Bizarre Honkai, a Wife-Chasing Crematorium

The paper on the door was identical to the one in the forum photos. Same torn edges, same distorted crimson script.

"A complete page. The dorm's rules."

"Number One, who… who are you talking to…?" The awake girls sensed a shift, a lurch into the unknown.

Number Five lowered her mirror. Number Three, mid-flirtation, and Raiden Mei climbed down from their beds, joining Li Mo at the door.

[After a long day of studying, students have returned to their dorms to rest. To maintain a healthy sleep schedule, please adhere to the following rules.]

[Rule 1: Dorms are six-person rooms. When sleeping, ensure your upper or lower bunkmate is alive.]

[Rule 2: Room check is from 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM. When the dorm supervisor calls your name at the door or window, respond with "Here." She will record the living.]

[Rule 3: Lights out is at 10:30 PM. Identify your true roommates before then. After lights out, you can communicate with normal people, but ensure you are speaking to your 'true' roommates.]

[Rule 4: No leaving the dorm alone after lights out.]

[Finally, please adjust your sleep schedules and rest well. I hope to see you all tomorrow morning.]

"What is this? Rules? True roommates? Alive?" Number Five's voice was tight with fear.

"I overheard your conversation earlier," Li Mo said calmly. "You were right. There's a ghost here. Outside. Or… among us."

"We're in a separate space now. Trying to leave is pointless."

"Impossible. Ghosts…"

"Why do you think I'm here?" Li Mo's voice hardened. "Ask your questions now. After 10:30, I won't answer anything."

His seriousness sent a chill through the room. Rule 3 was clear. Something happened after lights out. Perhaps the living became ghosts. Answering the wrong person could be fatal. He needed to identify the true humans before it was too late.

"So, this morning…"

"It was real. A ghost killed an entire dorm room."

"Are we going to die?!"

"Maybe," Li Mo said casually, though he felt anything but. He might be able to suppress the Bizarre, but he couldn't guarantee everyone's survival.

"Study the rules. They might not be entirely truthful, but ignoring them is a sure way to die faster."

The girls immediately began scrutinizing the rules, their faces pale.

Li Mo touched the paper. It was likely safe before lights out. He needed to gather as much information as possible. After that, it was anyone's guess.

"Hm?" The paper extended, new text appearing. Not another rule, but… a message?

[It's hard to believe, but one of you is already dead.]

"Dead?! One of us is dead?!" Number Five shrieked, scrambling back towards her bed.

Number Three, though frightened, calmly video-called her boyfriend. Only his voice came through, no image.

"Babe, I can't see you. Hold the phone closer. It's been pitch black since earlier. Just the light from your phone."

"That's impossible. The lights are still on." Number Three looked up. The overhead light was indeed shining.

"Already dead…" Li Mo muttered. "Is it talking about me? Wait, pitch black?"

He realized something, scrambling back to his bed. If the ghost could manipulate electronics, then the time could be wrong. Their perception skewed. Perhaps the lights were off, the room dark except for their phone screens.

Or perhaps the lights had malfunctioned, and the time was correct.

He couldn't risk interacting with anyone until he knew for sure. Room check was a double-edged sword. Responding before 10:30 was mandatory. After 10:30, it was a death sentence.

I can't talk to anyone.

He lay in bed, not sleeping. He was Number Six. Number Three, the lovebird, was below him. He needed to observe her to determine if she was human.

Rule 1: Ensure your upper or lower bunkmate is alive.

If Number Three was a ghost, he couldn't sleep.

No information, no sleep, no talking.

Number Three looked up at him, her eyes pleading.

"Number One, why aren't you talking?"

"Number One, my phone's acting weird. The video cut out. What do I do? If I hide under the covers, will the ghost not see me?"

Li Mo remained silent. Number Three was scared, and she clearly believed he knew more than her.

"I'm… I'm scared," she whispered from below. "Can I sleep with you?"

"..." He wasn't sure if she was genuinely naive or cleverly testing him. If he was the ghost, she was offering herself up on a silver platter.

Time ticked by. Everyone but Number One and Number Four, who'd fallen asleep early, was on edge.

Number Three stopped talking, but she seemed more certain now that Li Mo wasn't the ghost. If he were, he would have answered her.

"I… I need to use the bathroom…" Number Five mumbled. "Will someone… come with me…?"

Rule 4: No leaving the dorm alone after lights out. But how could you be sure your companion wasn't the ghost?

Li Mo pulled the covers over his head, a silent suggestion: Just go in your bed.

Number Five, however, couldn't bring herself to do it. She woke Number Four, and they left the room together.

Li Mo glanced at Raiden Mei, curled up in her bed, only the top of her head visible.

Still no room check.

No one outside the window. The hallway was dark. Perhaps the flickering lights were a lie. They weren't in the dorm at all, but in a separate space created by the Bizarre Entity.

Number Four and Number Five whispered in the hallway, returning a few minutes later.

As soon as they lay down, footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Tap… tap… tap…

They stopped, not at the door, but at the window.

Li Mo held his breath, peeking out. The hallway was dim. He couldn't see the figure's face, only a dark silhouette.

He remembered the photo. The faceless ghost.

"Room check… please respond…"

"Li Mo."

Li Mo didn't answer.

"Your name is Li Mo? The dorm supervisor's calling you," Number Three whispered. "The rules said to answer 'Here.' She needs to record the living. It's not lights out yet."

"Li Mo."

He still didn't answer.

Number Three's eyes widened. She reached for her phone, about to turn on the flashlight, but Li Mo stuck his head out, making a shushing gesture.

She understood, quickly covering her mouth and turning off her phone.

Tap… tap… tap…

The footsteps retreated without calling any other names. A bloody handprint remained on the windowsill, dripping slowly…

Number Three scrambled up the ladder, her voice trembling. "How did you know it wasn't the dorm supervisor? It's only 10:20!" She pointed at her phone, then at the overhead light.

Li Mo looked at her, a flicker of guilt in his eyes for using her as bait. But now he was certain she was human tonight. Which meant he could use her again.

"Because I never told her my name." He hadn't. No ordinary person could access that information without his consent. He'd made arrangements beforehand, hoping to avoid the "three names" death rule. It hadn't worked, but it had confirmed that the entity outside wasn't human. And that it was past lights out.

"Oh! That's why you didn't say anything…"

"Number Three, I need you to do something for me."

"What? What do you want?!" She hugged herself, terrified. There was a ghost outside! And she had a boyfriend!

Li Mo ignored her rambling thoughts, leaning in to whisper, "Get Raiden Mei to sleep in your bed. She's in bed two. Don't look up. Don't make eye contact with Number Four."

"You… you mean…?!" She almost looked back at Number Four, but Li Mo's warning stopped her.

"Go. Don't look up. Don't answer."

Number Four was almost certainly the problem. Raiden Mei was sleeping below her. If Li Mo didn't intervene, she'd be dead by morning. He couldn't interfere with the fate of his world, but he could protect Raiden Mei. Even if she, too, might be a ghost…

That's why he sent Number Three.

Trembling, Number Three crept towards bed two.

"Little Ran, why are your legs shaking?" Number Four asked from above.

Remembering Li Mo's instructions, Number Three climbed onto Raiden Mei's bed without looking up.

"Huh? Why are you in my bed? Are you… scared?" Raiden Mei opened her eyes, seeing Number Three's fear. She assumed it was the situation, and tried to comfort her, though she was terrified herself.

Number Three pulled the covers over them, whispering, "He told me to come. He said you should sleep in my bed… because Number Four might not be human. You can't sleep under her!"

Raiden Mei gasped, about to look up at Number Four, but Number Three pulled her back.

"Are you crazy?! Don't look! Don't answer any of her questions! I'm not the ghost. Trust me. You saw me talking to him, right? If either of us were the ghost, why would we save you?"

"I… I don't know… I'll listen to you…" Raiden Mei didn't know Number Three well, but she had no other choice.

As she climbed down, preparing to move to Number Three's bed, Number Four spoke.

"Mei, something's wrong with Number Three. She's the ghost. She'll eat you if you go over there!"