in City A recently, right? The recording location is at the Amusement Park in City A, and the show reached out to invite you. I accepted the invitation for you, so get ready.”

Ma Ao: “…”

“Don’t want to go?”

“I’ll go!”

Of course, he’d go. Such a great opportunity to gain popularity couldn’t be missed.