(Author’s Note: The pacing of the first three Chapters is slow. Readers who prefer a faster start can skip to Chapter Four.)

Long after the Children’s Home incident ended, life in the Living Persons’ Apartment returned to normal. For the time being, no supernatural events had occurred.

Gao Tian lay on the large, soft bed in Room 313, looking at his tablet. Outside, a light, misty rain fell, creating a soothing patter against the window. This kind of weather was perfect for staying indoors and enjoying a rare moment of peace.

He remained in the Living Persons’ Apartment, not wanting to go out and attract any trouble.

He used the internet to keep up with the dramatic changes happening in the world outside.

A large number of posts from unknown sources had appeared online, each narrating various supernatural incidents encountered in daily life. The stories were all told so vividly that it was hard to tell fact from fiction.

Some of these were debunked by other users as just the original posters making up lies for attention. But many more posts were unnervingly realistic in certain details, and the posters would even answer questions from other users. Strangely, most of these posters would soon stop coming online, some even deleting their accounts entirely, their profiles turning gray. This led the users following the threads to spam the comments with, "This doesn’t seem fake."

In this era, the supernatural was reawakening. Ghosts were appearing with increasing frequency.

Even just lying at home and browsing these posts carried a certain risk to one’s life.

It wasn’t out of the question that some ghosts could kill people through the internet. Other supernatural incidents acted as strong memetic hazards. Simply looking at a picture or a piece of text could invite a fatal disaster.

For Gao Tian, however, these dangers weren’t a concern.

But he didn’t have to worry about any of that while reading these posts from inside the Living Persons’ Apartment. ’Let any ghost try to trace my address and come knocking. The apartment will deal with any of these filthy things courting death.’

Gao Tian had already scrolled through hundreds of posts today.

And then there was another post.

[The Thing Outside My Window]

Original Post:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

Is anyone there? Are there any experts who can help me?

I’m home alone, and I’m really scared.

...

Post #1:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

It all started about a week ago. Because of my job, I work overtime every day and don’t get home until eleven at night. I basically have no energy to do anything but wash up and go to bed. I moved recently because my company relocated. Normally, I’d fall asleep the moment my head hit the pillow, but this past week, I’ve found it harder and harder to fall asleep. I’ve been suffering from insomnia every single night, and I’m completely drained during the day at work.

Later, I tried to figure out why I couldn’t sleep, and it’s almost laughable. Around eleven o’clock every night, a strange sound would start up outside my bedroom window. It sounded like "HEIGH-HO, HEIGH-HO, HEIGH-HO," like someone was jumping rope out there. After listening to it for a while, I actually got used to it. I was completely unaware that I was living in a constantly noisy environment, and that was what was keeping me from sleeping.

Because I’m sensitive to light, I have very thick curtains that I normally keep closed, so I couldn’t see what was making that "HEIGH-HO" sound outside my window.

...

Post #2:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

Then one night, after getting home late again, I was lying in bed, half-asleep and just about to drift off. It was as if that strange sound was deliberately trying to mess with me. It started up again, "HEIGH-HO, HEIGH-HO," but this time it was exceptionally loud. Even my noise-canceling headphones couldn’t block it out.

I’m usually a pretty even-tempered person; I rarely get into conflicts with people. But this time, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I climbed out of bed, rushed to the window, and yanked open the curtains, wanting to see what the hell was making all that noise.

Outside the window was a strange old man. He was so thin he was nothing but skin and bones, but his eyes were unnaturally large. He reminded me of a hamster I had back home that got run over by an e-bike. Its eyeballs popped out when it died. That’s the feeling the old man gave me.

It was him. He was the one hopping around outside my window every night, making those bizarre movements and constantly chanting that sound.

I was at the end of my rope. I said, "Sir, I have to work tomorrow. If you want to exercise, please go home and do it."

The old man just gave me a look—a very strange, meaningful look. He didn’t say anything, just shook his head and turned to leave.

Free from the disturbance of that strange sound, I got back into bed and quickly sank into a deep sleep, where I had a particularly vivid dream.

...

Post #4:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

When I woke up the next morning, I’d slept so well that I didn’t hear my alarm and was almost late for work. I hastily washed my face, rushed out the door, and while I was waiting for the elevator in the hallway, I groggily remembered the old man I’d seen outside my window last night.

Suddenly, just as the elevator reached the tenth floor, my blood ran cold.

In the chaos of moving, I had forgotten something.

I now live on the tenth floor of a high-rise!

That old man who was hopping around "in the open space in front of my house"—how could he possibly have been exercising on the tenth floor, high up in the air?

Did he climb up the wall and stand on the external AC unit?

...

Post #5:

NetizenA:

Yeah, right. Keep the story coming.

You live on the tenth floor, but when you opened the window, you forgot you were in a high-rise? You can’t even remember something like that?

Totally fake.

...

Post #6:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

I spent the entire morning at work thinking about it. That thing making the "HEIGH-HO" sound outside my window... was it even human?

...

Post #9:

NetizenC:

I don’t know if this is real or not, but if you really can’t stand it, you should just break your lease and find a new place to rent.

...

Post #10:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

I’ve already paid a year’s rent. I can’t leave.

Being poor is scarier than any ghost.

...

Post #11:

NetizenD:

If this is fake, I hope it’s real.

If this is real, I hope it’s fake.

Instead of complaining to a bunch of strangers on the internet, why don’t you call the police?

Have the cops come over and check it out. That’s better than any advice you’ll get from us.

...

Post #12:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

I’m home.

The moment I walked in the door, that weird "HEIGH-HO" sound started up outside the window again.

It’s louder than all the previous times combined, so loud it’s deafening.

I’m so scared, but I don’t have the courage to go and open the curtains.

...

Post #13:

NetizenA:

Heh.

If it’s deafeningly loud, wouldn’t your neighbors upstairs and downstairs be poking their heads out to see what’s going on?

More proof this story is fake.

...

Post #14:

NetizenE;

OP, hurry up and call the police!

I’m getting chills just sitting at home reading this.

...

Post #15:

EveningWindOnShoulder:

I’ve already called the police. The person on the phone told me to stay put and not do anything unnecessary. Someone should be here to meet with me in about fifteen minutes.

Gotta go, I hear a knock on the door. It must be the cops.

...

Post #17:

NetizenF:

OP, hang in there!

No matter what happens, remember to come back to the forum and let us know you’re okay.

...

Post #18:

NetizenG:

OP, are you still there?

It’s been half an hour since you went to open the door.

...

Post #19:

NetizenH:

A week has passed, and the OP still hasn’t replied.

Don’t tell me they’re actually dead.