Chapter 1501: Chapter 910: Calamity’s Source
Behind a hidden newsstand in the plaza outside the Rongjin Building, a gaze was firmly locked onto a patch of open ground near the building.
At this moment, Zhang Jianjun’s heart was pounding wildly; there lay a corpse.
Just half a minute ago, someone fell from a high floor of the building, finally landing on that open ground with a muffled "thud".
From the sound alone, it was clear they were beyond saving, and the person had fallen while screaming all the way down. It was Shu Shuang, no doubt, he could recognize the voice.
Even though he didn’t see the ghost that killed Shu Shuang, from the location and manner of Shu Shuang’s gruesome death, it was clear it was the same entity that killed Wu Zhuo.
Zhang Jianjun swallowed quietly, comforting himself that Shu Shuang’s death was no big deal as long as Chu Xi and Jiang Qingluan’s group was safe.
Even if both Shu Shuang and Liu Yang died, it wouldn’t matter; after all, this was basically their last night. If they failed again during the day and lost another person, they wouldn’t even have enough people to keep watch tomorrow night.
Zhang Jianjun was hiding alone in the plaza, with no Zhou Hai by his side, which was part of his plan.
He had sent Zhou Hai away in advance; Zhou Hai went home to sleep while he took a detour back here, waiting silently until now.
Though he couldn’t compare to Chu Xi and Zhou Mingxiao, he wasn’t a simpleton either. He had guessed that tonight was crucial; perhaps... perhaps he could find the key clue and directly end the task.
The idea that escaping the fierce ghost’s pursuit during the day could end the task was merely their speculation and not necessarily accurate. Perhaps the real key to success lay at night.
He couldn’t take the gamble. If he went home to sleep tonight and Chu Xi’s group completed the task, by the time he sensed the exit and rushed over from home, it would be too late.
Thinking about it, if the task ended and he didn’t escape during the window when the exit appeared, how wronged would he be? He estimated he couldn’t die in peace.
This wasn’t alarmist talk; he once experienced a task where a teammate got shot. While at a clinic to stop the bleeding, the doctor secretly called the police, and the person was taken away by the arriving officers.
Unfortunately, by the time the task ended, the person wasn’t released, missing the window to escape, thus being trapped in that world forever.
In the Nightmare World, any unexpected event could happen. He even heard from an old player about another poor soul who got hit by a car during the final stage. The driver was drunk and fled the scene, terrified after the accident.
The one who got hit was reputed to be quite formidable, almost single-handedly leading his teammates to clear the task. Originally set to claim the task reward, he met an unclear death.
In fact, he wasn’t killed instantly in the accident. If a teammate had helped carry him, his life could have been saved, but the bad luck was that this guy was too outstanding. With him securing the reward, others got scheming. Without him, everyone had a chance at the reward.
So, everyone pretended not to see and ran off, leaving that brother to lie on the roadside, bleeding and dying.
Unlike some aggressive players, Zhang Jianjun is a conservative. He doesn’t care for rewards; survival is enough. He generally avoids conflict, rarely making enemies, thus increasing his chances of survival.
Moreover, he doesn’t shirk responsibility. When it’s time to act or give effort, he steps up. Leaving a good impression on teammates is crucial; even in trouble, they might help out.
Thus, among all the players this time, Zhang Jianjun has good rapport. Yang Xiao, Jiang Qingluan, and others were also willing to entrust him with some rather important tasks.
According to Zhang Jianjun’s understanding of this task, the night’s danger was confined to inside the Rongjin Building, giving him the confidence to appear here.
However, to say it’s foolproof is unrealistic. This is a gamble. If you’re willing to bet, don’t be timid.
He didn’t bring Zhou Hai because he worried the newcomer might cause trouble.
Not long ago, he witnessed Shu Shuang falling from the building, crashing to the ground not far from him, a harrowing scene.
"Fortunately, I kept a keen eye and found a place far from the building to hide," Zhang Jianjun rejoiced silently, slightly swayed from the idea of returning home.
He still had a phone in hand, capable of contacting Chu Xi and the others at any time. But unless it was an emergency, he wouldn’t call. Interrupting now was akin to suicide. He wasn’t that foolish.
The night wind was chilly, almost penetrating his coat. Zhang Jianjun turned up his collar and wrapped himself tighter against the cold. He didn’t know how long he had to keep watch here.
However, for now, his situation seemed safe. There hadn’t been reports of nighttime ghosts leaving Rongjin Building to kill.
He moved his body slightly in the cold wind. The day-to-night temperature difference here was large; staying motionless for long would freeze him stiff.
Meanwhile, his gaze slowly scanned the surroundings like a radar. There’s no absolutely safe place in a task; he needed to be cautious.
After surveying a circle, he found nothing unusual. Perhaps due to the terrifying rumors, the vicinity of the Rongjin Building during the night was eerily quiet. Not a person or even a ghost shadow in sight, unnervingly silent.
