Chen Ge's heart raced as Xiao Wan's urgent words echoed in his mind. "Surrender? What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped into the phone, leaning out the breakroom window to scan the growing crowd outside the Haunted House. Reporters, park staff, and police swarmed the entrance, their murmurs rising like a tide. "I haven't done anything! Hold on, I'm coming down!"
"Boss, just—be careful!" Xiao Wan pleaded. "This looks serious."
"Surrender my ass," Chen Ge muttered, hanging up. He threw on his clothes, splashed water on his face to shake off the lingering chill in his eyes, and bolted for the door. Yanking back the heavy curtains, he burst through the Haunted House gates, the morning sun harsh against his sleepless haze.
The crowd hushed as Chen Ge emerged, their eyes raking over him—some curious, others disappointed, as if expecting a grizzled criminal instead of a disheveled twenty-something. The weight of their stares made him shrink, but he squared his shoulders, forcing his voice steady. "Can someone explain what's going on?"
"You're Chen Ge?" A stocky officer stepped forward, cradling a polished wooden box. His round face contrasted with sharp, piercing eyes that seemed to dissect Chen Ge in an instant. The uniform was different from Inspector Lee's—crisper, more formal, suggesting a higher rank.
"Yeah, that's me," Chen Ge replied, wary.
"ID, please," the officer said, his tone clipped but polite.
Chen Ge fumbled through his pockets, producing his identification card after a moment. As he handed it over, he studied the officer—Captain Yan, he'd later learn—whose presence commanded attention despite his unassuming build.
"Thank you," Captain Yan said, returning the ID with a smile. He gestured to the reporters, opened the box, and raised his voice with official gravitas. "For providing critical evidence in the Ping An Apartments murder case, the Jiujiang Municipal Bureau for Public Security awards Chen Ge the Level Three Public Security Medal of Honor! We hope he will cherish this recognition and continue contributing to our city's safety."
The announcement hit Chen Ge like a freight train, his sleep-deprived brain struggling to keep up. A medal? He stared at the gleaming award as it was pressed into his hands, his first coherent thought cutting through the fog: Where's the cash? The crowd applauded, cameras flashing, but Chen Ge stood frozen, the box heavy in his grip.
Captain Yan guided him toward the reporters, a fifteen-minute whirlwind of photos and questions that left Chen Ge dazed. When the crowd finally dispersed, he cornered Yan by the police car, his voice low. "Sir, uh, how do I address you?"
"Captain Yan," the officer replied, his smile warm. "I was classmates with Ol' Lee from Western Jiujiang. He's told me plenty about you, Xiao Chen. Your handling of the Ping An case—your quick thinking while being chased by that killer—impressed us both."
Chen Ge flushed, caught off guard by the praise. "I just ran like hell through the woods. You guys did the real work. I'd be dead without the police."
Yan chuckled, but his eyes narrowed, catching Chen Ge's lingering presence. "Something else on your mind?"
Chen Ge hesitated, then blurted, "The reward money—where do I get it?"
Yan laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Head to the main city bureau. The case's scale delayed the approval, but it's ready now. You'll get it."
Relief washed over Chen Ge, his tension easing. "Got it. Thanks."
"I came to thank you in person," Yan continued, his tone softening. "Every unsolved case weighs on us, passed down like a curse. Four years ago, I worked the Ping An case too. You lifted that burden, Xiao Chen." He paused, his sincerity palpable. "Also, the elder from Ping An Apartments wants to meet you. He's bedridden, paralyzed from the waist down, and his speech is limited, but his mind's sharp. He knows you saved him and solved his family's murder. He wants to thank you himself."
Chen Ge nodded, the weight of Yan's words sinking in. For him, the case was a black phone mission, a perilous step toward unlocking the School of the Afterlife. But for the victims' families, it was closure, a chance to heal. "I'll visit him," he said quietly.
As Yan drove off, Chen Ge returned to the Haunted House, the medal box tucked under his arm. The chill in his eyes lingered, a faint reminder of Zhang Ya's spectral mark. Inside, he locked the breakroom door, his mind racing. The Ping An case is done, the mirror monster's gone, and Zhang Peng's in custody. I can reopen all scenarios tomorrow. But the black phone's missions loomed, and Xiao Wan's warning about a new prowler gnawed at him. He checked the phone, its screen dark but heavy with unspoken demands. Zhang Ya's "Yours forever" vow felt like a chain, her earlier touch—both salvation and torment—binding him to a path where every victory came with a price.
Captain Yan's words lingered as he climbed into the police car. "Visit the elder soon, Xiao Chen. He's in the hospital, fading fast. Maybe it's the emotional weight lifting, or maybe solving his family's case was what kept him going. Either way, his time's short."
"I'll head there this afternoon," Chen Ge promised, noting the distinct insignia on Yan's uniform—higher rank, heavier burdens. The car pulled away, leaving Chen Ge in the dissipating crowd at New Century Park's entrance. Park workers swarmed him, their voices a mix of awe and teasing.
"Boss, you're gonna be on TV again?" one grinned, eyeing the medal box.
"Not bad, snagging a medal like that," another chimed in.
Chen Ge brushed them off with a half-smile, his focus shifting as he spotted Uncle Xu among the onlookers. He pulled the older man aside, urgency in his voice. "Uncle Xu, any word on the underground parking lot rental? The reward money's coming soon."
Uncle Xu's face creased with a frown. "It's not about money, Xiao Chen. You're digging your own grave. The park's visitor numbers are tanking—everyone's scrambling to save their jobs, and you're asking for more space?"
"I know what I'm doing," Chen Ge said, his tone firm. The Haunted House wasn't just a business; it was his only link to his missing parents, a gateway to the spectral world the black phone unlocked. Expanding it was non-negotiable.
Uncle Xu sighed, exasperated. "You're stubborn as ever. Fine, come with me. Director Luo's here—police cordoning off the park got his attention. You can pitch to him directly."
"Director Luo's here?" Chen Ge's pulse quickened. His parents had spoken of the park's elusive owner, a figure shrouded in influence, though he'd never met the man.
"What, you thought the police wouldn't notify management?" Uncle Xu said, leading the way. "Luo's been camped out here for days, ensuring we cooperate fully." They headed toward a sleek building on the park's northern edge, second only to the Ferris Wheel in height. In the elevator, Uncle Xu shot Chen Ge a warning glance. "When you meet Director Luo, watch your words. Less is more—don't mess this up."
The elevator opened to the top floor, where they stopped before an office door. It wasn't locked. Uncle Xu knocked, and a man in his fifties emerged. Average in height, his hair was streaked with silver, his features soft but his eyes sharp, betraying a keen mind. His plain suit was immaculate, not a wrinkle in sight, exuding understated authority.
"Xiao Chen, I presume?" Director Luo's voice was calm, almost gentle, but carried a weight that demanded attention. He gestured inside. "Come in. We have much to discuss."