Frightening Joke: Above the Mist-Chapter 4 Behind the Door

Cold.

As soon as I stepped through the door, before I even had a chance to observe, my body had already reacted to this sensation.

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This coldness didn't seem to come from the surrounding temperature, but rather... from the heart.

"Bang—"

The sound of the door closing echoed behind me.

It was at this moment that control over my body finally returned to Bai Yanliang.

He immediately turned his head to look, but behind him was only a thick gray mist—where was the door?

"Ah!!!"

A shrill scream pierced through the thin mist, belonging to a woman.

There were others here.

Bai Yanliang's expression remained calm, but his mind was extraordinarily active.

Gray mist surrounded him on all sides, with only what seemed to be the sky above, where a pair of enormous, elongated dark red objects hovered, emanating an unsettling faint glow.

"The last newcomer has arrived."

A man's voice emerged from the thin mist ahead, and Bai Yanliang tensed his body, looking forward: "Who?"

Yet, this glance caused Bai Yanliang's pupils to contract.

The gray mist in this space seemed to be gradually dissipating, and densely packed human figures began to appear in the thin mist.

They stood silently like a row of corpses, quietly facing Bai Yanliang's direction.

"Hmm?" A slightly curious female voice resonated from the front as well.

Not just her, but the densely packed figures around also began to move, and a chilling gaze started to gather on Bai Yanliang.

"An interesting newcomer, so calm."

As this remark was made, the surrounding mist finally cleared entirely!

Under the dim glow, Bai Yanliang finally saw everything in front of him.

People... various kinds of people!

In suits and ties, tattered clothes, strong physiques, small and despicable, beautiful and alluring, plain and unadorned... All types suddenly stood before him.

Or rather, they had always been standing in front of Bai Yanliang, just obscured by the gray mist.

"Welcome, newcomers." The speaker was an elegant man in his thirties, and it was evident that it was him speaking earlier as well.

Bai Yanliang looked at him—a refined and handsome face, an upright posture, dressed in a well-fitted suit, wearing silver-framed square glasses.

Before Bai Yanliang could respond to his words, another voice suddenly shouted.

"Who... who are you people! Let me go! Where is this place? Let me out now! Otherwise, I will call the police!" The woman's high-pitched voice carried a faint tremor, and it was her who had screamed earlier.

"Please calm down and carefully recall how you ended up here." The man's voice was not loud, yet it exuded a comforting tone.

Bai Yanliang turned to glance beside him, seeing a young woman in her twenties sitting on the floor, panic and fear etched on her face. Besides her, there was a middle-aged man like Bai Yanliang, who had remained silent all along. But unlike Bai Yanliang's calm demeanor, the man's expression betrayed unease with furrowed brows, pointed toes, and constantly constricting pupils—all signs of fear being forcibly subdued.

"I don't care! I don't care what means you used, let me leave here now!" The woman's voice remained sharp and piercing.

"Do you think anyone has the means to transport dozens of people to such a place instantly?" The suited man's attitude was still mild and not angered by the woman's hysterical rants.

This question finally silenced the woman; everything earlier was merely her attempt to escape reality.

However, her gaze still carried a hint of panic and vacancy. Perhaps she hoped to regard all of this as a nightmare she could wake up from?

"Are you... Zhou Li?" At this moment, the silent middle-aged man suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with suspicion, yet with a hint of certainty, as he directed his gaze at the suited man.

Zhou Li looked at him in surprise: "Do you know me?"

"A financial genius rejected by twenty companies, of course, I know you." Recognizing a familiar face seemed to make the middle-aged man sigh in relief, "I am Shen Changrong, president of the Hundred Victories United Group in Shen City. We met once at a gathering."

"You're in Shen City?" Bai Yanliang suddenly interjected.

Shen Changrong seemed to realize something, looking at Bai Yanliang and nodding: "That's right, I was just opening my office door, and who would have thought I ended up here, you..."

"I'm in Ye City." Bai Yanliang replied. Having gotten an answer, he fell silent again, looking towards the man named Zhou Li.

It was apparent he was somewhat of a leader among the dozens behind him.

Yet, when Bai Yanliang looked at Zhou Li, Zhou Li was also looking at Bai Yanliang.

His gaze was filled with surprise, appreciation, admiration, and he sincerely stated: "We have seen many newcomers, most being like this lady, and few calm individuals being like Mr. Shen—more or less anxious or doubtful. Sir, you are the third person I've seen who displayed no emotional panic upon entering here."

Bai Yanliang felt a stir in his heart upon hearing this and extended his hand: "Bai Yanliang."

"Zhou Li." Zhou Li extended his hand and shook Bai Yanliang's lightly, exchanging names.

Soon after, he didn't engage in further conversation with Bai Yanliang alone, but addressed Bai Yanliang, Shen Changrong, and the still dazed young woman: "I know you have many questions and unease, but time does not permit me to explain more. I will only say what is next once."

Here it comes.

Bai Yanliang felt a stir in his heart. In fact, when Zhou Li and those behind him appeared, he sensed something amiss.

Though the group was large, they seemed like... a scattered mess?

This situation was very rare. Humans, when in a collective, even without strong personal bonds, often form smaller groups driven by temperament, interests, and other factors.

However, Bai Yanliang failed to observe such relationships. On the contrary, besides the silence, the group subtly exuded a faint emotion.

This emotion Bai Yanliang had once seen in Ye City Mental Hospital—it was called despair.

In addition, although the group stood together, there was a significant sense of distance among them.

Bai Yanliang could easily detect their mutual vigilance, as did Shen Changrong, while the only one seemingly oblivious was the still-confused woman.

Then, seeing that the woman also turned her gaze towards Zhou Li, he finally spoke:

"In fact, no one knows where this is. Everyone is the same, suddenly ending up here after inexplicably opening a door, without any logic or basis."

"Moreover, we have no choice but to periodically complete these damned, ghostly tasks." Zhou Li's expression turned somewhat grim as he looked at the three. Behind his lenses, his eyes flickered with discontent and helplessness, "I'm not just describing the detestable nature of the tasks, I mean it literally — Ghost to Hell!"