Psycho. Ghosts? Whatever. - Chapter 26 - A Movie Ticket with Free Snacks?

“…”

Teacher Zhao was momentarily speechless. Was this really what he meant by “progress”?

But since it was a policy from above, she had no authority to stop him. She could only sigh and say, “Alright, just be careful out there.”

Bai Yuan nodded, clutching the flyer as he strode out of the classroom without a hint of hesitation.

The rest of the class watched his departing figure with mixed emotions-some envious, some indifferent, and others regretful.

This step forward marked a turning point in Bai Yuan’s life, setting him on a path completely different from that of ordinary people.

…

Before long, Bai Yuan arrived at the first-floor office of the Ghost Spirit Class.

“Huh? So many people?”

He paused, surprised to see a line of about ten people waiting outside the office. It seemed there were quite a few who were both bold and forward-thinking.

With the rise of supernatural incidents, gaining some experience now would greatly enhance their survival skills. After all, while the Intelligence Class was risky, all missions were accompanied by professionals, making it relatively safe. Missing this opportunity now would mean facing Evil Ghosts alone in the future-a truly life-threatening scenario.

Before long, it was Bai Yuan’s turn to step forward.

“Well, well, I knew you’d show up,” Wang Li said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Bai Yuan. His impression of the young man was clearly quite strong.

“Teacher Wang,” Bai Yuan greeted with a slight smile, acknowledging the man who essentially oversaw the entire school.

“The Intelligence Class is a good fit for you,” Wang Li said with a nod, already aware of Bai Yuan’s remarkable composure under pressure.

“All I need to do is fill out this form, right?” Bai Yuan asked, glancing at the form in his hand, which required basic personal information.

“Not quite,” Wang Li replied, shaking his head. “This is just the application form. To join the Intelligence Class, you’ll need to pass an assessment.”

“An assessment? When?” Bai Yuan asked as he began filling out the form.

“Saturday,” Wang Li replied. “We’ll notify you of the exact location beforehand.”

“Got it.”

Bai Yuan quickly completed the form and handed it in, turning to leave.

“You’re not even going to ask about the specifics of the Intelligence Class?” Wang Li called after him.

“No need,” Bai Yuan replied with a grin before striding out of the office.

“Maybe he really will make a name for himself someday…” Wang Li murmured, shaking his head as he made a mental note to keep an eye on Bai Yuan.

…

Saturday arrived in the blink of an eye.

In the middle of class, Bai Yuan was suddenly called out and told to report to the front of the school building immediately. Under the curious gazes of his classmates, he left the room with confident strides.

By the time he reached the front of the building, a crowd of about two to three hundred people had already gathered, creating an impressive scene.

The Intelligence Class was open to individuals aged fifteen to thirty, meaning it wasn’t just students but also members of the general public who had come to participate. And this was only the first wave of candidates; there would be several more rounds to follow. Moreover, this was just the Intelligence Class for Ping’an City No. 5 High School-other schools in the city had also established their own classes.

Given the city’s population, even if only a fraction of a percent chose to participate, the numbers were still significant.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down!”

At this moment, Wang Li stepped to the front of the crowd, his commanding presence instantly silencing the chatter.

“The assessment task is actually quite simple,” he announced. “All you need to do is watch a movie.”

As soon as he said this, many people visibly relaxed, some even breaking into smiles, convinced that passing the test would be a breeze.

Seeing their reactions, Wang Li merely chuckled to himself, offering no further explanation.

Soon, nearly three hundred people boarded buses and departed from Ping’an City No. 5 High School, heading toward the Ocean Cinema located in the city center.

“Are we watching a horror movie?” Bai Yuan thought to himself as he sat on the bus, his eyes reflecting a contemplative look.

If the goal was to test their courage, it was almost certainly going to be a horror movie. It wouldn’t make sense to show something like anime, after all.

However, he doubted it would be that straightforward. A single horror movie wouldn’t be enough to weed out many people, nor would it truly serve the purpose of an assessment.

Before long, the group disembarked and gathered at the entrance of Ocean Cinema. The usually bustling theater was eerily empty, clearly cleared out in advance for the assessment.

Standing at the entrance, Wang Li addressed the crowd, “Each of you will need to wear a heart rate monitor. If you experience a startled reaction, the monitor will record it.”

Immediately, murmurs of complaint rippled through the crowd. Did they really have to go this far?

It was clear now that the assessment wouldn’t be as simple as they had initially thought. Fear was fear-while facial expressions could be controlled, the body’s physiological responses could not be faked.

To add to the tension, everyone was handed a pair of 3D glasses.

“Seriously? A 3D horror movie? Nobody mentioned that!” someone exclaimed.

“This is my first time watching one. Should be interesting,” another remarked.

“Hope it’s intense enough to get my adrenaline going,” someone else chimed in.

The crowd buzzed with conversation as they accepted the glasses and filed into the cinema’s largest auditorium, which was just big enough to accommodate everyone.

Inside, some people continued speculating about the movie they were about to watch, while others took deep breaths, trying to steady themselves. After all, anyone who dared to sign up for this assessment likely believed their courage far exceeded that of the average person.

Soon, the eerie strains of a sinister background score filled the room, signaling the start of the movie.

The screen, initially pitch black, suddenly lit up with the pale face of a woman staring directly at the audience. Her haunting gaze seemed to pierce through each individual, thanks to the immersive effect of the 3D glasses.

The venomous expression on her face struck a chord of primal fear in many hearts.

In mere seconds, the sound of heart rate monitors beeping echoed throughout the auditorium. According to the rules, if a monitor beeped three times, the wearer would be disqualified.

“Come on, that was way too sudden! Who could handle that?” someone muttered under their breath, clearly frustrated.

It was hard to blame them-anyone would have a racing heartbeat after that kind of shock.

Meanwhile, sitting in the back row, Bai Yuan remained composed, watching the movie with a calm and intrigued demeanor.

Fear, gore, and shock-none of these fazed him anymore. This was the confidence his condition had instilled in him.

The movie’s plot was simple, revolving around a woman living in a remote mountain village who was brutally dismembered. Fueled by overwhelming resentment, she returned to exact her revenge-a classic trope in horror films.

The horror segments of the film were crafted with meticulous precision. Combined with the eerie background music, they easily stirred up primal fears in the audience.

“Kind of boring…”

Bai Yuan yawned, his eyelids growing heavy with drowsiness.

What others found spine-chilling felt more like watching a cartoon to him.

“Hmm?”

Just as he was teetering on the edge of boredom, Bai Yuan’s expression suddenly shifted. His peripheral vision darted around the dimly lit theater.

A faint warmth spread across his chest-a sensation he recognized all too well.

It meant only one thing: a ghost had entered the cinema.

At that moment, a chilling wave of coldness swept through the air, brushing against him. Bai Yuan instantly identified the entity’s type.

It was none other than the Weak Ghost from that day.

“Wow, a movie screening that comes with complimentary snacks? How thoughtful.”

Bai Yuan licked his lips, showing no intention of leaving. On the contrary, he was itching for action.

If you’re weaker than me, then prepare yourself for a heavy dose of justice.

Meanwhile, outside the theater, Wang Li stood calmly, waiting for the assessment to conclude.

“Instructor Wang, don’t you think we’re being a bit too harsh? They’re just regular people, after all.”

A man approached Wang Li, his gaze flickering nervously toward the theater doors. Concern was evident in his eyes.

Who would have guessed that a test of courage would involve releasing an actual ghost into the mix?

“What’s there to worry about?”

Wang Li shook his head dismissively. “It’s just a mere Yin Ghost. It doesn’t even qualify as an Evil Ghost. Nothing serious will happen.”

“I’m just worried someone might get scared to the point of… well, something going wrong.”

“If they’re that timid, why bother joining the Intelligence Class in the first place?” Wang Li waved his hand, brushing off the concern. “Relax. If anything happens, I’ll report it.”

The high dropout rate in the Ghost Spirit Class had made Wang Li increasingly focused on psychological resilience.

Having an Accompanying Ghostly Entity was one thing, but lacking the courage to face danger head-on? Training such individuals would only waste resources.

What Wang Li didn’t realize, however, was that someone in that theater wasn’t scared at all.

In fact, they were sizing up the ghost-not as a threat, but as prey… or perhaps, a snack.