"This is already the third time Arthur's been sent back..."
"What the hell is he doing? Why does he always get returned?"
"I heard every foster family that took him in was in trouble..."
"Ha ha ha, aside from that obedient-looking face, what's there to like about him? For all we know, he's the one destroying those families!"
The words seemed to take form, each syllable twisting into venomous serpents slithering toward him, as if to swallow him whole.
The figure lying on the bed jolted in the darkness, then went still again.
Arthur opened his eyes wide, staring at the pitch-black ceiling above him. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, yet his expression remained eerily calm. Heavy dark circles shadowed his eyes, making him look utterly exhausted, like he hadn't slept properly in a long time.
Riiing riiing riiing!
Just then, the shrill ringing of his phone pierced the silence. The glowing screen lit up a small patch of the dim room.
"Hello."
Arthur picked up. On the other end, a torrent of words burst forth:
"Arthur, have you heard the news? Our department head just got into an accident. He won't get out of bed for two or maybe three months. Word is the company's already looking for a replacement, ha ha ha! That guy always relied on his connection with the director to push you around. Well, now he's done for—heaven's justice, don't you think?"
"I... is that so..." Arthur murmured, his voice whispering in the dark.
The man on the other end kept going, unstoppable in his excitement, as though not even the night could smother it.
Arthur kept staring at the ceiling, his pitch-black eyes void of light, empty, like those of a lifeless puppet.
[Ding! A malevolent soul has been detected. Qualified for enrollment in our expansion program!]
A... a malevolent soul? Who was speaking?
The mechanical voice, oddly cheerful, echoed through the room. Before Arthur could react, the entire space warped, transforming into a pitch-black chamber with a crimson door.
The blood-red light stained Arthur's eyes. He didn't even have time to process what was happening before he was dragged into a completely different space!
He tried to move, but couldn't. His body felt pinned to the chair, as though his seat was glued to him, his limbs weighed down by lead.
His pupils trembled. His hand twitched uncontrollably, unsure if it was fear or something else.
[Welcome, freshly unearthed malevolent soul. Don't bother pretending—you're in the one place where you can unleash the full extent of your demonic nature!]
Malevolent soul? Demonic nature?
Arthur's head throbbed violently. Cold sweat streamed down his face as he stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about. Let me go."
[Such calm under pressure! Now that's a quality we can't afford to waste!]
The mechanical voice rang out again, brimming with delight.
Arthur pressed his lips together, his drooping eyes sinking even lower, as if he had no will left to cling to this life.
[Allow me to introduce myself: I am System A01, the direct administrator of the Nightmare Game! We pride ourselves on fairness, allowing every villain to showcase their true selves. Arthur is an unknown malevolent soul destined to die tomorrow morning—this is your only chance to save yourself!]
[Choose Yes or No to decide your fate!]
Two pop-ups appeared before Arthur's eyes.
But he didn't rush to choose.
Staring into the void, the blinding red glow from the door spilling into his eyes, he asked:
"Can I know how I'm supposed to die?"
[A single spark will set the entire apartment building ablaze. You will be one of the casualties.]
Arthur flinched slightly, muttering, "And... the others?"
[Ha ha ha! As expected of a true villain—such dedication to the act, right to the bitter end!]
Arthur pressed his lips tightly together, his face clouded with humiliation.
System A01 laughed for a long while before finally stopping, its voice turning seductive, almost coaxing:
[Of course, the Nightmare Game comes with endless rewards... as well as endless punishments. As long as you clear the game, you can obtain anything.]
"Even... even if I wanted the fire that burns down the apartment never to happen?"
[That's right!]
Arthur seemed to have found his answer. He had no other choice.
He swallowed hard, then finally raised his hand to press Yes.
But his hand trembled uncontrollably, almost frantically, making it impossible to steady himself.
He instinctively grabbed his wrist to keep it in place.
[All you need is a single thought to make your choice.]
System A01 chuckled as it spoke, as if Arthur's struggle was immensely entertaining.
Arthur clenched his lips, then made his decision in his mind.
The instant the pop-up registered his choice, the crimson door before him swung open. On the other side lay endless darkness, deeper than even the small black room he stood in.
[The first game has now been opened. Please note that without a team, player grouping is not based on player level but on the soul's level of malevolence. Arthur, best of luck!]
"Can I ask something... why do you think my soul is malevolent?"
Arthur could finally stand again. His back hunched slightly, his posture small and dispirited as he asked.
But this time, System A01 no longer answered.
Arthur realized he had already stepped through the door. It slammed shut behind him—leaving him to fall headlong into the void.
[Greetings, player ID: A0066613. I am your system, A13. You have 10 minutes to prepare before the game begins. We give every evil soul a chance. Best of luck.]
This voice was mechanical, cold, and monotone, each word devoid of emotion.
Arthur glanced around. Darkness surrounded him, and ,a blood-red countdown ticked away ten minutes above his head. The oppressive space made it hard to breathe.
He pressed his lips together, trying to shift his focus elsewhere.
At that moment, a blue pop-up window appeared before him:
[Confirm to open Profile Interface]
Below were two choices: Yes or No.
Arthur immediately chose Yes.
Immediately, the pop-up unfolded into multiple sections. At a glance, the interface displayed Arthur's personal information.
[Name: Arthur
ID: A0066613
Passive Skill: ??? Error, unable to verify ??????? Error ?????
Active Skills: Sharpshooting S, Fistfight E, Speed S, Intellect F (note: intellect rating pertains to the spiritual domain, not related to IQ)
Items: Locked
Titles: Locked
...]
Arthur's eyes lingered on the passive skill line for a long time before moving on.
Aside from that, there were two more tabs: Live Broadcast and Store.
The Store tab was greyed out; Arthur couldn't even glimpse what was inside.
The Live Broadcast room, however, was still pitch-black. Just as Arthur looked at it, System A13's voice rang out:
[You may set a name for your live broadcast room. Attract loyal viewers—they can provide assistance and rewards, helping you accumulate credits. Credits are the only currency permitted in the Nightmare Game!]
Arthur nodded. He didn't want to die, nor did he want the apartment building to burn down. His neighbors were kind to him. Whether this thing was real or some elaborate scam, he was trapped here anyway—so he might as well try to survive whatever this so-called "game" was.
So he thought, yet his eyes remained dark and dim.
Ding!
Clack clack clack!
Suddenly, a series of sharp sounds rang—the countdown had reached zero. The darkness swallowed Arthur.
[Dungeon unlocked!
"The Merry Manor of Crime." Difficulty Rating: B.
You are a newly graduated student who has suddenly received an anonymous invitation from the owner of a wealthy manor. Going there and leaving alive means you will receive a considerable sum of money. Because of your dire circumstances, you had no choice but to accept the invitation.
Mission: Escape the manor or survive for 7 days!]
Before him rose a massive Gothic castle—towering, imposing. The walls were tinged with black, flying buttresses jutted like monstrous ribs, and the tall spires soared skyward as though they sought to pierce the heavens.
Standing before such a fortress, a human being was no more than an ant.
Rumble! Boom! CRACK!
Suddenly, a flash of lightning split the sky, thunder crashing down to bathe the manor in a blinding glow.
Arthur flinched slightly and turned to look behind him—only to see a dense forest, a narrow trail stretching endlessly into the distance. The wind howled through the trees, making the foliage sway and creak like the forest was screaming.
Rain was coming.
Arthur pressed his lips together, decided, and quickly dashed inside the manor. There was no retreat left for him...
Meanwhile, the live broadcast center had grown lively.
[After so many days, this stupid game finally runs normally again! I swear I wasn't even hoping for much.]
[Heard the last incident caused a massive drop in player count. This time, the system will recruit a ton of newbies. Wonder how many fresh faces this dungeon will have?]
[Are you kidding me? This dungeon's difficulty is rated B. Imagine how unlucky or downright evil you'd have to be to get dragged into this one.]
[Not fun, then. A few other dungeons are opening on the side, F, E, and D ranks. Let's watch the newbies squirm instead—time for a change of pace, ha ha ha.]