Chapter 1: Tales by the Lake

In this trial, everyone is guilty.

"The First" bears the deepest sin, condemned to an endless cycle where sanity erodes day by day amidst the relentless bloodshed, until spirit and soul are utterly extinguished.

But then he encounters 卓郁.

His sole redemption on a lonely path.

Deep within the warmth of my home, the summoning bell will ring.

Urging you and all to join our wicked ranks.

This was a song created by the Metallica band in 1991, a wave of metal sweeping across North America. It was said that many criminals were fond of it that year, and even this song "Jump in the Fire" played in prisons.

Zhuo Yu listened to the song while lightly tapping the armrest of his wheelchair with his fingers, as if keeping pace with the devilish vocals.

"Listening to this noisy heavy metal again." An middle-aged man impatiently sat across from him. "It's just noise."

Zhuo Yu's fingers paused, countering, "Strictly speaking, it's thrash metal."

"I didn't come here to talk music with you. The deadline is approaching, and the overseas publishers are pushing hard. You..."

Before he could finish, the raspy voice of the young writer interrupted him. "I'm going on a trip."

"Are you serious? Running around at a time like this? And with your condition, you can't even move independently. Are you going to push your wheelchair there? Or just stay at home obediently." The editor fired off several questions in a row, clearly disapproving.

Zhuo Yu didn't argue back. He knew this concern wasn't unfounded.

Because three years ago, the country began to experience a large number of missing persons cases, with over seven million cases documented. And this situation wasn't confined to the domestic front; it was happening overseas too.

No matter how much manpower and resources the police mobilized, these seemingly random disappearances were like stones dropped into the ocean, without a trace. Scientists also tried to find answers in their fields, but to no avail.

Initially, the government could keep it under wraps, but when these unsolved cases affected the majority, becoming a global disaster, it was impossible to conceal any longer. In the first year, people panicked and took to the streets, but by the third year, everyone had grown accustomed to it, even accepting explanations like "changes in the Earth's magnetic field causing sensory impairments, making people prone to getting lost."

It was just a matter of not going out after dark, choosing routes with surveillance, and getting the government-provided location chips implanted.

Humans are highly adaptable; most people continued living their lives as usual, even as this year's missing population reached an all-time high.

Zhuo Yu's silence made the editor feel awkward; he didn't know if his words had offended the other party, after all, Zhuo Yu, famous as he was, was also—disabled. And Zhuo Yu always cared deeply about that.

When he first met Zhuo Yu, Zhuo Yu had already spent a fortune on treating his legs, and up until now, every hefty payment from his articles would be poured into a treatment fund, but that money was basically wasted; he completely didn't understand the other person's sick persistence.

In the quiet atmosphere, the music continued playing.

There's a mission, and I am the executor

You chose me

Now your destiny is here, I will not hesitate

Push you into the deep pit

The fierce sounds of the electric guitar, like a chainsaw, also brought some impatience to the middle-aged man. Just as he hesitated whether to say something, Zhuo Yu handed him a tablet, ending his inner turmoil.

There was an anonymous forum above, and the domain name was very complicated and secretive, with a red post floating on the first page, the font glaring red.

[Fans of the Fire, my cousin came home, but he underwent some changes I can't accept...]

The editor's curiosity was piqued, he clicked in, finding the poster very uneasy; he could almost imagine the other party's fly-like appearance. In the chaotic words, he pieced together a complete story.

The sunny and cheerful teenager disappeared after school for no reason, and returned inexplicably three months later, completely changed, extremely violent. But what was most frightening was that this young man used to be disabled.

When he was a child, he played in his father's factory and his left hand was twisted by the machine. However, he is intact now, not to mention that his left hand has appeared out of thin air, and there are moles that are exactly the same as before. This is simply something that cannot be explained by science.

Disability recovery... The editor suddenly froze, he looked up suddenly and stared at Zhuo Yu, instantly having a bad association in his mind.

"I discovered this forum three years ago; many people who have lost relatives and friends gather here voluntarily. Of course, there are also people like me who have had nightmares for a long time and traced it through."

Zhuo Yu innocently shrugged, but the fanaticism implied in his tone simply made the man opposite stand on end.

"According to my investigation, many of the missing persons used to have a strange dream like mine, where we were burned by intense flames, the pain almost felt real. And upon waking up, we would involuntarily want to touch the flame."

The editor swallowed hard, lowering his gaze unnaturally, not daring to meet Zhuo Yu's eyes. Because what was in Zhuo Yu's eyes was too fiery, as if there was some unnamed belief suddenly born, as if to set the whole person on fire.

Come on

Jump into the fire

Come on

Jump into the fire

The jarring music heightened the editor's panic; he wanted to stop Zhuo Yu, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"I used to not pay much attention to this matter, just trying my best to avoid contact with fire until I saw this post." Zhuo Yu continued to smile. "Thirteen cases, I found thirteen cases of disabled recovery; this is not a coincidence."

The middle-aged man couldn't take it anymore, speaking incoherently, "Why are you telling me all this? No, what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Shh... Shh..." Zhuo Yu placed a finger on his lips. "Look into my eyes."

The editor instinctively looked up, meeting the other's deep, bottomless gaze; soon, he calmed down, the anxious feeling nearly extinguished. He realized that every time he looked into Zhuo Yu's eyes, he inexplicably felt calm, agreeing to many things in a haze.

"I just need a witness." Zhuo Yu said, "You know I'm a very ritualistic person."

As he spoke, he pulled out a necklace from around his neck, and hanging on the necklace was an exquisitely crafted lighter, adorned with jewels; if you ignored its function, it was almost an art piece.

"Don't do anything rash!"

The editor exclaimed, his heartstrings that had just settled were suddenly tightened again; he now completely believed in the other's absurd words because... as Zhuo Yu said, he too had dreams like that.

With a click, a vigorous blue flame burst forth; Zhuo Yu's excessively youthful and superior exquisite face glowed in the flame, with a flickering fire dancing in his eyes.

In the editor's last moment of seeing him, Zhuo Yu silently mouthed:

—Friend, I'll be waiting over there.

[Welcome intern actor "Zhuo Yu" to the set, loading completed for film "Tales by the Lake"~]

[This film is rated: Deadly (10v1), please survive until the end of the film, good luck to all actors.]

Zhuo Yu was awakened by the night breeze, the damp air mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees, along with a scent of rain-soaked earth.

He opened his eyes to see several strangers gathered not far away, each person's face filled with fear.

"10v1, is the system trying to kill us! Ten people against one boss, what a joke!"

"Damn it, not to mention us, those seasoned actors might not even hold up."

"Wait, this time the set matched six newbies?!"

As soon as the words fell, four men and women of varying ages looked at Zhuo Yu, their eyes filled with increasing despair.

"Not only are there newbies, but also a cripple!"

A middle-aged man disrupted the air with his rage, his face pale; he scrambled to his feet and shouted, "Newbies or not, where are we? I'm calling the police! I'm telling you, kidnapping is a serious crime!"

On the other hand, the girl was different; she looked at the pitch-black sky and the completely unfamiliar surroundings, shivering all over.

"So this is what it means to disappear; so this is what it means to disappear..." The girl seemed to realize something, despairingly sitting on the ground, covering her face and muttering to herself.

Zhuo Yu's head was throbbing from the noise; he regained his composure, realizing he was sitting in a dilapidated old wheelchair, and before him was a wide road with several parked cars nearby; it was definitely not the living room scene.

It worked... he had indeed succeeded!