Upon hearing this, a trace of a smile appeared on Zhou Fengchun's haggard face.
"That's a good thought, but I'm more concerned that you didn't piss yourself. Fortunately, you didn't, otherwise I'd have to smell that stench for several more days. Anyway, forget about that. You've mostly processed what I told you just now, right?"
He saw Jiang Jiuguo nod.
He continued, "Then let me tell you a bit more about the Ghost Sequence. The ghost sequence formula is extremely important. According to the people who kidnapped us, they risked their lives to get these formulas. Although they turn us into ghosts, we cannot reveal the formula to anyone. Not even if another captive asks you, or even if I ask you. You can't say a word, even after you get out of here."
"What happens if I do?" Jiang Jiuguo asked.
"Death."
Zhou Fengchun's tone grew even more solemn. "You, the leaker, and anyone who hears the formula from you—everyone dies. There are no exceptions."
Zhou Fengchun then offered some explanation.
ghost sequence formulas were rare. To ensure they weren't leaked as much as possible, each captive was only allowed to know one formula: the specific ghost sequence formula they had consumed.
That way...
Even if a captive wanted to leak the ghost sequence formula after turning into a ghost and leaving, they could only ever leak one.
Jiang Jiuguo nodded in understanding.
"The ghost sequence formula is the key to becoming a ghost. I can understand why our captors are afraid of leaks—it's like how Coca-Cola keeps its recipe locked in a safe. But something's not right."
As he spoke, he felt a sense of confusion.
"If the formula is such a secret, why do they let us know it at all? Why not just prepare it and give it to us to drink? That way, we'd never know the ingredients."
Zhou Fengchun did not respond.
A mysterious smile tugged at his sallow cheeks.
"You're right, but the fact is, they can't do that. You'll find out why in a moment. Oh, and there's one more thing."
As he spoke, he pointed to the red button on the wall next to the room door.
"This button is for calling those people. If you feel like something's going wrong after taking the formula, or if something dangerous happens to me during my transformation process, remember to press that button."
"That's it? You're not going to say anything else?" Jiang Jiuguo asked.
The purpose of their capture had been clarified.
But many questions remained unanswered.
"Didn't I just explain the Ghost Sequence to you?" Zhou Fengchun asked, feigning ignorance. "What else do you want to know?"
"I want to know why they're turning us into ghosts. What's the goal? I don't think they're just a bunch of dedicated researchers. What do they want us to do once we're ghosts? Is turning us into ghosts better than continuing their research? And why let us go? Isn't that disadvantageous to them? After all, letting us out risks leaking the secrets of this place."
Jiang Jiuguo analyzed the situation point by point.
"If they're so afraid of the formula leaking, wouldn't it be better to just kill us after we turn into ghosts? Dead men tell no tales. Why go through the trouble of paying us a massive hush-money settlement and letting us go? No matter how I think about it, it doesn't feel right."
He wanted to continue.
Bang!
The heavy electronic metal lock clicked open.
The closed door swung open.
"Speak of the devil." Zhou Fengchun's hollow eyes shifted. "What you said makes a lot of sense. I do know a few things; after being here this long, you pick up a bit."
He pointed toward the door.
"However, I don't think there's any point in telling you yet. You haven't even taken the ghost sequence formula. Whether you'll survive is still uncertain. What's the point of knowing more? The priority right now is surviving."
Zhou Fengchun was right.
If a person isn't even sure they'll live, what use is uncovering the truth?
In the end, they'd just be a corpse.
The outcome wouldn't change.
The only difference was the emotional state of dying with the truth versus without it. Judging by Zhou Fengchun's behavior, dying after knowing the truth might make it even harder to rest in peace.
"Then wait until I get through this formula, and find some time to tell me then."
Jiang Jiuguo stopped obsessing over the truth.
Leaving those words behind, he walked out the door.
"Fine," Zhou Fengchun grinned. "I hope you come back alive, Jiang Jiuguo."
He stepped into the White Corridor.
As Jiang Jiuguo expected.
His wasn't the only door to open. All doors with occupants were open, and people who had been kidnapped just like him were stepping out.
"So many people?"
Jiang Jiuguo scanned the crowd.
The number was not small—at least fifty people. Including Zhou Fengchun and the previous batches of kidnap victims, a rough estimate suggested at least two or three hundred people had been brought here to be turned into ghosts, and likely far more.
Ding!
A green arrow light, resembling an emergency exit sign, lit up in the White Corridor.
The light extended all the way to the end of the hallway.
There...
A man stood there, his posture as stiff as a male mannequin in a clothing store. Dressed in black, he lightly raised an arm and beckoned everyone forward.
Jiang Jiuguo hesitated for a moment before taking the lead.
Seeing this, the others followed closely behind.
"Do you guys think they'll really give us that ten million?" halfway there, someone next to Jiang Jiuguo spoke up. "I feel like they might be lying to us. Just to keep us calm. Isn't that how it always goes in movies? They pacify you on the surface, but in the end, they get rid of you."
"I don't think so. You all must have witnessed the wonders shown by our 'roommates', right?"
Someone responded.
But the person next to Jiang Jiuguo quickly dismissed it.
"I saw it, but what if it's fake? What if they injected us with hallucinogens, and what we saw was actually fake—just a complete hallucination?"
The moment those words were spoken.
Many in the crowd retorted.
"Don't worry, I'm certain it's not a hallucination. Look at my hand." The speaker held up his left arm. "I used to work on construction sites. My left hand was permanently damaged—I couldn't move it, and I had no sensation in it. But now I can move it, and the feeling has returned."
Other dissenters spoke up one after another.
They recounted their various chronic ailments—all of them had suffered from disabilities or even missing limbs.
But without exception...
Every single one had been cured.
"My impotence was cured too. Look, there's no way this is a hallucination."
The speaker stared at a woman in a pencil skirt ahead of them, grinning with undisguised joy.
Jiang Jiuguo: "...".
Everyone: "...".
"No wonder Zhou Fengchun said everyone who comes in is cured before being sent here." Jiang Jiuguo became increasingly curious about their captors. "But is it really a panacea for everything?"
He thought back to Zhou Fengchun's haggard face.
"It's not that everything can be cured."
Zhou Fengchun was clearly suffering.
If this healing technology could cure everything, why would Zhou Fengchun still look so haggard and numb?
"Perhaps only humans can be cured. Those who have consumed the ghost sequence formula might not count."
After their conversation along the way.
The unease and tension among the crowd eased somewhat, and the urge to escape was largely suppressed.
If this healing technology were released, it would absolutely cause a global sensation. The wealth it could generate was incalculable; paying a ten-million-dollar compensation to each person was more than manageable.
"Let's see how things go first. If it doesn't work out, we can all resist together. We should have a chance to escape then."
With this thought in mind.
The group reached the end of the corridor and stood before the Man in Black...