A bizarre and terrifying experience; I messed up the dungeon world.

After leaving the terrifying manor, Zhou Lang rested for three days.

Over the past three days, he sorted through the items he brought from the dungeon, selling what needed to be sold and keeping what could be kept. Zhao Qiang was recovering well and was able to attend classes normally again, although he would occasionally message Zhou Lang in the middle of the night to ask if there were any ghosts in his room.

Zhou Lang replied in unison: Yes, but it doesn't bite.

Zhao Qiang fell silent.

On the fourth day, the system notification arrived.

[Player "浪里个浪" has met the requirements to enter the next instance. The instance will open tonight at 20:00.]

[Instance Name: Midnight Cable Car in the Mall's Underground]

[Dungeon Rating: A+]

[Instance Time Limit: 24 hours]

[Instance Description: Beneath the bustling shopping mall lies a hidden past. A cable car accident buried the truth. Find it, or become a part of it.]

[Special Note: This instance contains unknown factors that exceed its rating.]

After reading the message, Zhou Lang threw his phone onto the bed.

An A+ grade copy, plus unforeseen factors beyond the rating. In other words—this job is tough, and possibly tougher than you imagine.

He rolled over and sent Zhao Qiang a message: "There's a dungeon tonight, don't wait for me."

Zhao Qiang replied instantly: "I received it too!!!"

Zhou Lang was stunned for a moment, then received a second message: "Not the same one. Mine is a Grade B, and it's in the hospital."

"Then be careful."

"You too! By the way, Han Yingying seems to have received a dungeon notification as well; she asked if you were there."

Zhou Lang did not reply to this message.

At 7:50 p.m., he finished packing his things. Oil lamp, chainsaw, scissors, and bandages he hadn't used up in the last dungeon. His inventory was crammed full.

At exactly eight o'clock, everything went dark.

When Zhou Lang opened his eyes again, he was standing in the atrium of a shopping mall.

Above us was a huge glass dome, through which moonlight streamed in, illuminating the ground in a stark white light. The mall was enormous, at least five stories high, and surrounded by closed shops. The elevators were stationary, and the escalators were not running.

Quiet. Too quiet.

"here it is……"

A voice came from the side. Zhou Lang turned his head and saw seven people standing not far away, each with a different expression.

The person closest to him was a middle-aged man, wearing a wrinkled suit, with a crooked tie, sparse hair, and looking around blankly.

Further away, a man in a white coat is checking his pockets with methodical movements—a doctor.

A burly, bald man stood beside a pillar, his arms thicker than Zhou Lang's thighs, a towel draped around his neck. A boxer, easily recognizable.

There was also a woman in her early thirties, dressed in business attire and wearing glasses, comforting a little girl beside her. The little girl looked to be about ten years old, with pigtails, hugging a plush rabbit, and her eyes were red.

finally--

"Zhou Lang?"

Han Yingying stood at the edge of the crowd, and her eyes lit up when she saw him.

Zhou Lang walked over: "You're in this instance too?"

"Yes, it was assigned by the system." Han Yingying lowered her voice. "This is my second time entering a dungeon."

"Got it." Zhou Lang glanced at the others. "Just stick close to me."

Han Yingying nodded without saying anything more.

At that moment, the system's voice rang in everyone's minds.

Welcome to the "Midnight Cable Car in the Mall's Underground" instance.

Your roles: Night patrol officers at the shopping mall.

[Mission: Investigate the truth behind the cable car accident within 24 hours.]

Rule 1: One "passenger" will be released every two hours.

Rule 2: Those touched by "passengers" will be added to the cycle of reincarnation.

[Rule 3: The mall's underground area will become a cable car lane after midnight, at which time all "passengers" will appear simultaneously.]

Rule Four: Once you find the truth, you can leave.

[Countdown begins: 23:59:58...]

"What do you mean?" the middle-aged man's voice was a little shrill. "What passengers? What reincarnation?"

No one answered him.

Zhou Lang glanced at the time—it was 8 PM. That meant the first "passenger" would appear at 10 PM. They had two hours of safe time.

"Everyone, please calm down," the bespectacled female teacher said in a steady voice. "My name is Lin Wei, and I'm a teacher. Let's introduce ourselves first, and then discuss our strategy."

The middle-aged man wiped his sweat: "My surname is Wang, and I'm in business. What's going on here? How did I suddenly end up here?"

"Is this your first time?" the boxer asked.

"What first time?"

"This is my first time in the game," the boxer said. "My name is Meng Hu, and this is my third time."

The middle-aged man surnamed Wang's expression changed: "A third time? You mean this kind of thing happens repeatedly?"

"Just get out of here alive." Meng Hu said, then ignored him.

The doctor adjusted his glasses: "My name is Chen Mo, a surgeon. Second copy."

The little girl hid behind Lin Wei, showing only half her face: "My name is Tangtang... I'm scared."

Lin Wei patted her head: "It's okay, I'll protect you."

Zhou Lang noticed that there was another person standing silently in the corner. The person was wearing a hoodie, the hood pulled low, and had a thin build.

"And you?" Zhou Lang asked.

The man looked up, revealing a young face, male, in his early twenties: "Just call me Ah Qi. Fourth time."

The fourth time. Zhou Lang glanced at him again. Anyone who can survive three instances is either incredibly lucky or truly skilled.

"My name is Langligelang," Zhou Lang said.

"...Is this name for real?" asked the middle-aged man surnamed Wang.

"Very serious."

Han Yingying suppressed a laugh and added, "My name is Han Yingying, this is my second time."

The self-introductions were over. There were eight people, with varying levels of experience. Zhou Lang quickly made a judgment—Meng Hu and A Qi were capable fighters, Chen Mo might be useful, but the others were basically a burden.

"It's 8:03 now," Zhou Lang said. "The first ghost will appear at 10:00, and we have less than two hours. Instead of waiting here idly, let's split up and look for clues."

"Split up?" The middle-aged man surnamed Wang shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, it's too dangerous to split up."

"It's more dangerous to be huddled together," Zhou Lang said. "If a ghost came, could you outrun it?"

The middle-aged man surnamed Wang choked.

Meng Hu stretched his neck: "I agree to split up. How?"

Zhou Lang thought for a moment: "Two people per group. Han Yingying and I will go to the basement. Meng Hu, you take Boss Wang and check floors one through three. A Qi and Dr. Chen, floors four and five. Teacher Lin, take Tangtang and wait in the atrium. Don't wander off."

"Why should I go with him?" The middle-aged man surnamed Wang pointed at Meng Hu.

"Because he can carry you while you run," Zhou Lang said.

Meng Hu grinned, and the smile, combined with his physique, made Boss Wang swallow back all the words he was about to say.

"Is there a problem?" Zhou Lang asked.

No one objected.

"Then let's go. Remember, be back in the courtyard by 9:50."

The crowd dispersed. Zhou Lang led Han Yingying down to the underground level.

The mall's underground entrance was on the west side, with a half-open roller shutter door, revealing a dark interior. Zhou Lang crouched down and crawled inside, with Han Yingying following behind.