My House of Horrors

After entering the elevator, Chen Ge pressed the button for the 23rd floor. The silvery-gray door slowly closed as if separating him from the outside world. Chen Ge’s breathing turned ragged. He did not like taking the elevator—not because he had claustrophobia but because he did not like the feeling of being trapped in an enclosed space.

The elevator’s number kept jumping.

Looks like Wang Xin’s mother was right; the tenants here rarely take the elevator at night.

The elevator rose quickly, and the number soon hit 23. The chime sounded, and the door opened. The light filtered out from inside the elevator before it was swallowed by the darkness of the corridor. Shut doors lined the corridor on both sides.

Reached the top so quickly?

The 23rd floor did not look so different from the other floors except for the window at the end of the corridor, which was left open, so Chen Ge could hear the howling wind.

It does feel weird taking the elevator alone at night.

After the door closed, Chen Ge pressed the button for the 2nd floor. The elevator descended, and he soon arrived at the second floor.

What is the meaning of this design? Repeating this will really get me to the hidden 24th floor?

The door closed, and Chen Ge went up to the 22nd floor. When the elevator started and stopped, its speed would change, creating a temporary shift in the gravity. This was the reason certain people would feel lightheaded whenever they took the elevator.

Chen Ge had always had a good physical body, but the continuous going up and down for five minutes still made him feel quite uncomfortable. His heart was racing. He was unable to calm down, like something was about to happen. After he repeated this several times, he had a bad feeling in his heart even though he did not know why.

The elevator went from the 18th floor to the 7th floor, and he pressed for it to go to the 17th floor. There were no accidents throughout the whole process, and this instruction given by the ghost stories society felt more like a psychological game.

The elevator continued to rise, and the number kept changing. The elevator slowed down, and the door slowly opened. Chen Ge leaned out to take a look.

There was nothing on the corridor. The tenants appeared to be sleeping, and the place was quiet.

I’ve been lucky enough to not run into anyone so far. After few more times of time, I should be able to reach the 24th floor.

Chen Ge had gotten used to the process. When he pressed the button, his eyes went to the number. The red number made his arm hang in mid-air.

16?

He swore that he was heading toward the 17th floor. The button for the 17th floor on the elevator control panel was still lit up, but the elevator had stopped mysteriously on the 16th floor.

Someone has called for the elevator on this floor!

He bent down and lowered his right hand to touch the cleaver around his calf. Chen Ge looked around the empty elevator, staying on high alert. The corridor outside was completely dark; he could not see more than ten meters beyond him. The surroundings were quiet.

Could it be a prank?

That idea was immediately rejected by Chen Ge.

Several seconds later, the door slowly closed. Chen Ge looked at the empty elevator, but he didn’t dare to let his guard down. They could have been something that he could not see standing near him. He reached into this left pocket. He glanced at the time on his phone—00:01 am. It was already Wednesday.

The elevator continued to move upward and stopped at the 17th floor. Chen Ge leaned against the wall and pressed the button for the eighth floor, but something else happened not long after that.

The elevator stopped on the 11th floor, and after the door opened, Chen Ge saw a white dress hanging in the middle of the corridor.

Something else is getting on the elevator?

There was no wind in the corridor, but the dress kept swaying like it was moving toward the elevator. With one step, Chen Ge reached to press the close door button. The dress swayed even harder like someone running in the corridor.

Close the f*cking door!

When the dress was two to three meters away, the door closed, and the elevator continued to descend. Chen Ge collapsed to the corner, and his palms were coated with cold sweat. From that moment onward, this building had changed. The elevator reached the 8th floor safely, and Chen Ge decided to wait on that floor for a while.

According to the flyer’s introduction, he should be heading for the 16th floor next, but if the elevator moved to the 16th, it would definitely pass the floor with the white dress. He was afraid that the elevator would open on its own on the 11th floor, the white dress outside waiting.

His finger stopped at the control panel for a long time as he tried to convince himself.

I have the Pen Spirit and Xu Yin with me. If the thing dares to do anything, I have the advantage in numbers.

The elevator rose, and when it reached 11th, Chen Ge’s heart skipped a beat. But to his surprise, the elevator did not stop. The number continued to change. Before he could take a breath, however, the elevator stopped at the 13th floor.

Someone else is coming in?

The door slowly opened. There was an old woman wearing dark clothes and a thick scarf standing outside the elevator. She looked very old, the wrinkles on her face like folds. Her hair was completely silver, and her limbs were all covered by her thick clothing.

The old lady did not seem to expect anyone to be inside the elevator and surprise crossed her face.

“Weird…” Her voice was soft. The elevator door closed, and she did not move toward it. “Why are there so many people taking the elevator so late at night? There’s not even enough space for me.”

When Chen Ge heard the old lady, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It looked like he really did not have the advantage in numbers. No wonder the Pen Spirit has been acting so calmly. She didn’t even warn me.

He looked around, but he could only see himself inside the elevator. Thinking back to what the old lady said, Chen Ge’s heart raced even faster.

Something must be wrong somewhere. Even inside the Third Sick Hall, I wasn’t this nervous. Chen Ge tried to calm down, but there was something stuck in his mind, telling him that he was in deep danger.

That old lady is suspicious as well. Wearing all black and a scarf so late at night, is she that cold?

After meeting the old lady, the rest of the trip continued without further incidents. It was just as she said, the elevator was already full, so the people on the outside could not enter it even if they wanted to.