The night grew deep, and everyone should have been fast asleep. In this house, too, a middle-aged couple was deeply slumbering, their snores resonating in the stillness. However, a closer look revealed a different story.
Dim light filtered through the mosquito netting, illuminating the terrified face of a middle-aged man drenched in sweat. His eyes widened in horror, refusing to breathe too loudly as he fixed his gaze on the gauzy curtain above him, not daring to glance at the “person” sleeping beside him.
Suddenly, blood began to drip onto his face, accompanied by a rusty metallic scent that filled his nostrils. His temples throbbed painfully, and the bedsheet beneath him felt soaked, sticking uncomfortably to his skin.
As he trembled, the old wooden bed creaked loudly, the sound amplifying his fear. He could not dare to open his eyes any longer, nor breathe heavily. He tried his best to minimize his presence, terrified that the ghostly figure beside him would notice him.
The woman who appeared to be his “wife” during the day—a mere NPC in a variety show—was now covered in blood, her body twisted grotesquely, an unmistakable odor of decay lingering around her.
She was a long-dead corpse. Her death had been horrifying; her limbs seemed to have been violently broken and twisted, blood oozing from the severed edges. Yet she continued to snore, appearing deeply asleep.
During the day, everything seemed normal. He diligently played the role of a silent and timid husband, enduring scorn and ridicule, thinking that was the hardest part of the role. Who could have expected such horrors awaited him at night?
The middle-aged man trembled even more intensely.
【What a tragedy to draw such an identity】
【I’d bet he will be the first to die in this show】
【Boring, another cliché plot】
【Let’s wrap it up; no one dies on the first day; let’s just watch them squabble】
A few scattered comments drifted through the live stream, but Zhou Wu couldn’t see them. He was unaware that the malicious audience was already betting on his fate. His head throbbed in waves, unsure if it was psychological or something more, and pain began to radiate through his body.
It felt as if a rusty saw was going back and forth on his leg. Zhou Wu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
He was a contestant on a survival reality show, with minimal experience, relying on some cunning tricks to stay alive until now. In reality, he was an unemployed drifter, buried in gambling debts, venturing into this show out of desperation to earn money. He never anticipated how terrifying this variety show would be; entering a show with low difficulty had horrified him to his core.
Once he participated, there was no turning back. He had to swallow his complaints and continue in the show, clenching his teeth against his frustration with the survival reality.
Though not skilled, Zhou Wu had a bit of luck, always drawing roles that weren’t particularly dangerous to survive until now. But now… he was drenched in sweat, trembling as he lay aside, terrified that a ghost would suddenly attack him.
Zhou Wu was playing the part of the husband in Room Three. By day, he worked alongside his “wife,” but at night, he discovered that the figure beside him was a ghost.
Even knowing the danger, he could not escape this place. The survival show provided them with identity cards, demanding they perform their respective roles unless they wanted to draw attention prematurely by discarding their cards.
However, the nighttime scene was too terrifying. A person who appeared normal during the day was now a mangled mass of flesh, still lying beside him as if they had merely fallen asleep moments before.
The more Zhou Wu thought about it, the more frightened he became; the ticking sound grew louder in his ears.
Something warm suddenly flowed over his leg… it was blood.
Wait, from where did it flow?
Zhou Wu opened his eyes wide and looked down, realizing his own limbs had been severed. The ends were jagged, resembling wounds inflicted by a blunt instrument repeatedly. Blood pooled around him, and the pain surged slowly in realization.
He had met the same fate as the corpse beside him…
“Ah!” A hoarse scream pierced the stillness of the night.
*****
Warm sunlight shone down, casting a patchwork of light and shadow on the concrete floor.
When Yan Chuan arrived downstairs, a group of people with varied expressions had already gathered at the entrance.
The person looking the worst was a short, plump middle-aged man, who paced back and forth anxiously, raising and dropping his hands repeatedly.
Among them was a middle-aged couple; the woman had short hair, appeared to be in her forties, and wore glasses, while the man was slightly younger, dressed in office attire.
A younger couple stood at the side; the girl seemed timid, comforted by her boyfriend, who also bore a troubled expression.
Then there were Tang Zhen and Dan Qi, whom Yan Chuan had met before.
In total, eight contestants had shown up.
“Did you hear any noises last night?”
The pale-faced middle-aged man spoke first, his eyes wide as if in a state of frenzied shock.
“I did.”
“So did I, I was awakened by the ticking sounds.”
“There was someone knocking at the door, but I ignored them.”
A few scattered affirmations emerged from the crowd, marking a clear indication that last night’s incidents had occurred to all.
Yan Chuan nodded along.
Being a first-timer in a survival show, he was unclear about many things and chose not to disclose his own experiences from the night before.
Moreover… Yan Chuan touched his still slightly warm cheek, his brow furrowing slightly.
Should he reveal that he had been pressed down by a ghost last night, without anything more taking place, merely feeling his face for half the night?
His thick, dark lashes drooped pensively, fluttering slightly in aggravation.
It would be better if he just said he encountered a lustful ghost instead.
Yan Chuan pursed his lips.
Last night, that had indeed felt like a lustful ghost to him.
After all the uproar, he thought he would be the first to perish, but, as it turned out…
His face flushed again. His skin was pale as snow, smooth and translucent, making any hint of redness starkly apparent. Now, a ring of redness bloomed on his right cheek, faintly warm, resembling fallen plum blossoms on snow.
It was particularly conspicuous… and unmistakably eye-catching.
Hidden gazes were cast his way, filled with curious scrutiny and a hint of malice.