Chapter 65: The Fourth Piano Room

To make a long story short.

The next evening, Duan Ming chose not to go find Yu Fangfang to reminisce. Since he had already promised Yu Xiaoshuang, handling official business came first.

Fortunately, Ji Xian's connections proved quite reliable. Through the cordial negotiations between the dormitory matron and the women's dormitory supervisor, Yu Xiaoshuang was specially permitted to return late. Combined with the privilege of her Student Union duties, this provided the group with ample time to complete their mission.

Consequently, Duan Ming aimed high tonight, undertaking the tasks for two urban legend locations simultaneously: the "Four-Play Piano Room" and the "Fengxian Little Lake."

Shortly after leaving the Student Union, the group marched purposefully toward the Arts Building.

While the Arts Building was under construction during the day, it was deserted at night. Upon arrival, they saw a pile of construction tools stacked at the outermost perimeter, alongside a number of skin-and-bone ghosts resting nearby.

Producing the certificate issued by the Student Union, the team officially entered the paranormal site.

Whether according to Jiang Xiaoxiao's intelligence or Liang Zicao's tome, the descriptions of the Four-Play Piano Room were largely consistent.

No physical specters had ever manifested in this urban legend site. Before it became haunted, the location had been quite ordinary. However, in a piano room on the fourth floor, someone had once eerily heard piano music drifting out. Upon investigation, no one was there; the piano was simply playing by itself, as if an invisible person were seated before the keys.

Had it been only that, this place would not have qualified as an urban legend site.

The piano played only a single piece of music, repeating it over and over again.

Listening to the first three plays was harmless, and nothing bizarre would happen. But the moment the fourth play began, the exact second the final lingering note died away, the listener would inexplicably die on the spot. Over time, this place became a taboo that everyone avoided.

This was a potent rule of death tied to sound.

Against such an unfathomable rule of death, Duan Ming did not dare to lower his guard. Through Jiang Xiaoxiao's connections, he had prepared several sets of tightly fitted ear protectors.

In the first-floor lobby, he distributed them to everyone.

He Nian tried one on, grimacing as the tight fit pinched his face.

His head was too big.

Duan Ming handed the last ear protector to Yu Xiaoshuang. "How is it? A bit nervous?"

"Mm." Yu Xiaoshuang took a deep breath. "I've also looked into it. Many people have died in all of the Seven Great Urban Legends, especially this bizarre Four-Play Piano Room. To say I'm not scared would be a lie."

"Still, I didn't expect you guys to have already resolved two urban legends. How on earth did you pull that off?"

Duan Ming chuckled. "Saying we resolved them isn't quite accurate. Neither of those things is actually dead yet."

"What do you mean?"

He smiled with absolute confidence. "One got beaten so badly it fears me, and the other became my lackey."

"???"

His confusion was soon cleared up.

Duan Ming suddenly darkened his expression, pulled out the Ghost Master Ball, spun it in a grand circle, and tossed it to the ground while shouting at the top of his lungs, "Come forth, Heart-Carving Ghost!"

Accompanied by a flash of light, the Heart-Carving Ghost Xu Yang saw the light of day once again, staring dumbfoundedly at Duan Ming, who was still holding a pose.

Damn it, my enslaving master is actually such a uncool, chunnibyou weirdo?!!

The one stunned wasn't just the Heart-Carving Ghost; everyone present was currently wearing an expression of utter astonishment.

Duan Ming held his pose as a single drop of sweat trickled down his temple.

Then, with utter humiliation, he squatted down.

What on earth is this?! Wasn't it fine when I subdued it? Why does it have to execute such a shameful pose the moment it's released?

Why does the system's rule-application ability always manifest in such bizarre ways?

Just then, he felt a warmth on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ji Xian.

Ji Xian smiled gently. "Don't mind other people's gazes. Who can truly understand the dreams of us passionate youths? You looked really handsome just now, hubby."

Duan Ming: "(;`)"

The clueless Heart-Carving Ghost and Yu Xiaoshuang were even more shocked, their gazes turning rather peculiar as they looked over.

Perhaps to prove his masculinity, during the subsequent journey all the way up, Duan Ming took the lead, even unceremoniously pushing the newly acquired enslaved ghost, the Heart-Carving Ghost, toward the back. Along the way, he also swiftly hacked down a small, scruffy phantom attempting to frighten the group.

Duan Ming maintained a grim expression while secretly glancing backward.

*Hmph, with me acting so brave just now, these two shouldn't overthink things anymore.*

In the rear, Yu Xiaoshuang gently poked He Nian. "I somehow feel like Duan Ming's state is a bit off today. Should we come back another day to tackle this urban legend mission?"

"Nah, what's wrong with that?" He Nian waved his hand dismissively. "Relax. Men, you know, always have those few days every month when their emotions run a bit high. It's no big deal."

"Gosh... Has Duan Ming started paying homage to female physiological cycles as well?"

Duan Ming had no idea he had already been sold out by He Nian. Approaching the fourth floor now, he cast aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind, raised a fist, and stopped at the top of the stairwell.

Listening closely for a moment, he found a deathly silence.

The group exchanged glances, nodded solemnly, and began creeping forward.

Because the Arts Building was undergoing construction, all power had been temporarily cut off. The corridor at this moment was illuminated only by the dim red moonlight filtering through the large windows at the very end.

It wasn't particularly bright, but visibility was passable.

The door to the Four-Play Piano Room was not far away. Before long, the group stood before it. Duan Ming swept his gaze across the entrance, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

*Click—*

A bone-chilling cold gushed out from the crack in the door.

The piano room was vast, likely having been combined with a dance studio, with massive mirrors lining all four walls. The star of today's mission—the haunted piano—sat at the far end of the room.

It looked completely ordinary.

A bit old, but just a piano.

Duan Ming pulled out the consecrated folding stool, and the room instantly brightened up.

A well-lit environment always provided a comforting psychological hint; the group stopped hunching their shoulders and wide-eyed staring.

Except for Chou Yu and Ji Xian.

Right at that moment, a crisp piano note rang out abruptly. In their field of vision, one of the keys on the piano suddenly sank downward.

"Oh no! The piano has started playing! Everyone, put on your ear protectors quickly!"

Chou Yu shouted. Everyone hurriedly put on their ear protectors, only to take them off simultaneously two or three seconds later.

"Damn it, it's completely useless. The piano music seems to be ringing directly inside our brains."

At this moment, Yu Xiaoshuang suddenly spoke up, "Everyone, come over here. My ghost skill can temporarily block our five senses. Let me test whether blocking our hearing will work."

He Nian rushed over frantically. "You have such a divine skill, why didn't you use it earlier!"

Yu Xiaoshuang replied, "If the ear protectors had worked, I wouldn't have used it. This ghost skill consumes a terrifying amount of energy. With so many people, the absolute most I can do is block everyone's hearing for thirty seconds. Within these thirty seconds plus the duration of the four piano plays, if we fail to complete the credit task, we can only give up on this urban legend."

She was also a decisive person. As she spoke, a stream of dark energy swept from her fingertips, splitting into several wisps that shot toward the others.

It actually worked.

He Nian was startled.

*Hey, I'm deaf.*

*A brand-new experience.*

Only Zeng Yanliang stared with wide eyes. "Abuba-abu—ptui—what about me? I can still hear it."

Yu Xiaoshuang: "Ah, sorry, I thought you were deaf and mute."

With another wave of her hand, more dark energy shot out.

Zeng Yanliang wept tears of bitter sorrow.

*I'm only mute!*

*I'm not blind!*

*I'm not deaf!*

While everyone else was bustling about, Duan Ming stood completely unfazed.

Or rather, from the moment Chou Yu first called for everyone to put on ear protectors, he had simply stared blankly at the piano's condition. It wasn't until the sound in his ears suddenly ceased that he snapped back to his senses.

Under everyone's astonished gazes, he walked straight up to the piano, whipped out a ghost cloth, and draped it over the keyboard in a single motion.

Then...

He produced the specially crafted supernatural realm Indian massage oil.

He applied a single drop.

Instantly, the fierce-ghost-tier ghost cloth stiffened rigidly, suppressing every single key mercilessly.

The melodious piano tune abruptly screeched to a halt.