Chapter 75: The Crafted Deception
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Qun is the proprietor of a local mobile phone shop. He’s a middle-aged man with a reputation. In the past, he was notorious for being a cunning merchant. When he would fix phones, he often used dubious industry tactics, like replacing original phone parts with inferior ones without the customer’s knowledge. Many of his victims were unsuspecting first-time customers, whom some might refer to as “newbies” or “novices.”
But something changed in Qun. Recently, he hadn’t been resorting to these underhanded techniques.
Curious folks asked him why he changed his ways. Some speculated that it might be due to health issues from long hours of sitting like hemorrhoids or constipation. But Qun dismissed these theories. Instead, he confessed to hearing an unexplained melody in his head – a tune that seemed to follow him everywhere. The mysterious part? Only he seemed to hear it; it was inaudible to others.
One busy afternoon, as Qun was meticulously working on a customer’s phone, he paused, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Zheng, do you hear that?” he inquired, referring to the puzzling melody.
Zheng, his young and diligent apprentice, looked up, perplexed. “Hear what, boss? There’s no unusual sound.”
Qun, looking slightly agitated, said, “It’s that tune. It’s been in my head for days.”
The apprentice, concerned for Qun’s wellbeing, gently suggested, “Perhaps you need to see a doctor about this, boss.”
Qun sighed, “I’ve seen one. They told me there’s nothing medically wrong. It might be psychological, but it doesn’t harm me. The doctor even told me to keep my spirits up, indulge a bit, and buy things I fancy.”
As he spoke, Qun tried to mimic the melody, “Hmm hmm hmm, dong, dong, dong dong. Do you hear it now?”
Zheng shook his head, still clueless.
Then, as if on cue, a passerby began humming a familiar tune, “As the night gets cooler, the bustling scene turns to frost.”
Qun’s face lit up, “That’s it! That’s the melody!”
However, Zheng interjected, “Boss, that’s just a customer humming.”
Suddenly, a stranger named Miles entered, setting a mobile phone on the counter, which played a song called “Coolness.”
Qun exclaimed, “That’s it! How did you know?”
But when he gazed up to see Miles, a jolt of recognition and shock ran through him. He took a step back, eyes wide in astonishment.
Miles offered a casual greeting, “We meet again.”
Regret apparent on his face, Qun dropped to his knees, remorsefully muttering, “I was wrong, big brother.”
Miles, however, shook his head, “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Their exchange continued, with Qun admitting his guilt and seeking forgiveness.
Miles, with a determined look, said, “I didn’t come here to stir up any trouble, Qun. We had a successful partnership last time, and I’m hoping this time will be no different. I’ve got a phone with me, and I need to extract the contact list from it.” He presented a phone that bore the name ‘Writing’ on its case.
Recognition and dread filled Qun’s face as he glanced at the phone. Clearly, their previous encounter was a traumatic one for him. Frantically, he said, “Just take the phone and leave! Don’t harm me!”
Miles, choosing to ignore Qun’s plea, asked, “Can you unlock it within the next hour?”
Before Qun could respond, Zheng, ever the technical mind in the shop, spoke up. “Well, that largely depends on the phone model. Can I take a look?”
Miles handed him the phone, and after a quick inspection, Zheng said, “This particular phone is encrypted. While I can bypass the encryption and access its storage, there’s a likelihood the phone might not function properly after.”
Miles shrugged, “I don’t care about the phone itself; I just need the contact list. How long?”
“Approximately thirty minutes,” said Zheng confidently.
Seeing an opportunity, Miles said, “If you get it done within that time, I’ll give you a thousand dollars as a token of appreciation.”
Zheng nodded, “I’m on it.”
With a sly grin, Miles turned to Qun and tapped the counter to get his attention, “I have something else for you to help with.”
Swallowing hard, Qun managed to ask, “What can I assist you with?”
Miles posed a peculiar question, “Is there a method to call someone without the caller hearing any ringtone?”
Thinking hard, Qun suggested, “You can route the call through a computer, making the call remotely, and it won’t produce any sound on our end.”
Miles seemed impressed, “You are truly an expert in this field. Do you have a computer here? I’d like to use it.”
Wary but cooperative, Qun replied, “I’ve got a computer at my place. I can connect remotely from this shop.”
Miles raised an eyebrow, “No family or friends at your place right now?”
Qun hastily said, “No one, I live alone.”
“Good,” said Miles with a hint of satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Zheng had successfully extracted the contacts and had them displayed on his computer. He glanced at Qun for guidance, “Should I proceed?”
Qun, not wanting to upset Miles, nodded, “Yes, go ahead.”
Seeing Miles’s interest in the computer, Qun added, “Please, feel free to handle the operation yourself.”
As Miles moved closer, Zheng explained the software’s features, “Click here to initiate the call. You can even disguise the number if you wish.”
Before proceeding, Miles wanted one last confirmation, “And it’ll be completely silent on our end?”
Both Qun and Zheng nodded in agreement, still uneasy about Miles’s intentions.
Zheng confidently assured Miles, “There won’t be any audible sound on this side; it’ll be completely silent for us.”
Miles, with a stern expression, ordered, “Both of you, step outside. I need some privacy. Return when I’m finished.”
Zheng, a bit surprised by the sudden demand, hesitated for a moment.
However, Qun quickly intervened after sensing the gravity of the situation. Wanting to avoid any conflict, he gently nudged his apprentice toward the door, saying, “We’ll respect your privacy, big brother. Just let us know when you’re done.”
Miles didn’t acknowledge their departure. He turned his attention to the computer, trying to access a specific forum. However, it seemed that the site had been taken down. Miles remembered the warning he’d given to Rain regarding a cursed post. Evidently, the authorities had caught wind of it and had shut down the forum.
But Miles wasn’t perturbed. He had already downloaded the critical audio file onto his phone. Transferring and uploading it was a straightforward process.
Within a matter of minutes, the haunting audio file was successfully transferred to a different device. Then, using the extracted contact list, Miles started making calls.
Even though no sound emanated from his end, the software indicated successful connections. As each call connected, Miles played the eerie audio clip.
“Thud, thud-thud~!”
This haunting knock, reminiscent of a chilling heartbeat, resonated in a dimly lit room in a nearby apartment complex. Though soft, it was intended for one listener only, the receiver of the call.
Miles methodically played the sound over and over, ensuring its full effect before disconnecting and moving on to the next contact.
This seemingly mundane action had a sinister purpose. It was the propagation of a horrifying curse.
As Miles worked his way down the contact list, multiple unsuspecting individuals across Spear City found themselves receiving these mysterious calls.
One such individual was a CEO, who, in the middle of an important meeting, was disrupted by the unexpected call.
Answering, he said with a hint of irritation, “Hello? Writing, what do you need?”
Instead of a reply, he was met with an eerie silence, which was then interrupted by the creepy knocking sound.
“Thud, thud-thud~!”
The rhythmic, oppressive sound felt like it was hammering right into his soul.
Puzzled after the call abruptly ended, the CEO was left to wonder about the odd nature of Writing’s call. Shaking off the discomfort, he resumed his meeting, trying to put the unsettling experience behind him.
Meanwhile, at a local swimming pool:
A robust, bald man was indulging in a leisurely swim. As he glided through the water, one of his subordinates approached him with a phone, “Boss, there’s a call for you.”
The muscular man paused, pushing the water off his face, and took the phone, “Hey, Writing! I’ve heard about your recent success. Need a hand with it? Let me know your terms, and we can talk business.”
“Thud, thud-thud~!”
The bald, muscular man expected to hear Writing’s familiar voice. Instead, he was greeted by an eerie, rhythmic knocking sound. His eyes widened in alarm and confusion.
“What on earth?” He mumbled to himself.
After a few moments of contemplation, dread began to take hold. He snapped the phone shut and commanded his subordinate, “Get rid of this phone immediately. And I want you to find out if the rumors about Writing’s demise are true.”
The subordinate nodded, sensing the urgency, “Right away, boss.”
The bald man ran his hand over his shaved head, anxiety evident in his eyes. “Could it be that he came across a vengeful ghost?”
In a world where most threats were tangible, the intangible, ghostly knock had still managed to infiltrate his defenses. It was as if a dark spell had been cast upon him, threatening to shatter the walls of security he had built around himself.
Such a meticulous and sinister form of attack was almost impossible to predict or defend against.
Elsewhere, in a sprawling, luxurious villa surrounded by lush greenery:
A young, affluent man dressed in premium golf attire relaxed on a chaise lounge after a game. His golden tan and leisurely demeanor suggested a life of privilege. His phone, resting on a nearby table, began to vibrate.
“Ah, Writing, perhaps?” He murmured to himself, expecting news.
Picking up the call, he greeted cheerily, “Hello! Did the plan go off without a hitch?”
Yet, instead of the expected debrief, the haunting “Thud, thud-thud~!” echoed in his ear.
The blood drained from his face, and his normally confident demeanor faltered. This wasn’t a sound he recognized or could easily dismiss. It felt supernatural, like a ghost’s persistent knock.
Baffled, he pondered aloud, “What is this madness?”
His features darkened, shifting from confusion to fury. Gripping the phone tightly, he felt the sturdy plastic creaking under his fingers. “Could this be the work of that infamous Class-A entity that’s been whispered about? The one they’ve been calling ‘Knocking Ghost’?”
Pausing, he murmured more to himself than anyone else, “Is this some twisted man-made scheme, or a disturbing twist of fate?”