The Lure of Truth

The series of eerie events had completely disrupted Lin Li's life. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of the faceless figure would resurface in his mind. Whether it was day or night, the feeling of being watched, of being followed, never left him. He knew this wasn't a coincidence, nor was it an illusion. Something was slowly slipping beyond his control.

To his surprise, Xiao Ye's reaction was unexpected. Rather than being scared off by the terrifying figure they had witnessed that night, her curiosity was piqued. She was convinced that there had to be a reason behind all of this, a secret lurking in the shadows. She was determined that they—together—must uncover the truth.

"We can't keep running away," Xiao Ye said, standing by the long table in the library, her eyes gleaming with determination. She spoke in a low voice, "That thing didn't just appear out of nowhere. There's a reason for it."

Lin Li remained silent for a while, flipping through an old, dusty book that no one had touched in years. He looked up, his eyes filled with hesitation. "But… what if investigating further brings more danger? What if it—or something worse—is waiting for us?"

Xiao Ye met his gaze, her voice calm yet firm, "Are you really willing to keep living in fear like this? I'm not. I want answers."

Deep down, Lin Li knew she was right. He couldn't pretend that nothing had happened, especially now that Xiao Ye was involved. He couldn't let her face the danger alone. He sighed. "Alright, count me in. But we need to be careful. This isn't something to take lightly."

They decided to start with the most obvious source: the history and legends of the campus. They approached old professors, combed through the school's archives, and tried to uncover the ghost stories whispered among students over the years. Every old school had its dark corners, hiding secrets long buried, and this one, founded over a hundred years ago, was no exception.

The library held a wealth of old materials about the school. For days, the two of them pored over every document they could find. Finally, in one of the oldest, dustiest records, Lin Li came across something unusual. It was a notebook, seemingly compiled decades ago by a student council member, recording strange rumors around the campus. The pages were yellowed with age, and the writing was faded, but one passage stood out to him:

"In the basement of the old teaching building, a missing professor was once held. It's said that he conducted unnatural experiments, violating the laws of nature. Since then, people have seen his ghost wandering the campus at night, with no face…"

Lin Li's heart tightened as he read the words. He quickly showed the passage to Xiao Ye.

"Could the faceless figure be that professor?" Xiao Ye asked, her voice low, brimming with a mixture of excitement and fear.

"It's possible," Lin Li nodded, though he couldn't shake the feeling that the truth was far more complex than they could imagine. "The professor's name isn't recorded, but the description of the basement… I think we need to check it out."

Xiao Ye's eyes lit up with determination, but then she frowned, her voice dropping slightly, "But the basement is sealed off now. We can't just walk in."

"Sealed off?" Lin Li furrowed his brow.

"I heard it's been closed for years, after a student disappeared there," Xiao Ye whispered, her eyes drifting toward the old teaching building in the distance. It stood there, abandoned and decaying, its shadow long and ominous.

They exchanged a glance. It was clear they had both made up their minds.

That night, they returned to the old teaching building. The moonlight fell like a soft veil over the empty campus. The building's shadow loomed like a sleeping beast, waiting in the dark. The air was still—unnaturally so, as if even the wind had decided to avoid this place.

"Are you sure about this?" Lin Li asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Of course." Xiao Ye didn't hesitate, her eyes reflecting the moonlight, fearless.

They made their way past the fence and to the back door of the old building. Just as Xiao Ye had said, the entrance was locked, but not too securely. Lin Li pulled out a screwdriver and quickly pried the lock open. The door creaked as it swung inward, releasing a foul, musty odor mixed with the unmistakable chill of something long forgotten.

They switched on their phone flashlights and began descending the long staircase into the building's depths. The walls were lined with faded posters and graffiti, remnants of a time when this place had been filled with life. Now, only echoes of the past remained, drowned in an eerie silence.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached the entrance to the basement. A rusty iron door stood ajar, as if no one had touched it in years. Xiao Ye shone her light through the gap, revealing a long hallway beyond. At the far end, several more rusted doors loomed in the darkness.

"Let's go in," Xiao Ye said softly, her voice tinged with nervous excitement.

Lin Li nodded, though his unease was growing stronger with each step. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them, waiting for the right moment to strike.

They walked down the corridor cautiously, their footsteps echoing unnervingly in the stillness. At the end of the hallway stood the most dilapidated door. Xiao Ye approached and, with some effort, pushed it open.

The room inside was small, cluttered with old equipment, dusty books, and broken furniture. In the center of the room was a table, covered in moldy papers and a dusty old lamp. It looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry.

Xiao Ye moved toward the table, curiosity pulling her closer. She opened one of the books lying there, her eyes scanning the pages. Suddenly, her expression changed. She stiffened and called out to Lin Li, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Look at this," she said, handing him the book.

Lin Li took it and, using his flashlight, began to read. It seemed to be some kind of experimental journal, filled with complex formulas and notes he couldn't begin to understand. But when he turned to the last few pages, he froze.

Tucked between the pages was a photograph, worn and blurry. It showed several shadowy figures standing in what appeared to be a laboratory. And at the front of the group stood a figure—faceless, just like the one they had seen.

"This… how is this possible?" Lin Li whispered, a chill running down his spine. He felt a cold presence behind him, as if something was closing in.

Just then, a faint noise came from behind them. It was soft, like a whisper or a low breath, almost imperceptible.

They both spun around, hearts pounding, shining their lights into the darkness beyond the doorway. There was nothing there.

Silence fell over the room again, heavy and oppressive. Only the sound of their labored breathing filled the air.

"We need to get out of here," Lin Li whispered urgently, grabbing Xiao Ye's wrist and preparing to leave.

But as they turned to go, the door slammed shut behind them with a deafening crash, as if sealing them inside.

The air in the room thickened, growing colder by the second. And from the shadows, something began to move, creeping closer and closer.