This man named Eric Clark was wearing a gray trench coat, wrapping himself up tightly, and even wearing a mask—keep in mind, it was the height of summer. There was some kind of badge hanging from his chest, but what really drew attention was his terrifying appearance. His face was extremely gaunt, almost just skin and bones; you could even see the shape and outline of his facial bones. There wasn’t an ounce of extra flesh on his face, and because he was so emaciated, his eyes looked unusually large, bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept in days.

But beneath that gaunt face, his belly was bulging out.

It looked like he had a beer belly full of fat, but people with beer bellies shouldn’t be this skinny.

It was abnormal, disturbingly abnormal, making people feel uneasy.

At this moment, Eric Clark stood on the podium, his whole body exuding an aura of darkness, exhaustion, and numbness. He stood rigid and motionless, his bloodshot eyes moving slightly, like two dull, lifeless glass beads.

Wherever his gaze passed, all the students felt a wave of inexplicable fear.

Brian Cooper instinctively clenched his fists, his whole body tensing up, not daring to meet his eyes, thinking to himself, “This feeling is even stronger than when I faced that photo...”

“Hello, students. My name is Eric Clark, I’m the person in charge of Dachang City. I’m very glad to be alive and standing here today to give you this lecture.”

Eric Clark finally spoke. His voice was dry, hoarse, and grating, like glass scraping across the floor. Combined with his extremely gaunt face, it sent chills down everyone’s spine.

Alive and standing here to give a lecture?

Brian Cooper felt a chill in his heart. That sounded really strange.

At this moment, Eric Clark picked up a piece of chalk and turned to write a large, messy yet unmistakably clear character on the blackboard:

Ghost~!

“Legends of ghosts and spirits have existed since ancient times, and not just in our own country’s history—they appear in the histories of other countries as well. I’m not very knowledgeable about history, and I can’t speak much about ancient times, but you probably get what I mean.”

Eric Clark’s voice was still hoarse and grating. He spoke slowly and deliberately: “But now, there are some things you have no choice but to believe. In recent years, supernatural incidents have exploded in number. It’s no longer just a matter of one or two isolated events—it’s gradually evolving into a global catastrophe. If this situation isn’t brought under control, in the future... maybe the whole world won’t have a future.”

Everyone was a bit shocked to hear this.

How did this safety lecture turn into a ghost story session?

And he’s even claiming the world is going to end.

Not just the students—even Mr. Miller was stunned for a moment.

“I can’t say much more about this topic, and you shouldn’t ask. What I’m about to say next, I hope you all remember well. This safety lecture might one day save your life.”

Eric Clark didn’t continue right away. Instead, he turned and wrote another sentence on the blackboard: Ghosts cannot be killed.

“In the near future, you might encounter situations you never want to face—for example... running into a ghost. It might be discouraging, but please remember this: ghosts cannot be killed. So even if you’re terrified, don’t ever think about fighting those things head-on, because your life means nothing to them. Killing you is as easy as stepping on a few ants—no, even easier. Maybe with just a blink or a snap of their fingers, you’re done for.”

His bloodshot, haggard eyes stared at everyone as he spoke these words with utmost seriousness. Then he turned and wrote a second sentence on the blackboard.

“Only ghosts can deal with ghosts.”

Eric Clark continued, “If ghosts can’t be killed, that means all the technological power countries possess is useless—bombs, even nuclear weapons, none of it works. If scientists around the world can’t crack the ‘ghost’ problem, then for now, the only way to deal with ghosts is with other ghosts. I know you have questions, some of you probably think I’m crazy, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you listen and remember these words. You’ll need them in the future.”

“Of course, I hope you never will.”

“Brian Cooper, what is this guy talking about? I don’t understand a word,” whispered Michael Bolton beside him.

Brian Cooper said, “I don’t really get it either, but after hearing all this, I just feel uneasy.”

“Could it be that the Earth has mutated? Like in those novels?” said Michael Bolton.

“Probably not...” Brian Cooper hesitated.

Although he’d fantasized about immortals appearing and superpowers existing, if those things were real, it would be terrifying—after all, they’d pose a huge threat to ordinary people.

On the podium, Eric Clark continued, “Since ghosts can’t be killed and possess extraordinary abilities, combining these two facts, here’s a question: if an ordinary person is targeted by a ghost, how can they survive? This is the key point. I hope you remember it—forever, preferably for your whole life.”

After speaking, he turned and wrote a third sentence on the blackboard: Discern the patterns of the ghost.