Chapter 0002: Tragedy

The most terrifying aspect was his body, which had been completely impaled on the flagpole. The sharp tip of the flagpole protruded from the top of his head, stained with a shocking bright red, making his death truly tragic.

Boomーー !

Xiao Mo gazed at the darkened screen, his heart stirred by tumultuous waves of emotion

The heavy rain had not ceased throughout the night, and with no other choice, Xiao Mo had to take an umbrella and set out on the road. As he walked along the muddy path, a voice kept echoing in his ears:

Do you know how the body of You Shan was taken down? It was lifted down using a crane

What confounded him the most was why Zhang Youshan would go to the school in the dead of night, as he did not live on campus at all! Moreover, the school gate should have been closed at that time, so even if he wanted to enter, he would not have been able to.

Upon this thought, Xiao Mo felt a chill run down his spine; he could hardly believe it was true. He had actually received a call from the future in the past

He hurriedly picked up the phone and called back Zhang Youshan.

Do you still have your call records?

With a belly full of questions, the class passed just like that. After class, Huang Liang, with red and swollen eyes, found him and showed him a photo. The photo was stored on Huang Liang's phone. Xiao Mo took the phone and looked closely; he suddenly exclaimed in disbelief, staring at Huang Liang, momentarily at a loss for words

... ...

After reading it, Xiao Mo almost vomited, as his stomach churned violently. He handed the phone back to Huang Liang, finding it increasingly difficult to continue looking at it. Huang Liang took back the phone and said with a somber expression:

With the emergence of this thought, Xiao Mo suddenly felt a wave of palpitations, and that unsettling feeling reappeared once again. However, this time it was even more intense and terrifying than before, leaving him in a state of utter confusion.

Xiao Mo secretly clicked his tongue and once again focused his gaze on the photograph. In the photo, Zhang Youshan's eyes resembled those of a dead fish, with two bulging eyeballs protruding outward. More than half of his clothing was stained red, and his expression was one of indescribable horror

At this point, Huang Liang mentioned another matter to Xiao Mo:

Xiao Mo truly found Huang Liang's words somewhat laughable, yet Huang Liang remained very resolute about it

Only after the overweight police officer had asked a series of irrelevant questions did he finally inquire about the matter of the phone

What is targeting him

Huang Liang sat down at the table at this moment and said in a hoarse voice

Of course

You may think that I am talking nonsense, but I still believe that this is not something humans can accomplish

The overweight police officer nodded in understanding and then asked, "What did he say to you during these three phone calls?"

After Huang Liang left, Xiao Mo fell back into a daze. The school has only one entrance and exit, and the security guards and gatekeepers change shifts 24 hours a day. It is simply impossible to sneak a crane in without anyone noticing. Moreover, there are surveillance cameras there, and any slight disturbance would be recorded.

I have heard that the deceased had a good relationship with you, is that so

In conclusion, it cannot be the work of humans

He hardly slept at all last night, leaning against the headboard in a daze. As for what he was thinking, he probably wasn't even clear about it himself. He had intended to call Zhang Youshan, but upon realizing that he would see him shortly, he unconsciously abandoned that thought

"Help me! Help me!" I am on the playground at school

Keep it, just in my phone

Xiao Mo was completely stunned, as he saw a gap slowly appear in the crowd. Three police officers were carrying a blood-stained stretcher, slowly making their way in his direction

The person he inquired about was a middle-aged man of stout build, sporting a flat crew cut, with a belly that was even larger than that of a pregnant woman. This individual did not engage in any small talk; he got straight to the point and asked:

The first two times were his pranks, but the last time turned out to be real. Is it the story of the boy who cried wolf? Or did he already sense that someone was out to harm him? Who is that 'it' on the phone?

Xiao Mo suddenly recalled that there were surveillance cameras near the flagpole. As long as the footage from that time could be retrieved, the identity of the murderer would be revealed. Xiao Mo planned to visit the surveillance room after school to see if he could access the recordings from that time.

It has come out, save me! Save me!

Xiao Mo handed his phone to the overweight police officer, who browsed through it for a while before his expression suddenly darkened. Then, he slammed his hand on the table and questioned Xiao Mo:

Have you made a mistake? He only called me once last night

Although the flagpole is quite high, it is a particularly conspicuous location. A corpse has appeared there out of nowhere, and unless one is blind, it would be easy to notice. If the murderer intended for the body to be discovered, there would be no need for such elaborate measures; simply throwing it in some corner of the campus would suffice, and it would be found the next day just the same

The times displayed for the three calls are 12:00 AM on the 6th, 12:01 AM on the 6th, and 12:03 AM on the 6th

Looking out the window again, it is already pouring rain, and the endless chill rushes in like a herd of wild horses, competing to enter.

Huang Liang is not wrong; the body of Zhang Youshan hanging at such a high place is indeed contrary to common sense. It is impossible to climb up there by human effort; the only means to achieve this would be a crane or a helicopter. Let us set this speculation aside for the moment; the most critical point is that there is absolutely no necessity to hang the body there.

Oh? The chubby police officer was clearly taken aback by Xiao Mo's response. He straightened his posture and continued to ask:

It is clearly three times, why do you have to lie

It feels quite incredible, doesn't it? I was just as surprised as you at first, thinking that this photo had been edited. However, after my thorough verification, the authenticity of this photo should be beyond doubt.

It is coming out! Save me, save me...!

Would you mind showing it to me?

Everything is normal, and I have not seen him in conflict with anyone

Recently, has the deceased exhibited any abnormal behavior? For instance, did they have a dispute with someone, hold a grudge, or mention any threats to you?

He said ... ... is a ghost

As soon as he entered the school gate, Xiao Mo couldn't help but widen his eyes, for the playground was unexpectedly filled with people. Three police cars, flashing red lights, appeared particularly glaring within the campus. Among the crowd, he saw many familiar faces, such as Huang Liang, their instructor, the gatekeeper Uncle Xu, and the duty officer Li Baowei. Additionally, he noticed Zhang Youshan's mother, who was crying and screaming uncontrollably.

Well, our relationship is still quite good

Xiao Mo could not understand the purpose behind the killer's actions, nor could he comprehend how it was accomplished

Did you see? You Shan's death is just like a meat skewer on https://www.hetushu.com! But think about it, is this even possible? The flagpole is at least over ten meters high, with nothing to step on at the top, and the area within nearly twenty meters is completely open. It is simply impossible for him to have died in such a place

It was like this, at that time I thought it was his prank

This day was destined to be unforgettable. Xiao Mo's thoughts were entirely focused on the deceased Zhang Youshan, as he sat in the last row of the classroom, his expression was truly terrifyingly gloomy

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mo's face instantly drained of color, and the umbrella he was holding uncontrollably fell to the ground. At this moment, Zhang Youshan's extremely terrified voice on the phone echoed in his ears like a broken record, resounding with a chilling intensity.

According to the information we have gathered, the deceased had a phone conversation with you before their death, correct

Yesterday, You Shan mentioned something to me; he told me that it seemed he was being targeted by something. And that thing targeting him could very likely take his life

Xiao Mo answered in detail, and if one were to speak frankly, Zhang Youshan had only had conflicts with him recently, and they had even spoken on the phone shortly before his death. It was evident that the police regarded him as the primary suspect.

The one who delivered this tragic news to him was Huang Liang. Huang Liang told him that Zhang Youshan's body was discovered early in the morning by a student who had entered the school, and it is said that he died on the playground

Xiao Mo felt extremely guilty about Zhang Youshan's death. If he had reported to the police after receiving Zhang Youshan's call for help last night, it is likely that Zhang Youshan would not have died. However, there are many questions here. Since Zhang Youshan was able to make a phone call for help when he was in danger, why did he not call the police, but instead chose to call him?

We are sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable or has been turned off

As expected, after the two police officers explained the situation to him, they took him back to the police station. The police station was crowded, and everyone appeared to be extremely busy, so Xiao Mo's arrival did not attract much attention

The abrupt actions of the overweight police officer startled Xiao Mo, who, after hearing this, looked at the officer in confusion and then picked up the phone on the table. He initially thought the officer had made a mistake, after all, Zhang Youshan had also called him two days ago. However, upon seeing the dates of the three calls, he felt a chill run down his spine

"Three calls?" This time, Xiao Mo's expression changed. He looked at the chubby police officer across from him and asked uncertainly:

Is it not done by humans, then could it be done by ghosts

Is this merely a prank by Zhang Youshan? What if he truly encounters danger

After that, he heard the voice of Zhang Youshan's mother: "My son... I beg you... do not leave your mother..."

Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap erupted outside, and beneath the cover of this thunder, Xiao Mo could no longer hear any other sounds. Before long, large raindrops began to fall, striking the open window with a loud patter.

At this moment, Huang Liang spoke again

Plans are always slower than changes; as soon as school was over, two police officers approached him immediately. Without needing to ask, Xiao Mo knew it was certainly about Zhang Youshan, after all, Zhang Youshan had spoken to him on the phone before his death

These three phone calls ... ! ... were all made on the day Zhang Youshan died !

Wait! Monitoring?

Yes, just as Xiao Mo heard, Zhang Youshan is dead

Secondly, although Zhang Youshan is somewhat eccentric in his daily life, he has never held a grudge against anyone; who would want to harm him?