Chapter 984: The Senior from the Sports Department

Tsukamoto Kazumi leads the two upstairs: "They weren't in the same class, but I heard he and Hosaka grew up together."

"But it's really rare," Mao Li Lan says, walking on the side. "A senior from the sports department would actually go to the library."

"I have to study too, I have to take college entrance exams," Tsukamoto Kazumi turns back with a light laugh. "Besides, it's a good chance to investigate the ghost thing with you guys."

Akaso Kaze follows Tsukamoto Kazumi and Mao Li Lan into the quiet library on the third floor, where there are still quite a few students reading.

"This is it, the Library of Hatred," Mao Li Lan becomes tense again.

"I heard that in the morning, four books are left in a mess on the floor, and they are all books that Hosaka borrowed while he was alive. It's been like this for four days in a row. No matter how you think about it, this is the hatred of Hosaka, who can no longer read these books!"

Akaso Kaze asks, "Did the library committee member not notice those books when locking the door?"

"That's why it's so strange!" Mao Li Lan says.

"Because those books were all placed in the shadows under the bookshelves or under the tables, so no one noticed."

Tsukamoto Kazumi looks at Akaso Kaze and says, "I think it should be someone taking advantage of the ghost story to play a prank. Lord Akaso, please leave this reckless guy to you to ferret out!"

Akaso Kaze withdraws his gaze from the bookshelves and the students reading: "Do you know which four books they are?"

"Electrical Communication Engineering, Report on Tropical Rainforest Destruction, History of the University System, and Analysis of Rock Stratum Destruction."

At the reading table, Akaso Kaze flips through the few obscure books Tsukamoto Kazumi brought over.

"These are the books; almost only Hosaka borrowed them," Tsukamoto Kazumi explains.

"Hosaka aspired to be a manga artist, so in order to draw interesting manga, he had to know many things that people don't usually know. That's what he always said. You should have seen the signature on that desk, right? It's what Hosaka planned to use after he became famous."

"I-is that so?"

Mao Li Lan swallows.

"I think we should go to the last place to take a look."

"The last one is the Cursed Stairs next to the art room."

The three find the art room on the second floor on the other side.

"When a student came in the morning, they found the bottom of the stairs soaked in water. I heard Hosaka Hideaki also fell from these stairs. I'm afraid that water is the tears of his curse."

"Could it be that the window wasn't closed when it rained the day before?" Akaso Kaze asks.

"Of course the windows were closed properly! And it's not just that; it's said that every time you count the steps on this staircase, the number is different."

Mao Li Lan's words make Akaso Kaze's eyelids twitch.

He knew it was just some boring stuff. Why do Japanese high school students always like to make up rumors about supernatural events?

It's a good thing there's no old school building, otherwise there would be more than just these legends.

It's a real shame there's no rumor about a girls' restroom.

However, since it's suddenly concentrated in the recent period, it's highly likely that someone is playing tricks behind the scenes.

Glancing at Mao Li Lan, who is struggling to count the steps, Akaso Kaze looks down at the bottom of the stairs.

There is a recess for a fire extinguisher on the wall nearby, and the floor at the corner seems to be coated with a layer of wax; it feels slippery to the touch.

After a pause, Akaso Kaze moves the fire extinguisher on the wall to check.

It is slightly damp.

Akaso Kaze turns his gaze to the art room nearby, pushes the door open, and finds a boy with an unusually pale face sitting inside.

"Are you guys done yet!" the boy suddenly says in a rage. "I can't even concentrate on my painting!"

Mao Li Lan walks down and says, "The thing about the stairs..."

"I don't know anything!" The boy slams the door shut, blocking the three outside.

"Akaso-san!" Mao Li Lan suddenly looks out the window in shock, pointing at the courtyard downstairs, and says tremblingly, "Th-there... there are a desk and chair."

"A desk and chair?"

Akaso Kaze takes a look, and indeed, there is a set of desk and chair placed on the playground below.

Akaso Kaze goes downstairs and changes his shoes. He wants to follow, but is tightly held by the arm by Mao Li Lan, who is shaking constantly, and Tsukamoto Kazumi also follows behind, looking a bit nervous.

"C-could it be the desk from the sports warehouse earlier?"

The two girls ask nervously.

"What are you afraid of? Weren't you just in a hurry to investigate?" Akaso Kaze laughs.

The sky is dim, and the rain has stopped.

The desk and chair are placed in the muddy open space in the middle of the C-shaped teaching building, with a piece of paper pressed down by a stone on top, fluttering in the cold wind.

The two girls don't dare to approach, so Akaso Kaze walks over to check.

"My hatred has not yet been eliminated."

Akaso Kaze looks at the message on the paper and says:

"The paper isn't wet, so it should have been placed here after the rain stopped. But there's nothing on the muddy ground that should be there—the footprints of the person who moved the desk and chair here."

Akaso Kaze looks at the signature on the corner of the desk.

It is indeed the desk from the sports warehouse. It started raining just as they left the warehouse.

Someone moved the desk here for some purpose after that. ===== CHAPTER 986 =====