**Chapter 29: The Quiet Aftermath**

The conversation with Bludworth had wrapped up, the weight of his words settling over Kris and Biscuit like a thick fog. As the tension in the room loosened, Kris leaned back in his chair, glancing around at the various cryptic trinkets scattered across Bludworth's study. The silence was strangely comforting, a far cry from the whirlwind of chaos that had brought them here.

"So," Kris broke the silence with a casual tone, "guess we're done with the heavy stuff, huh? What do you do to pass the time in this place anyway? Do a bit of knitting... crack a few tomes..." He gave a smug smile, but there was a glint in his eyes that showed his mind was already ticking away.

Biscuit, sitting at the edge of the desk and tapping her fingers on a well-worn book, shot him a dry look. "You think we'll learn anything useful from his... *collection*?"

Bludworth, who had been quietly watching them with a detached interest, finally spoke up. "I didn't accumulate this library for leisure." He gave a slight nod toward the bookshelves that stretched across the room, laden with old texts, tomes, and scrolls. "Each of these holds knowledge about the curses, spirits, and the darker arts of this domain. If you're to survive the coming trials, you may find these studies useful."

Kris raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like bedtime reading." But even as he said it, his curiosity piqued. "Do you mind if we—"

Bludworth cut him off with a small wave. "You may copy what you need. Some of these texts are... valuable, but not for what you might consider conventional reasons."

Kris chuckled. "Not a problem. I'm not here for a historical lecture. I'm more of a *hands-on* kind of guy."

Biscuit rolled her eyes but quietly reached for one of the smaller books on the table, her sharp gaze scanning the pages. She wasn't one for idle chatter, but Kris knew she was already absorbing every detail, calculating how this knowledge could be used in the future.

Kris, meanwhile, had pulled out a few of his own journals and started transcribing parts of Bludworth's work—mostly about curses and spirits. It didn't take long for him to find a section on voodoo, an art he had heard about in passing but never really delved into. Bludworth's knowledge seemed almost limitless, but one particular chapter caught his attention.

*Unlocking the Voodoo Priest Ability: An ancient art tied to gods and spirits. To wield it is to bend the very will of the dead.*

He glanced up at Bludworth, who had been oddly quiet for the last few minutes. "You know, you never mentioned you dabbled in voodoo. Kinda leaning into the stereotype there, huh?"

Bludworth's lips twitched, but it wasn't quite a smile. "It seemed... prudent," he said after a pause. "Voodoo's ability to influence spirits is a power few truly understand. Once unlocked, it allows one to command the energies of the dead—both a blessing and a curse. But as with all power, the price is steep."

Kris leaned forward, intrigued now. "A little more 'hands-on' than I'm used to, but that sounds like something that might come in handy down the line." He scribbled down some notes, though part of him wondered how much of this knowledge was just theory.

Biscuit, who had been silently flipping through another book on the table, looked up at Bludworth. "And what do you do with that power? Summon a few spirits to clean up your crypt?"

Bludworth's eyes, still dark, seemed to flicker with something far older than any of them. "Not quite. I prefer to keep the dead in their place. But in certain circumstances, their knowledge is... invaluable."

Kris rubbed his chin. "Right. Knowledge, no summoning undead armies. Got it."

The next few days were a blur of studying. Kris, ever the student of strategy, took to copying down sections on curses and spirits, while Biscuit honed in on the more practical aspects of the texts. They spent hours perusing Bludworth's library, their conversation shifting from one topic to another—always punctuated by the occasional sarcastic remark from Kris.

"So," Kris asked one evening, laying a book aside and stretching, "when zombies, come for our brains, you saying we could use this knowledge to what? Parley?"

Biscuit shot him a glare, but Bludworth, for once, allowed himself a small smile. "Perhaps. But if you truly want the dead to aid you, you must first offer them something in return."

Kris snorted. "Great. So we'll be in debt to the spirits. What's next—start paying rent to the ghosts in the attic?"

Bludworth's smile faded, and his tone grew serious once more. "Make no mistake, Kris. This is not a game. The dead demand more than you may be prepared to offer. And the voodoo you seek to understand... it comes with consequences."

Kris held his gaze for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Relax... I'm not about to offer my first born or pawn my soul for collateral."

As the days passed, they spent more time in Bludworth's company, absorbing the darker knowledge of the world they were about to navigate. Kris didn't quite know if he believed in all the curses and spirits Bludworth spoke of, but he wasn't about to take chances. Not when his survival—and possibly the fate of the entire group—depended on it..

---

The return to God's Dimension

Kris and Biscuit materialized back into God's dimension, the familiar sensation of warping through space jarring as usual. The world flickered around them for a moment before everything settled, revealing the chaotic scene before them.

"What's going on here?" Kris muttered, eyeing the tense standoff. Jie stunned at sight of a pale Lori, with Zheng beside her, his face a mix of disbelief and confusion.

Before Kris could do anything, Jie's voice rang out. "Wait, wait!"

Jie rushed over to Lori, scooping her up without hesitation. "God, heal her injuries and deduct the points from me!" His usual relaxed tone was gone, replaced by an urgency that seemed out of place.

Zheng, still frozen, barely seemed to register Jie's words. But Jie wasn't done. His voice cut through the air again, sharper this time. "Hurry and heal your own injuries! I know you don't have too many points left. If you go negative, you'll get erased! Heal yourself!"

Kris and Biscuit exchanged a glance. Kris couldn't help but snicker under his breath. "Talk about dramatic timing. Guess we're late to the party."

Just as he spoke, a beam of light shot down, enveloping Lori in its glow. Her pale face regained its color almost immediately as the healing began. Kris leaned back against a nearby pillar, watching with mild amusement.

In moments, Lori was back on her feet, her injuries gone. She rushed over to Zheng, jumping into his arms as if nothing had happened. "Lori... stand behind me," Zheng murmured, his exhaustion evident, but his resolve still there.

"Jeez," Kris muttered, still taking in the scene. "Guess we missed a lot." He watched as Zheng charged at Xuan, knife in hand, his every movement filled with the desperation of someone who had just risked everything to come back for the team.

Kris stepped forward, seizing Zheng's knife arm with precision. Using his opponent's momentum against him, he executed a clean judo throw, sending Zheng crashing to the ground.

The impact jolted Zheng back to his senses, though the fire of his emotions still burned hot.

Zheng's voice, thick with anger, cut through the tension. "F*ck! I spent all my points and rewards to check out the real world for everyone, but do you know what he did? He put the positioning device from his watch into this knife!" His voice trembled with frustration. "You know why I came back looking like this? I was hunted down by the military! Social Security arrested our parents, and I barely made it back at the last second! Do you still think he counts as one of us?"

Kris released Zheng the moment he felt the tension leave his arm. Taking a step back, he gave the man some room to compose himself before turning and walking back toward Biscuit.

Biscuit muttered softly, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the scene. "Everything played out just like you said."

Kris nodded, arms crossed, his gaze distant. "Yeah, it's all falling into place. Xuan might think he's doing the right thing, but he's too eager to manipulate others, rushing into it without thinking. And Zheng? He's got the potential to lead, but he's too soft, too naïve to see the bigger picture." He glanced at Biscuit, his tone sharpening. "If they ever figure out how to work together... they'd be the perfect allies, but also the worst enemies we could face—at least their clones would be."

Biscuit's gaze was unwavering. "They won't work together. Not unless something drastic changes."

Kris straightened up, taking in the entire situation. "Let's take this one step at a time. Our main goal is still to keep anyone from triggering the team battle. That means no unlocking genetic constraints for now." He paused, watching the unfolding chaos. "We need to keep our heads in the game, no matter how messy it gets."

---

It had been nine days since Kris and Zheng returned. During that time, Zheng hadn't exchanged a single word with Xuan.

Instead, Zheng threw himself into intense training—discussing combat techniques with Jie, Kampa, and Zero, practicing with guns, and refining his other survival skills. Meanwhile, Kris and Biscuit took a different approach to the group's preparations.

They handed out anti-evil talismans, wards, and good luck charms to everyone. As a precaution against the supernatural, they even recorded Buddhist chants and loaded them onto small MP3 players with built-in speakers. They made sure to brief everyone on which playlist to queue up if they encountered something... out of the ordinary.

The rest of the group looked at them a bit oddly, unsure of what to make of it, except for Xuan. He seemed intrigued by the novelty of the idea, nodding in approval at their thoughtfulness.

Despite the odd looks, the group remained focused. Their preparations for the next mission took priority, and everyone was on high alert.

And then, the day they'd all been waiting for finally arrived.

Just as they were about to enter the third movie, Xuan approached the group. His expression was a mix of determination and uncertainty, a far cry from his usual self-assurance. Without saying a word, he handed each of them a small device that resembled a sleek cellphone, its futuristic design unlike anything they had seen before.

Over the past few days, Xuan had managed to repair the android Bishop and even created his own personal bodyguard. With Bishop's help, he'd crafted these devices, which functioned independently from any traditional service provider—completely self-sustaining.

Kris and Biscuit exchanged a look, then nodded with approval. "Nice work," Kris said, grinning. "Fixing Bishop, and this... impressive."

Biscuit, with a rare smile, added, "We didn't expect you to pull it off, but you did."

They also greeted Bishop, who now stood beside Xuan, fully updated on everything that had happened in God's dimension.

---

"Enter the beam within thirty seconds. Target locked, starting transportation to The Grudge 2004."

Six people—no, six people plus two bodyguards and an android—stood inside the beam of light.

---

**GOD'S MISSION** - *The Grudge 2004* -

**TWENTY-MAN MISSION**

**Main Quest:** *The Mission*

**Objective 1:** Survive seven days

**Base Survival Reward:** 1000 Points.

**Combat Mission Reward:**

-Kill the main body of Kayako - 5000 points and a rank B reward

**Side Quest:** *Bonus Points*

1. **Orientation** - The first player to explain to the new players the inner workings of missions, exchanges, and how to return home earns 100 points.

2. **She must live** - Don't let Karen Davis die .

**Penalties:** *Negative Points/Death*

1. **New Players** - Negative 1000 for a player killing a new player. A new player remains "new" until the start of their second mission.

2. **Spoiler** - Negative 10 points per sentence.

3. **D-Zero** - Any player with 0 or negative points at the end of a mission will be killed with no exceptions.

---

A summary of the Grudge 2004

A vengeful curse haunts a house in Tokyo, stemming from a brutal series of murders committed by Takeo Saeki, who killed his wife, Kayako, and their son, Toshio, in a fit of rage. Kayako's spirit, unable to rest, manifests as a deadly force that causes anyone who enters the house to experience terrifying and violent deaths. The curse begins with Peter Kirk, an American professor who becomes entangled with Kayako after receiving her love letters. As he investigates the source of her obsession, he discovers the horrific consequences of her wrath, ultimately ending in his own suicide.

The curse spreads to others, including Matthew and Jennifer Williams, who move into the house, and Yoko, a caretaker for an elderly woman. Each is drawn into the malevolent presence of Kayako and Toshio, who haunt the house and its inhabitants. As the bodies pile up, Karen Davis, a caretaker, uncovers the tragic history of the house and the unstoppable nature of the curse. Despite her efforts to escape, she learns that anyone touched by the curse is doomed to suffer a grisly fate.

As the supernatural force continues to claim victims, Karen realizes she too is marked by the curse. With no way to break free, the horror persists, and the vengeful spirits of Kayako and Toshio remain at the heart of the cursed house, waiting for their next victim.

---