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Thank you for reading! Please enjoy this chapter at your own pace, like petals opening in the sun.

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Looking at the young man holding a lantern and standing guard at the door like a guide, Zhao Dawei mustered his courage and entered Liwan Apartment.

As soon as he stepped inside, a gust of cold wind carrying a decaying smell hit him, and the temperature instantly dropped several degrees.

Although it was noon, the building was unusually dark. The only source of light was the kerosene lamp in the young man’s hand.

Zhao Dawei followed closely behind Zhou Fangdong, cautiously observing the legendary haunted building by the dim glow.

To the left of the entrance were what used to be residents’ mailboxes. From the apartment numbers, it was clear the building had eighteen floors, with nine households on each floor.

Further in was the entrance hall. The ceiling was extremely high, with a giant crystal chandelier hanging above. Because it had not been maintained for many years, the rhinestones were completely covered in cobwebs and dust, and the chains were corroded with rust.

Just as they passed beneath it, the chandelier suddenly moved without any wind. The rusty chains emitted a sickening metallic scrape.

Zhao Dawei instinctively shrank back and quickened his pace, afraid the chandelier might fall at any moment.

Directly opposite the entrance were two elevators, their indicator lights dark, clearly long out of service.

Two pitch-black corridors stretched out on either side of the elevators. Zhou Fangdong led Zhao Dawei toward the right-hand corridor.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Zhao Dawei felt that the farther they went, the dimmer the kerosene lamp seemed to grow.

The surrounding darkness felt alive, relentlessly devouring the faint light.

As the light weakened, his vision dulled, but his hearing became unnervingly sharp.

From the darkness came faint rustling sounds, like something feeding. Zhao Dawei felt as though he were a lamb walking willingly into a monster’s jaws.

His unease intensified.

Watching the young man ahead of him, Zhao Dawei belatedly realized something.

From the moment he entered the apartment until now, the young man had not spoken a single word.