"Me?"
The middle-aged man looked fearful as the young man in a school uniform pointed at him.
"Yes, you. Do as I say, quickly."
Seeing the other’s hesitation, the young man in a school uniform raised his other hand, a blue-white flame rising from it, looking as if he would throw the fire at the opponent’s face if he didn’t cooperate.
"Hurry up! Don’t dawdle around!"
The gunman behind, also middle-aged, spoke impatiently. Although he wasn’t very interested in ghostly items himself, he chose to assist the young man in a school uniform to pressure the resident.
The apartment resident realized he had no choice but to go. Reluctantly, he walked up the mountain path step by step, reaching the fork on the left. He gradually approached a bloodstained long-sleeved jacket lying on the ground.
As an apartment resident, he knew about these ghostly items, aware they were dangerous. So he was extra cautious, halting his steps about three meters away from the bloody clothing, glancing back at the young man in a school uniform, hoping he would be let off now.
"Get closer, within half a meter."
But the young man in a school uniform wasn’t easy to fool; he ordered the man to approach further.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man had no choice but to edge closer until he was about thirty centimeters away from the bloody sleeve.
During this and after he stopped moving, the bloodstained outfit remained unchanged, spread out on the mountain path like a dirty, bloodstained piece of clothing.
However, the young man in a school uniform, who was observing closely nearby, possessed high Spirit attributes as a Mage player, granting him remarkable Perception Ability. He clearly sensed a strange aura emanating from the bloody clothing, knowing it was no ordinary bloodstained garment.
"Try putting it on; it should be a ghostly item. If it binds to you, your survival rate in future missions will rise significantly."
Just seconds after the middle-aged man stopped beside the bloody clothing, the young man in a school uniform suddenly suggested he put it on, seemingly giving up the chance to acquire the ghostly item himself.
This was because, according to the information he had gathered, ghostly items weren’t regular items for trading; they usually bind to the first person to contact them successfully. Others could try to seize the ghostly item but faced reportedly higher risks than the original contact.
"It feels... cold... I don’t want to touch it..."
Hearing the young man suggest contact, the middle-aged man hesitated, appearing increasingly resistant. If not for the coercion, he might have fled instantly.
"Touch it! Waste more time, and I’ll shoot you!"
Seeing his reluctance, the gunman raised his weapon towards the man’s head and threatened once more.
Unexpectedly, among the four residents observing from the lower path, a tall, thin young man intervened, saying:
"If he doesn’t want to, let me try! I’m willing to take this opportunity."
The crowd turned to look at him, while the young man in a school uniform glanced at him and nodded.
"Alright, if you’re willing, you can attempt to bind with the ghostly item."
The tall, thin young man immediately walked towards the bloody clothing at the left fork, while the middle-aged man there returned down to the other residents, relieved.
What followed was clear: the tall, thin young man strode to the clothing without hesitation, bent to pick it up, and, like it was his own garment, put the dirty, bloodstained jacket on without delay.
During his entire action, those nearby closely watched him, wary of any unusual occurrences. But it seemed the young man bet right; he smoothly and effortlessly donned the bloody clothing, then looked at the young man in a school uniform and Wang Zhifan, saying:
"Apart from the stench, there’s nothing special; it’s like any ordinary clothing."
"Alright... do you feel any connection established?"
After listening to him, the young man in a school uniform quickly responded.
"No... I didn’t feel anything unusual, and still don’t... Can I take it off now?"
The tall, thin young man wearing the bloody outfit responded without hesitation.
"Best keep it on; it might save your life someday."
Seeing this, Wang Zhifan shook his head, then glanced at the young man in a school uniform, silently questioning whether to try the bloodstained shoes. The young man shook his head, turning to look at the others below the mountain path.
"Anyone want to try the shoes on the other path? They should be a ghostly item too, potentially increasing your success in this mission."
Two seconds passed with no reply, but then the middle-aged man who approached the bloody clothing couldn’t help but speak.
"I... want to try..."
Though slightly embarrassed for previously declining yet now expressing interest, he seemed determined, unshaken by the surprised gazes around him.
"Then hurry up; we need to get moving."
Seeing this, the young man in a school uniform spoke flatly.
The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, swiftly reaching the fork path, crouched to touch the bloodstained hiking shoes, and quickly swapped his original shoes for the uncomfortable-looking bloody shoes. Like the tall young man with the jacket, nothing abnormal occurred, and the process was unexpectedly smooth.
The middle-aged man was visibly pleased to have bet right, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.
"Despite the ominous aura from these items, why did they so easily wear them? Are ghostly items truly so easily acquired?"
As a skeptical observer, Wang Zhifan was as puzzled as the others. He wasn’t envious of the pair acquiring ghostly items effortlessly but found their ease itself suspicious.