After running for about two or three minutes, the dog suddenly stopped and began frantically digging at the forest floor covered in decaying leaves.
Ren Yuanhao found it odd but followed suit, using his hands to dig as well. At the same time, a chilling sensation crept up the back of his neck—like a sharp sword pressing against his spine—as if some horrifying monster lurked beneath the soil.
After digging for a while, Ren Yuanhao realized the source of that unease.
Logically, soil buried under thick layers of decaying matter should be compact. But the dirt in front of them was loose and soft, completely different from the harder soil elsewhere.
In other words… *someone had dug here before.*
The thought made Ren Yuanhao speed up his digging. An indescribable fear coiled around his heart like a tightening rope.
He had no idea what secret was buried here—perhaps bloodstained evidence of a murder, more belongings of the deceased, or even animal bones?
Whatever it was, if he didn’t dig it up, this secret would remain hidden in this desolate corner forever, unknown to anyone.
Around them, the ambient light gradually dimmed as the Ferris wheel shut down for the night. The forest was filled with the damp, rotting scent of decaying leaves and branches—reminiscent of an old cemetery. If it rained, the smell would only grow stronger.
This was exactly why Ren Yuanhao hated graveyards.
But tonight, there was no rain. Only a pale, ghostly moon hung in the sky, casting a cold and desolate glow.
Under its light, one could see a man and a dog digging like madmen—like ancient treasure hunters—engaged in some shady business on this dark and windy night.
And the accomplice was a black Malinois. Strangely enough, the scene didn’t feel out of place at all.
Finally, after relentless digging, Ren Yuanhao caught sight of a bloodstained piece of fabric—a corner of a dress.
*"Holy sh*t! Doggo, don’t tell me there’s a dead body buried here?!"*
The dog shook off the dirt clinging to its fur, panting heavily as if exhausted. It lay down nearby, tongue lolling, its emerald-green eyes fixed on the bloodied fabric.
Rather than stopping, Ren Yuanhao only grew more determined.
But he overlooked one detail.
This burial pit had no stench of decay. Instead, a strong floral scent—jasmine—permeated the air, identical to the fragrance from the backpack.
Of course, Ren Yuanhao was too focused on uncovering the body to notice such obvious clues.
Then, just as he was digging intently, he suddenly felt the soil covering the body shift slightly—
As if the corpse had reacted to some inexplicable bioelectric stimulus!
*"Holy sh*t?! Is it… moving?!"*
Ren Yuanhao didn’t believe in ghosts, but he still held a basic respect for the supernatural. Immediately, he clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and muttered under his breath.
*"Miss, please don’t blame me. If not for this divine dog leading me here, your remains might’ve stayed buried for who knows how long. Since I’ve stumbled upon this, I won’t turn a blind eye. If you have grievances, I’ll help you seek justice. If I’ve disturbed your rest, please forgive—"*
Before he could finish, an icy-cold hand suddenly clamped onto his ankle!
*—WHAT THE HELL?! My luck’s been bad lately, but not* ghost encounter *bad!*
Ren Yuanhao gulped and tried to pull his foot away, but the grip was inhumanly strong—yanking him downward with terrifying force.
*"Miss, this is our first meeting. We’re not* that *close yet. Could you show some res—"*
Before he could say "restraint," a freezing body suddenly climbed onto him—legs wrapping around his waist—while a slippery tongue began licking his face like a dog’s!
*"WHAT THE F—?!"*
Half of Ren Yuanhao’s soul nearly left his body. Just as he was about to freak out, he opened his eyes—
And saw a familiar face pressed against his own.
A slender tongue licked his cheek like a puppy’s.
*"Wh-what the hell? You look just like the girl in the photo!"*
Then it hit him—the faint jasmine fragrance.
*It was her.*
Still dumbfounded, Ren Yuanhao felt the girl’s hands clamp onto his shoulders with surprising strength, pinning him to the ground. Her tongue and nose kept brushing against his face, her hot breath tickling his skin unbearably.
*"Hey, hey, hey! Miss, could you* calm down *a little? First meetings shouldn’t be this intense! If you’re a zombie, at least aim for the jugular properly!"*
The girl kept licking him until the Malinois suddenly barked.
Like she’d been electrocuted, she immediately jumped off Ren Yuanhao and crouched on the ground—mimicking the dog’s posture in the weirdest way possible.
Then, shifting from her awkward squat, she lifted one leg and scratched her head with her foot—an utterly bizarre sight.
The movement was so exaggerated that certain parts of her nearly got exposed. The Malinois let out a heated growl and pounced, almost knocking her back into the pit!
*"Damn, it’s like your IQs got swapped or something."*
The dog barked sharply, as if agreeing.
*"No way… Am I dreaming?"* Ren Yuanhao tapped his forehead with his fingers, trying to reassure himself. *"Right, I’ve been under too much stress lately. Lack of sleep, mental exhaustion—weird dreams are normal. I just need to break the dream’s boundaries to wake up."*
He turned to the dog with a sly grin.
*"Hey, good boy. I bet* you’re *the one trapping me in this dream. If I take you out, everything’ll go back to normal, right?"*
As he spoke, he reached for the dog’s chain—only for the Malinois to dodge with agility no ordinary dog should have!
*"Aha! I get it now! This must be another illusion set up by System-chan to test me!"*
**[Beep. Cough. I don’t have time for tests. When will you start thinking critically? Can’t you sense that this dog has the same frequency fluctuations as you?]**
Just as Ren Yuanhao was lost in confusion, the system’s voice echoed in his mind like a wake-up call.
*"Holy sh*t… You mean this dog is also an—*esper?!"