Thriller Zone: From the Mental Hospital to the Ghostly World

8:21.

First floor, lobby.

The elevator technician placed the warning signs, then got up and walked towards the door.

Chen Ji forced down his doubts and rushed forward to stop the elevator operator.

"Excuse me, I'd like to ask a question."

"Didn't you come here yesterday? Why do you need to fix it again?"

The elevator operator paused for a moment, a strange look appearing on his face.

"what are you talking about?"

"You only reported the emergency repair yesterday; this is my first time here."

After saying that, he pushed Chen Ji away, clicked his tongue impatiently, and left through the apartment door.

First time... here?

Who came yesterday?

Moreover, there's no phone number here, so who called for emergency repairs?

unless......

Chen Ji was pushed by the elevator operator and almost fell to the ground, but fortunately Hu Li caught him.

Chen Ji didn't say a word, only a blank look in his eyes.

His mind was racing, a thousand thoughts all pointing to one answer.

They... went back to yesterday.

What can prove this?

calendar?

Clocks?

Chen Ji thought for a moment, but couldn't quite remember what day it was yesterday, only that it was sometime in June 2009.

However, he knew that one of them could provide evidence!

Zhuang Rui.

Yesterday, at Chen Ji's suggestion, Zhuang Rui took several photos in the lobby. Chen Ji remembered that he had taken photos of the clocks in the lobby.

It was an old-fashioned digital watch that displayed the date and time.

He stood up under Hu Li's worried gaze, walked to the bulletin board on the wall, where the digital watch was located.

上面的秒数不断变化，显示此时是2009年6月7号8点22分03秒。

If the time on the digital watch in Zhuang Rui's photo is June 6th, then it proves that the elevator technician is at fault.

if not......

Chen Ji steadied himself and turned to look at the four women.

Fei'er seemed to have guessed something, and a rare look of confusion appeared on her face.

Murong Qing frowned, deep in thought.

Yuanyuan looked flustered; she was still wondering why she had woken up in the bathroom.

Chen Ji patted Hu Li's shoulder beside him and said in a deep voice:

"I have a bad feeling about going to find the other people."

One minute later.

The group found Zhuang Rui, who had just woken up, on the second floor. He was unaware of what had happened.

Zuo Shiming walked down from the third floor by himself. His face was solemn. His experience of entering the domain many times had taught him that this sudden coma was definitely not accidental.

Chen Ji quickly recounted everything that had happened, including the elevator operator appearing at the same time and their conversation.

After saying that, he immediately looked at Zhuang Rui, who was completely bewildered:

"Do you remember what date was on the digital watch when we were filming it yesterday?"

"Let me see......"

Zhuang Rui hurriedly turned on the camera and began to flip through the photos one by one.

His hand jerked violently, and the camera interface stopped scrolling.

There, in the photo, is a close-up of a digital watch.

The time above is...

June 7, 2009, 7 PM.

Zuo Shiming sighed heavily.

"We're stuck on this day."

Chen Ji closed his eyes, his thoughts in turmoil, but a crucial question quickly flashed through his mind:

How many times will we cycle through this?

He immediately said, his brow furrowed, "This question concerns the life and death of everyone!"

If it's an endless loop, how do you break it?

If there is a limit to the number of loops, what will happen if everyone is still not out of Liting Apartment after the loops are used up?

Perhaps after that, they will face...

It will be death.

"I don't know," Murong Qing said, her voice filled with anxiety.

Did you see any time-related prompts yesterday?

Several people shook their heads, but Zuo Shiming pondered and said:

Does the calendar count?

"There were calendars in all three rooms where the murders took place; perhaps they will contain clues."

Chen Ji nodded and said, "That's possible."

"Let's go to room 201 first. I remember their calendar is on the living room wall."

"Row."

Everyone responded, but Yuanyuan, who had remained silent until now, suddenly asked hesitantly:

"Where is Teacher Wu?"

Why hasn't he come down yet?

Her question immediately reminded Chen Ji. He glanced at his watch; it was almost 8:30.

The sounds of their conversation and their footsteps going upstairs were not quiet, so Wu Zhonghai had no reason not to know they were on the second floor.

Besides, more than fifteen minutes have passed; Wu Zhonghai should have woken up by now, no matter what.

Chen Ji's heart sank, and he immediately looked at Zuo Shiming:

"Mr. Zuo, which floor did Teacher Wu go to last night?"

"Fifth floor."

Zuo Shiming answered quickly, and as he spoke, he started walking down the stairs. Like Chen Ji, he had a bad feeling.

Wu Zhonghai, something's happened!

Everyone rushed to the fifth floor, only to find that the fire door in the stairwell was locked.

"Professor Wu!"

"Teacher Wu, open the door!"

Murong Qing raised her voice: "Stop shouting."

"This type of fire door can only be locked with a key; it can't be opened from the inside or the outside."

The group exchanged glances, a chill running through them.

If Wu Zhonghai didn't lock it himself, then who did?

"Give me your hair clip."

Chen Ji spoke to Fei'er in a deep voice. Her pigtails were adorned with many decorations, including several simple black hair clips.

He inserted the thin hairpin into the lock cylinder, turned it a few times, and with a click, the fire door slid open gently.

The group relaxed, and Chen Ji pushed open the door and shouted:

"Professor Wu!"

"us--"

His voice stopped abruptly after he stepped into the elevator.

"coming......"

Chen Ji murmured.

The last two words were drowned out by the sudden scream that rose up behind them.

"what---"

"vomit--"

Two screams and a sound of vomiting rang out simultaneously.

Chen Ji stood there, his hand hanging limply at his sides, and the black hair clip fell to the ground with a "thud".

A few drops of blood splattered.

Inside the elevator lobby, in front of the elevator door on the left.

Math teacher Wu Zhonghai knelt on the ground, his body pressed tightly against the elevator.

His upper body was leaning forward, and crimson blood flowed down his shoulder.

No head.

Wu Zhonghai has been beheaded!

Only half of his bloodied and mangled neck remained, stuck in front of the elevator door...

"How...how..."

Hu Li stammered, taking a few steps back, her panicked face filled with intense disbelief.

This was the first time in her life that she had witnessed death firsthand!

Wu Zhonghai, the oldest among them, takes good care of the younger generation and comforted her a lot yesterday.

He died just like that, and his death was so tragic!

"Who killed him?"

Zuo Shiming closed his eyes and sighed softly, no longer looking at the corpse in front of him.

Ever since Wu Zhonghai encountered the ghost yesterday, he had a vague premonition that something like this would happen.

"That old hag?"

Murong Qing frowned and said, "Wu Zhonghai saw that ghost yesterday and died today. It's hard to say that the two are not related."

Chen Ji took two steps forward, staring intently at Wu Zhonghai's headless corpse, wondering if he had left any clues before he died.

Suddenly, he abruptly raised his head.

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the elevator in front of Wu Zhonghai's body, and their eyes showed intense horror!

"Thump. Thump. Thump."

Three knocks came from the broken elevator on the left.