The security guard uncle watched Gu Mo walk out, sitting alone in the surveillance room.
He wasn’t sure why, but seeing the other person give up so decisively made him feel a bit disappointed, a sense of nervousness bubbling deep inside that he himself hadn’t noticed.
Xiao Gu was really acting a bit paranoid tonight.
So he comforted himself with that thought and felt a bit chilly in the deep night. Instinctively, he looked around and again felt that the neighborhood was too quiet and empty at night. The things that just happened inevitably made his mind wander. He looked down at the still-frozen horror movie scene on his phone and quickly switched it off.
Meanwhile, Gu Mo, who hadn’t gone too far, couldn’t help but turn back to look at the neighborhood’s surveillance room behind him.
He hesitated, trying to focus his attention a bit.
Then the interactive box displaying "sending message" flickered slightly, and a new page replaced the original framework, appearing in front of him, just like clicking a new link on a computer that brought up a new popup window.
Looking at the semi-transparent input box before him, he noticed a blinking vertical line at the top left corner. Gu Mo pulled at the corners of his mouth; it really seemed like typing on a computer, the cursor in the input field was exactly the same...
Clearly so real, clearly so clear, why was it just his imagination? Why would he hallucinate like this?
Sighing in frustration, Gu Mo turned and walked toward the road across. He hadn’t decided whether to try again or to discuss it with Uncle Ding for a test run.
With just a bit of thought, Gu Mo dismissed the idea.
Though the security guard uncle seemed so kind and approachable, everyone in the community knew how difficult this stubborn old man could be. He’s especially tactful, very loud, and loves to gossip. As soon as he hears a bit of someone’s trivial gossip, the entire community knows within half an hour...
—And usually, it’s an improvised, dramatized version by that old man...
Though they were just exchanging pleasantries, it was mainly out of politeness, since they frequently meet eyes, even if conflicts arise, it’s not good to show them directly. In reality, they’re not that familiar with each other; last year, when Gu Mo moved here, he was rumored to be a shut-in.
It wasn’t a big deal, but it wasn’t a pleasant experience either.
So on second thought, it’s better to let it be. If he went out for a midnight snack and came back to the news of being labeled as a lunatic spreading in the neighborhood group, that would be truly unpleasant.
Better to watch out for himself.
Hmm, probing a bit is good too, at least to confirm if it’s his problem... As for whether it might be revealed, Gu Mo thought it over and felt there’s no need to worry too much. Not to mention Old Ding’s big mouth is well-known, but anyone saying something obviously absurd won’t be believed.
You say what it is, just like that? Then why don’t you just fly up to the sky?
If a few passersby discovered a little secret, then being hunted and dissected by the nation would be the most absurd, unless the entire nation shared a hive mind... Moreover, as long as he denied it, even Old Ding would doubt it’s his own issue—
Gu Mo was quite experienced with this.
...
...
"This Xiao Gu, coming here in the middle of the night to mess around, sigh, these young people nowadays are really not what they used to be..."
Unaware of what the person he was badmouthing was pondering, the security guard uncle, still alone in the surveillance room, was muttering to himself, as if to slightly ease his tension.
The recent events really left him a bit uneasy, though reason refused to believe, he couldn’t help but get distracted, mind wandering off in all directions. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed, even subconsciously thinking of eerier possibilities.
"How could that be..." The security guard uncle shook his head vigorously, dispelling the increasingly unreliable thoughts in his mind, wondering why he couldn’t stop himself from overthinking.
However...
Right at that time...
"Ding Hongxuan..."
A somewhat familiar voice echoed directly in the security guard uncle’s ear.
Huh? Didn’t Xiao Gu just walk out through the entrance of the surveillance room?
When did he walk into the surveillance room and stand behind him?! And directly called him by name, how impolite!
The security guard uncle naturally paused for a moment, then, displeased, he wanted to turn back to scold, but his eyes glimpsed at the surveillance screen on the table. Instantly, like electricity shooting down his spine, a chilling terror stopped his turning motion, almost twisting his neck.
Because from the surveillance, it showed he was alone in the surveillance room, and behind him, it was completely empty...
Then what was the voice he just heard?
"...!!"
Once he realized, the security guard uncle’s pupils shrank to pinpoints, his face turning gray in an instant.
He felt chills running from his feet to his head, his scalp tingling, his blood felt frozen, his heart pounding as if about to leap out of his chest.