I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

The training area was quiet for a few seconds.

Cheng Fang walked to the table, fastened the box lid again, and pressed down the latches one by one.

"There are currently no deaths, no serious pollution, and no abnormal spread outside the exhibition hall."

"Based on what has already happened, it is initially classified as Grade C."

Lin Ye asked, "Does 'initial' mean it's subject to change at any time?"

"right."

Cheng Fang glanced at him.

"The rating is a judgment made based on the available information, not a guarantee made on the spot."

Tang Zhi's smile faded slightly.

"What if you find something's wrong after you go in?"

Report immediately.

Cheng Fang said, "There are formal field teams monitoring the perimeter. If the risk escalates, contact is lost for more than three minutes, or two people become incapacitated, the assessment will be terminated immediately."

Qin Zhao asked, "What if the people outside can't get in?"

"Then let's try to hold out until they get in."

Cheng Fang put the isolation box into a sealed bag.

"Take this theater ticket with us."

"Lin Ye is in charge of eavesdropping; direct contact is not allowed."

Lin Ye nodded.

The phrase "The guests have arrived" just now didn't sound like the voice left on the theater ticket.

It's more like someone is far away, but knows he's listening.

Tang Zhi glanced at his expression.

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm so excited about not having to do individual training tomorrow."

Qin Zhao said calmly, "Tomorrow is the actual combat."

"So he got so excited his face turned white."

Cheng Fang did not allow them to continue living in poverty.

Get some rest early tonight.

"Meet at the equipment room in basement level seven at 3:30 PM tomorrow."

The next afternoon, Lin Ye arrived ten minutes early.

Five black field bags were placed on the table.

The package includes a basic storage box, a folding storage sleeve, a spirit seal, an illumination emitter, a medical kit, a positioning pin, low-penetration magazines, and a roll of fluorescent rope for marking routes.

Lin Ye slung his bag over his shoulder, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Two weeks ago, ten kilograms of equipment could make his vision go black.

It's still heavy, but at least I don't feel like lying down as soon as I put it on my back.

Tang Zhi inspected the silk-threaded wristband.

"How was your first real-world experience?"

"good."

"You said the same thing the day you met the parents."

Lin Ye looked at her.

"Can these two things be compared?"

"They didn't know what they would face before they went in."

Qin Zhao fastened the holster.

"One that won't die."

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

"You don't know Lu Zhixia's father, so don't speak too confidently."

Xu Mian lowered her head to check the equipment, a slight smile curving her lips.

Cheng Fang glanced at the group of people.

"From now on, focus your mind."

The training room fell silent.

"This is not the simulation area."

"Injuries won't trigger red lights, and wrong judgments won't prompt anyone to call a timeout."

"Don't be reckless, and don't leave the team without permission."

Cheng Fang paused for a moment.

"Everyone in, everyone out."

At 4 p.m., Group Two set off on time.

Forty minutes later, the car stopped outside the West Suburbs Folk Customs Exhibition Hall.

This area was originally a folk culture street, but due to poor management, the shops closed one after another, leaving only a few faded signs hanging on the street.

Two intersections away from the exhibition hall, the cordon had already been set up.

Nearby shops closed and residents were temporarily evacuated.

A man in a dark gray field uniform came up to greet them.

"First field team, Zhao Ning."

He shook hands with Cheng Fang.

"The area outside has been cleared. No one has entered the exhibition hall since midnight last night."

Cheng Fang asked, "Has the anomaly changed?"

"The opera music was noticeably louder than the previous two days."

Zhao Ning glanced at the monitor.

"It rang twice, once at 2 a.m. and once at 3 p.m. today, each time lasting about nine minutes."

"All doors and windows were sealed, and no living organisms were detected by thermal imaging."

Lin Ye looked towards the end of the street.

The gray-white exhibition hall is sandwiched between a row of low buildings.

The building is two stories high, with a faded red-painted door and a layer of dust on the steps.

An old wooden plaque hangs directly above.

Folk Customs Exhibition Hall in the Western Suburbs of the Capital.

The last character "馆" (guan) is only half of its gold paint remaining.

It doesn't look like a dangerous area.

It's more like an old unit that's been closed for years and even its creditors don't bother to come to the door anymore.

But the closer you get, the quieter the forest becomes.

There was no gong sound.

There was no singing style.

Even the sound of the wind seemed to be blocked outside the exhibition hall.

Zhao Ning handed the temporary access token to Cheng Fang.

"Once logged in, location and vital signs will be uploaded every thirty seconds."

"Once the anomaly is upgraded to Level B, the peripheral team will immediately take over."

Cheng Fang nodded.

"clear."

The five people completed the final check in front of the door.

Cheng is placed first.

Qin Zhao was to the side and behind.

Xu Mian resides in the middle.

Lin Ye and Tang Zhi were in charge of information and logistical support.

The stance is the same as during training.

The feeling was completely different.

Cheng Fang reached out and pushed the door open.

The door was unlocked.

The old door hinge made a long, grinding sound.

A damp, woody smell wafted out.

The hall was dark.

A small amount of light leaked in through the window cracks and fell on the dusty floor tiles.

Directly opposite the main gate is a miniature stage.

Dark red curtains hung on both sides, and the paper lanterns had faded.

The display cases along the wall contain old opera costumes, masks, puppets, and gongs and drums.

Cheng Fang raised his hand.

Location upload is normal.

Xu Mian glanced at the locator.

"Signal is normal."

"Enter."

Five people crossed the threshold one by one.

Tang Zhi was the last to enter.

She had just pulled her foot back when the door suddenly slammed shut.

Dust settled in a soft patter.

Lin Ye immediately turned around.

Qin Zhao had already pressed down on the doorknob.

The door can move, but it can't be pushed open.

It's like there's a wall blocking the outside.

Tang Zhi released a thread and peeked out through the crack in the door.

The thin thread extended less than half a meter before losing its feedback and drooping limply.

"The street isn't behind the door."

Cheng Fang pressed the communicator.

"Group Two has entered the exhibition hall, but the main gate is abnormally closed."

Zhao Ning responded quickly.

"receive."

External surveillance footage shows that the gate remains open.

Cheng Fang asked, "Can you see us?"

"cannot."

"The screen only shows an empty hall; you'll disappear once you enter."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Cheng Fang did not continue trying the door.

"Investigate first."

"Xu Mian".

Xu Mian nodded.

The shadow beneath my feet slid down the ground into the left passage.

Lin Ye also began to distinguish the sounds.

Water droplets.

The wood made a soft creaking sound.

The windows in the distance were being blown by the wind.

Deeper inside, it sounded like someone coughed softly.

"No moving target within 20 meters to the left."

"There are sounds coming from further away, but we can't determine the cause at the moment."

Xu Mian's shadow quickly retreated.

"The exhibition hall is on the left, and there's a staircase at the end."

"I didn't see anyone."

"Go to the left."

Tang Zhi secured the fluorescent rope to the copper ring at the entrance.

A faint green light gradually spread out behind the group.

The first exhibition hall displays shadow puppets and wooden puppets.

The shadow puppets in the glass case had darkened, and several white-faced wooden puppets hung on the wall.

Lin Ye paused suddenly as he passed in front of them.

The puppet didn't move.

But those few pairs of dark eyes seemed to have been staring at him ever since he entered the room.

Tang Zhi lowered her voice.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not at the moment."

Lin Ye looked away.

"She just doesn't look very welcoming to guests."

Qin Zhaodao said, "Perhaps it's because his aesthetic sense is normal."

Lin Ye was about to retort when Cheng Fang turned and glanced at them.

The two of them fell silent.

As I walked to the end of the exhibition hall, I heard footsteps coming from the second floor.

thump.

It paused for a few seconds.

Another sound.

It's like someone wearing hard-soled theatrical shoes, walking slowly on a wooden floor.

"There's a target on the second floor, moving very slowly."

Xu Mian's shadow stretched upwards along the stairs.

After a moment, she shook her head.

"I didn't see anyone."

But the footsteps continued to echo.

Cheng Fang did not rush upstairs.

"Check the first floor first."

They passed through another wedding customs exhibition hall and entered a narrow passageway.

The procession continued forward without turning.

Three minutes later, the hall reappeared in front of them.

A dark red stage.

Display cases along the wall.

Paper lanterns by the door.

Lin Ye stopped walking.

"I'm back."

Cheng Fang looked down at the ground.

The fluorescent rope, which should have been fixed at the entrance, extended out from the other side of the passage.

It was neither broken nor entangled.

The entire rope forms a closed loop.

Tang Zhi squatted down and checked it over.

"It's not that we took the wrong path."

"The route is now back on track."

Xu Mian said softly, "Spatial cycle."

Cheng Fang pressed the communicator.

"Outer perimeter team, spatial circulation has been detected on site."

Zhao Ning's voice came through, accompanied by background noise.

"Received, signal is starting to fluctuate."

A wooden chair had appeared in the hall at some point.

The chair faces the stage.

There was a red theater ticket on it.

It was exactly the same as the one they brought.

Cheng Fang warned, "Don't touch it."

Lin Ye listened for a while from a few meters away.

The theater ticket was silent.

The real commotion came from behind the stage.

Someone is moving things.

People were talking in hushed tones.

There were also the sounds of gongs and drums being gently tested.

It's like a theatrical troupe preparing to start their performance.

"There's something going on behind the scenes."

Lin Ye said, "There are at least seven or eight sound sources."

Xu Mian's shadow slid along the side of the stage.

The shadow suddenly trembled violently as soon as it touched the edge of the curtain.

Her face paled, and she immediately withdrew the shadow.

Tang Zhi helped her up.

"What's wrong?"

"It's full of shadows."

Xu Mian took a breath.

"They're all crammed together, but you can't see anyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of a gong rang out from backstage.

when.

A paper lantern was lit.

Then came the second and the third lamps.

Dark red lights quickly filled the hall.

The shadow puppets and wooden puppets in the display case turned their faces at the same time.

Everyone looked at them.

Tang Zhi gripped the silk thread tightly.

"This commotion doesn't seem like a Class C incident."

Cheng Fang pressed the communicator.

"Outer perimeter group: There is enclosed space and abnormal group activity at the scene."

All that's left in the headphones is static.

He called again.

no respond.

Xu Mian looked down at the locator.

"The signal is lost."

Cheng Fang glanced at the time.

"Three minutes countdown."

If more than three minutes have passed, the outer group will be forced to enter.

But whether that door leads to the outside world, nobody knows.

Cheng Fang quickly gave the order:

"Exports are temporarily unavailable."

"Before entering from the perimeter, identify the source of the anomaly and avoid direct contact."

"Xu Mian investigates the back-end structure."

"Qin Zhao's Warning Display Case"

"Tang Zhi is preparing to seal the package."

"Lin Ye, please continue listening."

The group separated by half a step, forming a defensive formation.

Xu Mian's shadow stretched out to the side of the stage once again.

Tang Zhi took out the folded storage sleeve and the spirit-sealing belt.

A dark red flame appeared at Qin Zhao's fingertip.

Lin Ye closed his eyes.

pace.

Gongs and drums.

Singing style.

Countless voices were crammed together.

Beneath these sounds, there was an even deeper metallic vibration.

From the left side of the backend.

It makes a soft beep every ten seconds or so.

It's like something is waiting to be knocked on.

Lin Ye opened his eyes.

There is a metal object on the left side of the backstage area.

"It's most likely a gong."

Cheng Fang nodded.

"Maintain formation and go in to confirm."

As soon as the five people stepped onto the stage, a sudden tremor came from beneath their feet.

The curtain moves automatically even without wind.

Tang Zhi's tendrils tightened instantly.

The dark red curtain slowly opened to both sides.

The area behind the stage is no longer the backstage area of ​​the exhibition hall.

Instead, it was a brightly lit old opera house.

The percussionist sat to the side.

Seven or eight people dressed in theatrical costumes stood behind the stage.

Their faces were covered in thick paint, but their eyes were completely black.

The audience was packed.

These people, dressed in clothes from different eras, stood in neat rows with their heads tilted back.

There are no facial features on its face.

In front of the empty space in the very center, there is a wooden sign.

There are two words written on it.

Forest.

A delicate singing voice came from the stage.

The person in the red theatrical costume slowly turned around and pointed at him.

"The guests have been seated."

"Mr. Lin, please come up to the stage."