Chapter 144: Substitute
The final half hour was exceptionally hard to endure, time seemed to be slowed down, even though no accidents had occurred temporarily, it still made people feel restless.
They were at the position closest to the platform, due to some restriction, they couldn’t directly reach the place to get off, always needing to keep a distance.
The sky was like a curtain hanging overhead, blocking the stars and moon, not spilling any light, the city that should have shone at night also seemed silenced, everything swallowed by darkness, in the vast world, only three faint beams of light were like ants illuminating the edge of the city.
But these three ants were also already walking on the edge of death.
Qin Wan’s mobile phone suddenly heated up, but she wasn’t a novice, even if the mobile phone was hot like a red-hot iron, she had no intention of letting go.
However, the anomaly wouldn’t fail to happen just because she didn’t let go, probably this “accident” didn’t give the ghost the desired result, in just three or four seconds, the next accident appeared.
Qin Wan’s mobile phone flashlight failed.
The mobile phone could still be turned on, but the flashlight had no reaction.
Immediately after, it was Zhou Zimo’s and Lu Jinzhao’s.
The three faint beams of light successively disappeared in the darkness, what remained was only the negligible faint light emitted by the mobile phone screens.
“It’s here.”
Zhou Zimo’s voice was particularly clear in the darkness, Lu Jinzhao immediately followed: “Try not to move around randomly.”
She remembered the positions of the others, this dark environment was obviously not favorable for them, once someone ran around randomly, she wouldn’t be able to confirm again whether the one appearing in the darkness was a teammate.
If it were ordinary darkness, even just the faint light from the mobile phone screen could slightly illuminate the environment ahead, but now, the penetration of the light source didn’t exceed one meter, and it was extremely dim.
Clearly the mobile phone screen light could also be completely extinguished, why didn’t the ghost do that?
The instant this doubt appeared in her mind, Lu Jinzhao had the answer.
The ghost needed them not to be completely plunged into darkness, needed them to at least recognize companions’ faces and voices.
“Lu Jinzhao.” She heard someone shout her name.
It was Qin Wan’s voice.
But the source of the voice wasn’t where Qin Wan should be, so she didn’t respond.
But the next second, another Qin Wan’s voice shouted her name, and the position was neither the previous voice’s position nor where Qin Wan herself was!
Lu Jinzhao’s heart sank, two fake Qin Wans?
Or did the real Qin Wan not listen to her and move around randomly?
But she didn’t hear obvious footsteps, at this distance, with people right beside, she shouldn’t not hear it.
But she also didn’t hear the ghost approaching footsteps.
Clearly before, these substitutes were no different from humans before being exposed, footsteps, shadows, voices, even body temperature were normal, but now, changes had occurred.
“Is it because they were identified, or because time is running out?”
While Lu Jinzhao was still thinking, she heard Qin Wan’s voice again, and this time, it came from where the real Qin Wan should be.
“Bad, my misfortune… has come.”
The timing of the misfortune’s arrival, Qin Wan couldn’t arrange as precisely as borrowing good luck, because she wasn’t powerful enough yet.
In her perception, the misfortune would only last about five minutes, five minutes wasn’t short, but not long either, if at a suitable time, she might pass it safely, but…
Clearly persisting another twenty minutes, the train would come, but it had to erupt now, the misfortune exploded.
Truly the worst timing.
“Don’t panic, don’t move randomly, by the way, did you hear it? Is someone calling our names?”
“Should we get closer?”
Clearly the original positions of the three weren’t far apart, but after the mobile phone flashlight lights went out, the not-far distance seemed covered by an invisible cover, they actually couldn’t see each other at all.
“Okay.” Lu Jinzhao agreed first, but immediately said: “You two don’t move, I’ll come to you.”
She couldn’t trust her teammates, she could only believe in herself.
And while saying so, she moved her position, ensuring the teammates could hear her position change and confirm she was indeed the real one.
In such darkness, once they confused who was real and who was fake, it would really be hard to distinguish.
Fortunately, the distance between the three wasn’t far, just a few steps, Lu Jinzhao walked to the middle of Zhou Zimo and Qin Wan, the faint light from the three mobile phone screens finally illuminated each other.
“Get a bit closer.” Qin Wan said somewhat nervously, after confirming they could see each other, she walked forward a bit.
At this moment, she was undoubtedly the most worried, after misfortune descended, anything was possible, just like Du Yu falling flat on the ground, she would too, even, possibly more severe.
She slowly walked to a position slightly in front of Lu Jinzhao and Zhou Zimo, now, the three formed a tight triangle, facing each other, the faint light from the mobile phone screens was enough to illuminate them, and they wouldn’t disperse because of it.
Premise being, the ghost as usual, didn’t use physical means to attack.
Half a minute had passed since Qin Wan’s misfortune descended.
Besides the mobile phone flashlights suddenly failing, the ghost appearing, for some reason only simply shouting their names, nothing worse had happened yet.
“Four and a half minutes left”
Qin Wan’s heart was pounding, to say when she was most nervous and fearful each time entering the platform, it was the moment misfortune arrived.
Every time like this, she had to go all out to survive, several times, if not for teammates’ help, she wouldn’t have survived at all.
Misfortune was really too terrifying.
“Hope we can survive this time too, as long as we maintain the status quo, it should be fine…”
Qin Wan prayed inwardly.
She looked at the calm faces of the other two teammates, watched the time on the mobile phone screen ticking bit by bit…
“Eh, you’re all here?”
A frivolous voice suddenly came from her shoulder.
Qin Wan felt a chill all over.
She felt a hand land on her shoulder, like a friend casually draping over her shoulder, then, the other’s head stretched in, into the middle of the three, the neck somewhat abnormally elongated, to let this person squeeze in.
She was smiling, but the smile was so weird, whether the downward curved eye corners or the exaggerated upward arc of the mouth, all like a eerie terror portrait.
What made Qin Wan feel more discomfort was this person having a face identical to hers, making such a bizarre expression.
Then, another familiar voice stretched out from her other shoulder, using Lu Jinzhao’s voice: “What are you doing?”
Next, Zhou Zimo’s voice squeezed in from the last crevice.
“Is it a game? Why not play with us?”
“Wanna play?”
Several substitutes started talking to each other.
“Do you wanna play?”
“I wanna play.”
“Do you wanna play?”
“Wanna play, feels fun.”
“Then let’s play the game.”
“Come on.”
Saying that, the ghost suddenly no longer just talked to each other, but abruptly cast its gaze on them.
It asked: “What about you, do you wanna play?”
Bad, my sleep schedule looped again, for the who-knows-how-manyth time, gonna adjust it hard
