CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: I AM TRULY A BRAVE, FEARLESS, AND HANDSOME AUTHOR_1

Under the bed, it was completely empty. Gu Mian stared under it for quite a while, confirming there was indeed nothing—not even a mouse. When he looked up, the expressions of the people outside were even more exaggerated.

"You... how are you..." Yuwen Hao stared at Gu Mian and swallowed hard. "Not scared at all?"

Qing Huan clutched the quilt tightly. "You expect someone who’d stick their head out at midnight to curse at a ghost to be scared of anything?"

Hearing this, Yuwen Hao looked even more astonished.

Gu Mian glanced at the wall clock. It was 1:05 am.

Then, he turned to the pale-faced group outside and asked, "Where is Lin Yue’er?"

Lin Yue’er was missing. Gu Mian had noticed it the moment he woke up, but the others only seemed to realize it now, their eyes widening.

"Yes! Where is Lin Yue’er?" Yuwen Hao suddenly stood up.

Huang Yu, who had been on night watch, woke him and Qing Huan. As soon as they were awake, the strange sound from under the bed had captured their attention, so they hadn’t noticed someone was missing.

At this, Huang Yu, his face pale, stammered, "I... I dozed off while keeping watch. When I woke up, Lin Yue’er was gone. I was just about to tell you all when I heard the noise under Dr. Gu’s bed..."

Everyone knew what happened next. Huang Yu had woken the other two, and during that time, no one dared to speak. They had only just realized Lin Yue’er was missing.

Her disappearance was definitely the work of the Under-bed ghost. She was likely back in her old apartment now.

"What useless teammates," Gu Mian muttered, patting his white coat. He picked up the chainsaw from the bedside table and slung it over his back.

Huang Yu just hung his head quietly.

Seeing Gu Mian stand up, Yuwen Hao asked, "Dr. Gu, what are you going to do?"

"Of course, I’m going to catch... Ahem, save her. What else is there to do?"

Hearing this, Yuwen Hao hesitated. He glanced at Lin Yue’er’s empty bed, then back at Gu Mian. "Lin Yue’er... she was taken by the ghost, right?"

Wouldn’t going there be suicide?

Of course, Yuwen Hao didn’t say that last part out loud, but the others understood what he meant.

Gu Mian said knowingly, "If you’re scared, you don’t have to go. I can go alone."

At this, Yuwen Hao wordlessly sat back down on the sofa.

Gu Mian didn’t delay and turned to leave.

But then Huang Yu suddenly stood up. "Dr. Gu, I’ll go with you..."

He said this with his head still lowered, looking guilty, as if his conscience was condemning him. After all, Lin Yue’er was in danger because he had failed in his duty to watch over her.

Gu Mian glanced at Huang Yu’s lowered head. "If you want to come, then come."

"Wait..." Qing Huan also hurried over. "Doctor, can I go with you?"

He had no intention of actively saving anyone; he simply felt that sticking with Gu Mian was more dependable.

Gu Mian nodded in assent.

Seeing the others about to leave with Gu Mian, Yuwen Hao anxiously stood up. "Then I’ll go too."

If Gu Mian and the other two left, he would be left all alone here. Being stranded alone at a time like this was the most terrifying prospect.

In the end, the four of them set off together for Lin Yue’er’s apartment.

It was October, and the weather was no longer hot, having started to cool down. It was a bit chilly at night.

The sky was pitch-black. A few streetlights stood on the side of the road, emitting a faint, dismal light, occasionally flickering.

The dense roadside trees blocked the light from the streetlamps, making the already faint glow even dimmer. Shadows of leaves, cast onto the ground, looked like contorted hands.

The group walked quickly along the dimly lit road. The green belt beside them rustled from time to time, as if something living was hidden within.

A gust of cold wind blew past. Huang Yu, dressed in the thinnest clothes, shivered.

"Hang in there," Gu Mian glanced at him. "We’re about to reach Lin Yue’er’s apartment."

They couldn’t get a taxi. Taxis were already scarce, and this was 2002; in the middle of the night, you couldn’t even see a car’s shadow.

Thankfully, Lin Yue’er’s apartment was not far from their hotel. They could already see the silhouette of the apartment building.

Huang Yu nodded, hugging his shoulders.

Just then, a ringtone emanated from Yuwen Hao’s pocket.

He quickly pulled out his cell phone. Its small screen glowed faintly in the darkness. The caller ID showed it was the landline from Lin Yue’er’s apartment.

"Hello?" Yuwen Hao answered immediately. "Yue’er?"

Lin Yue’er’s voice, laced with sobs, came from the other end. "I... where are you? I’m in the apartment now... I just woke up and found myself here..."

Because Yuwen Hao had put the call on speaker, everyone could hear Lin Yue’er’s voice.

Yuwen Hao comforted her, "Don’t be scared, we’re on our way."

"Are... are you all coming?"

"Um..."

Just as Yuwen Hao was about to answer, Gu Mian suddenly pressed his hand down, stopping him.

Yuwen Hao looked at Gu Mian in surprise, but the doctor didn’t say anything, just shook his head.

Seeing this, Yuwen Hao hesitated for a moment before saying to the phone, "No... Dr. Gu isn’t coming. How are you doing now?"

Only then did Gu Mian withdraw his hand.

Qing Huan looked at Gu Mian strangely, but Gu Mian just shook his head, clearly not intending to explain.

Lin Yue’er was still speaking on the other end, her voice extremely faint. "I... I don’t know... I just woke up and found myself on the bed here. I didn’t dare move... so I called you right away..."

"Is there any sound under your bed?"

Lin Yue’er paused on the other end. "No, I don’t think... No! Wait! I hear it... There is..."

During the call, the four of them had been walking quickly and were now at the bottom of Lin Yue’er’s apartment building.

Her voice continued from the phone, "You guys, hurry... I’m scared... *sob*..."

"Don’t be scared," Yuwen Hao gripped the phone tightly. "We’ll be there soon."

She lived on the fourth floor, and they were now starting to climb the stairs.

Lin Yue’er was saying continuously, "I can hear it... Something is moving under my bed. The sound is getting louder! It’s about to come out!"

While striding up the stairs, Yuwen Hao asked, "Can you get off the bed and rush out? Can you do that?"

They were now approaching the fourth floor.

"No..." Lin Yue’er’s voice was tinged with sobs. "I don’t dare move. I only dared to grab the phone on the bedside table to call you... Please hurry!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Huan suddenly paused, a strange expression crossing his face.

By now, they had reached the fourth floor and were just steps away from Lin Yue’er’s door.

Qing Huan, however, stopped in his tracks, refusing to move forward.

Yuwen Hao looked at him in confusion. "What’s wrong?"

Qing Huan paused for several seconds, then looked at Lin Yue’er’s nearby door and said hesitantly, "This morning, didn’t Lin Yue’er say her phone fell on the floor?"

And she said she didn’t even dare to pick it up; she just rushed out the door. Lin Yue’er hadn’t returned to the apartment all day. So who picked up the phone from the floor and put it on her bedside table?

Either a ghost did it. Or... she’s lying!

Qing Huan’s voice wasn’t soft, and the person on the other end of the phone had clearly heard him.

The other end of the line went silent for a moment, then a jarring laugher erupted, the voice completely changed.

At first, it was a muffled, stifled laugh, as if coming through a thick quilt.

Then, the laughter turned sharp and high-pitched, as if squeezed directly from the throat, like the bizarre croaking of a frog.

The laughter was loud and shrill, terrifying Yuwen Hao and the others, their faces turning deathly pale. Yuwen Hao almost dropped his phone.

What was going on?! Qing Huan’s face was also deathly pale. The caller wasn’t Lin Yue’er?

Just as the group was panicking, Gu Mian snatched the phone and abruptly said to the other end—

"I’m at your door."

The laughter ceased abruptly.