After securing the little girl, He-Gu took two swift steps and dashed out of the factory gate.

Once outside, He-Gu hurriedly tied the bell in his hand to the electric gate.

As soon as he finished, the little girl regained her mobility.

She glared at He-Gu with a menacing expression, her body emanating thick black smoke.

“You! Damn you!”

Her voice turned rough and hoarse, as if her throat was clogged with phlegm. She charged at He-Gu with a ferocious look.

He-Gu’s heart tightened, and he took several steps back.

However, just as the little girl reached the gate, the bell tied to the electric gate started ringing on its own.

“Ding-ding-ding…”

The bell, which had no clapper, emitted a crisp sound. The little girl seemed to hit an invisible wall and was violently bounced back, stumbling several steps.

Seeing this, He-Gu felt a slight relief.

It seemed the little girl couldn’t get out, and perhaps nothing in the entire factory could escape now.

With that thought, He-Gu straightened his clothes and walked towards the nearby bus stop.

Suddenly, the little girl burst into maniacal laughter, “You think this is over?”

“As long as you haven’t completely severed ties with this world, we’ll meet again… and my mother won’t spare you either!”

The little girl looked like a character from a movie, hysterical and filled with impotent rage. He-Gu glanced back at her, shrugged, and walked to the bus stop, ignoring her.

A few minutes later, two beams of light appeared at the other end of the road as a town bus slowly approached.

Seeing the bus, He-Gu let out a long sigh of relief.

“It’s over, finally over…”

The bus stopped in front of He-Gu, and the door opened.

He-Gu stepped onto the bus and placed a hundred-yuan bill into the fare box.

The bus door closed slowly, and the bus departed from the stop.

Meanwhile, He-Gu walked towards the back of the bus.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, and it was pitch dark outside. Inside the bus, a dim overhead light barely illuminated the space.

Probably because it was so early, the bus was empty except for one person sitting in the last row.

He-Gu walked through the swaying bus, intending to find a window seat.

At that moment, the figure in the back row suddenly stood up and walked towards He-Gu.

He-Gu turned back suspiciously, and as the person approached, he finally saw her face.

Wearing a professional blouse, with shoulder-length curly hair, and thick glasses… it was Teacher Fang!

Teacher Fang sat down next to He-Gu, looking at him with a half-smile, “You finally made it out.”

This voice was hoarse and unpleasant, definitely not Teacher Fang’s voice!

He-Gu stiffened, a flash of terror in his eyes.

Why is this happening again!?

Before He-Gu could react, Teacher Fang continued, “I didn’t expect you to walk out of the Kant Medicine Factory alive…”

“But don’t think it’s over!”

“I believe you know that anyone chosen by this world has to pay a price to sever ties completely.”

Hearing this, He-Gu understood.

The person in front of him wasn’t Teacher Fang, but something that had taken her form.

He-Gu also knew that anyone chosen by the world of ghost stories either died in the scenarios or had to pay a significant price to leave after clearing them.

Typically, the more scenarios one cleared, the smaller the price to leave.

But even the smallest price was often unacceptable to people.

So, the few who survived the world of ghost stories never completely severed ties with it. Even after returning to the real world, they were often forcibly pulled back to face new scenarios under certain conditions.

As He-Gu’s thoughts raced, “Teacher Fang” continued, “You have three choices now.”

“First, leave that red towel and your eyes behind, and you can completely leave this world, never to return.”

“Second, you can leave, but a close relative must stay in the world of ghost stories in your place. You can choose this person, and if they clear enough scenarios, they can leave too.”

At this point, “Teacher Fang” stopped and looked at He-Gu.

The red towel… again with the red towel!

What was so special about this red towel that “it” kept fixating on it!?

And “it” even wanted He-Gu’s eyes!?

Had “it” noticed his Eye of Truth!?

While thinking quickly, He-Gu put his hand in his pocket and grasped the red towel inside.

If something went wrong, this item might save his life!

He-Gu frowned and said, “What’s the third option?”

“Teacher Fang” sneered, “If I were you, I wouldn’t choose the third option.”

“The third option is to continue challenging new scenarios. As a reward for surviving the factory, you can go back and say goodbye to your family and friends, but you must return in five days.”

“However,” “Teacher Fang’s” voice turned cold, “you should know that you won’t always be lucky enough to leave alive. Each time you enter, you might leave your life behind!”

After hearing “Teacher Fang’s” words, He-Gu nodded slightly, “You’re right. The more scenarios I enter, the higher the chance of dying.”

“It’s impossible for me to sacrifice a close relative to take my place. But if giving up my eyes can ensure peace for the rest of my life… that’s not too bad a choice.”

He-Gu paused, “But since you care so much about that red towel, I won’t give it to you!”

“The more you want it, the less I’ll give it to you!”

“So, I choose the third option.”

He-Gu provocatively looked at “Teacher Fang,” “Piss you off, you bastard!”

“Teacher Fang’s” face darkened, his eyes turning ink-black, and black smoke started emanating from his body, looking terrifying.

Seeing this, He-Gu’s scalp tingled, and he was extremely nervous inside.

But outwardly, He-Gu maintained a provocative expression, “I guess if you attacked me, I probably wouldn’t be your match, and might not even have a chance to struggle.”

“But you chose to negotiate, asking me to give up the red towel and my eyes, instead of taking them by force?”

“That means you’re also bound by the rules and can’t attack me now, right?”

Hearing He-Gu’s words, “Teacher Fang” fell silent, staring at He-Gu.

Seeing this, He-Gu breathed a sigh of relief, standing tall and arrogantly looking at it, “Since you can’t attack, don’t stand there puffing black smoke and pretending to be a big bad wolf!”

“Who are you trying to scare!?”

“Get lost!”