Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Entering the Mountain I

The arrival of the seventh earthquake completely ignited the passion of over ten thousand examinees coming to Fengdu.

The thunderclouds in the sky hadn’t dissipated, and the aftershocks on the ground hadn’t calmed down, yet the sounds of screams and cheers erupted from the hotel buildings.

The youth doesn't know the taste of sorrow, they dream of reaching greater heights.

The sense of crisis and urgency before the exam was shattered by the earthquake, which instead became the fire of passion and ambition burning in the hearts of the young.

It was clear that this seventh earthquake wasn’t caused by natural triggers such as tectonic shifts or ground fractures, but was artificially triggered by the organizers—when this view was raised in the meeting room, the whole room was in an uproar.

Jin Dingding, who was mingling in the crowd and had been taking photos at the Spirit-Sealing Academy exam mobilization meeting, heard this and muttered, "Damn."

The students of the Spirit-Sealing Academy were really like bald men who weren’t afraid of thick hair; they dared to say anything.

Guo Tianyang, who raised the point, was still loudly arguing his case. Jin Dingding half-listened, his attention divided, while his phone buzzed with a message from the new president of the Journalism Department, Zhang Anyang:

【@Zhang Anyang: Ding Ge, have you finished gathering the basic materials? I’ve got the BBS for the top-tier universities ready to go live.】

【@Jin Dingding: Go live with your mom! There was just an earthquake!】

【@Zhang Anyang: Damn! Is that real? The Spirit-Sealing Academy exam could trigger an earthquake? Alright, alright, sounds like a perfect topic for a live broadcast!】

【@Jin Dingding: Dead fish eyes.jpg】

【@Jin Dingding: How are you agreeing with Spirit-Sealing’s Guo Tianyang? He’s up front right now, saying that this earthquake was man-made—well, not necessarily man-made, but definitely not triggered by natural factors. If it’s the Underworld’s handiwork, then technically, it can’t be considered man-made.】

【@Zhang Anyang: About last semester's incident with the Medical School, we at the Journalism Department have seen the Ghost Slayer’s abilities, emmm, if you say the earthquake wasn’t naturally triggered, I believe you.】

Jin Dingding: "..."

Last semester’s Medical School? What happened?

He thought about asking but decided it wasn’t his concern, so he changed the subject:

【@Jin Dingding: Yang Ge, is the BBS live stream of the Ghost Slayer exam reliable? The signal in Fengdu Ghost City is so bad. Also, how are you planning to broadcast it, just talking? Or are you adding images or videos? If it's video, where are you going to get the footage from?】

【@Zhang Anyang: Of course, it’s reliable.】

【@Zhang Anyang: If you don’t believe me, ask Chen Xiu. He definitely knows about this, they did it three years ago, although the scale wasn’t that big. It’s also good for the Spirit-Sealing Academy, expanding its influence. Isn’t it embarrassing that a major so great doesn’t get recognition once you leave the school?】

【@Jin Dingding: So, where’s our school going to live stream it from? I’ll send you the materials.】【@Zhang Anyang: School BBS, other schools are also on their own school BBS, with a public chain entry, easy to find.】

【@Zhang Anyang: As for the video issue, I’ve already contacted the Ghost Slayer Association. Their main surveillance of the exam site is through the CCTV system in Fengdu Ghost City scenic area. The camera density is very high, so no worries.】

Jin Dingding: "…"

Is the video quality A/V quality?

【@Jin Dingding: Have you watched Paranormal Activity too many times? Are we doing handheld shaky cam here?】

【@Zhang Anyang: No choice, like you said, the signal’s too bad and will cut out at any time. Only the CCTV system is somewhat reliable.】

The chat paused.

Jin Dingding, as agreed, opened the school BBS site and uploaded the day’s exciting photos. Meanwhile, Guo Tianyang was at the front, slamming the table in a heated argument, taking the upper hand:

“Junior also said it! The Yin-Yang energy above Fengdu Ghost City has been calm these past few days!”

“We can’t let things go down like this, what are we going to do tomorrow when we enter? Drink the northwest wind?”

“This earthquake was man-made! Once the earth cracked, the Yin winds came out! If you don’t believe me, who’s brave enough to go take a walk in Ghost City right now, surrounded by big shots!”

Guo Tianyang was getting worked up, saying whatever came to his mind, and the seniors arguing back couldn’t help but laugh at him:

“What big shots?”

“Are we arguing? Who has time to go measure the ghost density for you now!”

Jin Dingding: "…"

Jin Dingding silently observed the room full of big shots, then quietly opened the public chain on the BBS, surprised to find that the number of online users was nearly ten thousand.

The students weren’t very eager to speak up, and many of the messages were from the lower years of the various Spirit-Sealing Academies.

The mobilization meeting was originally supposed to end at 9:30, but the sudden earthquake interrupted it, and after a loud barrage of opinions, the discussion continued until 11:00.

It was still Chen Xiu, covering his ears from the noise, frowning as he ordered the students to go back and sleep.

“Tomorrow’s exam is at noon!”

“It will last until the morning of the day after tomorrow! Get back to your rooms and sleep now!”The chairman erupted.

At the entrance of the meeting room, Su Hui was waiting for Chen Xiu. The Ghost Slayer Association required the chairpersons of each school to go and collect communication devices, which would be distributed to the students entering the exam tomorrow.

The students quickly dispersed, and Su Hui noticed Chen Xiu frowning and rubbing his temple. "What’s wrong, haven’t been resting well these past few days?"

Chen Xiu didn’t hold back, and both he and the female chairperson walked out of the hotel toward the organizer’s accommodation area. "Indeed, I haven’t rested well. Too much to handle, and there were unexpected complications."

Su Hui lightly laughed.

"Hard work, Xiu-ge."

"Spirit-Sealing Academy students are hard to manage."

Chen Xiu: "…"

Chen Xiu: "I don’t like hearing that."

Su Hui spoke softly, yet with a hidden sharpness: "The children of the Fengling family in Jin University are twice as many as our Imperial University’s, where would we find students from commoner backgrounds who are easier to manage?"

Chen Xiu shrugged, not intending to discuss this issue with Su Hui.

Su Hui: "Any thoughts on this earthquake?"

Chen Xiu, with a solemn expression: "No thoughts."

Su Hui laughed again, "Don’t you think the Ghost City just on the other side of the wall is full of wronged souls?"

Chen Xiu, unbothered, was determined not to fall for Su Hui’s charms: "What’s there to fear? Anyway, the communication device for entering the exam has a life-saving talisman. When the time comes, once the talisman net activates, survival won’t be a problem. Also, the Ghost Slayer Association will have patrollers. We just need to kill ghosts when we see them."

Su Hui started teasing again: "Yes, the ‘life-saving talisman’ also contains the Eight God Spell for sealing spirits. How impressive."

Chen Xiu: "…"

What exactly is this girl trying to do?

Is the Eight God Spell inside the life-saving talisman the one she’s referring to?

How would I know?

Chen Xiu wasn’t good at dealing with women like Su Hui, who were gentle on the surface but had deep thoughts. "Hui-jie, just say what you mean."

"I’ve had enough of your Imperial University’s mental games. My Spirit-Sealing Academy has enough rough men to handle it."Su Hui leaned closer to him. "I’m younger than you."

"Then has my mental game strategy worked on you, Chen Xiu?"

Chen Xiu, with a deadpan expression: "No, thank you."

"Speak properly."

The three girls from Room 405 were discussing the earthquake as they walked back to the guesthouse, occasionally adding their thoughts on Chen Xiu personally.

"Does the chairman not have a girlfriend?" Bai Shizhang pondered.

"It seems not. I saw on the Double First-Class forum, many senior girls from top ten universities like Chen Xiu," An Xueru said.

"Wow, that's so cool," Mingyue responded, while previewing the large PDF file Chen Xiu had shared in the group. As she read, she sighed. Reaching the door, she casually clicked to download the file and pulled out her room card to enter.

That night, students from all schools slept poorly.

At 12:30 AM, Chen Xiu and the class monitors from four different grades knocked on each student’s door to deliver communication devices. They explained the life-saving talisman and the messaging network, warning that the network would only work within a ten-meter radius without mutual code scanning, and cautioned them about the network being cut off at midnight. Afterward, they finally returned to their dorms to rest.

"Truly not easy," Bai Linlang said, closing the door after sending off Chen Xiu and the others. "I bet the chairman and the others won’t sleep tonight."

"They’ll have to stay up for two days in a row. Sigh, it’s tough," Mingyue replied, sprawled on the bed drying her hair.

"Yeah, it’s exhausting. This morning, I noticed Chen Xiu had heavy dark circles under his eyes," Mingyue said.

"How confident must he be to manage all this? Staying up late drains your energy," An Xueru remarked, looking at recent exam papers.

"It’s not about confidence," she continued. "He’s the chairman; he has a lot of responsibility to bear."

Bai Linlang pressed her hand on the light switch, urging, "Alright, alright, put your phones down, stop looking at books, and go to sleep."

"The exam starts at twelve tomorrow. What time are we waking up?"

Mingyue: "Eight hours of sleep!"

"Goodnight, room leader!""Goodnight, An Pang!"

The next day at 10 AM, Mingyue and the two others arrived on time at the outer edge of the Fengdu Ghost City scenic area, near the Imperial University.

The Fengdu original ecology scenic area was surrounded by green trees, their canopies thick enough to block out the sky. The shade provided a refreshing coolness, offering a respite from the scorching summer heat.

Outside the scenic area, a large LED screen displayed exam instructions. The brief content included an introduction to the geography of Fengdu Ghost City, a live update on yesterday’s earthquake, and information about the current density of Yin Qi nodes. Near the large tree at the entrance, there were indistinct figures patrolling.

The concerned Bai Shizhang diligently took photos of the screen, one after another.

The entrance to the scenic area was wide and spacious. The exam candidates were being checked in using regular mortal ticket scanners. Mingyue looked at the black screen communication device on her wrist, then at the ticket scanners some distance away, feeling a sense of shock at how straightforward everything was.

The organizers really spared no effort to simplify things.

Earlier, the pictures of Fengdu Ghost City found online were mostly fragmented or isolated shots, focusing more on statues, temples, or bridges, with very few panoramic views. This was partly because Fengdu Ghost City’s fame had not fully spread yet.

The government didn't particularly endorse ghosts or deities, and Yuzhou didn’t heavily promote the city either, at most mentioning that it was an ancient city with a history of over a thousand years.

More and more candidates arrived, of all ages. They huddled together in the hot weather, all dressed in light clothing. Many had scars on their arms and legs, clearly being from past years or insiders.

"Look, Yin burn marks," Mingyue whispered, pointing at a man’s calf as he walked by.

An Xueru shushed her, "Hidden dragons and crouching tigers."

"Look at his build, he could probably take down three of you."

Mingyue: "…"

Mingyue smacked her roommate in annoyance.

"What are you babbling about?" Bai Linlang walked over, raising her phone. "I sent you both the pictures I just took, remember to check—wait, what? No signal?!"

Mingyue paused, quickly pulling out her phone to check.

Sure enough, there was no signal at all.

An Xueru reminded her, "It’s exam day today, they might have cut off the network in advance."

Mingyue nodded, but something felt off, like she had forgotten something important.There was no choice, so the two girls had to take their own photos.

Nearby, some students were laughing at them:

"The network’s already cut off, what's the point of bringing a phone?"

"Didn’t the exam say no electronic devices?"

"Are you dumb?"

Mingyue retorted without hesitation: "Didn’t you see what’s written on the screen? The exam ends at 3 PM tomorrow, are you not bringing a flashlight tonight?"

"Also, student, did you fail so badly in your last exam that you missed the part on the exam instructions where it says 'no electronic devices allowed'?"

The student was stunned, muttering: "Well, it doesn’t matter, there’s no signal anyway, what’s the point?" After saying that, he turned and walked away.

Mingyue made a face.

The three girls walked toward the entrance, wanting to take a closer look at the "ticket scanner."

"By the way, is there only this one entrance to Fengdu?"

"That’s not right. Didn’t they say the exam was based on individual assessments? Shouldn’t it be completely scattered?" Mingyue remarked.

There was nothing unusual about the ticket scanner. A dense barrier of Yin Qi, like a gray liquid, blocked the scanner behind it, making it impossible to observe. Mingyue tentatively touched it with a talisman, and in an instant, the yellow paper turned black and rotted away.

"Such dense Yin Qi, I almost want to rub my left eye against it and absorb some of it," Mingyue joked.

It was just past 11:00.

Nearly all of the candidates had arrived. Over ten thousand candidates filled up the parking lot in front of the scenic area.

The three girls squatted in the shade by the ticket scanners, cooling off while watching the crowd flow by. From time to time, someone would greet them.

Suddenly, a shout rang out from the crowd:

"The exam numbers are out!"

"Everyone, check your communication devices!"As the words fell, the crowd in the square simultaneously lowered their heads.

Mingyue almost choked on the water, looking down at her communication device:

[Entrance 033, Exam Number 0104001]

Mingyue: "……"

She stood up and looked at the ticket scanner, and sure enough, a string of entrance numbers appeared on the scanning screen.

Bai Linlang: "I entered through this gate."

An Xueru nodded: "Me too."

Mingyue: "……"

Mingyue was stunned: "I didn’t."

"Where’s Gate 33?"

Bai Linlang reminded: "Quick, look at the photos you just took, they have the exam room arrangements!"

Mingyue flipped through her phone and saw the simple diagram of the exam arrangements. It showed that Entrance 33 was on the left side of the scenic area... next to a mountain.

Mingyue: "???"

Mingyue: "Damn, is the exam venue random?"

Her two roommates urged: "Hurry up!"

"Less than an hour left! Fengdu Scenic Area is over twenty kilometers in diameter!"

"You don't know how long you'll need to walk around!"

Mingyue had no choice but to bid farewell to her two roommates.

The crowd in the square began to split. Many people, like Mingyue, cursed the exam arrangements and helplessly ran back and forth. The vast space and the rushing crowd split and merged like a floodgate opening, converging near the ghost city, which was tightly covered by black clouds.

Time ticked by.

Mingyue ran along the left side of the ghost city, recalling the Fengdu data file she had posted in the group last night.

Along the way, the crowd gradually dispersed, and behind Gate 30, only a few people remained.Mingyue felt a little anxious.

As she moved forward, she could vaguely see the terrain of the ghost city behind the wall growing higher. The outlines of buildings protruded and then receded in turn. Occasionally, she saw a green snake lying on a treetop.

Gate 33 was just ahead.

It was a dark, narrow stone cave carved into the mountain. There was a worn-out ticket scanner stuck at the entrance. Behind a white brick wall stood the majestic mountain silhouette, with lush green vegetation covering the mountain.

The surroundings were empty.

Mingyue: "……"

Mingyue took a few steps back, looking around.

Great, I’m the only one here.

And the surrounding sounds of cicadas and frogs.

She checked her watch.

Five more minutes until 12.

Mingyue decided to take another look at the group’s files in these ten minutes. Thankfully, she had listened to Senior Chen Xiu’s advice yesterday and downloaded them in advance. Otherwise, with the network down, she’d be in real trouble—damn!

Why hadn’t the download finished!!!

Mingyue widened her eyes as she stared at the download progress. It clearly showed that the download was at 64%, with a deadline of 01:59 this morning.

Mingyue: "……"

Mingyue: "！！！！"

Groundhog scream.jpg!!!

Why is the file so big!

Why did the network cut off in the middle of the night!

Why is the internet speed so unstable ahhhhh!!!

No one was around, only the sound of frogs mocking her carelessness. Mingyue scratched her head in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. The remaining few minutes were not enough to go back—She looked at the gate 33 in front of her with a bitter expression, feeling like a hopeless little dog, pinned on the chopping board by the Fengdu Ghost City, having its neck sharpened with a knife.

As soon as it hit 12 o'clock, the old, broken ticket scanner in front of gate 33 let out a beep. Mingyue maintained a stiff expression, raised her left wrist, and for the last time, recalled the items in her backpack.

Trident, talisman papers, cinnabar, ropes, and other basic tools, as well as… a full dose of yang energy with "human blood pudding."

Ok, it's time to enter.

Mingyue encouraged herself in her heart, swiping her communicator across the ticket scanner screen. A line of text appeared:

"[Candidate 0104001, Fengdu Ghost City welcomes you]"

Soon after, the gate opened, and Mingyue pushed the iron bar, stepping into the stone cave.

The mountain carried an eerie chill, as if endless darkness covered Mingyue’s slender figure.

As they say, when the gate of Fengdu opens, it releases a hundred thousand evil spirits.

Guo Tianyang's bold judgment was correct.

This seventh earthquake was indeed a temporary measure orchestrated to coincide with the exam the next day. Inside the ghost city, the land cracked, and the small mountains misaligned, resembling a minor tectonic shift. A night of heavy rain fell from the sky, settling the dust and creating a restless atmosphere.

This is an exam.

Of course, this is a "simple" exam.