Chapter 12

After finishing the meal, Lu Ming was pushed into the bathroom by the girl.

"Dirty, go back to the room, hurry up and wash!"

Lu Ming took the clothes handed by Yang Xin and pulled the bathroom curtain.

Taking off his clothes, the reflection in the mirror showed a slender build, wheat-colored skin, and clearly defined abdominal muscles—rather thin.

Also a guy good at sports…

Lu Ming sighed, turned on the shower switch, the water poured down, icy cool from the top of his head to his neck, then to his legs and ankles.

【Prompt: Player to begin drawing skill!】

【Whether to begin drawing?】

【/No】

A subtitle flashed suddenly in his field of view; Lu Ming felt a surge of excitement, and the so-called skill sparked anticipation.

"Draw!"

【Skill drawing…】

【Detected player's new dungeon rating: S】

Lu Ming felt a hint of wonder; as soon as these words appeared, the dungeon difficulty increased.

The game seems to target high-scoring players, presumably to balance the gap between players.

Strength naturally grows stronger with setbacks; otherwise it will decline.

【Drawing complete!】

【Your skill: Phantom (Lv. 1)】

【Skill description: Freely move the shadow, the main body shares the shadow's vision, to bind the opponent.】

【First stage: to simulate the shadow!】

"Phantom..." Lu Ming lowered his head, looking at his own shadow.

Suddenly, the shadow split into a mass of blackness, like a puddle of water wandering around Lu Ming.

Lu Ming tried to control it.

Success.

He drove the shadow forward and backward, climbing walls, stopping on the flower board.

After sharing vision, Lu Ming closed his eyes; his viewpoint quickly shifted, his vision became a top-down view, allowing him to see himself standing under the showerhead.

No actual damage, huh…

Lu Ming felt regret; the skill could only be used for surveillance or gathering intel.

After testing the skill, Lu Ming turned off the water, wiped his body dry, then put on the washed clothes.

Yang Xin had already washed the bowls and was now sitting on the sofa watching TV.

"I'm heading back to my room." Lu Ming said.

"Yeah, I'll go to the church to pray, don't forget to call…" Yang Xin turned her head to look at Lu Ming, her face showing a helpless smile: "Forget it, just call me; I'm always late."

"Mm." Lu Ming nodded, turned and walked down the stairs.

He didn't notice; the girl kept staring at his back.

On the second floor, three rooms, the rightmost door bore a sign for Ling Chang'an; Lu Ming pushed the door open and entered.

The room was very tidy; the desk had a bookshelf, with several books slanted left and right.

Lu Ming opened the window beside the desk; a sea breeze blew gently, accompanied by the cries of seagulls and the crashing of waves.

The environment is quite nice.

On the desk lay a notebook with neat handwriting.

【Prompt: A complete diary】

Lu Ming picked up the notebook, glanced at the cover a few times, an ordinary notebook.

He opened the first page.

【Clue: The original owner seemed to have the habit of writing a diary.】

The handwriting on the first page was somewhat immature, only recording daily trivialities; the following pages were the same.

Lu Ming sped up his page-turning.

The original owner graduated from high school, went to study off the island, and elsewhere worked part-time while studying…

【One summer vacation, returning to the island…】

Lu Ming stopped turning pages, leaned by the window and examined carefully.

【Now Yang Xin and Liang Shu have taken it over, still the same, no change.】

【Liang Shu kept talking about the outside world; obviously, when he himself chose to give up his studies, he felt regret… and still, as close friends, they will forever change!】

【Now paying respects to parents, thanking Uncle Lin's family for their care; Lin Xin also, although… but always puts on a… appearance, quite loving.】

【At noon church prayer, the teachings say that the town's monsters are due to demons appearing; regarding monsters, they consider some things, materialists, superstition nonsense!】

Up to this point, the plot has diverged greatly; Lu Ming flips to a page, his moving pupils suddenly stop.

【Liang Shu had arranged to meet tonight to go together to the monster-less forest to have a look; that guy actually said to see monsters, one needs to use practice to dispel superstition!】

Lu Ming continued flipping forward, but the rest was blank.

So it ends here?

Upon becoming alert, Lu Ming carefully checked for any signs of being torn out.

However, there were none.

Even if the ring-bound diary were torn out, traces would still be visible.

Lu Ming turned to the last page, which read: (This book has a total of 361 pages)

He immediately counted the pages—only 360 pages, the diary was missing one page.

【Clue: The diary is missing a page (Ling Chang'an doesn't have the habit of tearing the diary, so who tore that page?)】

, a knock sounded in the room.

"Chang'an ge, feeling better?" Yang Xin's voice came through the door: "Prayer time is up, I'm leaving."

"Done." Lu Ming gave the notebook a final glance, then placed it on the table.

It took only five minutes from the ring road to town on Lu's motorcycle, which kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Xin." An uncle pulled over: "Hey, Chang'an too? Long time no see—when did you get back?"

Time?

Lu Ming blinked, then immediately recalled the diary's date.

"Just got back three or four days ago." Yang Xin answered with a smile: "Yan Shu, we went to church first."

Before Lu Ming could speak, Yang Xin grabbed him and kept walking toward town.

"Liang Shu would go to church too, right?" Lu Ming asked.

"Probably." Yang Xin touched her lips with her forefinger, pondered: "My parents always take me to church."

Lu Ming gave a hum, then said nothing more.

Since the later part of the diary was torn, the only option is to find the close friend we once met, hoping to get some clues.

Suddenly, Lu Ming noticed Yang Xin staring at him.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ming gave a sideways glance.

Yang Xin stopped, lifted her forefinger to Lu Ming's lips, gave a light push, and forced a natural smile.

Lu Ming frowned slightly but didn't resist: "How many drops on the island? (What the heck is going on?)"

"You love laughing, just like that." Yang Xin moved her palm to rest on Lu Ming's chest: "Anything happy? Still feeling well?"

Lu Ming felt something was off, but the worry in the girl's eyes was indeed fake.

"Nothing." Lu Ming gave a small smile, half-joking: "You used to hate the noise, now you say you love laughing?"

"Of course, of course!" Yang Xin's fair face flushed: "Where did you find it noisy…"

"You always say the most…" Lu Ming mimicked her tone: "Don't laugh! I'm really angry!"

Yang Xin froze, then laughed: "How exaggerated… I still remember…"

Of course I remember…

I saw it in the diary.