Psycho. Ghosts? Whatever. - Chapter 12 - Embroidered Shoes

A newly posted thread had quickly gained traction, amassing over ten thousand likes within an hour and climbing to the top of the forum’s hot topics. The intriguing title piqued the interest of everyone in the dormitory.

Even Bai Yuan, who was about to call it a night, found himself drawn to Gao Yi’s side, intrigued by the thread. Unlike the others who were merely curious, Bai Yuan knew there was a possibility that this wasn’t just another fabricated story.

Soon, all eight dorm mates crowded around Gao Yi’s bed, eager to read the post.

“Folks, let me clarify, I’m not just trying to grab attention with a catchy title. What I’m sharing is something I’m currently experiencing, and it’s still haunting me…”

“Come on, tell us more! I’m getting chills already!”

“Spill the beans, I love ghost stories!”

“Hey, I’m the 89th-generation toilet exorcist. If you need help, feel free to reach out.”

“Is it a female ghost haunting you? I’m officially jealous.”

The comments below were filled with humorous remarks, clearly showing that the readers were in a playful mood.

The original poster didn’t respond to the comments but began narrating their experience.

“It’s not a ghost that’s haunting me, but a pair of… embroidered shoes.”

Attached to the post was a photo. The image was slightly blurry, not due to poor resolution, but seemingly because the photographer’s hands were shaking. Despite this, the content was clear enough.

The photo depicted a pair of embroidered shoes placed eerily under a streetlight on an empty midnight street. Although there were no visible ghosts, the shoes exuded a chilling and ominous aura.

“Whoa, are you serious, OP?”

“The more I look at it, the creepier it gets.”

“Damn, the toilet exorcist is outta here. OP, don’t contact me anymore…”

The readers were visibly spooked, with many expressing their fear in the comments.

The original poster continued their story at a leisurely pace:

“This was the scene when I first encountered the embroidered shoes, just two days ago.”

“Last weekend, I was out with my girlfriend until ten at night. Worried for her safety, I made sure she got home first.”

“Being a recent graduate with a modest salary, I opted for the bus to save on transportation costs.”

“Around eleven, I got off the bus and headed towards my apartment complex, a ten-minute walk away.”

“Initially, the walk seemed uneventful, just like any other day. But as I turned a corner, I saw the embroidered shoes under a streetlight.”

“With the street deserted, I felt a twinge of fear. Anyone would be startled seeing something like that at night. I practically sprinted back to my apartment, relieved that nothing seemed amiss. I chalked it up to my imagination.”

“But as I approached the elevator, I froze in terror.”

“The red embroidered shoes were inexplicably placed inside the elevator, toes pointing outward, as if staring at me.”

“I felt a jolt of electricity run through me, my scalp tingling with fear. I abandoned the elevator and dashed up the stairs, finally reaching the safety of my home.”

At this point, Zhou Han and the others exchanged a glance, a shiver of dread passing through them.

“Guys, should we keep reading?”

Zhou Han asked, already feeling the urge to retreat to his bed.

“What are you scared of?”

Gao Yi, known for his bravery and scientific mindset, encouraged the group to continue.

Under his influence, they mustered the courage to read on.

“That night, I had nightmares, all featuring those embroidered shoes.”

“Luckily, nothing happened that night, and I dismissed it as a mere coincidence.”

“I thought the ordeal was over, but tonight, as I opened my apartment door, the embroidered shoes were there on my welcome mat!”

“I panicked and called the police immediately!”

“Thinking someone had broken into my apartment, the police arrived quickly.”

“After their investigation, they found no signs of forced entry, concluding it must have been a skilled burglar. At my request, they took the embroidered shoes away.”

“Terrified, I couldn’t bring myself to stay in my apartment, even with the shoes gone.”

“To be safe, I’ve checked into a nearby hotel for the night.”

Another photo of the hotel accompanied the post.

The thread ended there, with no further updates from the original poster for nearly five hours.

The comments were filled with various reactions from readers.

“That’s it? I was just getting into it.”

“If it’s true, I suggest OP avoid going home for a while. This sounds like a horror movie plot.”

“Whoa, OP, are you from Jin City? I think I’ve been to that hotel.”

Gao Yi refreshed the thread but found no new updates from the original poster, indicating the story had reached its conclusion.

“Thought it was a real supernatural event, but it seems like someone just trying to get attention.”

Gao Yi shook his head and handed the phone to Yu Yong.

“Bai-Ge, what’s your take?”

Zhou Han turned to Bai Yuan, the dorm’s resident expert on mysterious phenomena.

“If what he’s saying is true…”

Bai Yuan replied calmly, “Then he’s definitely dealing with a ghost.”

Such supernatural occurrences were unlikely to be human-made unless someone was playing a very elaborate prank and was skilled in lock-picking.

“Bai-Ge, you believe in this stuff?”

Gao Yi was slightly taken aback. “All that supernatural mumbo jumbo is just nonsense.”

Bai Yuan shrugged, choosing not to argue.

After all, without personal experience, he wouldn’t believe it either.

“It’s updated! He’s updated! Quick, quick, quick!”

Yu Yong exclaimed excitedly, passing the phone back to the group.

Sure enough, the original poster had added a new comment.

“It’s still here, it’s still haunting me!!! I’m going crazy!!”

“Just now, I got up to use the bathroom, but as soon as I put on my shoes, they felt wrong. I turned on the light and saw the embroidered shoes on my feet!!”

“I’ve called the police again. They’ll be here soon, they’ll be here soon.”

There were no further updates from the original poster after this.

Zhou Han and the others exchanged fearful glances, feeling the temperature in the dorm drop several degrees.

“Damn, could this be real…”

Someone swallowed hard, sensing the story might not be fabricated.

“Don’t even think about it, it’s obviously fake.”

Gao Yi dismissed the notion. “Come on, what era are we in? How can educated people still believe this stuff?”

“Gao-Ge, aren’t you scared?”

“What is there to be scared of?”

Gao Yi scoffed, “Besides, if you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t have to fear ghosts knocking at your door!”

“By the way, Bai-Ge, it’s a bit chilly tonight. Your blanket looks thin. Mind if I squeeze in with you?”

With that, he wrapped an arm around Bai Yuan’s shoulder…