Chapter 7: Disciplining the Impossible Colleagues

"How many rescue workers have already died in this wasteland? She’s just a young, naive girl with no experience; it wouldn't be surprising if she died out here in the desert."

Tan Yuyan appeared indifferent, but deep down, she felt a pang of guilt.

"There are no security cameras in the no-man's-land, so just eat without worry. You coward, you were the one who snatched Xu Ying's motorcycle in the first place!"

She said this not only to convince Tan Ming but also to reassure herself.

Those three bears had been terrifyingly ferocious, lunging at them in an instant. They would have been mauled if they had hesitated even a second. They had no choice but to abandon Xu Ying for their own survival!

Tan Ming argued defensively, "That’s because Xu Ying’s motorcycle skills were terrible. It would have been better if I were the one driving."

Tan Yuyan continued eating and said, "I wonder if that vacancy will go to us now that Xu Ying is dead."

Tan Yuyan and Tan Ming, a sister and brother duo, had been placed as temporary staff through connections.

Conditions in the desert were harsh, but because so few people were willing to come, the pay was higher than average, the benefits were good, and there was even a housing subsidy after five years of service—essentially allowing them to buy a home at half price.

As for the veterinary and animal rescue qualifications, they were all fake certificates bought with money.

However, temporary hires had no official status, no "iron rice bowl," and their retirement benefits were significantly lower.

"Sis, you have to pass an exam for an official position now. Even if Xu Ying is dead, it wouldn't necessarily go to us."

Tan Ming scratched his head. "I heard that since we’re in a remote area, the score required for the exam isn't that high."

Tan Yuyan retorted irritably, "You’ve got a lot of nerve. Why don't you try passing it yourself, then!"

At that moment, the tablet screen dimmed.

Tan Yuyan carelessly wiped the red chili oil from her mouth, picked up the tablet, and adjusted the brightness. "You have to admit, this tablet is great for watching shows! The picture is clear and the sound is loud!"

A line of engraving on the back of the tablet, "First Prize in Xu Ying’s Professional Knowledge Competition," was smudged and dirtied by the red oil on Tan Yuyan’s hand.

Looking at the greasy screen, Tan Ming complained, "Sis, I heard this tablet cost four or five thousand. Be more careful with it!"

"It’s not like we were the ones who paid four or five thousand for it!" Tan Yuyan shrugged indifferently.

Tan Ming’s eyes suddenly darted around. "We couldn't afford to buy such a tablet, and she had one as a college student. Do you think someone keeping her as a mistress bought it for her?"

Tan Yuyan smacked her lips. "Who knows? But since she’s dead, isn't this tablet ours now?"

Tan Ming, unable to keep his mouth shut, lowered his voice and spoke to Tan Yuyan mysteriously, "Doesn't it feel creepy to use a dead person's things?"

Tan Yuyan was already feeling guilty; hearing Tan Ming’s words, the corners of her mouth immediately dropped. "Stop spouting nonsense!"

Yet, at that very moment, the lightbulb inside the rescue station suddenly went out, plunging the room into total darkness, save for the faint glow of the tablet screen.

"Ah!"

Tan Yuyan was startled and grabbed Tan Ming’s arm.

"Why did you turn off the lights? Are you trying to scare someone to death?"

Tan Ming was even more terrified than his sister. "Sis, I haven't done anything besides say that one thing to scare you! I didn't turn off the lights!"

The two stared at each other in terror.

*

Outside.

Xu Ying, who had just cut the power, crouched low, listening to the movements inside the house, and flashed a dark, calculating smile.

She pulled out her phone and opened the screen-casting settings.

Because the original owner frequently cast her phone screen to the tablet, the connection was established automatically as soon as she turned it on. She cast a clip from the horror movie *The Ring* onto the tablet.

Glancing at her phone’s low battery and the power bank connected to the charging port, Xu Ying lowered her voice and asked Ning Zexi, "Is your power bank enough?"

Ning Zexi gave a confident smile, showing his bright, white teeth. "More than enough! Twenty thousand milliampere-hours! An outdoor essential!"

"Join my livestream, countdown three, two, one—grab it! Get it at a flash-sale price!"

"Go to hell." Xu Ying pushed him aside, speechless.

"Your livestream isn't on right now, is it?"

Ning Zexi shook his head violently. "Nope. Turning on the stream would get in the way of us teaching these bad guys a lesson!"

Xu Ying clicked the play button on her phone’s video player, then turned to the Gobi bears and whispered, "Big guys, it’s all up to you now!"

The Gobi bears pinched their claws, clumsily giving Xu Ying an "OK" sign—the secret code she had just taught them.

*

Inside the pitch-black rescue station, the sister and brother realized something was wrong, and a chill ran down their spines.

The faint light emitted by the tablet made them huddle toward the source.

"Can't this tablet be used as a flashlight?"

Just as Tan Yuyan was about to pick up the tablet to use as a light, the screen suddenly went black, then flashed back on.

The image of a well appeared on the screen, the lighting within it incredibly eerie.

The camera in the video slowly zoomed in; the bottom of the well was pitch black, appearing bottomless. Vaguely, it seemed as if something unknown was squirming in the dark, accompanied by a low, sinister sound.

The tablet’s speaker, which Tan Yuyan had praised for being "loud and powerful," now emitted a terrifying, chilling sound that pierced their eardrums.

The sister and brother were so terrified by the horrifying imagery that they dared not make a sound, pushing each other toward the screen.

"You go turn off the tablet!"

"You go! You're the older sister!"

"You go! Aren't you a man?"

The two huddled together, and amidst their shoving, the horror movie on the tablet reached its terrifying climax.

At the bottom of the dim, gloomy well, the ghost Sadako slowly extended her head.

Her long hair was disheveled, covering most of her face and revealing only one hollow, lifeless eye. She braced her hands against the wall of the well, her body gradually moving upward, her limbs bent in an unnatural posture, emitting a bone-chilling sound.

As she twisted and crawled, more and more of her body was exposed at the mouth of the well. Finally, she climbed all the way out, standing at the edge, dripping wet, her face pale, exuding an indescribably bizarre aura as she walked toward the camera.

Tan Ming finally couldn't take it anymore. He gathered his courage, stood up, and prepared to grab the tablet from the table to smash it. Just as he moved, a figure with long, flowing hair flashed past the window.

Tan Ming’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the floor in terror. He pointed a trembling finger toward the window: "Sis! There’s a female ghost outside!"

Seeing the horror movie on her phone reach its terrifying climax, Xu Ying called out sharply toward the house: "Tan Yuyan, Tan Ming, I’ve come to find you~~"

"Ahhh—"

A strange odor began to permeate the room.

Tan Ming, sprawled on the floor, had truly been scared into wetting himself.

"It’s Xu Ying! Xu Ying has turned into a vengeful spirit and come for us!"

Tan Yuyan’s nerves were shredded by fear. She grabbed the electric baton she kept by the wall for protection. "Who’s playing these ghost games? Come out!"

"Is that you, Xu Ying?"

Tan Yuyan hurried to the door, intending to catch whoever was pulling this stunt.

However, just as she reached the door, a series of violent bangs erupted from outside. The force was so immense it sounded as if the iron door were about to be shattered—it didn't sound like a human knocking at all!

The sudden, jarring sound terrified Tan Yuyan. She stumbled backward, accidentally knocking over the small table behind her.

The self-heating hot pot sitting on the table tipped over, spilling the scalding hot broth directly onto Tan Ming’s head.

"My eyes!!"

The searing, spicy hot pot broth poured into Tan Ming’s eyes, and he let out a scream of agony.