Riley moved deeper inside, step by step.
Meanwhile, the people watching through the surveillance cameras kept their eyes glued to the screen.
"Do you think this will work?" Adrian asked, his gaze fixed on the familiar figure.
The moment he learned that Riley had returned safely, a part of him had relaxed.
But at the same time, a stronger wave of irritation rose in his chest.
She's not sharp, so why is she still running around like this? Is she doing this for attention?
At the same time, both Zachary and Lucas had voiced their doubts.
A "fool" disappearing for days and then suddenly reappearing at Imperial University completely unharmed didn't add up at all.
So they came up with this plan to test her.
When someone is truly terrified, their instincts take over. It would be easy for her true nature to show.
They were starting to suspect that Riley wasn't actually a fool.
That she might be hiding something.
Zachary grinned. "Relax, I've got this covered! I picked the scariest haunted setup in the entire capital. They say even grown men get scared out of their minds here. Let alone an unarmed girl."
Adrian's eyes darkened, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
Riley… you'd better not be lying to me.
"I'll go get ready," Zachary said.
"I'll stay here with Adrian," Lucas added.
"Alright." Zachary waved as he walked out, already pulling on a long black wig and smearing fake blood across his face and clothes. At first glance, he looked terrifying.
***
In the dark room, a playful smile curled at Riley's lips.
Are people really this childish now?
Her expression remained calm as she strode forward.
Then suddenly, her ears twitched slightly.
Faint footsteps.
Her hearing had always been sharp.
Especially in a quiet environment like this.
The place was set up like a fake cave haunted house. Around her were rows of fake coffins. Every now and then, a disheveled mannequin head would pop out, or a fake leg would suddenly drop from above.
Any normal girl would have been screaming by now.
As for Riley, she seemed completely unfazed.
She was even talking to the props.
Right now, on the surveillance screen, Riley was helping a fallen fake leg back into place.
Holding her stuffed bunny in one arm and the prop leg in the other, she dragged over a stool, climbed up, and carefully set it back where it belonged. Then she patted it.
"There you go. Stay put next time, okay? Not everyone's as kind as me."
Behind the monitors, Lucas's eyes widened. "She… she's not scared at all?"
Adrian was equally speechless.
Since when was this little "fool" so… kind-hearted?
Just then, the footsteps around her grew more frequent.
Riley climbed down, casually grabbed a mannequin that had just fallen from the wall, and hoisted it in front of her as she skipped deeper inside.
"Ah!"
At the corner, Zachary suddenly jumped out, flipping his hair dramatically—ready to scare her properly.
But before he could act—
A grotesquely distorted face filled his vision.
"AAAAAHHH!"
Zachary stumbled backward in terror and fell to the ground, squeezing his eyes shut. "Don't come any closer! I'm warning you—stay back, or I won't go easy on you!"
Riley grinned mischievously, holding the mannequin by its leg and using its tangled hair to brush against him while he flailed.
"In the dead of night, a beautiful woman stands beneath a tree… The yellowed light filters through the leaves and falls on her… but she casts no shadow."
"AAAAHHHH! A ghost!" Zachary scrambled to his feet and bolted, his wig flying off in the process.
Riley burst into laughter, tossing the mannequin aside with a smug expression.
"Please. There's no ghost story I haven't heard before."
Zachary's panicked footsteps faded into the distance, swallowed by the darkness.
Riley dusted off her hands and glanced around the dim interior. The flickering lights, the hanging props, the stale air, none of it held her interest anymore.
Clutching her stuffed bunny, she turned and walked out of the haunted house.
The night air hit her the moment she stepped outside, cool and quiet.
Headlights cut through the darkness.
A black car rolled to a stop in front of her.
Riley paused.
The rear door opened.
"Madam," the driver said respectfully, "please get in."
She blinked, then nodded slowly, as if none of this felt out of place. Hugging her bunny close, she got into the car.
The door shut softly behind her.