Chapter 49: I'm a Tough Guy! What Am I Afraid Of!
Listening to the wind whistling in his headphones and then looking at the psychiatric hospital in the distance on the screen, Tom was silent for a moment.
"Before playing, I want to ask everyone, if... I mean, if I say I'm in trouble, can I not play?"
"Okay, then... then I'll turn on the lights, alright? Don't worry."
With that, Tom stood up, leaned forward, and pressed the light button. Instantly, the camera saw a light in a room that looked like a laundry room. Immediately, the live stream room was filled with comments.
"Tom!"
"23333333, Brother Tom, if you really can't, let's wait for David to come back to play together. At least we'll have company."
"233333, as easy as breathing. So why did Brother Tom turn on the lights?"
"Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!"
"Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!"
"Turn off the lights! Turn off the lights!"
As Tom turned on the lights, the flood of comments filled the screen, finally converging on a single message: "Turn off the lights!"
"Turn off the lights! Why the heck are you turning off the lights! Shut up!"
"Let me say it again, horror games are like breathing to me. There's no pressure. Of course, sometimes I get scared." "But it's just a little nervousness."
Seeing the flood of comments on the live stream, Tom tried to use external factors to calm his panic. He leaned back in his chair, put on his headphones, and officially started the game. He had already understood the basics thanks to the previous game's instructions. In Outlast, he played an unarmed reporter.
Generally, there are two types of horror games. One has a combat system, which means players can use guns or other weapons to defeat monsters or bosses. The other lacks combat; instead, players evade monsters through puzzles and escape. The first type is currently dominant in the market.
While the second exists, it is not popular. At least, there are few big-budget titles, and Outlast is clearly a big production within the horror genre. Tom perceived this just from the setting and atmosphere. The graphics are undoubtedly far inferior to AAA titles, but they are still quite realistic. And for a horror game, this level of immersion can easily make people uncomfortable.
"F***, I'm not scared! How could I be? Don't worry, let me check the controls first."
Tom looked at the secondary screen, trying to relieve the pressure by communicating with the commentator. In the empty guardhouse at the gate, he found a battery. After searching the gate, he found some items: a digital camera, a battery, and a blue folder.
"This should be what we use to change the flashlight later, right?"
Tom took out the digital camera, put in the batteries, and turned it on. Looking at the grim, pale green screen of the camera, Tom, as a video game streamer, had played many.
Seeing the digital camera's settings, he almost intuited something. There would probably be dark environments later, and he would just need to use this camera to navigate. He spoke very forcefully, but he still felt some panic.
After making sure there was nothing else to explore, Tom pushed open the large iron gate and stepped out into the courtyard. The asylum, built in a European style, was completely silent. Through the windows, lights could be seen flickering in some rooms. It was as if a pair of eyes were watching him from one of the lit rooms.
Controlling the protagonist along the path, Tom suddenly stopped. A light suddenly turned on on a floor of Mount Massive Asylum in front of him, and a dark figure appeared in the window. Its eyes, previously narrow slits, suddenly widened. Tom controlled the protagonist to approach the figure, ready to observe it more closely. But, as if noticing someone observing him, the figure instantly moved away.
From his perspective, he could only see a blurry black figure. Simultaneously, the room lights turned off again. Suddenly, Tom felt a chill run down his spine. Nothing had happened, not even a terrifying monster had appeared. However, a sense of panic washed over him. Mount Massive Asylum before him was like a monster with gaping jaws, waiting for his entry.
The environment was strangely arranged, especially the bomb-proof vehicles at the main entrance, which he found particularly odd. Why would there be bomb-proof vehicles at the entrance of a psychiatric hospital? He reached the main entrance, only to find it locked and impossible to open.
After wandering for a while, Tom finally found a small hole in the left iron gate and squeezed through. Then came a series of game instructions. There were actions like running, jumping, climbing, and crouching. The camera work and detail were exquisite, something Tom had never experienced before in horror games. Through his headphones, he could clearly hear the protagonist's ragged breathing.
Following the instructions, he reached the window. Just as he entered, the room lights suddenly turned off. The room was plunged into darkness, and Tom, still playing, shivered at the sudden blackout.
"233333, what am I seeing?"
"Haha, Brother Tom really has eyes!"
"How funny! Brother Tom seemed to have shivered, right?"
"Brother Tom, if you're scared, tell the truth!"
Seeing Tom's actions, the live stream room was filled with comments. Unlike usual live streams, today there were more comments. Obviously, many viewers were also scared and sent comments to calm their fear.
"F***... f***! What are you afraid of?! I'm a tough guy! What am I afraid of?! What is there to be afraid of?!"
After activating the DV's night vision mode, the pale green tint of the camera screen made the game's atmosphere even more unsettling. Tom shouted to cheer himself up as he held the camera and began to explore. He pushed open a slightly ajar door and moved forward.
Suddenly, the television, which was off, automatically turned on and emitted a high-pitched noise.
"Ahhh!"
The high-pitched noise startled Tom. Tom, on camera, was so scared that he completely trembled. With a top-notch tenor scream, he hit the table with his legs and his wheeled chair rolled back. At the same time, he covered his eyes with his hands and slumped in his chair.
After a few seconds, he noticed that there was no sound in his headphones. He opened his hands that were covering his face and looked at the computer screen out of the corner of his eye. He saw a dark room in the game, with only a snowy television.
After making sure there was no danger, Tom let go of his hands and, with a look of relief, stopped covering his face and covered his chest.
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