2 Chapter 2: Something is Indeed Off about this Game_1

Ten minutes later, someone found Luo Xi who had fainted in the stairwell and urgently sent him to the nearby hospital.

At 9 PM, Luo Xi lay on his rented bed, clutching the small bump on his forehead, despairingly staring at the balance of his bank card on his phone.

This hospital visit, along with the various tests and medical expenses, had spent every penny he had saved in the past few months from his internship. Now, he didn't even have money to eat.

He had even used 'Huabei,' a consumer credit service, to pay for his takeaway dinner that night.

He didn't know which lowlife had sloppily thrown trash in the fire escape. He better not find that person, otherwise he'd definitely demand thousands—and no, actually demand medical expenses.

Fortunately, his fall wasn't too severe; he had just happened to faint. When Luo Xi was brought to the hospital, he had actually regained consciousness.

After running various tests and looking at the CT scan, the hospital gave him some medicine and let him go.

"I shouldn't have been playing with my phone when going downstairs, and this game..."

Luo Xi stared at the grey icon on his phone's desktop, his brows deeply furrowed.

For some reason, he felt eerily uneasy.

This game seemed a bit off...

Hesitating for quite a while, Luo Xi eventually opened the game, and the black background with white font reappeared.

[Traveler from another world, you have finally returned!]

[It is deep in the night now. Stars cast their brilliant starlight across the sky, reflecting off the bright full moon, and you marvel at the otherworldly landscape. Your Happiness Level +1.]

[In the meantime, the body you control in the Dream World has lost 12% of its Life Value due to cold.]

[Note: After losing your will, Traveler, if your character is in a state of survival, it will only enter the lowest degree of interaction mode. We advise that you find a proper resting place or enter a safe area before leaving the Dream World.]

[You are lucky this time; there are no ferocious beasts nearby.]

[Traveler, please find a place to shelter from the cold as soon as possible. After midnight, the temperature here will drop below minus thirty degrees, and in your ragged clothes, you will easily freeze into a solid human popsicle.]

[What is your choice?]

[① Stay and wait for death]

[② Move, search for a warm place]

Luo Xi chose to move.

[Traveler from another world, you gather your courage and embark on the journey through the night, relying on the starlight to barely see the path ahead. You need to cross the mountain in front of you.]

[You see what looks like twinkling stars shining on a giant tree far away, guiding your path, and once again, you marvel at the beauty of this world. Your Happiness Level +1.]

[You grope your way along the rocky mountain path...]

[You grope your way along the rocky mountain path...]

[Would you like to accelerate gameplay to the next event node? You can choose between 1-30 times the speed.]

A white progress bar crawls sluggishly below the question.

Luo Xi immediately cranked the speed up to the fastest 30 times.

[Accelerating progress...]

On the screen, the progress bar moved tens of times faster.

If Luo Xi lifted his head right now, he would be shocked to find the second hand of the clock hanging on his wall spinning like mad.

[Ding! After your relentless effort, you have been beheaded by an unknown creature hidden in the woods.]

[You are dead.]

Luo Xi: "!?"]

I'm dead just like that?

Is this even a regular game?

He instinctively touched his neck.

Why did it feel somewhat chilly?

The game text continued to progress.

[Death Summary]

[Poor Traveler, it is common sense in the Dream World not to travel at night. You, being new to this world, have learned about the dangers that come with it for the first time.]

[But rest assured, the grand will of the Dream World has bestowed the power of resurrection upon travelers from other worlds.]

[Oh, you want to know what the great will is exactly?]

[It cannot be told, it cannot be said.]

[Just understand that each traveler from another world gets three chances to Resurrect within a day.]

[Of course, there is a price for resurrection. Each time you resurrect, the next day, your physical presence in the Otherworld will suffer a decrease of 20% in all qualities.]

[Do you choose to Resurrect immediately?]

[Note: If no safe area is bound, Travelers will resurrect at the location of the last event point. Once the three daily opportunities for Resurrection are used up, Travelers will be temporarily unable to enter the game.]

[Talent: Moonflow·Zero Point has been triggered.]

[Do you choose to return to today's Zero Point?]

What does that mean?

Weakening of the body in the Otherworld?

Could it be that dying in the game could affect the real me?

Luo Xi wanted to laugh.

He pondered for a bit and chose the normal Resurrection; after all, it's best to save the strongest for last.

[Under the grace of the great will, your body reappears in that pile of grass, and you receive a new life. Praise the generosity of the great will!]

[The journey is long, but step by step will get you there.]

[Traveler, now that you know the dangers of the night, do you still have the courage to move forward?]

Luo Xi curled his lip.

It's just a game, how could I possibly lack courage? Bear in mind, I am the one who dares to play escape and Silent Hill games alone in the dead of night with the lights off.

[You grope your way along the rocky mountain path...]

[With your cleverness, you evade the area where the unknown creature was, cross over the mountain, and finally see signs of habitation below. Midway up the hill, there is a small cottage with bright light shining through the windows. What do you choose?]

[① Go over and knock on the door, asking the owner to let you stay overnight.]

[② Sneak into the house quietly.]

[③ Barge in directly.]

Luo Xi chose the first option.

As a fine young man of the new era, I obviously have to do things that align with the prevailing social values.

[You chose to go over and knock on the door.]

[The door opens, and an elderly woman, hunched over and appearing very kind, greets you. Bright light pours out from the house, and something resembling an electric lamp hangs from the ceiling.]

[The elderly woman first looks at you in amazement, then starts laughing wickedly, 'Hehehe,' muttering something in a language you don't understand.]

[You find this old lady rather creepy.]

[As you think about leaving, the old lady suddenly pulls out a knife and stabs it precisely into your heart.]

[You are dead.]

Ah?

Luo Xi was dumbfounded.

What kind of NPC is this, killing on sight? Is that being kind?

And this wicked old woman also played dirty, stabbing him to death without warning.

[Death Summary]

[Poor Traveler, you trusted first impressions too much and were killed by an evil, fallen Skill Practitioner. She seemed to be in need of materials for her experiments, and you conveniently showed up at her doorstep, hehehe.]

[You may choose to Resurrect at the last event point.]

[Talent: Moonflow·Zero Point has been triggered.]

[Do you choose to return to today's Zero Point?]

[No.]

[Under the grace of the great will, you reappear above the position of the little cottage halfway up the mountain.]

[What is your choice this time?]

[① Give up the goal and detour around.]

[② Go up and knock on the door.]

[③ Sneak into the cottage quietly.]

[④ First explore the surroundings to look for a weapon that can be used.]