"Rebirth Manor, a one-star dungeon, the most common type. Survive in your room for three days, and it counts as cleared."
At the entrance of the manor, a group of four players exchanged information.
It was obvious they weren't first-timers in the Horror Game.
A middle-aged man, known as Office Slave, shared the intel he had gathered.
"Everyone's gone through the newcomer dungeon before. You should know this isn't a joke. If we fail, there's no second chance. We'll discuss the details in the chat later."
The other three nodded.
Their faces were pale, but they entered the manor anyway.
Each received their room number.
Office Slave: "I'm in Room 202." Queen Sister: "Room 303, brothers and sisters, please protect me." Grandpa Proud: "Room 404, unlucky number… anyone want to swap?" White Dove: "…It's fixed. I'm Room 101."
Office Slave: "Room 101 seems to have Sadako. That's the only detailed info posted on the paranormal forum. You're lucky, just don't be stupid and turn on the TV; Sadako won't show up easily."
White Dove: "I'm terrified of these famous horror films…"
White Dove inhaled deeply, her steps tentative as she walked along the second-floor corridor.
As a college girl, horror films were her nightmare.
Sadako, as a household name in horror, was ingrained in everyone's mind.
Her fingers clutched the room card.
After hesitating, she finally opened the door.
A mournful, female ghostly wail echoed in her ears.
White Dove jumped.
On the TV screen, a female spirit with twisted limbs crawled up the stairs in a grotesque manner.
Fear coursed through her body.
Her pupils dilated uncontrollably.
The TV… she had turned it on?
The room looked lived-in, ordinary even.
Her movements were stiff.
Every nerve on high alert.
She touched the walls carefully, inching forward.
Exiting now would be far more dangerous.
The rules repeated on the paranormal forum were clear: inside the dungeon is always safer than outside!
White Dove barely breathed.
A suffocating tension gripped her chest.
After all, there was a spirit in this room.
And the TV was on.
Sadako could appear at any moment.
She might even already be inside.
The thought made White Dove shiver.
Her breath came in quick, shallow gasps.
Her heart thumped violently.
"What are you doing? Been staring for a while."
A deep voice sounded nearby.
Shen Jian poked his head out, at an inconvenient time.
Then he lay back in Sadako's embrace.
Resting his head on her lap.
Contentedly watching the duel between Sadako and Kayako unfold.
White Dove: "!!!"
"You… you're a player!?"
Seeing Shen Jian's level 0 displayed above his head, White Dove froze.
What was happening?
Two players in Room 101?
No—this dungeon only had four participants.
Where did this fifth player come from?
Four-player dungeon plus an unexpected fifth… terrifying upon reflection.
White Dove's fear intensified.
Especially when she noticed the figure beside Shen Jian.
Black hair cascading over the face, dressed in white.
Wasn't this Sadako's classic appearance?
Using Sadako as a pillow?
Damn.
She cursed under her breath.
Where did this powerhouse come from?
Shen Jian asked, "Just you? What's your mission?"
"Four of us, survive three days in Room 101," White Dove replied instinctively.
Shen Jian pondered.
He noticed her displayed level too.
White DoveLevel: 1
This was for player recognition, a standard feature in the game.
He didn't expect to encounter another player in this situation.
He still held the room card for Room 101.
Was this an extraordinary intrusion into his stay?
White Dove (chat): "There's someone in my room!!!"
???
?
???
White Dove (chat): "Who knows what's going on? Another player in Room 101, using Sadako as a pillow!"
Grandpa Proud: "Damn, is this real?"
Office Slave: "Never heard of such a thing. Are you glitched?"
Queen Sister: "I'm scared."
"Talking to other players?"
Shen Jian stood up.
Seeing White Dove's half-dazed expression, he immediately guessed what was happening.
A gleam appeared in his eyes.
He tried opening the chat interface.
It worked instantly.
He had officially entered the other players' dungeon instance.
Interesting.
Four players meant four spirits would spawn.
If all were captured, Yama Hall could operate normally.
Perfect.
This Horror Game was custom-made for him.
[True King Yama]: "Discussing me? Hehe, I'll find you now."
Shen Jian sent a message.
Office Slave: "!!?"
Grandpa Proud: "Damn."
White Dove: "…"
Ignoring the completely stunned White Dove, Shen Jian opened the door with Sadako.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Personal items are prohibited from being carried out!]
Crimson letters flashed before him.
Shen Jian smirked.
Personal items?
Indeed, these were his personal items.
Taking them out was no problem.
He stepped outside.
Following the chat records, he climbed to the third floor.
…
Room 202.
Wang Chen stared at the fifth player appearing in the chat interface, chilled to the bone.
He was an experienced player but had never heard of a player intruding into another dungeon.
Chat messages continued popping up.
But he had no attention left for them.
His gaze fixed forward, unwilling to blink.
Sizzling…
Lights flickered.
One by one, extinguishing from the entrance.
Wang Chen shivered in terror.
In the dark, he glimpsed a black shadow.
Wherever his eyes moved, the shadow seemed to get closer.
Within moments, only his bedroom light remained on.
Flickering with a faint sizzle.
He stared at the door, unwilling to blink.
It seemed that a single blink would bring the spirit nearer.
He frantically turned on every light he could find.
Something was wrong.
Spirits weren't supposed to revive this fast.
Based on his previous experience, a one-star dungeon's spirits generally woke in the late hours of the third day.
Before then, discovering a spirit's true form guaranteed safety.
But now…
He had barely been in the room for thirty minutes.
Without finding the spirit's true form, it had already revived.
At this pace, he would never survive three days and nights without blinking.
This dungeon had a problem!
It left no chance for players to survive.
Knock knock knock!
At that moment, a knock echoed.
"Moshi Moshi, anyone here?"
A cold, clear voice rang through the silent corridor.
Wang Chen froze.
A person?
This was absurd.
The three other players entering the dungeon were all newbies.
Even with courage, they wouldn't dare leave their rooms.
This sudden knock… too eerie.
He held his breath.
Then came the sound of the door opening.
"If no one responds, I take that as permission to enter."
Shen Jian pushed the door open, also pausing in surprise.
No lights, acting mysterious?
He stepped inside.
Closed the door.
Darkness enveloped the room instantly.
Wang Chen's heart skipped a beat.
This spirit only killed in darkness. Anyone entering would trigger its killing pattern.
Sure enough.
He saw a black shadow glide out of his vision, heading toward the door.
"Be careful, this one"
Smack!
Before he could finish, a loud slap echoed.
The sound of ceramic objects rolling across the floor followed.
Shen Jian: "What did you say?"
Wang Chen: …
(End of Chapter 3)
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