Chapter 24: Night Exploration of the Teaching Building

Night descended quietly.

Jiang Yuxin arrived ten minutes early.
She stood in the shadows of the old teaching building, blending into the darkness.
The cool night breeze stirred her black skirt and hair.

A hesitant figure soon appeared on the path.
Chen Dongyang, looking nervous, wore dark, comfortable sportswear and carried a bulging backpack, its contents a mystery.

“The school gate’s surveillance didn’t catch you, right?” Jiang Yuxin asked calmly.

“Of course,” Chen Dongyang replied, gaining confidence.
He approached quickly and whispered, “Are you alone?”

Jiang Yuxin didn’t answer, just nodded toward something behind him.

Chen Dongyang turned to see the Yin sisters approaching.
Yin Xiran’s steps were brisk, her smile suggesting a casual outing.
She held Yin Qingle’s hand, who looked uneasy, her clear eyes scanning the darkness, half-hidden behind her sister.

The four gathered in silence.

They reached the gate, wrapped in yellow police tape.
The tape was easy to cross, but a large, rusty lock barred the entrance.

“How do we get in?” Chen Dongyang asked quietly, reaching into his backpack for tools.

“No need for that,” Yin Xiran said, extending her slender fingers toward the lock.
She closed her eyes, focusing.

Chen Dongyang and Yin Qingle watched nervously, while Jiang Yuxin sensed the subtle shift in Yin Xiran’s energy.

A faint click sounded.
The ancient, stubborn lock opened silently, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

“Done,” Yin Xiran said, her devilish smile returning.
She raised an eyebrow at Chen Dongyang’s stunned expression.
“Pretty convenient, right, Classmate Chen?”

“She can do such precise work?” Chen Dongyang whispered, recalling her telekinetic ability.

Yin Xiran smirked.
“Not just that. I could even stop your heart if I wanted…”

She pointed at him playfully, making his face pale.

Jiang Yuxin ignored their banter.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Chen Dongyang and Yin Qingle exchanged glances, then followed into the unknown darkness.

Yin Xiran brought up the rear, closing the door, shutting out the last sliver of moonlight.

The building’s interior was pitch-black.
Chen Dongyang flicked on his flashlight, its beam cutting through the dusty corridor ahead.

“Woo…” Yin Qingle whimpered softly, clutching Yin Xiran’s arm, fear overtaking her.

The moment her voice faded, something strange happened.

Sizzle—

The long-abandoned fluorescent tube overhead, draped in cobwebs, flickered without warning, emitting a sharp electric buzz.
The corridor’s lights began flashing erratically, as if possessed.
Their shadows stretched and twisted wildly on the walls and floor.

“What’s happening? The power’s been out here for years!” Chen Dongyang nearly dropped his flashlight in panic.

“I’m sorry!” Yin Qingle’s voice trembled with guilt.
“I didn’t mean to… I was just scared, and then…”

Her surging emotions made the lights flicker more violently, crackling loudly.

“It’s okay, Qingle,” Yin Xiran said, squeezing her sister’s cold hand gently.
“Don’t be afraid. We’re all here.”

Jiang Yuxin watched with a cold gaze.
She closed her eyes, her invisible mental power surging like a tide, sweeping every corner of the building.
After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and said icily, “No other living beings are in this building.”

She paused, then added, “But that doesn’t mean the thing from last night isn’t here—or that my ability can’t detect it.”

“That complicates things,” Yin Xiran said, calming her sister.
“How about I just tear this place down? Physical solutions are always quickest.”

“Hey, we’re here to investigate, not demolish!” Chen Dongyang protested.
“And that’d be way too loud!”

Yin Qingle tugged at her sister.
“Don’t joke, Xiran.”

Yin Xiran shrugged, not entirely joking.
“So, do we split up…”

“Absolutely not!” Chen Dongyang cut her off.
“Splitting up is a death sentence in horror movies. We stay together.”

“I agree,” Jiang Yuxin said lightly.

They reached a consensus.
Bypassing the first floor, they climbed the creaking stairs toward the third-floor music classroom.
The higher they went, the quieter it became, their uneven footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

Soon, they stood before the familiar, half-open music classroom door.

Chen Dongyang’s flashlight swept inside.
The room was unchanged from yesterday—cluttered ruins bathed in moonlight and shadows.

Jiang Yuxin stepped in first, her eyes locking onto the floor.
“New footprints,” she said, crouching to examine the dust under Chen Dongyang’s light.
“Besides ours, there are two sets. One’s high heels, small steps, clear edges—likely the senior’s. And the other…”

Her gaze traced the outline of the second set.
“Men’s leather shoes, large, at least size 43. Deep imprints, worn edges. The person was heavy, walked steadily.”

“Police, maybe?” Chen Dongyang ventured.

“Possible, but not certain,” Jiang Yuxin said, standing and scanning the room.
“Police wear shoe covers at crime scenes. They wouldn’t leave such clear prints.”

The discovery deepened the group’s unease.

They searched for clues, Jiang Yuxin checking every desk drawer for the music box.

Then, without warning, the familiar, haunting melody rose again.
It didn’t come from one spot but seeped from every direction—wall cracks, ceiling shadows, dusty floor.
The sorrowful music enveloped them like an invisible, mournful rain, drowning all four.

It’s here!

Chen Dongyang tensed, instinctively stepping in front of Jiang Yuxin and the others.

Yin Qingle’s face went white.
Yin Xiran gripped her sister’s hand, her eyes sharpening with focus.

Jiang Yuxin’s mental power surged, spreading across the entire classroom.